Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/566135
126 / the tasting panel / september 2015 Baijiu A sk most American consumers to name the world's most consumed spirit, and almost all will guess mistakenly at the familiar, whether that's vodka, whiskey or another popular choice in the U.S. Very few, if any, will bring up the correct answer: Baijiu. China's national spirit, baijiu, is clear and typically made from sorghum, with a fairly high ABV, depending on the style. The process to produce this spirit begins in fermentation pits dug into the ground; exposed to both native yeast and the open air, yeast develop on a brick of grains, called the qu. At this point, Big into SHUI JING FANG CARRIES ON ANCIENT TRADITIONS AS CHINA'S OLDEST BAIJIU DISTILLERY by Emily Coleman / photos by Cal Bingham Roberto Loppi, Beverage Director of Scarpetta in the Montage Beverly Hills, places his left hand in front of his shot of Shui Jing Fang Wellbay as a sign of respect.