Geumsan Ginseng Liquor
금산인삼주
A specialty brewery in Geumsan, Chungnam, famous for its ginseng-infused liquors using local premium ginseng.
- Region
- Chungcheongnam
- Address
- 충남 금산군 금성면 파초길 23
Products (5)
Korean Cheongju
Myeongin Red Ginseng Cheongju
명인 홍삼주
Geumsan Ginsengju Brewery in Chungcheongnam-do — Korea's ginseng heartland — infuses this 12.5% cheongju with red ginseng that has been steamed and dried for concentrated potency. The nose opens not with the sharp medicinal bite you might expect, but with a warm, woody sweetness reminiscent of dried licorice and cinnamon bark. On the palate, the red ginseng integrates seamlessly into the rice base: a medium-light body with velvety smoothness, where ginseng's earthy bitterness flickers in the midpalate before yielding to clean grain sweetness. The finish is moderately long, with a lingering root-vegetable warmth. Designated as a Food Master product, it signals genuine expertise. The compact 360ml bottle at 12.5% is sessionable by Korean standards. Pair it with samgyeopsal-gui where the drink's woody notes complement the pork's rendered fat, or with a bowl of seolleongtang (ox bone soup) where the gentle bitterness cuts through the milky broth.
Dried licoriceCinnamon barkEarthy ginseng
samgyeopsal-gui (grilled pork belly)seolleongtang (ox bone soup)
12.5% ABV360ml
Korean Cheongju
Geumsan Ginseng Wine 12.5%
금산인삼주 12.5%
Geumsan Ginseng Wine 12.5% is a cheongju from Chungcheongnam-do's Geumsan region, the epicenter of Korean ginseng cultivation, brewed at Geumsan Ginsengju Brewery under Traditional Food Master No. 2, Kim Chang-su. The recipe is precisely calibrated: 93.5% domestic rice provides the clean, starchy base while 6.5% Korean ginseng delivers its signature earthy-bitter warmth without dominating. The nose opens with polished grain and a dry, woody ginseng root note — not medicinal but distinctly herbal, like freshly sliced ginseng. On the palate, the 12.5% ABV keeps the body light-medium and accessible, with a smooth, almost silky texture. The ginseng character emerges gradually in the midpalate as a warm, slightly bitter undercurrent that deepens the grain sweetness rather than fighting it. The finish is clean and moderately long, with a lingering root warmth. Winner of the 2010 Korea Traditional Liquor Awards Grand Prize in the yakcheongju category. Serve at 10-12°C with jeon where the savory oil-fried batter finds balance in the ginseng's dry warmth, or alongside hoe (raw fish) where the clean rice base and herbal lift complement dipping sauces.
CleanSmooth
Korean pancakes (jeon)raw fish (hoe)
★Awards
12.5% ABV360ml
Korean Liqueur
Geumsan Ginseng Liquor Fresh Ginseng 500
금산인삼주 수삼 500
Geumsan Ginsengju Susam 500 is a 43% ABV ginseng spirit from Chungcheongnam-do that places fresh Korean ginseng (susam) at the center of its identity. Crafted by Korean Food Master No. 2, Kim Chang-su, in the heart of Korea's ginseng capital, the spirit treats ginseng not as a supplement but as a primary flavor driver. The nose is deeply earthy — fresh ginseng root dominates with its distinctive soil-and-bark character, accompanied by a subtle grain sweetness from the rice base and a faint, almost mushroom-like umami depth. On the palate, the body is medium-full with a dense, slightly viscous texture. The fresh ginseng character is assertive and multi-layered: an initial earthy bitterness gives way to a complex sweetness that feels root-like rather than fruity, followed by a peppery warmth in the back palate. The rice backbone provides structural clarity beneath the ginseng's intensity, preventing the spirit from becoming purely medicinal. The mid-palate shows a distinctive mineral quality from the region's terroir. The finish is long and deeply warming, with ginseng's bitter-sweet duality persisting and a dry, earthy close. Its 2011 Korea Sool Awards recognition confirms the craft. At 500ml, serve at room temperature alongside nuts, dried fruit, or rich protein dishes where the ginseng depth can match the food's intensity.
ComplexHerbal
raw fish (hoe)dried fruits
★Awards
43% ABV500ml
Korean Cheongju
Susamdanbon 720
수삼단본 720
Susamdanbon 720 is a 43% ABV distilled spirit from Chungcheongnam-do crafted by Korean Food Master No. 2 Kim Chang-su, using domestic rice and fresh Korean ginseng (susam) rather than dried root. The fresh ginseng lends a brighter, greener herbal profile compared to the heavy earthiness typical of aged root infusions, resulting in a spirit that reads as precise and elegant rather than ponderous. It won the grand prize at the 2014 Korea Traditional Liquor Awards in the general distilled spirit category. The 720ml bottle format and meticulous rice-ginseng ratio demonstrate a philosophy of restraint — extracting ginseng character without letting it dominate the clean grain backbone.
CleanSmooth
raw fish (hoe)Korean full course (hanjeongsik)
★Awards
43% ABV720ml
Korean Cheongju
Geumsan Ginseng Baekju
금산인삼백주
Geumsan Ginseng Baekju is a 43% ABV distilled spirit from Chungcheongnam-do, composed of 95.8% domestic rice and 4.2% domestic ginseng — a precise ratio that places ginseng as an accent rather than a dominant flavor. Crafted by Korean Food Master No. 2 Kim Chang-su and designated Chungcheongnam-do Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 19, it draws on Geumsan's reputation as Korea's premier ginseng-producing region. The spirit's clarity is notable: despite the root infusion, the profile reads as refined cheongju-style transparency rather than heavy herbal extract. This restraint allows the ginseng's gentle warmth and subtle bitterness to surface gradually rather than arriving all at once.
CleanSmooth
Korean full course (hanjeongsik)grilled fish
43% ABV500ml