Soju is one of the most versatile alcoholic beverages to serve at holiday parties and get-togethers. It’s easy to drink, very affordable compared to other types of liquor, and can be enjoyed in many different ways. You don’t even need a huge bar area to put together a basic soju arsenal. All you need are the following to make tasty soju cocktails: Jinro soju, beer, Coca-Cola, Yakult, and Red Bull.
Jinro soju straight
Jinro soju is traditionally served cold and neat. If you are drinking at a home party, chill the bottle in the refrigerator for a few hours. Don’t add ice to the drink because it’s meant to be served as a small pour, taken as a shot in a soju glass. If you watch Korean dramas, you often see soju drinks being poured from the bottle straight into a shot glass—that’s how it’s supposed to be.
Get started with these cocktail mixes:
1 JINRO soju with beer (Somaek)
Another way to enjoy soju is to drink it with beer. This has got to be the easiest soju cocktail to make as you only need two ingredients—Jinro soju and beer. Any brand of beer is fine, but a lighter beer blends better with Jinro soju. Somaek is great with a greasy meal, as it cleanses the grease and oil from the mouth.
The recommended ratio:
•Fill up 30% of soju in the glass
•Fill the glass with 70% beer of your choice
2. JINRO soju + Beer + Coca-Cola (KoJinGamRae)
This is an interesting twist to the Somaek. The drink starts with a taste of beer and soju, followed by the refreshing sweetness of Coke at the end.
To make KoJinGamRae:
•Fill a shot glass with Coke and place this inside the beer glass.
•Fill the second shot glass with JINRO soju and place this on top of the first shot glass to make a stack.
•Fill the remaining empty space around the two shot glasses with beer until the glass is full.
Then down it!
This drink may seem light because of the sweetness of the Coke, but don’t be deceived. A few glasses of KoJinGamRae can knock you down pretty quickly. If you want to make it less alcoholic, you can always reduce the amount of Jinro soju in the shot glass.
3. Yogurt JINRO Soju
It might sound crazy mixing yogurt with soju, but this is really popular all over Asia and it’s also easy to make. All you need are Jinro soju, Yakult and Sprite. This drink tastes citrusy, light and refreshing and is a great option if you prefer a drink with much lower alcohol content.
These are what you need to make Yogurt Jinro soju:
•3 ounces of soju
•3 ounces of yogurt drink (Yakult)
•3 ounces of Sprite or 7Up
Make sure all the drinks are chilled before mixing them together.
4. JINRO soju + Red Bull (Energizer)
Want a cocktail drink that will give you the energy to party all night? This one’s for you. “Energizer” consists of Jinro soju and an energizer drink, preferably Red Bull.
To make this drink:
•Fill up half of soju in the glass
•Fill up half of Red Bull in the glass
Soju is best enjoyed with munchies. If you’re drinking Jinro soju straight, you can pair it with beef pares, which is quite similar to galbi-jim, a sweet-savory Korean dish made with stewed short ribs. Jinro soju and Korean barbeque also make a great combo; if Korean barbecue is not available, our very own inihaw na liempo will work just as fabulously.
Meanwhile, if you like spicy pulutan like sisig, then Yogurt Jinro soju is the cocktail for you. The milky, sweet taste of the drink offsets the spiciness of the dish. If you like fried foods with your drink, try lechon kawali or chicharron with KoJinGamrae or Energizer.
If you prefer your drinks much simpler, you can always try the other fruity flavors of Jinro soju which are just as delightful—Strawberry, Grapefruit, Green Grape, Plum, and Peach. You can pair these with your choice of meats, fruits, crackers, nuts, and cheeses. M Gourmand has specially curated Jinro Gift Boxes—comprised of Jinro soju and a selection of charcuterie—which are perfect celebratory presents at holiday parties and get-togethers.
Keep the party rolling all night with these festive Jinro cocktails and your favorite pulutan. Cheers!