South Korea: 81St Anniversary of the Country's Liberation From Japanese Colonial Rule, an Alcohol Content More Than Double That of Typical

Liberation Day is not just a day of remembrance from the past. It is not a history that has passed, but a name that blooms again on the breath of those living today. This year marks the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation.

Citizens commemorate the day by raising the Taegeukgi, visiting the Independence Hall, and attending Liberation Day events, reflecting on the values of freedom and independence achieved by our people. So how does a brewery commemorate Liberation Day? A distilled spirit with an alcohol content of 81.5 percent was released to coincide with August 15. That is more than double the strength of typical whiskey (40 percent).

We met Kwon Yong-in (67), CEO of Nongdam Brewery in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, who introduced 'Nongdam 815' to the world. "81.5 degrees is the temperature of independence, he said. "That number does not simply mean a high alcohol level.

It is a number that remembers liberation, and it is the temperature of the fervor and joy for independence. I wanted to make a spirit that lingers longer after drinking rather than just at the moment of sipping. I tried to capture in one glass the joy and shouts of liberation that remain in your chest after it goes down your throat.

Nongdam 815 has an alcohol level that is normally unimaginable. But rather than burning roughly and recklessly, it impresses with natural herbal notes, a soft balance, and a long finish. Those who taste it first smell the aroma, slowly sip, and then ask again: "Is it really 81.5 percent?

It is because within that heat of 81.5 percent, they encounter unexpected fragrance, smoothness, and deep aftertaste. Last year, Nongdam 815 received three stars, the highest rating, from the International Taste Institute based in Brussels, Belgium. The brewing process for Kwon, a 'farmer who makes liquor, starts with barley farming.

He sprouts barley to make malt and saccharifies it in warm water. He ferments corn to make a base mash and adds angelica root and cnidium for depth. Then he adds a second mash and enhances natural aromas with pine needles, hops, and seasonal flowers like peonies.

After meeting yeast, the fermented liquor matures over about a month into well-aged spirits. To reach 81.5 percent alcohol, he collected it drop by drop using a distiller again. Kwon calls this 'dew from heaven.

To make more than double the strength of whiskey, he re-distills fermented liquor and bottles it in limited-edition moon jar bottles—81 bottles in total. "I wanted to make a spirit that stays longer after drinking than at the moment of sipping, he said. He began studying liquor-making while seeking possibilities for agriculture.