[Gu Eun-mo's Sake Story] Yangchon Yangjo, Brewing Clear and Harmless Liquor Resembling Snails

<8> Nonsan, Chungnam 'Yangchon Yangjo'①

Traditional Liquor Continuing for 100 Years Across 3 Generations Since 1923
Aiming for Harmless Alcohol Using Eco-Friendly Ureongi Rice
Shedding the Prejudice of Being Rustic with Sophisticated Design

"Who will I farm this land with and make a living?"

"I will make a living with myself, who else would I live with?"

Someone responded to the lament of a lonely bachelor barely scraping by in difficult circumstances. Startled, he looked around the source of the sound but saw no one?only a solitary snail lying there. For some reason, the bachelor carefully picked up the snail and placed it in a water jar. From that day on, whenever he returned from work, a carefully prepared meal awaited him. Curious, one day he secretly peeked inside the house and witnessed an unbelievable sight. A beautiful maiden, like a fairy, emerged from the snail, cooked the meal, and then quietly returned inside.

Anyone born and raised in this land would hardly be unfamiliar with the legend of the Ureong Gaksi (Snail Bride). This folklore, originating from the story of a maiden who secretly cooked meals for a bachelor after emerging from a snail, has become a metaphor in our language for doing good deeds unnoticed by others. Regardless of the various modern interpretations added to the legend today, the positive depiction of the snail in the story likely stems from its harmless nature and its common presence in nearby rice paddies or ponds, where it quietly helps farming by consuming various organic matter.

The ridgepole inscription of Yangchon Brewery, dated "June 9, 1931 (6th year of the Showa era)."

100 Years of History, a Brewery Bearing the Layers of Time

In a village called Haetbichchon (陽村), known for its year-round sunlight, clear water, and fresh air, there is a place that, like the Ureong Gaksi, quietly brews alcohol every day. Yangchon Brewery in Nonsan, Chungnam, has been producing clear and harmless liquor reminiscent of the snail for a century in the same location.

The history of Yangchon Brewery dates back 100 years. Founded in 1923 during the Japanese colonial period by the late Lee Jong-jin, who started home brewing, the business has been passed down through three generations?from him to his son, the late Lee Myung-je, and now to his grandson, the current CEO Lee Dong-jung.

From the entrance, the layers of time are evident. The current brewery building is the original wooden structure built by Lee Jong-jin in 1931, with the inscription on the main beam reading "Showa 6th year, Sinmi, June 9th (昭和六年辛未六月初九日)" still clearly visible.

While most breweries at the time were built in Japanese style, Yangchon Brewery was designed based on traditional Korean hanok architecture. The floors are made with double pine boards to allow heat and moisture generated during cooking and fermentation to escape smoothly through traditional ventilation. Rice husks were used as insulation between the ceiling and walls to maintain appropriate indoor temperatures during cold winters and hot summers.

CEO Lee explained, "Although traditional, the brewery building is a semi-basement, half-story structure specialized for brewing. The fermentation room built underground to minimize temperature fluctuations is still used for the same purpose, and the half-story above is designed as a space to steam and cool the rice for brewing, with good ventilation."

In front of the fermentation room, a well built at the same time as the building still serves its purpose. Lee said, "Water quality has always been crucial for brewing, whether 100 years ago or now. This area is a clean zone where factories cannot be built nearby, and we conduct water quality tests on 48 items every six months, using the water without issues for a century."

Fermentation room of Yangchon Brewery. Yangchon Brewery has been continuing fermentation in the same place for nearly 100 years.

Dedicated to Traditional Liquor Since 1978... Believing in the Power of Tradition Despite Numerous Crises

CEO Lee, responsible for the taste of Yangchon Brewery’s liquor, stepped into the brewery in 1978. Born as the fourth of nine siblings in the brewery family, he grew up watching the brewing process but initially had no intention of inheriting the business due to the hard work involved. He recalled, "Most tasks were manual back then, with no clear work hours, often working through the night. Without refrigeration, the liquor would spoil after just one day in summer, so we brewed fresh batches daily."

However, he found rural life comfortable and preferable to city life from a young age. While his siblings went to study and work in Seoul and other cities, he graduated from an agricultural college in Daejeon and returned to his hometown after military service. He said, "I went to agricultural college thinking I would farm in my hometown. Helping my parents during busy times at the brewery eventually led me to where I am now," with a broad smile.

Though unintentional, he gradually developed interest as he learned the craft by observation. "At first, I didn’t understand fermentation principles or how liquor was made. But as I became more interested, I realized that even traditional brewing needs scientific basis," he said. He then attended various educational institutions to study brewing, gradually becoming deeply involved in the work.

When CEO Lee started, Makgeolli was facing a crisis. Until the 1970s, Makgeolli dominated the domestic liquor market, but from the 1980s, beer and diluted soju rapidly expanded, sharply reducing demand for Makgeolli. Lee said, "Many breweries disappeared as Makgeolli sales plummeted. Yangchon Brewery faced similar challenges but persevered, believing traditional liquor wouldn’t disappear. That resilience laid the foundation for later opportunities and growth."

Yangchon Brewery filled with items bearing the traces of time.

Liquor Brewed from Pesticide-Free Ureong Rice... Rising as a Nationwide Brewery

The turning point for the century-old Yangchon Brewery came relatively recently. While their flagship product, "Yangchon Saeng Makgeolli," had established a solid local base and maintained a long history, something new was needed for a leap forward.

As CEO Lee pondered product premiumization, the idea of the snail came to mind. Near the brewery in Eunjin-myeon, a college classmate was farming rice using the ureong (snail) farming method. Lee thought that using that rice to brew Makgeolli could create a liquor that fits recent consumer trends favoring eco-friendly products.

Thus, in 2015, handcrafted Makgeolli brewed exclusively with pesticide-free Nonsan new rice grown by ureong farming was launched as "Yangchon Ureong Rice Hand Makgeolli" and "Ureong Rice Hand Makgeolli Dry." Lee explained, "Compared to regular Saeng Makgeolli, this Makgeolli undergoes about three times longer cold aging, offering a clean taste suited to younger palates, different from traditional rustic flavors."

The release of Ureong Rice Makgeolli accelerated Yangchon Brewery’s new momentum. Alongside premiumization, diversification became the next challenge. They needed a partner to complement Makgeolli and chose Cheongju (clear rice wine). Lee requested technical cooperation from the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, and after over two years of R&D, they perfected the optimal nuruk (fermentation starter) and recipe, resulting in "Yangchon Ureong Rice Cheongju."

Yangchon Ureong Rice Cheongju is made from glutinous rice grown by ureong farming, without added sweeteners, and aged at low temperature for 60 days. Primarily using Baekgukjun nuruk, with some Hwanggukjun added, the liquor is smooth with a unique flavor. It offers a cleaner taste than traditional yakju (medicinal rice wine) while retaining the sweet aftertaste characteristic of glutinous rice, making it a rustic-style Cheongju.

Ureong Rice Cheongju has been the key factor in Yangchon Brewery’s rise as a nationwide brewery. Lee said, "As times change, tastes naturally change. We developed the product with good ingredients to suit younger tastes, and I’m proud that it led to good results." Since its 2016 launch, word of mouth has steadily increased demand. Especially since 2021, it has seen rapid growth and now accounts for half of the brewery’s sales as a flagship product.

Yangchon Brewery 'Ureongi Rice Cheongju'

Traditional Liquor is Old-Fashioned? Adding Taste, Aroma, and Visual Texture

With the success of Ureong Rice Cheongju, another long-held plan of CEO Lee gained momentum: distilled soju. Lee said, "Yangchon Brewery released a traditional-style soju called 'Songgwang Soju' in 1956, but it disappeared long ago. I wanted to restore that soju to fit modern times. We collaborated with Dr. Kim Tae-wan of the Korea Food Research Institute and, after R&D, launched soju named 'Yeoyu'."

Released in June 2021, Yeoyu came out when Ureong Rice Cheongju was gaining traction. Many suggested naming it "Ureong Rice Soju," but Lee explained, "Yeoyu is a different kind of liquor from the previous ones, so it needed a different name. It means 'leisure'?to enjoy a drink leisurely in a harsh world."

Unlike the brewery building layered with time, Yangchon Brewery’s products boast sleek designs. In 2014, they won the Red Dot Design Award in Germany, one of the world’s top three design awards, in the Makgeolli category. The bottle and label designs are all handled by Lee Tae-hee, the son of Lee’s second older brother, Lee Dong-sang. Lee said, "I entrust all design-related work to my nephew. We strive to shed the old-fashioned image of Makgeolli by enhancing not only taste and aroma but also visual texture."

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