Mugwort soy milk drink to replace coffee: Garuseonsaeng

Why did I choose mugwort soy milk instead of coffee?

I used to drink two cups of coffee a day, but I was not sleeping well and the next day felt difficult, so I have been gradually cutting back. While looking for something else to drink, I became curious about the mugwort soy milk featured on Pyeonstorang and tried Garuseonsaeng Mugwort Raw Soy Milk.

What is in the box, and what are the ingredients?

Garuseonsaeng Raw Soy Milk is a product that you mix yourself from powder.

One box contains seven 20g sticks. There are three varieties—mugwort, seoritae (black soybean), and Jeju matcha—and I chose the mugwort.

Every summer, I soaked seoritae beans overnight, boiled them in the morning, and blended them to make sure I got protein. Balancing childcare and commuting made the preparation gradually feel burdensome. This product says that one stick provides 4.8g of protein, so I also looked at the ingredients.

The ingredients are Korean soybeans, Korean mugwort, unrefined raw sugar, and sun-dried sea salt.

I liked that I could simply mix one stick without soaking and boiling beans. It also seemed convenient to prepare on busy mornings.

How much water should you add, and how did it taste?

The directions on the box say to add 100–120ml of water to one stick and mix thoroughly. I first tried it with warm water this way. Once stirred, it had a deep color, and I also took out chalborippang (chewy barley bread) that I had bought on a trip to Gyeongju.

I thought it might taste bland with only water added, but it had quite a deep flavor. It reminded me of the mugwort lattes I drink at cafés, and it was tastier than I expected.

It says it contains the whole soybean, from the skin to the biji (soy pulp), and I could chew small bits while drinking it. The texture was different from a smooth drink.

How can you make it richer?

I think using a little less water would make it thicker. Another suggested method is to add 100ml of hot steamed milk to one stick to make a mugwort soy milk latte. What I tasted myself this time was mugwort soy milk mixed with warm water.

Since each stick comes in an individual packet, I wanted to put some in my bag for my commute. For someone who used to make soy milk from scratch, the simple preparation was what stayed with me most.