Simple sugars from fruit juices can spontaneously ferment without the addition of anything thanks to natural yeasts in the air. Starchier foods that we produce in much larger quantities, however, will not ferment without some help. Before specific yeasts and bacteria were isolated and reproduced in fermentations that were able to break down starches into simple sugars, saliva was our only option.
Makgeolli is a thousands year old Korean tradition. The past 100 years have seen the rice wine fall out of favor as brewing was illegalized and rice consumption was rationed by the government. Recently, the drink has made a comeback as a health fad. And now you can brew it at home in just 24 hours!
In research on rats, the critters invariably prefer to drink warm water. In fact, rats will drink more water if the water is warm. Another study focused on rats drinking cool water concludes, “that experience, rather than any innate tendency, is the basis for the usual preference of rats for cooler water.†Perhaps all creatures naturally prefer warm water, but can learn to enjoy cold water as well. Americans must just be taught to like iced water! But humans aren’t rats.Â
Chui Niu or Da Hua Shai is a staple at Chinese karaoke bars and drinking parties. The game, called Liar’s Dice in English is all about lying and calling your opponents bluff. Learn how to play!
North Korea today produces Korean staples like makgeolli and soju. North Koreans themselves are also avid home brewers, particularly in the countryside where the dregs of beer mashes are fed to pigs. Since the early 2000s, however, the government has consistently attempted to control this homespun tradition. Due to the government’s strict import restrictions and the population’s relative poverty, many North Koreans have to brew their own beer if they want to drink any at all.
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