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Gollywog
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Location: Debussy's brain
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 Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:03 am Post subject: I wonder if this soju can be saved? |
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I wonder if you can use juniper berries to make soju into gin?
Anyone ever try it?
I found some juniper berries for sale online. Don't know what else one would do with them.
http://global.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=119656440
It's interesting reading the wikipedia entry for gin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gin
England came up with this idea to allow cheap gin to be distilled without taxation to discourage the consumption of imported liquor, no doubt for balance of trade reasons.
Sound familiar?
And I wonder how long it will take for some Korean wise guy to turn this thread into a personal attack on me?
Last edited by Gollywog on Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Frankly Mr Shankly
Joined: 13 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:09 am Post subject: |
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| Cheap nasty gin. Good gin is made from good grain spirit. Soju is cheap, synthetic crap. |
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Gollywog
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Location: Debussy's brain
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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Frankly Mr Shankly:
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| Cheap nasty gin. Good gin is made from good grain spirit. Soju is cheap, synthetic crap. |
Good point.
But the cheap nasty gin here costs about 6 kobuks a fifth. So I figure if I could add the juniper berries to cheap nasty soju, I could get cheap nasty gin for about 5 kobuks a half gallon.
On the other hand, I see they have raised the price of the tonic water, while shrinking the already miniscule bottles and labeling them "jumbo." So the point may be moot. |
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billybrobby
Joined: 09 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't know anything about chemistry, but what does the word "synthetic" mean in this context? Is there a way of making alcohol that's cheaper than using grains, and if so, what is it? |
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Stevie_B
Joined: 14 May 2008
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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| billybrobby wrote: |
| I don't know anything about chemistry, but what does the word "synthetic" mean in this context? Is there a way of making alcohol that's cheaper than using grains, and if so, what is it? |
Yes. You can hydrate ethylene from petrochemical feed stocks. Though depending on the price of oil, it can be cheaper to ferment grains. |
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Frankly Mr Shankly
Joined: 13 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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| billybrobby wrote: |
| I don't know anything about chemistry, but what does the word "synthetic" mean in this context? Is there a way of making alcohol that's cheaper than using grains, and if so, what is it? |
Sorry, appears I have been misled, well if the wiki page is anything to go by.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soju
Still, rather than the traditional rice, it's made from cheap-ass nasty stuff like potato, wheat, barley, sweet potato, or tapioca. I was told due to government prohibition that distilation from any type of grain was banned under the military dictatorships. Can anyone shed some more light on this? |
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Stevie_B
Joined: 14 May 2008
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Frankly Mr Shankly wrote: |
| billybrobby wrote: |
| I don't know anything about chemistry, but what does the word "synthetic" mean in this context? Is there a way of making alcohol that's cheaper than using grains, and if so, what is it? |
Sorry, appears I have been misled, well if the wiki page is anything to go by.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soju
Still, rather than the traditional rice, it's made from cheap-ass nasty stuff like potato, wheat, barley, sweet potato, or tapioca. I was told due to government prohibition that distilation from any type of grain was banned under the military dictatorships. Can anyone shed some more light on this? |
From the same page: "From 1965 until 1991, in order to alleviate rice shortages, the Korean government prohibited the traditional direct distillation of soju from fermented grain. Instead, highly distilled ethanol from any source was mixed with water and flavorings to create diluted soju. Although the prohibition has now been lifted, cheap soju continues to be made this way. The Korean government regulates the alcohol content of diluted soju to less than 35%."
For 'cheap soju', read 'soju available in Korea'. Why do you think it costs ten quid a bottle back home? Because the stuff they sell here would be illegal anywhere but Korea. And possibly China. |
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Frankly Mr Shankly
Joined: 13 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Where can we get the low down on what the stuff (jinro, chamisul) is actually made from then? |
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Underwaterbob
Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Location: In Cognito
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Frankly Mr Shankly wrote: |
| Where can we get the low down on what the stuff (jinro, chamisul) is actually made from then? |
Nowhere, it was banned in N.A. because the FDA couldn't figure out what the ingredients were and Jinro wasn't telling. At least rumor has it. |
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Frankly Mr Shankly
Joined: 13 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Which brands do they sell in North America? |
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Stevie_B
Joined: 14 May 2008
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Frankly Mr Shankly wrote: |
| Which brands do they sell in North America? |
They probably just sell 'export' soju, which is made from rice. |
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rumdiary
Joined: 05 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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You could try pouring it through a Brita a bunch of times like they did on Mythbusters (only it was cheap vodka).
You can buy that plum syrup that comes in tiny bottles and mix it with your soju.
Better yet, just drink something else. |
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fortysixyou
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:46 am Post subject: |
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I rented a house next door to a Swiss physics researcher at my university.
We shared a fence. He once gave me a handle of vodka he has infused with habanero peppers from his garden. It was amazing.
He said all you have to do is stick any kind of fruit or berry into a vodka (or I guess soju?) bottle and then leave it for about 6 months.
He also said that love is chemistry and sex is physics. |
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