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The ingredients needed to make makgeolli next to each other.
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5 from 5 votes

How to Make Makgeolli with a Kit

Intimidated by fermenting your own Korean rice wine? Don't be! Here's a step-by-step guide, with photos, showing you how to make makgeolli at home with a kit- it honestly couldn't be simpler!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Fermentation time1 day
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: korean
Servings: 1 litre
Calories: 550kcal
Author: Zen

Equipment

  • Everything is provided with the Damda kit but, if not, you'll need a bottle (with cap) and cling film/ shower cap

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle included in the pack
  • 1 packet makgeolli powder included in the pack
  • 1 litre water
  • Cling film included in the pack. If not, you can use a shower cap!

Instructions

  • Wash the bottle that comes with the makgeolli home kit and dry it well.
  • Pour 1 litre of water (27-30C or 80.6-86F) into the bottle first then add 1 packet of the makgeolli powder.
    Note: I used boiled tap water that had cooled down to room temperature. Please refer to notes for more details on the type of water to use for fermenting makgeolli. Note the order of pouring is important as if you add the powder first, you won't be able to use the markings on the bottle to guide you to add 1 litre of water (you'll need to weigh the water out then, although the bottle has markings for 0.8 (min)- 1.2 (max) litres of water, so I'm guessing you don't have to be super duper precise.
  • Shake the bottle 5 times or so, till the powder and water are well-mixed. You may see clumping of the powder but it will dissolve naturally in the water.
  • Cover the bottle with the cling film included, poke a few holes in it then leave it in a dark and cool place.The kit says that the mixture will ferment in 36 hours (summer, room temperature of 27C or 80.6F)- 48 hours (winter)- since Singapore's room temeprature is much higher than 27C, I suggest checking the bottle from the 24hour mark onwards.
    Note: If you're making makgeolli in winter, your bottle may like to be cuddled by surrounding it with a blanket to keep it warm and cosy:) 
  • Once the drink is fermented to your liking, keep it in the refrigerature. Tastes best when chilled. The makgeolli will become more fragrant in tastier in the fridge.
    Note: The kit does not say how long the makgeolli can be kept for, but homemade makgeolli normally doesn't last that long, so consume within a few days' time.

Notes

What water to use
Note whilst the packet does not say what kind of water to use, traditionally people used spring water for fermentation. As most of us living in cities these days don't have access to a spring, I used boiled tap water instead. (Please make sure the tap water in your country is safe to drink if you are using tap water!) Your tap water may contain chlorine so you will need to boil it for 15 minutes to remove the chlorine, as the chlorine may interfere with fermentation.
Alternatively, you can use distilled water (don't use regular bottled water as it may contain fermentation-inhibiting chemicals too.) Since each box comes with 2 packets, I plan to do my first ferment with boiled tap water and the second with distilled water to compare the difference.
Note: Nutritional information is from Myfitnesspal.com

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 140g