rice (Oryza sativa) is a cereal grain in the grass family used to make fermented foods and beverages since prehistoric times and distilled spirits since at least the thirteenth century ce. See cereals. Cooked rice serves as both a starch and a culture for harvesting yeast and other airborne microorganisms in East Asia, where rice alcohol is ubiquitous. These drinks vary greatly in complexity, ranging from mellow and floral to rich and fruity. The earliest instance of rice alcohol appeared in northern China around 7000 bce and spread throughout the region. Many ancient rice beers like Chinese huangjiu, Japanese sake, and Korean cheongju later became the basis for their distilled counterparts: baijiu, shochu, and soju. As rice was a coveted food source, Asian governments often sought to tax and restrict its use in alcohol production. Consequently, other starches have largely supplanted rice as the primary ingredient in most Asian liquors, but it can still be found in some mash bills. See baijiu; China; shochu; and soju.
McGovern, Patrick E. Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer, and Other Alcoholic Beverages. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2009.
Latham, A. J. H. Rice: The Primary Commodity. New York: Routledge, 1998.
By: Derek Sandhaus