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Soju

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Soju
File:Soju jinro gfdl.jpg
Bottle of Chamisul soju with a branded glass.
Korean name
Hangul
소주
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSoju
McCune–ReischauerSoju

Soju (Hangul 소주; Hanja 燒酒) is a distilled beverage's native name for shōchū in Korea. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to sugars added in the manufacturing process. It is usually consumed neat.

Most brands of soju are made in South Korea. Though it is traditionally made from rice, most modern producers of soju use supplements or even replace rice with other starches, such as potatoes, wheat, barley, sweet potatoes, or tapioca.

Soju is clear and colorless. Its alcohol content varies from about 16.7%, to about 45% alcohol by volume (ABV) for traditional Andong soju[1], with 20% ABV being most common. It is widely consumed, in part, because of its relatively low price in Korea. A typical 300mL bottle of soju costs the consumer 1,000 to 3,000 South Korean Won in South Korea (roughly $1 to $3 United States Dollars). In the USA, it tends to cost substantially more – $5 or more.

Etymology

Soju 燒酒, literally means "burned liquor". In 2008 the word soju entered the Merriam-Webster Dictionary[2][3], Merriam-Webster dates the word's appearance in the American English lexicon at 1978.

Korea

Cookeries (Soju gori, 소줏고리) in the center, and different shaped hangari, 항아리) for making traditional soju

Soju was first distilled around 13th century during the Mongol invasions of Korea. The Mongols had acquired the technique of distilling arak (aragh) from the Persians (Iran)[4] 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. Indeed, in the area surrounding Kaesong, soju is known as arak-ju (hangul: 아락주).[5]

From 1965 until 1999, in order to alleviate rice shortages, the Korean government prohibited the traditional distillation of soju from rice. Instead, highly distilled ethanol from sweet potatoes and tapioca was mixed with water, flavoring, and sweetener to create soju.[4] Although the prohibition has been lifted, cheap soju continues to be made this way. The Korean government regulates the alcohol content of diluted soju to less than 35%,[citation needed] but alcohol levels have continued to fall in order to reduce production costs.[6] The lower alcohol concentration also makes the drink milder to consume, which may broaden its appeal.

Several regions have resumed distilling soju from grain. Soju from Andong, South Korea is a traditional hand-crafted soju that has about 45% ABV.

United States

The liquor licensing laws in the states of California and New York specifically exempt the sale of soju from regulation relating to the sale of other distilled spirits, allowing businesses with a beer/wine license to sell it without requiring the more expensive license required for other distilled spirits.[7] The only stipulation is that the soju must be clearly labeled as such and contain less than 25% alcohol.[8] 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 shōchū, have begun to relabel their products as soju for sale in those regions.[9]

Brands

A bottle of Jinro soju.

Jinro is the largest manufacturer of soju. (76 million cases sold in 2008).[10] The most popular variety of soju is currently Chamisul (참 이슬 - literally meaning "real dew"),[citation needed] a quadruple-filtered soju produced by Jinro, but recently Chum-Churum (처음처럼 - "like the first time") of Lotte BG (롯데) is raising its market share. However, the most popular brands vary by region. In Busan, C1 Soju (시원 소주) is the local and most popular brand. A maple flavored soju, Ipsaeju (잎새주), is popular in the Jeollanam-do region. [citation needed] The Daegu Metropolitan Area has its own soju manufacturer, Kumbokju with the popular brand Cham (참).[11][12] Further north in the same province, Andong Soju is one of Korea's few remaining traditionally distilled brands of soju.[13] On the Special Self-Governing Province of Jeju-do, Hallasan Soju is the most common brand, being named after the island's main mountain Mt. Halla. In Gyeongsangnam-do and Ulsan, the most popular is White Soju (hangul: 화이트소주), produced by Muhak in Masan.[citation needed] 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 Chamisul and Cham.[citation needed]

Etiquette

Soju is usually consumed 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.

In Korean culture, using two hands to offer and accept items is considered an act of 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.

On the other hand, when an elder or a superior is pouring a shot for either a younger or lower-position person, it is acceptable to use one hand at all times. This is more traditional and does not show disrepect in any way.

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.

Similarly, 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. You can also hold the glass using the same hand positions as when pouring. Pouring and receiving with just the right hand by a senior, or between equals, is common in normal situations. It is also common for the drink receiver, to place the free hand, not receiving the drink across his chest while bowing, as a sign of respect. From the observers perspective it may seem as if the drink receiver is clutching their chest.

Koreans often say "one shot", a challenge to everyone in the group to down their 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 someone else's 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), the junior is expected to turn away from the elder first. Drinking the shot while directly facing the elder is considered disrespectful. However in recent years, the prevalent practice has been to drink the shot without turning away from the elder (but still using both hands to drink), as most Koreans view the practice as archaic and a detriment to camaraderie, irrespective of the age groups involved.

On occasions, an elder gives an empty soju shot glass (usually his/hers) to an equal or junior. A junior may also offer an empty glass to a senior after they have established a closer relationship.

Giving the glass implies that the person is going to fill it and wants the receiver to drink. It is not obligatory to finish the drink immediately, but it is impolite to place the glass on the table without at least pretending to drink from it.

After finishing the entire glass, it should be returned and refilled. It is not necessary to return it immediately, but holding it for a long time is considered rude, as it deprives the giver of his glass.

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, or if the situation is considered a particularly formal one.[14]

Consumption

Although beer, whiskey, 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.[15] In 2006, it was estimated that the average adult Korean (older than 20) had consumed 90 bottles of soju during that year.[16]

Cocktails

Despite its tradition, soju is not always consumed in unmixed form. Mixing soju and beer is called somaek, a portmanteau of the words soju and maekju (맥주 beer). Flavored soju is also available. It is also popular to blend fruits with soju and to drink it in "slushy" form.

A poktanju (폭탄주) ("bomb drink") consists of a shot glass of soju dropped into a pint of beer (similar to a boilermaker); it is drunk quickly. This is similar to the Japanese sake bomb.

Another cocktail is called kojinkamrae (고진감래). It is the same as the poktanju above but includes a shot of cola (1 shot soju, 1 shot cola, 1 glass beer).

The reverse, a shot glass of beer dropped into a pint of soju, is called a soju poktanju ("soju bomb drink").[citation needed]

An Abominable Killer Snowmen is a popular cocktail containing soju. It consists of 1 oz. of soju, 1 oz. of Rose's lime juice, and 1 oz. of sour mix combined together in a highball glass. The glass is then garnished with a cucumber.[17]

See also

Soju is sometimes mistakenly referred to as cheongju (청주), a Korean rice wine. Mass produced soju is also mistaken for Chinese baijiu, a grain liquor, and shōchū, a Japanese beverage.

References

  1. ^ http://www.hansik.org/zh/restaurant/recommendRestaurantView.do?currentPage=2&fboardId=1064
  2. ^ merriam-webster.com
  3. ^ Merriam-Webster new words for 2008
  4. ^ a b "Moving beyond the green blur: a history of soju". JoongAng Daily.
  5. ^ "History of Soju" (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopeida.[dead link]
  6. ^ "90 Years of Soju". Asian Correspondent.
  7. ^ Soju Goes Where Vodka Cannot Tread, Los Angeles Tims, 27 June, 2002. (Accessed February 2011)
  8. ^ http://www.kusoju.com/faq.html
  9. ^ What is Sochu?
  10. ^ http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/eyeonasia/archives/2008/08/heres_quick_qui.html
  11. ^ http://etrade.daegu.go.kr/co/kumbokju/GC02333375/CA02333376/Charm_Soju.html
  12. ^ http://www.charmSoju.com/
  13. ^ http://www.hansik.org/zh/restaurant/recommendRestaurantView.do?currentPage=2&fboardId=1064
  14. ^ http://www.drinkfocus.com/articles/asian-liquors/Soju.php
  15. ^ 3.05 billion bottles were reported sold in 2004, up from previous years. "Cigarette Sales Surge to Historic High". Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 2005-06-29. [dead link]
  16. ^ "Let's Have a Soju Tonight". KBS World. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
  17. ^ "Drinkify.org".
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