Everything You Need to Know About the Korean Rice Wine

As U.S. drink lovers become better acquainted with categories like sake and shochu, a wealth of newly available options originating from East Asian drinking traditions has presented itself stateside with the wider availability of wines and spirits like soju, baiju, and umeshu. Among these is makgeolli, a centuries-old Korean beverage made from grains — typically rice — fermented with water and yeast, that’s been enjoying a craft revival in its home country. Now, owing to a new crop of dedicated craft producers, the drink is increasingly making its way to the Americas. 

What is makgeolli?

It’s important to recognize that makgeolli falls under the overall category of sool, says Alice Jun, founder of Hana Makgeolli in Brooklyn. 

“Sool is the term for alcohol in general, and the best descriptor for all Korean alcohols whether fermented or distilled,” says Jun. Makgeolli in particular is “technically a sedimented Korean rice wine.” 

Makgeolli can be made from wheat, barley, millet, sorghum, or other alternative grains, but the majority of the products available today are rice-based. The drink is made by fermenting rice, water, and nuruk, a grain cake with bacteria and yeast that jump-starts the fermentation process. 

The undiluted result is known as wonju, and the rice sediment settles into a layer called takju (which means “cloudy alcohol”). Diluted, takju becomes makgeolli, but Jun says the amount of sediment left in the makgeolli is up to the producer. Makgeolli’s alcohol content is low, typically from under 10% to around 15% ABV.

The tradition of making makgeolli is over 2,000 years old but faced nearly insurmountable obstacles in the twentieth century when it was banned during the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula until 1945. 

Makgeolli’s modern revival 

Some production began again after that ban was lifted, but then grain shortages during the Korean War prompted the government to forbid the use of rice in alcohol. In the decades that followed, the makgeolli on the market was made with other starches and was often sweetened and artificially flavored. This fostered an impression of makgeolli as cheap and mass-market which also in part drew younger generations to imports like Japanese beer instead.

In recent years, however, these younger consumers have become interested in drinking traditions of Korea’s past, and have started to investigate how authentic makgeolli can be made. A new makgeolli scene has since emerged, with craft breweries and makgeolli bars blossoming across Korea. There are breweries like Hanayangjo in Seoul and Geumjeong Sanseong Makgeolli in Busan, and bars like Mukjeon and Makgeolli Salon. Now, purveyors like Hana Makgeolli, ANGMA Traditional Craft, and Màkku have brought this embrace of natural makgeolli stateside.

What does makgeolli taste like?

“In simplest terms, makgeolli tastes like sake, but more casual or unrefined with a creamier mouthfeel, and a bit of sweetness,” says Carol Pak, CEO and founder of Màkku. “[It’s] rice-forward, with tart notes that come from lactobacilli and a creamy mouthfeel that comes from the starch in the rice — unlike sake, we do not polish any of the rice for makgeolli. Fruity notes are also common, a byproduct of the fermentation process.” 

Jun explains those fruity characteristics are the result of esterification. When the yeast converts the grain’s sugars into alcohol, it creates fruity flavor compound byproducts called esters. The microbes from the nuruk during fermentation also lend a touch of acidity, and the entire fermentation process results in light effervescence. Makgeolli’s remaining sediment balances that acidity and effervescence with a silky, sweet, almost milky texture.

“Before shaking the bottle, you can see that there is a good amount of sediment that settles on the bottom with a clearer liquid on top,” says Keeyoung Kim, owner of Chingu, a Korean restaurant in Kansas City that serves makgeolli and also started making its own soju. “But when shaken, the result is a cloudy liquid that almost resembles a hazy beer.” While you wouldn’t shake a beer, you do gently shake makgeolli before pouring.

From that common profile, brewers can put their own spins on makgeolli.

“Makgeolli has a range of flavors and textures depending on who is brewing it and their flavor preferences,” says Jhonel Faelnar, beverage director at New York City Korean restaurant Atoboy. “Some are tart and acidic with a decidedly sharper mouthfeel and others can be soft and smooth on the palate. Dilution also plays a strong part, along with added flavors and sugar, depending on the desired final style.”

Atoboy serves Hana Makgeolli, and the brand’s range of expressions offer a glimpse at this potential for differentiation within the category. Their signature Makgeolli, Takju 16, is floral and melon-forward. 

Yakju 14 is made from the clarified portion of that initial brew (called yakju) and aged for three weeks to create a light-bodied, dry, citrusy, and grainy finish. Other expressions are infused with hydrangea leaves and chrysanthemum flowers, steeped with elderflower, or made with sweet brown or black rice.

How to drink makgeolli

When it comes to enjoying makgeolli, Jun stresses the drink’s laid-back, convivial spirit. 

“People come into the tasting room and say, ‘Oh, what are the rules?’” she says. “And it’s just, drink it with people you love and drink it with food.”

Basically, there’s “not a lot of pomp and circumstance,” says Hana Makgeolli head bartender Molly McClintock. Makgeolli is versatile and approachable. To drink it straight, McClintock simply recommends pouring a chilled bottle. “If you have smaller ceramics available, that’s a great serving mechanism,” she adds. 

“Traditionally, makgeolli is enjoyed from aluminum bowls and served from aluminum kettles to maintain its cool temperature,” says Dustin Donghyuk Lee, owner of Los Angeles Korean restaurant and “modern sool jib” (Korean drinking destination) Jilli. 

At Chingu, the team uses gold-colored, aluminum, shallow bowls that they store in the freezer, which Kim says creates “an amazing first sip experience.”

Makgeolli’s modern age and expansion across dining and drinking hot spots showcase the versatility Jun and McClintock mention. Jilli and Atoboy both utilize wine glasses, which Faelnar believes is especially good for highlighting makgeolli’s aromas. Though more of a recommendation than a rule, the general consensus is makgeolli should be chilled — Pak recommends serving it at 45–55° F — and the bottle should be shaken to stir up the sediment. Màkku has opted for another contemporary twist on makgeolli, marketing their offerings in single-serve cans rather than the traditional bottles.

But makgeolli can also be a team player. Faelnar says it can replace vermouth or wine in a cocktail. Adding bitter-leaning ingredients like amaro plays off makgeolli’s sweetness, while tonic water or sparkling water amplifies its natural carbonation.

Fruit juices can lend even more complexity to the drink’s natural esters, and less conventional cocktail elements like rice vinegar or soy sauce can round makgeolli out with savory qualities, umami, and a heightened acidic bite. Steve Choi, owner of C as in Charlie and Kisa restaurants in New York City, both of which serve White Lotus makgeolli, likes pairing the drink with fruity ingredients. He also suggests playing up makgeolli’s wine-like qualities by combining it with various fresh fruits for a modified take on sangria.

How to pair makgeolli with food

Makgeolli is surprisingly versatile to pair with anything from raw seafood to cheese platters.

Hana’s Takju 16, for example, has richness and body and a bit of sweetness but is also quite dry, Jun says. “I think the most obvious pairing is any cuisine that’s herbaceous, like Middle Eastern dishes that involve a lot of fresh green herbs.”

McClintock points out that makgeolli can easily be incorporated into dishes, and cites a friend’s scallop crudo made with Hwaju 12 as a base, and Yakju 14 as an oyster mignonette. 

Sparkling makgeolli like Màkku plays well with any dish you might crack open a beer for, like pizza, burgers, or fried chicken. For example, Faelner loves makgeolli with a spicy pepperoni pizza, and, of course, with Atoboy’s fried chicken.

Naturally, makgeolli is a go-to for Asian fare, especially Korean dishes. Faelnar recommends jeon, or Korean pancakes, and the “various incarnations from pajeon (scallion pancakes) to kimchi jeon to yukjeon (meat pancakes).”

“Interestingly, there’s a cultural tradition where people drink makgeolli with pancakes, particularly during rainy weather,” says Choi, who also favors this pairing. “[It] dates back to a time when farmers couldn’t work in the rain, so they would gather together to enjoy makgeolli and pancakes until the rain stopped.”

Makgeolli’s sweetness is a particularly good foil to the heat of spicy dishes. Kim suggests tteokbokki, fried chicken with gochujang-garlic sauce, and jeyuk bokkeum (stir-fried spicy pork). “Recently, a friend made me some mapo-tofu and went heavy on the mala, and the makgeolli was a great balance.”