How many have heard of soju? Unlikely. However, this is the most beloved and honored alcoholic drink among the Korean peoples. It is not as famous as, for example, sake or tequila, schnapps. Nevertheless, it is exported to 80 countries. What is so famous for Korean vodka in their homeland?
So what is soju?
Soju is a type of vodka that is of Korean origin. It is completely different from other vodka drinks, so it is impossible to confuse it with others. So what is soju?
- It is a clear liquid. Perhaps this is her only resemblance to Russian vodka.
- This is a sweet drink with a clear smell of alcohol.
- The mass fraction of alcohol in alcohol is insignificant, from 16% to 45%.
From Korean, "soju" is translated as "fiery alcohol."
A drink with history
According to Korean history, soju appeared on the territory of the country in the XIV century. At that time, the country was ruled by the Mongol peoples, who belligerently invaded Korea.
The Mongolian peoples brought with them their own national drink, arak-anise vodka, and also taught the Koreans how to distill it. Over time, the arak rooted, slightly modified and became modern Korean vodka.
Keson was the first place in Korea where the production of the drink began. Since then, everyone has called vodka in this area arak-ju. Folk soju is the favorite alogol of the local population in the south and north of Korea.
How is a drink made?
The production side is also very interesting. A traditional Korean drink is made from cereals - rice, barley or wheat. But there is a temporary failure in the history of soju (1965-1991), when such a formulation of production was banned in order to save state funds. The fact is that the same rice in Korea is more expensive than outside.
During the ban, the Koreans found a way out of the situation. They began to dilute ethyl alcohol with various sweet flavored drinks. In modern Korea, vodka production has returned to its original source. Soju "linden" is still produced, but not in such quantities as before (about 35%).
Recently, low-degree vodka (less than 18% alcohol) is gaining popularity in the country. This is not to combat alcoholism. The thing is that the bars are visited by workers along with their superiors. And so it is accepted that the leader must drink with his subordinates in order to have a good, working relationship. So that alcohol doesn’t hit the head, vodka is ordered with a low degree.
But how is the preparation of the drink:
- Manufacturers of traditional Korean alcohol are forced to save, so rice is often replaced with other bases: tapioca and sweet potatoes.
- The prepared raw materials are crushed and squeezed, water and malt are added.
- The following is the digestion process.
- After this, distillation is carried out. A distillation cube is used for this process.
- The final step is cleansing. As a filter, bamboo charcoal is used.
How to drink soju?
Due to their specificity and obvious taste difference from the same Russian vodka, they use soju in a slightly different way than other strong drinks. You can drink a Korean drink in different ways:
- poured vodka into small piles and consumed in pure form;
- the temperature of the drink should be from 16 about to 20 about . You can order a drink in two versions: cold or heated. If soju is cold, then you can drink it in one gulp, if warm, then in small sips. Heated Korean vodka in order to speed up the process of intoxication;
- lovers of sweet dilute soju with tonic, sugar syrup, sweet lemonade and more.
Another difference between Korean vodka and its strong counterparts is that they usually do not drink soju in one gulp. This is considered bad manners and disrespect for the people. On this occasion, the Koreans even developed a whole drinking ceremony:
- Pour vodka into small piles, holding the bottle with both hands. And pouring soju on your own is a bad manners, so the person pouring it passes the bottle to another.
- Until the stack is empty, it is impossible to add a new portion.
- You need to drink soju in small sips (taste allows). But, if the whole company does not mind, then the first glass can be drunk with one sip.
- If young people participate in the feast, then they drink soju, turning away from the elders. Drinking in front of older people is considered disrespectful.
- It is customary to have a Korean shot of vodka with hearty drinks: meat, salads, fish.
Real Korean men like to drink vodka as follows: a glass full of soju, put beer mugs at the bottom and drink in one sip. Anyway, Koreans are lovers of alcoholic beverages. More than a billion bottles are sold annually in the country. Moreover, women in terms of the amount of drunk soju are not inferior to men.
How does it taste?
The taste of soju is sweetish, but the smell is pure alcohol. Vodka base is rice or sweet potato. When a drink gets inside, it does not burn, as happens with the usual vodka, but warms and relaxes. Remains a pleasant, but with nothing comparable aftertaste, a little tart. If you pour soju in a glass to a person who has never tasted this drink, and do not say what it is, he will not immediately realize that he drank alcohol, it is so sweet. The only thing that can give this vodka is its aroma.
Those who tried the first glass of vodka soju note that it is impossible to fully convey their feelings, because the taste does not look like anything. Due to its "weakness" and sweet taste, Korean vodka is more to the liking of women. Men prefer a high degree of a drink, so they drink soju as part of the local Poktanju cocktail or, as the inhabitants of Russia call it, the “Russian ruff”.
Where else do they drink Korean vodka?
In Korea, soju is a valuable drink that Koreans drink with pleasure. You can meet vodka outside the country, but not so often and not everywhere. In China, there is also the production of soju, but only the Korean peoples brew it.
You can hop over from a degree of vodka in Canada. In this country, vodka is not produced, but you can buy it in some stores or try it in a real Korean restaurant. There is also Korean vodka in the United States. Moreover, for its sale requires a regular wine license, while for strong alcohol additional documents are needed. Such loyalty depends on the degree of vodka, as they say in common people, if the mass fraction of alcohol is not more than 30%. In US bars, they make a lot of cocktails based on soju.
Conclusion
Now lovers of travel can see and even try another Korean attraction - this is soju. Unusual taste, unlike anything, is of interest to foreign tourists. Perhaps this drink will soon gain popularity and will be actively exported to European countries. But in the meantime, you can be content with unusual vodka in its historical homeland.