Jeju Gott Batt offers a variety of spirits using botanical ingredients of Jeju Island. Courtesy of Jeju Gott Batt

JEJU — When Ha Min-ju moved to Jeju Island 15 years ago, little did she know that her fascination with fermentation would lead her to dream of brewing Jeju's first tangerine flower-infused spirit. As the CEO of Jeju Gott Batt, she is redefining traditional Korean alcohol by harnessing the island's unique bounty — from surplus tangerines and fragrant cheonhyehyang to abundant buckwheat — crafting beverages that not only capture the essence of Jeju but also tackles local agricultural challenges.

Ha, who once worked in the content industry, said her fascination with fermentation led her to transition into the alcohol industry.

"I came to Jeju in 2009, long before it became the trendy destination it is today," she told The Korea Times during an interview, June 10. "I loved the island and decided to stay. My interest in fermentation grew over time, leading me to study distillation and eventually obtain a liquor license."

While many small-scale, artisanal brewers start with a love for alcoholic drinks, Ha's passion is more drawn to the fragrances and produce of Jeju.

"It is the ingredients of Jeju that fascinate me more than the alcohol itself," she said.

Ha Min-ju, CEO of Jeju Gott Batt, explains the process during a Gin Class at Jeju Gott Batt Studio in Seogwipo, Jeju. Courtesy of Jeju Gott Batt

Tantalizing lineup

She aims to imbue her liquors with the identity of Jeju, and the brand name Jeju Gott Batt embodies Ha's vision for a "Jeju Botanical Brewery."

"'Got' means forest in Jeju dialect and ‘bat' means field in Korean. The name reflects our commitment to creating drinks from ingredients sourced from Jeju's forests and fields," she said.

While the name might be challenging to remember at first, she believes its unique story makes a lasting impression. "People don't forget once they learn ‘got' means forest," she added.

Jeju Mandarin Makgeolli is a cloudy rice wine infused with tangerine juice and peels. Courtesy of Jeju Gott Batt

Jeju Gott Batt's product lineup reflects the rich agricultural heritage of Jeju Island, beginning with the island's famous tangerines.

"Our initial offering was the Jeju Mandarin Makgeolli, a cloudy rice wine with an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 8 percent, infused with tangerine juice and peels to offer a harmonious blend of sweetness and citrus fragrance," Ha explained.

"We recently switched to using sandeui rice, an upland rice unique to Jeju. Unlike the starchier rice we previously sourced from Korea's southern coast, sandeui rice thrives in Jeju's volcanic soil, where traditional paddy farming is not feasible. This rice imparts a distinctive acidity to our drinks, which I believe complements citrus flavors."

Jeju Mandarin Sool is clear, refined rice wine flavored with various citrus fruits from Jeju and pairs well with seafood dishes. Courtesy of Jeju Gott Batt

Jeju Mandarin Sool is a "yakju," or clear, refined rice wine with an ABV of 12 percent and flavored with various citrus fruits from Jeju, including tangerines and hallabong, a local specialty orange. "The balance of sweetness and acidity in the Mandarin Yakju pairs well with seafood dishes like white fish and parboiled cuttlefish," Ha recommended.

Highlighting another of Jeju's agricultural staples, the Jeju Buckwheat Sool, with an ABV of 16 percent, takes advantage of the island's status as Korea's top buckwheat-producing region.

"Buckwheat is often associated with the bland taste of buchwheat noodles, but we've brought out its nutty, earthy flavor by roasting it," Ha noted. This liquor has a nearly chocolatey flavor, complementing dishes such as pasta or raw mackerel.

A seasonal offering was the limited edition Jeju Cheonhyehyang Sparkling Makgeolli, crafted from cheonhyehyang, a hybrid of orange and tangerine.

Jeju Buckwheat Sool highlights that Jeju Island is Korea's top buckwheat-producing region. Courtesy of Jeju Gott Batt

These products are influenced by the rhythms of the local agricultural calendar, ensuring that each batch captures the essence of the season.

"It's been about two years since we released our first drink and we are still refining our processes," Ha said. "I hope to establish a cycle of seasonal liquors throughout the year. Producing Cheonhyehyang Makgeolli in its season and Limoncello during the lemon season aligns with our commitment to using fresh, in-season ingredients."

Ha also hinted at an upcoming addition to Jeju Gott Batt's lineup — Jeju Limoncello, a local take on the iconic Italian lemon liqueur.

"Jeju is also famous for its lemons. While Limoncello originates from Italy, we aimed to be intuitive by including Jeju in the product name," she explained. With an ABV of 22 percent, this new product is targeted for those who enjoy spirited beverages such as highballs and will be part of an expanded line of distilled drinks that can be distributed at room temperature, simplifying logistics compared to the cold chain required for fermented drinks.

Jeju Gott Batt offers a variety of spirits using botanical ingredients of Jeju Island. Courtesy of Jeju Gott Batt

Dream of tangerine flower liquor

Living in Seogwipo, a city on the southern side of Jeju Island, she was surrounded by an abundance of citrus orchards and questioned why they were only consumed as fruit.

"Tangerine flowers have such a delightful scent. I thought, why not use them in drinks?"

This idea led to her ongoing project of creating a tangerine flower-infused spirit, which is currently in the experimental phase.

"The tangerine flower, small and white, blooms briefly in May and is often compared to the scent of acacia," Ha said.

She collaborates with local organic farmers to gather these ephemeral blossoms annually, freezing them to preserve their delicate essence for experimentation and distillation.

"Tangerine trees produce many more flowers than fruit, so harvesting some doesn't impact the yield," she explained. "The fragrance becomes faint after rain and the petals fall off easily, which means we need to pick them at just the right moment."

While tangerine flowers are traditionally dried for tea, which Ha found diminishes their aroma, she opts to freeze them instead.

"We aim to collect and freeze about 10 kilograms each year to ensure we have enough to last us until the next season," she said.

Her pursuit of capturing the fleeting fragrance of tangerine flower in a bottle of spirit is still under development.

"I experimented with adding tangerine flowers to fermented beverages, but the subtle fragrance was overshadowed by 'nuruk' (traditional Korean fermentation starter) and other ingredients," Ha said. "To truly capture the delicate aroma of tangerine flowers, it seems more fitting to create a distilled spirit, so I am currently exploring distillation to achieve this."

Customers make tangerine makgeolli during a class at the Jeju Gott Batt Stuido in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. Jeju Gott Batt hosts a variety of drink-making classes using local botanicals. Courtesy of Jeju Gott Batt

In her quest to perfect the ultimate tangerine flower drink, Ha involves the community and visitors through educational and hands-on experiences at the Jeju Gott Batt Studio in Seogwipo, hosting a variety of drink-making classes using local botanicals.

During the winter season, she offers a Limoncello Class and a Brewing Picnic in Mandarin Farm, where visitors can pick their own fruits from a nearby orchard and brew their own tangerine and cheonhyehyang makgeolli.

"It's fascinating to see the instant reactions of customers," Ha said.

Ha has also introduced a Gin Class, one of the few in Korea and offered throughout the year.

"In this class, we flavor a neutral base spirit with Jeju's own botanical ingredients, along with the essentials like juniper berries and coriander seeds," she explained.

Not only do visitors leave delighted with two bottles of their custom-made gins, but this interaction also fuels Ha's creativity.

"It inspires me in developing the tangerine flower liquor as customers experiment with combinations I might not have considered," she said.

Jeju Gott Batt's Gin Class allows participants to flavor a neutral base spirit with Jeju's own botanical ingredients. Courtesy of Jeju Gott Batt

Ha believes Jeju Island is an ideal place for brewing gin due to its abundance of flavoring ingredients.

"Each season brings different types of citrus, herbs grow at weed levels and flowers bloom year-round. The flavors are so varied and abundant," she said. "If you're going to make gin in Korea, there's no place like Jeju."

Ultimately, Ha wants to create a traditional liquor brand that introduces Jeju citrus in various ways.

"There are juices, fruit marmalades and other products, but I want to express Jeju's citrus through liquor," she said. "I often contemplate what alcohol means to me. I think liquor is like a flower — it is there to celebrate when you're happy and to offer comfort when you're sad."

With a passion for Jeju's famed tangerines and other citruses, Ha wants her brand to be a staple in both celebrations and moments of comfort, embodying the spirit and flavors of the region.

"I want Jeju Gott Batt to be present in life's highs and lows, resonating with the essence of Jeju," she said.