Makgeolli (Korean Rice Wine)

Makgeolli is a traditional Korean rice wine made from fermented rice. This homemade version uses nuruk, dry yeast, and water to create a naturally cloudy drink with gentle fizz and a pleasantly sweet-tangy flavor. The recipe takes you through the process step by step, with practical cues to help you judge how the fermentation is progressing.

Prep Time1

Cook Time50

Fermentation Time4

Total Time4 4

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: korean rice wine, makgeolli

Servings: liters

Calories: 879kcal

Author: Sue Pressey

Ingredients

Main

900 g uncooked short-grain white rice (31.7 oz / 4 cups), such as sushi rice
1 liter water (4 cups), for fermentation

Yeast Mixture

1 tsp dry yeast
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
80 ml water (1/3 cup)

Nuruk Mixture

2/3 cup nuruk
165 ml water (2/3 cup)

To Finish

2 liters water
6 Tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions

Prepare the yeast and nuruk mixtures. Combine the yeast, sugar, and water in a small bowl and stir well. In a separate bowl, combine the nuruk and water and stir until evenly moistened. Set both mixtures aside for about 3 hours.
After about 1 hour, move on to Step 2 so the rice and the two mixtures are ready at roughly the same time.
Soak and steam the rice. Gently rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. Cover with fresh water and soak for 1 hour, then drain thoroughly.
Bring the water in a steamer to a boil. Add the drained rice, cover, and steam over high heat for 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered in the steamer for another 10 minutes.
The rice should be fully cooked but firm and relatively dry, with distinct grains rather than a soft or sticky texture. Steaming gives the rice a drier texture than rice cooked in a rice cooker, which works better for this style of fermentation.
Cool the rice. Spread the steamed rice out on a baking sheet in a thin, even layer so the heat can escape quickly. Let it cool until it no longer feels warm and is cool to the touch, about 15 to 20 minutes in my experience.
Mix the rice and nuruk. Before adding the nuruk and yeast mixtures, make sure the rice has cooled and no longer feels warm. Excessive heat can weaken the yeast and interfere with fermentation.
Transfer the cooled rice to a very large mixing bowl or basin (I used a 42 cm / 12.5 L bowl) and add the prepared nuruk mixture.
Using clean hands, rub and massage the rice and nuruk together for 10 to 15 minutes, gently breaking apart the rice as you go. Continue until the nuruk is evenly distributed and there are no large clumps of rice remaining. This thorough mixing helps the nuruk work evenly through the rice during fermentation.
Add the yeast mixture. Pour in the prepared yeast mixture and mix thoroughly.
Start the fermentation. Add 1 liter (4 cups) of water and mix well.
Transfer the mixture to a large, clean fermentation jar or container (I used a 4.2L jar), leaving plenty of headspace for bubbling and expansion. Cover the opening with a clean cloth and secure it tightly around the rim with a rubber band. Rest the lid loosely on top without sealing it. Ferment at about 23–25°C (73–77°F) for around 4 days.
Once a day, use a clean, long-handled spatula to stir the mixture thoroughly from the bottom upward. Make sure the rice and liquid are well redistributed rather than just stirring the surface.
As fermentation becomes more active, you should notice more bubbling, a stronger alcoholic aroma, and a lightly fizzy sensation when you taste it. Using a clean spoon, taste a small amount each day to see how the flavor is developing. The rice should also gradually soften and break down.
Around 4 days worked well for this batch, but use the timing as a guide. Fermentation speed can vary depending on the temperature and the activity of the nuruk and yeast.
If fermented for longer, the makgeolli will generally become less sweet and more sour, with a more pronounced fermented and alcoholic character. Once it reaches the balance of sweetness and acidity that you prefer, it is ready to strain.
Strain the makgeolli. Place a large, fine straining bag over a colander set inside the same very large mixing bowl or basin. I used a nut milk bag. A fine cloth can also be used if needed, but avoid a coarse cloth such as sambe, as it can allow too much sediment to pass through.
Pour the fermented rice mixture into the bag, pull the drawstring or gather the top securely, then squeeze and massage the bag firmly against the colander so the liquid drains into the bowl below.
When the rice has broken down well during fermentation, there should be relatively little solid residue left behind. Better rice breakdown also means more of the batch can be extracted as makgeolli.
Rinse, dilute, and sweeten. Pour 2 liters (8 cups) of water over the straining bag containing the remaining rice and nuruk solids, letting the liquid drain into the same bowl as the strained makgeolli.
Use your hands to gently work and rinse the solids through the bag, helping release any remaining liquid and flavor. Squeeze the bag well to extract as much liquid as possible.
Remove the straining bag and discard the remaining solids.
Add 6 Tbsp granulated sugar and stir until dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if desired. The finished batch should yield approximately 4 liters (16 cups) of makgeolli.
Bottle and refrigerate. Transfer the makgeolli to clean glass jars, leaving some headspace at the top. I used four 1-liter jars for this batch.
Refrigerate promptly. During the first few days, check the jars regularly and carefully release any excess pressure if needed.
Open the jars slowly and carefully, as continued fermentation can produce carbon dioxide and build pressure inside.

Notes

1 cup = 250 ml; 1 Tbsp = 15 ml

Recipe Notes

Use a wide-mouth jar with plenty of headspace. This makes daily stirring much easier and gives the mixture room to bubble and expand.
Watch the rice texture. The rice should be fully cooked but still firm and relatively dry, rather than soft or sticky.
Mix the rice and nuruk thoroughly for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps break up the rice and distribute the nuruk evenly, which is important for a good fermentation.
Ferment at about 23–25°C (73–77°F). This temperature range worked well during our testing. Cooler conditions will slow the fermentation, while warmer conditions will speed it up.
Makgeolli naturally separates as it sits. Gently turn or swirl the container before serving to mix it back together.

Serving Suggestions

Serve makgeolli well chilled. For a lighter, milder drink, you can serve it over ice. If you prefer it a little sweeter, stir in a small amount of sugar to taste.

For a softer, slightly sweeter variation with a gentle tang, mix 3 parts makgeolli with 1 part probiotic drink, such as Yakult.

Storage

Keep homemade makgeolli refrigerated and enjoy it within about 1 week for the freshest flavor.

It will continue to ferment slowly in the refrigerator, becoming less sweet and more acidic over time. Carbonation may also continue to build.

Discard the makgeolli if you notice visible mold, unusual discoloration, or a clearly rotten smell that is different from its normal sour, fermented aroma.

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