I Regressed and Became Too Good at Brewing - Chapter 18

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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 18. The Season Grapes Ripen (5)
What is the most important thing in making alcohol?
Some might say water.
For instance, making a bottle of whiskey requires forty liters of water, and when adding a small amount like in Nokpaju, you must use quality water for the flavor and fermentation level.
Perhaps someone else might call it craftsmanship.
Some would say climate, others the method of aging.
All of those answers are correct.
But if making alcohol is one thing, then making alcohol to actually sell it is quite another — the priorities shift entirely.
“Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness!”
Young-gil seemed to have forgotten that Se-jun and I were standing beside him, muttering his relief over and over with a face far more relaxed than before.
Beside him, Bun-i dabbed at her reddened eyes with her sleeve, wiping away tears.
That’s right.
In this case, what matters is money.
Just consider the cost of producing Blackberry Wine right now.
Cultivating the blackberries, managing the land, processing the raw material, purchasing and maintaining the manufacturing equipment, bottling — all of it.
Money flows through every single step.
In my past life, I too focused only on making alcohol, never paying attention to these capital flows.
Only because Se-jun went around raising investments from various sources did I manage to avoid going bankrupt early.
So I understood keenly just how much relief Young-gil was feeling.
“Of course, this time we’re bringing in extra stock all at once, so that’s why. After this, the quantities won’t be nearly as large.”
“Yes, of course. Ha ha… You are my savior, truly.”
Thank you! Really, thank you!
Bun-i’s guardedness melted away, and with a radiant smile, she bowed deeply to me.
After waving my hand to her a few times, I turned to leave.
As the man and the Dokkaebi saw us off with their thanks.
“Was there really a need to go this far?”
“What do you mean?”
“No matter how much strength I have, I know this contract is incredibly advantageous for them, right?”
“I have my reasons.”
I’ve made a choice to walk a different path from my previous life and find success.
Rather than clinging only to craftsmanship, I resolved to become someone who thinks deeply about practical matters as well.
But I didn’t want to become someone whose eyes are clouded by greed, putting people second.
“Have you tasted the Blackberry Wine that Young-gil made?”
“We ate it together just now. Why ask again?”
“What did you think when you tasted it?”
“What do I think? What kind of question is that?”
Se-jun stared at me as if I were speaking nonsense.
And the answer that followed was exactly as I expected.
“It was delicious!”
“Right. That’s why.”
“Huh?”
Young-gil’s Blackberry Wine was not well known, but among commercially available wines featuring blackberry as the main draw, it ranked among the very best in quality.
From the aroma alone came the subtle, mysterious sweetness unique to blackberries.
And the moment you held it in your mouth, you felt its dense flavor and character.
Like the tartness and sweetness of berries blooming from beneath the tongue, wafting with the richness of preserves or concentrated fruit juice.
If we could secure casks stably, that might be enough.
“But I didn’t want to end it there.”
“What do you mean?”
“For now, I’m thinking of sharing techniques.”
Though I have ten years of experience thanks to my regression, that doesn’t mean I’m skilled in every kind of alcohol.
Building on the liquors I’ve made before and using the abilities I’ve gained through Song-ha and Mok-tong, I can offer various kinds of help, but I can’t recklessly jump into new categories of spirits.
“In that sense, if we conduct Technical Exchange with other master craftsmen, we’ll be able to learn parts of their craft we didn’t know before.”
“Wow… you thought about it that deeply?”
“Actually, there’s something I want that goes beyond even that.”
What I’ve said so far is from the perspective of making alcohol.
On the commercial side, I’m drawing a much longer vision through Technical Exchange.
“I want to build a group.”
“You planning to become a corporate tycoon or something?”
“No. Hmm… I suppose it would be more like a cooperative than a true group.”
Do you know how many distilleries exist throughout the country?
There are over 3,100 establishments holding Liquor Manufacturing Licenses.
More than half of them—over 1,900—possess Traditional Liquor Manufacturing Licenses.
Yet the number of distilleries showing active operations shrinks considerably to merely around 500, and only 64 establishments nationwide actually operate visitor-friendly distilleries.
“Most are barely scraping by, just keeping the flame alive.”
“It’s unfortunate, but that’s how it is. Business has been slow lately, so things are only getting worse.”
When economic downturns persist, the sectors hit hardest are those tied to entertainment and leisure.
Alcohol falls into that category.
That’s why small-scale distilleries across the nation have no choice but to struggle.
In fact, there have been cases of breweries closing en masse recently.
“I’m going to build a cooperative with people who craft truly excellent spirits.”
“Like LVMH?”
“Something like that.”
LVMH, headquartered in France, is a vast conglomerate that encompasses not only various fashion brands and fragrances, cosmetic brands, jewelry and watches, but also liquor brands.
I don’t know much about the fashion side, but I know the famous spirits they own.
Ardbeg, one of the three great Peat Whiskies, and Hennessy Cognac—you’ve probably heard the name even if you don’t know spirits.
And Dom Perignon, known for its high price, belongs to them as well.
“Japan’s Asahi operates on a similar model, doesn’t it?”
“Wow… if that actually happens, would it become the Song-ha Group?”
“That’s what I’m hoping for.”
Though I haven’t mentioned it to Se-jun, I don’t intend to limit this ambition to Korea alone.
There will be Dokkaebi throughout this nation, and just as surely, Dokkaebi will have taken root in distilleries and breweries across the entire world.
To save them all, I need to become someone of that magnitude.
Only then can we create truly exceptional spirits.
“For now, just think of this as the first step. Don’t get too caught up in the distant future yet.”
“… But the moment I said that, my mind had already conjured the image of the Song-ha Group commanding the world.”
“Ha! I really hope it turns out that way.”
Yet regardless, what we need to focus on right now is creating the finest spirits possible using the Blackberry Wine Casks that Young-gil—along with Bun-i, who is a Dokkaebi—brought into being.
* * *
“Hey! Over here! Lower it over here! Good! Stop! Stop!”
About a week after returning to Yeongwol, the days at the Song-ha Group had grown increasingly hectic.
An extra task had been added to an already busy routine.
<Now that’s the scent of fine fruit.>
<Sniff sniff. Where on earth did you find such casks? They’re practically melting away, aren’t they?>
Two Dokkaebi gathered around the Blackberry Wine Casks brought directly from Young-gil’s orchard, sniffing eagerly.
As I’d anticipated, seeing them so delighted made it clear that Young-gil truly had a gift for crafting spirits.
<So you’re planning to use these for aging, are you? Well now! Doesn’t that mean I’ll have to step up again?>
<We’ll need to leave the spirits intact this time, Mok-tong.>
<Tsk! Even I’m not shameless enough for that! Tut-tut!>
Yet watching them smack their lips with unbridled appetite, I had a feeling the yield of finished spirit after aging and bottling wouldn’t be especially impressive.
“That’s an enormous amount!”
“It’s not that much. It’s only fifty casks.”
“But that’s still a lot, isn’t it?”
Certainly, given the Song-ha Group’s current scale, it was indeed substantial.
Considering we were already aging the Dongjeong-chun—which produces a modest yield due to minimal water loss—and that each 225-liter oak cask yields roughly 600 bottles, the amount was nothing short of aggressive.
But such substantial investment always has its reasons.
“It’s definitely going to be a tremendous success.”
<Looks like you’ve seen something extraordinary.>
<It’s bound to work out. Smack smack. I’m already looking forward to it!>
The Dongjeong-chun itself had turned out nearly flawlessly.
And the Dongjeong-chun aged in the Blackberry Wine Casks, as I’d glimpsed through Mok-tong’s ability, was simply beyond imagination.
If it were released on the market, it would surely create quite a stir.
“Well, we’ll need to move these…”
Looking at the pile of casks stacked on the truck, I could only sigh.
Moving them one by one would take forever.
Even with Ha-jeong around, only Se-jun and I had real strength to spare, so it would take even longer.
I needed to expand our workforce quickly.
“I should move these over there, right?”
“Huh?”
“Wow…”
Se-jun hefted a single cask without effort and strode purposefully toward the aging cellar.
He didn’t so much as blink—he genuinely seemed to think he was just moving some trivial thing.
“You know, Se-jun, I think you should have chosen a different profession.”
“I actually agree with you. But what would you suggest?”
“Well… a professional wrestler? You know, the kind with that throwing technique…….”
Ha-jeong’s words sent my mind careening in a direction it shouldn’t have gone.
I pictured Se-jun stripped to the waist, some ridiculous mask plastered across his face, flexing those impressive muscles as he hurled his opponent across the ring.
And shouting triumphantly while he did it.
‘What in the world are you thinking about to wear that goofy grin?’
“No… it’s nothing…….”
“Seung-hyun! I can just stack all of these up there, right?”
I snapped back to attention only when Se-jun returned with another cask and called out to ask.
“Think you can keep hauling them like that? Or should we just roll them?”
“Seems like there’s not much difference either way. Here goes.”
Apparently there wasn’t much difference—Se-jun hoisted two more casks, one across each shoulder, and proceeded to walk as though he were carrying nothing at all.
“Se-jun! Stack them on the Cask Rack as you go! That’s the safe way to do it!”
“Got it! I’m already doing that anyway, so don’t worry!”
“Boss, should Ha-jeong and I start moving some too?”
Since we didn’t possess Se-jun’s monstrous physical prowess, Ha-jeong and I carefully rolled one cask each, transporting them with deliberate caution.
With the three of us working together, the task went far more smoothly than I’d anticipated.
“So we start making it now?”
“Yeah. Time to put it to use. Besides, I already set one aside.”
“Oh man. I’m excited. Really excited.”
The aroma wafting from inside the open cask was nothing short of sublime.
The vibrant blackberry wine fragrance danced and leaped over the wooden rim of the cask like a living thing.
Then, tilting my head curiously, I plunged my hand deeper into the wooden depths and drew something forth.
A vanilla note, shy and hesitant, peeking out with a delicate tremor.
The distinct scents rising from the oak blended together, creating an aroma unlike anything found anywhere else.
“If we add the Dongjeong-chun to this…….”
“I brought it! Let’s try mixing it in!”
‘That’s right! Isn’t that the liquor we picked out together for this very purpose? Let’s add it already!’
‘Patience, Mok-tong. Doesn’t our friend wish to savor this moment?’
‘Hmph! And you’re not eager too, Song-ha? Don’t fool me!’
‘Ahem…….….’
I’d selected the Dongjeong-chun in advance with Mok-tong, intending to use it in the Aging process.
Se-jun, who knew the bottle had been set aside for this very occasion, brought over a few jars of the Dongjeong-chun.
Everyone—human and Dokkaebi alike—was brimming with anticipation.
“Ready to pour?”
“Let’s do it!”
“Here goes!”
‘Ohhh! This is going to be delicious!’
‘The color is magnificent.’
The Dongjeong-chun from the jars came pouring into the oak cask in a streaming cascade…….
“Wait, what——?”
‘What on earth——!’
‘Well… of all things…….….’
The two Dokkaebi and I could only gasp in disbelief.

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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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