Mak-kul-le Recipes


In the olden days, and in today's farm villages, leftover rice and other cooked grain are not thrown away. The housewives put them into a pot, add yeast and clean water. After a few days, the food wastes turn into sweet milky substance that does contain some alcohol. Both adults and kids consume this Korean 'moonshine' as after-meal drinks. Many American GIs have developed tastes for this uniquely Korean beverage.

As in the case of kim-chee, each clan has its secret recipes for making the "best" mak-kul-lee in Korea. There are many kinds of mak-ku-le. Some of the best known recipes are given below. Mak-kul-le is but one of the Korean traditional drinks. Literally speaking, mak-kul-le is the thing(le) which is instantly(mak) sieved(kul). The hangul version was from archives of the Office of Agricultural Community Development, The Republic of Korea.

The readers are warned that the recipes presented here may produce substances that may be harmful to their health.

Translated from hangul and annotated by Sang Mok Ahn


1. Hong Ju (Red Booze)

Ingredients:

Wheat grain 1/2

bushel

Barley grain 1/2

bushel

Malted wheat powder 1/2

bushel

Water

14

gallons

Jicho root

30

grams

Jicho is a holy plant according to Confucius. In Chinese medicine, it cures burns and frostbites. It is not a reishi, though many people confuse it with reishi. Chinese pronunciation: chih(1) ts'ao(3). Number in parenthesis means intonation.

Method:

  1. Malting - When the weather is hot and wet in June to July, mix 1/2 bushel of wheat grain and 1/2 bushel of barley grain [barley grain is never used for malting. If you eliminate barley here and malted wheat powder above, the math becomes a right math.], and grind the mixture in a stone mill into coarse powder. Spray water on it, put it into a 1/4 to 1/2 gallon moldings, and press each batch into a lump. Malt the lumps for 7 to 10 days, crush them into maximum bead-size granules, and dry/ripen the granules for 2 to 3 days.

  2. Brewing - Wash 1/2 bushel of barley grain cleanly, leave it in water overnight, drain water for 30 to 40 minutes, and steam it for 50 to 60 minutes in a steaming sieve. When it has been cooled down, mix it well with 1/2 bushels of malted wheat powder and 14 gallons of water in an earthenware barrel, and ferment it for 10 to 15 days.

  3. Distilling - Pre-heating - Pour the fermented booze into a pat, and heat it up to 60 deg. Celsius. Distilling - put the distilling unit on the preheated pot, seal up the pot and distilling unit together, pour cold water on the distilling unit, place a container underneath the nozzle of distilling unit, cover the mouth of distiller with a cotton cloth, and place sliced Jicho root on the cloth. Maintain the temperature distilled liquid flowing out of the nozzle to 30 to 35 deg. Celsius, and let the liquid pass through the sliced Jicho root and take red color. If distilled this way, 1 bushel of fermented booze becomes 1/5 bushel of Hong Ju (40% alcohol).

Jindo Hong Ju is alternately called Jicho Ju, and has been produced for 400 years only in Jindo Island. It is the only red-tinted liquor, contains 40% to 47% of alcohol, tastes a little sweet, and has a little flowery fragrance. It is the best liquor in Korea.

This recipe was presented by: Ms. Huh, Ok In at Donji-Ri, Euishin-myon, Jido-koon, Cholla-book-Do.

[Jindo Island is off the southwest tip of Korean Peninsula. It belongs to Cholla-nam-Do, so the data presenter is not in Jindo, but in Jido. Jindo Island is more famous for Jindo Dog, allegedly the cleverest dog of all. Many Koreans, not including me, are proud of Jindo dog and the purity of their blood.]


2. Hah Hyahng Ju (Fragrance-loaded Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (= a fragrant glutinous species of rice)

16.6

kg

Malted wheat power

600

grams

Barley malt

3

cups

Wheat flour

5

cups

Water

9

liters

Method:

  1. Powder 1.5 kg of chapssal rice, mix it with 9 liters of water, boil to make paste, and cool it.
  2. Mix 500 g of malted wheat power into (1) above, and ferment it at room temperature for about 3 days.
  3. Steam 1/2 bushel (= 15 kg) of chapssal rice, and mix the steamed rice with 3 cups of barley malt and 5 cups of wheat flour.
  4. Mix (2) and (3) above evenly in an earthenware barrel, spray 100 g of malted wheat powder, and bury the barrel under the ground.
  5. Leave the lid a little open for the first one-week so the barrel can take a little air, and then seal it up perfectly.
  6. Cover the barrel with soil, age it for 100 days until there comes a mild lucid tint of green tea.
  7. Keep the barrel in the underground place, scoop up proper amount of Hah Hyahng Ju whenever it is needed, sieve it with a coarse cloth, and enjoy it.

Note on Malted Wheat:

The lumps of malted wheat should be ground into the size of coarse sands. Before its use for this recipe, dry it under sunlight in daytime and wet it with dews at night for 3 to 4 days.

This recipe was presented by Mr. Park, Yung Soo, Ohm-Ri, Yoogah-myon, Dahlsung-Koon, Kyongsang-book-Do.


3. Jinyahng Ju (Jinyang probably refers to a location)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice

20

liters

Malted wheat powder

3

liters

Water

26

liters

Method:

  1. Make porridge with 2 liters of chapssal rice and 10 liters of water, and cool the porridge.
  2. Mix 3 liters of malted wheat powder into (1) above, and keep it at worm room (25 deg. Celsius) for 4 to 5 days.
  3. Steam 18 liters (= 1/2 bushels) of chapssal rice, cool it down, and mix it (2) above in bowls after another. Mix it evenly and see to it that no lumps of steamed rice remain.
  4. Contain the mixture in an earthenware barrel in a warm bedroom, and wrap the barrel with bed quilt to keep it warm all the time.
  5. When the rice completely softens after about 5 days, add 16 liters of water and age about 3 more days until it is fermented.

Origin:

In the time of King Churl Jong, the 25th King of Chosun who ruled in 19th Century, a palace worker named Ms. Choi was released from the palace and married to a farmer named Mr. Lee. She was one of the royal booze makers. After marriage, she used high quality spring water of her village and applied the same method to make this booze. It has mild taste and thick fragrance.

This recipe was presented by: Ms. Choi, Ok Nim, Dukjung-Ri, Kyegok-Myon, Haenahm-Koon, Cholla-nam-Do.


4. Yoolmoo Ju (Adlay Booze)

Yoolmoo Ju looks like an important one, but I am again suffering from ambiguity of math. There is no indication in the main text how to use the 11 kg of rice. Rice and malted wheat powder are used in three procedures, but no quantity is given for any procedure. I guess them for the readers' convenience.

Ingredients:

Adlay

1.5

kg

Common rice

11

kg

Malted wheat powder

300

g

Method:

  1. Making of inoculator:
    1. Soak 1 kg of ordinary rice in water, drain, smash it into powder, add appropriate amount of boiling water for doughing, and dough it.
    2. Cool (a) above, mix it with 100 g of malted wheat powder, and ferment it for 10 to 15 days.
  2. First Brewing - Soak 5 kg of ordinary rice in water, drain, smash it into powder, add appropriate amount of boiling water for doughing, and dough it. Mix the dough with the inoculator and 100 g of malted wheat powder, and brew the mixture for 30 days.
  3. Second Brewing - Soak the mixture of 5 kg of ordinary rice and 1.5 kg of adlay grain, drain, smash it into powder, and steam it in a steaming sieve. Mix the steamed one and 100 g of malted wheat powder into what is brewed at the previous procedure.
  4. Sieving - After about 30 days of second brewing, scoop up desired amount and sieve it. Yoolmoo Ju has 20% to 30% alcohol content, mild yellow brown color, and unique fragrance.

Notes

This recipe was presented by Mr. Jung, Jae Gyo, Koobahng-1-Ri, Kamchun-Myon, Hoengsung-Koon, Kangwon-Do.


5. Oksoosoo Sool (Corn Booze)

Ingredients:

Glutinous corn flour

2

kg

Regular rice, steamed

500

g

Barley malt

500

g

Malted wheat powder

1

kg

Method

  1. Grind peeled glutinous corn into flour, and knead it with cold water.
  2. Boil water in the volume of 3 times of the corn dough.
  3. When the water boils, mix the corn dough into the boiling water while sirring.
  4. When the mixture of water and corn dough boils, cool it down either inside or outside the pot.
  5. When the temperature is down to about 40 deg. Celsius, add the barley malt and some more water until the mixture becomes like gruel. Then, keep it for about 10 hours until it sweetens.
  6. Sieve it with a coarse cloth, and mildly heat until the volume reduces to about 1/4.
  7. When it has cooled down, mix it with malted wheat powder and steamed rice, and brew it for 4 to 5 days.

Notes

Oksoosoo Sool tastes sweet and sticks on the lips like starch syrup. It has yellowish color and strong alcohol content. Nobody can drink more than 600 ml of it at a time.

This recipe was presented by: Ms. Rim, Jung Ja at Hyundong-2-Ri, Sochun-Myon, Bongwha-Koon, Kyongsang-book-Do.


6. Omegi Sool (Millet Booze)

Ingredients:

Glutinous millet

3.2

kg

Malted barley powder

800

g

Method

  1. Malting - In the 8th month of the lunar calendar [Chinese solar-lunar calendar is simply called 'lunar calendar,' because they don't know pure lunar calendars like Arabic calendar.], cut the barley grains into two pieces each, and soak it water for 8 to 9 hours. When the grains have been softened to be flattened with fingers, add some wheat flour and lump the mixture to fist sizes, and place the lumps on rice straw bedding. See to it that the lumps don't clutch each other and air flows freely. Change the bedding with new straw once a few days, so the lumps malt evenly. When the lumps dry up in around 10th month of the lunar calendar, crush them into powder.
  2. Brewing - Wash 3.2 kg of glutinous millet, soak it in lukewarm water for 20 to 30 minutes, drain thoroughly with a sieve, and crush it into powder. Knead it into disc-shaped doughs, poke holes on them, and put them into boiling water. Take them out when well done, and smash it thoroughly. Add boiled and cooled water, and mix evenly to the state of porridge. Add malted barley powder and stir well. If the mixture is too thick, add boiled cooled lukewarm water.
  3. Pour the mixture into a earthenware barrel and cover it with a thin cloth, without a lid. Keep the barrel at a cool place for about 2 months, until the liquid tints yellowish while the grounds settle to the bottom. The yellowish liquid is Omegi Sool.

This recipe was presentied by: Mr. Cho, Choon Ji at Joongmoon-Dong, Suhguipo City, Cheju-Do and Ms. Hong, Haeng Bok at Sewha-Ri, Pyogun-Myon, Nam-cheju-Koon, Cheju-Do.


7. Ung-gung-kwi Dansool (Thistle Sweet Drink)

Ingredients:

Ordinary rice. 200 g
Thistle root 500 g
Barley malt powder 50 g

Method

  1. Soak rice in water overnight, drain, and steam it in a steaming sive.
  2. Wash thistle root cleanly and juice it.
  3. Drink the juice, and infuse the remainder of the root in water by mild boiling.
  4. When the infusion is cooled to be lukewarm, add barley malt powder and stir well.
  5. Add the steamed rice, mix them evenly, and keep the mixture at a warm place for one full day.

Notes

Thistle root juice is a liver tonic.

This recipe was presented by Ms. Jung, Woo Soon at Okpo-2-Dong, Jangsungpo City, Kyongsang-nam-Do.


8. Ahndong Soju (Ahndong Liquor)

Ahndong is a city with strong Confucian tradition.

Ingredients:

Ordinary rice 4 kg
Malted wheat powder 0.8 kg
Water 7 liters

Method:

  1. Lumping - Wash whole wheat grain, and dry it. Crush it just until powder start to fly up, add water in the weight of about 40% of the wheat, and leave it for about 1 hour. Spread a ramie cloth over a basin for molding. Pour the crushed moist wheat grain on the cloth so the wheat and cloth sink together into the basin, and wrap the wheat with the cloth. Cover it with another cloth, and tread on it so the wheat is made basin-like lump.

  2. Malting - Leave the lump on straw for two days, so it automatically warms up for one day and cools down for another day. Flip it over and leave it for one week, so it completes malting and dries up.

  3. Elimination of malt odor - Let the dried malt lump take night dews for one night, so the odor goes away.

  4. Steaming rice - Soak the rice in water overnight, drain, and steam it in a steaming sieve for about 1 hour.

  5. Brewing - Mix malted wheat powder, steamed rice, and water at the ratio of 1:3:2, and brew the mixture in a earthenware barrel for 10 to 12 days.

  6. Distilling - Pour the brewed booze into a distilling unit and heat the distilling unit. Dew-like Ahndong Soju will drop out of the nozzle.

Notes:

This receipe was presented by Ms. Cho, Ok Wha at Shinahn-Dong, Ahndong City, Kyongsang-book-Do.


9. Ssal Sool (Rice Booze)

Ingredients:

Ordinary rice 7 kg
Malted wheat powder 3 kg
Yeast 2 large spoonfuls
Soju (chemical liquor) 1.8 liters

Method

  1. Soak rice in water for about 24 hours.
  2. Drain the rice, and steam it in a steaming sieve.
  3. Cool down the steamed rice.
  4. Crush malted wheat into gradules and powder.
  5. Mix malted wheat powder, yeast and cold steamed rice evenly.
  6. Contain the mixture in a earthenware barrel, and add lukewarm water in the volume of three times of the first mixture.
  7. Add soju and mix evenly.
  8. Cover the mouth of the barrel with a cloth, round the barrel with bedquilt, and keep it at a warm place for 4 to 5 hours until it bubbles up.
  9. When it bubbles up, see to it that the bubbling are come out of the barrel easily, and leave it two more days.
  10. Take off the bedquilt, leave one more days for ripening, and then use the strainer to scoop out the liquid.

This recipe was presented by (1) Ms. Kim, Jung Ok at Hahgae-Ri, Woesokri-Myon, Boh-un-Koon, Choongchung-book-Do and (2) Agriculture Community Counseling Office of Iksan-Koon, Cholla-book-Do


10. Shinsun Ju (The Immortals' Booze)

Human beings can become immortal by chi training, according to Taoists' half belief half joke.)

Ingredients:

Ingredients are all herb medicines. Due to misspelling of the original document, some of them are left with Korean pronunciation.

Soju 1.8 liters
Potable alcohol 1.8 liters
Peel of unripe Mandarin orange 100 g
Dang gui (Angelica sinensis) 300 g
Schisnadra berry 600 g
Cinnamon bark 600 g
Licorice root 4 slices
Honey 0.9 liter
Choonlan orchid petal 1/4 cup
'eun ge' (misspelling? silver crab?) 600 g
Sweet-flag rhizome (Acorus gramineus)600 g
Huang qi(Astragalus membranaceus) 600 g
Polygonatum odoratum rhizome 300 g
'bong yong' (misspelling?) 600 g
Chinese wolfberry (Lycium chinense) 600 g
Giant pine cone 600 g
Ginger some

Method:

Mix all the ingredients and store it at a cool dark place for 3 years. Then, sieve and drink.

Notes:

This recipe was presented by Mr. Suh, Gil Yong at Mok-gye-Ri, Chung-ah-Myon, Hahdong-Koon, Kyongsang-nam-Do.


11. Songsoon Ju (Pine-shoot Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 4 kg
Ordinary rice 1 kg
Pine-shoot (new branchout in springtime) 400 g
Crushed peeled barley malt 500 g
Crushed whole wheat malt 500 g

Method:

  1. Making of core liquor:
    1. Wash ordinary rice and steam it in a steaming sieve.
    2. Add crushed peeled barley malt and water, and mix evenly in an earthenware barrel.
    3. Keep the barrel at a moderate temperature (15 - 16 deg. C) for 6 to 7 days.
    4. Distill it with a distilling unit.

  2. Brewing of rice wine:
    1. Steam pine-shoot, dry it in a cool shaded area for 10 days, and crush it into powder.
    2. Wash chapssal rice and steam it in a steaming sieve.
    3. Add water, crushed whole wheat malt and pine-shoot powder, and mix evenly.
    4. Brew the mixture at moderate temperature (15 - 16 deg. C) for 13 days.

  3. Ripening
    1. Add the core liquor to rice wine and ripen the mixture for 2 to 3 months.
    2. Scoop up the liquid by using a strainer.

Notes:

Songsoon Ju is designated as Intangible Culural Heritage No. 6.

This recipe was presented by Ms. Park, Yang Ee at Chorakdo-Ri, Sukmoon-Myon, Dangjin-Koon, Choongchung-nam-Do and Mr. Kim, Bok Soon at Yochohn-Dong, Kimje-Koon, Cholla-book-Do.


12. Sogok Ju (Little Grain Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 8 kg
Ordinary rice 2.4 kg
Water 7.2 mliters
Crushed whole wheat malt some
Crushed whole barkey malt some
Soybean flour some

Method

  1. Whole wheat malt and its infusion - Crush whole wheat into powder, knead into a lump in a basin molding, and diy it for 3 to 4 days. Crush it, and add water until all the powder barely submerges. Leave it for 5 hours and sieve it to separate the infusion.
  2. Steamed chapssal rice - Wash chapssal rice, steam it on a sieving cloth in a steaming sieve, and cool it with natural cool wind.
  3. Ordinary rice cake - Soak ordinary rice in water overnight, drain it, crush it into powder, and steam it into a cake in a steaming sieve.
  4. Brewing:
    1. Take pieces of ordinary rice cake into wheat malt infusion, stir well, and pour the mixture into an earthenware jar.
    2. To make the inoculataor, put the jar at a warm room. First, close it with a lid, and when it starts to ferment, open a part of the lid so the gas goes out freely.
    3. In an earthenware barrel, put a thick layer of steamed chapssal rice, and a thin layer each of crushed whole barley malt, whole wheat malt, and soybean powder. Continue making the layers until all the steamed chapssal rice is contained.
    4. Add water and the inoculator. Bury the barrel under a shaded ground. Close the mouth with a flat tray when the fermentation boils up (for the first 2 to 3 days), and seal the mouth with a piece of paper thereafter. Ripen it for 100 days. (In summer time, maintain the temperature by covering it with soil.

  5. After the 100 days, push the srainer into the place where the rice grains are floating, and scoop up the clear liquid.

This reipe was presented by Ms. Kim, Young Shin at Ho-ahm-Ri, Hansan-Myon, Suhchuhn-Koon, Choongchung-nam-Do.


13. SunSahn Yakju (Sunsahn Medicinal Booze)

Sunsahn is a town.

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 22.4 kg
Crushed whole wheat malt 140 g
Water 7 liters

Method:

  1. Wash chapssal rice, soak it in water overnight, and steam it in a steaming sieve.
  2. Using steamed chapssal rice, in a warm room (22-25 deg. C), make the inoculator in one day, and start to brew the next day.
  3. You can enjoy it after 6 more days.

Notes:

It is said that the famous philosopher Kim Jong Jik of 500 years ago developed this recipe. Due to the clear water of Tan-gye Brook in Sunsahn, the taste is sweet and the fragrance is excellent. It is said that peasant poets ('sun-bee') enjoyed this much.

This recipe was presented by Mr. Kim, Jae Bong at Wanjun-Ri, Sunsahn-Up, Sunsahn-Koon, Kyongsang-book-Do.


14. Samhae Ju (Three-hog Booze)

Hog day is the last of 12 days in Chinese zodiac.

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 24 kg
Ordinary rice 8 kg
Crushed whole wheat malt 1.9 kg
Water 27 liters

Method:

  1. Timing - The appopriate time for making whole wheat malt is the 6th to 7th month of lunar calendar in summer.
  2. Preparing whole wheat grain - Pass the whole wheat grain through stone mill so every grain is crushed at least once. The mixing ratio of well-dried wheat grain to water is about 15 kg to 4.5 liters. To examine it by hands, grip the mixture of crushed wheat and water tightly in your fist, and release it. If it stays as a lump, it's good enough. Don't add so much water as to leave your palm wet.
  3. Lumping - Lay a cloth over a molding or basin with depth of about 4 inches. Pour the mixture of crushed wheat and water on it. Wrap it with the cloth. Tread it firmly so it stays as a lump when released.
  4. On a thick layer of straw in a warm room, put the lumps in a circle. Make another layer of straw on the lumps, and put the second circle of the lumps on it. Make many layers this way.
  5. After 7 days, rotate the lumps so every lump gets malted evenly.
  6. After another 7 days, scatter the pile and hang the lumps on a beam or rafters by the straw. The malting process completes 15 days thereafter. (If the crushed wheat was sieved to exclude whole grains, so-made malt is called 'in-powder' and has better quality. Mung-bean malt, instead of whole wheat malt, is considered the best malt for brewing.)

    The 1st Hog Day = [Sunday, Sep. 13, 1998, for example. I returns every 12 days.]

  7. Wash 4 kg of ordinary rice the day before the first hog day, and soak it overnight. On the first hog day, drain it, and pass it briefly through a stone mill, so the rice grains barely split into two pieces each.
  8. Heat 3.6 liters of water. When boiling, add the crushed rice, step by step, while stirring so the rice grains don't get scorched at the pot bottom. Your stirring arm has to get tired to have the proper thickness of the porridge.
  9. Move the porridge to a wide container and cool it perfectly. If a little heat remains at this stage, the booze will go sour.
  10. Add 0.8 kg of 'in-powder' malt (if not 'in-powder,' a little more). Mix them evenly along with 2 liters of water, that has been boiled and thoroughly cooled down.
  11. When the mixture has brown color evenly, move it carefully into a well-cleaned earthenware barrel. Keep the barrel in a cool shaded are for 12 days until the next hog day.

    The 2nd Hog Day = [Sep. 25, 1998, for example.]

  12. With 4 kg of ordinary rice and 0.3 kg of 'in-powder' malt (if not 'in-powder,' a little more), do the same that is done on the 1st hog day. Mix it evenly with the inoculator made on the 1st hog day.
  13. Move the mixture into a new earthenware barrel. If the barrel is not replaced, the booze will go sour.

    The 3rd hog day (Oct. 7, 1998, for example.) =

  14. On the day before the 3rd hog day, was 24 kg of chapssal rice and soak it overnight. On the 3rd hog day, drain, and steam it in a steaming sieve.
  15. Cool the steamed rice by spreading on a clean surface, while separately cooling down 18 liters of boiled water.
  16. Add 0.8 kg of crushed whole wheat malt to the steamed rice and mix them evenly. Prepare a clean new earthenware barrel, and move this mixture and what was made on the 2nd hog day together into the new barrel. Add about 17.5 liters of the boiled and cooled water.
  17. Wrap around the barrel with a thick layer of straw, completely seal the mouth, and bury the barrel under the ground. Cover the barrel with soil so it is not seen, and keep it as it is for 76 days.
  18. In 100 days after the first hog day, take out the barrel and scoop up using a strainer. About 36 liters of clear Samhae Ju will be produced.

Notes:

If it is to use on lunar new year day, you have to start on a hog day in late 9th lunar month. However, they usually start to make Samhae Ju in early winter. [Korean Winter usually arrives in late 10th lunar month, i.e. late November.]

This recipe was presented by Ms. Cho, Soon Ye at Youngdong-Ri, Songdong-Myon, Namwon-Koon, Cholla-book-Do and Mr. Lee, Yon Chae at Joongheung-Dong, Book-Ku, Kwangju City.


15. Bae Sool (Pear Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 3 kg
Pear 20 kg
Rice Wine 9 liters
Crushed whole barley malt 3 kg
Potable alcohol 300 g
Water 4 liters

Method:

  1. Wash well ripe pears cleanly, peel them, and cut them into think slices. Boil it in a pot, sieve it to get its juice, and contain the juice in an earthenware jar.
  2. Soak the crushed whole barley malt in the pear juice, when it is infused, sieve it.
  3. Save the liquid only.
  4. Steam chapssal and dry it for 1 to 2 hours.
  5. Add potable alcohol.
  6. Contain the mixture in an earthenware jar, and add rice wine.
  7. Brew it for about 3 days at 20 deg. to 30 deg. Celsius.
  8. After brewing, keep it in a cool place. Otherwise, it goes sour.

Notes:

Men and women of all ages can enjoy this. It is diuretic, and efficacious against asthma. It is milder and more comfortable for the stomach than other boozes.

This recipe was presented by Ms. Sohn, Yang Soon at Imjung-Ri, Tado-Myon, Naju-Koon, Cholla-nam-Do.


16. Huanggum Ju (Golden Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 15 kg
Crushed whole wheat malt 2.4 kg
Water 18 liters

Method:

  1. Make porridge with 3 kg of chapssal rice, and mix it crushed whole wheat malt evenly.
  2. Steam 11.3 kg of chapssal rice, and cool it completely.
  3. Mix the above evenly, put a little of the mixture in an earthenware barrel, and put a stainer in it.
  4. Cover the the strainer with a cloth, and carefully pour the rest of the mixture into the barrel (all outside of the strainer).
  5. Parch 700 g of chapssal rice at a dry pot to turn it yellowish, boil the parched rice with 9 liters of water, and cool down the mixture completely.
  6. Pour this mixture carefully into the barrel, so it all stay out of the strainer.
  7. After about 7 days, scoop out all the liquid inside the strainer, and contain in another eathenware barrel, seal it completely, and keep it at a shaded area for 20 days more.

Notes:

Golden Booze is called as such because its color is golden. It used to be used by 'yangban' (Korean aristocrats) families when hosting visitors.

This recipe was presented by Mr. Sohn, Dae Gon at Kyo-Dong, Miryang City, Kyongsang-nam-Do.


17. Doo-gyun Ju (Azalea Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 8 kg
Crushed whole wheat malt 2 kg
Edible Azalea (national flower of N. Korea) 9 kg
Water 40 liters

Method:

  1. Steam 2 kg of chapssal rice, cool it completely, mix it evenly with 2 kg, and brew the inoculator for about one week.
  2. Steam 6 kg of chapssal rice, cool it completely, and mix it with well dried azalea flower evenly.
  3. Mix it with the inoculator evenly, and brew it at room temperature (18-25 deg. C) for about 50 days.
  4. When it has been completely brewed, use a strainer and move all the liquid into another earthenware barrel, and ripen it for 20 to 30 days more.

Notes:

When one of the Koryo Dynasty's founding contributor Bok Ji Kyong was ailing with a lethal disease, his daughter Yung Rang prayed for 100 days and got a dream on the last day. In the dream did she get an inspiration by an 'immortal' that the only cure was this booze, that had to be brewed for 100 days and made from azalea flowers blooming in Mt. Ami and water from a spring called Ahnsam. The spring Ahnsam is now in Myonchun Elementary School. This recipe was designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 86-4, in 1986.

This recipe was presented by Mr. Park, Seung Kyoo at Sungsahng-Ri, Myonchun-Myon, Dangjin-Koon, Choongchung-nam-Do.


18. Insahm Dong-dong Ju (Ginseng Rice-floating Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 1.5 kg
Korean ginseng 10 roots
Whole wheat malt 2 lumps
Water 20 glasses

Method:

  1. Soak chapssal rice in water overnight, drain, and steam it in a steaming sieve.
  2. Crush whole wheat malt, infuse in water, sieve, and take the liquid for use.
  3. Mix steamed rice and malt infusion evenly, add well-sliced ginseng, and brew it for 2-3 days in summer, or about 7 days in cold winter.

Notes:

In Eusung Region of Choongchung-book-Do, they alternately use powdered ginseng.

This recipe was presented by Ms. Moon, Choon Ye at Shinyang-1-Ri, Sangkuk-Myon, Eumsung-Koon, Choongchung-book-Do and Ms. Lee, Soon Hee at Chonhyang-1-Ri, Kamchun-Myon, Yechon-Koon, Kyongsang-book-Do.


19. Dong-dong Ju (Rice-floating Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 15 kg
Crushed whole wheat malt 1.8 kg
Water 90 glasses

Method:

  1. Inoculator - Make porridge with 1.8 liters of chapssal rice and 5.4 liters of water, add 2.7 liters of crushed whole wheat malt, and brew the mixture in an earthenware barrel at a work section of a room for 3 days.
  2. Main brewing - Soak 16.2 liters of chapssal rice in water for one day, drain, steam it, and cool it completely. Mix it with the inoculater evenly. (All the steamed rice grains should be scattered one by one. If the amount of water is in balance, mixing hand sounds clicks lightly.) Move the mixture into an earthenware barrel batch by batch, and keep the barrel at a warm section of a room, with the lid open, for 10 days.
  3. Scooping - Boil 12.6 liters of water to 100 deg. C, cool it completely, and add into the brewing barrel. After three days more brewing, poke a strainer into the barrel, scoop out the liquid inside the strainer, and keep the liquid at a cool place. Next, boil 7.2 liters of water and repeat the procedure with the same thing in the brewing barrel. Next, boil 3.6 liters of water and do the same. Mix all three batches of liquid together, for its own taste.

Notes:

This recipe was presented by Ms. Chung, Jong Soon at Dugwol-Dong, Soonchun City, Cholla-nam-Do.

20. Daechoo Sool (Jujube Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 4 kg
Ordinary rice 4 kg
Crushed whole wheat malt 4 kg
Raw jujubes 2 kg
Pine needles 2 kg

Method:

  1. Mix chapssal rice and ordinary rice in equal parts, soak the mixture, drain, add a little pine needles, steam it, cool it completely so the steamed rice is scattered grain by grain.
  2. Mix steamed rice with crushed whole wheat malt evenly, put the mixture into an earthenware barrel, place all the pine needles on the top.
  3. Boil raw jujubes by long mild heating, and pour the liquid into the barrel. (If what you have is dried jujubes, the procedure is different.)
  4. Add water in twice the volume of boiled rice.
  5. Period of brewing differs according to whether and season. (Summer: 15 days. Winter: 20 days.)

Notes:

Jujube is a tonic to spleen and stomach. Chungjoo Tax Office has issued a permit for its manufacturing as a Medicinal Booze (Alcohol content 11%) on Jan. 8, 1992.

This recipe was presented by Suh, Jung Man at Sahnsung-Dong, Chungjoo City, Choongchung-book-Do.



21. Kyodong Bupju (Buddhists' Booze)

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 10 kg
Whole wheat malt 10 kg

Method:

  1. Soak 1 kg of chapssal rice overnight, and make porrige with it.
  2. Mix it with crushed whole wheat malt evenly, and brew the mixture for 1 week, to make it into inoculator.
  3. Soak the rest of chapssal rice overnight, drain, and steam it in a steaming sieve.
  4. Mix it with the inoculator evenly, brew the mixture in an earthenware barrel at room temperature for 1 week.
  5. Poke a strainer in the barrel, wait for 20 to 30 days more, scoop out the liquid inside the strainer, and ripen it in another container.

Notes:

This is the method of the Choe family originating from Kyongju. It tastes mild and smooth. There is little hangover, and digests well. Many people drink it during meal time.

This recipe was presented by Ms. Bae, Young Shin at Kyo-Dong, Kyongju City, Kyongsang-book-Do.


22. Kwaha Ju

Ingredients:

Chapssal rice (glutinous rice) 18 kg
Whole wheat malt 18 kg
Water 5 glasses
Chrysanthemum flower some
Dried mugwort leaves some

Method:

  1. Soak chapssal rice in watr for one day, drain, and steam it in a steaming sieve.
  2. Mix mum and mugwort and spread on a clean surface. Lay a layer of straw on it, and spread the steamed rice on it to cool it down.
  3. Crush whole wheat malt, soak it in water for one day, sieve it, and collect the liquid.
  4. Mix the malt infusion into the cooled steamed, put the mixture in a mortar, and pound it into rice dough.
  5. Cool the dough completely, put it in an earthenware barrel, and seal the mouth with a piece of mulberry paper. (Mulberry paper is traditional door paper made from a special kind of mulberry. Other paper can't be used because only mulberry paper allows the air out of the barrel.)
  6. Brew the mixture for 80 to 90 days.
  7. Without adding any more water, poke a strainer into the barrel and scoop out the clear liquid.

This recipe was presented by Ms. Kim, Ah Gee at Jidahng-Ri, Joosaeng-Myon, Namwon-Koon, Cholla-book-Do and Mr. Song, Jae Sung at Sungnae-Dong, Kimchuhn City, Kyongsang-book-Do.


About the three kinds of malt:

While translating, I used different wordings for the same thing. I don't know which style would be better for understanding. I summarize here the three different malts appearing in the recipes above.

Whole wheat malt - is for alcoholic brewing. Wheat grains are edible without milling, and whole wheat bread is edible, as you know. This style is the most widely used form of Mak-kul-le malt. The key material in it is the mold that grows there.

Barley grain malt - is for alcoholic brewing, too. Barley grains are not edible without milling. Barley grain malt is made from the barley grain peeled off. The key material in it is the mold that grows there, too.

Whole barley malt - is for sweetening of starch. It is actually live whole barley grain that has sprouted out by about 1/10 to 3/10 inch long. First, the live barley is a little moisturized. When it has sprouted out, it is dried up. The key material in it is the chemical in the barley grain that has been derived from the live barley grain while sprouting out.