| Munbaeju | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 문배주 |
| Hanja | 문배酒 |
| Revised Romanization | Munbaeju |
| McCune–Reischauer | Munpaechu |
Munbaeju is a Korean traditional distilled liquor produced in South Korea and is considered to be one of the finest Korean spirits. Its name consists of the two words; munbae (문배), which means "wild pear" (Pyrus ussuriensis var. seoulensis),[1] and ju (주; 酒), meaning "alcohol". It is given this name because the wine has a fruity scent of the wild pear, although no pear is used in its production.
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Munbaeju is brewed from wheat, hulled millet, Indian millet, and a fermentation starter (nuruk; 누룩), then distilled.
Although it is South Korea's "Important Intangible Cultural Property Number 86-1", it originated from North Korea's Pyeongyang. Its origins are traced to the Goryeo Dynasty. The water used to produce Munbaeju comes from the Taedong River. A royal subject of Wang Geon presented him with home-brewed munbaeju, which his family had made with a secret recipe for generations. Wang Geon was so impressed with its taste, that he gave the subject a high-ranking position in the government. Ever since this event, Munbaeju was a wine drunk by kings, and is commonly served to important foreign dignitaries during welcoming receptions.[2]