Baijiu

Baijiu is a strong, clear Chinese distilled spirit, most often made from fermented sorghum, though other grains such as rice, wheat or corn are also used depending on the regional style. It is produced using a solid-state fermentation process built around qu, a fermentation starter culture of grain inoculated with molds, yeasts and bacteria, distinct from the liquid fermentation used for most Western spirits. Baijiu typically ranges from about thirty five to sixty percent alcohol by volume and is central to Chinese banquet and toasting culture. Because of Chinas huge population and baijius dominance of domestic spirit consumption, it is often cited as the most consumed distilled spirit in the world by total volume.