INTERVIEW Brooklyn-brewed, Korea-bound: How Hana Makgeolli is bringing tradition full circle

Alice Jun, founder and brewer of Brooklyn-based Hana Makgeolli, poses with her Takju 16 Dry at Aejoo Geumho, a traditional Korean alcohol shop, in Seoul, April 14. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

On a whirlwind tour of Korea, Alice Jun is doing something few could have imagined: reintroducing makgeolli to its birthplace — by way of Brooklyn. Over the past two weeks, the founder and brewer of Hana Makgeolli has been pouring her cloudy, dry alcoholic beverage at tasting events, restaurant pop-ups and seminars across Seoul, offering curious drinkers a new take on the centuries-old tradition.

Her flagship Takju 16 Dry surprises the Korean palate with a crisp, tangy complexity, different from the sweet, diluted versions many Koreans remember from college retreats or mountain hikes.

For Jun, this moment in Seoul marks a personal and cultural full circle — one that began decades earlier in her California childhood.

Jun, a second-generation Korean American raised in Santa Maria, California, first learned to brew from her father.

“I kind of learned how to brew like you learn how to cook — not very scientifically, very intuitively,” she said during a recent interview with The Korea Times in Seoul.

Years later, as an NYU Stern School of Business student, she rekindled that childhood curiosity by fermenting makgeolli in her dorm room.

“I was brewing so much, I had to throw parties to get rid of it,” Jun said with a laugh.

What began as a weekend hobby took on new purpose after Jun graduated and began working at Deloitte, where she spent five years. In 2017, she partnered with John Limb, who became a mentor and later her business partner, encouraging her to test the market through pop-ups and tastings across New York.

Hana Makgeolli, eponymous with her Korean name, officially debuted in September 2020, introducing a bold, dry style of makgeolli to the American market unfamiliar with the Korean wine.

“We were the only makgeolli brewery in the U.S. at the time,” Jun said. “And we were the first to try to make this kind of strong, dry style.”

From left are Hana Makgeolli's Takju 16, Hwaju 12 and Yakju 14 / Courtesy of Janice Chung

Educating market

What makes Hana Makgeolli stand out isn’t just where it’s made, but how.

"Our Takju 16, which we’re now launching in Korea as Takju 16 Dry, is the exact same recipe we’ve used since we debuted in 2020," Jun said. "It’s fermented over 28 days, made with organic rice from a family farm in California, Korean nuruk from Jeolla Province and New York water, which is surprisingly one of the cleanest water sources in the U.S."

The fruity 16 percent ABV rice wine is just one part of Hana Makgeolli's broader portfolio, including floral Hwaju 12, citrusy Yakju 14, alternative-grain varieties, seasonal botanical blends and even a 60 percent ABV soju.

The brewer is on a mission to introduce makgeolli as a natural rice wine with cultural roots and artisanal merit, not an exotic novelty, through Hana Makgeolli Brewery & Tasting Room in Brooklyn.

“One big thing that made us different from a lot of makgeolli breweries that came before us, or are trying to enter the U.S. market today, is that we truly don’t dumb down the language around 'sool’ (Korean alcoholic beverages),” she said.

“You don’t have to exotify Korean products for the sake of getting a foreigner to like it … Whether people like our sool or not, at least they walk away with the tools to think critically about the category and choose what they want to drink next time.”

Hana Makgeolli paired with fried chicken at Ototo LA / Courtesy of Katie Jeewon Han

Exporting back to Korea

For Jun, Hana Makgeolli’s entry into Korea is both a strategic expansion and a personal homecoming.

“Of course, there's a business reason. Korea is the largest makgeolli market in the world,” she said. “Hana Makgeolli offers a distinctively dry and clean style, which could appeal strongly to local drinkers and help us build loyal customers here.”

But beyond commercial interests, the move carries emotional weight as well.

“Even though I learned to brew from my dad in the U.S., I fell in love with makgeolli here,” she said. “The producers I admire are here. I want every excuse to come back to Korea as many times as I can. Bringing Hana Makgeolli home is incredibly meaningful to me.”

Unlike many foreign alcohol brands that license or produce locally, Hana Makgeolli is brewed entirely in Brooklyn and exported to Korea. While it will be available at select bars and restaurants specializing in makgeolli and Korean traditional alcohol drinks, Jun partnered with Daily Shot, a leading alcohol platform in Korea that allows consumers to order online and pick up from nearby locations, to connect with everyday customers.

“We’re not using Korean rice, so we can’t sell directly online under Korean law. But through Daily Shot, we’re able to reach consumers not only through traditional wholesale channels like restaurants and bars, but also approach directly,” she said.

Hana Makgeolli Brewery & Tasting Room in Brooklyn, New York City / Courtesy of Cynthia Liu

As Hana Makgeolli grows its presence in the U.S. and now in Korea, Jun is already looking ahead. Beyond business growth, Jun is dedicated to build a sustainable, substantive category for traditional Korean alcohol, or "jeontongju."

“By sustainable, I mean something long-lasting, not just a trend that comes and goes. And by substantive, I mean we’re not diluting the product or the education. We’re giving people factually accurate information and building a shared understanding of what sool is, among sommeliers, buyers, producers and consumers alike.”

It’s a mission Jun sees as her life’s work.

“Whether it’s with Hana Makgeolli or not, this is the work I’ll continue doing, because I’m genuinely passionate about it,” she said. “But with Hana Makgeolli, we have a unique opportunity. As one of the most recognized Korean alcohol brands outside of Korea, we have a responsibility to help carry forward the story of jeontongju.”

Product lineup of Hana Makgeolli / Courtesy of Jess Eng