Is bitter liquor fake? How to identify good liquor?

Liquor has a long history in my country, and there are more than ten kinds of flavors. Although liquor tastes a bit spicy, the fragrance left between the lips and teeth is long-lasting. If the liquor tastes bitter, is it fake?

Is bitter liquor fake?

If the liquor tastes slightly bitter but has a sweet aftertaste, it is normal. If the bitterness is too strange, such as the bitterness lasts too long or is very severe, it is not normal for the liquor.

The reasons for this bitter taste are as follows:

1. The raw materials are not clean or are moldy.

If the raw materials are moldy or not handled cleanly, a bitter taste will be produced under the action of microorganisms.

2. The ingredients are not reasonable

Too much or too little rice husk, koji, filler, yeast, or water will cause the wine to taste bitter.

3. Wrong production process

If the temperature is too high during the cooking process, or there is a problem with the sealing and temperature control of the cellar, or the mash is stored for too long, the wine will taste spicy, musty, burnt, or bitter.

How to identify good liquor

Can be distinguished by the implementation standards on the product packaging

1. Solid-state method (pure grain liquor) implementation standards: GB/T10781.1 (Luzhou-flavor type), GB/T 10781.2 (Light-flavor type), GB/T 26760 (Sauce-flavor type); the liquors that meet the above implementation standards are all made from pure grains as raw materials and produced through solid-state fermentation using koji, which are what ordinary people often call good liquor or pure grain liquor.

2. Liquid method (edible alcohol) implementation standard: GB/T20821; this type of implementation standard is based on edible alcohol.

3. Solid-liquid method (pure grain wine + edible alcohol) implementation standard: GB/T20822; This implementation standard is the liquor made by blending grain wine with edible alcohol, which is commonly known as "alcohol blended liquor". It is also recommended not to buy it in small quantities, and it is made by blending no more than 30% of solid pure grain base wine + edible alcohol + flavor + water.

Why is liquor better the longer it is stored?

The older the wine is, the better it is. High-quality wine usually only needs to be stored for 3 to 4 years. There are many types of liquor, but only the sauce-flavored liquor can become more fragrant as it ages.

The production of fragrant wine goes through the process of making koji on the Dragon Boat Festival, adding sand to the wine on the Double Ninth Festival, adding materials twice, steaming nine times, adding koji for fermentation eight times, and taking the wine seven times. During the year, the starch in the grain continues to ferment, and after multiple steamings, the alcohol and other organic matter in it are slowly "forced out".

After being sealed, the liquor can undergo chemical reactions slowly, allowing the sealed container to be concentrated with a stronger aroma.

As it ages, the internal ingredients and elements will naturally react and merge in all aspects, achieving the effect of a more intense fragrance.

Aged wine needs to be stored in a cellar that is suitable for the local temperature, humidity and light-proof, so that it can ferment better and more naturally. The fermentation cycle will become very long and needs to be carried out in a stable environment.