Taichung Distillery Introduction
The establishment of Taichung Distillery can be traced back to the privately-owned "Taisho Sake Co., Taichung Plant" during the Japanese colonial period, which was established in 1916 in the South District of Taichung City, primarily focusing on the production of sake and rice wine, making it the largest distillery in central Taiwan. After the implementation of the monopoly system on alcoholic beverages in 1922, the distillery was taken over by the Governor-General of Taiwan and transformed into the "Taichung Alcohol Factory of the Governor-General of Taiwan." As demand for production increased, the facility was expanded. After World War II, the Taichung Alcohol Factory was taken over by the Kuomintang government, and after several alternations, it was officially renamed "Taichung Distillery of the Taiwan Provincial Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly Bureau" in 1957. Taichung Distillery is known for developing yellow rice wine and high-concentration fermented rice wine. In response to the market's preference for brewed alcohol in the 1970s, it actively developed a new product, "Hua Tiao Jiu," which gained popularity after its launch and won the "Gold Medal" at the World Tobacco and Alcohol Evaluation Conference in 1988. Due to equipment updates, environmental requirements, and urban development plans, Taichung Distillery relocated to Taichung Industrial Area in 1998. The new facility was built with an overall planning approach, integrating traditional brewing techniques with modern automated control technology, and implementing standard operating procedures. It became the first GMP-certified modern distillery in Taiwan, showcasing an example of industrial upgrading. The "Old Taichung Distillery" area, characterized by its clear brick walls, traditional Japanese-style hall, and wooden large-span factory, was designated as a historical building by the Taichung City Government in 2002 and included as a planned cultural asset park by the Ministry of Culture the same year. After relocating and re-planning, in addition to its original focus on distilled rice wine and brewed yellow rice wine, Taichung Distillery also launched "Yongkang Jiu" in 1999, first introduced by Mr. Chen Lifeng, which is brewed from a formula of 22 traditional Chinese herbal ingredients and high-quality rice. This authentic Chinese health wine is characterized by its delicate and elegant flavor, not only suitable for drinking but also beneficial for health, making it popular among consumers. After Taiwan joined the WTO, the monopoly system on tobacco and alcohol was abolished, and the Taiwan Provincial Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly Bureau was restructured into Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation. Taichung Distillery also began to develop diversified products with a consumer-oriented approach. In recent years, in addition to steadily producing the largest volume of rice wine, it has also been committed to developing a variety of new alcoholic products, including oligosaccharides, fruit vinegar, and red yeast products, thereby making full use of the facility, increasing production capacity, and improving equipment utilization. Source: Taichung Distillery Official Website
