The brewing process of Moutai wine is known as "one of the three ancient brewing processes in the world", and the most distinctive part of it is "girl's stepping song". It is said that every year around the Dragon Boat Festival, Moutai Distillery hires or selects unmarried young women to use their feet to step on koji.
In this way, the quality of the koji and the flavor of the sauce can be guaranteed. Moreover, these girls must also be graduates of 211 or double first-class universities, with high education and high qualifications. In order to make the wine more fragrant, does Moutai really need to use "girl's feet" to step on the curve?
The brewing process and history of Moutai
Moutai liquor is a kind of Daqu sauce-fragrant liqu liqu with Moutai Town, Renhuai City, Guizhou Province as the only production area. Located on the banks of the Chishui River, Moutai Town is blessed with a unique natural environment and climatic conditions suitable for growing sorghum and making koji.
The history of winemaking in Moutai Town can be traced back to the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, when there was a traditional process of "nine times of steaming, eight times of fermentation, and seven times of taking wine". By the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the liquor in Maotai Town had become a tribute to the imperial court and was given the name "national wine".
In the Republican period, the liquor of Moutai Town was even more famous at home and abroad, and was known as "Oriental Famous Alcohol". After 1949, the liquor in Moutai Town was changed from a private workshop to a state-owned enterprise, and it was officially named "Moutai". The production process of Moutai is very complex and delicate, requiring uninterrupted production 365 days a year.
The Moutai wine of "Dragon Boat Festival, Stepping on the Qu and Chongyang Falling Sand" follows the seasonal production method and begins to ferment around the Chongyang Festival. That is, the production of Daqu around the Dragon Boat Festival is a solid starter culture containing a variety of microorganisms and fermentation enzymes made from wheat as raw material and made by high-temperature koji making, artificial stepping and natural drying.
In the brewing process of Moutai wine, it is necessary to go through two feeding, nine steaming, eight fermentation, and seven times of taking wine, a total of five cycles, each round must be controlled according to strict time and temperature. The brewing process of Moutai is known as "one of the three oldest brewing processes in the world", along with French cognac and Scotch whisky.
The principle and meaning of the stepping on the curvature of Moutai
The koji of Moutai wine refers to the process of making the koji, the wheat and mother koji are mixed by hand with the feet, put into a wooden mold, and pressed hard to form a turtle-shaped koji. This link seems simple, but it is actually exquisite.
First of all, the time of stepping on the koji should be selected around the Dragon Boat Festival, because this time has high temperature, high humidity and active microorganisms, which is conducive to the mixing and fermentation of wheat and mother song. The method of stepping on the curve should follow the traditional norm, that is, use the toes to step on the turtle back shape with high middle and low four sides, which can ensure the aeration and stability of the koji block, and facilitate the later crushing and fermentation.
The stepping of Moutai wine plays a crucial role, it is a key step in the production of Daqu, which directly affects the quality and effect of Daqu. Daqu is the main catalyst for the fermentation of Moutai, which contains a variety of microorganisms and fermentation enzymes that convert the starch and protein in sorghum into sugars and amino acids, resulting in the unique aroma and flavor of Moutai.
If the koji is not stepped on well, it will lead to problems such as unevenness, lack of aeration, instability, and not easy to crush the koji, which will affect the fermentation efficiency and quality of the koji. On the other hand, stepping on the curve is a cultural symbol of the inheritance of Moutai, reflecting Moutai's respect and maintenance of traditional craftsmanship and natural ecology.
The current situation and controversy of Moutai wine
Although the stepping music of Moutai has a long history and deep culture, it also faces some practical dilemmas and controversies. On the one hand, with the development and change of society, it is becoming more and more difficult to find qualified girls to engage in koji work.
According to the official data of Moutai Distillery, during the Dragon Boat Festival in 2023, Moutai Distillery hired a total of 120 female college students from 211 or double-first-class universities across the country to participate in the work of stepping on the song. These female college students have undergone strict selection and training, requiring good health, unmarried and childless, no infectious diseases, no foot diseases, no skin diseases, no body odor, etc.
They should clean and disinfect their whole body before stepping on the curve, wear special non-slip shoes and protective clothing, wear masks and gloves, and then under the guidance of professionals, according to the prescribed time and method, mix the wheat and mother koji with their feet, put them into a wooden mold, and step hard to form a turtle-shaped curved block. After these koji pieces are dried, they become an important raw material for Moutai liqu - Daqu.
Moutai Distillery said that the reason why they insist on using "girl's feet" to step on the curve is out of respect and inheritance of traditional craftsmanship, and also to ensure the quality and characteristics of Moutai wine. They believe that the "girl's foot" step is the soul of Moutai and the symbol of Moutai wine.
They also said that the female university students they hired were voluntary and were paid and benefits accordingly. They also provide them with accommodation, food, transportation, etc., and arrange for professional supervision and protection to ensure their safety and health.
However, the treading of Moutai has also caused some controversy and doubts. Some people believe that the treading of Moutai wine is a backward and rebellious practice, which is discriminatory and insulting to women. They believe that in modern society, it is no longer necessary and meaningful to use artificial stepping on the war, and it can be completely replaced by machines or other methods.
They also believe that under the influence of the new crown epidemic, the use of artificial stepping will increase the risk of infection and transmission, which is not conducive to public health and safety. Others believe that the treading of Moutai is a means of hype and marketing to attract attention and raise prices.
epilogue
The koji of Moutai has become a part of Moutai and part of Chinese winemaking culture. We can see and understand it from different perspectives, but we should also respect and protect it.