How To Drink Soju With Beer

The two most popular alcoholic drinks of South Korea are undoubtedly soju and beer. Korean people like to mix these two beverages into a smooth cocktail known as ‘Somaek.’ The word itself is an abbreviation of the words ‘soju’ (소주) and ‘maekju’ (맥주).  Original soju is a traditional type of Korean liquor, made with rice, tapioca, or sweet potato, and beer is wildly known in the world. 

For foreigners, this may come as a bit of a shock, but ‘Somaek’ has become one of the most popular drinks in South Korea with an entire drinking culture built around it. Mixing the original soju with beer makes for a perfectly palatable Somaek. The taste of the cocktail is just enough to mask the strength of the soju while maintaining the crisp taste of an ice-cold beer. This is another way to drink soju and bring something new to your table.

It is very easy to make Somaek. Just fill three-quarters of a glass with your choice of beer, top it off with a shot or two of Korean soju, and tap the bottom of the glass with a stirrer to allow the soju to combine with the fizz of the beer. The golden ratio is 3:7. In other words: 30% of Korean soju with 70% beer. 

Not all beers are created equal. For an authentic Korean Somaek, you should avoid any strong, deep-flavored beers. You want to use a light beer or lager.

The most popular Korean soju for Somaek is Jinro. ​​It is the current top soju brand in the world and in the Philippines. It has mild and soft feelings of drinking, with  16.9 degrees of alcohol. Jinro’s clean taste is perfect for enjoying the convenient sense of drinking Somaek.

Jinro soju is also the popular choice of soju for Filipino youth. The price of soju may vary from the selling point, but the average price for a bottle of JINRO 360ml Soju usually starts at ₱99 to  ₱115. All other flavors like Grape, Plum, or Strawberry are priced the same.

Read more about Jinro soju: https://hitejinroph.com/ 

Enjoy your Somaek with Jinro and Dive into Korean culture.