Makgeolli
Makgeolli (Korean: 막걸리; lit. raw rice wine; [mak.k͈ʌɭɭi]), sometimes anglicized to makkoli (/ˈmækəli/, MAK-ə-lee), is a Korean alcoholic drink. It is a milky, off-white, and lightly sparkling rice wine that has a slight viscosity, and tastes slightly sweet, tangy, bitter, and astringent. Chalky sediment gives it a cloudy appearance. As a low proof drink of six to nine percent alcohol by volume, it is often considered a "communal beverage" rather than hard liquor.
A bowl of makgeolli | |
| Type | Rice wine |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Korea |
| Region of origin | East Asia |
| Alcohol by volume | 6–9% |
| Color | Milky, off-white |
| Ingredients | Rice, nuruk |
| Related products | Cheongju, nigori, choujiu, zutho |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | |
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization | Makgeolli |
| McCune–Reischauer | Makkŏlli |
| IPA | [mak.k͈ʌl.li] |
| Opaque wine | |
| Hangul | |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Takju |
| McCune–Reischauer | T'akchu |
| IPA | [tʰak̚.t͈ɕu] |
| Farmer's wine | |
| Hangul | |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Nongju |
| McCune–Reischauer | Nongju |
| IPA | [noŋ.dʑu] |
In Korea, makgeolli is often unpasteurized, and the wine continues to mature in the bottle. Because of the short shelf life of unpasteurized "draft" makgeolli, many exported makgeolli undergo pasteurization, which deprives the beverage of complex enzymes and flavor compounds. Recently, various fruits such as strawberries and bananas are added to makgeolli to drink in new forms.