Bamboo is one of the most versatile resources, meeting a myriad of diverse needs in human life. Many villages in China utilize bamboo for different purposes, among which, making wine from fresh bamboo is a unique method.
Using a high-pressure pressing technique, people fill young bamboo stems with rice wine or sorghum. After about 10 days, the wine holes will repair themselves and fill up. The wine is aged for several months to a year and a half, to produce the best quality product.
The special flavor of bamboo wine is due to the bamboo sap and flavone, a natural liquid found in the tree trunk. During the brewing process, the sap and flavone mix into the wine, creating a milder flavor that is easier to drink than regular wine.
This brewing technique was originally developed in Fujian Province, but was later adopted by villagers and winemakers from other parts of China, such as Guangxi and Sichuan. Initially, the production of bamboo wine was still quite limited at a few tens of thousands of liters per year. But in recent years, the popularity of bamboo wine has increased significantly, and many villages in China have quickly turned bamboo forests into large-scale wine factories, bringing in a large source of income.
As competition increases, producers continue to look for more efficient and less invasive brewing techniques to maximize yield, but there are a few things they must always keep in mind. Alcohol content and volume are important, as liquids that are too thick or too hard can kill the plant. To date, rice wine and sorghum are considered the best alcoholic beverages to be brewed in bamboo.
The pale yellow bamboo-brewed wine is said to be good for the lungs and detoxify. It currently sells for around 500 yuan ($72) per stick, but many tourists are willing to pay more because they believe in its health benefits.
Bamboo wine production is also gradually becoming known and becoming a unique tourist service. Visitors will have the opportunity to visit the bamboo forest, explore the process of checking and collecting wine. In particular, visitors can pick up wine themselves and enjoy it right on the spot.
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