BGM international edition...

Insert blog cliche here: It's been awhile since I posted.  No excuses but plenty of laziness.

Today's review is a now tardy, BGM international report/review.  I recently went abroad to the land of South Korea for a recent trip.  Although I'd like to stay ethnically anonymous in these posts, I suppose it's only avoidable for so long.  Then again, I did a post on marinating meat in kimchi juice. 

I had an opportunity for lots of B lots of G not too much M.  I also took plenty of off-center and macro pictures that are becoming derivatively BGM.  My cameras, while cheap, do have non macro modes... I think.

Hit the jump, but beware there are lots of words and pictures.

Korea, and East Asia in general, is known for a rich drinking culture.  To drink every night is not seen as a bad thing, but something that is normal as eating food.  I'm reminded of the countless documentaries on worldwide alcohol consumption and they say that in countries other than the teetotaling U.S. you hear that drinking nightly is a common occurrence.  Korea is certainly no exception.  When I say Korea, just assume I mean South Korea, because you know that the only people drinking in North Korea is Kim Jong Il, who is supposedly one of Hennessy's largest buyers. 

As a side note, the only reason why I clarify North/South is because that's a common question that people ask, "Are you from the North or South?"  It'd be hard for me to be here right now blogging about the frivolities of life if I was from the North.

Korea has many subtle rules when it comes to imbibement.  I won't waste your time by re-stating what has already been described at sufficient detail at wikipalooza.  Some highlights:

- When drinking with people older than you: receive with two hands, cover up your drink, and turn away then drink.  

- There will come a time during the course of a dinner when the adult will give you his cup and then you have to take it and then have a shot from his glass.  What this means is that for everyone older than you at the table, you will have that many shots as a minimum.

- It seems that the modus operandi is to drink low (15% or so) ABV drinks, but lots of it.  Depending on your preferences, this could be more dangerous than drinking lots of 40-50% ABV since it creeps up on you.  Some things that creep up on you are bad like a slow speed drive by shooting.  But to others, slow and steady wins the race.

- If your glass is empty, it will be filled.

There are some others, but that's the gist.  Naturally, the rules appear to get more relaxed as more is consumed.  These rules are essentially a systematic path to drunkenness mixed with some Confucian principles.  Lots of rules come about to dress up what are normally surly activities

It seems that one of the first questions they ask you there is: "Do you drink well?"  That's closely followed by, "Let's have a drink."  I have a Great Uncle that said whilst drinking me under the table: 

    "As long as you do what you're supposed to do, and drink a little, you'll be fine."

Aside from the standard < 5 dollar bottles of soju, I did get to have what I have been looking forward to trying. Andong soju is a type of soju that is at 40%.  I was able to try two different types of Andong soju, but I didn't get to photograph one of them.  I don't get why people don't drink this more in Korea considering the taste carries far more depth of flavour than the standard garbage soju.  Andong soju is very sweet and smooth, reminiscent of a Genevieve  gin (without the juniper flavouring of course).  I haven't found a place in the states that carries it, but if/when I do, I will be stocking up.  When in Andong, there were many stores that specialized in carrying all sorts of liquor like a Mom 'n' Pop Total Wine.

The microbrewing craze is non-existent in Korea, but instead there are many regional types of alcohol with 12 types being designated as Important Intangible Cultural Properties of Korea.   There are people that have clubs there like home beer brewing clubs here, but instead they make their own liquors.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to infiltrate this culture.  Maybe next time.

I did also get to try another bottle of stuff called shinsunju.  Perhaps it's nothing special but the owner of the restaurant that gave it to us had received it as a present and wanted to share it with us.  It's a bit sweet to the taste and not too grainy.  One thing I did notice about Korea: the countryside is where life is slower, people more hospitable, food fresher, and the liquor sweeter.

In all, my trip was a good one.  I'll admit, I did miss good a good solid IPA or a bone-in Ribeye, but everyone has their BGM around the world.

 

In the airport I hit up some canned Makgeolli to send me off onto what was the most turbulent flight I've ever had.  I've never looked but this stuff comes in drink boxes, big bottles, small bottles, gourds or anything else.  Sweet and to be consumed with kimchi.  Man cannot live on kimchi alone.

How can they not have IPA but they can manage to have hipsters?  Oh, the humanity!