I Regressed and Became Too Good at Brewing - Chapter 14

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 14. The Season When Grapes Ripen (1)
I wanted to offer many different kinds of spirits, but unfortunately there was no way to do so.
The only spirit I’d made was Me-ari, so what could I do about it?

“Officially speaking, yes—officially.”

There was no particular reason why Song-ha trailed after me like this, openly showing her anticipation.
What else would a Dokkaebi who loves spirits be doing?
It was all because of the spirits.
“Appetizers coming through!”
“Yes! That table over there!”
Saying so, I set up the Me-ari and ceramic cups.
Perhaps because it was a sight rarely seen in this place.
The elderly patrons who had been busy chatting with one another just moments before were all turning to look our way.
“Yeon-woo’s grown up so well.”
“If my daughter were only a bit younger, I’d introduce her, you know.”
“This senile old woman? Your daughter’s already past forty!”
“That’s exactly why I said ‘if she were younger.'”
But such talk was fleeting.
Once the Me-ari was placed before them.
“What is this? Soju?”
“It’s a Yakju we made at our brewery this time.”
“Ah, Yakju, you say. Mmm. Look at that. Isn’t the cup itself fine?”
“Just look at that color. My goodness. Would you really drink something so beautiful?”
The elderly patrons, entranced by the color of Me-ari poured into the cups, gazed at it with vacant wonder.
Some, having caught the rising aroma, exhaled deeply and wore expressions of satisfaction.
“How does a spirit smell like this?”
“That soju you drink every day doesn’t have a scent like this, does it?”
“Hey! You there! People might think you’re a drunkard!”
“Isn’t that true? Ha-ha-ha! Han! You think so too, don’t you? Come over here and tell them!”
One grandfather suddenly turned his head and shouted toward an elderly man sitting far off.
A response followed his words.
“Heh. Do you think so?”
Shortly after, the aged man sitting over there rose to his feet.
* * *
‘Songhadan, I’ve certainly heard of it.’
The old man sat in a space designed more like a café than a tavern, lost in thought.
He had always been much interested in spirits.
Not only traditional spirits like Yakju, turbid spirits, and soju, but also Western spirits called whiskey, gin, rum, and fermented spirits like beer and wine.
So naturally, he also knew about Songhadan’s Me-ari, which had recently begun drawing a whirlwind of popularity.
‘Though it seems these people don’t know it.’
Looking around, all the people visible were native elders who had lived their entire lives in the remote villages of Yeongwol.
Because of this, they likely had no idea what kind of sensation the spirit they were drinking now was causing.
There was only one reason these people had come to this place.
‘So his name is Yeon-woo. Is this what they call rural sentiment?’
The reason was that the child who had once followed after a grandfather who had dealings with the village was now the proprietor.
Moreover, the Village Chief had even said that wicked men were troubling the young proprietor.
So they had come to this place, claiming they were drinking a spirit they didn’t even know.
‘Good people indeed.’
The old man—no, Han Gyeong-su—thought so.
After working madly in Seoul for a long time as a legal counsel for a major corporation, after seeing his wife off to her final rest, he had come to this place: Yeongwol.
It was a kind of punishment for himself—unable to keep watch at his wife’s deathbed while he was caught up in work.
Yet strangely, this place was comfortable.
Unlike what some might have said about local cliquishness, there was not a hint of it here; everyone was eager to look after him.
With such feelings, these simple-hearted people were asking to spend time with him.
“Would it be all right if I sat here?”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
“Then, if you’ll excuse me…….”
With those words, Gyeong-su sat down and bowed his head toward the young proprietor.
He, in turn, bowed his head in return to Gyeong-su.
The greeting was brief.
How could it be otherwise, when his attention had been entirely captured by the fragrance streaming from this spirit called Me-ari.
‘A scent like this… I thought it was exaggerated.’
Alongside the pine-wood notes, a delicate earthiness rose—as if moisture had just gathered on soil.
It seemed the name Me-ari had been chosen for good reason.
As his curiosity deepened, Gyeong-su lifted the Ceramic Cup to his lips.
The spirit flowed downward, transforming into a single thread of fragrance and flavor.
‘A fine spirit indeed.’
He understood now why it bore the name Me-ari.
A fresh, verdant pulse emanated across his palate, spreading through every corner of his mouth.
Perhaps because he hadn’t tasted spirits in so long, it seemed all the more delicious—another sip confirmed this thought.
Yet his impression remained unchanged.
If anything, he’d have wished it even better.
‘If this keeps up, I’ll be curious about the other spirits… ah, but he said there was only this one.’
Yearning still in his chest, Gyeong-su swirled the Ceramic Cup and savored only the aftertaste.
Of course, he might experience something entirely new by pairing this Me-ari with the side dishes.
But even so, isn’t human nature such that one wishes to taste a new spirit after sampling one?
‘Enough. To ask for more would be greed.’
Yes, it would be greed.
That was the conclusion Gyeong-su settled on.
Indeed, all those around him were pressing their noses into their cups as if to inhale the fragrance, exclaiming in delight, refreshing their throats and spouting words of satisfaction without pause.
And the young proprietor here—Song Yeon-woo—wore a smile of genuine happiness.
The side dishes placed before them were delicious beyond measure.
This much contentment was enough.
It was in that very moment—
“Sir, do you typically enjoy spirits?”
“Hmm? Does it show so plainly? Ha. I do enjoy them, though I’ve naturally grown distant from them since coming to this place.”
The young proprietor had quietly moved beside him and begun to speak.
Song Yeon-woo, if he remembered correctly.
From the atmosphere he gave off to the way he spoke and carried himself, there was a soft yet seasoned polish to him.
As if someone middle-aged had donned the mask of youth.
‘Such a thing can’t be.’
Amused by this wild fantasy that had surfaced unbidden, Gyeong-su let out a small chuckle and raised his cup.
“So what brings this up?”
“Ah, well—if you wouldn’t mind, we have a newly brewed batch of Me-ari, and I was wondering if you might offer some guidance.”
“Oho…”
This was quite an appealing proposition.
Just as he’d been thinking he wanted to taste something new, such an offer had appeared.
“Well… there are other people here…”
“Ha… it seems most of them have already had quite a bit…”
Gyeong-su lifted his head and glanced around.
The elders, repeating words of deliciousness, were absorbed in savoring the moment and the pleasant intoxication.
Everyone was too engaged in the current atmosphere to pay attention to anything else.
In such circumstances, there was no harm in experiencing this quietly on his own.
Having successfully justified himself to himself, Gyeong-su nodded, and the young proprietor grinned and withdrew a bottle.
“You came prepared.”
“Ha… we’re curious ourselves.”
“Ah, a striking label.”
The label on the bottle bore colorful autumn foliage adorning a mountain, beneath which was depicted ripening grain, each kernel rendered with care.
In response, Yeon-woo smiled again and uncapped the bottle.
With a soft pop, fragrance billowed forth.
As Gyeong-su savored the smooth, unbroken blend of nuttiness and sweetness, a Ceramic Cup appeared before his eyes.
“Our new Me-ari: Autumn’s Fragrance.”
* * *
The grandfather held the offered cup, inhaling its fragrance for a long while.
Watching him, I swallowed hard.
Because I knew who he was.
To be honest, I was startled.
I could never have imagined that this person would be living here in my previous life.
“The fragrance is truly sublime.”
Han Gyeong-su.
If you worked in the spirits trade and didn’t know him, you’d have to be a spy.
And that made sense, because in his past life, he had been a globally recognized critic of alcohol.
A few years from now, his book “On Korean Traditional Spirits” would become essential reading for any Korean with even a passing interest in spirits.
Look at him now.
Isn’t he savoring Me-ari: Autumn’s Fragrance with the bearing of a seasoned critic?
And yet here he was, living in a small mountain village in Yeongwol at this very moment.
“Aromatics, then… quite an experimental approach, I must say.”
“Yes, that’s right. I used dried chrysanthemum flowers. I won’t say more than that. It might interfere with what you’re experiencing.”
“Hm. Well, this is…”
Gyeong-su’s expression shifted to one of genuine astonishment.
It hadn’t been many months since Me-ari had launched, after all—he must not have realized anyone could already be crafting spirits with such a fragrance profile.
After a moment, he swallowed a small sip and spoke softly.
“It’s unbelievable…”
“I beg your pardon?”
“The sweetness that blooms from the chrysanthemum carries the brightness of delicate flowers and ripe fruit all at once, and there’s even a subtle, roasted grain nuttiness layered beneath…”
He was spot on.
Those were precisely the scents I’d observed firsthand.
But he wasn’t finished.
“Before, it was like morning dew pooling on grass, but now it flows like a running river. And yet it hasn’t lost the quiet essence of the mountains. How on earth is this…”
“Does it suit your palate?”
“Does it suit me? This is… this is magnificent… my goodness…”
The pale golden liquid flowed into Gyeong-su’s mouth once more.
His eyes closed as he savored each layer, his expression radiating pure contentment.
Yes, this would do.
Han Gyeong-su’s verdict was nothing short of a rave.

Mok-tong and Song-ha were likewise wandering the room, inhaling the bouquet, clearly pleased with Gyeong-su’s assessment.
After draining the cup entirely, Gyeong-su set it down and spoke.
“When are you planning to launch it?”
“Well… we could release it immediately, but I’d like to wait a little longer.”
“Is there some problem… ah…”
“The Village Chief must have mentioned it.”
Gyeong-su nodded at my words.
That was the issue.
The new Me-ari was meant to debut amid universal blessing and celebration.
Not while mired in scandal as it was now.
It was a personal desire, if I’m being honest.
People would buy it regardless of the circumstances.
But I wanted to shake off any lingering shadow first.
Perhaps it stemmed from the anxiety I carried about everything I’d endured before the regression.
I’d suffered through so much.
“Though I’m just an old man living in a mountain village now… I know something about these matters.”
“What do you… hm…”
On the business card he offered were printed the words “Legal Counsel, Sunkyung Group” and the name Han Gyeong-su.
So before he’d lived the life of a critic, he’d been a lawyer.
My mind reeled at this revelation, and he continued speaking.
“It’s an old card from my days before retirement, but I think a junior colleague of mine could be of assistance.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but…”
“No, no. Think of it as repayment for having tasted such a magnificent spirit. Truth be told, I’m eager to drink more. Ha ha. Shouldn’t you hurry and release it? Besides, there are bound to be legal complications ahead.”
Gyeong-su smiled warmly at me as he spoke.
He was right.
For now, we were managing with Se-jun’s help, but even that had its limits.
To introduce Songhadan’s spirits to the world, mere scraps of legal knowledge wouldn’t suffice.
I steeled myself and accepted the business card, tucking it into my pocket.
“I’ll reach out if we need assistance down the road.”
“Anytime.”
“Would you care for another glass?”
At my offer, Gyeong-su broke into a broad smile and replied.
“As much as you’d like.”
After they’d enjoyed a few more rounds, the elders all made their way back to the village.
The Village Chief and the drivers who’d helped with transportation expressed such reluctance to leave that I sent each of them home with a bottle of Me-ari.
While Se-jun and I were cleaning up with the staff, Se-jun sidled over and spoke up.
“I’m glad everyone enjoyed it. Oh, and the video footage came out well.”
“Then we should edit and upload it right away. No more feeding the rumor mill.”
“I’ll get it uploaded to YouTube right away!”
The primary reason I’d invited the elders was gratitude—a proper show of respect. But the second reason was this.
Using the locals as cover, I needed to shake off the schemers who kept trying to cling to me.
“And I think it would be good to start selling the new Me-ari now.”
“Should we put up an announcement?”
“Yes. Please proceed right away.”
Not long after, the Songhadan website went down.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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