From Me to You: Where to Get a Fine Glass of Mijiu in Beijing

For many world travelers, laying lips on a country’s traditional booze is a must-do. When visiting Beijing, curious drinkers would be remiss to pass up a shot of erguotou, but unfortunately for those who settle in Beijing, all but the most iron-stomached among us can stand to make a habit out of downing that or any other form of baijiu, due to its taste and fragrance which can be kindly described as distinctive and less kindly as pungent. At worst, it's downright nauseating.

The good news is that China is home to plenty of other traditional liquors and wines, and while some options may not be much more pleasing to an outsiders taste buds, those who come to China expecting something similar to Japanese sake will no doubt take pleasure in the discovery of the Chinese rice wine known as mijiu.

Made from glutinous, or fermented “sticky” rice, mijiu is most popular in China's southern provinces, particularly Yunnan, where it is commonly served in hollowed-out bamboo jugs. Far tamer and sweeter than baijiu, with an alcohol content ranging anywhere from 3 to 20 percent, it has also never been so easy to gan bei! Note that the restaurants below are just a few of our favorites and that any Yunnan restaurant worth its salt should have at least one mijiu option on the menu.

Nuoyan Rice Wine House

While most restaurants use rice wine as a side attraction to draw in diners, Nuoyan lets it take center stage, and, offering a five-wine sampler flight upon your arrival, it just might be the best bet for mijiu newbies to try out a few different flavors and find their favorite. You won’t, however, be limited to those five options, as the menu touts over a dozen wines that range in price from affordable (RMB 119) to celebratory (RMB 269) – and speaking of celebrating with a toast, it’s the only place we know of that offers sparkling rice wine (RMB 69 per glass), so you can skip the Champagne next time you get some good news.

Taken to-go, these wines make a great gift, but once inside you might be charmed enough by the beautifully designed two-story interior to sit down and enjoy a bottle yourself, along with some tasty tavern grub.

In and Out

Since its opening, In and Out in Sanlitun has remained one of the Beijinger's favorite Yunnan restaurants for its friendly staff and range of classic and familiar dishes such as the pineapple rice, mint beef, and roast chicken with lemongrass. They also have mijiu, which sells for RMB 58 per bottle and is distinct from Nuoyan's translucent batches for being the traditional cloudy color on account of bits of rice left in the drink. This gives it a white, milky appearance, as well as a slightly grainy texture that makes for a fun sip.

Wind Chime Tavern

Wind chimes ring, are you listening? In the bowl, mijiu glistening.

In addition to being a nice place to sit down for some good old Beijing hutong eats, Wind Chime Tavern in Jiaodaokou will also sling you a bottle of mijiu for just RMB 42. Of course, there are more drinks on the menu – this being a tavern after all – including their signature drunken plum wine or their equally popular peach blossom wine for the same price.

Honorable mentions: Dali Renjia, Little Yunnan, Middle 8th Restaurant

READ: Find the Perfect Venue for Any Occasion With This Simple Dianping Function

Images: 360Doc, Dianping