China News Service, Jinhua, January 27 (Dong Yixin) Wuzhou has a long history of thousands of years, and clear springs have been used to brew sake since ancient times. Li Shizhen once recorded Zhejiang Jinhua Wine in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" as a medicinal introduction. Through the long river of history, this fine wine is still the "finishing touch" of Jiangnan people's New Year's Eve dinner.
As the Lunar New Year approaches, Chen Shuncai, the intangible inheritor of Jinhua wine traditional brewing skills, is busy at the winery located in Quankou Village, Langya Town, Wucheng District, Jinhua City. Soaking rice, steaming rice, cooling it, mixing koji, fermenting... Just wait for the time, and wine lovers can enjoy the delicious food.
Chen Shuncai, the intangible inheritor of Jinhua liquor’s traditional brewing techniques. Photo by Dong Yixin
"Jinhua wine is rice wine. The brewing technology originated in the Spring and Autumn Period, developed in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, and reached its peak in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It has the characteristics of 'far-reaching fragrance and golden color.'" Chen Shuncai said that in 1983, his father and villagers co-organized The winery borrows rice, wine jars and other items from each family. After the wine is made, each family is given a jar as a reward. From making the wine to storing the wine, everything is done in the village ancestral hall.
In 1993, Chen Shuncai built his own factory. He said that those were the days when rice wine was available in almost every household and everyone liked it. Everyone always had to warm a cup before and after meals. An agency store in a village could sell more than 100 kilograms of wine in a day, which was called the "master of Jinhua wine". Golden Age".
As the third generation inheritor, Chen Shuncai has been "guarding" the ancestral wine cellar for most of his life. When we walked in, we saw that the square courtyard was filled with wine jars. When we walked in, we saw the fermenting wheat and red yeast "bubbly" in the large wine jars.
"According to the ancient method, we usually make wine in winter. Because food in summer is easy to become sour and moldy, and the cold climate generally reduces the vitality of living things, and microorganisms are no exception. At the same time, microorganisms in a semi-dormant state can better perform fermentation work. , to maintain a stable fermentation process, which not only avoids over-fermentation, but also reduces the growth of harmful bacteria, making winemaking safer and more reliable." Chen Shuncai said that generally, October is the best time to start winemaking every year.
Chen Shuncai said frankly that Jinhua liquor brewing technology is taking on a new lease of life: "In terms of koji making, we worked with professors from Zhejiang University of Technology to develop constant temperature and ventilation koji making, which changed the past situation of 'relying on the sky to dry koji', and the product is more stable. At the same time, ventilation The koji making is designed as a three-dimensional structural device, which can save the space cost of flat-laying the koji and make more koji under limited conditions."
At present, 80% of the processes for making Jinhua Liquor are still completed manually, and the taste of the "old foundation" is still retained. This fine wine is not only an indispensable "finishing touch" for local people's New Year's Eve dinner, but is even sold overseas to relieve the homesickness of overseas Chinese.
"Some time ago, some people from Zhejiang who settled in Czechoslovakia came to buy several boxes of wine from me. I sent it from Jinhua to Ningbo, and it should arrive in a few days. Some of them use it for drinking, and some of them put it in when cooking. Anyway, this bottle is indispensable on the dining table." Chen Shuncai said that currently, his daughter and son are learning brewing skills in the winery. As the fourth generation inheritors, they will continue to enhance the international popularity and reputation of Jinhua Wine. (over)