What is soju
Soju is a traditional Korean alcoholic drink, “Korean vodka”. It is distinguished from the usual one by its strength, which varies from 13% to 45% by volume, and for the most popular options – about 20% by volume, as well as the raw materials used.
Soju is a clear, sweetish drink with a characteristic odor of alcohol and the aroma of additional ingredients. As mentioned above, the strength of soju is far from the usual vodka, so the culture of drinking this drink is somewhat different – it is drunk in its pure form from small glass piles, while the serving temperature is about 16-20 ° C. Often the drink is diluted, for which tonic, sugar syrup or lemonade are used, flavoring bitters from melon, watermelon or lemon can be added.
In the famine years for Korea, to save food, it was forbidden to make soju from rice, so sweet potatoes were put into production. And, despite the fact that soju from rice, barley and wheat turns out to be of better quality, many manufacturers continue to adhere to the tradition of using potatoes and sweet potatoes.
cocktails with vodka
How soju is made
Soju production technology is simple. Starch-containing raw materials (sweet potatoes, rice or other grains) are fermented and distilled, after which the resulting alcohol is diluted with water to the required strength, syrups and aromatic additives are added. In general, the word soju is translated from Korean as “fiery alcohol”, which alludes to the traditional way of obtaining a drink – by distillation in an alembic.
soju in the world
A person unfamiliar with the taste of soju is unlikely to believe that the Korean drink is recognized as the most popular in the world. For example, the English edition of Drinks International ranks Jinro soju in first place, well ahead of Smirnoff vodka, with soju also taking third place. In 2014, Jinro received the title of the world’s best-selling alcohol brand.
In Korea itself, soju consumption reaches fantastic volumes, but this drink is not so famous in the world. In China, it is produced by ethnic Koreans, while in the USA and Canada they do not do it at all. Nevertheless, the popularity of soju in North America is growing every year, as there is an indulgence in the sale of hard liquor – a license to sell beer and wine is enough.
How to drink soju
Koreans turn even an ordinary soju feast into a ceremony, while observing certain rules:
Pour the soju with both hands.
You can’t pour yourself, it should be done by the owner of the house or the waiter.
Soju is drunk in small sips, soju is rarely drunk in one gulp and only in agreement with all the participants in the feast.
It is forbidden to add soju, first you need to completely empty the stack.
The youth turns away from the older ones while drinking.
What to drink soju with
Many snacks are suitable for soju, such as salads, chicken and fish, meat and cheese plates, the drink goes well with traditional Korean cuisine. Soju is a sweet drink, but it is not recommended to use it with desserts.
Vzboltai also offers to try the well-known Pontakju cocktail – a shot of soju is lowered into a glass of beer and everything is drunk in one gulp. This is reminiscent of the Russian “Ruff”, but you need to remember that the fortress of the most popular version of soju is 20% vol.
Relevance: 04.09.2021
Tags: Vodka, mash, moonshine, Vodka brands
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