Chilbaek Brewery in Chilgok, North Gyeongsang, said on the 9th that its fresh makgeolli "Chamcham" won the grand prize in the Korea Wine & Spirits Awards our liquor Korean rice wine institutional sector in 2026.
Chamcham is a 500㎖, 7% alcohol fresh makgeolli that applies the traditional Oyangju mashing method and is fermented and aged for more than 60 days. It is brewed in the traditional way by adding multiple rounds of mash. The materials and supplies are Baekjinju rice and Korean melon grown directly in Chilgok.
Both ingredients use farm products certified under GAP (Good Agricultural Practices), ensuring safety and production traceability.
Chilbaek Brewery has built a "farm-style brewery" model that brews liquor with ingredients cultivated directly by farmers.
A Chilbaek Brewery official said, "We aimed to make a straightforward, well-made liquor based on GAP-certified ingredients and traditional fermentation methods," and noted, "We will continue to introduce traditional liquor that elevates the value of local agricultural products."
The Korea Wine & Spirits Awards is Korea's representative liquor competition, now in its 13th year. With the goal of "discovering and widely promoting good domestic liquor and supporting the formation of a sound drinking culture," ChosunBiz has hosted it annually since 2014.
This year's event drew entries of 1,118 brands from 260 companies. It is the largest among domestic competitions covering all categories of liquor. Of these, 449 brands won the grand prize.