Laojiu is a traditional Matsu rice wine fermented from glutinous rice and red yeast mold; the one-year aged version produced by the Matsu Distillery runs about 14% ABV and is traditionally brewed between the winter solstice and Qingming.
Matsu laojiu is fermented from glutinous rice, red yeast mold, and water in a ratio of roughly 10:1:12; the Matsu Distillery's one-year aged product runs about 14% ABV. Traditional brewing takes place during the cold months between the winter solstice and Qingming, with fermentation taking about a month. The red yeast lees left after brewing become hongzao, the base ingredient for Matsu's red-yeast dishes.
What Is Laojiu
Laojiu is brewed from locally grown long glutinous rice inoculated with red yeast mold (Monascus), with an alcohol content of approximately 8–12%. Its color ranges from golden yellow to amber and the flavor is sweet with a slight sourness. The production process is directly descended from Fuzhou's red yeast yellow rice wine tradition. The Matsu Distillery inherited the flourishing brewing tradition of the Japanese colonial period and is now a Lienchiang County government enterprise with a stable annual output. Finished product is categorized as new wine or aged wine by length of maturation; the longer it ages, the deeper the color and the more concentrated the fragrance.
Eastern Fujian (the counties historically under Fuzhou Prefecture) has long had a tradition of brewing wine with red yeast mold. After immigrants crossed to Matsu, the brewing customs were preserved intact because the island's mountain spring water is exceptionally pure and the climate resembles Fuzhou's. In the Eastern Fujian food system, laojiu plays a dual role of "food-supplement" and "condiment": stirred with ginger into a soup it is a folk remedy for colds; used as a base wine in hongzao dishes it imparts a distinctive red-yeast fragrance to meat. The Lienchiang County Tourism Bureau lists laojiu as the foremost representative of Matsu's culinary culture.
How to Drink It Like a Local
Local Know-How
Verified Third-Party Endorsements
- The Matsu Distillery is a Lienchiang County government enterprise with a guided factory tour route where visitors can purchase wine on-site and learn about the red yeast brewing process.
- The official website of the Lienchiang County Tourism Bureau lists laojiu among "Matsu's Ten Representative Foods," and a Matsu culinary culture feature in CommonWealth Magazine provides detailed coverage.
- Laojiu is the source ingredient for Matsu's hongzao dishes — the red yeast wine lees left after brewing become "hongzao." The two are two uses of a single process; understanding laojiu is the key to understanding the entire Eastern Fujian food system.
Visiting Tips
- The Matsu Distillery is located in Nangan. To purchase aged laojiu on Dongyin, you must go to the Dongyin Township Farmers' and Fishermen's Association or a local general store; the flavor of the two locations' versions differs noticeably.
- Laojiu is sweet and goes down smoothly, but its alcohol content still reaches 8–12%. Drinking it warm on an empty stomach can cause dizziness; pair it with food.
Data sources: Lienchiang County Tourism Bureau introduction to "Matsu Laojiu," Matsu Distillery official website, CommonWealth Magazine Matsu culinary culture report. Photos will be replaced after Dio's on-site shoot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much alcohol is in laojiu?
The Matsu Distillery's one-year aged laojiu runs about 14% ABV.
What ingredients is laojiu made from?
It is fermented from glutinous rice, red yeast mold, and water in a ratio of roughly 10:1:12.
When is laojiu traditionally brewed?
Traditionally during the cold months between the winter solstice and Qingming, with fermentation taking about a month.
How is laojiu related to hongzao?
The red yeast lees left over after brewing laojiu become hongzao, the base ingredient for Matsu's red-yeast dishes.
Sources
- 生紅過夏 林義和工坊 馬祖老酒 DIY — 糯米紅麴水比例10:1:12、冬至至清明釀造季節
- 生紅過夏 林義和工坊 馬祖老酒 DIY — 同篇報導轉載，老酒釀造工序與季節
- 老酒 紅糟 馬祖味 — 老酒與紅糟的釀造關係