CBS in San Francisco posted a lengthy piece on prospects for baijiu in that city. It includes an introduction to the production and consumption of baijiu and notes the spirit’s limited exposure thus far:
Baijiu is immensely popular in China but in the United States, it is far more difficult to find. Walking in San Francisco’s Chinatown neighborhood, those looking for the spirit can find it, whether it be at renowned dive bar Li Po, or Red’s Place. But outside of the Chinese community, it is a rarity.
The article quotes a few people from the spirits trade and also lists a few places experimenting with baijiu.
One of them is Hakkasan, where the most successful cocktail so far has been a margarita spinoff, says beverage director Peter Mastrogiovanni.
“The margarita is a very masculine, a full bodied cocktail that we feel shows the complexity of baijiu,” he says, adding that the recipe includes mescal, toasted cardamom and Green Chartreuse, among other items.
The article also discusses M.Y. China and its one-two punch special called “Big Trouble in M.Y. China”, namely, a shot of baijiu and a Lucky Buddha beer. Bartender Derrick Li says he is still in the experimental stage but aims to offer up to 40 bottles and ten cocktails.
See the full article here.
San Francisco is just one of numerous U.S. cities where bars and restaurants are experimenting with baijiu, including Peking Tavern in Los Angeles (see here) and Lumos in New York (see here).
Founded in 2015, World Baijiu Day is held each August 9, with events in over 60 cities so far. Follow WBD on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And get in touch via spirit (at) worldbaijiuday.com.
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