Why is your Makgeolli Always Sour?
If you’ve learned how to make a one-stage Makgeolli (Danyangju) from our One-Day Fruit Makgeolli class or YouTube videos, you might have noticed perhaps a slight sour taste in your brew. Hopefully, you’re not dehydrating your steamed rice like Maangchi—click here to read that post!
Danyangju is naturally a balance of sweetness and sourness, often with a sparkling, carbonated quality. While there are ways to reduce sourness, it’s important to understand that Makgeolli isn’t meant to be purely sweet—it should have a pleasant balance between the two, especially in One Stage Makgeolli recipes.
What Causes This Sourness?
The sourness in Makgeolli comes mainly from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in nuruk. These bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, produce lactic acid during fermentation. As they metabolize sugars, they create a tangy flavor.
The Role of Lactic Acid
Lactic acid is crucial because:
- It creates an acidic environment that prevents harmful bacteria.
- It extends the shelf life of your Makgeolli.
- It contributes to complex flavors and texture.
However, if there’s too much LAB or the fermentation conditions aren’t ideal, your Makgeolli may turn overly sour.
How to Control Sourness
1. Use Chapssal (Sticky Rice)
In our classes, we emphasize using the right rice for brewing. The two main types are:
- Chapssal (Sticky glutinous rice)
- Mebssal (Non-glutinous everyday rice, common in Korea)
For Danyangju and one-stage Makgeolli, stick with chapssal. It absorbs water better, steams more evenly, and is easier to work with. Sticky rice helps create a chewier steamed rice (godubap) with fewer brewing mistakes.
2. Try the Sugok (Nuruk-Water) Method
This method, found in our book Homebrewing Korean Rice Wine, involves soaking nuruk in water before fermentation.
How to do it:
- If using 2 kg of rice, prepare 2 L of water (1:1 ratio).
- Use 200 g of nuruk.
- Soak the nuruk in half of the water (1 L, room temperature).
- Let it sit for about 5 hours or until you see bubbling (early fermentation).
- Strain and discard the wheat bran.
This method results in:
✅ A cleaner Makgeolli
✅ Faster fermentation
✅ Less sourness
However, this approach may slightly reduce alcohol content and depth of flavor.
3. Control Fermentation Temperature
Fermenting Makgeolli in the summer can be tricky. Spring and fall are ideal, while winter can also work.
Recommended Temperatures:
- First 3 days: 25°C
- Days 4-7: 22°C
Alternatively, you can ferment at 22°C for the entire process. If filtering after 10-14 days, keep it on the cooler side.
📌 Tip: The first 3 days are crucial—monitor your temperature carefully!
4. Filter Early (Optional)
Some brewers filter early to reduce sourness. While I don’t personally use this method, it’s worth mentioning.
- I typically filter around Day 7-8 when the alcohol is 11-13% ABV, which I find ideal.
- By Day 2-3, your Makgeolli should still be sweet.
- Filtering earlier (e.g., Day 5) will result in a sweeter but lower-alcohol Makgeolli.
Rather than rushing to filter, I suggest controlling temperature first for better results.
5. Adjust Rice-to-Water Ratios
Most one-stage Makgeolli recipes follow a 1:1 ratio (rice to water), which is a solid starting point. However, you can experiment:
Example Adjustments:
- Reduce water: 2 kg rice → 1.6 L water (20% less)
- Increase rice: 2.4 kg rice → 2 L water (20% more rice)
📌 Extra Tip: Always mix ingredients thoroughly. Proper mixing is key to fermentation success!
6. Adjust Flavor After Filtering
After filtering, you get wonju (unpasteurized Makgeolli). If it’s too sour, try this:
- Add honey or a quality sweetener (avoid artificial ones like stevia, allulose, or cheap corn syrup).
- Let it sit in the fridge for 5-7 days to allow carbonation and flavor development.
Makgeolli evolves over time, so don’t rush to drink it immediately—give it time to mature!
Final Thoughts
Sourness in Makgeolli is natural, but by adjusting rice type, fermentation method, temperature, filtering time, ratios, and post-fermentation tweaks, you can control it.
Experiment, take notes, and find what works best for your brewing style! 🍶
