makgeolli-makkoli-blog

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Minecraft 1.11.2 6_12_2017 11_18_34 PM

The makgeolli Minecraft project is complete. Here’s a virtual tour. more structures to come in the future

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The makgeolli industry faced multiple hurdles in the 1900s. In 1906, when Korea was under Japanese occupation, a high tax was placed on alcohol, and unlicensed brewing was banned. However, due to its relatively simply brewing process, makgeolli continued to be made during this time.

In 1965 (following the Korean War), the government banned the use of rice for brewing alcohol. In response, brewers began using flower instead. This new makgeolli was popular in the 1960s and 70s. Once the ban was lifted, brewers switched back to using rice. However, they often used old or cheap rice, leading to a low quality drink. As a result, public interest in makgeolli declined, and wasn’t reignite until very recently.

source: Korean Wines and Spirits: Drinks That Warm the Soul by Robert Koehler

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As Makgeolli changes and reaches more people, there are modern changes to adding and creating delicious flavors for more palates. We hope you enjoy this video and exploring more from this Youtube series.

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Established in 1925, Jipyeong Brewery is one of the oldest currently running breweries in Korea. The brewery survived despite the harsh alcohol taxes passed during Japanese occupation, as well the rice wine ban passed during World War 2., and has been owned by the same family for the past 60 years. Unlike many buildings of its time, which were built in a purely Japanese style, this building incorporates aspects of the traditional Korean hanok.

Image sources:http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_business/742741.html

http://www.withbuyer.com/news/view.asp?idx=11460

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Art and music embrace the world and communication. Busker Busker is a band in South Korea and pay tribute to Makgeolli and life through their music.

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This video follows a man exploring the cultural aspects of makgeolli and social drinking.

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It’s easy to find

Today you can buy makgeolli from local convenient stores, showcasing its ease of accessibility in modern times.

They can also be ordered in restaurants and cafes

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This video shows the changes from traditional makgeolli to newer, flavored forms of makgeolli.

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For more information on the health benefits of makgeolli, watch this video!

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There were several types of taverns in the Joseon era. One of the common kinds was the jumak, which was frequented by commoners. Urban jumaks often only provided liquor, while jumaks in the countryside would sometimes provide food and a place to sleep. According to Chung Yeong-Sik, the general custom was that if the customer bought a drink, they would be served a side dish. If they ordered a meal, they would be offered a place to stay. By the late nineteenth century, customers often had to bring their own food and bedding.

Many modern day makgeolli bars uphold the tradition of serving snacks to customers who order drinks.

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During the Joseon era, makgeolli was very popular with farmers, while the elite drank other alcohol such as soju. They brewed it in their homes and brought it with them to fields to have with lunch. The house is based off a modern reconstruction of a Joseon-era  commoner house from the Korea Folk Village in Gyeonggi-do. 

The photographs  used were taken by Dave Kennard

The painting is from Chun Yeong-Sik’s essay  Liquor and Taverns

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The Hallyu Wave

The Hallyu wave or Korean wave plays a significant role in the spreading of Korean culture to other areas of the world.  Hallyu refers to the phenomenon of South Korean pop culture and entertainment that has become immensely popular internationally. Because of this, many people around the world are becoming interested in not just entertainment, but also the culture and traditions of South Korea, especially the cuisine.  

Korean pop music groups are huge influences in attracting people to South Korean culture.

as well as television dramas and movies

Many of these popular actors and singers are used in commercials to promote food and drink, especially alcohol.

We can see here that the influence of celebrities and pop culture can also initiate an interest in the traditions of a country.  And in this case, Korean cuisine has gained much interest from many different people around the world, especially the younger generations, due to the Hallyu wave.

credits to: Korea.net - http://www.korea.net/Government/Current-Affairs/Korean-Wave?affairId=471

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Brewing: Past to Present

In the past, traditional makgeolli brewing relied less on technology and more on things like the environmental temperature to complete the full process. Instead of using an electric drier to dehydrate the rice, the rice was likely left in a hot dry place which likely took longer to reach the same desired effect. Also, since modern refrigeration and heating was not available, the temperatures needed to dry the rice or keep the jar of makgeolli cool during fermentation were reached by keeping the mixture in varying locations, such as in direct sunlight or in a cool cellar.

Modern inventions have allowed the brewing process to be sped up and standardized, which has also made it more accessible for individuals to make it instead of needing a larger group of people to produce the makgeolli.

https://youtu.be/cO2s1TavdAE

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Who produced alcohol in the Koryo Dynasty?

Literary sources indicate that makgeolli was consumed during the Koryo Dynasty. But who made it? According to Korea’s National Institute of Cultural Heritage, alcohol was made and distributed by state-run taverns and Buddhist temples, although scholar Sem Vermeersh identifies 3 points during this time where laws were passed to ban temples from distributing alcohol. So it appears that, in the Koryo Dynasty, alcohol, and potentially makgeolli, was made and distributed by government institutions.

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The television drama Cinderella’s Sister depicts the story of a family’s struggle to keep their small makgeolli factory running against the competition of a big corporation. Romance and melodrama are the constant themes within the show. While the makgeolli factory is an important element to the story, it is easy to see that the romance and angst, in conjunction with the drama surrounding the makgeolli factory, plays a big role in grabbing the attention of the audience. We can see here how makgeolli is used in different forms of media to promote the drink.

≪ 신데렐라 언니≫ episode 1

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Makgeolli in early literature: Koryo(Goryeo) Dynasty

“In the old wandering, carefree days,

makkolli was my regular drink,

and if, on occasion, I got clear wine,

I couldn’t resist the glow of a binge.

But when I rose to high station,

there was no reason to have makkolli.

Now I’m old and retired, my stipend is reduced,

the rice bin is often empty.

Good wine is a commodity that comes and goes,

and makkolli occasions are starting to grow.

Makkolli lies on the stomach;it clogs the digestion;

Now I know the evils of cheap wine.

Du Fu claimed, though I didn’t understand at the time,

that makkolli is a receptacle for the sublime.

i understand now:

personality is colored by living standards;

food follows status;

how could likes and dislikes be of consequence?

Thus I tell my wife to be frugal with what goes out,

no matter how much is coming in,

and when she fills the wine-jar I tell her

not to fill it with water-clear wine”

-Makkolli Song by Yi Kyubo, early 13th century. (translation from The Book of Korean Poetry: Songs of Shilla and Koryeo by Kevin O’Rourke)

Several writings from the Koryo dynasty(918-1392), such as the above poem, make reference to makgeolli. Kyubo’s piece establishes makgeolli as a drink consumed by the working class, while the upper class enjoys the superior “clear wine”.

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Modern Brewing

Commercially made makgeolli is now widely available, and has been formulated to have uniformity in the drink.

In contrast to the standardized and large batch makgeolli, contemporary home brewing and specialized makgeolli have become more popular in recent years. This has included using sweeteners or other additives to create different flavors and colors allowing for unique, less traditional versions of makgeolli to be made both in the home and a mass-produced scale.