Arriving beneath Sangdangsanseong Fortress in Cheongju, visitors are greeted not by the scent of alcohol but by the aroma of herbs.
The delicate fragrance of chrysanthemum flowers mingles with the earthy bitterness of goji root bark, while naturally fermented whole-wheat nuruk intertwines with the gentle sweetness of glutinous rice. At first glance, the name Sinsunju—literally "Immortal's Wine"—may sound like little more than poetic embellishment. In reality, however, it represents a medicinal rice wine deeply rooted in family health traditions, hospitality and the refined culture of Korea's scholar-gentry. Long before it was regarded as a drink for celebration, it was valued as a brew meant to nourish both body and mind.
Cheongju Sinsunju has been handed down for centuries within the Hamyang Park clan. It is believed to have originated in the household of Park Sung-sang, who served as a provincial governor during the Joseon Dynasty, using local spring water and rice from today's Gyewon-ri in Cheongju's Miwon area.
Local folklore also links the liquor to the renowned scholar Choe Chiwon of the late Silla Kingdom. According to legend, Choe built a hermitage beneath Sinsun Peak, where he shared ceremonial drinks with friends while seeking tranquility away from worldly affairs. The story has helped shape Sinsunju's enduring image—not simply as alcohol, but as a symbol of longevity, clear-mindedness and a balanced life.
Historical records reinforce that perception. In Hyeonam Simun Hapjip, written by Hyeonam Park Rae-sun, Sinsunju is described as a drink capable of "turning gray hair black again, restoring youth and extending one's years." Modern science would dismiss such claims as exaggeration, yet the passage vividly reflects how earlier generations understood fermented medicinal wines. Rather than promising immortality, the name embodied humanity's timeless desire to delay aging and preserve vitality through the restorative qualities of nature.
More Than Scholarly Elegance, a Tradition of Wellness
Although Sinsunju contains medicinal herbs, reducing it to an herbal liquor would overlook its broader cultural significance.
For generations, Korean households prepared medicinal tonics such as Gyeongok-go while brewing restorative rice wines to care for family members and honor distinguished guests. Sinsunju, chrysanthemum wine and ogapi wine all emerged from this tradition, where recipes served not only as medical knowledge but also as practical household wisdom encompassing food, fermentation and health.
The brewing method begins by simmering chrysanthemum flowers and goji root bark to create the base water. Powdered medicinal ingredients—including achyranthes root, fo-ti, goji berries, asparagus root, lilyturf root, fresh and prepared rehmannia root, ginseng, angelica and cinnamon bark—are then incorporated. While the exact herbal composition has evolved over time depending on ingredient availability, the philosophy has remained unchanged: capturing layers of aroma and warmth within the liquor itself.
Flowers lend delicate floral notes, roots contribute earthy bitterness, and cinnamon leaves a lingering warmth that gradually unfolds across the palate.
Glutinous rice provides the foundation, gently absorbing the character of each botanical. Excessive sweetness would make the liquor heavy, while overwhelming bitterness would diminish its appeal. Instead, Sinsunju achieves a careful equilibrium. Soft sweetness opens on the palate before herbal bitterness emerges with quiet persistence, while refreshing acidity cleanses the finish, creating an impression far lighter and more refined than many traditional medicinal wines.
Its role likewise extended far beyond everyday drinking. Sinsunju appeared at ancestral rites, family gatherings, banquets for honored guests and leisurely occasions beneath Sangdangsanseong Fortress. During the Joseon era, home-brewed liquor reflected both etiquette and household refinement. Behind every bottle stood countless unseen hours spent preparing herbs, monitoring fermentation jars and preserving generations of accumulated knowledge.
Carrying Forward a Family Legacy
The lineage of Sinsunju passes through several generations of the Hamyang Park family, including Park Rae-sun, Park Gi-dong, Park Nam-hee and Park Jun-mi.
Park Rae-sun documented the brewing method, allowing later generations to preserve it within the family. The late Park Nam-hee eventually introduced the once-private household liquor to a wider audience while celebrating his wife's 60th birthday. Guests praised the distinctive brew, and word quickly spread throughout the region, transforming a family tradition into one of Chungcheongbuk-do's representative local liquors.
In 1994, Cheongju Sinsunju was designated Chungcheongbuk-do Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 4, recognizing not merely the beverage itself but the generations of craftsmanship and cultural memory embedded in its production. The designation protects an entire living tradition—from brewing techniques to customs surrounding when, why and with whom the liquor is shared.
Today, master brewer Park Jun-mi continues that legacy. Originally trained in architectural design, she returned to the family brewery after witnessing the hardships her father endured while establishing it. Learning the craft required years of patience, countless failed fermentations and an appreciation that traditional brewing cannot simply be recreated by following written instructions.
Historic brewing manuals provide recipes, but they cannot fully capture the countless variables that determine a successful fermentation. Temperature, humidity, microbial activity, ingredient quality and even the character of local water all shape the final expression of the liquor. Park now cultivates native Korean wheat herself to produce traditional nuruk, believing that wild microorganisms, seasonal air and the surrounding landscape all contribute to Sinsunju's distinctive character.
Whole-Wheat Nuruk, Medicinal Herbs and the Discipline of 100 Days
The process begins with whole wheat, which is milled, mixed with water and shaped into nuruk, Korea's traditional fermentation starter. The cakes are wrapped in clean rice straw, allowing naturally occurring microorganisms to develop under carefully maintained warmth and humidity before being dried and crushed for brewing.
Rice straw is far more than simple packaging. It creates the environment where beneficial microbes thrive, forming the biological foundation of the entire fermentation process. Once added to steamed glutinous rice, the nuruk converts starch into sugar and ultimately produces both alcohol and the complex aromas that define Sinsunju.
The medicinal herbs follow a separate process. Chrysanthemum flowers and goji root bark are simmered until the original volume of water is reduced by half, concentrating both fragrance and herbal compounds. That infused water becomes the base for fermentation, allowing floral notes, earthy roots and subtle botanical bitterness to integrate naturally into the mash.
Compared with ordinary rice wines, the mash is considerably thicker because of the generous addition of herbs and nuruk. The dense texture slows fermentation, encouraging greater aromatic depth and a richer structure.
Traditionally, fermentation begins at around 30 degrees Celsius for roughly a week before moving to a lower temperature for maturation. Today, however, one principle defines the brewery above all others: no Sinsunju is released before completing a full 100 days of aging.
According to Park, that standard has never been compromised. During the brewery's early years, she once declined a major commercial order because the liquor had not yet reached its full maturation period. For her, protecting quality outweighed immediate profit.
Fermented liquor changes dramatically with time. Bottling too early leaves rough alcohol notes and prevents the aromas from fully integrating. Waiting is not merely a romantic ideal—it is one of the essential ingredients of the finished wine.
Poured into a glass, Sinsunju defies many expectations associated with medicinal liquor.
Its herbal rice wine offers richness without heaviness, while its 42-percent distilled spirit remains remarkably smooth despite its strength. The unfiltered version carries a dense texture balanced by lively acidity, and the lower-alcohol makgeolli expression softens the earthy character of nuruk into a more approachable profile.
Its layered aromas of flowers, roots and herbs are unmistakably distinctive. Some drinkers may find those flavors unconventional, yet that individuality is precisely what sets Sinsunju apart from more commercially standardized beverages.
As Korea's traditional liquor industry welcomes a new generation of brewers and contemporary branding, Sinsunju continues along a different path. Rather than following trends, it remains rooted in centuries-old family recipes, medicinal botanicals, handcrafted nuruk and the culinary heritage surrounding Sangdang Fortress. Even its appearances at international cultural events introducing Korean desserts and fermentation traditions reflect the same philosophy.
Ultimately, the value of Sinsunju cannot be measured by alcohol content or awards alone. It lies in the generations of knowledge preserved within every batch—a tradition where patience, craftsmanship and cultural memory continue to mature together.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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