How is Korean liquor made?
How is Korean liquor made?
The sheer variety and depth of flavor found in traditional sool belies the fact that most recipes call for just three ingredients: nuruk, rice, and water.
native strains
A defining feature of Korean alcohol fermentation is the use of nuruk (누룩)—a traditional fermentation starter made from wheat, barley, and/or rice inoculated with natural molds, yeast, and bacteria.
Nuruk is similar in purpose to the Japanese koji, but incorporates a more varied, wilder microbial ecology that lends Korean liquors an earthy, tangy character of surprising complexity and depth.
Recipes for nuruk vary widely by region, season, and family (some strains are passed down for generations, like cherished heirlooms) with many brewers adding local wild herbs, pine needles, or fruits.
Nuruk (누룩)—a traditional fermentation starter—is unique to Korean brewing and its use is a defining feature of most sool. It is similar in purpose to the Japanese koji, but nuruk incorporates a more varied, wilder microbial ecology, lending Korean liquors an earthy, tangy character of surprising complexity and depth.
Nuruk (누룩)—a traditional fermentation starter—is unique to Korean brewing and its use is a defining feature of most sool. It is similar in purpose to the Japanese koji, but nuruk incorporates a more varied, wilder microbial ecology, lending Korean liquors an earthy, tangy character of surprising complexity and depth.
fermentation and distillation
To make sool, this complex microbial culture is blended with steamed grains and water, fermented, and lightly strained to produce wongju—the raw, undiluted liquor from which velvety makgeolli, clear cheongju, and strong soju all ultimately emerge.
As the liquor rests, it separates and a layer of sediment settles on the bottom of the container. It's from this sediment that cloudy rice wine (takju) is made. From the layer of liquid on top, we get clear rice wine (cheongju/yakju) which can be infused with herbs and flora, or distilled to make soju.
Single-stage fermentation is the simplest and fastest way to make takju, and is a natural starting point for home brewers. Most traditional sool, however, undergoes two or three stages of fermentation before being filtered, with some producers using as many as five stages to achieve their desired results.
As the liquor rests, it separates and a layer of sediment settles on the bottom of the container. It's from this sediment that cloudy rice wine (takju) is made. From the layer of liquid on top, we get clear rice wine (cheongju/yakju) which can be infused with herbs and flora, or distilled to make soju.
Single-stage fermentation s the simplest and fastest way to make takju and is a natural starting point for home brewers. Most traditional sool, however, undergoes two or three stages of fermentation before being filtered, with some producers using as many as five stages to achieve their desired results.
As the liquor rests, it separates and a layer of sediment settles on the bottom of the container. It's from this sediment that cloudy rice wine (takju) is made. From the layer of liquid on top, we get clear rice wine (cheongju/yakju) which can be infused with herbs and flora, or distilled to make soju.
Single-stage fermentation s the simplest and fastest way to make takju and is a natural starting point for home brewers. Most traditional sool, however, undergoes two or three stages of fermentation before being filtered, with some producers using as many as five stages to achieve their desired results.
