Key Factors
- Baijiu, China’s nationwide spirit, is a well-liked choice for a lot of throughout Lunar New Yr.
- Nonetheless, it’s not well-known abroad attributable to its sturdy style and punchy flavour.
- Melbourne’s baijiu sellers are attracting new clients with inventive spin-offs, together with cocktails, espresso and gelato.
For a lot of Chinese language folks, photographs of household gatherings and consuming baijiu robotically spring to thoughts in relation to Lunar New Yr.
Twenty-seven-year-old Ryu Wang isn’t any exception.
He comes from Beijing, the capital of China, and has been dwelling in Melbourne since 2015 to check.
He informed SBS Chinese language that baijiu, a nationwide high-alcohol-content spirit in China, just isn’t an uncommon presence in his household, particularly throughout Lunar New Yr.
“Most likely since I used to be three or 4 years outdated, they [older generations] would drink baijiu each time we gathered for the Lunar New Yr,” he mentioned.
“My dad has a glass of baijiu with each meal.”
Rising up within the northern a part of China, Ryu Wang mentioned baijiu is a should for his household gatherings, significantly throughout Lunar New Yr. Credit score: Ryu Wang
A ‘go-to drink’ with hotpot however not in Australia
In China, the Lunar New Yr is usually seen as the height season for baijiu, as consuming it’s thought of an essential social exercise, and the spirit is historically given as a present in the course of the festive interval.
The spirit, first created centuries in the past, is historically drunk straight as a shot and accompanied by peanuts or different facet dishes.
Wang mentioned his first sip of baijiu was not nice. “I did not assume it tasted nearly as good as smooth drinks,” he mentioned.
Now, baijiu has turn out to be my go-to drink when having lamb hotpot.
Ryu Wang
Regardless of carrying the mantle because the world’s most-consumed alcoholic spirit primarily attributable to its recognition in China, baijiu is but to achieve the identical heights in Australia.
Its sturdy style and punchy flavour can take some getting used to, together with amongst some younger Chinese language folks.
“They [my friends] assume baijiu is horrible … they like some sweeter drinks,” Wang mentioned.
China’s baijiu is historically drunk straight as a shot and accompanied by facet dishes equivalent to peanuts. Supply: SBS / Tianyuan Qu
Statistics from Chinese language officers present that baijiu exports accounted for less than 0.37 per cent of its complete manufacturing (over three million kilolitres) within the first three quarters of 2023, with different Asian nations equivalent to Japan and South Korea being the primary export locations.
Just one.7 per cent of the full baijiu exports have been from China to Australia in 2022.
A glimmer of hope for the baijiu trade
Nonetheless, restauranteur, Jun (Tony) Yan, mentioned he believed he had discovered a solution to make the spirit “extra palatable” to Australians after dozens of makes an attempt.
He makes use of baijiu as a base combine with rum, Aperol, peach, lime and syrup to create a baijiu cocktail at his Asian-themed restaurant in Melbourne’s CBD, named Ming.
Yan mentioned the cocktail had been very well-received since being added to the drinks menu in late 2023.
“Non-Chinese language folks barely know baijiu, and they’re going to by no means settle for it in the event that they drink it (straight),” he informed SBS Chinese language.
“However in case you make a cocktail out of baijiu, they will be prepared to take a sip as a result of they know what rum and Aperol are.”
Restauranteur, Jun Yan, makes use of baijiu, a spirit from China, to make cocktails in his eating places. Supply: SBS / Nicole Gong
Mohan Cao – a Melbourne-based liquor provider – conceived the baijiu cocktail concepts with Yan.
She mentioned the concept of infusing cocktails with baijiu was “a pure thought”.
We use spirits for cocktails …. since baijiu can also be a spirit, I believed why not attempt it?
Mohan Cao
Baijiu – which is colourless – sometimes has an alcohol content material of between 30 per cent and 60 per cent.
Cao added that due to the “sturdy flavour” of baijiu itself, making baijiu cocktails with citrus fruits may neutralise its aroma.
“Baijiu has a pungency in it if you drink it, citrus fruits can neutralise it a bit, equivalent to oranges and peaches,” she mentioned.
Mohan Cao mentioned that the concept of creating cocktails with baijiu was “a pure thought” for her. Supply: SBS / Nicole Gong
Baijiu espresso and gelato
Likewise, different baijiu makers are growing other ways to draw new clients to the beverage.
Along with cocktails, one other model in China launched a baijiu-infused latte in 2023 after its baijiu-flavoured ice cream proved fashionable.
In accordance with , this alcohol-infused latte offered greater than 5 million cups on its first day, setting a brand new gross sales document for the Chinese language espresso chain.
This baijiu espresso development then unfold to Melbourne.
However as an alternative of a baijiu latte, about 200 Melburnians (aged 18 and over) acquired the chance to attempt a free lengthy black infused with the Chinese language spirit on the grand opening of a baijiu retailer within the CBD.
An alcohol-infused latte offered greater than 5 million cups on its first launch day in China in 2023. Credit score: FLORENCE LO/REUTERS
Eason Fu, venue supervisor of the shop, informed SBS Chinese language that they added three to 5 drops of the spirit to an extended black, which he mentioned was the optimum ratio.
“Customers who’re conversant in spirits could have heard of Irish espresso, a drink made out of whiskey with espresso and cream, and we felt that utilizing our liquor for espresso would attraction to youthful (folks) who do not normally drink baijiu,” Fu mentioned.
“Additionally, Melbourne is legendary for its espresso so it is also extra accessible to Western clients.”
Along with baijiu-infused espresso, they’ve additionally partnered with a neighborhood gelato maker to develop a mandarin-flavoured baijiu gelato.
Eason Fu says a baijiu-based lengthy black and gelato have confirmed to be efficient advertising methods to draw new clients. Credit score: Eason Fu
Whether or not it was cocktails, espresso or ice cream, it was all a advertising ploy by China’s baijiu producers to draw potential customers, he mentioned.
“Not everyone seems to be prepared to shell out that a lot cash to purchase a bottle of baijiu with out even realizing about it,” Fu mentioned.
“I believe it is a enterprise apply that works to promote it in a medium that younger individuals are extra conversant in.”
Seeking to the longer term
Each Cao and Yan mentioned they believed there was a glimmer of hope that baijiu would acquire higher recognition outdoors of China, together with in Australia.
“I believe there was a terrific enhance within the acceptance of baijiu in Australia,” Cao mentioned.
“You may see a wider vary of baijiu at some Australian liquor shops, which beforehand solely had a really small baijiu show space.”
She added that selling baijiu within the type of cocktails helped make it extra accessible and catered to worldwide tastes.
“I imagine that the baijiu cocktail will entice some new younger clients,” she mentioned.
“We want that we may have soupy steam buns, aka xiaolongbao, and drink baijiu in Australia or everywhere in the world sooner or later.”
In Australia, you should be 18 or older to purchase or drink alcohol. When consuming, get pleasure from sparsely.
