🥃 Qingxiang
Qingxiang (qingxiangxing) is light-aroma baijiu: sorghum ferments in buried clay jars, the grain is distilled twice; the main ester is ethyl acetate. Fenjiu and Beijing erguotou belong here.
Qingxiang (light-aroma type) is one of the four basic aroma types of Chinese grain spirit, and the one often suggested to people new to baijiu. Its classic example is Fenjiu from Xinhua village near the city of Fenyang in Shanxi province. According to a review in Food Chemistry: X (2023), qingxiang holds about 10 % of the baijiu market; its main aroma ester is ethyl acetate.
How it is made. Sorghum and wheat ferment in clay jars buried in the ground, not in pits of living clay as with nongxiang. The raw material is steamed and distilled twice: after the first distillation the remaining grain ferments again. The starter is a medium- or low-temperature daqu, xiaoqu or fuqu; xiaoqu is common in the south, daqu and fuqu in the north.
Aroma. Qingxiang is clean and grainy, with moderate sweetness. Besides ethyl acetate, researchers give a key role to beta-damascenone and ethyl lactate. Formerly the light aroma also included laobaigan baijiu, but in 2005 that was recognised as a separate type.
Brands and standard. The light-aroma type includes Fenjiu, Beijing erguotou such as Erguotou Red Star, the Henan Baofeng and the Qinghai Qingke made from hulless barley and peas. The requirements for the type are set by the standard GB/T 10781.2-2022, in force since 1 February 2023. The gaoliang of Taiwan is also a clear sorghum baijiu.
Why this matters to you. The mark qingxiangxing (清香型) on the label promises a clean grain taste without the smell of a pit, so this type is often recommended to people who are just getting to know baijiu. Erguotou can be very strong, so check the % vol. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | GB/T 10781.2-2022 — light-aroma baijiu (in force from 01.02.2023) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | sorghum and wheat; daqu, xiaoqu or fuqu starter |
| Distillation method | solid-state distillation twice: the grain ferments and is distilled in two cycles |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Qingxiang → then → 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation ← goes through ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation, 🥃 Distillation
- Made from
- 🍷 Yeast
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Baijiu
- Related to
- 🌍 East Asia
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Erguotou Red Star, 🥃 Kaoliang, 🥃 Nongxiang, 🥃 Nongxiang, 🥃 Mixiang, 🥃 Mixiang, 🥃 Fengxiang, 🥃 Fengxiang, 🥃 Texiang, 🥃 Texiang
Frequently asked questions
Does light aroma mean weak baijiu?
No. "Light" describes the clean grain aroma, not the strength: qingxiang, including erguotou, can be very strong.
Which brand is the reference for qingxiang baijiu?
Fenjiu from Xinhua village in Shanxi province; Beijing erguotou also belongs to this type.
How does qingxiang differ from nongxiang (strong aroma)?
Qingxiang ferments in buried clay jars and smells mainly of ethyl acetate; nongxiang ferments in pits of living clay and smells of ethyl hexanoate.
What do double fermentation and double distillation mean?
The steamed sorghum ferments and is distilled; the remaining grain with new starter ferments and is distilled a second time; this is how Fenjiu is made.
Which standard covers qingxiang baijiu?
GB/T 10781.2-2022, Requirements for the quality of baijiu, Part 2: light-aroma baijiu, in force since 1 February 2023.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🍷 Yeast — Microscopic fungi that turn sugar into alcohol and gas.
- 🌍 East Asia — A region in the east of Asia — China, Japan and Korea: milk became an everyday food only in the 20th century, but there are old traditions such as rushan and so; China ranks third in the world for vineyard area.
- 🥃 Jianxiang — Jianxiang (jianxiangxing) is mixed-aroma baijiu that combines the sauce style jiangxiang with the strong style nongxiang; standard GB/T 10781.8-2021, Baiyunbian is the classic example.
Similar
🥃 Fengxiang · 🥃 Texiang · 🥃 Zhimaxiang · 🥃 Mixiang · 🥃 Nongxiang · 🥃 Jianxiang
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- SAMR/SAC national standards register, series GB/T 10781 白酒质量要求 (Baijiu quality requirements): part 2, GB/T 10781.2-2022 清香型白酒 (light-aroma baijiu), issued 11.07.2022, in force 01.02.2023, current
- Qiao L., Wang J., Wang R., Zhang N., Zheng F. A review on flavor of Baijiu and other world-renowned distilled liquors. Food Chemistry: X 20 (2023) 100870 — light-aroma: Fenjiu (Shanxi), Baofeng (Henan), Niulanshan, Qingke; medium/low-temperature daqu, xiaoqu or fuqu — xiaoqu in the south, daqu and fuqu in the north; ethyl acetate and β-damascenone key; ≈ 10 % of the market
- Tu W. et al. Chinese Baijiu: the perfect works of microorganisms. Frontiers in Microbiology 13:919044 (2022), table of flavor types — Fen-flavour: Fenjiu, Erguotou; sorghum and wheat; clay jars, open solid-state fermentation, steaming twice; ethyl acetate main, ethyl lactate
- Visit Beijing (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism): Famous Brands of Baijiu in China (09.08.2017) — Fenjiu — light fragrance, Xinghua Village, Fenyang (Shanxi), double fermentation and double distillation
- Huang H. et al. Molecular sensomics combined with random forest model can reveal the evolution of flavor type of Baijiu based on differential markers. Foods 13(19):3034 (2024) — laobaigan aroma was once classed with light aroma before its own recognition in 2005; light aroma noted for distinct grain aroma
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)