Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Joe666]

On a gathering of information mission and wanted to know what alcoholic beverage Soju most resembles in the western world. Also, what is it's alcohol content in % or proof. Thank you Caucazoids!!

[oldtactics]

If you're Canadian, you can get it at the LCBO.

I'd say it's sort of.. a rough, cheap vodka flavour. It doesn't really 'taste' like anything except poison. Delicious poison.

Wikipedia says it's 20-45%.

[Rusty Shackleford]

It tastes like rough vodka, cut with water to me.

[mole]

Green soju was my personal fav for years. 25% in the standard 700ml (8 shot) bottle.
Up to 30% (+?) in giant plastic bottles from Emart, normally used for making Ginseng , snake, dog, whatever variety of soju.
Somehow, that was phased out, and replaced by Chamiseul and San.
San has green tea in it, supposedly to make it "gentle" or "soft."
That shyte always gave me a headache.

Chamiseul, well, became the new standard. It's what they bring if you just order soju.
Here's a bit I found:
"This soju, Jinro's basic Korean mass-market soju, is enormously popular; this one was a big seller and looked very much like the standard that the others are compared to
(though probably considered old-fashioned by the youngsters). A nice flavour, very much like a low-proof east European vodka. A surprising amount of burn in the aftertaste
considering the low alcohol content (23%). Filtered through bamboo charcoal. Available everywhere in Korea in bottles and little cardboard cartons, and sometimes to be found overseas.
Complete with a very healthy toad on the label."

I'm pretty sure that 23% is being systematically phased down. I've no idea what the goal might be,
but I'd swear the last bottle I saw said 19%.

[Guri Guy]

I think Soju is around 20-21% alcohol and Soju LA-EEE-TUH is 19%. As if 1% less makes a difference.

Garbage alcohol in my opinion. There's a reason it's Chun won a bottle.

[robot]

Is it true that soju used to be created through a very complicated process of distillation -- and that this kind of soju can still be purchased for a hefty price -- but that nowadays soju for the masses is essentially rubbing alcohol and water?

[mole]