Distilling Method of Kwanso Kamhong-ro, a Famous Brand Wine of Korea

Kwanso Kamhong-ro is a typical traditional wine which has long been produced in Pyongyang and its surrounding areas in Phyongan Province, and, as such, it is one of the precious heritages of traditional soju (wine) of the Korean nation, widely known not only in this region but also all over the country.

This wine is named so for its taste and colour which is derived from the raw materials used in its manufacture. The name Kamhong-ro reflects the sweet taste of honey, the red colour of gromwell and other Koryo medicinal materials used in its distillation, and its dew-like crystal-clear liquid.

The Kwanso Kamhong-ro is different from Kamhong-ros of other provinces, in that honey and gromwell is put for their taste and flavor into wine liquid after it is distilled three times.

The key to the correct manufacturing of Kwanso Kamhong-ro is the manufacturing of sourdough, the selection of grain raw materials, distillers and Koryo medicinal materials, and the method of storage and maturing.

The sequence of sourdough manufacturing is raw-material preparation → cleaning → grinding → watering → sourdough forming → sourdough culture → drying-maturing. The materials are distilled three times using an atmospheric single distiller. In the preparation of Kwanso Kamhong-ro the choice of Koryo medicinal materials is one of the important factors for colour and medicinal effect as a traditional wine.

Gromwell, a medicinal material for Kamhong-ro, is a perennial grass that grows by itself at the sunny foot of mountains all over the country. It grows well in drained sandy loam or calomorphic soil and it has long been cultivated in the country because its root is used as the materials of dyes and herbal medicines. The shikonin pigment in the gromwell root has red purple colour and it has a variety of pharmacological effects such as promotion of blood circulation, antipyretic, antibiosis and prevention of measles.

From the olden times, Korean soju was kept and matured in an earthenware pot for a long time.

In this process, the catalytic activity of the metallic components eluted from the pot helps coordinate the intrinsic flavour elements, and, as result, gives the wine the unique flavour and taste, distinct from traditional liquors of other countries, which use wooden containers to preserve or fast-mature before service.