Mijiu Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Mijiu
Bottles of mijiu
Type	Rice wine
Country of origin	China
Region of origin	East Asia
Alcohol by volume	15%-20%
Proof (US)	30-40
Colour	Clear
Ingredients	Glutinous rice
Related products	Huangjiu, jiuniang, sake, cheongju

Mijiu (pronounced mee-jee-oh) is a special type of rice wine from China. It is made using glutinous rice, which is a sticky kind of rice. Mijiu usually looks clear. It tastes balanced, a bit sweet and a bit sour.

Mijiu is similar to sake from Japan and cheongju from Korea. It has an alcohol content of about 15% to 20%. People in China have been making rice wine for a very long time, even before 1000 BC! From China, the idea of making rice wine spread to other countries in East Asia.

This drink is very important in Chinese culture. You can find many types of rice wines in Chinese supermarkets. Some families even continue the tradition of making their own mijiu at home. To make it, they use glutinous rice, a special Chinese yeast, and water. Mijiu is sometimes served before or after meals. Some people believe it helps with digestion and is good for the skin.

Mijiu is often served warm, just like Japanese sake and Korean cheongju. It is also a popular ingredient in cooking. The mijiu used for cooking, which you can find in Asian grocery stores, might have salt added to it. This is sometimes done to avoid certain taxes on alcohol. Mijiu is made in both mainland China and Taiwan.

There is also a drink called rice baijiu. This is a stronger alcoholic drink that is made by distilling mijiu.

A different kind of Chinese rice wine is called jiǔniàng or láozāo. This version is not filtered. It still has whole grains of glutinous rice in it. It has a very low alcohol content. Children often enjoy drinking jiuniang.

In Taiwan, a company called the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation makes a popular mijiu. It is known as Taiwan red label and has an alcohol content of 19.5%.

Mijiu is commonly used in many delicious dishes. These include ginger duck, sesame oil chicken, and shochu chicken.

How Mijiu is Used
Dishes Made with Mijiu
Gallery
See also

How Mijiu is Used

Mijiu is used in traditional ways for cooking. For example, people might boil mijiu with chicken. This recipe is believed to help people recover their strength.

Mijiu is also a key part of a dish called Jiuniang. This dish includes the rice wine itself, along with rice particles. Sometimes, sweet glutinous rice balls are added to Jiuniang too.