Learn and Craft Makgeolli in a Traditional Brewery

Makgeolli is more than a drink to sample here: you learn how to make your own batch, with brewery founder Joe Kim explaining the ingredients and tools along the way. The class takes place at Baekusaeng Makgeolli, inside Ahyeon Market in Seoul.

I like that you get both hands-on brewing instruction and tastings of craft and commercial makgeolli, with soju included too. I also like that the class is led by Kim, a certified Korean alcohol sommelier who owns the brewery and wrote an English-language guide to home brewing Korean rice wine.

Two hours is a lot to fit in, and the class may feel packed with information. You’ll also need to plan a safe trip home: sampling is part of the session, so don’t drive.

What makes this makgeolli class worth considering

• You make your own batch: Learn about ingredients and equipment, then craft makgeolli to ferment at home. The kit should yield about 1.5 liters.
• You taste several styles: The class includes craft, commercial, and premium Korean rice wines, plus blind tastings and soju.
• Joe Kim leads the session: The brewery founder is also a certified traditional Korean alcohol sommelier and author of an English guide to home brewing.
• The venue is inside Ahyeon Market: You meet at Baekusaeng Makgeolli, a working brewery in a traditional market in central Seoul.
• The group is small: Classes are limited to 10 people, giving the session a more personal scale than a large demonstration.
• You take home a practical reminder: Bring a reusable bag for your makgeolli vessel, or ask for a finished bottle if you cannot take the vessel with you.

A brewery class, not just a tasting

This two-hour session combines explanation, tasting, and making. That mix matters: you do not simply hear about makgeolli or watch someone else brew it. You learn the basics of choosing ingredients and tools, and then make your own batch with guidance from Joe Kim.

Kim’s background gives the class a useful mix of practical and cultural context. He is a brewery owner, a certified traditional Korean alcohol sommelier, and the author of the first complete English guide to home brewing Korean rice wine. If you are curious about how Korean traditional alcohol is made, he can connect the hands-on steps with the larger story of the drink.

The class is aimed at beginners as well as people who already enjoy makgeolli. You do not need to arrive as a brewer. The promise is a path from tasting to understanding the choices involved in making it yourself, from ingredients to tools to the finished process.

Tasting craft, commercial, and premium makgeolli

You sample a range of Korean rice wines during the class, including craft and commercial versions, with premium makgeolli also included. Comparing examples gives you more than a pleasant interlude: it helps you notice that makgeolli is not one fixed taste or product.

A blind tasting adds another angle. Instead of relying only on a label or expectation, you can focus on what is in the glass. The class also includes a taste of soju, widening the comparison beyond rice wine.

Light snacks are provided alongside the tasting. This is still a session built around alcohol, however, not a meal. Eat beforehand if you need a substantial dinner, and arrange your journey home without a car. The class specifically advises against driving because you will sample several kinds of makgeolli.

The tasting is especially useful if you are deciding what to seek out elsewhere in Korea. You can compare different styles while someone explains the subject, rather than ordering a bottle at random and hoping it suits you. The details of the individual wines are not specified in advance, so treat the session as a guided introduction rather than a promised list of particular brands.

Making a batch to ferment at home

The practical center of the class is making your own makgeolli. Kim covers how to choose ingredients and select suitable tools, then guides you through crafting a batch. The point is not only to leave with a vessel, but to understand the decisions that shape the brewing process.

You take home a makgeolli kit intended to ferment at home, with a yield of about 1.5 liters. That gives the class a useful afterlife: you can put the lesson into practice rather than leaving with only tasting notes and a few new terms.

There is one practical catch. You need to carry the vessel away from the brewery, so bring a reusable bag. If taking it with you is not possible, the brewery can provide a finished bottle instead. The details of what happens after you get home, such as exact fermentation timing or storage instructions, are not specified here. Ask Kim during the class if you want guidance on those points.

Two hours with a lot packed in

The class lasts two hours. In that time, you cover makgeolli’s history and theory, taste different rice wines and soju, learn about ingredients and tools, and make your own batch. That is a full agenda, not a slow afternoon built around lingering over drinks.

The pace will suit you if you like a focused class with a clear mix of learning and doing. It may be less appealing if you want a long, leisurely tasting or prefer to absorb one topic at a time. The class is limited to 10 participants, which helps keep the group small, but the amount of material still means you should be ready to listen and take part.

The strongest reason to book is the combination of a real brewing activity and a guided tasting. The class is not described as a demonstration only. You make the makgeolli yourself, while Kim explains the process and answers questions in a setting tied directly to the brewery.

Finding Baekusaeng Makgeolli in Ahyeon Market

The meeting point is Baekusaeng Makgeolli, at 346-35 Ahyeon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, inside Ahyeon Market. From Ahyeon Station on Line 2, use Exit 4 and walk straight until you see Mega Coffee. Turn left and continue; the market entrance is on your left, and you can look for the brewery’s logo inside.

There is no pickup from the subway station, so allow time to find the market and shop. If you are taking a bus or taxi, the stated stop is Wedding Town bus stop, or 웨딩타운버스정류장. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

The market setting is part of the appeal: you are learning about a traditional Korean drink inside a traditional market, rather than in a generic classroom. Still, the exact shop entrance may take a little attention to find. Save the address and directions before you set out, especially if you do not read Korean signs easily.

Is $80 a fair price?

At $80 per person, this is not a bargain tasting flight. You are paying for a two-hour guided class, the makgeolli you make, a take-home kit designed to yield about 1.5 liters, tastings of several Korean rice wines and soju, and light snacks.

The value depends on what you want from the outing. If you only want to taste makgeolli, you may find the price steep for a session that also devotes time to theory and brewing. If you want a guided introduction and a hands-on activity you can continue at home, the kit and instruction make the cost easier to justify.

The small group cap of 10 and the chance to learn from the brewery founder add to the value for anyone with a genuine interest in Korean alcohol. This is a specialist activity, not a general sightseeing stop. You will get more from it if you are curious about the drink and willing to spend two focused hours learning how it is made.

Who will enjoy this class most

Book this if you enjoy food and drink experiences that explain how something is made, not just how it tastes. It suits curious beginners, makgeolli fans, and anyone who wants an activity with a tangible result to take home.

It is also a good fit if you value a small group and direct instruction from someone who owns the brewery. Kim’s work as a sommelier and author makes him a distinctive guide for a subject that many visitors may know only as Korean rice wine.

Skip it if you are pregnant, under 21, or not interested in drinking alcohol. The activity is not suitable for pregnant women or people under 21, and tasting several kinds of makgeolli is part of the class. If your schedule is tight, keep in mind that the class is two hours, then allow extra time to get to and from Ahyeon Market.

Booking and practical notes

Starting times vary, so check availability for the date you want. You can reserve now and pay later, which keeps plans flexible. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

The class is offered in Korean, Spanish, and English. It is a small-group activity capped at 10 participants. Smoking indoors and alcohol or drugs beyond the class are not allowed.

Bring a reusable bag for your brewing vessel, and take public transportation or arrange another way home. The class includes alcohol sampling, so driving is not a sensible plan.

Should you book the makgeolli class?

I would book this if you want more than a tasting and like the idea of making something you can ferment at home. The combination of instruction from Joe Kim, comparative tastings, and a 1.5-liter take-home kit gives the session a clear purpose.

I would pass if you want a quiet drink, a substantial meal, or a short stop that requires little attention. Two hours is full, and alcohol is central to the experience. For an interested adult who can get to Ahyeon Market and travel home safely, this is a focused way to learn about Korean makgeolli from the person running the brewery.

FAQ

How long is the makgeolli class?

The class lasts two hours. Check availability to see the starting times for your date.

How much does the class cost?

The listed price is $80 per person.

Where does the class meet?

It meets at Baekusaeng Makgeolli, inside Ahyeon Market at 346-35 Ahyeon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

How do I get to the meeting point by subway?

Take Line 2 to Ahyeon Station and use Exit 4. Walk straight to Mega Coffee, turn left, and continue to the market entrance on your left. Look for the brewery’s logo inside.

What languages are available?

The instructor languages are Korean, Spanish, and English.

What is included in the class?

The class includes instruction on makgeolli ingredients and tools, making your own batch, craft and commercial rice wine tastings, blind tasting, soju, light snacks, and a take-home kit.

How much makgeolli can I take home?

Your take-home batch is intended to yield about 1.5 liters. If you cannot take the vessel, the brewery can give you a finished bottle.

Is the class suitable for people under 21 or pregnant women?

No. The activity is not suitable for people under 21 or pregnant women.

Can I cancel, and do I need to pay when I book?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is available, so you do not have to pay when you book.