Soju
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 Bottle of Chamisul soju with branded glass |
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Soju is a distilled beverage native to Korea and traditionally made from rice. Most brands of modern soju are now made in South Korea, supplementing or even replacing the rice with other starches such as potato, wheat, barley, sweet potato, or tapioca (called dangmil in Korean). Soju is clear in color and typically varies in alcohol content from about 20% to about 45% alcohol by volume (ABV), with 20% ABV being most common. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to the addition of sugar in the manufacturing process.
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[edit] Soju in Korea
[edit] History
Soju was first distilled around A.D. 1300 during the Mongol war with Korea. The Mongols had acquired the technique of distilling arak from the Persians[1] during their invasion of Central Asia/Middle East around 1256, then it was subsequently introduced to Koreans and distilleries were set up around the city of Kaesong (hangul: 개성). Indeed, in the area surrounding Kaesong, soju is known as arak-ju (hangul: 아락주).[2]
From 1965 until 1991, in order to alleviate rice shortages, the Korean government prohibited the traditional direct distillation of soju from fermented grain. Instead, highly distilled ethanol from any source was mixed with water and flavorings to create diluted soju. Although the prohibition has now been lifted, cheap soju continues to be made this way. The Korean government regulates the alcohol content of diluted soju to less than 35%.
Several regions have resumed manufacturing soju from the traditional distillation of grain, resulting in distilled soju. The soju from Andong is the most famous of all, with an ABV around 45%.
[edit] Brands
Jinro is the largest manufacturer of soju (70 million cases sold in 2004). The most popular variety of soju is currently Chamisul (참이슬 - literally meaning "real dew"), a quadruple-filtered soju produced by Jinro, but recently Cheoum Cheoreom (처음처럼 - literally meaning "like the first time") of Doosan (두산) is raising its market share. However, the most popular brands vary by region. In Busan, Siwon Soju (시원 소주) is the local and most popular brand. In Gyeongsangnam-do and Ulsan, the most popular is White soju (hangul: 화이트 소주), produced by Muhak in Masan. However, as soon as one crosses the border from Ulsan north to Gyeongju in Gyeongsangbuk-do, it is almost impossible to buy White Soju and instead the most popular is Cham.
[edit] Etiquette
- Soju is usually drunk in group gatherings while eating, unmixed and portioned into individual shot glasses.
- It is against traditional custom in Korea to fill one's own glass. Instead, it must be filled by someone else at the table. This promotes a spirit of thoughtfulness and camaraderie.
- To pour a drink, hold the bottle in the right hand with the left hand touching the right forearm or elbow; this peculiar arm position originated from the practice of holding back the sleeve of the hanbok so that it wouldn't touch the table or the food. When receiving a drink, rest the glass in the left palm and hold it with the right hand, perhaps bowing the head slightly to show additional respect.
- Koreans say "one shot", a challenge to down your glass in one gulp.
- A glass should not be refilled unless completely empty and should be promptly refilled once empty; it is considered rude to not fill others' glass when empty
- Some special rules apply when drinking with someone of much higher status, i.e. greater age or rank.
- When drinking in front of elders (people older than you), you should always turn away from the elder first. Drinking the shot while directly facing the elder is disrespectful.
- If an elder gives an empty soju shotglass (usually his/hers) to you, it means that the person is going to fill the glass and wants you to drink it. You do not have to drink it bottoms up, but at least you have to act as if you are drinking it (sipping is okay). If you do drink the entire glass, then return the empty glass back to the senior who gave it to you. You are not supposed to return it immediately, but holding it for a long time is considered rude.
- In Korean culture, using two hands to offer and accept items is considered an act of great respect. Accordingly, if one's glass is going to be filled by a superior, one should hold the glass with both hands. Similarly, when pouring soju for an elder, one holds the bottle with both hands.
- Among friends of equal social status, it is not necessary to use both hands while pouring or receiving a drink, but may be done out of habit or politeness.
[edit] Consumption
Although beer, whisky, and wine have been gaining popularity in recent years, soju remains one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Korea because of its ready availability and relatively low price. More than 3 billion bottles were consumed in South Korea in 2004.[3] In 2006, it was estimated that the average adult Korean (older than 20) had consumed 90 bottles of soju during that year, with each bottle equivalent to seven shots.[4]
Despite tradition, soju is not always consumed in unmixed form. A poktanju (lit: "bomb drink,") consists of a shot glass of soju dropped into a pint of draft beer (like a boilermaker) and is drunk quickly. The reverse equivalent, a shot glass of draft beer dropped into a pint of soju, is called suso poktanju (lit: "hydrogen bomb drink").
For younger Koreans (especially women) who consider regular soju too strong, there is "cocktail soju", which is diluted with fruit juice or soft drinks (usually Chilsung Cider similar to Sprite), sometimes additionally flavored with drink-mix powder or bingsu syrup. The most popular version, "lemon soju", tastes like lemonade and is made by mixing one part soju with two parts Chilsung Cider and adding lemonade powder; other variations include apple soju, melon soju, yogurt soju, mango soju, and grape soju. Several bars, particularly those catering to younger people and foreigners, serve these concoctions in communal "soju kettles" similar to the "buckets" commonly available in Thailand: the upper tapered section of an empty 2 liter plastic bottle is cut off; the remaining cylindrical "kettle" is filled with a mixture of soju, Chilsung Cider, and Kool-Aid; and several drinking straws are left to protrude from the top for individual access.
[edit] Soju in the United States
The liquor licensing laws in the states of California and New York classify soju in the same category as beer and wine, allowing businesses with a beer/wine license to sell it without requiring the more expensive license required for other distilled spirits. The only stipulation is that the soju must be clearly labelled as such and contain less than 25% alcohol.
This has led to the appearance in the United States of many soju-based equivalents of traditional Western mixed drinks normally based on vodka or similar spirits, such as the soju martini and the soju cosmopolitan. Another consequence is that the manufacturers of similar distilled spirits from other parts of Asia, such as Japanese shochu, have begun to relabel their products as soju for sale in those regions.
[edit] See also
Soju is sometimes mistakenly referred to as cheongju (청주), a Korean rice wine similar to sake. Mass produced soju is similar to Chinese baijiu, a grain liquor, and Shōchū, a Japanese beverage.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Moving Beyond the Green Blur: a History of Soju. Retrieved on 2008-01-19.
- ^ History of Soju (Korean). Doosan Encyclopeida.
- ^ 3.05 billion bottles were reported sold in 2004, up from previous years. Cigarette Sales Surge to Historic High. Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved on June 29, 2005.
- ^ Let's Have a Soju Tonight. KBS World. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
[edit] External links
- Andong Soju
- Doosan Soju
- Jinro Soju's English-language web page
- Marketplace Report – soju sidesteps US liquor laws
