Jiangmi (glutinous rice) is generally used to make glutinous rice, because the amylopectin content in glutinous rice is much higher than that in japonica rice and indica rice, and it is easier to gelatinize when cooking, with less distiller's grains residue and high liquor yield. At the same time, it is easier to saccharify and the fermented mash is sweeter. Among glutinous rice, round glutinous rice is the best, and rice wine tastes the best, much better than long glutinous rice.

Ordinary rice can be used as mash, but the taste must be mellow, soft and fragrant of glutinous rice. Generally speaking, it is suggested that steamed rice with mash is better than cooked rice. In the steaming process, unsaturated fatty acids in rice volatilize, while saturated fatty acids remain and are transformed into bouquet components.