Spicy Korean Kimchi Soju co*cktail Drink Recipe (2024)

A spicy Soju co*cktail is the perfect Korean inspired boozy drink to serve to kimchi fans.

Shake together this simple Korean co*cktail featuring gin, soju, sweet red vermouth, fresh lime juice, and kimchi brine. Rim the glass with gochugaru and garnish with a kimchi skewer. It’s an eye-popping drink to serve to K Pop fans!

We love serving this spicy kimchi drink whenever we eat Korean dishes at home like bulgogi, kalbi and bibimbap. It’s the perfect pairing!

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What Is A Korean Kimchi co*cktail?

Are you a craft co*cktail lover looking to mix, muddle or shake a Korean co*cktail at home?

This well balanced drink features some of our favourite Korean food products like soju, kimchi and gochugaru.

The Soju co*cktail is shaken with premium gin, sweet red vermouth, freshly squeezed lime juice and the kimchi brine found at the bottom of the jar.

This is the perfect kimchi drink to serve at a Korean dinner or K-drama inspired party with friends and family.

What Is Soju?

A Korean co*cktail must include soju, Korea’s most beloved spirit!

Soju is a clear and colourless Korean distilled alcoholic beverage. Whilesojuis traditionally made from thegrainsofrice,wheat, orbarley, modern producers often replace rice with otherstarches, such aspotatoandsweet potato.Sojuis often sold in liquor stores beside otherEast Asianliquors like Japanese sake.

Whether it’s made with sweet potatoes, rice or another starch, all soju is on the sweeter side. This doesn’t mean it tastes super sweet, it is still considered a neutral spirit and often described as “Korean vodka.” The sweetness is subtle and it’s usually described as buttery or malty.

At 24% alcohol by volume, soju is stronger than beer (4% to 5%) or wine (about 13%) butpacks a weaker punch than virtually all vodkas, which are 40% alcohol.

Since Soju has a weaker alcohol content we boost the beverage with the flavours of botanical gin and sweet red vermouth.

Travel to Korea by Making a Soju co*cktail at Home

I love traveling to Asia.

My first visit had me living inSouth Koreafor a year as a teacher and it’s where I was first introduced tofermented vegetableslikekimchi.

After my contract ended in Seoul I travelled throughout southeastAsiafor 6 months, visiting India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Macau and the Maldives.

During my time in Korea I enjoyed many soju sips at restaurants in Seoul, Suwon, Busan, Samcheok, Jeju and even the North Korean DMZ.

We suggest making this boozy Soju co*cktail whenever you’re hosting a Korean dinner party at home. The spicy drink is a perfect pairing for a traditional barbecue feast or a steaming bowl of bulgogi.

Spicy Korean co*cktail Recipe Ingredients

Our spicy Soju co*cktail is easy to make in just minutes!

• Gin: we suggest using Aviation, Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire. The gin adds a botanical undertone to the drink.
• Soju: we prefer brands like Chum Churum, Jinfro Chamisul, and CHarm Soju.
• Sweet Vermouth: use a classic Martini Rosso which adds a red colour to the drink and hints of spice.
• Kimchi: this kimchi drink incorporates the brine (liquid) found in the jar and the glass is garnished with the crunchy fermented cabbage.
• Lime Juice: only use freshly squeezed!
• Gochugaru: Korean Red Pepper Flakes rolled on the rim of a co*cktail glass make for a beautiful decoration similar to the salt used in a margarita.

Kimchi Soju co*cktail Recipe Tips

This spicy soju co*cktail recipe is easy to make at home, ready to serve in under 10 minutes!

We love serving this Korean co*cktail whenever we’re serving bibimbap or bulgogi for dinner.

We’ve used gin in this recipe as the botanicals offer a lovely flavour profile but you can substitute for vodka if you prefer.

We’ve used lime juice in this recipe but you can substitue for freshly squeezed lemon juice if you prefer.

This Kimchi drink recipe serves one person. If you’re hosting a large gathering feel free to multiply the ingredients by the number of guests and muddle the drink in a punch bowl or jug.

Before hosting a Korean co*cktail party you’ll need to ensure you have the best bartender tools and co*cktail equipment.

• co*cktail Kit: co*cktail kits are the perfect gift for newbie mixology fans as they include basic bartender tools like a jigger, shaker and spoon.
• co*cktail Shaker: a bartender’s best friend. Purchase a premium co*cktail shaker to muddle or shake up your favourite pink gin co*cktails.
• co*cktail Glassware: make sure your bar is stocked with a selection of unique glassware to show off your favourite co*cktail creations.
• Hawthorne Strainer:this unique strainer features tightly wound coils and perforated holes. It keeps ice and other large ingredients like lime wedges in your co*cktail shaker rather than in the glass.
• Bar Spoons: slender and long bar spoons are a must-have when stirring drinks.
• Bottle Opener: easily open bottles of beer or cider with the flick of your wrist or purchase a corkscrew for fine wine.
• Pouring Spout: once you’ve opened a new bottle of gin insert these affordable pourers to make co*cktail assembly a breeze.
• Cutting Board: purchase a petite cutting board for your bar to slice garnishes or citrus wedges like lime, orange, lemon or grapefruit.
• Ice Bucket: chill bottles of gin quickly in an ice bucket or keep by the bar when muddling gin mixers into cool creations.
• Ice Crusher: fans of the Mint Julep love an ice crusher.
• Ice Cube Kit:we suggest purchasing a selection of ice cube trays. Silicone styles are our favourite as they’re easy to clean and are available in various shapes and sizes.
• Jigger: use a jigger to accurately measure spirits, juices, syrups and shrubs.
• Juicer: invest in an electronic juicer or buy an affordable hand-held to easily juice fresh citrus like lemons and limes.
• Muddler: fans of the Mojito love a sturdy muddler to mix mint and lime. Muddler’s are handy for any co*cktail featuring ingredients that need a pounding like fresh herbs or citrus wedges.
• Citrus Peeler&Zester: adorn your craft co*cktails with a thick citrus peel or finer ribbons of lime or lemon zest.
• Rimmer: Bloody Mary and Caesar lovers should outfit their bar with a handy rimmer for salting and sugaring glassware.

You May Also Enjoy These Korean Recipes…

• Easy Homemade Korean Strawberry Milk
• Oven Roasted Korean Gochujang Pulled Pork Shoulder
• Korean Beef Bulgogi Noodles
• Sangchu Geotjeori Sweet and Sour Korean Lettuce Salad
• Crispy Vegan Pan Fried Korean Tofu
• Buchimgae Buchu-Jeon Korean Chive Pancake
• Spicy Pork Bibimbap
• Baked Korean Gochujang Chicken Wings
• Peanut and Sesame Noodle Bowl with Korean BBQ Pork and Pickles
• Korean Ssamjang Chicken Kimchi Nachos

How To Make A Spicy Korean Kimchi Soju co*cktail Recipe

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