I’d heard all the rumors about Soju before I went to Korea- be careful, etc., and of course upon my arrival my co-workers decided it was of course necessary to introduce me to this ‘stuff’., while I didn’t find it especially tasty (it seems to be typically enjoyed mixed with Kool-aid) it does seem to have quite a wallop. I guess it’s the asian equivalent of Tequila, as far as people losing sight of the fact they’re human.
Of course everyone exclaimed “You know, it has formaldahyde in it.” which I don’t really believe. Why that would be something to brag about is beyond me, anyway.
However, judging from the medicinal taste and numb-skulling hangover, I believe a good case could be made for ether.
Any ideas? Would it be possible to bubble something like ether through an alcohol for increased inebriation?
Here’s a website that gives a brief run-down on what’s in Soju…
Astrogirl and I drink enough of it!
It IS kind nasty, really, but it does the job and it’s cheap, so who can complain?
I’d never heard that it is illegal in the US, and I have it on good authority that it is not (IE: Astrogirl was on a business trip to LA a few weeks ago, and I just asked her if she drank any soju there… she says that she did!)
Whoa! Let me clear something up… I re-read the page I linked to in my previous post thinking “Where did Evil get 90 proof from??” Well… the page says “Soju has an alcohol content of around 45 percent.”… it does not. I am looking at a bottle of soju right now, and it is 25% alcohol… 50 proof.
I think the person who wrote that page mixed up proof with percentage.
Yes, it’s their national beverage, AND they’re proud of it. Good for them, I say!
I’m not sure what you mean by “crudely made” or “poorly refined” so no comment (I know nothing of making liquors).
But “people unskilled in the arts of manufacturing spirits” seems uncalled for: soju has been… ‘brewed’ (?) ‘made’ (?) whatever for 5000 years… I would say that they know what they are doing. Soju, admittedly, isn’t my favorite drink (despite the fact that I’m currently finishing off a bottle that Astrogirl and I started earlier), but by the standards of cheap alcohol, it’s not bad. It tastes like cheap vodka, but mixes really well with other things. Korean beer isn’t too bad either! Not great, but easily as good as the version of Budweiser that is sold in the US. Many Koreans (yes, I’m generalizing again!) do a lot of things in a somewhat haphazard, half-assed way, but they take their drinking SERIOUSLY. They know what they are doing! I’ve never yet finished a few bottles of soju and not had my vision doubled or trebled, my hands a million miles away, my feet numbed, and my liver screaming ‘WHAT THE F*** WAS THAT?’.
Also, soju is popular in many places here in Asia. In fact I have heard (second-hand info. alert!) that there is a place in Japan that claims to have invented soju… I won’t vouch for the truth of that or take a stand in the argument. But I will say that, IMHO, soju tastes a LOT better than saki!
So, Koreans ARE proud to claim soju as their own. Again, I say, good for them!
But congnac? No joke… I (your humble and white-trashy Astroboy) have tried congnac a total of 1 time. It was HORRIBLE!:eek: You can have it!
Astroboy14, from what I understand while the most common soju is 25% alcohol, there are several varieties that are in the 40 - 45% range. Check out this site for several varieties in that range:
Huh! I’ll be darned… ya learn something every day!
I’ve never seen any of those sojus… but of course they are produced in North Korea… I’m in South Korea, and there isn’t a lot of commerce between the two.
Thanks, Xgemina! I didn’t know that!
Now that I know that there are stronger varieties, I’ll look for them in the store. But as far as I know, all of the soju produced in South Korea is around 25% alcohol… stronger drinks are not called soju. But I may be missing something via my poor Korean, of course… I’ll ask Astrogirl tomorrow, maybe she knows…
