he world's most consumed alcohol has never been sold in the West. The Chinese liquor, officially named Chinese baijiu, but most often to referred to as Chinese firewater, claims the top spot just from sales in Asia. But now firewater companies are looking to export the drink.According to Reuters, Chinese firewater is an intense 110-proof beverage. The white liquor is extremely strong and also takes some serious getting used to. Michael Pareles, manager at the U.S. Meat Export Federation in Beijing, explained, "I thought it tasted like paint-thinner and felt like a liquid lobotomy. However, like many other things in China, I eventually grew to like it."
Chinese baijiu distillers are hoping that U.S. consumers will also grow to like the liquor. Ultimately the business must be expanded overseas because younger Chinese drinkers have discovered imported alcohols and aren't just drinking baijiu like their parents did. Entrepreneur David Zhou, founder of Everest Distillery in Washington, plans to import the liquor and rebrand it for sale in the U.S.
One way to market the beverage in the U.S. would be to offer it as a complement to Chinese food, much in the way that Sake was introduced to the U.S. with Japanese food. Some distillers have also figured out a way to make the alcohol easier to consume by re-filtering ready-to-drink Chinese firewater. "We've made it much more palatable to American tastes," stated Matt Trusch of Byejoe USA distillery.
If all goes well, Chinese baijiu could be the next Sake, or even the next Tequila. However, integrating the spirit into American bar culture will require some creative cocktails due to the liquor's strong taste, aftertaste, and petroleum-reminiscent smell.
Would you try Chinese firewater. Do you think the liquor will succeed in America?
