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Sanyou Tasmanian Baijiu
Sanyou - ‘three friends’
Sanyou, which translates to ‘three friends’, is truly a story of threes. Three ingredients; red sorghum, wheat and water. Three stages of manufacturing; solid-state fermentation, distillation and clay pot aging. Three founding friends; Ian Sypkes, Tim Ye and Chris De Bono. And finally the three of Australia, China, and the connecting element of Sanyou.
In January 2018, Sanyou started with a sip of a spirit that we had never heard of, let alone tasted - baijiu. Our first taste of baijiu became the seed of a dream that lead us to China, seen countless fermentations succeed and fail and created a connection between the three founding friends Ian, Tim and Chris. As the dream of a Tasmanian-made baijiu was pursued, it took on a life of its own and became a mission - to connect the people of Australia and China through a baijiu that honoured the two places we call home.
Our mission has become reality through our traditionally made and traditionally aged baijiu made using Australian ingredients and water; the first of its kind made outside of China to follow traditional fermentation using clay pot ageing. Our baijiu is savoury, sweet and distinctly Tasmanian with the familiar tones and flavours one expects when drinking baijiu.
We hope that you can share with us the raising of a baijiu glass as a symbol of the valued relationship between China and Australia. Ganbei!