There is another legend about the origin of vinegar. The brewer felt it was a pity to lose the distiller's grains after making wine, so he stored them and soaked them in the jar. On 2 1, as soon as I opened the jar, a smell that I had never smelled before came to my nose. Under the temptation of rich fragrance, I tasted it, and it was sweet and sour, so I stored it as a "sauce". Later, in the 21st century, the word "unitary" was added, and this sour water was named "vinegar". It is said that until today, the time limit for brewing a batch of vinegar in some vinegar factories is still 2 1 day.

Speaking of "vinegar", I have to say Shanxi. Shanxi people are jealous, which is the highest in the world. Vinegar is called acyl, so Shanxi people's nickname is "old acyl". "Eating noodles without vinegar is like eating rags", "Eating bran can be vinegar, and eating meat without vinegar is not fragrant", "It is better to throw away the burden of rice than the vinegar jar". From these proverbs, we can see Shanxi people's dependence on vinegar. Geographically speaking, Shanxi is located in the Loess Plateau, with a dry climate and high soil and water alkalinity, so acid neutralization is just right. At the banquet in Shanxi, everyone puts a small dish of soy sauce in front of the tableware, just like Cantonese people, and Shanxi people put a small dish of vinegar. Once upon a time, before a Shanxi family married a daughter, it was necessary to check the man's family background. There were many jealous people, and the family was well-off.

According to Niangjia Vinegar Workshop, the technological process of making vinegar by hand is as follows: firstly, the selected sorghum is steamed and made into rice grains, and when it is cooled to be not hot, glutinous rice and yeast are added, stirred evenly, and put into a jar for fermentation. The raw material for fermentation is called "vinegar head", followed by wheat bran and chaff. Add and stir well, and put into a laundry basket, a vat or a wooden case for heating and fermentation. This fermentation process is also called alcoholization, which determines the mellow degree of vinegar taste. The process of alcoholization takes five or six days, during which it needs to be turned constantly to let the mixed raw materials and wheat bran dissipate heat. When the heat is no longer emitted, vinegar fermented grains are made. Then put the vinegar fermented grains into the jar and put them in the sun or in a cool and dry place for as long as possible. Next, pour vinegar. Put the vinegar fermented grains that have been placed for a period of time into an inverted jar, add boiling water, soak for one night, and unplug the pouring spout of the inverted jar, and the vinegar will flow down. These vinegars are filtered and can be eaten directly. After pouring the vinegar, although the finished vinegar is ready, good vinegar still has to go through the essential link of aging. The advantage of aging is that it can make the new vinegar acetylate and produce the aroma of alcohol and acetic acid. The aging process is called sun-dried vinegar or frozen vinegar, and its traditional craft is called "sun-dried in summer and ice fishing in winter". Put the vinegar soaked in vinegar into the jar, seal the jar mouth with gauze, and put it in the sun to evaporate water. If it is in the cold winter, put it outdoors and freeze it, and then remove the floating ice.

? After this severe cold and summer heat, the aged vinegar from Nianjia Vinegar Factory can reach the state of "no evaporation in summer and no freezing in winter", which is the best aged vinegar. Formed the typical flavor characteristics of mature vinegar: brownish red, shiny, uniform and thick; With the unique vinegar, ester, incense and aging incense, it is rich, harmonious and delicate; It is mellow and soft, moderately sweet and sour, slightly fresh, and has a long aftertaste. It has the unique style of "fragrant, sour, soft and long" of Shanxi mature vinegar.

It is worth noting that while inheriting the ancestral skills, the heirs of Niangjia Vinegar Factory introduced various new products such as health care vinegar, honey vinegar and spiced vinegar according to market demand, so that Shanxi vinegar can be found not only in Shanxi, but also throughout the country and out of the world. This is a great achievement, which has become a manifestation of the enduring and advancing with the times of the gold culture.

? Mother's vinegar, good vinegar and good wine are not to mention. There is a saying that "vinegar is sour wine" and "the appearance of wine is a mistake in making vinegar", which is enough to explain a truth: if you can make good vinegar, you can certainly make good wine, but making good wine may not necessarily make good vinegar.

In Pingyao, such a pot of good wine must be accompanied by two ounces of beef. Wonderful! At this moment, I suddenly crossed the streets of Pingyao ancient city in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. At that time, there were bustling crowds everywhere, and the escort car started and triumphed. Visible and invisible gold and silver are transported in an organized, disciplined and orderly way in the underground passage of this city ... Pingyao's story, Pingyao's wine and Pingyao's vinegar. ...