Hangul 문배주 Revised Romanization Munbaeju | Hanja 문배酒 McCune–Reischauer Munpaechu | |
Munbaeju is a Korean traditional distilled liquor produced in South Korea and is considered to be one of the finest Korean spirits. Its name consists of the two words; munbae (문배), which means "wild pear" (Pyrus ussuriensis var. seoulensis), and ju (주; 酒), meaning "alcohol". It is given this name because the wine has the fruity scent of the wild pear, although no pear is used in its production.
Contents
Ingredients and production
Munbaeju is brewed from wheat, hulled millet, Indian millet, and a fermentation starter (nuruk; 누룩), then distilled.
Origins
Although it is South Korea's "Important Intangible Cultural Property Number 86-1", it originated from North Korea's Pyeongyang. Its origins are traced to the Goryeo Dynasty. The water used to produce Munbaeju comes from the Taedong River. A royal subject of Wang Geon presented him with home-brewed munbaeju, which his family had made with a secret recipe for generations. Wang Geon was so impressed with its taste, that he gave the subject a high-ranking position in the government. Ever since this event, Munbaeju was a wine drunk by kings, and is commonly served to important foreign dignitaries during welcoming receptions.