Luzhou Laojiao owns 1,619 fermentation pits, some of which are over four centuries old (which they had inherited from other distilleries). It is widely believed they are the best preserved and oldest baijiu fermentation pits in China.
On Saturday 16 November 2019, wine, huangjiu and baijiu lovers in Singapore are in for a tremendous treat.
For just S$168, you will enjoy a 8-course dinner at Silk Road (a Top 100 Chinese Restaurants of the World 2019) and a buffet of wines, huangjiu and baijiu from leading wineries and distilleries including Domaine du 1er Juin, Be Real, Gan Su Qing Xin, Gu Yue Long Shan, Luzhou Laojiao, Langjiu, Wu Liang Ye and Rong Tai He.
One of the most famous baijiu distilleries was established in Sichuan. Founded in 1950, Luzhou Laojiao is a leading distillery of Strong Aroma or Nong Xiang baijiu.
The distillery owns 1,619 fermentation pits, some of which are over four centuries old (which they had inherited from other distilleries). These have been used for fermenting grains since 1573 (Ming Dynasty 1368 – 1644). These 446-year old of pits named as 1573 National Cellars are the treasures of Luzhou Laojiao. It is widely believed they are the best preserved and oldest baijiu fermentation pits in China.
In 1996, the China State Council declared the 1573 cellar group as a Major Historical and Cultural Site. Since then, these pits have been named The National Cellar.
Fermentation pits play a very important role in baijiu production.
Mixed together with jiuqu (a saccharification fermentation starter), grains are put into pits made from earth, stone or cement for 15 days to one, two, three, four, even more, months.
Mixed together with jiuqu (a saccharification fermentation starter), grains are put into pits made from earth, stone or cement for 15 days to one, two, three, four, even more, months.
During fermentation, microbes from the earth (or stone or cement) grow and help expedite the process. The more variety and quantity of microbes the pit contains, the better quality of fermented grains it produces. Old pits provide an ideal living environment for microbes and contain a large amount of them, resulting in baijiu of great complexity.
In 2006, the traditional distilling technique of Luzhou Laojiao was listed in The National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China as the only representative of Strong Aroma or Nong Xiangbaijiu.
Make sure you do not miss WineChina Wines & Spirits Dinner where you can taste the baijiu of 1573 National Cellars on Saturday 16 November!
Click for Dinner Registration & Details
Guo Jiao 1573
Baijiu Masterclass
On Friday 15 November, Daniel Tam, Brand Ambassador of Luzhou Laojiao, will speak at WineChina Masterclass – Luzhou Laojiao. Daniel Tam holds a National Baijiu Expert Level 3 Certification.