Heogok Brewery, a traditional brewery in Andong, North Gyeongsang, said on the 2nd that its "Hoegok Andong Chrysanthemum Makgeolli" won the grand prize in the Korean rice wine fresh makgeolli institutional sector at the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards.
The Korea Wine & Spirits Awards is Korea's representative liquor competition, now in its 13th year. ChosunBiz has held it annually since 2014 with the goal of "discovering and widely promoting good domestic liquor and supporting the formation of a sound drinking culture."
This year's event drew 260 companies submitting a total of 1,118 brands. It is the largest among domestic competitions that cover comprehensive liquor. Of these, 449 brands won the grand prize.
Heogok Brewery is a traditional brewery in Andong, North Gyeongsang, that has been run by the same family for four generations. With more than 120 years of history, it has brewed a variety of Korean traditional liquors from makgeolli to yakju and Andong soju, harmonizing tradition with modern technology.
The roots of Hoegok Andong Chrysanthemum Makgeolli lie in a chrysanthemum home-brewed liquor made by the great-grandmother of the family. Later continued only within the Andong Gwon clan, this home-brew was modernly restored and commercialized by Kwon Yong-bok, the fourth-generation head now running Heogok Brewery.
Hoegok Andong Chrysanthemum Makgeolli features a subtly spreading chrysanthemum aroma, gentle acidity, natural sweetness, and a clean, lingering finish.
Kwon Yong-bok, head of Heogok Brewery, said, "This grand prize is not the achievement of a single company, Heogok Brewery, but the result of a 100-year legacy that began with my great-grandmother blooming again today," adding, "While upholding the devotion and philosophy of our ancestors, we will become a brewery that promotes the value of Korea's traditional liquor to the world."