As a public service announcement, I’d like to inform readers living in Korea that the city of Pocheon, located in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, will be holding on Saturday and Sunday its first-ever “Korea Liquor Festival”:
Under the theme of “Alcohol and Galbi” (Korean-style ribs), this event will allow booze lovers the opportunity to sample — for FREE (capitalization mine) — some 200 kinds of famous fire-waters from all over Korea, including milky Pocheon makkeolli, Ganghwa takju and Andong soju. Participants need bring only a glass to use.
In case you didn’t get that, there will be 200 kinds of traditional Korean booze, all of which you’ll get to sample FOR FREE. And if this wasn’t all cool enough, you get to drink it up in the lovely Baegun Valley.
Food will also be on hand, including galbi, for which Pocheon is famous.
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I once went to the “Korean liquor and rice cake festival” in Gyeongju with a wild Canadian girl. We barely made it halfway through the site before we were both completely trashed.
One recommendation: Set a purchase limit and stick to it. You will want to buy a few bottles of some of the regional liquors but it is easy to go overboard and buy up the whole place after you’ve gotten a few sample shots under your belt. In fact, I think the vendors are counting on that effect to pay for all those free samples.
Alas, I am painting the apartment this weekend and can not sample this part of Korean culture.
I hope it encourages more of this: http://sojuandi.blogsome.com/images/taeguki.jpg
(kinda sorta not worksafe)
As predictible as it may be, Kornet blocked me from viewing your link, Ray, though I easily found a way to see it anyway. I’m just curious what prompted such a lovely display of femine charms . . .
As usual, kornet blocked me from viewing Ray’s link, though I easily found a way to view it, anyway. I’m just curious what prompted such a display of feminine charms . . .
Kornet blocked me from viewing Ray’s link but I easily found a way around such. I can only wonder what inspired such a display of femmine charms . . .
My mom’s friend knows how to make his own makkeolli which is awesome. i wish i could go =(
I thought the “theme” of alcohol and galbi was a national theme.
The directions on the website suck. Keep in mind that Pocheon-si is the equivalent of a county in the States, so the drunk fest isn’t actually in Pocehon itself. Here are two alternatives:
1. Take Dongbu Expressway up to Uijeongbu. You’ll see signs for blue 43 to Pocheon. Drive through and past Pocheon until you see signs for blue 37. There is a ROK checkpoint (you’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy) at the intersection with blue 37. Take a right. Continue on blue 37 until you see an intersection with blue 47, where you’ll take a left towards Idong. Keep your eyes peeled for white 122, where you’ll take a right towards Dopyeong.
2. Take Interstate 100 up to the big cloverleaf interchange at Guri. Exit and get on blue 47. Blue 47 is the same highway as blue 37 for several miles…just remember to keep going straight on 47 until you get to Idong. Enjoy the long, scenic drive up north of the 38th parallel!
There are some rifle ranges to your south, so don’t be alarmed if you hear shooting.
By the way, don’t drink ‘n’ drive…there are plenty of clean love motels in the area to stay for average W 30,000.
I watched how “makoli” was made during Chusok at the folkvillage Chungmuro, where they give demonstrations also on distilling soju. Making “makoli” is pretty easy — much easier than making beer.
I noticed Kornet blocked Ray’s link but I viewed it anyway.
P.S. it also seems that Kornet is blocking me from making comments on Marmot’s blog, since I just did it from a different IP address. I guess those jerks are ticked off at the complaints I lodged against them.
What’s Kornet? How dare they block such…
sounds great. makoli pairs well with a love hotel.
i think makkoli creates too much bad breath for a trist in a love hotel… that combined with garliky galbi…
Uhh… the hangover from makkoli…
After trying to find my skull a few years ago, I don’t drink the stuff anymore
Mark wrote:
“By the way, don?€™t drink ?€?n?€™ drive…”
Well yeah, between the ROK checkpoints and the rifle ranges, it might not be such a good idea!
There is nothing romantic about makkolli….
I miss me some dak galbi. Probably the best meal I had during my one week stay in Seoul. Maybe because I was starving..
For those interested in cracking their own skull, I make my own makkoli, and as R.elgin mentioned, it is easy as pie. I have a hard time tying my shoes on occasion, and yet neighbors line up to get sauced on my doorstep. I can send out a recipe or have a tasting party sometime if anyone is interested. I’m heading up to the festival today, so I’ll send the Marmot any interesting pics I take so that he can decide if they are worthy…
zpqls, i’d love to have the recipe….
yeah, i’d take that recipe as well…
Went and returned yesterday- not at all a two-day event. Set up in a small field, there were about 50 vendors giving away their magic in the hopes that someone would buy some. I got the feeling after talking with some of them that they were unsure about the idea of the festival, but that the turnout had been better than expected. I think that it will be even better next year. I was stuck between three choices, Pochun, 1dong, and a small homebrewer. I ended up coming home with a case of Pochun Makkolli- not sold in stores because it is too expensive to compete (at 2000won per bottle!?!) They deliver, if you are interested. 016-825-8461, or fax them at 031-536-2045.
For those of you who wish to make your own, here’s how I do it:
Head to the local market to buy a few bricks of ?????? -it should run you about 500 won, and come with a little bottle of yeast that you’ll need later.
Boil about 2 kilos of rice (1???). Mix one brick of Nuruk (you’ll have to break it up) and the yeast with the rice in a 10-15 kilo bucket, and add enough water to double the depth of the soup. Cover and wait three days, then add another brick of nuruk, wait four days, and strain. At any time, you can add other flavors- my friends like my ‘fusion makkolli’ where I drop in some fruit or, at Christmas, some cinnamon and nutmeg. The old men in front of the house seem to enjoy it when I add some pine needles. It’s really hard to mess up, and cheap enough to experiment. Have fun!