BEK SE JU Korean Rice/Ginseng Wine.

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Revvy

Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
HBT Supporter
Joined
Dec 11, 2007
Messages
41,288
Reaction score
3,773
Location
"Detroitish" Michigan
Has anyone tried this or no anything about it beyond the scant info online?

img_key_bekseju.gif


My GF brought over a boxed set containing 2 bottles and two really cool glass "sake" cups... We chilled one down last night. It was amazing and complex...Tasting like Sake, Mead, ginseng, and god knows what else...

At at 14% ABV...it was damn potent....but kind of like Edwort's Apfelwein "sneak up on you potent."

I'd like to know if anyone's experienced this...or has tried to make it...

Here's some scant info.

Bek Se Ju ? the name says it all!
‘Ju’ means wine, and ‘Bek Se’ simply means 100years old. Its name comes from ancient Korean tale about good wine.

Brewed with the finest and unique traditional method, using ginseng as the major ingredient plus eleven other valuable herbs, all cultivated in Korea, Bek Se Ju has a mellow and distinct flavour, with subtle ginseng and herbal note.
Enjoyed chilled, in a specially designed glass, Bek Se Ju is a white wine with a delightful attitude.

Because of its distinct flavour and herbal character, Bek Se Ju works charmingly with appetizers, is refreshing with grilled or barbequed food, balances well with spicy dishes. In fact, this wine is fun and satisfying to pair with!

It contains...

Licorice(Glycyrrhizal)
Ginseng(Ginseng Radix Palva)
Schizandra Fructus
Lycii Fructus(Lycium Fruit)
Hoelen
Astragalus root(Astragali Radix)
Lycii folium
Polygoni Miliflori Radix
Cinnamon(Cinnamomi Cortex Spissus)
Ginger(Zingiberis Rhizomal)
CORNUS FRUIT
CURCURNA ROOT

I don't know what half of these ingredients are...The interesting thing is that none of them are overpowering...It's really balanced, and like nothing I've ever had before....

Anybody tried it? Made it?
 
My dream is to make a ginseng mead or something of the like. I found that decent grade bulk ginseng can run 100 bucks an ounce, at least where I looked. I guess it can take a century for ginseng to develop. That was really the only thing that postponed my expierment. Did it give you an uppy buzz? I will definately be checking the class six for this, especially if it has the Rev's endorsement!
 
I know alot of guys that lived in Korea, and they would tell stories of drinking So-Ju. They said that it was sneaky, as in you could sit and drink a quart of it mixed with juice and not feel anything... Until you would stand up. Then it would be lights out. I heard rumors of it having traces of embalming fluid in it but I don't buy that.
 
Wow, finally, after nearly a year.....

Uh, iirc from a long time ago, it gave me a happy warm feeling.

Your ginsing mead sounds great....but you probably wouldn't need that much to flavor mead. Just like using ginger, or saffron, a little goes a long way, and in something like a mead high quality wouldn't be necessarily whats needed...betcha you could find what you need at the local asian grocery....

You could probably also get away with using one of those flavored ginseng "tonics" which is usually simply some ginseng extract in an alcohol base....

Something like this, prehaps...

yhst-76721326687689_2034_9713062


Panax Ginseng Drink

I've noticed various tonics like that at the counter of some asian groceries, or even some health food stores.....betcha you could find something that would work perfectly as a flavoring. Or like I said, just some dried or fresh ginseng from the grocery store or asian market.
 
After living in Korea for 1 year, and China for two...I have had almost anything they drink. "rice wine" is something that is carried through many asian countries...with a differnt name/stlye.

Korea=soju
Japan=Sake
China/Taiwan= gao Liang..

Even for those mead peoples...."Mi Jo" is chinese honey wine.

There are 100's of sites that have lots of info for making you own batch...and its EASY.

I have made Sake to great success...at 17%ABV. (its amazing hot or cold) and as diverse as any wine.

Feel free to msg me for any info/questions.

Joel.
 
I wasn't really looking for the ginseng flavor, more so the ginsengy buzz. I looked at panax extract, which will probably be what I will use if I can't get any fresh ginseng. I'm really looking for a potent ginseng/booze buzz, something for special occasions. I will have to put it on hold for now because I am off to deutchland in July.
 
i plan on making this sometime soon, but am just going to buy vodka or soju and have the herbs sit in it, might sweeten it a tiny bit more than the commercial variety too.

either going to use the cheapest vodka or hallasan soju and let it sit for 3 or 4 months
 
Revvy, I am bringing this thread back from the dead. I lived in Busan, South Korea for one year and did my best to try every type of alcohol available. One of my favorites was baekseju. It means "100 years wine" as you are supposed to be able to live to 100 if you drink this healthful drink! It is not soju, which is a distilled beverage. Also, they have something like Fred is describing called Insam/Hongsam -Ju, which is basically a ginseng tincture that are served at healthfood restaurants.

I have often though about trying to make it myself, but unless you have an awesome chinese or korean market near you, you wont be able to find that stuff. A site I came across listed the following as the key herbs:

Ginseng
Licorice
Omija
Gugija (Chinese wolf berry)
Astralagus Propinquus
Ginger
Cinnamon

I believe it is brewed in a similar style as sake with these herbs in the fermentation. Then filtered clear. I am sensing a summer project...
 
Back
Top