Gimpo Brewery
김포양조
Brewery in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, producing a range of makgeolli, yakju, and premium liquors.
- Region
- Gyeonggi
- Address
- 경기도 김포시 월곶면 김포대로 2763
Products (5)
Korean Makgeolli
Gimpo Makgeolli
김포 막걸리
Gimpo Brewing in Gyeonggi-do strips the recipe to its essentials — rice, nuruk, and purified water — and lets the fermentation speak for itself in this 6% makgeolli. Without added enzymes, sweeteners, or fruit concentrates, the flavor profile depends entirely on the quality of the grain and the nuruk culture. The aroma is quiet but defined: steamed short-grain rice with a light sourdough accent. On the palate, the body is creamy and medium-weight, with a sweetness that feels grain-derived rather than confectionery, building slowly and receding into a clean, slightly dry finish. The nuruk adds a subtle earthy complexity underneath, giving the mid-palate more dimension than you might expect from a three-ingredient formula. Compared to enzyme-processed or sweetener-boosted makgeolli at the same ABV, this one offers less immediate sweetness but more lingering grain character. It rewards cold serving at 5-7°C, where the texture stays plush without turning heavy. Pair with kimchi-jjigae to let the mild creaminess cool the heat, or with bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) where the nutty, crispy edges meet the rice-forward softness.
Short-grain rice clarityLight sourdough nuruk edgeGrain-derived slow sweetness
Korean pancakes (jeon)fried chicken
6% ABV750ml
Korean Traditional Drink
Gimpo Byeolju
김포별주
Gimpobyeolju is a 13% yakju from Gyeonggi-do that uses rice with corn starch, koji, yeast, lactic acid, and enzyme preparations — a modern, efficiency-driven grain bill. The corn starch smooths out the body, creating a texture that is almost uniformly silky without the graininess that pure rice sometimes carries. The nose is mild, with polished rice and a faint buttered popcorn note from the corn starch fermentation. On the palate, the body is light-medium and docile, with a gentle sweetness and a clean, almost watery finish that works in its favor rather than against it — this is meant to disappear behind food. The lactic acid keeps the tail from going flat. Serve at 6-9°C with dwaeji-gukbap (pork rice soup), where the clean, yielding body merges into the brothy rice without friction, or with sundae-gukbap (blood sausage rice soup), another soupy, comfort-food match where the drink's neutrality is the point.
Buttered popcorn hintUniformly silky corn-rice textureMild polished rice
dwaeji-gukbap (pork rice soup)sundae-gukbap (blood sausage rice soup)
13% ABV500ml
Korean Cheongju
Gimpo Yakju
김포약주
Gimpo Yakju takes a clear, light approach at 11% ABV using corn starch and wheat as the primary grain base — notably, no rice at all — with koji, yeast, lactic acid, and enzyme preparations. The absence of rice gives it a distinctly different character from typical yakju: the body is lean and almost wine-like in its transparency, with a crisp acidity that is more reminiscent of a dry cider than a Korean grain wine. The nose carries wheat cracker and green grape, surprisingly fresh. The finish is short and snappy, with the lactic acid providing a yogurt-like tang on the exit. At 750ml and 11%, it is the lightest pour in a lineup and drinks like a session wine. Serve well chilled at 5-8°C with haemul-pajeon (seafood scallion pancake), where the crisp acidity cuts through the oily batter, or with naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), where the drink's lean body and tart finish mirror the broth's chill.
Wheat crackerGreen grape freshnessDry cider-like acidity
haemul-pajeon (seafood scallion pancake)naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles)
11% ABV750ml
Korean Traditional Drink
Gimpoyeju Premium
김포예주 프리미엄
Gimpoyeju Premium is a 13% yakju from Gyeonggi-do crafted with domestic rice, koji, yeast, lactic acid, and purified water — a clean, controlled recipe. The 'premium' designation suggests a step above the brewery's standard line, and it delivers through a slightly richer body and more defined flavor arc. The nose opens with mochi (pounded rice cake) and a trace of vanilla custard. On the palate, the lactic acid contribution is well integrated, creating a gentle sourness that lifts the grain sweetness instead of fighting it. The midpalate has a soft, pillowy quality, and the finish tapers with a clean, mildly tannic edge — like the inside of a new wooden bowl. Serve at 8-11°C with jeyuk-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork), where the lactic lift handles the gochujang heat, or with japchae, where the noodle's sesame sweetness finds a soft counterpart in the vanilla custard note.
Mochi (pounded rice cake)Vanilla custard traceIntegrated lactic sourness
jeyuk-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork)japchae (stir-fried glass noodles)
13% ABV750ml
Korean Traditional Drink
Gimpo Yeju
김포예주
Gimpoyeju (Gimpo Yeju) is a 13% ABV brew from Gimpo Brewing in Gyeonggi-do, blending domestic rice with corn starch. The corn starch smooths the texture into a uniformly silky consistency that pure rice sometimes cannot achieve, creating a body that flows like polished glass. The nose is mild: clean rice with a faint buttered corn note. On the palate, the body is medium-light and exceptionally even, with a balanced sweetness that neither spikes nor fades. The finish is tidy and short. Winner of the 2013 Korea Traditional Liquor Awards Grand Excellence, 2014 SIWC Bronze, and 2014 Monde Selection Silver — a sweep across domestic and international competitions that confirms broad drinkability. The 750ml bottle is generous for sharing. Serve at 8-11°C with modeum-hoe (assorted sashimi) where the silky neutrality lets each fish speak, or alongside kimchi-jjigae where the even sweetness cushions the fermented heat.
SmoothBalanced
raw fish (hoe)Korean side dishes (banchan)
★Awards
13% ABV750ml
