Brooklyn, New York

Alice Jun started homebrewing makgeolli, an unfiltered Korean rice wine, just as her father did while she was growing up. When it got too much for her New York apartment, she and business partner, John Limb, opened Hana in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood in 2020.

While some compare makgeolli to beer, Jun aligns it more with wine. Hana’s offerings are made from organic rice, water, and a Korean fermentation starter called nuruk, and can ferment anywhere from 28-70 days, resulting in a range of flavors and levels of alcohol. The signature, Takju 16, clocks in at 16% ABV and is a cloudy, medium-bodied dry pour with melon and green apple notes. The clarified Yakju 14 goes through a five-stage brewing process before fermenting for at least 60 days, resulting in a light, dry-bodied wine with melon, citrus, and grain flavors. Hana ships nationwide, but the minimalist Brooklyn tasting room offers makgeolli by the glass, carafe, or mixed into cocktails alongside a variety of anju, or small plates meant to be had with alcohol, like pajeon (scallion and garlic chive pancake) or garibijang (soy-cured scallop crudo).