[Gu Eun-mo's Sake Story] "In Search of the Lost Native Rice Flavor"... Takju 'Jagwangdo'

<2> Yangpyeong 'Dalbit Sullae'②

Over 1,400 Varieties of Native Rice in the 1910s... Disappeared Through Japanese Occupation and Industrialization
CEO Kim Heekyung: "Native Rice Holds Potential to Enhance the Competitiveness of Our Alcohol"
Traditional Takju 'Jagwangdo'... Preserving the Taste and Aroma of Purple Native Rice
Made in Original Undiluted Form to Maintain the Natural Flavor of Ingredients

Dalbit Sulrae Brewery 'Jagwangdo'

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] After the Japanese Empire forcibly annexed Joseon in 1910, the Government-General of Korea began investigating the native rice varieties of our land prior to exploitation. Two years into the investigation, in 1913, the Agricultural Research Institute under the Government-General, called Gwoneopmobeomjang, published a data book titled "Joseondo Pumjong Ilram" (A Catalogue of Joseon Rice Varieties). This catalogue, which collected, surveyed, and organized rice varieties cultivated throughout the Korean Peninsula, reported that there were as many as 1,451 native rice varieties growing in this land at the time.

The investigation did not stop there. The taste of native rice cultivated in Joseon was not what the Japanese desired, nor was the yield satisfactory. The Japanese introduced high-yield improved varieties from Japan and forced their cultivation on this land, causing native rice varieties to rapidly disappear. Even after liberation, native rice struggled to find a foothold. The Park Chung-hee administration, prioritizing increased rice production, unified rice varieties with the high-yield "Tongilbap" (domestically improved variety), making the return of native rice even more distant.

Once the foundation of diverse tastes in rice and alcohol across neighborhoods and regions with over a thousand varieties, native rice was forgotten in our palate over a century. While we lost memory of their names and flavors, native rice was moved from farmland and dining tables to laboratories and storage, mostly preserved as specimens. Currently, only about 450 varieties are conserved at the National Gene Bank under the Rural Development Administration.

The Competitiveness of Our Alcohol Lies in Diverse Native Rice

The native rice Jakwangdo (紫光稻), the main ingredient of Dalbit Sullae's takju 'Jakwangdo'.

Dalbit Sullae Brewery dreams twofold while brewing alcohol with native rice. One is to secure demand for native rice and revive the interrupted tradition of our rice flavors on this land. The other is to enhance the competitiveness of our alcohol by leveraging the unique taste and aroma native rice holds. Kim Heekyung, CEO of Dalbit Sullae, said, "Although some dedicated farmers cultivate native rice, continuous demand must be maintained for them to find reasons to keep farming. We will continue brewing rice alcohol to ensure the lineage of native rice, which is cultivated under harsh conditions, does not break."

She believes native rice holds the potential to elevate the competitiveness of our alcohol to the next level. Diversity in ingredients inevitably leads to diversity in taste. However, Kim points out that discussions on the diversity of rice varieties, the main ingredient of our alcohol, have not been properly conducted so far. While how alcohol is brewed is important, the priority should be on what it is brewed from.

Compared to wine, Kim’s awareness of the issue becomes even clearer. Wine firmly classifies its broad category by grape varieties, but our alcohol does not. It merely distinguishes a few types based on brewing methods. Foreign grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay instantly evoke taste and aroma, whereas names of our rice varieties such as Kkaturi Chal, Buldo, Bulgeun Chanarak, and Heukgaeng sound unfamiliar. She emphasized, "To secure the strength to compete with world-renowned liquors, we must find solutions in our ingredient?our rice?which carries unique flavors."

‘Jagwangdo’ Iyang Takju Brewed from Purple Native Rice

Takju 'Jagwangdo' in a jar before fermentation

Dalbit Sullae Brewery’s takju (unfiltered rice wine) "Jagwangdo (紫光稻)" is also brewed from native rice varieties. The name Jagwangdo is directly taken from the rice variety name. As the name suggests, Jagwangdo is a traditional variety with a purplish hue from the awns (rice beard) to the husk and grains, characterized by high anthocyanin content and a savory rice flavor. It is known to have been cultivated since the Joseon King Injo era and was served on the royal table. Jagwangdo brewed from purple rice grown in the Yangpyeong region has a subtle purple color. Using purple rice in its brown rice form, the color of the ingredient is directly transferred to the alcohol. The taste of the alcohol also corresponds with the purple hue, featuring distinct sour berry-like aroma and flavor.

Takju Jagwangdo is made by the Iyangju (二釀酒) method, which adds a secondary fermentation with Jagwangdo rice to the base alcohol brewed from organic short-grain rice. To preserve the color and flavor characteristics of Jagwangdo, the secondary fermentation uses Jagwangdo in its brown rice state. First, Jagwangdo is thoroughly washed and soaked for over 48 hours, then coarsely ground and steamed into rice cakes. These steamed cakes are mixed well with nuruk (fermentation starter) and added to the base alcohol in the fermentation vat. Kim, the CEO, uses nuruk she makes herself, blending wheat-based nuruk with mung bean nuruk.

The alcohol in the fermentation vat undergoes primary fermentation for about a week in a fermentation room at 18?25°C, followed by additional fermentation for about two months at a low temperature below 13°C. After fermentation, the alcohol is aged for about a month at a low temperature below 7°C to complete the process. Jagwangdo’s alcohol content is 16%, higher than typical Makgeolli, because it is produced in its original form (wonju) without dilution by water. Kim said, "All Dalbit Sullae’s alcohol, including Jagwangdo, is made in the wonju form without adding water. This allows the original flavor of the alcohol to be preserved and delivered as is."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.