Publically Well-Known 23 Makgueli (Rice Wine) in Korea. Which One Were Awarded as Best Position In Terms of Color, Transparency, Flavor, Taste and Overall Remarks.

It is a recent drink trend and style that people become more and more enjoy drink alone or family at home in like with long and somewhat tired situation Corona Pandemic last longer than expected. Some people rather make a plan to spend Year End Party at home taking into account present situation. We could consider Makgueli as possible Year End Family Party. Event Organizer arranged to Makgueli Competition which we could easily and widely buy with KRW 1,000 ~ 10,000 at publically and widely well-known supermarket. Six experts and appraisers were officially invited for fair evaluation and assessment. Followings are evaluation point (total point 100, basic point 50) and distributed marks under blind test.

l  Color and Transparency : Point 5

l  Flavor : Point 10

l  Taste at Drink : Point 10

l  Residual Taste after Drink and Sallow : Point 10

l  Overall Evaluation : Point 15

Neulin Maul Makgueli by Baesang Myeon has been eventually awarded as top Makgueli with 90.3 point. Haechang 12 by Haechang was recorded with 89.8 point as second position and Boksundoga Makgueli by Boksundoga follow as third position with 87.8 point. Please refer more details to attached Competition Result.

 

A.    Top 10 Makgueli

Meanwhile We separately summarized top 10 Makgueli with some additional explanation as below.

Top 1 : Neulinmaeul Makgueli

Fresh fruit flavor is felt like pear, mangos teen, apple yogurt, less raped peach and wheat flour. Milky white color might be originated and affected from malt which is in relation to tender taste. We could feel purified clean taste and joyful fresh sweet balance. It is brewery principal no sweetener to brewery process.

Top 2 : Haechang Magueli 12

Fresh and well raped fruit flavor is felt like banana, pie apple, melon, apple along with grain flavor. It is very sticky, high viscosity and heavy feeling looks like some debris inside Makgueli when you drink. But we could not recognize higher alcohol content as 12%, normally Makgueli 5%. We instead feel very well raped sticky rice wine, no sweetener with pure gain rewiring process.

Top 3 : Boksundoga           

Multiple flavor like fruit, yogurt, grain and malt are felt along with somewhat funky smell. Dense and heavy sweet taste are influenced together with clear acidity taste in addition to premium Makgueli so that you could feel like sparking Makgueli.  

Top 4 : Ihwabaekju

There are dark milky color, fresh flavor like cool pear, tightening feel with acidity and salty taste like sting. We feel very heavy taste under 6% alcohols. They start to do brewing originally no sweetener but recently used sweetener. Therefore its taste is changed to not premium but normal Makgueli.

Top 5 : Hwaseong Seang Makgueli

 There is a beautiful milky color, multiple flavors at this Makgueli like Ambasa, Milkis and Melona which are well harmonized together. This Makgueli is sweet taste but not too high, enjoyable and joyful. It is a good advantage this Makgueli is less residual taste after drink feeling like easy and/or good carbonated drink.

Top 6 : Seoul Seang Makgueli

Puffed grain and/or old rice flavor are in inclusive of this Makgueli which would be in relation with Bulking wheat. But taste is rather good than this flavor which we could feel like velvet rolling in mouth when you drink. We may feel somewhat stronger sweet taste than other normal Makgueli but not too high and good balance with other taste in this Makgueli. We may recommend this as a desert drink.

Top 6 : Wooguk Seang Makgueli            

We could feel heavy provably due to Godubab (dried and sticky rice) and old rice. There are rice’s sweet and bitter taste, somewhat tasty feel and carbonated drink feel which appropriately control and hamony all together and keep optimum balance, no specific and dominant taste.       

Top 8 : Yeongtak Makgueli

There is not rice flavor attributable from rice fermentation but light grain flavor. It is an interesting and remarkable feel that we could feel like “this is a Makgueli” as one shot word. This Makgueli is producing in Yeosan where we mostly remember as a good source of excellent drinking water nationwide. This Makgueli drink feel would be provably caused from a good water.

Top 9 : Golmok Makgueli

There are light creamy color, banana flavor, grain’s sweet taste which properly create carbonated and heavy texture feel, easy and conformable drink style.

Top 10 : Dameun Makgueli

 There is obviously bright milky white color which Makgueli lovers put nick name as Cloud Makgueli. We could feel well raped banana flavor and good and tender texture like milk and velvet rolling in mouth when you drink.            

 

B.    Expert and Evalutors

There are six expert participating evaluation and appraisal who briefly left remarks as follow.

1)   J. H. Kim, Chief Director at Strategic Planning of Korea Food Research Institute : We evaluate Makgueli under blind test method in order to eliminate prior impression coming from bigger group brewery and found most their brand turned as top group. But some are felt as some poorer quality like taste. We could not confirm the reason coming from poor quality control at the factor or logistic process. This point should carefully checked and take necessary measure if necessary.

2)  D. H. Lee, Doctor of Science at Kyeonggi-do Agricultural Research & Extension Service : We could not find right flavor of each additives like pine nut or chestnut in relevant Makgueli which may come from the brewery process at the factory or logistic process. We should under line this point and feed back to relevant Makgueli Brewery.

3)  J. H. Jeong, Honorary Ambassador of Traditional Wine “Somoliae”

There are obvious difference between premium band and normal in terms of evaluation point. But I personally prefer to less sweet Makgueli and rather Seang Makgueli (live bacteria).    

4)  J. M. Lee, CEO of Daedong Yeojudo

Most high ranked Makgueli are premium Makgueli which are mostly around price KRW 10,000- which means lower price Makgueli around KRW 1,000- were ranked lower position. But it is a good under line and learning points for premium Makgueli Brewery that Neulin Maul Makgueli was positioned as top among 23 Makgueli which was KRW 2,000- per bottle and not premium price.

5)  H. J. Lee, Management of Traditional Gallery

I believe taste and feel for Makgueli wine is entirely depend on drinker’s mind and no correct answer to question about Makgueli quality assessment. We remarked 23 different brands Makgueli as in ranking order. But this ranking is not so much important for individual assessment, rather depend on individual characters. .