The ideal and classic Makgeolli food pairing is with Korean savoury pancake made with chives (BUCHU JEON) or green onions (PAJEON). In Korea, it’s said that rainy days were made to enjoy Jeon (Savoury Pancake) and Makegeolli.
The reasons are urban legends, impossible to verify and most likely all true to some extent. The first is that Korean JEON sizzling in oil on a hot pan sounds like the pitter-patter of raindrops. Another is that farmers would be unable to work on rainy days and so would enjoy their unexpected day off with JEON and Makgeolli.
Today, Makgeolli is a trending beverage and so the bar snacks can be as elevated or low-brow as you’d like. The appeal of this subtle rice wine is that it goes well with many foods.
Makgeolli does exceptionally well to cleanse the palate with greasy, hearty dishes (hello fried chicken). But the trend nowadays is to treat it like a co*cktail while nibbling on cheese and nuts.
Imagine a labourer working the fields all day finishing work and seeking to unwind. A tiny soju glass just won’t do, this isn’t a sipping sort of drink.
Fill free to fill up that low-ball glass.
Poured into a bowl also makes it inviting to gulp its contents heartily, eating and laughing with friends. A delicious alcoholic beverage accessible to everyone with its collective association to festivals and celebration runs very strong.
This nostalgia factor is why Makgeolli is often served in bowls to this day.
Because this was a casual drink for commoners, it was enjoyed in a cheap and cheerful way (read: limitless). The aluminum kettles or clay pots were probably the most sizable thing to serve it out of.
The reason Makgeolli would be served in a kettle or pot today would be solely for the nostalgia (retro-cool) factor. If the restaurant or bar is serving them from kettles it’s because they’re serving it in bowls. These pieces usually come in a set made of matching materials.
Aluminum bowls would be matched with an aluminum kettle. Clay pots will have matching clay bowls with a ladle for serving.
Makgeolli is always served ice cold.
It is traditional to drink it straight up, swirled to incorporate the sediments right before pouring.
However, now there are flavoured Makgeolli as well as specialized Makgeolli co*cktails.
You can have quite a feast of bar snacks in a comfortable setting like your home, but with craft brewers (check out Hana Makgeolli and Makku) marketing their products in a Instagram-friendly way, it now doesn’t seem out of place to see it in fancy glasses with more delicate amuse-bouche plates.
