Hansan Sogokju is one of the better-known brands of local alcohol that are well-loved across Chungcheongnam-do Province.
With just one sip, its unique taste and smell spread across the palate, causing anyone to desire another sip. Sampling some more of it will make you not want to leave. In the end, you won’t be able to move.
This traditional liquor caused ancient Joseon scholars, or seonbi (선비), to not be able to sit the national civil servant exam. It made a daughter-in-law unable to walk after tasting the liquor while brewing it.
This is Hansan Sogokju, which has been nicknamed “Anjeun-baengi-sul,” or, “The Sit Down Drink.”
Hansan Sogokju is known for its unique taste and fragrant aroma. It’s also known for making people unable to walk.
The main ingredients in Hansan Sogokju are glutinous rice and yeast. Thanks to its slightly sweet and unique flavor, it acquired its nickname. It’s not only tasty and makes the blood clean and clear, but it also lowers the blood pressure, which helps prevent hypertension. This is thanks to the natural ingredients used when brewing the liquor. Hansan Sogokju is made from clean underground water from Geonjisan Mountain in Hansan, and only locally produced agricultural ingredients are used, including soybeans, malt, wild chrysanthemums, ginger and red chilies.
The process takes a lot of effort and lasts a few months. It takes about four or five days from making the malts with yeast until the actual distillation. In the final stages of brewing, red chilies are added to the mix, which traditionally represents the casting out of evil spirits and the prevention of misfortune. After that, it takes about 100 days to ferment at a low temperature.
There are Sogokju variations that contain different levels of alcohol. Bulsogokju is 43 percent alcohol, while standard Hansan Sogokju is at 18 degrees. Baekje Sogokju, a new variety targeted to younger consumers, is 13 percent alcohol.
Hansan Sogokju won a prize for its excellent taste at the 2015 Korean Liquors Contest, hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It also won a gold prize at the Monde Selection in 2014, one of the three largest liquor contests in the world. Finally, it has also won a bronze prize at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in the U.K.
More information about Hansan Sogokju is available at its homepage. http://www.sogokju.co.kr
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
arete@korea.kr
