Baijiu Cocktail: Breaking the Stereotype

A brief interview with Phoebe Han on Chinese liquor and it's use in cocktails.

Having spent 10 years working in cocktail bars across Australia, India & Europe, I’m forever fascinated by each city & country’s unique cocktail culture. 

My experience of Baijiu before arriving in China had been large brands such as Moutai, or relatively cheap, ‘nail-varnish’ style Baijius found in tiny Chinese Restaurants.

Healer introduced me to new styles of Chinese Liquor – some that I really enjoy and it inspired us to speak to Healer’s owner, Phoebe Han. 

In this brief interview, we talk about styles of Baijiu, how to use it, and why it gets such a bad rap. 

Healer is well-known for incorporating Chinese elements in their cocktails. You have created unique cocktails made from Chinese Baijiu that have distinctive and poetic Chinese names. Why would you start such a bar?

Well, I got some Baijiu from my hometown when I was about to open Healer. So, I tried to use them in cocktails. Traditional western cocktails tell western stories. And I chose to give my Chinese-style cocktails Chinese names and Chinese stories.  

Unlike spirits such as gin, vodka, tequila; Chinese Baijiu is not commonly used in cocktails. Why do you think this is? 

Different people have different answers. Personally, I think it’s because it’s so different in flavour from other spirits, and because it’s not commonly found in western cultures – people are not sure how to use it. Some people also suggest that Baijiu tastes best when it’s neat. And others think Baijiu is too strong to be balanced or co-existing with other liquors.

Chinese Baijiu can be divided into different types according to taste and craftsmanship. What’s the trick of making the right choice when we are making cocktails? 

Baijiu is only a small category of Chinese liquor. Basically, you could choose any Chinese liquor-whether fermented or distilled, to make your cocktail. The key is the amount and the way you match it with other ingredients. Cocktails made with Chinese liquor each demonstrate their distinctive flavor.

What’s special about cocktails that are made with Chinese Baijiu?

Baijiu has a multitude of flavours, which add depth and richness to cocktails.

Are Baijiu Cocktails well-received by customers?

Of course! Whether it is a Baijiu cocktail or a traditional cocktail, customer preference is crucial. We expertly customize our cocktails with Chinese liquor to make balanced drinks, so why would anyone dislike them?

How do foreigners react to adding Chinese liquor into cocktails?

There was a time when I tried really hard to improve people’s understanding of Chinese liquor. Foreigners may find that Chinese liquor doesn’t fit in their drinking culture. ­Most people associate Chinese liquor with Moutai which is aromatic and too strong to be balanced. So for me, the priority is to introduce Chinese liquor such as Fenjiu to foreigners in a way that makes sense to them. Then I would further introduce cocktails made with other styles Chinese liquor. In this way, foreigners are more receptive to Chinese-style cocktails. 

Can you introduce a cocktail that is made from Chinese Baijiu?

Since winter is here, I have prepared a hot Chinese-style cocktail which is called Farewell My Concubine. It is originated from an ancient Chinese love story. In around 202 BC, Xiangyu, the Conqueror was defeated in a power struggle. Later he committed a suicide on the riverside of River Wu where he bided farewell to his concubine Yuji. Following her loved one, Yuji killed herself soon after.

Farewell My Concubine uses red date infused Baijiu. Red date stands for the sweetness of love while Amaro adds a dash of bitterness to depict a sad love story in time of war. We also add tea pastry to show the difficult conditions of the army. Rice wine from Shananxi, the then capital city is also used since it’s where Xiangyu left his ambition.

Ingredients

Red-date Infused Baijiu

Amaro

Tea Pastry

Dense Wine

We recommend you stop by Healer to try for yourself. 

Phoebe, Rocky & her team are wonderfully hospitable, and will happily take you through various styles of Chinese Liquor and their use in cocktails – contemporary and classic.

Healer Bar

30 Tianping Road, near Huaihai Middle Road
Nearest Metro: Jiao Tong University