World Baijiu Day 2023
Places Planetwide to Get into the Spirit
Some happenings for the ninth annual World Baijiu Day. WBD is on a Wednesday this year thus some events might be on the weekend before or after, etc.
AUCKLAND
Huami Restaurant
Huami Chinese Restaurant offers baijiu fans everything from top-range labels to cocktails to ice cream. The ice cream includes 53%-alcohol baijiu, which is also misted on top when serving to highlight the flavor.
Baijiu cocktail fans can try Jade Dragon, which includes white rum, green tea, apple juice, green apple syrup, citrus and bitters, and Pao Pao Pasion, a mix of passionfruit, elderflower, apple and local sparkling rosé. The Baijiu Blush features rhubarb gin, creme de violette and citrus.
Huami has a good range of baijiu, including its house label, aged ten years and hailing from Maotai Village. See the beverage list here.
BALTIMORE
Baltimore popped onto the World Baijiu Day map last year thanks to Ashley Mac, who hosted at NiHao. This year, Mac will introduce this spirit to fellow mixologists by hosting a baijiu course with Baltimore Bartenders Guild on August 14.
BALTIMORE
Ni Hao Restaurant
Along with a wide range of Chinese dishes, from dim sum to mapo tofu to kungpao chicken to its signature Peking duck, Ni Hao has a substantial baijiu lineup, available in cocktails and neat, including in carafes for two to four people. Brands include Vinn, Moutai, Niulanshan, Kinmen Kaoliang, Luzhou Laojiao, Ming River and Wuliangye. Check out the menu here.
BANSKO
Moutai Bulgaria☆
World Baijiu Day is back in Bansko, a popular resort town near the Pirin Mountains, well-known both for skiing and as a popular summer retreat. Moutai Bulgaria will mark World Baijiu Day during the Bansko International Jazz Festival from August 5 through 12.
BEIJING
Dada Beijing☆
One of Beijing’s leading electronic music clubs has a permanent baijiu cocktail–The Chinglish–on its menu. And will add a few extra baijiu treats–think White Rabbit shots–during an 80s night / WBD party with DJ Ozone on August 12. More details to come.
BEIJING
Burge’s Bar & Bistro
If you plan to enjoy one cocktail in Beijing for World Baijiu Day, check out this tasty gem at Burge’s Bar & Bistro in Sanlitun: the Beijing Beijing 2.0 is a refreshing mix of baijiu, fresh pear, lemon and club soda, with a slight bite thanks to cinnamon and a pleasing smoothness courtesy of egg white. Balanced and complex, this is a tasty way to experience baijiu. (RMB68 / USD9.5)
BEIJING
MO Bar
Baijiu cocktails with Beijing themes. MO Bar in Mandarin Oriental Hotel has released intriguing themed cocktail menus over the last few years.
The most recent is Cocktails Inspired by Food Trends (menu here) and includes a drink called Tang with Jingye Erguotou plus duck fat-washed Diplomatico white rum, clarified cucumber, honey, apple vinegar, sweet sauce and cherry foam. (RMB158)
The current menu also has baijiu-inspired blasts from menus past, including one focused on Old Beijing: Jingye Erguotou infused with “hutong spices” along with dark rum, hawthorn, Cherry Heering, egg white and lemon juice. (RMB138) And one from the theme of Time Lapse: Baijiu is milk washed with Earl Grey tea and combined with Old Duff Genever, kumquat honey, and clarified lemon juice. (RMB128)
The guys from Hope & Sesame, who opened the Sanyou baijiu bars in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, have consulted on MO cocktail menus.
BERLIN
Redrum
Baijiu fans in Berlin can find a pair of regular cocktails at Red Rum. The Chinese Mule, described as sweet, spicy and fruit, includes baijiu, ginger beer, cucumber, ginger and orange, plus angostura bitters. Meanwhile, Mala Baigroni combines baijiu, Cynar Amaro, sweet red vermouth, orange juice, smoked paprika and dried orange slice.
Customers can also check the monthly specials. July’s list included a “sweet, spicy and umami” baijiu-based drink called Panda Express, with baijiu, Salvia, sake, Ratzingwer, jasmine tea, soya sauce, orange juice and garnished with fresh ginger slice.
More details about Redrum here.
BUENOS AIRES
SOFA ☆
Nicolas Constantin is the rare person who has done WBD events on two continents. This globe-trotting bartender first participated in WBD in 2017 in Buenos Aires at 430 / 四三〇 Ramen & Drinks. Then did events in 2018 and 2019 in Spain, both in Marbella and Feungirole.
He has since been in Buenos Aires, including 2022, when he hosted a World Baijiu Day at Harakiri de Una and got bars Chintoneria, Malasangre and Milion on board with baijiu cocktails.
This year, he plans to do an event at SOFA on World Baijiu Day. More details soon.
CAMBRIDGE
Sumiao Hunan Kitchen
Sumiao has featured everything from dishes like Sizzling Baijiu Shrimp to cocktails like Beijing Berry Fizz over the years. This year’s feature is Summer Jade, made with baijiu, Amaro Montenegro, falernum, lime and pink guava puree.
This is in addition to Sumiao’s menu regulars, Fung Wah, Baijiu Blast and Perpetual Motion–check out Richard Auffrey’s post for more details. Plus, a half-dozen baijius that can tasted straight up, including Moutai, Wuliangye, Luzhou Laojiao, Xi Feng Jiu, Red Star and Ming River. Check out Sumiaos menus here.
CHANGSHA
St Regis Hotel
Every St Regis Hotel in the world has its version of The Bloody Mary. And in the case of the St Regis in Changsha, it is called The Baijiu Mary.
“Infused with the spirit of Changsha, the Baijiu Mary combines fresh flavors from Hunan Province with Baijiu, a traditional Chinese liquor. Chili adds a distinctive touch inspired by local cuisine, while a twist of orange evokes nearby Orange Island and the curve of the grand staircase at The St. Regis Changsha.”
Along with that baijiu, chili and orange, the recipe also includes tomato juice, lemon juice, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. See the full recipe here.
CHICAGO
Nine Bar
Opening in Chicago’s Chinatown last summer, Nine Bar offers both tasty snacks, like dumplings, mapo hot fries, cold sesame noodles and “General Jones’ Wings’, and creative cocktails. The latter include Neon City, made with Mng River baijiu, St. Agrestis Paradiso Aperitivo, Iichiko Saiten Shochu, yuzu and Calpico (USD13). For more details, see Nine Bar’s website.
CHRISTCHURCH
Taizi☆
New Zealand baijiu brand Taizi and Glenn Schuitman, who hosted our first major World Baijiu Day bash in 2015 in Beijing and is now home in Christchurch, have long been WBD supporters. Look for them to team up again this year in New Zealand.
DUBLIN
Wong’s Chinese Restaurant☆
Celebrate five days of baijiu specials in Dublin with Moutai Ireland and Wong’s Chinese Restaurant! Guests can indulge in Moutai Prince shots and Moutai Prince cocktails from August 9 to August 13, including:
The Lychee Moutini with lychee liqueur, lemon juice and simple syrup. The Blossom Dream with pineapple and lemon juice plus orgeat syrup. And The Moutai Espresso Martini, with espresso, butterscotch and coffee liqueur. Even better, there is three-for-the-price-of-two promotion.
Wong’s will also have dinner sets pairing Moutai cocktails with Wong’s signature Cantonese cuisines, “allowing you to discover how the delicate flavour of this mellow baijiu enhances the subtle nuances in various dishes.” RSVP with Wong’s.
EDMONTON
Baijiu
Cocktail bar and eatery Baijiu has been making baiiu cocktails for a half-dozen years. The current menu includes the Baijiu Sour, with baijiu, Remy Martin VSOP, five-spice syrup, lemon and egg white, and the Baijiu Barbie (pictured), with baijiu, coconut tequila, pineapple syrup and lemon. For the full menu, plus location and opening hours, check out the site.
FORT LAUDERDALE
No Man’s Land
Billed as a “vibey cocktail parlor and eatery” and “a refuge from the ordinary”, No Man’s Land includes baijiu in its lineup of signature “libations.” Baijiu Tea combines the punch of baijiu and white rum with Lillet Rose, jasmine honey, lemon, ginger and lavender.
Check out the menus here, including more cocktails and a food list with a good range of seafood selections.
GUANGZHOU
Sanyou☆
Baijiu bar Sanyou, by the same team behind Hope & Sesame and Charlie’s, is one of the best places for baijiu fans to gather on World Baijiu Day. More about this establishment here. And more on the new cocktail menu soon.
GUANGZHOU
DoubleTree By Hilton☆
Necessity is the mother of invention they say. And when the staff at DoubleTree By Hilton needed a new cocktail for a recent menu tasting with the media, they turned to an old China favorite, Moutai, and paired it with fruit and flowers.
“The cocktail is sweet at the start, with a burst of lychee, then comes a hint of rose, followed by a baijiu finish that gives it a kind of savory sensation,” says hotel GM Chris Roberts. “It’s something you could enjoy all night. Easy to drink and quite refreshing.”
The cocktail will be available this coming week in the hotel’s Canton Lounge for RMB58. DoubleTree also presented baijiu-inspired chocolate at the media dinner and they will also be available. And for those who like their Moutai straight, there is a shop in the hotel lobby.
Get updates about DoubleTree By Hilton here.
HAMBURG
Piano Bar
Join the Marriott’s master of mixology, Alberto Costa, as makes Moutai cocktails in the hotel’s Piano Bar.
This event is organized by Wisdom Express, which handles the Moutai brand in Germany. Learn more about Moutai in Germany here.
HAMBURG
Kofoodkoo & Wisdom Express☆
Look for a pair of Moutai cocktails in Hamburg this World Baijiu Day.
Modern mixology meets China’s most famous baijiu as Kofookoo Grill & Bar features a pair of Moutai concoctions: Moutai Sparkle and Prince’s Passion.
This initiative is thanks to Wisdom Express, the representative for Moutai in Germany, which has held a series of fun World Baijiu Day events in Hamburg over the years.
HONG KONG
Call Me Al
A cocktail of two cities, so to speak, as Nick Lappen, who last year participated in World Baijiu Day at Boston Baijiu Bar, is this year at Call Me Al in Hong Kong.
Lappen says to expect a special menu of baijiu cocktails on August 9.
Also check out this Q&8 with Lappen abt his first experience with baijiu, tips for home bartenders using this spirit, his favorite cocktail creation, and more.
JAKARTA
Tang Court
Tang Court in The Langham features tasting flights of from three to five baijius, including a choice of appetizers. On top of that, there is an intriguing list of six Chinese tea and baijiu cocktails. Check out this feed for more details.
KUALA LUMPUR
Baijiu
With a vibrant façade, savvy interior and steady flow of dim sum and DJs, Baijiu is known for craft cocktails, which are described as “one of a kind” and trays of baijiu shots, described as “infamous / famous” and “not for the faint of heart.” Open daily from 5 PM, with a buy two, get one free deal on cocktails until 8 PM. More photos and details at @baijiu.kl.
KUNMING
DADA☆
Sibling of DADA Beijing also features a permanent baijiu cocktail called The Chinglish on the menu. Pop in for some music and drinks for World Baijiu Day.
LAUNCESTON
Sanyou☆
The distillery Sanyou, based in Launceston in Tasmania, is pushing the boundaries of baijiu beyond Asia. The trio of Ian Sypkes, Tim Ye and Chris De Bono combine the traditional continuous fermentation method associated with Chinese baijiu with ingredients sourced from Australia. Last year, Sanyou held a tasting at The Barrel Collective, including barrel-aged and fruit-infused baijiu. Expect an event in the second half of August this year so as not to clash with Tasmania Whisky Week. Also, check out this Q&8 with Ian Sypkes here.
LIVERPOOL
Lu Ban
Inspired by the cuisine of the city of Tianjin, fine dining restaurant Lu Ban gets its name from a revered Chinese inventor and builder who lived 2500 years ago. Along with a wide range of delicious dishes, Lu Ban’s menu also includes baijiu cocktails like Kung Fu Panda, Oh My Mao and Basil Baijiu Smash, the latter featuring elderflower liqueur, basil leaves and lemon juice. Check them out here.
LONDON
Demon, Wise & Partners☆
Over the years, Demon, Wise & Partners has hosted everything from baijiu tasters and cocktails to a fenjiu-inspired night to a guest bartender–Yao Lu of Union Trading Company in Shanghai. Details on this year’s plans soon.
LONDON
Gouqi Restaurant
A mythical snake inspired the cocktail name Bashe at restaurant Gouqi. The potency of baijiu slithers alongside the vibrancy of lemon, lime leaf, lychee and grapefruit soda.
Gouqi also has baijiu available by the bottle or single pours, including from Wuliange, Moutai and Ming River. And there is no lack of food options given everything from Peking duck with caviar to dim sum platters to tasting menus. Check out all the menus here.
LOS ANGELES
Peking Tavern
Peking Tavern has a new location this year but still has baijiu cocktails on the menu, including the Wong Chiu Punch, with Xi Feng baijiu, hibiscus and lemon juice, and Liquid Jade, with Xi Feng baijiu, lemon juice and celery juice. As well as a wide range of baijius to try straight up.
MARSEILLES
TBC
Guillaume Ferroni has spearheaded World Baijiu Day activities in Marseilles over the years, at venues such as Carry Nation and Bar Dans Les Arbres. Details soon on this year’s plans!
MELBOURNE
Golden Monkey
Golden Monkey is a World Baijiu Day original, featuring everything from spins on classics like the Baijiu Iced Tea to new creations such as Secret of the Golden Flower. If you are looking for baijiu on World Baijiu Day, pop into Golden Monkey.
MINNEAPOLIS
Gai Noi
With a name closely associated with sticky rice, this Laotian restaurant has everything from egg rolls and green papaya salad to peanut noodles and lemongrass chicken skewers.
Baijiu also features on the menu, including in the Pho Spiced Old Fashioned, which includes blended whiskey, cane Juice, star anise, cinnamon and fennel. More details, including how to eat sticky rice, here.
NEW YORK
Ye’s Apothecary
New York-based Ye’s Apothecary pairs Szechuan dishes and Chinese-inspired cocktails. The concoctions include Red Sorghum, featuring Ming River baijiu plus Aperol, pineapple, lime juice and osmanthus. And the baijiu-driven Shanghai 75, a riff on the French 75, with sour apple, honey, and Prosecco.
“Its the perfect blend of Chinese and European flavors that will leave your taste buds buzzing,” posts Ye’s.
Check out more drinks and dishes here.
NEW YORK
The Red Pavilion
The Red Pavilion is tea house by day and club by night, promoting Chinese culture via traditional medicine lessons, food classes and mahjong sessions as well as live music, aerial cabaret and open mics.
Baijiu plays a strong role on the drink menu, created by Orson Salicetti, who also consulted on New York’s first baijiu bar, the former Lumos, in 2015. Sesame Colada sees baijiu and rum balanced with caramelized pineapple, sesame paste, mangosteen and lemon.
A trio of ‘herbal’ shots includes Awake (baijiu-infused goji berries with chrysanthemum), Long Living (baijiu and whisky with Buddha hand and barberry) and 20 Herbs Special (a combo of baijiu and vodka infused with the seasonings in question.) The Red Pavilion is open Thursday to Sunday. Details here.
PORTLAND
Grandma’s Secret
Portland is home to one of the rare baijiu producers based outside of China — VINN — and you can find their spirit at Grandma’s Secret.
Check out the cocktail Le Colonial, which includes VINN baijiu, genepy, Giffard Lichi-Li, cucumber, lemon and Thai basil.
More about Grandma’s Secret here. And more about Vinn here.
ROME
Dao Chinese Restaurant
The Dim Sum Bar at Dao offers a range of jiaozi, baozi and wonton along with signature cocktails. That libations lineup includes a concoction with China’s most famous baiju, Moutai. Along with baijiu, the Sunset Mule includes strawberry juice, lime juice and ginger beer. Check out the menu here.
SAN JOSE
Jack’s
Join Jack’s Bar for World Baijiu Day trivia on August 9. The quiz goes from 6 PM to 7 PM and will be led by Jim Polluck of CNS Imports. Patrons can also enjoy USD2 off baijiu all day long. More about Jack’s Bar here.
SAN FRANCISCO
Lost Cats
This bar in the heart of San Francisco aims for “the perfect balance between spirits and flavor.” And that includes a baijiu cocktail on the menu.
See You Tomorrow is a mix of Ming River baijiu, blue curacao, vodka, Red Bull, Sprite, lemon and goji berry, More details about Lost Cats here.
SHANGHAI
BAI8 & Post No Bills☆
Baijiu rocks in Shanghai Cocktail-friendly baijiu brand Bai8 rolls out a playlist of six concoctions at Post No Bills on August 9. That ought to be more than enough liquid courage for contestants in the air guitar contest that starts at 9 PM!
A light aroma baijiu with eight botanicals sourced from across China, 白8 was created by partners RJ Steiner and James Gillespie. Logan Browse, known for Logan’s Punch, Tacolicious and more, will handle guest bartender duties.
See poster for details. And this post for more about BAI8.
SHENZHEN
Cream Story☆
Last year, Shenzhen gelato specialists Cream Story feature a handful of baijiu-inspired gelatos for World Baijiu Day, including a regular menu item that includes Moutai. (Check out the Q&8 I did with owners Zhang Si and Tommaso.) This year, the creative juices are flowing with plans for some baijiu-inspired ice lollies. Details to come.
SHENZHEN
Sanyou☆
Sanyou in Shenzhen is the younger sibling to Sanyou in Guangzhou, with a range of high-end baijiu cocktails, the likes of which you are unlikely to find anywhere else on the planet. Details on their brand new menu soon.
SINGAPORE
Lalang Bar
Moutai meets lavender, complete with Pagoda-shaped ice cube, in the Lilac Dream cocktail at Lalang, which bills itself as “a Chinese restaurant / bar concept serving unique Baijiu cocktails.” Along with the cocktails, customers can also indulge in baijiu shots. See more photos at here.
SINGAPORE
Papitto
Singaporeans seeking a cold treat on World Baijiu Day can place their order with Papitto Gelato. Papitto makes a pair of icy specialties using Maotai baijiu — a vanilla gelato and a pineapple sherbert — both available in 475 ml and 2.5 liter sizes. More details here.
STOCKHOLM
R.ASIA☆
The annual baijiu banquet at R.Asia Restaurant is a raucous affair that gives guests the chance to try a wide array of baijius with Chinese dishes.
Organzier Ludvig Saaf or Lu Spirits says this year’s feast will be better than ever–“An unforgettable meal is waiting!” he writes–with over 20 courses and a bottle-plus of baijiu per person.
Space is extremely limited for this August 12 event so contact Saaf to check on availability. (The price is SEK1395 / US$135 per person.)
STOCKHOLM
Surfers
Surfers Restaurant and Bar offers a range of tasty Chinese snacks, especially from the spicier cuisines of the country, as well as tea, Shaoxing wine and baijiu.
That baijiu comes in forms both cocktail — Green Lake features baijiu, cucumber and elderberry — and neat, with brands such as Red Star, Fenjiu, Luzhou Laojiao and Guizhou Jinsha.
There is also a 45-minute tasting package, for up to six people, with two Shaoxing rice wines, three baijiu styles and one medicinal bitters, plus snacks. Available by appointment or from 5 PM to 11 PM on Wednesdays — on which World Baijiu Day falls this year! — and 4 PM to 10 PM on Fridays. More details here.
SYDNEY
Grain Cocktail Bar☆
Celebrate World Baijiu Day in Sydney with Good Spirits and Grain Cocktail Bar! In fact, celebrate from August 7 to August 12.
“Grain can be found in every drink and dish at Grain Bar making it a perfect place to celebrate World Baijiu Day,” says Varvara Kuraeva of Good Spirits, owner of brand Australian Baijiu. Kuraeva says Grain’s chief mixologist Pablo Moore Rubio and his team created two signature cocktails with Australian Baijiu, with the spirit also availabe straight up.
The cocktails include Qingxiang, which means ‘light aroma’, and features Australian Baijiu with elderflower, eucalyptus, citrus and more, and Nongxiang, or ‘strong aroma’, with baijiu, Lillet Blanc, Muyu Vetiver Gris liqueur and orange. Cocktails are AUD26 each while a 20 ml shot of Australian Baijiu is AUD13.
SYDNEY
Jinja Restaurant
Sydney restaurant Jinja features both traditional and contemporary Cantonese cuisine alongside a good range of baijius and teas. Baijius are separated by category, with light aroma ones like Fenjiu and Niulanshan, strong aroma ones like Luzhou Laojiao, Wuliangye and Yanghe, and sauce strong aroma ones like Moutai and Langjiu. Plus, local label Australian Baijiu, by Good Spirits, and a Penfolds baijiu and wine concoction.
Jinja’s signature cocktails are named for deities, including one called Polysemous in reference to Lan Caihe, one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism.
“[Baijiu] is quite a fierce spirit, however with the combination of honey, peach, lemon and a touch of orange blossom water, it becomes tame and much more approachable for those unfamiliar with it,” writes the Australian Guide Food Guide in reviewing this cocktail. “A spray of green tea mist before serving and a Chinese proverb attached to the drink adds the final touch”.
See the food and drinks menus here.
TIANJIN
WE BREWERY☆
Steve Wang of WE Brewery has ranked among the biggest World Baijiu Day supporters over the years, as an organizer of events in both his hometown of Tianjin and, for two years, his adopted home of Minsk. He is Tianjin this year and pairing a series of baijiu tinctures to pair with his craft beers.
TOKYO
UPTOWN RECORDS☆
This record shop and bar specializes in Chinese music, Chinese drinks and Chinese snacks. Details soon on Uptown’s World Baijiu Day plans.
TORONTO
HONG SHING
Join new baijiu bar Hong Shing in Toronto for shots and cocktails on August 9.
“We took over six months of R&D, wanting to learn more about baijiu, from distillation to flavour profiles,” said owner Colin Li in an email. “We traveled all over Asia, being inspired by the top 50 bars in the world.”
The bar recently released its first baijiu menu, with eight signature cocktails, including ‘Shiitake Happens’, a mix of mushroom-infused Jiang Xiao Bai baijiu, brown butter and Junmai Sake, and the ‘Shanghattan’, with Luzhou Laojiao baijiu, D.O.M. Benedictine, Seedlip Grove 42 and Angostura Bitters.
On August 9, baijiu cocktails are CAD12 and Jiang Xiao Bai shots are CAD6 from 9 PM to 2 AM. More about Hong Shing here.
VANCOUVER
Laowai
Secluded within BLND TGR restaurant, Laowai is a speakeasy “inspired by the illicit extravagance of 1920s Shanghai.” In other words, with a history. Or, rather, many histories, with each cocktail tied to a colorful character from China’s past, ranging from mobsters and real estate moguls to expelled princesses and pirates, including the most famous, Koxinga.
Baijiu features in cocktails like Jar of Dirt, along with Genever, ginkgo nut orgeat, lime juice and more,and in Incarnadine Seas, with blood orange and lychee tea baijiu sailing alongside Giffard Chocolate, clarified lemon juice, apple cordial and egg white.
Breakfast of Champions features Beijing’s favorite baijiu, Erguotou, plus Cointreau, Odd Society Bittersweet Vermouth, Taboo Genuine Absinthe and Scrappy’s Orleans Bitters.
Check out the menu, and all of those colorful characters, here.
WASHINGTON
Tiger Fork
Baijiu cocktails in the U.S. capital: Tiger Fork not only has plenty of tasty fare, ranging from chili wontons to char sui to Beijing duck, but also a pair of baijiu cocktails.
Sozin’s Comet teams baijiu with lemon, herbal liqueur and more while Sneaky Link has two potent boozes — baijiu and mezcal — collaborating with lychee, lemon and spiced honey. See the menus and venue details here.
YANTAI
Spring Ban☆
Set in a picturesque coastal town in Shandong province, craft spirits bar Spring Bank, which also stocks niche whiskies, vinyl records and hand-rolled cigarette supplies, will get into World Baijiu Day with some special cocktails.
Set in a picturesque coastal town in Shandong province, craft spirits bar Spring Bank, which also stocks niche whiskies, vinyl records and hand-rolled cigarette supplies, will get into World Baijiu Day with some special cocktails.
Follow World Baijiu Day on Instagram here and Facebook here.