Why aren't Baijiu (Chinese strong liquor) packed in aluminum cans?

There is a saying about liquor containers: "Three Suitabilities" and "Two Unsuitabilities".

The so-called "three suitable" utensils refer to: 1. Glass containers; 2. Ceramic containers; 3. Blood material containers.

"Two unsuitable" utensils refer to: 1. Plastic containers; 2. Aluminum cans.

Let's explain in detail:

three suitable

1. Glass container

Glass containers exhibit good chemical stability and are impervious to corrosion by alcohol and acids, ensuring that the silicate present in the glass does not leach into the wine. Over time, wine can generate minor amounts of organic acids and produce acetic acid ethyl ester, which imbues the wine with a rich aroma. Therefore, using glass for storage is highly suitable. Consequently, most commercially available liquor is packaged in glass bottles.

2. Ceramic containers

Ceramic containers, predominantly in the forms of earthenware jars, pots, and urns, are made by firing clay and typically have a round shape with a large belly and a small mouth. They are either glazed externally or both externally and internally, and are traditional Chinese containers for storing and serving wine. The advantages of ceramic containers lie in their ability to maintain the quality of wine, allowing air to easily enter, thereby enhancing the aging and maturity of the wine. The longer wine is stored in ceramic containers, the more metals it leaches out, resulting in a mature wine with a fragrant and mellow taste.

3. Blood material container

Blood material containers are traditional Chinese wine storage containers, such as wine jars, wine baskets, and wine barrels, which are woven from wicker or bamboo strips and pasted with multiple layers of mulberry paper and coated with blood material. There are also wine boxes made of wood or cement pools pasted with multiple layers of mulberry paper and coated with blood material, serving as wine storage containers.

The advantage of the blood material container lies in the fact that "blood material" is a plastic protein colloidal salt made from animal blood (mostly pig blood) and lime, which forms a semi-permeable film with alcohol. The characteristic of this film is that water can permeate through it, but alcohol cannot, which has a good anti-permeation effect on Baijiu with an alcohol content of over 30 degrees. Storing liquor in such a container will have a good effect on maintaining the quality of the liquor. Moreover, it is convenient to use local materials, the cost is low, and it is not easy to damage.

Two not suitable

1. Plastic container

Currently, there are two types of plastic bucket packaging for Baijiu on the market: one is made of general polyethylene plastic. When Baijiu is stored in polyethylene plastic buckets for a long time, a large amount of polyethylene can dissolve into the alcohol. People who drink this kind of liquor may experience skin allergies, and in severe cases, it can lead to anemia.

Another category is environmentally friendly PET packaging. PET is a new type of high-molecular polyester material that has been used for packaging beer and other low-alcohol beverages abroad. It poses no harm when used for packaging Baijiu, but after prolonged storage, the alcohol will gradually evaporate.

For your own health, after purchasing plastic-barreled white wine, please store it in a glass container as soon as possible.

2. Aluminum can container

Beer or other beverages are mostly packaged in aluminum cans, but white wine has never been packaged in this way. In fact, it is because the properties of white wine make it unsuitable for being packaged in aluminum cans.

Aged cellared Baijiu contains high levels of alcohol and other chemical substances, which may react with aluminum cans, causing corrosion and leakage. Since Baijiu does not have a labeled shelf life, it has a relatively long shelf life. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the appearance of the Baijiu to determine whether the liquor is crystal clear or turbid and discolored.

If the contents are stored in an aluminum can, observation cannot be conducted.