Hello! Today, we will learn about Cheongju, a traditional Korean liquor. Cheongju is a liquor made by fermenting grains such as rice, barley, wheat, and millet with nuruk (fermentation starter) and then filtering it to make it clear. It is characterized by being clearer and cleaner than takju (cloudy rice wine), and it is a premium brewed liquor brewed in a traditional way, mainly enjoyed by the upper class. Last time, we talked about takju being a liquor for the common people, right? Cheongju is a liquor that is on the opposite side of takju.

Do you know that all the liquor sold in Korea under the name Cheongju is actually Japanese-style sake? This goes back to the period of Japanese colonial rule. During the Joseon Dynasty, a liquor brewed directly at home had to be used in ancestral rites, so Cheongju, a precious and clear liquor, was brewed in every household. However, due to the Japanese liquor tax law enacted during the Japanese colonial rule, people were not allowed to brew homemade liquor (gayangju), and they had to buy liquor produced in factories and sell it. Moreover, Korea's liquor types were simplified to takju, yakju, soju, and mixed liquor, and Japanese sake was included as Cheongju, so Japanese-style sake came to be served at ancestral rites. The liquor we called Cheongju was not classified as Cheongju under the Japanese liquor tax law, so it was classified as yakju, and the tradition of making it in every household disappeared.

In Korea, the Japanese liquor tax law has not been revised yet. So, the liquor classified as Cheongju can be seen as Japanese-style sake, or sake. Therefore, the products I will introduce today are classified as yakju according to the liquor tax law, but they are made in the traditional Korean Cheongju brewing method.

Gooksundoong Yedam

First, I will introduce a liquor called Yedam by Gooksundoong. It is introduced as "purely fermented ancestral rite liquor brewed with sincerity, embodying courtesy," and it is an ancestral rite liquor and a liquor offered at the Jongmyo Royal Ancestral Shrine and Joseon Royal Tombs, which are designated as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Unlike traditional Cheongju, it does not contain cheap distilled spirits, so it does not have a greasy taste, and the flavor of our liquor is even more alive, making it perfect for enjoying with the whole family after the ancestral rites.

Geumbokju Hwarang

Let me introduce you to Hwarang by Geumbokju. They used 100% domestic glutinous rice as the raw material and their own traditional nuruk as a fermentation agent. It is introduced as a traditional Korean masterpiece brewed with meticulous care by fermenting and aging it at low temperatures for a long time. As the main ingredient is glutinous rice, it has a subtle sweetness, but the slight acidity that comes up afterward balances it out. It goes well with Korean food, so I recommend trying it.

Neurinmaeul Yakju

Neurinmaeul Yakju is a yakju brewed according to the yakju brewing method of Baesangmyeonju, but adapted to modern times. It is a smooth and refreshing taste made by low-temperature fermentation of carefully filtered makgeolli (unfiltered rice wine). It has a good balance of fresh acidity at first sip and a subtle sweetness that spreads afterward. The deep flavor of rice leaves a pleasant aftertaste, so if you are curious about Cheongju with more acidity than sweetness, you can try this product.

Today, we had a time to learn about Cheongju, a traditional Korean liquor. Now that you know about Korean Cheongju, I think it would be a good idea to try the products I recommended! Next time, I'll be back with distilled liquor. Thank you for reading:)