Baijiu is the world’s most popular spirit by volume, easily. And yet most Americans don’t know what it is. Derek Sandhaus is on a mission to change that by introducing Ming River Baijiu (pronounced bye-JYO) to us westerners. He sits down with the band to talk about his journey from publishing to distilling (typical) adapting this ancestral spirit for American audiences, what makes baijiu baijiu anyway, and how it’s traditionally consumed in its native China. Spoiler, you’re supposed to drink the entire thing at once.

Plus, it’s Negroni Week baby! The band unpacks the history of the drink and the week that bears its name, now in its 11th year and discusses exactly how far you can get from that original trifecta of gin, campari and sweet vermouth and still call your concoction “a negroni.”

Follow Derek on Instagram at: @dlsandhaus
Follow Ming River on Instagram at @mingriverbaijiu

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