Sasitongeumju

Description

Sasitongeumju from Gangwon-do is an 18% brew made with rice, nuruk, and wheat flour — a simple triad that produces a surprisingly assertive result. The wheat flour is the unusual ingredient here; it adds a raw, doughy quality to the fermentation that you rarely encounter in rice-only styles. The nose carries freshly kneaded bread dough and dried apricot, with a faintly yeasty warmth underneath. The palate is medium-full and distinctly grainy, with a texture that has more bite than silk — almost gritty in a satisfying way. The midpalate introduces toasted walnut and the finish turns dry, warm, and substantial, anchored by the wheat's bready depth. At 18%, this needs food. Serve at 14-16°C with dakdoritang (braised spicy chicken), where the braising liquid's gochugaru heat gets absorbed by the bready body, or with makguksu (Gangwon-do buckwheat noodles), a regional pairing that makes geographic sense.

Ingredients

Rice, Nuruk, 밀가루

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings