[Gu Eun-mo's Sake Story] Yuso-yeong, CEO of Jisiul Brewery, "Brewing Exactly Like the Old Ways"

<11> Gangwon Chuncheon 'Jisiul Distillery'②

Distilled with traditional soju pot... Reflecting 'Brewing Philosophy'
Adhering to traditional methods... "Goal is to keep it consistent"

Yoo Soyoung, CEO of Jisiul Brewery

"We intend to brew alcohol in the same way our ancestors did, continuing the traditional methods as they were."

Yu Soyoung, CEO of Jisiul Brewery, emphasized in an interview with Asia Economy on the 11th that she has strictly adhered to traditional methods in making alcohol so far and will continue to do so. This is because it is both the way she learned to brew and the kind of alcohol she wants to create.

At Jisiul Brewery, there is almost no automated equipment except for a stirrer used to mix the fermenting alcohol. All tasks are done by hand, through Yu’s own body. The traditional sojugori (distillation apparatus) best exemplifies Yu’s philosophy. The sojugori is a traditional distiller believed to have been used since the late Goryeo Dynasty. It looks like two water jars stacked on top of each other, shaped like a snowman with a narrow waist, with holes in the top, bottom, and middle, and a long spout resembling a nose attached above the waist. The ingredients for the alcohol are placed inside a pot, and the sojugori is placed on top of the pot and heated. The steam condenses on the lid or the bottom of a basin placed above. When cold water is poured over it, the distilled soju flows down through the spout.

Yu uses the traditional sojugori to distill all the soju used in her distilled soju products ‘Hwajeon Ilchwi 38·52’ as well as the fortified rice wine ‘Hwajeon Ilchwi 18 Baekhwa.’ While there are many places in Korea producing distilled soju, most use copper or stainless steel distillers. Very few commercial breweries actually use the sojugori. The sojugori uses atmospheric distillation, which takes place at normal atmospheric pressure (1 atm). This method distills various aromatic compounds together, resulting in a rich aroma, but it is difficult to control the heat and can easily produce a burnt smell. On the other hand, vacuum distillation, which occurs at lower pressure, distills at lower temperatures and produces a smoother taste.

Yu says she does not insist on traditional methods like sojugori distillation simply because it is the best way. Rather, since she was captivated by alcohol brewed using traditional methods when she first became a brewer, her choice reflects a desire to create her own alcohol in that same way.

Yu said, "Using the sojugori results in very low yield and therefore low production volume. But making alcohol the way I do now seems to honestly show the kind of alcohol I want to pursue and express."

Yu believes there are many paths in traditional alcohol brewing. Recently, many traditional liquors reinterpreted in a modern way based on traditional methods have been released. While these are excellent liquors with great quality and unique value, Yu says that path is not hers. Instead, her goal and path is to steadily continue without giving up the method she currently uses.

She smiled and said, "When I first started brewing, I thought making traditional liquor by traditional methods was nothing special, but now it seems to be somewhat of a distinguishing feature. Rather than looking for easy shortcuts, I intend to follow the path I first thought of, even if it is difficult."