For Koreans, alcholic beverages have been a lifelong companion in times of joy and sorrow. Traditional Korean Liquor is very diverse in terms of the ingredients used and how it is made. Alcholic beverages in Korea are typically made from rice or wheat and some are made with special herbs that have medical values. Now let us see about the Korean Liquor.
At first, we got the Makgeoli (막걸리) also known as takju, is a traditional alcoholic beverage native to Korea. It is made from rice (referred to in English as "Korean rice wine") which gives it a milky, off-white color, and sweetness. It is made by fermenting a mixture of boiled rice and water, and is about 6.5–7% alcohol by volume. It was originally quite popular among farmers, earning it the name nongju (농주 / 農酒), which means "farmer liquor". Dongdongju (동동주) is a drink very similar to makgeolli, and both are commonly imbibed alongside Korean "pancakes" called pajeon (파전) or bindaetteok (빈대떡).
Additionally, makkoli is used during ancestral rites in Korea.
Commercially, makkoli is most commonly available in plastic bottles or aseptic box containers. Traditionally, it is served in a large metal or wooden bowl from which individual cups and bowls are filled using a ladle. As it is an unfiltered beverage, makkoli is generally shaken or stirred before consumed, as the cloudy white portion tends to settle to the bottom, leaving a pale yellow-clear liquid on top.
a bowl of Makgeolli (막걸리)
**Tips: For more appetizer, you can use fried Korean Pancakes called Jeon are very popular side dishes that go well with Makgeolli.**
The second is the Soju (소주) is a favourite alcoholic drink among Koreans. It is clear like Vodka and s made from distilling a fermented mash of rice or sweet potatoes. Soju is very cheap and available at most Korean Restaurants and Convenient Stores. In other ways, it is typically varies in alcohol content from about 20% to about 45% alcohol by volume (ABV), with 20% ABV being most common.
2 types of Soju
**Tips: For Appetizer, Soju goes well with almost everything, but it tastes particulary well with raw fish, barbecued meats and spicy food.
Next, we are going to see of Yakju (약주) in literally is call as "medicinal alcohol" which is a refined rice wine made from steamed rice that has gone through several fermentation stages. It is also called myeongyakju or beopju and is distinguished from takju by its relative clarity.Varieties include baekhaju (백하주), which is made from glutinous rice and Korean nuruk, and Heukmeeju (hangul: 흑미주; hanja: 黑米酒; literally "black rice wine"), which is made from black rice.
By the following, it will be ge Mogwa-ju which is just cut a mogwa, (the fruits of the Chinese quince), into small pieces. Steep the pieces in soju liquor, and seal the container for about three months. This fruit wine promotes blood circulation, and promotes body organic functions. According to Oriental medicine, this specific wine is particularly good for those with low blood pressure, or with cold body constitutions.
Now, I will be give some tips about how to enjoy the Korean Liquor.
First- See it! Overall, the color of traditional alcohols is golden, but can vary from a light gold to a dark brownish gold. The lighter it is, the more clean taste it has. Darker colors indicate an older brew with a stronger taste. Good ones look clean and have a golden color, but the colors are supposed to be a bit different based on the kinds of herbs or grains used to make it. Generally, the longer the brewing process, the better the taste. However, for alcohols made from rice or other grains (beer and Japanese Sake), ones that are brewed for less than 100 days are supposed to have a perfect taste.
Second - Smell it!
There are 2 kinds of flavors in traditional alcohols. One is a peculiar malt flavor that delivers a savory taste, and the other is a fruity flavor. Even though traditional alcohols do not use any fruits, well-fermented ones strangely have an apple or watermelon fragrance. These fragrances are produced from the process of fermentation of wheat skin and are often found when the alcohol has been fermented at a low temperature.
Third- Taste it!
There are 6 different tastes in traditional alcohols: sweet, sour, bitter, savory, spicy, and puckery. The best ones have all 6 different tastes mixed together harmoniously.
Sweet taste:
For wines, the sweet taste is usually controlled by the level of sugar left in it, while traditional alcohols use 'deoksul-beop.' The principle of this method is that the sugar level is controlled by the malt's decomposition process. When the sweetness lessens, the fermentation is stopped. Rice is added one more time for a second fermentation. This process is called deoksul-beop and when it exceeds a certain alcohol level, the amount of glucose produced excels the decomposition speed of alcohol, making the sweet taste more obvious. In general, when normal fermentation is stopped artificially, the resulting alcohol tends to cause headaches among drinkers, so the natural way of producing the sweet taste by deoksul-beop is considered very scientific. When you select yakju based on its sweet taste, you should check if the sweetness comes from articificial addiments or deoksul-beop in order to avoid headaches.
Sour taste:
The sour taste is a natural taste resulting from micro-organisms in malt producing lactic acid, citric acid, and other diverse organic acids. However, a smell like kimchi or vinegar means it is has fermented too much. Remember that the most outstanding characteristic of traditional alcohols is a sweet taste mixed with a natural sour taste derived from citric acid, lactic acid, and hobak-san.
Puckury taste:
The puckury taste can be found in acorns and astringent persimmons. When the palate gets numb, it can give an unpleasant feeling. However, a puckury taste resulting from lactic acid can be a perfect match with side dishes, such as cooked meats.
Bitter/spicy tastes:
The spicy taste is produced from ingredients in the alcohol. Bitter tastes coming from herbs are better. The longer the fermentation period, the higher alcohol level and the thicker taster it has.
Savory taste:
This is a very important taste in traditional alcohols, making it more different from other alcohols, such as rice wines. It is produced in the decompostion process of proteins transforming into amino acids, and Koreans consider the taste very important. If you enjoy this taste, you had better choose darker colored alcohols. However, if you want a lighter and cleaner taste, choose a lighter color of alcohol.
Temperature:
In general, in low temperature, sweet, and savory taste and stimulating charateristics of alcohol are lessened, while sour tastes get stronger. The one with temperature between 6-15 degrees C give the perfect taste. When you enjoy lighter taste, drink cold one but when you prefer heavy and complex taste, drink the one preserved in around 15'c temperature. That is to say, in order to enjoy alcohol fully, you have to pay attention to its temperature.
The methods to enjoy traditional alcohol:
You can enjoy traditional alcohols with a meal or without any other side dishes. The following etiquette serves as a guide for serving traditional yakju with meals.
Temperature:
As mentioned above, the temperature of alcohol is important, and maintaining it around 8 degrees C allows the enjoyment of the perfect taste. To preserve the same temperature while you drinking, put the bottle in an ice bucket like for wine. Some people prefer to drink traditional alcohol warm, but cool is more common.
Cups:
There are two types of cups used for drinking traditional Korean alcohols: jan and bae. Bae refers to a smaller cup. To maintain a cool temperature, a ceramic jan is better. For glass cups, ones with handles are better in that body heat is less likely to affect the temperature of the alcohol.
When opening the cap:
To allow any built up gas in the bottle to escape, you should open the bottle slowly and wait a short period before serving.
The right selection of side dishes and alcohols:
Traditional Korean alcohols have stronger sweet and sour tastes compared with other alcohols. Throughout history, banju (alcohols served with meals) were consumed for relaxing and stimulating the appetite and aid in digestion. Guests usually drank 1 or 2 shots before a meals. When drinking with meals, ones with a dry taste are better.
No comments:
Post a Comment