Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) based on liquid medium is widely used in high-power laser systems, for its large-energy load, high-energy conversion efficiency, high-efficiency compression of nanosecond pulses, phase conjugation, improvement of beam quality and high quantum conversion efficiency, and so on. Liquid SBS phase conjugation, pulse compression and laser beam combination as important research directions, have received extensive attention and research of scholars all around the world. The basic principles and the properties of SBS gain media are introduced. The research progress of liquid SBS phase conjugate mirrors, pulse compressors and laser beam combination in high-power laser systems are reviewed, and the development direction is prospected.