Moon & Lion Brewing

I've made two batches this spring. One triple-feed, and one single-feed makgeolli. For the triple-feed I followed the recipe for Samyangju. Since it was the spring, temperatures were increasing and I didn't need to rely on my electric heating pad to keep the makgeolli at 25 C while it fermented. Hooray! On the flip side, warmer temperatures can mean a higher chance to develop unwanted mold growth on the surface of the makgeolli. Boo! If you are brewing in a warmer climate, make sure to clean your tools well. Also, the warmer temperatures increase metabolic rate of the microorganisms present in the makgeolli. As such, a batch that may originally take 5-7 days in colder temperatures may only take 3-5 days. When I tasted the fresh samyangju, I didn't like it very much. There were some extra pieces of sediment that passes through the filter and left a grainy feeling. I bottled the remainder and placed it in the refrigerator. A month later someone requested to try the...

Making Makgeolli, the Korean Edition! 한국에서 막걸리 만들자~ I continued my interests in making makgeolli while working here in Korea. I couldn't possibly have a better opportunity to understand the beverage and learn the many variations and nuances on how it is made. Thankfully there have been several books published on the topic of makgeolli home brew. Fortunately, I have a loving fiance who is patient and willing to translate and help me understand the books, which are written in Korean. Maybe when my Korean skill gets better I'll work at an English translation of the book(s). I started by visiting the book store and picking up a book which seemed to have a clear process and interpretation of each recipe. The book classified the different types of makgeolli and discussed their characteristics quite extensively. I will get into an explanation of types later, and for now I will stick to a  basic recipe . The book also listed the most common and most useful  tools  for mak...