KOREAN NAME: 삼양춘 약주 REVIEW: Although I still think takju has a lot to offer, these days I’m more interested in a brewery’s cheongju. Part of that is probably because it lasts longer and stores more easily. Anyway, when Samyangchoon Takju didn’t get me riled up, I still had hope for the cheongju. And, curious reader, I…
KOREAN NAME: 제주 오메기 맑은술 REVIEW: I may be biased about Jeju Omegi Malgeunsul (JOM): I didn’t love the bottle but I have very fond memories of visiting their charming brewery (a post on that some time soon, I hope!) which probably colors my take. What you need to understand about JOM is that it is…
KOREAN NAME: 중원 청명주 REVIEW: With the in-laws visiting the US again, I had another excuse to have them mule over some sool. I didn’t have time to do much research so I jumped at the first cheongju/yakju that I didn’t recognize. The bottle looked fancy and it came as a set! Then I saw the…
KOREAN NAME: 맑은 문희주 REVIEW: Have I been sool-deprived? There’s no question about it. The summer heat arrived before I could get to all my brewing equipment together and, being in the US, there is a conspicuous lack of makgeolli houses to visit or breweries that will deliver hand-crafted bottles of cheongju to my doorstep. But, what…
KOREAN NAME: 이상헌 약주 THOUGHTS: Way back at the 2016 14th Wines & Spirits Expo, I had one of those rare festival finds—a new bottle that made me take notice. Leegasoobul had all the hallmarks of a brewery just taking those fledgling steps toward something bigger. It’s hard to quantify what that is exactly but there was…
KOREAN NAME: 청진주 약주 REVIEW: If you attended the 3rd Jarasum Makgeolli Festival earlier this year, you may have noticed that under the same tent where the makgeolli-making classes were held, tucked behind the tables showcasing all the different bottles present at the festival, was a small corner for Cheongjinju, a yakju from the exquisitely named…
KOREAN NAME: 아황 약주 REVIEW: So far, the site has reviewed two bottles from Miin Brewery. Miin Takju, while not bad, is fairly forgettable apart from being a bit on the dry side. Miinju doesn’t stand out much either, but of the three, it’s probably the most balanced—the bottle to reach for if you’re looking for something for…
KOREAN NAME: 두루 석탄주 REVIEW: As I mentioned in my review for Duru Samseon Takju, the one and only time I have encountered Duru Brewery was at the 15th Seoul International Wines & Spirits Expo earlier this year. It’s a shame because Duru has something special and I’m guessing most people have never heard of them. It…
KOREAN NAME: 자희향 국화주 REVIEW: Jaheehyang is on a shortlist of brewers (Midam, Joeunsul, and Ye-sul are the others that round off that list) that I turn to when I want to introduce people to sool beyond the decent store-bought stuff like Neurin Maeul or Yetnal. I already sang Jaheehyang’s praises when I reviewed their takju but…
KOREAN NAME: 천비향 약주 THOUGHTS: Two years ago, I started branching out from makgeolli, looking for what sool lay beyond. One of my first finds on this foray was a cheongju called Gotaek Chapssal Saengju, and simply put, I was blown away. Gotaek rapidly became a staple on nights out: boozy, tasty, and infinitely drinkable. And then…
takjoo journals 