Distillery Trip in Korea — A Journey Through Korea’s Traditional Drinks
Distillery Trip in Korea — A Journey Through Korea’s Traditional Drinks
A travel planner, a travel producer, and a travel writer: three travel professionals with more than 50 years of combined experience set out to visit distilleries and breweries across the country. Their venture is called the *Sulsulsulsul Project. Traveling from Seoul to Jeju, they were intoxicated by the aromas of traditional drinks and captivated by the stories of the people who make them. They gathered those moments into a book and videos. Here is a glimpse of their journey across Korea, filled with unforgettable flavors and stories.
Photos Lee Jeongseon
Illustrations Kim Susu
Materials courtesy of “Sulsulsulsul: A Journey Through 50 Distilleries Across Korea” and Inpainter Global
* ‘Sulsulsulsul’ is a project that began with traditional Korean drinks as a medium for connecting people and sharing, through various channels, a food culture tied to local character and regional specialties. The team visited 50 breweries and distilleries in Korea to produce a book and YouTube videos. They are also preparing merchandise such as tasting notes, an illustrated map of Korea’s traditional drinks, and stickers, as well as workshops on brewing and tasting and an exhibition of illustrations of traditional drinks. Going further, through brewery tours led by the Sulsulsulsul team, they dream of ‘journeys that connect the breweries that make the drinks with the people who enjoy them.’
Maenggae Sooldoga
In Maenggae Village in Andong, an inland “island” you can reach only by wading across a shallow river, there is a 10-hectare wheat field. Park Seongho, a director at Maenggae Sooldoga, sows the field in autumn and harvests the wheat the following summer to make ‘Jinmaek Soju.’ ‘Jinmaek’ is an old name for wheat. The Joseon-era cookbook ‘Suunjabang’ records that Andong soju was once made from wheat. Jinmaek Soju is brewed in the samyangju (triple-batch) method, mixing wheat nuruk (fermentation starter) with whole wheat. It is then distilled twice in an atmospheric-pressure copper still and aged at low temperature for at least a year. From farming to finished spirit, it takes at least two years. Jinmaek Soju differs from Andong soju, which is typically made mainly from rice or glutinous rice, right from the aroma. A nutty, bright fragrance rushes to the tip of your nose, with notes of toasted bread and banana. At 53 percent ABV, close to the raw distillate, it goes down so smoothly that it feels almost oily. It is a rebirth of wheat and a rediscovery of Andong soju.
Brewery · Café: 32 Seonseongjungang-gil, Dosan-myeon, Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 054-841-1105
Wheat Field · Liquor Warehouse: 162-135 Gasong-gil, Dosan-myeon, Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 010-7604-0065
Baengkkore Winery
Ha Hyeongtae, the owner, is a figure no history of Korean wine, now 40 years old, can leave out. He first became involved with wine in 1982, when he took part in producing Majuang, Korea’s first domestic wine. He then honed his skills at wineries in Europe and Australia and became a pioneer of Korean wine. Later, persimmon wine from Cheongdo, omija (five-flavor berry) wine from Mungyeong, and jujube wine from Cheongsong were all born under his hand. By applying classic winemaking methods to Korean fruit, he creates dry wines that keep each fruit’s distinctive flavor. Ha says any fruit can become wine. With little rainfall and abundant sunshine, Yeongcheon in Gyeongsangbuk-do is a ‘land of fruit’ known for outstanding grapes, plums, peaches, apples, and persimmons, which makes it an ideal testing ground for wine. Today his daughter, Ha Sebi, and son, Ha Seongho, have joined him and are steadily preparing the future of Baengkkore Winery.
100-44 Changsan-gil, Geumho-eup, Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do
054-333-3010
Eunchek Brewery
Nestled cozily beneath low-lying Mount Eunja, Eunchek Brewery is run by two sisters. Im Juwon took over the brewery from her father-in-law in 1997 and now runs it with her younger sister, Vice President Im Huiju. Their signature makgeolli (unfiltered rice wine), ‘Eunjagol Saengtakbaegi,’ is the result of two years of research into a fermentation method that causes no headaches or burping. Fermented for a long period with Sangju rice and traditional nuruk they make themselves, it has almost no carbonation yet tastes refreshing and clean. At 5 percent ABV, it is also lower than typical makgeolli on the market (6 percent). True to their wish to make makgeolli as a traditional fermented food rather than a drink for getting drunk, it has a gentle, comforting flavor. The brewery returns its makgeolli profits to the local community and lives alongside its neighbors. It is as famous for its generosity as for its makgeolli.
16-9 Bongjung 2-gil, Eunchek-myeon, Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do
054-541-6409
Dancing Cider Company
American craft breweries used to make limited-edition seasonal ciders from apples, and that eventually evolved into the craft cider house. Believing that Korea, where high-quality apples grow abundantly, could succeed as well, owner Lee Daero and director Gu Seongmo opened a cider house near Lake Tangeum in Chungju, a city famous for its apples. Their signature ciders are ‘Dancing Papa’ and ‘Sweet Mama.’ ‘Sweet Mama,’ made with apple juice instead of artificial sweeteners, is sweet and fragrant, like biting into an apple. ‘Dancing Papa’ has less sweetness and is dry and clean, showing that cider can taste like this, too. Also eye-catching is the blended lineup, which adds omija, blueberry, strawberry, peach, and more for personality and fun. Made by a young team in their 20s and 30s rooted in the local community, the ciders burst with a lightness and freedom that pop like bubbles.
35-1 Indam-gil, Jungangtap-myeon, Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do
043-844-1616
1 Maenggae Sooldoga, Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do
2 Baengkkore Winery, Yeongcheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do
3 Eunchek Brewery, Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do
4 Dancing Cider Company, Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do
Cheongsan Noksu
Housed in a closed school in Jangseong, Cheongsan Noksu is a brewery that uses modern science and technology to advance traditional drinks. It brews with pesticide-free rice grown under contract in nearby paddies, and it also carries out research and education on alcohol and nuruk. The school building’s structure has been left intact, with the brewery set up in the classrooms and the hallway serving as a walking route for visitors. Owner Kim Jinman, who is also a professor of biotechnology, arrived through countless experiments and studies at a low-temperature fermentation method that lets microbes create the best flavor and acidity. Because the temperature is low, fermentation that usually finishes in one to two weeks takes more than 30 days. He has even patented an ‘oxygen fermentation technology’ in which oxygen supply lets the yeast produce the best flavor. The makgeolli ‘G12,’ named for the first letters of ‘Goldilocks,’ meaning ‘just right,’ strikes an exquisite balance of sweetness and acidity, showing the essence of Cheongsan Noksu’s brewing technique.
19 Namyangchon-gil, Jangseong-eup, Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do
061-393-4141
Yesul Jujo (Art Brewery)
Every step at Yesul Jujo, tucked away in the remote mountains of Hongcheon, follows traditional methods. That means it is laborious, slow, and demands devotion. Among these steps, making nuruk is the task owner Jeong Hoecheol takes the most care over, because nuruk determines the taste of traditional liquor. At Yesul Jujo, the team makes two types of yakju (clear rice wine) with wheat nuruk they ferment themselves (Dongmong and Dongjitdal Gineun Bam), two types of takju (cloudy rice wine) (Mangang-e Bichin Dal and Hongcheongang Takju), and two distilled spirits (Mujak 53 and Mujak 30). There are also two kinds of ihwaju (pear blossom wine), brewed with the rice nuruk called ‘ihwagok’ (Baekkot Pil Muryeop). Made with generous amounts of fine ingredients, the drinks ferment and age in earthenware jars for four to five months. For the distilled spirits, this base liquor is distilled again, twice, at atmospheric pressure in a pot still. ‘Mujak 53,’ aged for four years in specially made earthenware jars with tiny breathing holes, has a deep aroma that lingers heavy and long, a drink fit for immortals.
259-5 Dongchangbokgol-gil, Naechon-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do
033-435-1120
Horangibaekkop Brewery (Tiger’s Navel)
Pyeongtaek sits at the navel of a map of Korea that looks like a tiger, and it is home to a traditional liquor brewery run by a family of artists. Horangibaekkop Brewery (Tiger’s Navel Brewery) consists of a 60-year-old hanok, which has served as a drama filming location, and a tasting room styled like a gallery. It holds stories as varied as the history of the family, who were born and raised in Pyeongtaek. The father, Western-style painter Lee Gyesong, the mother, a potter and researcher of local cuisine, and their two daughters, a designer and a photographer, make a makgeolli here with a ‘mild flavor like pyeongyang naengmyeon.’ The secret is a raw-rice fermentation method. They crush a mix of 70 percent freshly milled white rice from Pyeongtaek and 30 percent brown rice with the bran still on. Added to this are rice nuruk (fermentation starter) they tread by hand and natural bedrock water. The raw-rice makgeolli is finished in 100 days at low temperature, and it is surprisingly light and refreshing. It has almost no carbonation, and its elegant pear-like aroma and subtle sweetness of rice are a pleasure.
37 Chungyeol-gil, Poseung-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do
031-683-0981
Yeokjeon Brewery
Yeokjeon Hoegwan, a long-established Korean restaurant famous for its bassak bulgogi (crispy, thinly sliced bulgogi), has launched an original makgeolli. Called Yeokjeonju, it was created by third-generation owner Kim Doyoung, who has run the restaurant since 1990, together with her daughter. The mother and daughter fell in love with making Korean liquor at a makgeolli school, the Gayangju Research Institute, and elsewhere. They built a compact brewery of about 5 pyeong (roughly 16 square meters) at the very back of the restaurant’s first floor and began full-scale production. Brewed with Samgwang rice, which the Rural Development Administration has rated as top quality, Yeokjeonju has a subtle sweetness and moderate acidity. It pairs perfectly with Jeolla-style dishes that go down easily, such as bassak bulgogi, nakji bokkeum (stir-fried octopus), and seonji sulguk (ox blood soup). There is also Yeokjeon Hanju, which is not diluted with water and is aged at low temperature for more than six months so that the lees settle. We recommend drinking about half of it clear and mixing the other half with the lees. The clear part feels like white wine, while the cloudy part gives you a thicker, deeper flavor.
47 Tojeong-ro 37-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
02-703-0019
1 Jangseong, Jeollanam-do: Cheongsan Noksu
2 Hongcheon, Gangwon-do: Yesul Jujo
3 Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do: Horangibaekkop Brewery
4 Mapo, Seoul: Yeokjeon Brewery