Just Enjoy

Description

Gyangjeulgyeo (Just Enjoy) is a Seoul-brewed 8% makgeolli that reads like a manifesto for contemporary Korean craft fermentation. The recipe layers glutinous rice and regular rice with nuruk and French Saison yeast — a Belgian-origin strain typically used in farmhouse ales — then infuses pomegranate and hibiscus during or after fermentation. The Saison yeast contributes peppery, clove-like phenolic notes that you would never find in traditional makgeolli, creating an unexpected spicy dimension. The pomegranate adds tart, ruby-red fruit acidity, and the hibiscus deepens the color to a rose-pink hue while contributing a dry, floral-tannic edge. On the nose, the first impression is closer to a rosé cider than a rice drink: dried cranberry, hibiscus tea, and a faint white pepper. The palate is texturally creamy from the glutinous rice but flavor-wise pulls toward a Belgian witbier crossed with a Korean makgeolli. The finish has genuine tartness and a spicy warmth. Pair with kimchi-jjeon where the fermented tang and the pomegranate acidity amplify each other, or with fried chicken where the hibiscus tannin cuts through the oil. Also an excellent solo drink chilled on a summer evening.

Ingredients

Non-glutinous Rice, Glutinous Rice, Nuruk, 프렌치세종, 석류, 히비스커스

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings