So What Cocktails

I wanted a special cocktail for our Korean feast a few weeks back, and my friend Virginia suggested using a distilled drink called soju.

I had never heard of this beverage and I imagined going to the local liquor store and having the following exchange.  (You should hear a Texas twang inside your head for this.)  Me: “Hi, I’m looking for a bottle of soju.  Do you have it?”  Liquor store clerk: “So what?”  Me: “Soooo jew.”  Liquor store clerk:  “Huh.  Never heard of it.”

Soju is a distilled beverage from Korea.  It is clear in color and tastes similar to vodka, but it is lower in alcohol content, usually 25 to 45% ABV.  Traditionally soju was made from rice, but you can now see it distilled from other grains and starches.  Even though it is commonly drunk neat in shot glasses, I wanted to mix it up a bit.

It just so happened that the very weekend I decided to create a soju cocktail we went to dinner with our friends Chris and Jennifer.  We learned that Chris has become something of a liquor connoisseur and because my husband and I enjoy drinking alcohol, thinking about alcohol, and talking about alcohol, the conversation quickly turned to Chris’s expanded focus on liquor. 

I asked Chris if he could recommend a liquor store that might have hard-to-find items.  Chris asks what in particular I’m seeking.  I don’t expect him to have heard of it, so I say I’m looking for an Asian distilled beverage called soju.  Just as I am about to launch into an explanation of what has been shared with me by Virginia, he says oh, I think I have three cases of that.  I’m pretty sure my mouth fell open at this point.  I can only hope I didn’t embarrass myself too badly.  Luckily, Jennifer has known me a long time and that certainly wouldn’t have been the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done in front of her.  Once, my jaw started working again, I asked him where he got it.  He offers instead to give me a few bottles.

Well, we’ve enjoyed experimenting with our bottles of soju.  Thanks, Chris!

Soju Gingertini
Makes 1

3 oz soju
1 1/2 oz ginger syrup
ice
lemon peel

Put soju, ginger syrup, and ice in a cocktail shaker.  Shake until chilled.  Strain into glass and garnish with lemon twist.

To make the ginger syrup - Take a 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peel, and cut into big chunks.  Put it in a saucepan with 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water, stirring to combine.  Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.  When mixture boils, reduce heat and simmer until sugar is completely dissolved and syrup is slightly thickened.  This took me about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat, discard ginger, and let cool.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Pom Soju Cooler
Makes 1 drink

2 oz soju
4 oz pomegranate juice
1/2 tsp honey
ice
lemon slice for garnish

Pour soju and pomegranate juice over ice.  Stir in honey.  Garnish with lemon slice.

Gingerbread Soju

Makes 1 drink

1 1/2 oz soju
3 oz ginger syrup
ice
cinnamon sugar
dash of allspice
cinnamon stick

Pour soju and ginger syrup in an ice-filled shaker.  Shake until chilled.  Strain and pour into a cinnamon sugar rimmed glass.  Add dash of allspice and garnish with cinnamon stick.