Bokbunjaju (), also called bokbunja wine, is a
Korean fruit wine made from wild and/or cultivated black raspberry; traditionally of the Korean species ''Bokbunja'' (''
Rubus coreanus
300px, (left to right) ''R. coreanus, R. thibetanus, R. corchorifolius''
''Rubus coreanus'', known as bokbunja ( ko, 복분자), Korean blackberry, or Korean bramble, is a species of raspberry native to Korea, Japan, and China. It produces edi ...
''), but nowadays mostly from ''
Rubus occidentalis
''Rubus occidentalis'' is a species of ''Rubus'' native to eastern North America. Its common name black raspberry is shared with other closely related species. Other names occasionally used include bear's eye blackberry, black cap, black cap r ...
'', which originates from Northern America and is now widely cultivated in Korea.
The beverage is produced in
Gochang County
Gochang County (''Gochang-gun'') is a county in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is a rural area, and is home to only one institution of higher education: Gochang Polytechnic College.
Notable people from Gochang include the 20th-century ...
,
Jeollabuk-do
North Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollabuk-do''), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Jeolla has a population of 1,869,711 (2015) and has a geographic area of 8,067 km2 (3,115 sq mi) located in the Honam region in the southwes ...
, in
Damyang
Damyang County (''Damyang-gun'') is a county in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Tourism is a major local industry. Notable local products include bamboo goods and strawberries.
Damyang is not to be confused with Danyang, which is located in eastern ...
,
Jeollanam-do
South Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollanam-do''; ), also known as Jeonnam, is a province of South Korea. South Jeolla has a population of 1,902,324 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Honam region at the southwestern tip of the Korean ...
, and in
Jeju Island,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
. It is made by fermenting berries with water. Some varieties also contain
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
and
reishi mushroom extract.
The wine is deep red in color and moderately sweet. The scent of ripe fruit rises, and the sour taste is low. The bitter taste left behind makes it go well with food. Soft tannins irritate the tongue. It ranges between 15% and 19% alcohol by volume, depending on the brand.
[ ] It is believed to be healthful and to promote male sexual stamina.
Since 2008, South Korean scientists have searched for ways to use ''bokbunja'' seeds, which are a by-product of ''bokbunja ju'' production. The carbonized seeds can be used as potential adsorbent for industrial dye removal from wastewaters.
[Bokbunja Wine Industry Waste as Precursor Material for Carbonization and Its Utilization for the Removal of Procion Red MX-5B from Aqueous Solutions. Arthur Raj Binupriya, Muthuswany Sathishkumar, Sung Hun Jung, Sun Hwa Song and Soon-Il Yun, CLEAN – Soil, Air, Water, November 2008, Volume 36, Issue 10-11, pages 879–886, ]
References
Raspberry
Fruit wines
Korean alcoholic drinks
North Jeolla Province
Jeju Province
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