Soju is a very diverse alcoholic beverage. Made in Korea and made from starches like rice, tapioca, sweet potato, wheat or barley, there are many different styles of liquor that fall under the category. The proper way to drink these different types of Soju is definitely personal preference, but there are a few traditional ways to enjoy it. Following are 4 of the most popular methods:
- Neat
- Drinking Soju as a straight shot is the most popular consumption method. The bottles are typically chilled (especially if it’s a green bottle Soju like Jinro, Chum Churum, or Good Day) before serving and 360ml bottles are served at restaurants. More premium Sojus like Andong and Hwayo are often served neat to better display the true flavour of the spirit which can be masked by the chilling process.
- Soju is typically served neat in a Soju shot glass which is a bit larger than a western style shot glass coming in at a little over 2oz per glass.
- Somaek
- Another popular method for drinking Soju is to mix a drop shot of Soju into a cup of beer which is called a “Somaek” – a mixture of So in Soju and Maek in Maekju (Korean for beer). Typically Korean beers like Cass, Hite, or Terra are used but if those aren’t available (which is often the case in North America) it’s common to see light beers like Kokanee or Canadian used.
- Soju Bomb or Soju Shot
- See number 2 🙂
- Cocktails
- With the emergence of higher proof Sojus like Hwayo Soju and Won Soju cocktail bars around the world are starting to use Soju as a cocktail base in replacement of Vodka or Gin. These higher proof Sojus come in at similar percentages to most Vodkas at around 41% abv. so they make an easy replacement. This can put a lovely spin on classic recipes or act as an incentive to create new and exciting recipes.
To summarize the proper way to drink soju is up to personal preference. Whatever way you choose, enjoy it responsibly and have fun!