SoJu

[Doug Mc.]

Is there any place in town to get Soju. For those of you wondering what it is, it is a Korean type of rhum (rum). I first enjoyed while stationed there in the service. I have had it once, years ago in China Town.

[another_adam]

I occasionally see little bottles of chamiseul being sold (for an arm and a leg!) in unexpected liquor stores, such as the one in the porter square plaza. they also had larger bottles of one of the super cheap brands ("white 2000" IIRC, or a similar brand) for some ridiculously overpriced markup.

also, once I saw a delivery truck of baek seju in the parking lot there!! (similar base, but herb-infused version) i went into the store, but they don't seem to carry it there. i went back into the parking lot to try to chase down the truck and find out where it was going, but it was driving too fast :(

the markups on soju from local sources here are really galling--i've taken to bringing back large quanities of it from CA every time i go. (leading to many tales of airport adventure...) sad to report that this is the only real solution that i've found.

[tmab]

Blanchards carries chamisul in 1.75 liter bottles (and in six packs) and the mark up on the 1.75 liter bottle is not nearly as bad as the mark ups on the 375 mL bottles. They also carry baek seju, pokbunjasul, and sansachon in the small bottles with the steep mark ups.

[yumyum]

Hmmmm... I wonder where *my* Korean friend got the bottle she gave me? Maybe she'll post here. It certainly packs a wallop!

[a l i c e]

Got that bottle o' Korean hooch at the liquor store in Teele Sq, in Somerville (in the same block as the i-Cafe and Tip Top Thai). The store is owned by a young Korean guy, so he has a small assortment of Korean alcoholic beverages for sale.

[kobuta]

I think what's served in sushi restaurants is sochu, which is the Japanese version of the same drink. If you're looking for a true Korean sample, you can taste at any of the finer Korean restaurants. My Korean friend says real soju is quite hard to find in the Boston area.

[tmab]

Blanchards in Allston carries soju in a variety of brands and sizes. They also have Korean specialty wines and Japanese shoju.

http://www.blanchards.net/

[passing thru]

do you happen to know if blanchard's carries any Japanese type of true hon mirin? i bought this once at reliable, but when i was there last week they didn't seem to carry it anymore. all they had was nasty ol' synthetic aji-mirin.

[MC Slim JB]

I haven't looked, as I rely on nasty ol' aji-mirin for cooking myself, but I'd check out Super 88 and Ming's. Not sure if it's legal to carry a 14% alcohol ingredient in supermarkets in MA, but I know it has been legalized elsewhere.

[tmab]

Super 88 carries hon mirin. Post back if you have trouble finding it -- the kanji on the label reads hon mirin, but I don't think the English does.

Fyi, it's not the same hon mirin you'll get in Japan because they add a small amount of salt to it to make it not fit for alcoholic consumption and legal to sell in supermarkets. But the salt isn't noticeable to me in my cooking, and I haven't adjusted the salt in any of my dishes because of it.

[passing thru]

cool, thanks for the tip. i hadn't noticed it there previously. will have to study up on my kanji. ;)

[passing thru]

it can also be bought retail at reliable market in union square somerville.

[tatamagouche]

Yeah, I think a number of sushi bars are beginning to stock it (Douzo, FuGaKyu)...but don't quote me on that, I'd call first to make sure.

[MC Slim JB]

Koreana, a Korean restaurant near Inman Square, Cambridge, serves half a dozen varieties, including Jinro, the largest producer, as well as cucumber and lemon flavors. I've also bought it retail at Blanchard's in Allston Village.You'll want to look for the distilled type (made from grain), as opposed to the diluted type (made more like cheap vodka, basically ethanol from any vegetable source plus water).

[bodie]

It is not really rum - it is Korean rice liquor, usually blended with either wheat, barley, sweet potato or tapioca, it tends to range between 24% and 45% alcohol. In my experience, it can be consumed in large quantities and produces a potent but short lived inebriation.Suffice to say I very much enjoy it. I would assume that most anyplace that serves primarily Korean (or even Japanese) customers will sell it.