LONG Tangjie, CHEN Zongxiao, CHEN Shaoxin, WANG Lianqing, LI Xiaobo, ZHANG Yan, ZHOU Xingyou, CHENG Yanbo
Sorghum serves as the primary raw material for Baijiu brewing, and its physicochemical property directly influences brewing performance and base liquor flavor. In this study, four sorghum varieties (G1, G2, G3, G4) with distinct traits obtained from directional breeding of ‘Hongyingzi' sorghum, were used as raw materials. After the seven-round fermentation, their brewing characteristics and base liquor flavor differences were systematically analyzed. The results indicated that sorghums G1 and G4 had high amylopectin proportion (100.0%, 94.5%), and their water absorption rates (44.2%, 44.2%) and swelling rates (50.1%, 51.7%) were significantly higher than those of sorghums G2 and G3 (water absorption rates: 33.8%, 33.4%; swelling rates: 44.8%, 44.8%) (P < 0.05), resulting in more complete gelatinization. During the fermentation, the fermented grains of sorghums G2 and G3 exhibited low moisture content and delayed starch utilization, leading to poor fermentation performance. Their ethanol content (8.8%, 9.2%) was lower than that of sorghum G1 and G4 (11.8%, 12.0%), and their base liquor yields (45.6%, 42.9%) were significantly lower than those of sorghum G1 and G4 (55.4%, 55.3%). The total ester content of base liquor from seven fermentation rounds brewed with sorghum G4 (38.8 g/L) was higher than that of other three varieties (33.6, 34.5 and 35.2 g/L for G1, G2 and G3, respectively). The alcohol contents of sorghums G1 and G4 (54.1, 42.9 g/L) were significantly lower than those of sorghums G2 and G3 (137.9, 112.2 g/L) (P < 0.05), and sorghums G2 and G3 also showed higher total acid content (18.7, 18.1 g/L), contributing to a relatively sour and astringent taste. In conclusion, sorghums G1 and G4 demonstrated superior performance in ethanol yield and flavor balance, making them more suitable as raw materials for high-quality sauce-flavor (Jiangxiangxing) Baijiu.
