please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . learn how and when to remove these template messages this article s tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on wikipedia . see wikipedia s guide to writing better articles for suggestions . april 2013 learn how and when to remove this template message this article relies largely or entirely upon a single source . relevant discussion may be found on the talk page . please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources . april 2013 learn how and when to remove this template message k sool website www.k sool.com k sool refers to korean traditional alcoholic beverages . k stands for korean and sool means alcoholic beverages in korean language . it is said there are over 1 000 different kinds of alcoholic beverages in korea . with the yin yang philosophy each type of sool serves the occasions such as marriage harvest longevity and so on . most k sool have been made from rice of both glutinous and non glutinous variety which are fermented with the aid of yeast and nuruk a wheat based source of the enzyme amylase . in addition fruits flowers herbs and other natural ingredients have been also used to craft traditional korean alcoholic beverages . there are 6 distinguished flavors in k sool ; sweet sour pungent roasted bitter and spicy tastes and when they are all harmonized in balance sool is considered to be a quality liquor . k sool is divided into three categories gwasilju fruit liquor jeungryuju distilled liquor and takju yakju rice liquor . the first k sool tasting event is scheduled to be held in new york city from june 5 to 7 2012 . contents 1 history 1.1 first tasting tasting event 2 gwasilju fruit sool 3 jeungryuju distilled sool 4 takju yakju rice sool 5 how to distinguish good k sool 6 drinking manner 7 types of appetizer dishes 8 references 9 external links history edit the history of sool goes back to as early as a.d. 430 in the 5 000 year long history of korea . the main ingredients then were nuruk fermentation mix and malt however the methods used today were developed about 1 700 years ago as the record indicates . variety of sool was widely enjoyed by many korean people in fact approximately 1 in 7 homes in korea used to produce sool until korea got occupied by japan in 1910 . 1 under japanese rule home brewing got prohibited and korean alcoholic beverage brewing got industrialized . during the japanese occupation and korean war many kinds of k sool was lost . however after the korean government approved home brewing in 1995 korean traditional alcoholic beverages are getting their tradition and reputation back . 1 first tasting tasting event edit the first k sool tasting event is scheduled to be held in new york city from june 5 to 7 2012 by sb groupe . the organization touts k sool will be paired with k food and tuned with k pop . as the event is scheduled to be held at kristalbelli an upscale korean restaurant established by renowned k pop star park jin young some k pop performers are expected to attend the event . gwasilju fruit sool edit gwasilju is usually made from fruits or grains . in korea people drink liquor and enjoy the arts and beautiful scenes andatmosphere of seasonal change . in spring people brew alcoholic beverages using with azaleas forsythias and peach and pear blossoms . in summer lotuses and roses are used . in fall chrysanthemum yuzu korean wild grapes and black raspberries and apples are infused . in winter asian apricot is used . with those aromatic ingredients people enjoy the classical grace and dignity and the arts of seasonal change through the flavor of liquor . jeungryuju distilled sool edit yagyongjeungryuju medicinal distilled liquor leegangju is an alcoholic beverage usually brewed in jeolla provinces and hwanghae province from the mid joseon dynasty period . curcuma tuber and cinnamon flavor and pear refreshment are well harmonized to give delicate scent . it has straw color . gamhongro is a traditional liquor in light pink and it is well known in pyeongyang and gwanseo region in korea . various medicinal herbs are added and fermented . this liquor is distilled three times and aged for 120 years . sungokjeungryuju distilled liquor made from rice wine this is a danyangbeop single brew or leeyangbeop second brew a traditional grain wine brewing method . after manufacturing takju turbid rice wine or cheongju it is distilled to get soju . andong soju is well known in andong gyeongsangbuk do . its taste and flavor are distinctive so that many people love this liquor as a korean traditional distilled spirits . okroju of gyeonggi do is originated from hanyang of the late joseon dynasty era . recently the taste of this liquor brewed through korean traditional brewing method of gyeonggi do is very attractive so that its value as a korean traditional alcoholic beverage is appreciated . moonbaesool or moonbaeju is a distilled liquor brewed with wheat yagyonggokryuju medicinal grain wine this liquor is brewed with medicinal herbs . baekseju and ogapiju are a yagyonggokryuju . gahyanggokju flavored rice wine this yakju rice wine is brewed with flowers and leaves to give distinctive flavor to this liquor . kookhwaju chrysanthemum wine omijaju maximowiczia typica songjeolju and dugyeonju are a gahyanggokju . honju this liquor is brewed with grain by adding soju . kwahaju and songsunju are a honju . takju yakju rice sool edit yakju is brewed with hard boiled rice yeast and water in the process if chrysanthemum is used it is called gukhwaju if azalea is added it is called dugyeonju . if pine sprout is used it is called songsunju . if lotus leaves are added it is called ywonyeopju . if gingeng is used it is called insamju . in addition takju or cheongju or yakju is distilled and various medicinal herbs are put into the distilled liquor . that is called mixed liquor which is brewed to use the medicinal effects of the herbs . it is good for health and sometimes treats diseases . from the past korea has proudly boasted its excellent brewing technologies . how to distinguish good k sool edit first see liquor carefully . the color of korean traditional spirits is usually golden ranging from light to dark grown . the lighter the color of the liquor is the cleaner the taste is . the darker the color is the richer the taste is . good traditional liquor is clear and has golden color . according to the color of the ingredients of spirits for example if ingredients other than grains such as medicinal herbs are added the color of the liquor is different . second smell liquor . korean traditional spirits are divided into two flavors . one is the flavor unique to yeast . it is delicate and it has fruit flavor . even if fruit juice is not used well fermented traditional liquor gives fruit flavor such as apple or watermelon flavor . this scent is created by fermenting the wheat bran of yeast . yakju rice wine ripened at low temperature has this flavor . third savor the flavor and taste together . korean traditional alcoholic beverages have six tastes ; sweet bitter sour unpleasant delicate hot . generally good traditional liquor has six flavors well mixed . sweet taste in case of grape wine its fermentation relatively early ends . according to the sucres r siduels the taste of grape wines range from sweet and dry . in case of yakju dutsoolbeob fermentation method is used . glucose created by yeast is broken down into alcohol by leaven so that sweetness decreases and that fermentation stops . at the time rice is supplemented or rice and yeast are added for additional fermentation . that is called dutsoolbeob . the sweetness of yakju induced by natural dutsoolbeob is very scientific and a wise method . sour taste the sour taste of yakju is natural acidity created by various organic acid such as lactic acid and citric acid according to the microorganism formation in yeast and the fermentation progress . when savoring sourness you should enjoy it with its flavor . the best feature of korean traditional alcoholic beverages is the sweetness well harmonized with natural sourness of citric acid lactic acid and succinic acid . if a person likes dry taste he she should check the sweetness and the sourness of a liquor before selecting an alcoholic beverage . unpleasant taste you can enjoy this taste by eating acorns or unripe persimmons . this taste is created because gustatory nerve is paralyzed . thus this taste may give you an unpleasant feeling . however this unpleasant taste of yakju is generated by lactic acid so that if it is proper this taste matches well with meats . bitter and hot taste the hot taste of yakju is caused by the alcoholic substance . in case of medicinal liquor the bitterness of the medicinal herbs used affects the taste of liquor and yeast itself gives the bitter taste . proper bitterness stimulates your appetite . the alcohol content of traditional spirits ranges from 11 % to 18 % . when selecting a yakju it is recommended to consider the harmonized taste instead of alcohol content . the longer the time of fermentation is the higher the alcohol content is and the deeper the taste is . delicate taste this taste is the most important in yakju . it is unique to fermented beverages prepared from grains . in particular the protein much in the cortex of grains is broken down into amino acid and this taste is naturally created . this delicate taste tends to be stronger when a liquor is ripened . if you like a delicate taste the liquor brewed with much yeast or that in dark color can be selected . if you prefer clean and fresh taste the liquor in light color can be selected . refreshment and temperature refreshment is closely related with the temperature of yakju . at low temperature sweetness reduces and sourness increases . the stimulation of alcohol and the delicate taste decrease and the refreshment increases . according to kyuhapchongseo a food literature of the joseon dynasty period it is recommended to have a meal at the temperature of spring having soup at the temperature of summer having sauce at the temperature of autumn and drinking an alcoholic beverage at the temperature of winter . thus the optimal temperature to drink liquor ranges from 6 to 15 . if you prefer light taste drink it at low temperature as much as it can . when opening a bottle do not drink liquor once opening its bottle . after opening the stopper of a bottle wait a while to escape tiny gas in the bottle and fill a cup with liquor . selection of yakju matched with food traditional alcoholic beverages usually have sweetness and sourness stronger than that of other liquor . relatively dry yakju is well matched with meals . from the past banju liquor taken before meal time improves your appetite and promotes digestion by drinking a cup of yakju before meals . thus it is recommended that yakju proper to banjo should not be much sweet and have a little sourness . you can select a yakju drunken during a meal or after a meal with having a friendly talk according to your preference but it needs to consider the type of foods . drinking manner edit korean table manner while drinking 01 there is the manner of korean traditional alcoholic beverages . when you get together with people including elderly people and have a chance to drink an alcoholic beverage you