Participants attend a traditional Korean alcohol brewing class at the event host Kooksoondang Brewery's office in Seoul, Aug. 31. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
A growing interest in traditional Korean alcohol, especially among young adults, is evident.
"I recently developed an interest in traditional Korean alcohol. That's why I joined this event," a participant in his 20s at Kooksoondang Brewery's Korean brewing event on Aug. 31, said.
"A lot of different types of alcohol are becoming popular in Korea, and traditional Korean alcoholic beverages such as makgeolli (a milky and sweet-sour flavored Korean rice wine) are becoming more and more interesting to me and my friends."
Korea Times reporter Baek Byung-yeul tears up rice cakes and puts the pieces into a container to make "sindoju," a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage, during a brewing event held by Kooksoondang Brewery in Seoul, Aug. 31. Courtesy of Kooksoondang
Kooksoondang Brewery, known for its alcoholic beverages such as the rice-based fermented drink Bekseju and Kooksoondang Draft Makgeolli, held a traditional Korean alcohol-making class at its Seoul office on the occasion of the upcoming Chuseok, Korea's harvest festival.
The event attracted about 30 participants, mostly in their 20s and 30s, demonstrating to young drinkers the lasting appeal of traditional Korean alcoholic beverages, including makgeolli and cheongju (a clear, filtered alcoholic beverage).
A jar of freshly mixed rice, water and fermentation starter, which has yet to complete the aging and fermentation process, is made displayed during a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage-making event held by Kooksoondang Brewery in Seoul, Aug. 31. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
For many Koreans, even the younger generation, a ladle of makgeolli paired with pajeon (green onion pancake) is a quintessential combination, especially on a rainy day.
Makgeolli is also a beloved pairing with more dishes such as dubu kimchi (tofu with stir-fried kimchi) and bossam (boiled pork wraps), making it a favorite among many Koreans. While soju (a Korean distilled liquor) remains a popular choice, makgeolli holds a special place in Korean culinary culture.
"Yakju (clear rice wine) is a type of traditional Korean alcohol made from rice and various types of nuruk (fermentation starter). It differs significantly from Japan's sake, which is made solely from rice and adds distilled spirits for a simpler taste," Kwon Hee-suk, general manager of Kooksoondang Brewery's research institute, said at the event.
But more than anything else, she said with a laugh that the most important thing when making alcoholic beverages is to "put your heart into it."
"I've been in the business for 25 years, and alcohol made with care always tastes better," Kwon said.
Kwon Hee-suk, general manager of Kooksoondang Brewery's research institute, explains how to make traditional Korean alcoholic beverages to participants in a brewing event at the company's office in Seoul, Aug. 31. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
At the event, participants learned to make "sindoju," a cheongju made using newly harvested rice. It is made by mixing rice and other ingredients with water and fermenting the mixture for about 10 to 15 days. The resulting milky mixture is strained of its cloudy sediment, leaving a golden-clear liquid.
During the Chuseok holiday, Koreans have traditionally made offerings of sindoju during "charye," or ancestral memorial services, to express gratitude to their ancestors for a good harvest.
"Chuseok has been a holiday for Koreans since the ancient Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.–A.D. 935). Alcohol is essential for the celebration, and Koreans offer sindoju to their ancestors as a sign of gratitude for a good harvest," Kwon said. "Historical records describe the alcohol as spicy and sweet. This means that it is quite alcoholic but sweet."
Participants tore up rice cakes and placed the pieces into containers along with a mixture of flour and nuruk powder.
Fermentation with just the starter and water is not enough to turn it into alcohol. It needs to be kept in a cool place in summer and a warm place in winter at around 25 degrees Celsius and stirred carefully daily. Also, cooked rice and water should be added three days after the start of fermentation.
As participants prepared their own batches of the alcoholic drink, some inquired about experimenting with additional ingredients, such as bananas or honey, once the fermentation and aging processes were finished. The instructor encouraged their creative thinking, acknowledging that diversifying flavors could appeal to a wider range of drinkers.
International students filter out freshly fermented traditional Korean alcohol during a festival held at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, May 24. Newsis
To promote the rich heritage of makgeolli and other traditional Korean alcoholic beverages, Kooksoondang Brewery, along with tourism organizations and schools, frequently hosts such hands-on events.
The brewery believes that these events introduce Koreans and non-Koreans alike to the diversity of Korean alcohol traditions, fostering a sense of intimacy.
"The older generation is familiar with traditional Korean alcohol, but the younger generation often is not. Kooksoondang Brewery consistently hosts these events before holidays like Lunar New Year and Chuseok to encourage interest in traditional Korean alcohol," an official from the company said.
Industry experts agree that expanding flavor profiles could help introduce traditional Korean alcoholic beverages to international markets.
One industry official said, "Many foreigners are not familiar with the taste of the original makgeolli. If the market is diversified with different flavors of alcohol, these foreigners and young people will become more familiar with and feel closer to Korean alcohol traditions."