Inside the Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Factories | Taiwan’s Mega Factories EP2

Kinmen Kaoliang is the best selling spirit in Taiwan, with over 45,000 liters consumed across the island every day. Step inside their factories to see how Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor combines tradition with modern production methods to create a product that reflects Taiwan’s unique terroir.

Kinmen Kaoliang is a clear, fragrant spirit distilled from the cereal crop sorghum. The liquor is produced on the Kinmen Islands (formerly known as Quemoy), and the name “Kaoliang” comes from the Mandarin word for sorghum, which is the main ingredient used in its production. The Kinmen Islands are Taiwanese territories located just two kilometers away from China’s coastal city of Xiamen in Fujian province. The islands were once at the frontline of the Chinese Civil War, with an important battle taking place there in 1949. Military occupation of the Kinmen Islands encouraged the development of farming and trade. During the war, leaders encouraged the farming of sorghum to produce alcohol, which they could trade for rice and other provisions. This was the beginning of the Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor legacy.

Today, Kinmen Kaoliang’s Jinning plant is nothing short of a state-of-the-art mega factory. At 21 hectares in size, it accounts for most of the company’s liquor production. Their most popular product, the classic 58% Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor, is aged here in stainless steel tanks to ensure consistent alcohol content and quality. The distillery’s taste-testing, formulation, and packaging are all conducted with the utmost care and attention to detail.

In contrast to the newer Jinning plant, the company’s Jincheng plant lies at the site of the company’s original Jiulong River Distillery, where traditional manufacturing methods reign supreme. Here, sorghum is still fermented in red brick fermentation chambers, just like in the old days, which adds greater variety to the alcohol’s flavor profiles. After fermentation and distillation, the kaoliang liquor in this factory is aged in clay jars for anywhere from 3 to 30 years. This unique aging process is made possible by the old military tunnels on Kinmen.

During the Chinese Civil War, Kinmen’s underground tunnels provided much-needed shelter from heavy bombardment. Now, the tunnels are once again being put to good use, providing a cool, dark, and humid environment that is perfectly suited for aging high quality spirits. After aging, the liquor produced here will be sold as special blends and small batch varieties. The finished, bottled products are shipped out in the finest packaging, reflecting the rich heritage and traditions that live on through this mega factory.

Chapters:
00:00 Taiwan’s Mega Factories: Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor
01:06 Kaoliang Liquor’s Unique Attributes
02:49 Chinese Civil War Leads to Sorghum Farming on Kinmen
04:45 Today’s Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Factories
06:06 The Importance of Traditional Production Methods
06:51 Starter Culture Production and Fermentation
10:35 Growing and Harvesting Sorghum
12:49 Sorghum Processing and Fermentation
15:38 Distilling the Mash
17:40 Kinmen’s Military Tunnels Make the Perfect Distillery
19:35 Formulating Special Blends
21:46 Bottling and Packaging
24:47 Honoring the Rich Tradition and Enduring Spirit of Kinmen

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