In Lianjiang, Where Mountains Meet the Sea, Lingers an Unforgettable Aroma of Liquor

A sip of it lingers in the memory of drinkers, drawing them from thousands of miles away in search of more...

This is the irresistible charm of sweet potato liquor from Lianjiang, Fujian. Since the Qing Dynasty, the people of Lianjiang have been distilling white liquor from sweet potatoes. Today, this crisp, fragrant liquor still retains the unique flavor of over 400 years ago, lingering in the hearts of countless Fujian expats as their "homesickness in a bottle." In 2022, the brewing craftsmanship of Xiaolian Sweet Potato Liquor from Lianjiang was recognized as a "Fujian Time-Honored Brand" in the 6th batch.

Stepping into Johnson Industrial Park, the rumble of distilling machinery fills the air, mingling with a rich aroma that permeates every corner of the distillery. At first whiff, it offers a pure sweet potato scent, followed by a natural sweet aftertaste that delights the palate.

Immersed in this fragrance, Lin Zhuohua—10th-generation inheritor of the Xiaolian Sweet Potato Liquor brewing technique—has been managing Johnson Distillery, a family legacy, for more than a decade.

Delving into ancient records, one discovers an inseparable bond between Fuzhou and sweet potatoes. According to Records of Sweet Potato Cultivation by Chen Shiyuan, during the 21st year of the Wanli reign in the Ming Dynasty (1593), Chen Zhenlong, a Fuzhou merchant trading in Luzon (now northern Philippines), risked his life to introduce sweet potato seedlings to Fuzhou. To commemorate his contribution, later generations built the "Xianshu Pavilion" (Pioneer of Sweet Potato Pavilion) in Wushan Park, Fuzhou, to tell the legendary story of sweet potatoes.

Walking through the spacious industrial park, Lin Zhuohua reflects on his family’s entrepreneurial journey. Centuries ago, "Johnson" was just the name of a small distillery.

In 1719, Lin Junli, a Lianjiang native, resigned from his official post and returned to his hometown, Xiaolian Village, to grow sweet potatoes. During cultivation, he noticed that sweet potatoes were prone to rot, so he developed a method to preserve them by distilling them into liquor. As Lin Zhuohua explains, this not only solved the storage problem but also increased the added value of sweet potatoes.

That same year, Lin Junli founded a distillery and named it "Zhuangchen" (later romanized as "Johnson"), embodying the philosophy "As farmers by birth, we hold the loyalty of ministers in our hearts." He also adopted "Zhuangchen" as his courtesy name, devoting himself to building the distillery’s reputation.

Guanshan Town, nestled between the sea and mountains, provides unique geographical advantages for Lianjiang’s sweet potato cultivation, laying a solid foundation for the continuous refinement of sweet potato liquor craftsmanship. Through long-term practice, Johnson Distillery developed the "Three Reds, Six Thoroughs, Three Steams" process: selecting "red soil-grown, red-skinned, red-fleshed" sweet potatoes; thoroughly boiling the sweet potatoes, scalding the wine vats, cooling the boiling water, mixing the distiller’s yeast, settling the distiller’s grains, and diffusing the aroma; followed by three rounds of distillation and three years of aging. The resulting sweet potato liquor is crisp in nature and rich in fragrance, winning acclaim from countless drinkers.

The detailed procedures and strict requirements not only ensure product quality but also greatly enhance the liquor’s reputation. In 1985, Lin Zhuohua’s father, Lin Kengrong, developed a high-quality sweet potato variety named "Lin 85," further improving the liquor’s quality. Under Lin Zhuohua’s leadership, Johnson’s products quickly spread across the county and, as the company expanded, entered overseas markets.

To this day, Lin Zhuohua adheres to these traditional standards. Even in the era of mechanized production and technological research, the ancestral motto is deeply engraved in the minds of every frontline worker.

"In addition to sweet potato liquor, we have innovated on the ancient distillation process by further purifying sweet potato liquor into vodka, which is exported to the United States, Japan, Russia, and other countries, allowing foreign friends to taste the charm of Chinese liquor," Lin Zhuohua says proudly, standing in front of the company’s product display cabinet.

From malt liquor and green plum wine to vodka—under his narration, this centuries-old sweet potato liquor craftsmanship has become increasingly "down-to-earth" and "fashionable."

During his studies in the International Trade Department at Yunnan University, Lin Zhuohua developed a keen interest in brewing. He consulted numerous brewing materials, participated in taster training by the China Alcoholic Drinks Association after graduation, studied sweet potato liquor brewing techniques in Japan, and obtained qualifications as a National First-Class Taster and Senior Brewer. Under his leadership, the company has become a National High-Tech Enterprise, holding over 70 invention patents, developing more than 90 derivative products of sweet potato liquor, with an annual output of 2,000 tons and an annual output value exceeding 200 million yuan.

Furthermore, Johnson has experimented with aging malt liquor in oak barrels to create single malt whiskey, which is exported to Europe, Southeast Asia, and other regions, winning multiple international awards. The team has also replaced traditional distiller’s yeast with pure-bred yeast, optimized sterilization processes, and strictly controlled distillation temperatures, integrating traditional craftsmanship with modern technology to fill a gap in the domestic market.

It is reported that the distillery plans to leverage AI, the Internet of Things, big data, and other technologies to move toward a production model where "sweet potato liquor can be produced with a simple tap on a mobile phone."

As the company grows, the ancestral teachings constantly remind Lin Zhuohua not to forget his roots. Holding a bottle of green plum wine produced by the factory, he vividly recalls visiting orchard farmers in Yongtai County several years ago when local green plums faced export stagnation.

"Yongtai is our neighboring county, and many farmers rely on green plums for their livelihood. Once sold for 1.2 yuan per jin (0.5kg), plums were left unsold even at 0.4 yuan per jin—how could the farmers survive?" He chokes up as he remembers.

At that time, the company was also facing market pressures like most enterprises. Driven by a strong sense of social responsibility, Lin Zhuohua resolutely decided to purchase Yongtai’s green plums at the original price of 1.2 yuan per jin, combining them with sweet potato liquor craftsmanship to create green plum wine, paired with uniquely shaped bottles and stylish packaging. This move not only solved the plum overstock problem but also made green plum wine one of the most popular products among young consumers.

"Going global while staying grounded"—for the inheritance and development of sweet potato liquor, Lin Zhuohua, who has long focused on overseas markets, has a lofty vision: "I hope to build Fuzhou sweet potato liquor into a global brand, actively participate in domestic competitions, launch pilot projects across the country, promote Lianjiang’s time-honored brand to Chinese people nationwide, and let more people fall in love with this fragrant 'taste of Fuzhou.'"

Editor-in-Charge: Zhong Ziwei