South Korea is not only known for famous K Pop groups, but also for its cuisine and especially for an alcoholic drink which is almost mandatory to try when you visit this place and it has become very popular all over the world.
Soju is the tequila of South Korea, since it is the alcoholic beverage that represents this country and that is even already sold in several countries or there are companies that are dedicated to exporting the bottles and that is how they are marketed. if you’re wondering what is this product made of, Here we tell you.
Origin of Soju
It is believed that this drink was created during the Mongolian war with Korea and that the Mongols had the distilling technique of arak, a popular drink among the Persians. It was so that the Koreans used it while building distilleries.
Gradually the soju became mvery popular in the country and nowadays it has become very important in South Koreaso much so that there are ways to drink this drink.
What is soju made of?
As you read, soju is obtained from a distillate, but you may wonder what it is and the answer is rice. At first this distillate was made with water, rice and nuruk, which is a type of wheat bran, but when the war started, the authorities banned soju It was made with rice due to lack of food and it was then that it was replaced by potatoes, barley, sweet potatoes or cassava.
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This product, although at first glance it seems “harmless”, care must be taken when consuming it, since it has an alcohol content that goes from 20 to 45 percent, however, 20 is the most common.
For many, the taste of soju is similar to that of vodka, although a little sweeter, this due to the sugars that are released at the time of processing.
How to drink soju?
The correct way to drink it is to serve it cold in small glass glasses, similar to tequila shot glasses. It should never be drunk directly from the bottle.
Koreans usually consume it to accompany certain types of food such as meat, its traditional barbecue or soups. Also, the largest member of the group who is going to drink soju must serve everyone.
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The ritual consists in that once the drink has been served, the person must hold the glass with both hands and turn his head a little, in order not to make eye contact with the person who served the drink. This is mainly done with older people, but among friends it is rare for this to be done.
Although it is mainly drunk alone, there are places where cocktails are already made containing soju and even vodka is substituted for this drink.
PJG