Red Monkey

Description

Sulsaem Brewery in Gyeonggi-do ferments 100% Gyeonggi rice with nuruk and hongguk (red yeast rice, Monascus purpureus) to produce this 10.8% makgeolli with a striking crimson-tinged pour. Hongguk does double duty: it contributes natural red pigments (monacolin) that tint the liquid and adds a distinctive savory, cheese-rind-like flavor dimension that standard white or yellow nuruk cannot produce. The aroma is unusual for makgeolli — aged rice with dried red fruit, a faint blue-cheese funk, and warm grain. On the palate, the body is dense and creamy, with initial grain sweetness that quickly develops a savory-umami undertone from the hongguk. The mid-palate is layered: sweet rice, then earthy mold character, then a long, warm finish where the 10.8% ABV glows steadily. Compared to standard rice-and-nuruk makgeolli at similar strength, this one reads more complex and visually dramatic, leaning toward wine or craft-beer territory in its flavor ambition. Its 2017 Chajaganeun Yangjojang designation confirms the brewery's experimental bent is backed by solid technique. Serve at 8-12°C in a clear glass to appreciate the color. Pair with aged cheese and cured meats (charcuterie-style) to play into the funky dimension, or with spicy jeyuk-bokkeum (stir-fried pork) where the dense body absorbs gochugaru heat.

Ingredients

Rice, Nuruk, 홍국, Purified Water

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings