[Courtesy of the National Institute of Forest ]
South Korea has imported nearly all oak barrels. The secret behind how oak kegs hold solutions without leaking is tyloses which are balloon-like swellings that fill the vessels inside sapwood trees. They work as walls to stop liquid from seeping out. The contained solution absorbs the aromatic flavor of wood to embrace unique tastes.
Trees growing in South Korea were thought to be unfit for making kegs. However, the National Institute of Forest Science (NIFS) partnered with the Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI) to localize oak casks using trees such as Quercus variabilis, Quercus acutissima, Quercus mongolica, Quercus serrata, Quercus aliena and Quercus dentate, which are found in South Korea.
"We hope to see more jobs created by establishing an industry that is related to home-made oak barrels," an unnamed NIFS researcher said in a statement on November 18. Researchers found that native oak trees release aromatic substances in flavors of coconut, vanilla and rose when timber is stored at the right temperature.
As of 2018, there were 1,037 local breweries that created traditional Korean liquor, according to the National Tax Service. Some 130 local breweries produce unique beer.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
