REGION
In Gongju, chestnuts become three kinds of makgeolli (a Korean fermented rice drink)
Sweet, refreshing Wangbamju; less-sweet, savory Wangbam Makgeolli; and soft Gunbam Makgeolli. Choose among three bottles for an evening in Gongju.
- Gongju chestnut production
- About 2,100 farms · roughly 7,000 tons per year · 17% of national production (Gongju City, 2024)
- two bottles from Sagok
- Wangbamju 6%·1,000ml / Wangbam Makgeolli 8%·375ml
- Bottle from Uidang
- Gongju Gunbam Makgeolli 6%
- Reviewed
- 2026-08-30
In Gongju, chestnuts are more than a snack. They branch into Wangbamju, sweet with moderate carbonation; Wangbam Makgeolli, less sweet and savory like roasted chestnuts; and Gunbam Makgeolli, smooth with sweetness that lingers. Their names are similar, but the three bottles create very different evenings.
Why Gongju has so many chestnut drinks
In a 2024 press release, Gongju City said about 2,100 local farms produce roughly 7,000 tons of chestnuts each year, accounting for 17% of national production. The three chestnut makgeolli are not simply rhetoric about a “chestnut city”; they are different products made by multiple breweries within a major growing region.
Masillog tasting note · How to choose among three bottles
Begin with the sweet, refreshing direction in a 2025 Wangbamju record. Move to the less-sweet flavor and roasted-chestnut savoriness in a 2017 Wangbam Makgeolli record. Finish by comparing the smooth texture and lingering sweetness recorded for Uidang’s Gunbam Makgeolli.
Masillog tasting note · two Sagok bottles: same “Wangbam,” different strengths
Sagok Brewery’s Wangbamju is 6%·1,000ml; a 2025 tasting record notes gentle sweetness, moderate carbonation, and low acidity. The separate Wangbam Makgeolli is 8%·375ml; a 2017 taster described it as less sweet than typical chestnut makgeolli, savory like roasted chestnuts, and somewhat lighter in texture.
Masillog tasting note · Uidang’s roasted chestnut: the longer sweetness
Cheonjiin’s product data lists Gongju Gunbam Makgeolli at 6% and includes roasted chestnuts among the ingredients. A tasting record of a 750ml bottle bought at a 2017 festival describes it as smooth but not light, with an approachable sweetness lasting through the finish.
three bottles, three plates
This is a Masillog editorial suggestion. Pair sweet, refreshing Wangbamju with haemul pajeon (a seafood-and-scallion pancake), less-sweet and savory Wangbam Makgeolli with plain suyuk (boiled pork), and the long sweetness of Gunbam Makgeolli with charcoal-grilled chicken. Compare whether seafood and oil, gently flavored pork, or charcoal aroma makes the chestnut character clearest.
Read the name together with the producer
Sagok Brewery is listed at 49 Magoksa-ro, Sagok-myeon, Gongju, and Cheonjiin at 158-21 Yuljeong-gil, Uidang-myeon, Gongju. Wangbamju and Wangbam Makgeolli have similar names but are separate products with different specifications; Gunbam Makgeolli also comes from a different producer.
Sources
- Gongju City Press Release, “Gongju Albam Production” City statement that, as of 2024, about 2,100 Gongju farms produced roughly 7,000 tons annually, or 17% of national production
- Sagok Brewery, Official Takju List Wangbamju at 6%·1,000ml with chestnut aroma, Wangbam Makgeolli listed as a separate product, and the Sagok-myeon business address
- Julism, “Wangbam Makgeolli Tasting Record” A 2017 taster’s notes on roasted-chestnut savoriness, relatively low sweetness, light texture, and dark-brown color in 8% Wangbam Makgeolli
- Firelife, “Albam Wangbamju Tasting Record” A 2025 record of 6%·1,000ml Wangbamju noting gentle sweetness, medium body, refreshing character, low acidity, and moderate carbonation
- Sul Masineun Iyagi, “Gongju Gunbam Makgeolli Tasting” A 2018 record of a 6%·750ml Gunbam Makgeolli bottle bought at a 2017 festival, noting smooth but not light texture and sweetness lasting through the finish
- Suldalda, “Cheonjiin Brewery Information” Cheonjiin’s address in Uidang-myeon, Gongju; Gongju Gunbam Makgeolli at 6%; and an ingredient list including roasted chestnuts
- Sagok Brewery, “Wangbam Makgeolli” Official specifications of 8% ABV and 375ml for Wangbam Makgeolli