What People Drink in Kaohsiung: Traditional Alcoholic Beverages

Kaohsiung sits on Taiwan’s tropical south coast, where intense sun, sea breezes, and fertile plains shape what people drink. The port city’s markets and banquet halls favor bold, fragrant alcohols that stand up to seafood, stir‑fries, and heat.

Hakka villages in Meinong and mountain communities near Maolin bring rice and millet traditions, while urban neighborhoods sip chilled fruit wines born of local orchards. Temple festivals, family banquets, and night‑market suppers all have their own preferred pours.

Mijiu (rice wine, 米酒) anchors daily cooking and winter sipping across Kaohsiung. Made from steamed glutinous rice, water, and a jiuqu starter of molds and yeast, it ferments one to two weeks before pressing and light pasteurization. Commercial bottlings commonly sit around 14–20% ABV—Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor’s 19.5% mijiu is a ubiquitous benchmark—while homemade versions can vary. Expect a soft rice aroma, faint banana esters, and gentle sweetness with warming alcohol.

Culturally, Hakka households in Meinong rely on mijiu for restorative dishes like sesame oil chicken (麻油雞) and classic “mijiu chicken” (米酒雞), and for quick clams flash‑steamed at re‑chao seafood stalls. It is taken warm during cooler months, splashed into woks year‑round, and offered at family tables during temple fairs and festivals. You’ll taste it everywhere: from neighborhood eateries to market stalls selling ready‑to‑cook broths enriched with rice wine.

Kaoliang (高粱酒) is Taiwan’s definitive sorghum spirit, distilled from steamed Sorghum bicolor fermented with qu. After solid‑state fermentation, it is pot‑distilled to the mid‑60s ABV and diluted to typical strengths of 38%, 53%, or 58% before resting in stainless or ceramic. Aromas range from grassy and peppery to pear‑like esters, with a clean, cereal core and a searing, dry finish. The flavor is assertive and structured, designed for toasts and hearty food rather than casual sipping.

In Kaohsiung’s banquet restaurants and harbor‑area re‑chao joints, kaoliang fuels “ganbei” toasts at weddings and business feasts. Though Kinmen is the best‑known origin, local drinkers pour national brands and smaller bottlings with equal enthusiasm. Served neat at room temperature in small glasses, it pairs with soy‑braised pork, ginger‑scallion crab, and grilled squid. You’ll encounter it especially at celebratory meals, when the host cues a round of quick, collective shots.

Millet wine (小米酒) flows at Rukai and Paiwan gatherings in the mountains east of central Kaohsiung, including the Maolin area. Brewed from hulled millet, water, and a starter culture, it ferments in earthen jars or food‑grade tubs for roughly a week or more. Alcohol levels are moderate—often 8–16% ABV—with aromas of cereal, light honey, and soft lactic notes. The palate is gently sweet‑tart, sometimes with banana‑like esters, finishing supple and grainy.

This is a communal beverage: jars are opened at harvest festivals, coming‑of‑age rites, and guest welcomes, then shared in small bamboo or wooden cups. Women traditionally oversee the household brewing, and each family’s jar can taste different depending on the starter and temperature. In Kaohsiung, look for indigenous restaurants and weekend craft markets near Maolin National Scenic Area for tastings. It’s typically enjoyed at room temperature alongside smoked meats, mountain greens, and millet dumplings.

Yaojiu (藥酒) are medicinal infusions made by macerating herbs in rice spirit or strong mijiu. Common botanicals include angelica (當歸), eucommia (杜仲), astragalus (黃耆), goji berries (枸杞), jujube, and sometimes ginseng. After weeks to months of steeping, the liquid turns amber and aromatic, landing around 20–40% ABV depending on the base. The taste is bittersweet and warming, with resinous spice, dried fruit, and an herbaceous finish.

In Kaohsiung, TCM shops around Sanmin District and Zuoying sell labeled yaojiu or make custom blends. Locals sip a thimbleful after dinner in cool weather or use it in soups and stir‑fries for depth and perceived tonic benefits. You’ll also find it in variations of postpartum dishes, folded into broths with ginger and sesame oil. Order it sparingly—these are potent sippers meant to accompany slow meals and family remedies rather than quick rounds.

Kaohsiung’s long, hot summers and fertile plains favor fruit ferments, and small wineries bottle pineapple, mango, and lychee wines. Ripe fruit is crushed, clarified, and inoculated with wine yeast for cool stainless‑steel fermentation to preserve aroma. Many versions finish off‑dry, with ABV between 8–12%. Pineapple wines show golden tropical esters and citrusy acidity; mango wines lean plush and nectary; lychee wines carry rose, lychee, and muscat notes with a silken texture.

These bottles suit the climate: served well chilled, they complement spicy stir‑fries, salt‑and‑pepper shrimp, and night‑market bites. Farmers’ shops and urban tasting rooms offer flights, and seasonal runs sell out during peak harvests. Qishan’s banana heritage and nearby orchards underscore a practical tradition—turning surplus fruit into shelf‑stable wine. Travelers will find fruit wines as aperitifs before seafood, or as light dessert pours after shaved‑ice and tropical fruit platters.

Red yeast rice wine (紅麴米酒) starts with steamed glutinous rice fermented using red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus) and jiuqu. Fermentation yields both a ruby‑tinted wine and aromatic red lees (紅糟, hongzao) prized in the kitchen. Typically 12–18% ABV, the wine smells of sweet rice, faint cranberry and koji, with a slightly tangy, savory edge. Some households blend in neutral rice spirit for stability, then mature it briefly in sealed jars.

In Hakka and Minnan homes across Kaohsiung—especially in Meinong—this wine anchors restorative dishes like red wine chicken (紅糟酒雞) for postpartum recovery and cold‑weather nourishment. It is sipped warm in small cups and cooked into broths with ginger, sesame oil, and wood ear fungus. Market stalls sometimes sell bottled wine alongside jars of hongzao for braising pork or seafood. Seek it at Hakka eateries and traditional grocers, particularly during the cooler months.