Huangjiu, translated as
yellow wine, is a type of
Chinese alcoholic beverage made from water, cereal grains such as
rice, sorghum,
millet, or
wheat and a
jiuqu starter culture. Unlike
baijiu, such liquors are not distilled and contain less than 20
lcohol. Huangjiu is usually pasteurized, aged, and filtered before their final bottling for sale to consumers. Some styles are aged for as much as 3 years and sold as premium products. The various styles of
huangjiu may vary in color from clear to beige, yellowish-brown, or reddish-brown. Many famous Huangjiu brands are noted for the quality of water involved in the brewing process and some consider it to be the most important ingredient.