In the end, Zhang Wei was released.
Perhaps Dionysus had never really imprisoned Zhang Wei, or perhaps he had other ideas. However, upon hearing that Zhang Wei had a feud with the Athena fighters, he was willing to see Zhang Wei cause trouble for Athena.
Afterward, Dionysus took Zhang Wei on a tour of his winery, without any technical reservations.
"Brewing wine, the most crucial element is the water!"
"The lowest layer is turbid water, meaning water with a higher content of various microorganisms, such as that found in rivers, lakes, and seas. Using such water for brewing wine makes it impossible to guarantee the proportion of microorganisms, easily leading to contamination and off-flavors, which is fatal to refined brewing."
"The middle layer is pure water, which is completely purified distilled water, pure water molecules. This type of water emphasizes purity, causing no contamination to the grains, and of course, adding no extra benefits."
"The premium level is various spring waters, rich in minerals but free from impurities, making them most suitable for drinking."
Zhang Wei asked, "What kind of water do you use? All spring water?"
"Of course not. My brewing not only supplies Olympus but also serves as an economic commodity for trade and establishing contact with other civilizations. We wouldn't have enough if we used only spring water."
Dionysus led Zhang Wei around the entire island. There were seventeen inlets on the island, drawing in the endless ocean. The water was then distilled and purified. The discarded salt crystals could be used to pave roads and for infrastructure.
The organic matter in the seawater could be combined with the discarded lees to make fertilizer for agricultural land.
Zhang Wei did a rough estimation; the net water output here per day was astonishing, the quantity immeasurable.
Walking into the factory, even the water used to rinse the grains was purified pure water, no wonder the consumption was so immense!
"I wash billions of tons of grains daily, and the amount of wine brewed is immeasurable, with the lowest edible grade being level 18 or above."
This type of wine is also called ration wine. It doesn't aim for excellent taste or flavor, but is instead versatile and cheap.
It is also the main focus of their commerce.
However, the Wine God Island itself has a massive consumption of wine. Ordinary laborers drink dozens of catties of wine daily, and this doesn't even include the livestock, plants, and crops that need to be fed with wine.
Next, there were explanations about various crops. All the plants here were cultivated to prepare for winemaking, rich in ample starch and sugar, the result of countless generations of selective breeding.
What Zhang Wei valued most, however, was...
Koji!
The mold that ferments the grains!
Upon arriving at the mold warehouse, the security was extremely stringent. The strength of the guards was no less than that of the bronze saints seen previously. It seemed Dionysus's entire treasury was here.
[Discovered storable ingredient: Polygonum hydropiper]
[Edible Level: 3]
[Description: A common herbaceous plant. Adding it to food can treat gastrointestinal illnesses and is often used in medicinal cuisine. It is also the most common raw material for making koji.]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Sweet Sticky Rice]
[Edible Level: 6]
[Description: Sticky rice with extremely high starch content, nutritious, slightly inferior in taste but very suitable for making koji.]
[Discovered storable ingredient: Crystal Poria cocos]
[Edible Level: 15]
[Description: A medicinal cuisine ingredient that tonifies blood and qi. After drying, it can be stewed in soup or fermented to make koji.]
...
...
There was also mugwort, mulberry leaves, bamboo leaves, broad bean leaves, laurel leaves, and licorice, all common agricultural ingredients or components of medicinal cuisine, very niche.
Fundamentally, winemaking utilizes the enzymes of yeast to convert proteins and starch into sugar, and then into ethanol to become wine.
Therefore, these materials are merely a breeding ground; the truly effective agents are the yeast residing on them!
Normally, yeast does not require inheritance or addition. As long as a suitable culture medium is prepared, exclusive fungi from the air will float onto it and multiply rapidly.
Afterward, Dionysus explained various types of Aspergillus, including Daqu, Xiaoqu, Hongqu, Maiqu, and Fuqu...
Zhang Wei then witnessed how culture mediums were made using grains, fruits, and other carbohydrates, and then dried by ventilation to produce koji. When brewing wine, it was simply a matter of adding the koji.
In terms of winemaking, Zhang Wei's skill was far inferior to Dionysus's, and he gained immensely.
Dionysus's wholehearted teaching also deeply moved Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei said, "If an outsider were to figure this out, it would take decades of dedicated study to reach this level."
Dionysus chuckled slyly, "Heh heh, I've researched these things for three hundred years. If you count my small-scale research from before, it's at least eight hundred years. You think you can figure it out in a few decades? I'll give you the title of God of Wine."
"I didn't mean it like that..."
"Ha, I understand what you mean. But wine, if you like it, the best is for everyone to drink it. Deliciousness should be shared. If only one person enjoys it, even the best wine tastes bland."
Zhang Wei was astonished.
This breadth of vision was truly unimaginable. Such skill and talent were truly admirable!
Even in Toriko's era, people with such talent were rare.
Zhang Wei really wanted to stay here longer to learn winemaking techniques, but time was likely running out. Zhang Wei was determined to obtain the Golden Apple.
After thanking Dionysus, Zhang Wei left the Wine God Island alone and went to a winery along the way, capturing everyone there.
Zhang Wei waved his hand and siphoned off all the wine. He then said to the workers, "Tell Dionysus later that I've put the money for the exchanged wine in his brewing vat, and ask him to open it himself."
...
Several hours later, Dionysus received the news. Because Zhang Wei's actions were subtle, Dionysus did not sense them as he had last time.
Upon arrival, he lifted the lid of the vat and looked.
"Origin Water... Level one, two, three... Hiss, there's even Heavenly One Divine Water!"
"This little fellow is indeed a traveler who wanders everywhere, to actually possess such a rare water! If this were used for brewing, it would undoubtedly be the finest wine in the world!"
"Speaking of which, I've never used Heavenly One Divine Water as an ingredient for brewing before."
The amount of Heavenly One Divine Water Zhang Wei left was not much, only about a basin's worth. However, the value of such a substance was immense. Even Dionysus had not yet obtained enough for brewing.
Back then, the Heavenly One Divine Water he left for Elder Sage Long Hair was only a tiny speck, a hundred times less than this.
However, Zhang Wei believed that the knowledge passed down by Dionysus was far from being offset by this bit of Heavenly One Divine Water. But one should not reveal their wealth, and the ability to infinitely generate Heavenly One Divine Water would undoubtedly drive countless people to maddening envy.