Hakka winemaking is also called "decanting wine" or "barbecuing wine". Hakka people are accustomed to calling it barbary wine. It is a wine made by putting glutinous rice in a steamer and steaming it into rice, adding wine cake, red chrysanthemum, polygonatum odorifera, polygonum multiflorum, red dates and rice wine and letting it bubble for more than a month.
According to the customs of the Hakka people in the past, Hakka wine can only be tasted when women give birth to children, confine themselves at home after giving birth, or during the Spring Festival. Especially when women are in confinement at home after giving birth, they will inevitably have brewed wine, and they will keep the wine residue (also known as distiller's grains or grains) and distribute it to neighbors, relatives and friends to enjoy. Hakka people are accustomed to steaming chicken with brewed wine. This special delicacy is usually eaten by pregnant women during confinement because it has the effect of replenishing qi and promoting blood.
The Hakka winemaking and drinking methods are said to have a history of more than 1,000 years, inheriting many of the wine culture genes of the ancient Central Plains region. When they first made wine, the Hakka people used the roots and leaves of the hawthorn tree and their own sorghum and millet to make wine. The wine produced had the effect of relaxing the muscles and activating the circulation, repelling cold and keeping warm. Later, the Hakka people used sugar cane bagasse to make wine, which was called "decanted wine". In addition, Hakka people also put glutinous rice in a steamer and steam it into rice, add wine cakes and red chrysanthemum foam to make wine. Because this wine is dark yellow, the Hakka people also call it "Hakka yellow wine".
Selecting constitutional glutinous rice and black glutinous rice as the main raw materials, carefully brewed according to traditional techniques, and stored for many years, it is sweet and soft. It contains a variety of amino acids, glucose, vitamins and trace elements necessary for the human body. It has the functions of promoting qi and blood circulation, It has the effect of nourishing, nourishing and keeping fit. The gold and silver medal Hakka liquor produced by the "Guangdong Hakka Brewing Corporation" in Meizhou City was rated as the first famous brand in Guangdong as early as 1993; in 1994, it won the gold medal at the National Quality Expo; in 1995, it won the "China Famous Brand" title.
Hakka Niangjiu is one of the oldest types of wine in my country. It uses glutinous rice as raw material. First, the glutinous rice is peeled and the skin (commonly known as brown rice) is cooked into glutinous rice. After that, it is cooled with a dustpan. The special sake mother (commonly known as wine cake) is evenly sprinkled on the rice, mixed, and put into a tile for about 20 days for saccharification and fermentation. Then filter out the saccharified and fermented wine and put it into the tiles. At this time, put straw and chaff around the tiles, ignite the straw and chaff to roast the wine (also called fire roasting), and then put the red yeast in cloth packaging. Put it into the Wacheng, wait for the wine in the Wacheng to boil for a while, then turn off the heat after about 2 hours, let it cool, and then seal the mouth with straw paper.
Hakka Niang wine is reddish-brown in color, with a unique flavor of sweet honey and fragrant smell. Hakka people have a special liking for Hakka Niang wine. During festivals and weddings, they must use Hakka Niang wine. The alcohol content of Hakka Niangjiu is low, generally around 15%, and it is a low-alcohol beverage. Hakka Niang Liquor has a mild nature and is suitable for drinking in all seasons. It can be drunk directly and is suitable for men, women, old and young.
The brewing process of Hakka Niangjiu has been passed down among the people. Niangjiu refers to rice wine made from glutinous rice. It is often called "old wine" in the Meizhou area and has become a popular folk drink in the local area. Regarding the origin of "Niangjiu", there are many folklores in Meizhou area.
Legend 1: The gods gave wine
During the "Five Husties" era, people in the Central Plains were in dire straits, and people migrated south in large numbers. A group of women fled south together, crossing thousands of mountains and rivers into Guangdong and Fujian provinces. They were so tired that they could no longer walk and fell asleep in the barren mountains. At this time, an elder with silver hair and a red face held a bamboo container, poured out a cup of reddish-brown transparent liquid from the container and handed it to the oldest woman among the women: "Drink it." The old woman took a sip, and the mellow and rich smell was refreshing. Immediately, her fatigue disappeared and she was no longer hungry or thirsty. The elder told them: "This is Niangjiu brewed from glutinous rice." Then, the elder taught them how to brew Niangjiu. After saying that, the elder suddenly disappeared. The women were surprised and happy, and hurriedly knelt down and worshiped: "Gods bless you, gods bless you."
From then on, those who migrated to the south lived and worked here in peace and contentment, and reproduced their offspring. Hakka wine has also been passed down from generation to generation and has been passed down to this day.
Legend 2: Niangjiu Sacrifice to the Gods
A long time ago, when a drought occurred in the Kuya Mountain area of ??the Hakkas, an old man with missing teeth came to the village to ask for tea. A peasant woman described the drought and famine. , explained that there was no tea, so he poured a full bowl of his wife’s confinement wine for the old man. After the old man drank it, it turned into a white light and floated towards Queya Mountain. From then on, when there was a drought, the mountain people would go up to Queya Mountain to burn incense and pray for rain with moon wine.
Liao Hua, named Yuan Jian, whose real name was Chun, was from Xiangyang. He was once the chief administrator of the former general Guan Yu. Yu was defeated and belonged to Wu. It is said that Liao Hua belonged to Wu and wanted to leave Wu and return to Shu, but he had no chance, let alone bring him with him. 0 dear.
Liao Hua was bored when he missed the Kingdom of Shu, so he soaked some glutinous rice in water, then steamed the glutinous rice in a steamer, put the steamed glutinous rice into pottery, and put the rice collected by the She people Put ten or twenty kinds of medicinal materials into glutinous rice, wrap the pottery with straw, and euphemistically call it: "Take medicine, cleanse yourself, and bury it with straw." "
After the pottery had been idle for a long time, an intoxicating aroma of wine came from the pottery, and "yellow wine" was born. Liao Hua presented this wine and the "prescription" to Sun Quan, who was drunk. Liao Hua went home. So Liao Hua took his mother and walked westward at night. He happened to meet Liu Bei on the eastward expedition and followed Liu Bei back to Shu.
It is also said that this kind of rice wine was not invented by Liao Hua himself, but was taught to him by his mother. Therefore, the Hakka people called the rice wine "Hakka mother wine" to commemorate it. Later, as the Hakka people moved south, this name is still used today.
Fried chicken with Hakka Niangjiu, also known as Niangjiu fried chicken, Niangjiu chicken, wine chicken, and ginger wine chicken, is made in the Hakka area using chicken (preferably rooster), ginger, and Niangjiu. A flavored snack. It is sweet, tender, delicious, and has the effects of strengthening the spleen and appetizing, promoting qi and activating blood circulation. It is a delicious food for Hakka people to nourish the body, and it is also one of the main nourishing foods for Hakka women after giving birth. When a Hakka woman is in confinement, her family will stir-fry raw chicken and ginger slices, add some glutinous rice wine, cook it, and give it to the mother. Nowadays, it is no longer just a special meal for confinement. You can make it anytime you want. During the New Year season, almost every household in Meizhou, a Hakka area, has to make several jars of Hakka wine to entertain relatives and friends.