During a trip to Korea in April 2017, Carol's friends wanted to take her out to a makgeolli bar. Carol rarely drank makgeolli because in America, makgeolli seemed to be enjoyed mostly by Korean seniors.

However, it was a delicious experience, and she found that the creaminess, sweetness, and subtle tanginess of makgeolli served as a great base for other flavors including berries, citrus, and tropical fruits. She also learned that there were over 700 small-scale makgeolli breweries in Korea, and every makgeolli was unique to its terroir.

Intrigued, she took a second trip to Korea to visit different makgeolli breweries, and learned that the makgeollis exported to the U.S. were made with many artificial ingredients. Wanting to share real, all-natural makgeolli with the rest of the world, Carol came back to the U.S. and tried to start brewing herself.

Several months and many failed batches later, she realized it wasn’t that easy. (Who knew?) Her mom, a licensed herbologist, decided it was time to step in and started brewing makgeolli in her kitchen using traditional ingredients and brewing techniques. Fortunately, mother knows best, and Makku was born. Thanks (as always), mom.