Step 1 · Meet the five drinks
The five drinks
Chinese drinks can look confusing at first, but they fall into five simple families. This site follows the same five, each with its own colour.
Wine (葡萄酒, pútaojiǔ). Wine made from grapes, as in Europe. China now has serious wine regions, from the deserts of Ningxia and Xinjiang to the coast of Shandong and the mountains of Yunnan.
Baijiu (白酒, báijiǔ). Literally "white alcohol": a clear spirit distilled from fermented grain, most often sorghum. It is strong, usually between 40% and 60% alcohol, and it is the drink of Chinese banquets and celebrations.
Rice wine (黄酒, huángjiǔ). Literally "yellow wine": brewed, not distilled, from rice or millet. Amber in colour, often compared to sherry. The most famous comes from Shaoxing.
Beer (啤酒, píjiǔ). China is the largest beer market in the world. Most of it is light lager, but a lively craft scene is growing in the big cities.
Spirits (烈酒, lièjiǔ). On this site, Western-style spirits made in China: brandy, whisky and gin. Chinese brandy has a history of more than a century.
In the next lesson: what each of the five is made from.