The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-02
CH|NAMAN MASTER OF D|ST|L[|NG ART Mandarin Made From Rice Is Expensive and Very
 Intoxicating
From Beaufords Wine and Spirit circu-

From Beauford's Wine and Spirit Circu-
 lar
 If the people of Europe can and do make a variety of wines from grapes which except in few minor details all resemble one another, the Chinese in Ike manner can manipulate rice.
 For various reasons the grapevine IS not extensively cultivated in China. The Mongolians do not believe in growing plants for drinking purposes alone, and this presumably is sufficient cause for not raising grapes for wine making. on the other hand rice is a staple article.
 The pride of the individuals vineyardist or distiler in his products is also pre- valent among the Celestials, while the prices that the more particular makers receive are far beyond what would he paid in this country even for our most superior article.
 As with us. the practice of bestoNins some distinguishing name to our products is common in the Celestial kingdom, and the result the same; that is, numerous brands of the same article.
 To attempt the task of telling when the art of making rice liquor was intro duced in China would he ridiculous. Rec ords said to antedate Christianity by 2000 and even 3OGO years show that it was mol, only a matter of commerce but was also subject to tribute or taxation. Early travellers also tell of the rice liquor they found in every part of the empire. The best quality of rice wine is known as mandarin. and it is so costly that only the wealthy can afford to use it, and then only on special occasions The rice from which it is made is of a particular species; in fact, it is not edible, and here- in is a contradiction to their oft-made claim of not raising anything for drinking purposes alone.
 Mandarin, according to all the rules of oenology is a wine, as it is the result c1 fermentation only. But the making of it is more afduous and exacting than that of grape wine. After the harvesting of the grain, which differs in many ways from the ordinary rice, it is treated to a very careful selection, similar in many respects to that we bestow upon the choice of grapes.
 It is then put into water slightly heated and allowed to remain there for nearly month, perhaps longer. It depends on the quality of the grain. When it has reached the proper stage it is put over slow fire and gently heated for few days, at times coming just to a boil. When at the right degree of pulpiness it is placed in large earthenware jars and allowed to ferment.
 During this process of formation, which may consume several weeks, certain fruits and buds are put into the must, all of which Is a carefully guarded secret. If there is one thing the Chinese under stand it is when and how to blend diff ferent ingredients to form a perfect nix ture. After this blending of the fruits and buds the fermentation is checked by rackng the liquor into other vessels. where it Is allowed to ferment @ second time. When this Is over it is put into small jars stoppered with tightly drawn skin.
 The liquor is now ready for sale But not for use. Like our own wine. it inn proves with age, and owing to it's great percentage of alcohol it will easily keeo a hundred years. Pleasant in taste it is also very intoxicating, and in conse- quence of this quality and of it's cost, which is high, it is served in small glasses.
 The Chinese treat the lees as we do. They produce in this way spirit closely allied to our grape brandy except that it contains more alcohol As water enters largely into the making of this choo, show, sam-tchoo or sau-choo, as it is variously known, it is only at places where pure soft water can be procured that it is manufactured for the outside trade. One of the peculiar customs of the Chinese is the serving of all wines and spirits hot. If the guest be 0 for eigrer. however, the drink is served te his liking.
 Hundreds of different kinds of rice wine are made. It is only when it is sold by vender or saloon that a revenue is collected. Msny of these wines are so powerfully and wonderfully imnregnatcd with some peculiar plant or plants that the opening of a bottle even in inc street, can be detected by person several yards away simply by the pleasant hou- quet that is liberated A remarkable fact about the perfume. if so it may be called is that the bottle will retain the cdor for months after the contents have been ex- tracted. Tn respect to the manufacture of plain rice wine the details are known: but when it comes in the more costly scenfed wines our ignorance is profound Tn this catagory can be placed IIannan. Chaotslng-tsien. Tse- Kiang and K!anG Wine. all of which are in universal use throughout the kingdom, vet little is known as to their manufacture Tse- kiang of the above list, is the most pop ular and also the most intoxicating It resembles our clarets in taste, but not in color or bouquet, and it's inebriating uual- l'ies are greater than our brandy.
 Extensive as is the use of rice wine there are several other beverages that are more in popular favor, of which it may be said that sew-heng-tsow is in the greatest demand. It is made from a spe- cies of millet. and although 1t is a dis titled liquor, an enormous quantity has to be drunk in order to produce intoxication. In fact 1t is collaborating rather than in- ebriating, and it is this quality that makes 1t such a favorite among all classes, rich and poor. With the poor 1t is oftimes the only wine, but with the wealthy 1t is the wine ordained by the powers to be drunk with every new dish