Japan has sake, Germany has schnapps, Hungary has palinka, and Korea has soju. However, unlike its “colleagues”, Korean vodka is not so famous and popular in the world, although it enjoys people’s love and respect in its homeland. However, soju is exported to 80 countries, and in 2014 the Jinro Soju brand received the title of the best-selling alcohol brand in the world (more than 90% of products sold in South Korea).
Soju (소주, 燒酒) is a national Korean alcoholic drink with a strength of 16-45 degrees, is a clear, sweetish liquid with a characteristic smell of alcohol. It is produced by saccharification, fermentation and distillation of starch-containing raw materials (potatoes or grains), followed by dilution with water. The presence of aromatic additives in the composition is allowed. The word soju, literally translated from Korean, means “set fire (flaming) alcohol” and alludes to the process of distilling mash over an open fire.
Russians are ambivalent about the taste of soju (the Jinro brand has been tasted): for some it is a soft, warming spirit with a sweet, herbal aftertaste, for others it is a weak vodka with the smell of cologne. From personal observations, I can say that women like soju more than men. I think the reason is in the national tradition, where real vodka should be strong and slightly scalding.
History
Legends and historical data claim that the soju drink was invented at the very beginning of the XNUMXth century – it was then that the Mongols captured Korea and brought with them the recipe for arak (oriental anise tincture), and at the same time the art of distillation. Over time, Arabic anisovka assimilated to new territorial conditions and turned into modern soju. The first industries were formed around the city of Kaesong, and soju is still better known as “arak-ju” in that region.
It is curious that Korean vodka is popular in both parts of the country – both South and North, and even the harsh regime of Juche (a communist ideology developed by Kim Il Sung) could not prohibit citizens from drinking their favorite national alcohol.
soju production technology
Classic soju is made only from natural ingredients – barley, rice or wheat. However, for almost 30 years (from 1965 to 1991), in order to reduce the cost of grain crops, such a recipe was banned. Then the Koreans learned to simply dilute ordinary ethyl alcohol with flavors (traditional soju is distilled in a distiller like moonshine, and not obtained in a distillation column like alcohol). Today, “semi-finished products” are not needed, but about 35% of Korean soju is still made by the artisanal, cheap method.
- Modern producers often replace rice with cheaper ingredients: potatoes, sweet potatoes (yam), tapioca.
- Real soju must go through the following production steps:
- Grinding, pressing raw materials, adding water and saccharification of starch with malt.
- Fermentation.
- Distillation in an alembic.
- Filtration through bamboo charcoal.
Recently, the South Korean government has been heading towards reducing the strength of soju, and a very weak version, with a strength of up to 18 degrees, is becoming more and more popular. Perhaps this is due to the fact that in South Korea it is customary to go to bars with colleagues and superiors in order to strengthen working relationships. Since the boss must have a drink with each subordinate, it is in his interest to switch to low-alcohol alcohol.
Soju outside of Korea
Korean vodka is also produced in China – but not by the indigenous inhabitants of the Celestial Empire, but by ethnic Koreans. The fact is that outside the peninsula, rice is much cheaper, respectively, and the cost of the drink is lower.
In Canada, soju is not produced, but sold in stores and served in Korean restaurants, and in the USA this drink even enjoys some benefits – in order to sell soju, American entrepreneurs only need to have a standard wine and beer license. It is not necessary to buy documents necessary for the sale of strong alcohol. True, only if we are talking about a variation of a Korean drink, which is not stronger than 25 degrees. This easing has led to many soju cocktails in the US instead of regular vodka, such as the “Korean” version of the Cosmopolitan.
How to drink soju
Due to the low strength and sweetish taste, the culture of drinking Korean vodka is very different from vodka etiquette in Russia. Soju can be drunk in “pure form” from small glass shots, serving temperature is 16-20°C. However, often the drink is diluted with tonic, sugar syrup or other lemonade, flavors of melon, lemon or watermelon are added.
Despite the fact that soju is served in small piles, draining a portion at a time is considered bad form, the Koreans have developed a drinking ceremony:
- Pour the drink with both hands. Filling your own glass is considered bad manners. Until the glass is empty, do not refill.
- Drink soju in small sips (sometimes, by agreement of all those present, the first shot is drunk in one gulp).
- During each sip, the young participants of the feast turn away from the older “comrades” sitting at the table, this is considered a sign of respect.
- They eat soju with meat, fish, salads and other hearty dishes.
Brave Korean men like Poktanju, a shot of soju dipped into the bottom of a beer mug. The resulting “Korean ruff” is drunk in one gulp.