Somaek (Soju & Beer) Cocktail Recipe
A measure of soju dropped into cold lager, drinking lighter and easier than either does alone — Korea's default drink for a table full of friends.
- Category: Popular
- Glass: Highball glass
- ABV: 7%
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: ~3 min
Ingredients
- Soju50 ml (1.7 oz)
- Lager beer200 ml (6.8 oz)
How to Make It
- Chill both the soju and the lager thoroughly.
- Pour the soju into a tall glass.
- Top with cold lager, pouring down the side of the glass to control the foam.
- Stir once and drink while the foam is still standing.
Garnish
Served without garnish
What it tastes like
It is carbonated and it drinks cool and easy.
The technique
Built in the glass. Ice goes into the serving glass, the ingredients go on top, and you stir once if at all. Anything carbonated goes in LAST and never gets stirred; every turn of the spoon costs you bubbles. Fill the glass to the rim with ice: less ice melts faster, not slower.
Glass and ice
A tall, narrow highball. The narrowness does real work — less surface area means the carbonation lasts longer and the ice melts more slowly.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Soju
- Korea's neutral, faintly sweet spirit, usually 16-20% — clearly softer than vodka. With none at hand, vodka cut with an equal part water plus a pinch of sugar comes closest.
- Lager beer
- A bottom-fermented, clean and refreshing beer. Swap in an ale and its fruity esters take over and the drink turns heavy; a pilsner is the closest stand-in.
The Story
The name simply joins the two ingredients: so from soju, maek from maekju, the Korean word for beer. It became the standard drink of Korean group dinners in the late twentieth century, and the ratio is argued over at every table.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Somaek (Soju & Beer) mixed?
- It is built in the glass and served in a highball glass.
- How strong is a Somaek (Soju & Beer)?
- Roughly 7% ABV as served — lighter than a beer — a long-conversation drink that takes a second round.
- Can a Somaek (Soju & Beer) be made without alcohol?
- Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
- Is a Somaek (Soju & Beer) hard to make?
- Easy. No bar kit required — a measure, ice and a jar will do.
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.