HomeWHICHWhich Beer Goes Well With Soju

Which Beer Goes Well With Soju

I’m sure if you’re reading an article about liquor you’ve heard the saying, “beer before liquor, never been sicker.” I can only tell you what I’ve seen from personal experience, not a lot of scientific research out there on this subject for some reason, but somaek (pronounced so-mek) blows past this age old debate. Similar to other internationally famous duos — Guinness and Baileys (Irish Car Bombs), sake and beer (Sake Bombs), whiskey and beer (boilermakers) — somaek mixes soju (소주) and maekju (맥주)(beer), true examples of synergy. Somaek has continued to become extremely popular in Korea and is steadily rising in popularity in the United States, coinciding with the rise of Korean food and culture in general.

We haven’t come across a definitive origin of this titular combination, there are stories ranging from enterprising Korean college students to American GIs stiffening up lighter Korean beers, but one thing is for sure… this stuff hits you fast. Given the relatively low alcohol contents of Korean lagers and soju (most American and European liquors stick around the 40% range while soju is 15% – 20%) it’s not difficult to see where the impetus came from. I like the thought of hundreds if not thousands of ambitious people independently figuring out a way to liven up their night a little.

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Somaek isn’t tied down to a specific type of beer by definition, but as the two most popular beers in Korea are Hite and Cass, the common sense choice is a light lager. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an Asian beer that wasn’t a lager. But most importantly, it doesn’t really matter, somaek is about creating that 분위기 (bun-wigi), atmosphere, where friends, family, and strangers can come together and enjoy themselves. You can laugh at those who lose a game and have to drink as punishment. Or maybe it’s something that you do together when you sit around waiting for some meat to be cooked at a Korean BBQ. In other words, somaek is more than just a mashed up combo of soju and beer; it’s one more way to celebrate the bonds of friendship and help create that sense of camaraderie. As always, drink responsibly and have fun!

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