Swaying fields of yellow sorghum stretch for miles across offshore Kinmen County in fall and winter, a visual contrast to southern Taiwan’s vast swathes of rice paddies. The outlying island’s dominant crop, sorghum is grown not as a dietary staple, but to produce the celebrated alcoholic beverage known as Kinmen Kaoliang.
The clear spirit gets its name from the Mandarin word for sorghum. It was first manufactured in 1952 by the county government distillery, now Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc.
At that time some 100,000 soldiers and civilians resided in Kinmen, then a military outpost protecting Taiwan against mainland China. To provision the garrison, the ROC government had to import rice from Taiwan proper, along with fuel and, importantly, liquor. This placed a heavy financial burden on the administration’s coffers.
To address these problems, General Hu Lian, the first commander of Kinmen’s defense base, came up with the idea of encouraging local farmers to grow sorghum and barter their harvest for an equal quantity of imported rice.
This proposal was well grounded. Although the area’s dry weather and infertile soil make it difficult to cultivate rice, its sandy earth and laterite are suitable for drought-tolerant plants such as corn, peanuts, sorghum, sweet potatoes and wheat.
Once Hu’s plan was in place, sorghum cultivation expanded, with the plant’s long stems being burned as fuel and the grain fermented and distilled into hard liquor.
This initiative successfully relieved Kinmen’s financial difficulties, ending the import of spirits from Taiwan while bringing in revenue through sales of kaoliang liquor. Since then, the public-run corporation has played a fundamental part in the local economy as the major source of income and a provider of more than 1,000 jobs.
“Our company posted record-high revenue of NT$11.8 billion (US$400.9 million) last year, handing over NT$4.9 billion in taxes to the county government,” acting KKL President Peter Wu told Taiwan Today Feb. 14. The firm sells an average of more than 40 million bottles annually.
Wu attributed the tipple’s popularity to its long solid-state fermentation, which guarantees an incomparable taste. In contrast, water and sugar are often added during the fermentation process for other types of drinks.
“What is even better is you won’t suffer a headache after getting drunk on our liquor,” Wu said.
This is quite important since the alcohol content of kaoliang is quite high—from 38 to 58 percent—similar to brandy, vodka and whiskey, known for their head-pounding hangovers.
The popular spirit is made in three major stages over more than two months. In the first phase wheat and water are used to produce yeast, the foundation of all alcoholic beverages.
Cooked sorghum is mixed with the yeast in the second step to begin fermentation, followed by two hours of distillation. After that, the grain goes through another fermenting process before being redistilled one month later.
Then liquids from the first and second distillations are blended to create a fine tasting kaoliang at an appropriate strength. The liquor has to pass quality testing by professional spirits experts before it can be bottled and sold.
These sophisticated manufacturing techniques, along with the high quality groundwater from Kinmen’s underlying granite, are key to good kaoliang, Wu added.
The 58-percent proof Kinmen Kaoliang is the most popular among consumers. Available in glass bottles and porcelain jars, it is as clear as spring water and smells like orchids. It is also the perfect accompaniment to Asian cuisine such as stir-fried dishes and hot pots.
Women, young adults and the elderly tend to prefer another, less spicy tasting blend with a lower alcohol content of 38 percent.
For those who appreciate more sophisticated drinks, Aged Kaoliang Liquor—which has been stored in a granite cellar for at least five years—and 10-year-old Kinmen Aged Cellar Liquor are the top choices, Wu said. Time has left these drinks, both 56 percent alcohol, smoother and more fragrant.
“We recommend consumers keep Aged Kaoliang Liquor in the freezer, making it easier to drink and strengthening the aroma,” Wu said, adding that the best way to enjoy kaoliang is to hold it in the mouth for a few seconds before swallowing.
Er Kuo Tou—another of the company’s valued products—is the kaoliang liquor collected in small quantities during the condensation of the second distillation. At 53 percent alcohol, it offers a mellow, refreshing and sweet taste, Wu said.
KKL also adds Chinese herbs to kaoliang to make medicinal liquor specifically for men, women, and to treat rheumatism.
But the company’s ambitions go beyond the alcohol market, as its launch of two award-winning skincare products demonstrates. It now sells a whitening and moisturizing mask and a facial gel—both made from extracts of kaoliang—that enjoy great popularity among female consumers.
On the back of such innovative products, KKL is eyeing an expanded presence in the global market. “By cementing collaboration with foreign companies, we aim to sell our spirits to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries,” Wu said.
At home, the distiller is upping efforts to transform local drinking habits. Most people perceive kaoliang simply as a drink to quench their alcoholic thirst on special occasions such as weddings and family reunions.
“A bottle of kaoliang should be seen as a very high quality gift,” Wu said. “To turn around the public perception, we are prioritizing the improvement of our cellar storage procedures to offer mellower products with higher values.”
Given kaoliang’s many levels of significance to Kinmen, from farming, jobs and tax revenues to wining and dining, a trip to the outlying island is ho-hum without a shot of the famous liquor.(THN)
Write to Elaine Hou at elainehou@mail.gio.gov.tw