Makgeolli Made Easy

This refreshing, lightly fruity cocktail is adapted from My Korea, by Hooni Kim. Makgeolli — Korean rice beer — is available in Korean supermarkets such as H-Mart. Shake it gently before opening.

Makes 1 drink.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces gin

1/2 ounce cucumber purée (see recipe below)

1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce Ginger Syrup (see recipe below)

1 1/2 ounces makgeolli

1 thin cucumber slice for garnish

Instructions

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the gin, cucumber purée, lime juice and ginger syrup. Cover and shake vigorously to chill and blend. Fill a highball glass with ice and strain the cocktail into the glass.

2. Pour the makgeolli on top. Garnish with the slice of cucumber.

To make the cucumber purée

Peel half an English cucumber, cut it into chunks and purée in a blender. Makes about 1/2 cup. Keeps covered and refrigerated for 2 days.

To make the Ginger Syrup

Peel a 4-inch piece of ginger, slice it thin, and put it in a small saucepan with 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Set it over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until it is reduced by half. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside to infuse for an hour. Strain and use immediately, or cover and keep refrigerated for up to 4 weeks.

Makgeolli Made Easy

Makgeolli Made Easy

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail
Author: Recipe by Hooni Kim; headnote and adaptation by Leslie Brenner
This refreshing, lightly fruity cocktail is adapted from My Korea, by Hooni Kim. Makgeolli — Korean rice beer — is available in Korean supermarkets such as H-Mart. Shake it gently before opening.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces gin
  • 1/2 ounce cucumber purée (see recipe below)
  • 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 ounce Ginger Syrup (see recipe below)
  • 1 1/2 ounces makgeolli
  • 1 thin cucumber slice for garnish
For the Cucumber Purée
  • 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
For the Ginger Syrup
  • 1 cup sugar
  • One 4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

Instructions

  1. 1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the gin, cucumber purée, lime juice and ginger syrup. Cover and shake vigorously to chill and blend. Fill a highball glass with ice and strain the cocktail into the glass.
  2. 2. Pour the makgeolli on top. Garnish with the slice of cucumber.
To make the Cucumber Purée
  1. Put the sugar and ginger with 1 cup of water in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the syrup has reduced by half. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside for 60 minutes
  2. Strain the syrup and transfer to a covered container. It will keep for up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.

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