Cheongju (drink): Difference between revisions

| abv = 14%

| proof = 28

| related = [[Mijiu]], [[huangjiu]], [[sake]]

'''''Cheongju''''' ({{Korean|hangul=청주|hanja=淸酒|labels=no}}; literally "clear wine"), sometimes anglicizedromanized toas '''''Chungju''''', is a Korean alcoholic beverage. It is a clear, refined [[rice wine]] of Korean origin.<ref name="KELD">{{Cite web|url=https://krdict.korean.go.kr/eng/dicSearch/SearchView?nation=eng&ParaWordNo=79332|title=cheongju|website=[[Korean–English Learners' Dictionary]]|publisher=[[National Institute of Korean Language]]|script-title=ko:청주|trans-title=refined rice wine|access-date=18 May 2017}}</ref>

The word ''cheongju'' ({{Korean|hangul=청주|hanja=淸酒|labels=no}}) consists of two syllablescharacters: ''cheong'' ({{Korean|hangul=청|hanja=淸|labels=no}}) meaning "clear" and ''ju'' ({{Korean|hangul=주|hanja=酒|labels=no}}) meaning "alcoholic drink". It contrasts with ''takju'' ({{Korean|hangul=탁주|hanja=濁酒|labels=no}}), as "tak" ({{Korean|hangul=탁|hanja=濁|labels=no}}) means "turbid". The word ''takju'' usually refers to ''[[makgeolli]]'' (milky, unrefined rice wine). The [[hanja]] characters 淸酒 are etymologically the same as the [[kanji]] pronounced ''seishu'' used on the labels of [[sake]].

The native Korean word for "clear wine", ''malgeun-sul'' ({{Korean|hangul=맑은술|labels=no}}), is also used to refer to ''cheongju''.<ref name="SKLD">{{Cite web|url=http://stdweb2.korean.go.kr/search/View.jsp?idx=111481|title=malgeun-sul|website=[[Standard Korean Language Dictionary]]|publisher=[[National Institute of Korean Language]]|language=ko|script-title=ko:맑은술|access-date=18 May 2017}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Another name for ''cheongju'' is ''yakju'' ({{Korean|hangul=약주|hanja=藥酒|labels=no}}), which oftenliterally translates into "medicinal wine".<ref name="SKLD2">{{Cite web|url=http://stdweb2.korean.go.kr/search/View.jsp?idx=220415|title=yakju|website=[[Standard Korean Language Dictionary]]|publisher=[[National Institute of Korean Language]]|language=ko|script-title=ko:약주|access-date=18 May 2017}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

According to ''[[Jilin leishi|Things on Korea]]''—a 12th-century book on Korea written by a [[Song dynasty|Song Chinese]] scholar—thescholar Sun Mu (孫穆)—the [[Goryeo]] people used non-glutinous rice to brew rice wine.<ref name="Mu">{{cite wikisource |title=雞林類事 |first=Mù |last=Sūn |plaintitle=Jīlín lèishì ''[[:s:zh:雞林類事|雞林類事]]'' |wslanguage=zh |trans-title=Things on Korea |location=Song China}}</ref> Another 12th-century Chinese book, ''[[Xuanhe fengshi gaoli tujing|Illustrated Account of Goryeo]]'', reports that Korean rice wine that is made with ''[[nuruk]]'' is deeper in color and has a higher alcohol content; it says that when drinking this wine one gets drunk quickly and sobers up quickly.<ref name="Xu">{{cite wikisource |title=宣和奉使高麗圖經 |first=Jīng |last=Xú |year=1124 |plaintitle=Xuānhé fèngshǐ gāolì tújīng ''[[:s:zh:宣和奉使高麗圖經|宣和奉使高麗圖經]]'' |wslanguage=zh |trans-title=Illustrated Account of Goryeo |location=Song China}}</ref> This book says that clear, refined rice wine was made in the royal court, while [[Makgeolli|milky, unrefined rice wine]] was more popular among commoners.

''Cheongju'' is usually brewed in winter, between the months of November and March.<ref name="Doo">{{Cite web|url=http://www.doopedia.co.kr/doopedia/master/master.do?_method=view&MAS_IDX=101013000861064|title=cheongju|website=[[Doopedia]]|publisher=[[Doosan Corporation]]|language=ko|script-title=ko:청주|access-date=18 May 2017}}</ref> Steamed rice mixed with ''[[nuruk]]'' (fermentation starter) and water is left to ferment for 16 to 25 days, at a temperature not higher than {{Convert|14-16|C}}.<ref name="Doo" /> During the fermentation process, the rice starch becomes saccharified; the yeast fungi feed on the sugars created by saccharification and produce alcohol. The fermented wine is then filtered with ''yongsu'' (a wine strainer), which is dipped into the liquid.<ref name="Yoon">{{Cite journal|lastlast1=Yoon|firstfirst1=Suk-Ja|last2=Park|first2=Duck-Hoon|date=1994|title=Study on traditional folk wine of Korea – In the Southern region of Korea – Chulla-do, Kyungsang-do and Cheju-do|url=http://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/ArticleFullRecord.jsp?cn=SSMHB4_1994_v9n4_355|journal=Journal of Thethe Korean Society of Dietary Culture|volume=9|issue=4|pages=355–367}}</ref> The clear wine inside the ''yongsu'' is ladled out to make ''cheongju''.<ref name="KoSFoST">{{Cite book|url=http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=296942&cid=48182&categoryId=48277|title=Sikpum gwahak gisul dae sajeon|last=Korean Society of Food Science and Technology|publisher=Kwangil Publishing|year=2004|isbn=9788986752106|location=Seoul|language=ko|script-title=ko:식품과학기술대사전|via=[[Naver]]}}</ref>

''Cheongju'' has been widely used in a variety of traditional [[Ritual|ritualsritual]]s and rites, as it is regarded as a well-prepared alcohol.<ref name="KTO" />

Southern cities in South Korea such as [[Masan]], [[Gunsan]], and [[Nonsan]] are famous for producing good ''cheongju''.<ref name="Doo" /> ''[[Beopju]]'' brewed in [[Gyeongju]] and ''[[sogok-ju]]'' brewed in [[Hansan-myeon|Hansan]] are well-known varieties of ''cheongju''.<ref name="KTO">{{Cite web |date=12 August 2016 |title=Traditional Liquors & Wines |url=http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FOD/FO_ENG_2_4.jsp |titleurl-status=Traditionaldead Liquors|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101140438/http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FOD/FO_ENG_2_4.jsp & Wines|archive-date=121 AugustJanuary 2016 |access-date=24 May 2017 |website=[[Korea Tourism Organization]]|access-date=24 May 2017}}</ref> There also are ''cheongju'' varieties made with glutinous rice or black rice.<ref>[{{cite web |url=http://www.soolsool.co.kr/English/product.htm |title=Product |website=www.soolsool.co.kr |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312032146/http://www.soolsool.co.kr/English/product.htm] |archive-date=12 March 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[{{cite web |url=http://www.soolsool.co.kr/English/product.htm |title=Product |website=www.soolsool.co.kr |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050315020459/http://www.soolsool.co.kr/English/product.htm] |archive-date=15 March 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Flavoured ''cheongju'' varieitesvarieties include ''[[gukhwa-ju]]'' made with [[Chrysanthemum indicum|chrysanthemum]], ''[[dugyeon-ju]]'' made with [[Rhododendron mucronulatum|rhododendron]], ''[[songsun-ju]]'' made with [[Pinus densiflora|pine]] sprouts, ''[[yeonyeop-ju]]'' made with [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus]] leaves, and ''insam-ju'' made with [[Panax ginseng|ginseng]].

''Cheongju'' is similar to other East Asian [[rice wine]] counterparts such as the Chinese ''[[mijiu]]'' and Japanese ''[[sake]]''. A dry white [[vermouth]] can also serve as a substitute for ''cheongju'' in cooking.<ref name="Hepinstall">{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.com/Growing-up-Korean-Kitchen-Cookbook/dp/1580082815|title=Growing up in a Korean Kitchen: A Cookbook|last=Hepinstall|first=Hi Soo Shin|publisher=[[Ten Speed Press]]|year=2001|isbn=978-1-58008-281-5|location=Berkeley, CA}}</ref>

* ''[[Sake]]'', a Japanese equivalent of ''cheongju''