Chunpoong Brewery is safeguarding a cherished Korean beverage, makgeolli, while embracing innovation for a new era.
BY JOCELYN TAN
Makgeolli, a Korean rice wine known for its milky appearance, gentle sweetness and effervescence, boasts a rich history dating back over 2,000 years. The foundation of this beverage is three simple ingredients: rice, water and nuruk. Nuruk is a Korean fermentation starter typically made from rice, wheat, barley, or mung beans. The starter introduces essential enzymes and yeast to the cooked rice, which then converts the starches in rice into sugars and then ferments those sugars into alcohol.
Traditionally, makgeolli played a central role in Korean culture, featuring prominently in social gatherings and religious ceremonies. However, the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945) significantly disrupted traditional ways of life. Many cultural practices, including home brewing, were discouraged or even banned. Even after Korea’s liberation, commercial production’s convenience and efficiency led to a decline in home brewing. While readily available, mass-produced makgeolli often lacked the depth and character of its handcrafted counterpart. The growing popularity of Western-style alcoholic beverages like beer and wine in the 20th century also posed a new threat to makgeolli’s traditional position. These new options offered a different drinking experience, appealing to a generation increasingly exposed to global trends. As a result, makgeolli risked losing its place at the Korean table, and its cultural significance potentially fading with time.
While the traditional approach to makgeolli brewing produces unique and flavourful results, inconsistency has always been a major challenge. “Korean alcohol brewing follows a parallel fermentation method, which involves controlling saccharification and fermentation simultaneously, presenting significant technical challenges,” explains Wonho Kim, owner of Chunpoong Brewery. This complex process relies heavily on the brewer’s experience and intuition: subtle variations in temperature, timing, and ingredient ratios can significantly impact the final product. Recognising the cultural significance of makgeolli and its challenges, Chunpoong Brewery embarked on a mission to revitalise this beloved beverage.
Embracing science to revive a legacy
Established in March 2023, Chunpoong Brewery emerged with a bold vision: to elevate makgeolli to a global stage. They saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between tradition and consistency. “We determined that a quantified system surpassing human senses and experience was necessary,” Kim explains. Their solution? The creation of Makgeolli Brewing Technology System (MBTS), a revolutionary marriage of tradition and cutting-edge science. MBTS incorporates Internet of Things (IoT) sensors that act as watchful eyes, meticulously monitoring every stage of the brewing process in real time. This data is then fed into a sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI) brain. This AI draws upon a treasure trove of data collected from Beonam Brewery, a renowned traditional makgeolli producer.
Beonam Brewery’s CEO, Joong Sul Bae, is also the co-founder of Chunpoong Brewery. As the third-generation brewer at Beonam Brewery, which has been operating since 1919, Bae provides the accumulated brewing process data from his brewery to Chunpoong brewery. With this knowledge, the AI precisely controls fermentation, ensuring consistent, high-quality makgeolli every single time.
However, Chunpoong Brewery is not solely focused on automation. For the company, the heart of makgeolli still lies in its cultural significance. “The company began with the understanding that alcohol is the centre of culture and questioning why this Korean alcohol hasn’t yet been globalised. Our goal is to preserve traditional values while improving quality and productivity,” Kim emphasises. Their approach is one of respect, not replacement. Here, they use AI to codify the wisdom of experienced brewers (Beonam’s data sets from the past), preserving the essence of Korean fermentation while enhancing consistency and quality control.
“The most memorable experience so far was helping team members understand the importance of fermentation. There were many doubts about the necessity of such extensive measures, but once they understood the significance of fermentation, everyone acknowledged the correctness of our approach. Sharing this understanding of fermentation’s importance with the team was highly meaningful,” he says. By demystifying this critical process and highlighting its significance, Chunpoong Brewery has built a team that appreciates the heritage behind every cup of makgeolli. AI’s role here extends beyond quality control — it also serves as a key ingredient for international recognition of this well-loved Korean alcohol.
“Since traditional Korean alcohol is full of live beneficial bacteria, it is natural for its taste and aroma to change significantly after being bottled. What this means, however, is that it poses a great challenge to the globalisation of our traditional alcohol. When exported by sea, the taste changes too much, and when exported by air, the bottles might explode. Even if we manage to convince carriers, the air freight costs are too high. As a result, most of the Korean alcohol available overseas is either pasteurised or has lost its taste.
To address this issue, we thought of establishing breweries overseas, so fresh traditional alcohol could be produced and consumed on the same day. However, setting up multiple breweries overseas involves training local brewing specialists, which requires an extensive amount of time, money, and effort. This is where our technology comes in handy: it has potential to learn global taste preferences, allowing them to personalise makgeolli for different regions in the future. Imagine a future where makgeolli is tailored to local palates, offering unique flavour profiles that resonate with international consumers,” Kim elaborates.
While some traditional brewers may initially resist change, Chunpoong Brewery demonstrates how technology can enhance quality and consistency without sacrificing the essence of the well-loved drink. This paves the way for a future where tradition and technology coexist, ensuring the continued success of this beloved Korean beverage.
Beyond the brewery
As the first makgeolli brewery open to the public in Seoul, Chunpoong Brewery is also a champion of education and cultural exchange. Through brewery tours and tastings, they share their passion for makgeolli with the world. “Visitors to the brewery are informed about the history and brewing methods of Korean alcohol and the MBTS through tours and tastings. This allows them to directly experience and understand the fusion of tradition and modern technology in makgeolli. Korean alcohol brewing has a long history and tradition. We believe transparency in the brewing process allows people to connect with makgeolli on a deeper level,” Kim emphasises. By revitalising makgeolli’s popularity, they are not only securing the future of this beverage but also safeguarding a significant aspect of Korean cultural heritage. While AI offers numerous advantages, Kim acknowledges the importance of striking a balance between tradition and technology, emphasising that AI should be seen as a tool to enhance the brewer’s expertise, not replace it entirely.
Chunpoong Brewery’s journey is still unfolding. By embracing technology while honouring tradition, they are not only revolutionising the makgeolli industry, but also promoting Korean culture on a global stage. As their story continues, one thing is certain: the future of makgeolli looks bright, brimming with the unique magic that this cherished Korean beverage has to offer the world. Kim adds, “We want to carry forward the legacy of fermentation culture with modern equipment and technology to connect the past, present, and future.”