Korean Alcohol Before the Goryeo Dynasty
Korean traditional alcohol can be categorized into two distinct periods. The first division is marked by the cultivation of rice, wheat, and barley. The cultivation of these grains suggests the development of saccharification agents and rice-based brewing techniques.
The second division is based on historical periods - before and after the Goryeo Dynasty. Before the Goryeo Dynasty, distillation techniques had not yet been introduced, so all alcoholic beverages were produced through fermentation, resulting in lower alcohol content compared to distilled spirits.
Over time, brewing techniques evolved to improve the quality of fermented beverages by increasing the number of fermentation cycles. Most brewing methods that later appeared during the Joseon Dynasty seem to have originated in the pre-Goryeo period.
The Goryeo Dynasty - Introduction of Distillation Techniques
The Goryeo Dynasty marked the first appearance of distilled spirits in Korea. The introduction of distillation techniques added a new category of alcoholic beverages to Korea's drinking culture, which had previously consisted only of fermented beverages.
During this Buddhist-dominated society, alcohol was produced in large quantities and was primarily sold at temples. As temples became venues for both major and minor state events, large-scale alcohol production became necessary. Korea's advanced earthenware (onggi) manufacturing technology greatly facilitated this mass production of alcohol.
Ancient documents reveal that during the Goryeo period, non-glutinous rice was used for brewing alcohol due to the absence of glutinous rice. This suggests that non-glutinous rice was the primary ingredient in alcohol production during the Goryeo Dynasty.
The Joseon Dynasty - The Rise of Home Brewing
The Joseon Dynasty implemented policies that rejected Buddhism. In this Confucian society, women's activities were restricted, leading to alcohol production shifting to households where it was made for family events and ancestral rites. This transformed the brewing culture from large-scale production to small-batch home brewing.
Unlike the Goryeo period where Buddhist monks were the primary brewers, women in the Confucian society of Joseon took on brewing responsibilities as part of their household duties. For women, brewing alcohol was as essential a household task as making doenjang(Korean fermented soybean paste), soy sauce or kimchi.
During this period, Gwahaju emerged - a unique alcohol made by mixing fermented and distilled spirits to overcome the challenges of brewing in hot, humid summers. This brewing method is similar to that of Portuguese port wine.
During the Joseon Dynasty, each household had its own brewing methods, likely resulting in thousands of different recipes. Evidence of this can be found in 1930 when home brewing licenses were permitted - an astounding 370,000 licenses were issued. This number suggests an incredibly diverse brewing culture that had developed over the centuries, making it difficult to estimate just how many varieties of traditional Korean alcohol actually existed.
The sheer number of home brewing licenses demonstrates the deep-rooted tradition of household alcohol production in Korean culture. Each family maintained their own unique recipes and techniques, passed down through generations, contributing to the rich diversity of Korean traditional alcohol.
The true meaning of Korean alcohol lies in sharing moments with others. While nowadays many people enjoy "hon-sul" (means 'drinking alone' in Korean), the essential characteristics of alcohol involve clinking glasses together, enjoying the moment as a group, sharing stories about the day's events, and having fun together. The role of alcohol in Korean culture, which evolved from the tradition of home brewing, shows just how important it has been in our daily lives.
