SPEND: A Delicious Small-Batch Soju Made the Old-Fashioned Way
An American is making the rice liquor according to centuries of Korean tradition.
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So maybe the last time you sipped soju was for courage, moments before your solo performance of Wrecking Ball in a private karaoke room. If that's the case, you were most likely drinking a harsh, sweet, mass-produced version of soju, which happens to be one of the bestselling liquors in the world.
Korea's high-end stuff isn't made from sweet potatoes like that. Instead, it's made in the traditional way, with a mash of rice, water, and wild yeast. It's scarcely exported and can be a challenge to find in the U.S., which is why soju fan Bran Hill, formerly the head distiller for Van Brunt Stillhouse, decided to start making his own.