Korean makgeolli - Does it taste like beer?

I spotted this at 7-11 and it looked interesting. However, I can’t stand the taste of beer, so I wanted to ask others before I bought it. If it tastes like beer then it’s going straight down the drain.

I like wine and sake, which I’m guessing this is similar to. The flavored one I’m assuming is like Japanese horoyoi, but I really have no idea.

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Not to me, more closer to Sake in taste.

I would recommend the original though, I can’t stand the flavored ones, but everybody have different taste so nothing wrong in trying

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Forgot to mention one thing if the first time to drink Makgeolli, one important difference is that the bottle of Makgeolli should be shaken/mixed well before drinking…

Maybe you know already, and overkill in explanations, but anyway :wink:

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Not at all like beer. Um … I’m not sure what I’d even compare it to. I did enjoy it a lot a couple of decades ago in Korea, but haven’t had it since. I’m not sure if flavoured varieties existed back then.

Now I’m curious and may try one of these!

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Yes, not like beer at all. No carbonation, for one thing. And not like sake either. There were no flavors added when I drank it in Korea, either.

To me, makkoli is a drink enjoyed after a hike and in a mountain restaurant, or at a traditional Korean restaurant.

Interestingly, there is an aboriginal drink (wu dzau) that is exactly like Korean makkoli (막걸리). I’m told the "soup"of this is a common alcoholic drink but this is the best part of the brew, and is eaten.

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Used to drink it in the 80s in Korea. Every mom and pop shop had crates of it in flimsy plastic bottles. Must’ve been the cheapest alcohol drink you could get.
I remember it was tangy, sour, slightly sweet, fermenty and quite yeasty with a milky texture.
The caps as in this picture allowed the bottle to vent…I guess as it was still fermenting.
It was all over like this…


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