Gyeonggi province is a home of many unique alcoholic beverages. Many delicious liquor was made as a result of the province's comprehensive support.
There is an interesting old story in
Korea that the word ‘sool’
(alcoholic beverage) is a portmanteau of ‘soo’
(water) and ‘bool’ (fire). Ancient
dynasties on the Korean Peninsula, such as Goryeo and Joseon, were often referred
to as ‘Lands of Alcohol,’ and Koreans have been drinking various fascinating
alcoholic beverages deemed by some to be ‘drinkable fire’. Every family had
their own special brewing recipes that often developed into masterpieces.
Unfortunately, after the tragic
Japanese colonial era, most recipes were lost. Yet, from the late 20th century,
the movement to revitalize traditional alcoholic beverages gained traction in
tandem with growing interest in traditional culture. Recently, not only
traditional alcoholic beverages but also more recent contenders like craft beer
are being brewed. Among Korean regions, Gyeonggi Province seeks to be the most
active in terms of both brewing quality and quantity. Let’s take a closer look
at Gyeonggi Province’s unique alcoholic beverages.
Gyeonggido’s Jeongtongju (traditional liquors and wines)
There are various provisions in Korean
tax law that pertain to traditional liquor and the protection of traditional
breweries. Gyeonggi Province is home to 66 traditional breweries that offer a
number of products including makgeolli
(rice wine) and soju (distilled
spirit). In fact, many traditional breweries in Gyeonggi Province produce
award-winning, high-quality alcoholic beverages (Gyeonggi breweries won 6 out
of 15 categories at the 2018 Korean Sool Grand Festival)
Must-visit breweries: Traditional
Must-visit breweries: Traditional
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| The exterior of Sulseam Brewery ⓒ더술닷컴MAFRA and aT |
Sulseam Brewery
Sulseam Brewery, located in Yongin City
of Gyeonggi Province, produces 12 varieties of rice wines and spirits using rice
grown in the province. The brewery was selected as a ‘must-visit brewery’ in
2017 for its beautiful scenery and hygienic facilities. Sulseam’s mission is to
produce drinks that satisfy both traditionalists and trendy drinkers.
Traditional brewing experiences and free tastings will leave no regrets.
Recommended Beverage: Drunk Monkey
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ⓒ더술닷컴MAFRA and aT |
Featuring a charming red color, Drunk
Monkey makgeolli is a leading product of Sulseam Brewery. Produced at alcoholic content of 10.8% with the intention of reducing the 108 Defilements of Buddhism
by one-tenth due to its great taste, Drunk Monkey uses a special ‘nuruk’ (traditional Korean fermentation
starter similar to yeast) and ‘honguk’
(red rice) that imparts a red color and rich body to the drink without any additional
additives.
Address: Gyeonggi-do, Yongin-si, Cheoin-gu, Yangji-myeon, Yangji-ri, 114-14
Business
Hour: 09:00-16:00 (Mon-Fri)
Tel:
+82 31-321-5227 / E-mail: cs@sulseam.co.kr
Webpage:
http://www.sulseam.com/index.html
Pocheon Bae & Brewing Co. ‘Sansawon’
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| Sansawon's brewhouse ⓒ더술닷컴MAFRA and aT |
Sansawon is a brewery museum located in Gyeonggi’s Pocheon City.
The company that owns the museum, Baesangmyun Brewery, is named for Mr.
Baesangmyun, a pioneer who started the revitalization movement for Korean
traditional liquors and wines. The museum features diverse traditional brewing
facilities and over 25 house-brewed wine and liquor varieties that you can
taste for only KRW 3,000. Even if you do not have time to visit Sansawon, you
can still taste their products at Neurin Maeul Brewery & Pub in Gangnam,
Seoul, an establishment that is also owned by Baesangmyung
Brewery.
Recommended Beverage: Neurin Maeul Makgeolli
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ⓒ더술닷컴MAFRA and aT |
Baesangmyung Brewery produces a wide
range of alcoholic beverages, but among the most fascinating offerings are
their makgeollis (yes, makgeolli again). ‘Neurin Maeul’ means ‘slow village’ in
Korean, a reference to Pocheon City where their products are aged to achieve their
characteristic tastes. They devote a tremendous amount of effort to embodying the
aspects of Korea's four seasons in these makgeollis. One can taste a sweetness reminiscent
of ripe pears in their younger brews, while a mild acidic taste emerges with
the sweetness in their older brews.
Address: Hwadong-ro 432beon-gil, Hwahyeon-myeon, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
Business Hour: 08:30-17:30 (Mon-Sun)
Tel:
+82 31-531-9300
Webpage:
https://www.soolsool.co.kr/english
The significant others
Apart from traditional alcoholic
beverages like makgeolli and soju, the province is also home to many other
drinks. Great wines, meads, and craft beers that satisfy the tastes of trendy
consumers are made in Gyeonggi-do. Though traditional liquors are valuable
historical and cultural assets to be passed on to future generations, consumers
demand a diverse selection of beverages in their fridges. Therefore, wide range
of choices will help drive the development of the entire liquor industry.
Must-visit wineries
Must-visit wineries
Ansan Grand Coteau winery
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| Grand Coteau winery building in Ansan ⓒ더술닷컴MAFRA and aT |
The Grand Coteau Winery on Daebudo Island, Ansan City, is one of
the best wineries in Korea. The name ‘Grand Coteau’ (‘big hill’ in French)
is a wordplay on ‘Daebudo’ (‘big hill island’ in Korean) and the name of their
representative wine. They use Campbell Early grapes freshly grown in a clean
environment for their wines, which are famous for their fruity tastes and mild
sweetness.
Recommended Beverage: Cheongsu white wine
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ⓒ더술닷컴MAFRA and aT |
Cheongsu white wine is produced using locally developed grape breed ‘Cheongsu’. Along with the special grape they add the yeast used in Riesling wine (originated in Rhine region, Germany) to bring out a refreshing fruity scent reminiscent of green grapes and herbal scent of mint. But drink responsibly since the 12% of alcohol proof (relatively high in white wine) might get you drunk.
Address: Gyeonggi-do, Ansan-si, Danwon-gu, Daebubuk-dong, 1011-4
Business
Hour: 09:00-18:00 (Mon~Sat) / 14:00-17:00 (Sun)
Tel:
+82 32-886-9873 / E-mail: Wine9873@hanmail.net
Webpage:
http://www.grandcoteau.co.kr/
Paju Sanmeoru Farm
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| Wine cellar of Sanmeoru Farm ⓒ더술닷컴MAFRA and aT |
With the mission of making ‘the most
Korean wine ever,’ Sanmeoru Farm is located in the northern city Paju, close to
DMZ. The main product of the farm is a wine made from ‘Meoru’ (a.k.a Crimson
glory vine), which can be found in the Russian Far East, Korea and eastern Japan.
Here you can participate in a range of activities including winemaking, a winery
tour, and tastings. The cost is KRW 22,000 for the whole experience or KRW
3,500 for just the winery tour.
Recommended Beverage: Meoru de Seo
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ⓒ더술닷컴MAFRA and aT |
The representative wine of Sanmeoru Farm is Meoru de Seo. Gamak
Mountain, where the farm is located, features an environment well suited for
the cultivating Meoru fruit of the best quality, which is harvested for wine between
September and December when it’s the sweetest. After all the effort, you can
enjoy this wild and heavy-bodied red wine. Furthermore, there are sweet and dry
versions of Meoru de Seo for picky wine lovers.
Address: 441-25 Witbaeuni-gil, Jeokseong-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do
Business
Hour: 09:00-17:30
Tel:
+82 31-958-4558 / E-mail: Sanmeoru1979@naver.com
Webpage:
http://shop2.seowoosuk.cafe24.com/
Gyeonggi-do’s comprehensive support
Why
are all these terrific breweries located in Gyeonggi Province?
There
are a few reasons. The first reason is the range of regional characteristics found in the
province. Gyeonggi boasts diverse landscapes, like the coastal areas by the Yellow
Sea, as well as mountainous and metropolitan areas. These circumstances have a
huge influence on the particular locations of breweries in the province.
Furthermore, easy accessibility to Seoul provides Gyeonggi-do with opportunities
to adopt the newest trends. As a result, new liquors that can encompass various
generations and tastes can be continuously produced.
Gyeonggi
Province's active support policies would be the second reason. Traditional
liquors are usually under-rated by younger generations because such liquors are
deemed to be old-fashioned. Even though various liquors are produced all over
the province, many people are unaware of their existence. To overcome such a
situation, Gyeonggi Province has been providing promotion, consulting and
marketing support to small breweries since 2007. From 2007, the province has
been supporting many festivals and contests related to traditional alcoholic
beverages. Moreover, the Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services
has been conducting research on the development of the ‘Boramchan Rice’ variety
that is highly adaptable to the various climates of the province and suitable
for makgeolli brewing.
Thanks
to the technical and administrative support policies of Gyeonggi Province,
breweries in the province not only produce high-quality alcoholic beverages but
also represent their particular cities with unique brewery tours and
activities. If you are planning to visit Korea, Gyeonggi-do’s breweries and
wineries are strongly recommended as “must-visit” spots.
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