Makgeolli Recipe: How to Make Fizzy Rice Wine at Home

Makgeolli (also spelled makkoli) is a cloudy, fizzy Korean rice wine. The alcoholic beverage is sometimes known as nongju, or “farmer liquor,” thanks to its main ingredient and history as an energizing midmorning refreshment for farmworkers. The relatively unfiltered drink has a tangy flavor thanks to lactobacillus (lactic acid bacteria), also found in yogurt.

To make this traditional Korean alcohol, combine cooked short-grain rice with a fermentation starter known as nuruk, a rice culture similar to Japanese koji. Nuruk is a crumbly, cakey mix of grains and water inoculated with yeast and beneficial bacteria. You can purchase nuruk in some Asian grocery stores or online.

Dongdongju is a drink named after the bits of soaked rice that float to the surface during fermentation. Also known as “young” makgeolli, it only ferments for a few days. Takju is a slightly less diluted version of the final makgeolli alcohol, with higher alcohol by volume (ABV).

Makgeolli and soju, the “national spirit” of Korea, may share space on the table at home and in Korean restaurants, but there are some key differences between these two alcoholic drinks.

• Alcohol content: Makgeolli is typically somewhere around seven to eight percent ABV, while the ABV of soju is twice that—hovering anywhere from sixteen to fifteen percent.
• Flavor profile: Soju comes in various flavors, with the most popular featuring fruit flavors like peach, grapefruit, and blueberry. Natural soju has a dry sweetness, not unlike vodka. Most makgeolli is a type of sweet rice wine. While sugar content varies by producer and the personal preference of the homebrewer, the average makgeolli has a creamy, pleasantly tangy sweetness (though many modern producers also offer fruity flavors too).
• Glassware: Sold in large-format plastic bottles in convenience stores all over Korea, imbibers traditionally decant makgeolli into shallow goblets to discourage separation of the liquid. Soju usually comes in a small cup the size of a shot glass.
• Ingredients: You can make makgeolli with two types of rice: mepssal (short-grain white rice) or chapssal (glutinous rice, also known as sticky rice or sweet rice). The former results in drier makgeolli, while the latter makes a sweeter brew, thanks to the higher amylopectin content. Soju, much like Japanese shochu, is a clear, distilled alcoholic beverage made from a wider range of ingredients, including rice, wheat, barley, and sweet potato.
• Look: Makgeolli has a cloudy, milky color like unfiltered Japanese sake, while soju is clear.

Makgeolli is a popular accompaniment for a wide range of Korean foods.

• Banchan: Serve makgeolli with an assortment of Korean appetizers and side dishes, like pickles, potato salad, or fried fishcakes.
• Buldak: Korean fire chicken goes best with a glass of cold, refreshing makgeolli.
• Crispy fried food: Light and crispy pajeon, a savory scallion pancake often made with mixed seafood (haemul pajeon), is a favorite pairing with this Korean alcohol.
• Other fermented foods: The mild sweetness of makgeolli perfectly contrasts the bold, spicy flavors of other fermented snacks, like kimchi.