Andong Soju (1)
Time passed quickly, and it was already early March.
A spring breeze blew across the Sacramento Valley. The soil, which had been damp all winter, was drying out as if cracking open, preparing to soak up the coming rains.
Among these fields, Jacob’s Riverbend Rice Farm was undergoing many changes, unlike before.
Vroom!
A tractor rumbled into the paddy, its massive frame emitting a low roar as it churned the earth. The greyish soil was overturned, revealing a soft, rich brown underneath. In various spots, workers were busy tidying the ridges, clearing away stray rocks, and leveling the ground. They hadn't flooded the fields yet, but once the water gates opened, the shimmering water would soon fill the paddies, signaling the start of the rice-planting season.
I saw Jacob waving from atop the tractor. Sweat glistened on his forehead under the sunlight, and his massive forearms looked even more solid than before. He stopped the tractor and approached with a wide grin.
"You're here, Brian!"
"You're working hard. You look like a real farmer now."
At my words, Jacob shrugged.
"I finished the leveling over the winter, so now I'm really digging in. I have to get ready to spread the base fertilizer before transplanting."
Confidence seeped through his voice. I could feel that he had suppressed the grief of losing his father and was now truly leading the farm as the head of the household. I nodded with a sense of pride.
"Let's go. My mom should be preparing lunch by now."
"Yeah."
When we entered the house, the savory scent of soup tickled our noses. On the table sat sandwiches, corn soup, and a warm slice of pie. With Aunt Maggie joining us, the three of us sat around the table, and the atmosphere was incredibly cozy.
"Seeing this boy running around with the workers and the tractor since morning puts my mind at ease," Aunt Maggie said, stirring her soup, her eyes welling up. "I was worried the farm would falter without his father, but he’s doing so well."
"It’s all thanks to Brian. Since we did the preparations last year, all I have to do is talk big."
Jacob laughed, but he glanced at me with a look of genuine sincerity. I just shrugged it off.
"You’re the one who put in the effort. I just helped out a little on the side."
At that, Aunt Maggie wiped the corners of her eyes again. After a short but warm lunch, we walked along the paddy ridges at the edge of the farm to get some fresh air.
"How does it feel? Now that you’ve finished the laser leveling?"
"Honestly, I didn't have much of a feeling at first, but as I prepared it, I started to think that farming would get a lot easier. At first, the workers looked at me like I was crazy, you know? But once I explained it, they all understood. They know, too. They know that when the water depth isn't consistent, a lot of problems arise."
"I'm glad you managed to lead the workers well. That couldn't have been easy."
"Seriously... that was the hardest part. The workers my father hired didn't follow my lead at first. Probably back when you helped me, late last year."
"Yeah."
"When we recovered the paddy after the herbicide was used incorrectly, it was really tough. Even after adjusting the pH of the water and giving the leaves nutrients, it didn't bounce back all at once. It took so much time to save it."
"I bet."
"After I spearheaded that process and saved the crop, the way they looked at me changed. The workers were the ones who messed up with the herbicide, but I, the son of their boss, was the one who saved it."
I smiled, watching Jacob beam with pride.
"Well done."
"It’s all thanks to you, but I worked incredibly hard, too. From then on, my words started to carry weight with the workers. But even this time, when I did the laser leveling and installed the pipes, there was some friction. They asked why I was spending money on such things. They wanted me to save money to prepare for pests or drought. They had a point, but I pushed through, and some of them even looked at me with disappointment."
"Workers who have been farming for a long time are all confident in their own experience."
"They all think they’re the experts when it comes to farming. But after it was finished, things changed a bit. Since I told them we got some support from the USDA NRCS, they started to acknowledge it."
"Man... it's hard to manage people, isn't it?"
"Tell me about it."
Jacob laughed awkwardly, then turned bitter again.
"Farming is a strange thing. From plowing the land, planting the rice, to harvesting in the fall and stacking it in the warehouse—it’s fulfilling. When the harvest from this vast land, which seems endless, piles up like a mountain... I felt like I had the world in my hands. Especially last year, when I filled the warehouse with my own hands, I felt it even more."
"Then why the long face?"
"Funny enough, when I turned that into money, it wasn't much. When I look at you and Chloe... Ah! Keep this a secret from Armando. He’d think I’m doing much better than him."
"Don't worry. I won't tell Armando."
"Anyway, when I look at you and Chloe, even though we’re doing the same farming, I’m envious. The unit price is completely different from ours. Last year, when I filled the warehouse, I stacked 15,000 50-pound (approx. 22.7kg) bags. Do you know how much I made? A little over $90,000. I wouldn't be able to survive without the government subsidies. I’m happy because I think the farming methods you taught me will significantly increase profits, but... hah..."
Feeling sorry for him, I patted Jacob on the shoulder. It was unavoidable, as the price of rice in the U.S. was so low. During the winter, the wholesale price of Calrose rice didn't even exceed 50 cents per kg, so that said it all.
I thought that by switching the variety to M-206 and adding scientific farming methods, profitability would increase by more than 20%, but a massive improvement in profitability was bound to be difficult. It was an inevitable reality unless he changed the crop itself.
"Yeah, I understand."
"Sometimes I even resent my father. Why, out of all things, did he have to grow rice? I don't feel that way now, but it’s just... frustrating."
I understood his feelings. Grapes are also just raw materials, but their value multiplies dozens of times when processed into wine. Attaching a brand, attaching a story, and seeing it shine in the market—it was never an easy task.
But that didn't mean there was no way at all. I hesitated for a moment before carefully opening my mouth.
"It’s not that there’s absolutely no way..."
"Huh? There’s a way?"
"There is, but it’s going to be very difficult."
"What is it?"
Watching Jacob’s eyes sparkle, I frowned and said,
"How about you try making alcohol, like I do?"
Jacob stopped walking.
"Alcohol? With rice?"
His eyes were full of questions.
"Yeah, in Korea, we make alcohol with rice. So if you say you want to make Korean-style alcohol, it’s possible... but the choice is yours."
"Of course I can do it! I know how highly rated your wine is, so it’s not like I couldn't make Korean alcohol!"
I raised a hand to calm the excited Jacob.
"Listen first. Two types of alcohol are possible. One is a fermented liquor called Makgeolli. But this requires refrigerated distribution, and since we aren't in Korea, the taste might be unfamiliar, so I don't recommend it. The other is a distilled spirit."
"Distilled spirits are common. Vodka, whiskey, tequila... But can you make distilled spirits with rice as the raw material?"
"Yeah. It’s common in Korea and it’s a traditional liquor. If you like distilled spirits, you’ll probably be satisfied. The raw material itself is Calrose, a neutral variety, so it’s perfect as a raw material for traditional Korean liquor."
"Wow. Sounds good... but there must be downsides, right?"
"Right. In the case of distilled spirits, building the distillation equipment is quite expensive."
"Hah... money again."
Jacob, who had been looking down with a pained expression, looked at me.
"But alcohol is your major, right? Is there a reason you aren't doing it?"
"It’s not that I haven't thought about it. Honestly, I tried to consider it, but if I make distilled spirits instead of wine at the winery, I have too much work to do. And I don't think it would be good for the winery brand. Still, I thought I’d do it in 5 or 10 years if I had the spare time, but if it’s you, I can teach you the technology."
"Really? Are the conditions the same?"
"Yeah. You get 7, I get 3. You’ll be the one taking out the loan, and you’ll be the one brewing the alcohol. But it won't be easy."
It was realistically very difficult for me to do everything and take all the profits. Even with just wine, there were one or two things to worry about, and if I had to touch distilled spirits on top of that, one side would inevitably fall apart.
In particular, if you try to make distilled spirits in the U.S., the legal restrictions are quite strong, and getting a license is very complicated and difficult. On top of that, the tax exemption for small-scale farm distilleries didn't happen until much later in 2017, so currently, they had to pay the same 20 cents per bottle tax as large corporations. Furthermore, once the alcohol content rises to 40%, the tax exceeds $2 per bottle, making it ten times more expensive than wine.
Thinking about it this way, Jacob taking on all the risks to make soju while I took a 30% stake was, in a way, a very favorable condition for me.
"How much of a loan would I need to take out?"
"Probably... at least $200,000 to $300,000, maybe up to $1 million?"
At the mention of $1 million, Jacob’s face turned ashen.
"Oh... damn it! That’s too big, isn't it?"
"I said 'up to'. But I haven't looked into it for sure... I have to check again. And the license might be more complicated than the money. Distilled spirits require a federal TTB (Tax and Trade Bureau) and a state Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) license. Well, even if it’s hard and complicated, getting a license isn't impossible. Some of the existing farms around here have distilleries, too."
"I see."
"Still, if you say you’ll do it, there’s hope for the funding problem, too. There are various government systems. The problem is whether you can handle that and do it."
Everyone would be the same. You believe you can do well, but it’s natural to hesitate if you have to take on hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans and start something right now.
But unlike the face of agony he had been wearing until now, Jacob looked me straight in the eye without a moment’s hesitation and said,
"I want to run a distillery."
"Really? It’s going to be tough."
"At first I wasn't interested, but after farming myself and living while strapped for cash, I feel frustrated. I think profits can improve enough if I use the farming methods you taught me, but even if I start a distillery, it’s not like profits will come in right away, right?"
"Of course not."
"Then, while increasing farm profits, I want to draw a different future with my own distillery, just like you."
I was secretly surprised by Jacob’s firm words. The will of Jacob, who had started a gamble with his life on the line, was conveyed exactly as it was.
"Running a distillery doesn't guarantee success. And this is America, not Korea. Tastes might be different."
"What do you think? Do you think Korean-style distilled spirits will fail in the U.S.?"
Thinking about it carefully, honestly, I didn't have a feel for it yet—maybe if it were the 2020s with the Hallyu wave spread everywhere, but not now. What was certain was that Korean restaurants and the Korean community occupied a very large part of the California region, so there would be fixed demand, but the important part was whether it would appeal to other races.
This was something we’d only know by bumping into it.
"Honestly, I don't know. But at least one thing is certain. Low-priced Oriental soju is already entering the market. So, competing with low prices is foolish. We must go for high-end premium soju at over $30 per bottle. If we position it as a global distilled spirit that can be used as a cocktail base, I think it’s possible. If we sell it for over $50 per bottle as an oak-aged limited edition, we could make a big profit."
Hearing my words, Jacob hit his palm with his fist.
"Yeah! If it’s a farm of only 80 acres, I think making a distillery for secondary processing, like your winery, is a clear solution rather than just selling rice! And while using the precise farming methods you taught me as the basis for branding, something with an Oriental feel... you know what I mean? Bamboo... and grass leaves... and twin swords..."
Something strange was coming out suddenly.
"Are you thinking of a ninja, by any chance?"
Jacob hesitated for a moment and gave an apologetic look.
"...... Sorry, before I met you, the only thing I could think of when it came to the Orient was a ninja."
"No ninjas. I’ll handle the image later. Whatever it is, if it’s a premium distilled spirit with an Oriental feel, it will definitely have differentiation."
"Knowing you’ll help me puts my mind at ease. Phew..."
Watching Jacob feel relieved, I felt a bit nervous on the contrary. I was confident that I had mastered wine through thousands of studies before my regression, but I only knew the theory of Korean-style distilled spirits and had never made them myself.
In a way, Jacob was taking on the risk while I was experimenting. So, I absolutely could not fail.
In the car on the way back home, I muttered to myself.
"Andong Soju style with oak barrel aging to capture the smoothness? Hmm... I can picture it..."
Even if the Hallyu wave hadn't hit the U.S. like it did before my regression, I had a feeling that a premium liquor would somehow catch on.