Soju: a guide to alcohol
What is soju
Soju is a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage, "Korean vodka". It is distinguished from the usual one by its strength, which varies from 13% to 45% by volume., and the most popular options have about 20% by volume, as well as the raw materials used.
Soju is a clear, sweetish drink that has a characteristic smell of alcohol and aroma of additional ingredients. As mentioned above, the strength of soju is far from the usual vodka, so the culture of drinking this drink is somewhat different - it is drunk in its pure form from small glasses, with a serving temperature of about 16-20°C. Often, the drink is diluted with tonic, sugar syrup or lemonade, and flavor bitters made from melon, watermelon or lemon can be added.
During the famine years in Korea, it was forbidden to make soju from rice to save food, so sweet potatoes were put into production. And, despite the fact that soju made from rice, barley and wheat is of higher quality, many producers continue to follow the tradition of using potatoes and sweet potatoes.
How soju is made
Soju production technology is simple. Starch-containing raw materials (sweet potatoes, rice or other grains) are fermented and distilled, after which the resulting alcohol is diluted with water to the required strength, syrups and flavorings are added. In general, the word soju is translated from Korean as "flaming alcohol", which hints at the traditional way of producing the drink - by distillation on a distillation cube.
Soju in the world
A person unfamiliar with the taste of soju is unlikely to believe that the Korean drink is recognized as the most popular in the world. For example, the English edition of Drinks International puts Jinro's soju in the first place with a significant margin over Smirnoff vodka, with soju also taking the third place. In 2014, Jinro was named the world's best-selling alcohol brand.
In Korea itself, soju consumption reaches fantastic levels, but this drink is not so well known in the world. In China, it is produced by ethnic Koreans, while in the United States and Canada it is not produced at all. However, the popularity of soju in North America is growing every year, as there is a relaxation in the sale of strong alcohol - a license to sell beer and wine is enough.
How to drink soju
Koreans turn even an ordinary soju feast into a ceremony, following certain rules:
Pour soju with two hands.
You can't pour it yourself, it should be done by the owner of the house or a waiter.
Soju is drunk in small sips, soju is rarely drunk in a gulp and only with the consent of all participants in the feast.
It is forbidden to refill soju, you must first completely empty the stack.
Young people turn away from older people while drinking.
What to drink soju with
Many appetizers are suitable for soju, for example, salads, chicken and fish, meat and cheese plates, and the drink goes well with traditional Korean cuisine. Soju is a sweet drink, but it is not recommended to drink it with desserts.
Vzboltai also offers to try the well-known Pontakju cocktail: a stack of soju is poured into a glass of beer and drunk in one gulp. It resembles the Russian "Yersha", but you need to remember that the strength of the most popular variant of soju is 20% by volume.
Update: 04.09.2021
Category: Vodka an Moonshine