A modern revival of Korea’s oldest brewing traditions, right from the heart of Brooklyn. 

Dupont Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn can get loud. Wedged between an auto body shop and an HVAC repairer, machinery of a more refined kind is always whirring at Hana Makgeolli, the first Korean rice wine brewery in New York.

“This machine is cracking the whole of our brown rice, so we get more surface area in the brew,” Alice Jun explains. She’s sitting on an upturned bucket, pulling rice into a bowl with gloved hands. The definition of a hands-on founder.

“This will become our Hyunmi Takju, which isn’t necessarily a traditional style of brew, but it’s a brew that I learned from my dad.”

Jun started Hana Makgeolli in 2017 with the mission to elevate sool (술)—the broad category of Korean traditional alcohol—and bring a beverage with millennia of history into a new era through meticulous craftsmanship, time-honored methods, and pristine ingredients.

Jun’s inspiration is deeply personal. Growing up in California as the daughter of first-generation Korean immigrants, she learned to brew rice wine at home alongside her father. His version—made from just unpolished brown rice, water, and a fermentation starter called nuruk (누룩)—was dry, complex, naturally carbonated, and rich with rice sediment. It stood in stark contrast to the mass-produced brews found in grocery stores and casual restaurants, which were often sweetened and diluted. What Jun inherited was the taste of the jeontongju (전통주) tradition—authentic Korean rice-based beverages brewed for centuries for family, nobility, and ceremonial occasions. 

As an adult, Jun carried this heritage forward, experimenting in her own apartment until she perfected a recipe that honored tradition while reflecting her own creative vision. She began producing enough to share bottles with friends, and the idea for Hana Makgeolli began to take shape.

The name “Hana”—Jun’s Korean birth name—speaks both to her reverence for tradition and to the lineage of women who brewed sool in their households for generations. It also represents her entrepreneurial side: a modern maker proudly bringing her own spin on sool to American tables.

Today, Hana Makgeolli operates out of a vibrant tasting room and brewery in Greenpoint. Production has scaled to meet growing demand, with expanded fermentation capacity and upgraded rice steaming equipment designed for precision and volume. Visitors can enjoy the full Hana lineup, sool-based cocktails, and a thoughtful selection of snacks in a warm, communal setting. 

Hana Makgeolli’s portfolio ranges from traditionally-styled, unfiltered brews to modern botanical infusions to clean, still-proof soju—all brewed with respect for heritage and quality.

So what makes sool different from makgeolli, and what do takju and yakju mean? For a better understanding of the sool spectrum, check out Alice’s handy Sool School, below:

From Hana Makgeolli

TAKJU 16

Our introduction to Hana Makgeolli begins with their signature brew, Takju 16—a benchmark for traditionally made Korean makgeolli. Inspired by founder Alice Jun’s family homebrew, this coarsely filtered, near-dry, undiluted rice wine (16% ABV) showcases a creamy body and a full spectrum of wild-fermented flavors. Aromas of melon and fresh rice lead into a balanced palate where natural lactic acidity and a gentle spritz lift the richness of the sediment.

A samyangju (three-stage fermentation), Takju 16 is brewed exclusively from organic medium-grain white rice, organic sweet (glutinous) white rice, nuruk (traditional Korean wild fermentation starter), and filtered New York water. Bottle-conditioned for fine bubbles after a four-week fermentation.

Serve well chilled, gently shaken to reincorporate the sediment.

HWAJU 12 

From the Korean words hwa and ju—meaning “flower wine” and “fire water”—Hwaju 12 nods to Korea’s centuries-old tradition of flower- and herb-infused sool. This naturally fermented, unfiltered rice wine (12% ABV) is made with organic rice and infused with chrysanthemum and hydrangea flowers.

A sayangju (four-stage fermentation), Hwaju 12 is dry, earthy, and delicately floral, with a bright acidity and natural effervescence. Organic medium-grain white rice, organic sweet white rice, nuruk, and filtered New York water provide the foundation for its graceful complexity.

Serve chilled, gently shaken to combine sediment.

YAKJU 14

Historically reserved for Korean nobility, Yakju is the clarified portion of a brew—the essence of sool in its purest form. At 14% ABV, Hana’s Yakju is light-bodied, bone dry, and refined, with bright acidity and subtle notes of grain and barley.

An oyangju (five-stage fermentation), this expression is brewed from organic medium-grain white rice, organic sweet (glutinous) white rice, nuruk, and filtered New York water, and undergoes an extended eight-week fermentation for depth and elegance.

Serve chilled for its most pristine expression.

OMIJA MAKGEOLLI

Named for the Korean “five-flavor berry,” Omija Makgeolli is a naturally fermented, unfiltered rice wine infused with omija berries and hibiscus flowers. Dry and light-bodied, it offers a delicate interplay of tangy, lightly salty, and faintly bitter notes, underpinned by the soft texture of rice sediment.

Serve chilled, gently shaken to combine sediment.

HYUNMI TAJKU

Brewed with 60% sweet brown rice, Hyunmi Takju opens with an assertive, toasty richness that softens into warm chestnut and earthy tones. Naturally fermented and unfiltered, it offers a heartier, more rustic expression of makgeolli.

Serve chilled, gently shaken to combine sediment.

FORBIDDEN TAKJU

Made with 25% heirloom black rice, Forbidden Takju has a striking dusk-purple hue and a profile of berries, almond, and bright lactic acidity. Dry and light-bodied, it’s both visually captivating and palate-refreshing.

Serve chilled, gently shaken to combine sediment.

MAKGEOLLI ‘SILKYSONIC’ MAQ 8 

Hana’s second botanical release, Ssuk Makgeolli infuses Yakju 14 with a concentrated tea of Korean wormwood (ssuk) and perilla grown by farmer Phoebe Tran. Inspired by Korea’s traditional botanical wines, it’s light-bodied, dry, and deeply herbal, with sage- and mint-like notes that linger on the finish.

Serve chilled, gently shaken to combine sediment.

MAKGEOLLI ‘BUBBLOCITEA’ MAQ 8

A delicately floral take on traditional makgeolli, this naturally fermented, unfiltered rice wine is infused with elderflowers, yielding a dry, light-bodied profile accented by soft honey and pear notes.

Serve chilled, gently shaken to combine sediment.

HANA SOJU 60

Hana Soju 60 is a still proof soju made using traditional Korean methodologies and bottled at 60% ABV. Among the rarest expressions in Korea soju, an uncompromising, high proof spirit designed to showcase craft soju’s full potential.

HANA SOJU 20

Made from organic rice, nuruk, and time this table strength soju is bottled at 20% ABV for an elegant balance of strength and drinkability. It opens with delicate florals and subtle grain on the nose, followed by a smooth, mineral clarity and a slightly warm finish. Crafted for leisurely sipping, pairing or mixing, Hana Soju 20 is a clean and modern expression of Korea’s beloved spirit.