While domestic distilleries in China are busy exporting baijiu overseas, an Australian "post-80s" civil engineer is obsessively pursuing solid-state fermentation techniques for Chinese liquor in a remote corner of Tasmania in the Southern Hemisphere. Using a refrigerated truck converted into a "temperature-controlled room" for qu-making, he aspires to create a baijiu that appeals to both Chinese and Australian consumers.
The surreal part is that this foreigner, who pronounces "baijiu" as "baiju," has not only produced a spirit that many Chinese recognize as authentically "Chinese-tasting," but has also won a gold medal at a world baijiu competition.
This liquor, named "Sanyou," is 53% ABV, comes in a 500ml bottle, and is priced at 188 Australian dollars, roughly 900 Chinese yuan. On January 7th, it was discovered that the product was already sold out on the company's official website.
The starting point of this explosive crossover was a moment of casual curiosity for Ian Sypkes. At the end of 2017, Ian came across a list of the world's top ten spirits producers on Twitter. Five of the companies on the list were Chinese baijiu producers, yet he didn't recognize a single one.
This discovery shocked him. Subsequently, he casually bought his first-ever bottle of baijiu—without even knowing the brand—and after one sip, he was completely captivated by its unique flavor. His monotonous road construction job had long since bored him, and the renowned brewing reputation of his hometown, Tasmania, was ever-present.
A wild idea emerged: I want to brew baijiu. But no one thought he could succeed. Baijiu is deeply encoded with Chinese culture; the subtle seasonal art of cultivating qu, the microbial mysteries of pit fermentation—how could a foreigner easily grasp these complexities? Yet, Ian was determined to challenge the odds. He abandoned his high-paying job and stable life, embarking on a frantic search for all information related to baijiu production.
By the end of 2018, he teamed up with his friend Tim Ye, who understands Chinese culture, and headed straight for the core production areas of Chinese baijiu—Maotai Town in Guizhou and Chengdu in Sichuan.
At that time, the overall Chinese baijiu market was in a state of "structural overheating," with soaring demand for premium baijiu and explosive growth in the sub-premium segment. The two visited numerous distilleries on their journey. They also made friends within the baijiu circle, and these friends spent several consecutive days teaching them about baijiu brewing techniques.
At the Wang Zongde distillery in Maotai Town, workers were feeding materials into the still. Ian recalled that just as he was about to take a photo, he was stopped.
"This is the most critical part of the brewing process," he was told; no photos were allowed, but hands-on teaching was permitted. Ian revealed that for this specific operation, the master workers later spent one to two hours specifically teaching them. During their two weeks in China, they also attended a baijiu industry exhibition and sampled many different varieties.
This trip completely ignited the "baijiu flame" in Ian's heart. In his own words: If you've ever tasted baijiu, you know exactly how fiercely that fire burns! After returning home, Ian was determined to replicate the legend of Chinese baijiu in the Southern Hemisphere. He decided to source all the raw materials—sorghum, wheat, and water—100% locally from Australia.
When he attempted to brew baijiu using traditional Chinese methods, he thought he understood the process but soon realized his knowledge was incomplete. He promptly brought a fermentation expert on board: "Chris unlocked the mysteries of daqu for us."
Ian tested other ingredient blends but felt that wheat for making qu best represented Tasmania. To cultivate the daqu, Ian converted the rear section of a refrigerated truck into an insulated room. "We don't add extra heat; the internal temperature of the daqu can reach 55°C on its own."
The trio repeatedly tested and iterated. From custom-building fermentation pits in the ground to experimenting with a blend of Chinese and Australian pottery jars for aging, they learned by example and never gave up. In early 2022, the "Sanyou" baijiu, which融合融合融合融合 (fuses) the pit rotation method of strong-aroma baijiu with the wheat qu工艺工艺工艺工艺 (techniques) of sauce-aroma baijiu, was officially launched.
During tasting sessions, feedback from the Australian Chinese community gave them relief: "This tastes just like baijiu!" The initial limited release was also gratifying, selling out almost entirely through direct sales.
However, Ian is well aware that it will take time for more Australians to develop a liking for baijiu, just as he did. He plans to limit the annual production of this liquor to a maximum of 5,000 liters. For this purpose, he has even developed a specific sales pitch tailored for Australians—
If you don't speak Mandarin, or if you don't yet understand the "slow work yields fine products" rhythm of Chinese-style relationships, "Sanyou" is made for you. Our baijiu is your "training ground"; it sends a signal: you understand your Chinese partners, their culture, and their way of doing business.
To expand the brand's influence, Ian visits fellow baijiu producers, participates in the Hong Kong Wine & Spirits Fair, and even writes online articles himself about how to drink baijiu.
During his initial visit to a baijiu museum in China, one scene left a lasting impression on Ian: a century-old fermentation pit, and workers. It took Ian about an hour to suddenly realize the workers weren't just "putting on a show"; this hundred-year-old pit was actively being used by the workers for ongoing brewing and fermentation processes. "I hope my descendants can have a similar experience in Tasmania one day."
Well, that's the little story for today. As for whether the "Sanyou" "foreign baijiu" ultimately becomes a celebrated tale of cultural fusion or a short-lived commercial experiment, we'll leave that question to time.
But regardless of the outcome, the story of an Australian civil engineer switching careers to brew Chinese baijiu in the Southern Hemisphere is like a glimmer of light, reflecting alternative possibilities for baijiu's global journey. Perhaps the most crucial point is how to achieve a successful "local" value reconstruction overseas while simultaneously "preserving the roots."
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