Any experts on Chinese alcoholic beverages here?

[Skidmore]

My husband just brought home a bottle of something called Jian Nan Chun Chiew. All other print on the bottle is in Chinese characters. Smells interesting. I just want to know what it is. I'm a Chardonnay kinda girl most times.

[LandOLincoln]

1. I've only ever had Chinese beer--Tsingtao, I think.

Pretty good, except it always gave me a headache.

[sundog]

3. i love that beer

funny, it never gives me a headache... always a nice smooth buzz with no after-effects

[MercutioATC]

2. I was trying to help, but I think I'm just making things worse...

...Google translation of a web page listing "Jian Nan Chun Chiew":



http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://www.cnwine.cn/forum/viewmessage.asp%3Fforumid%3D%26messageid%3D3978&prev=/search%3Fq%3DJian%2BNan%2BChun%2BChiew%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG


THIS site lists it at $352.00/bottle, though (near the bottom of the page):

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:ckQztcJ-61oJ:www2.crowncasino.com.au/Assets/contentFiles/378/SILKS_Winelist_Dec_04.pdf+Jian+Nan+Chun+Chiew&hl=en

[crispini]

6. South sword spring wine?

Interesting. Probably NOT grape wine, though, the word "chiew" means all kinds of liquor. Betcha it's rice wine. Does it smell sort of like hay?

[Skidmore]

7. I can't really smell it too well right now since I'm still

recuperating both my senses of smell and taste following radiation treatment. Of the smells I can discern, there is definitely sweetness and some other smell that has a vaguely acidic scent to it. It doesn't smell "grapey" to me at all.

[MN ChimpH8R]

4. Had some Chinese liquor called maotai

(I think that's what it was called) once and ONLY once. Stuff smelled vaguely like ammonia cut with corn whiskey and didn't taste anywhere as "good" as it smelled. And it was about 140 proof. Keep away from open flame or living tissue.

[mzteris]

5. OMG

I wonder if that was the stuff I tried when we were in China - they put it out on the table and hubby poured me a glass ..... thought I was gonna throw up right there. I mean, heck, I used to drink bad tequila straight (no lime no salt) so how bad could it be? THAT bad..... worst stuff EVER - including Nyquil and Terpin Hydrate.... gag....... (Heck - worse than rutabagas and sauerkraut!) I think it was paint thinner.....

[MN ChimpH8R]

12. Now that you mention tequila

I recall that the stuff I drank did smell rather like rancid tequila but more "chemically." I think we both crossed paths with maotai.

[NewJeffCT]

8. the English characters on the bottle aren't always correct

If you have a pic of the label & post it here, I could have my wife translate (but probably not until tonight, she is NOT an early riser)

[Skidmore]

9. I found a picture of it finally and the distillery's website.

Here's the link to the picture. All text is in Chinese.

http://www.jnc.com.cn/news/jncnewswind.asp?ids=63

[crispini]

11. I would guess it's rice wine, just by the shape of the bottle.

There are Chinese grape wines, but they usually put them in, well, wine shaped bottles like you're accustomed to seeing.

[NewJeffCT]

18. I'll send her the link at work

but, the google translation tool gets my wife's approval... while she laughs at babelfish and others. google isn't 100% correct, but it's way better than anything else I've tried.

[Wetzelbill]

10. interesting thread

[Pert_UK]

13. Watch out if it's Baijou (sp?)... Worst.... Hangover.. Ever........

Hardcore, strong, white rice spirit.......I got through half a bottle with two friends in Guangzhou once and was still drunk at lunchtime the next day.....and then my head split in two.

I've had warm Chinese "saki" style rice wine before, and Chinese grape wine. Chinese beers are often FANTASTIC...

I'm not really helping, am I?

[Skidmore]

17. You sure are helping.

Now I know what to steer clear of. That "head split in two" stuff does not sound like something I'd tempt fate with.

[Terran]

14. I googled it and

it comes up on the wine list at a fancy Australian casino restaurant called Silks, at $352 Australian a bottle! It does appear to be a wine, not liquor.

[Bossy Monkey]

15. Got it. Speaking of unfortunate translations...

http://www.chinaflowerexpo.com/CFE.inter/english/detail.asp?ArticleId=506
You'll probably get an Install on Demand box if you follow the link. You can just as well say No; it'll still load.
As Dave Barry would say, I am not making this up:
"...Among those kinds of alcohol, the most famous are ¡°Five Golden Flowers¡±. They are Wu Liang Ye, Luzhou Lao Jiao, Mianzhu Jian Nan Chun and Gu Lin Lang Alcohol...

"Jian Nan Chun
"It¡¯s famous alcohol of China, belongs to strongly fragrant spirit and produced by Jian Nan Chun Joint-stock Company Ltd. In antiquity, Mianzhu belonged to ¡°Jiannandao¡±, and had a long history of alcohol production. Jian Nan Chun Joint-stock Company Ltd. inherited customary technology to develop and produce ¡°Jian Nan Chun¡±. The raw materials are Kaoliang, pearl rice, wheat and corn. By the technology of strong fragrance, it¡¯s carefully made of high-qualified mineral water through the working procedures of fermenting, flavoring and so on. This kind of alcohol possesses the unique style of strong fragrant, sweet and having longstanding fragrance. There are 60 degrees, 52 degrees, 38 degrees and 28 degrees. The registered trademarks are ¡°Jian Nan Chun¡±, and ¡°Yangtze Bridge¡± for sale abroad. It¡¯s sold well all over the country. And it¡¯s also sold to America, Germany, Spain, Malaysia, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan."

PS: Kaoliang = sorghum
http://www.bartleby.com/65/so/sorghum.html

[Skidmore]

16. Thanks for the assist.

I'd never really given any thought to Chinese wines before. This has been an interesting learning experience. Will sample this stuff when I've fully recuperated my senses of taste and smell.