Jimo millet wine is produced in Jimo District, Qingdao, Shandong. It is widely praised for its long history, rich heritage, unique flavor and special health care effects, and the status of “Shaoxing wine in the south and Jimo millet wine in the north“ has been established. With a long history of 4,000 years, Jimo millet wine originated in the Shang Dynasty and prevailed in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It has gone through vicissitudes and continues to this day. In 2013, the traditional brewing process of Jimo millet wine was selected into Shandong provincial intangible cultural heritage.
The main raw materials for the production of Jimo millet wine are millet, wheat koji and water. High-quality millet is soaked for a long time in advance, and after cooking, the brown-yellow turns into reddish-brown. The change of temperature makes the starch granules in the millet continue to absorb water and swell. When the temperature drops to the certain degree，the wine distiller’s yeast is mixed in a certain proportion. After fermentation, the bouquet of the wine begins to brew. The fermented wine mash is put into the winepress, and the trickle of sweetness leaks out, with the clear orange-red color.
The reason why Jimo millet wine has gone through 4,000 years and has been passed down continuously is not only the aroma of the wine, but also the irreplaceable medicinal value. It has the effect of relaxing the muscles, promoting blood circulation, and nourishing the vitality. According to the records, millet wine was mentioned frequently in the prescriptions of famous historical doctors such as Bian Que, Hua Tuo, Zhang Zhongjing, and Sun Simiao. Li Shizhen's “Compendium of Materia Medica“ described in detail about 69 kinds of secret recipes for millet wine soaked in medicinal materials to cure lots of diseases. It can be called a famous historical wine and a Chinese treasure, and it is worthy of being well protected and inherited.
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