The worlds most bought liquor, soju is not very well known in the US.
There are more bottles of soju sold in the world than any other liquor. Soju is to South Korea as vodka is to Russia. It can be found in any Korean bar anywhere in the world. So what is soju? Soju is a clear liquor with a clean neutral taste, slightly sweeter than vodka. It comes in many flavors just like vodka does. The alcohol level is about half of vodka. In the US this allows restaurants with just beer and wine licenses to serve soju in cocktails in place of vodka. It has been known to sneak up on you as it is easier to drink many glasses without feeling the effects of the lower alcohol.
Mongol invaders in the 1400’s brought clear distillation methods to Korea. Soju soon became part of Korean culture. Using the grain on hand, which happened to be rice, many soju distilleries popped up all over Korea. In the 1960s there was a rice shortage and the Korean government banned the use of rice in soju. Distilleries started using other grains and even sweet potatoes. In the 1990s they finally lifted the ban, but even today some of the cheaper brands still use sweet potatoes or other grains in their soju.
Soju is usually drank on its own in small glasses. However, soju is mixed into all sorts of cocktails especially drinks with fruit, such as mango orange, or apple. There is a bit of etiquette in drinking soju. First; there is a tapping or shaking of the neck of the bottle, even sometimes a flick to spill a few drops off the top. This is a holdover from when bottlers would use cheap corks and the flick and tapping would get rid of any pieces of loose cork floating on the top. Most modern soju uses metal tops and there is no cork. But many Koreans still do the whole ritual anyway without even knowing why.
Then there is the poring and drinking; you must pour glasses with two hands to someone older than you and receive a glass using two hands from someone older. Never pour yourself a glass and never let someone else pour his or hers. Koreans also divert their faces away when downing a glass. It’s all about the social in Korea; you don’t go to a bar by yourself.
When I went to a Korean bar in New York for the first time, there was a cocktail they were trying to sell to everyone that had soju and St Germain in it. My friends and I were hesitant to try it and decided to go safe and drink sake that night instead. The waitress brought over samples of the cocktail anyway, since she could tell we were curious. It was surprisingly good. This is based on that cocktail. It would go great with my Korean Snack Mix.Or Korean Cheese Corn!
Soju is to Korea as vodka is to Russia, It is usually drank on it's own but works great in a martini
- 2 oz soju
- 1 oz St Germain
- 1/2 oz Cointreau
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Chill a 6 – 8 oz martini or coup glass
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In a cocktail shaker place the soju, St Germain, and cointreau.
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Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for several minutes to get it really cold.
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Pour into the chilled martini or coup glass and garnish with the orange peel.
