Sikhye
In its own language: 식혜
Sweet Korean rice drink made by fermenting rice with malt
Sikhye is a traditional sweet drink from Korea made by fermenting cooked rice with malt water. It is usually served as a dessert and contains floating grains of rice, sometimes with pine nuts. Popular across South Korea, sikhye is enjoyed both at home and in restaurants, and is also sold in cans and bottles.
- Sikhye is a sweet Korean drink made by fermenting rice with malt.
- It is usually served cold as a dessert and contains grains of rice.
- Andong sikhye includes radish, carrot, and red pepper.
- Sikhye is widely available in cans and bottles in South Korea.
- It is believed to aid digestion and was served to royalty.
What is Sikhye?
Sikhye is a sweet, fermented beverage from Korea, made by steeping cooked rice in malt water. The drink is clear with grains of rice floating in it, and sometimes pine nuts are added for garnish. It is usually served cold, especially after meals, and has a gentle sweetness that comes from the natural fermentation process. The taste is mild and comforting, with a hint of grain and a slightly earthy aroma from the malt.
Where does Sikhye come from?
Sikhye is a distinctly Korean drink, with no direct equivalent in China or Japan, though it is similar to Chinese jiuniang and Japanese amazake. The name combines words related to fermentation and sweetness. Sikhye was traditionally served to royalty after meals to help digestion. Over time, it became a common dessert drink enjoyed by many Koreans, and today it is widely available in stores and restaurants.
How is Sikhye made?
To make sikhye, malt water is poured over cooked rice and kept warm until the rice grains float. The liquid is then filtered and boiled to develop its sweetness, with no sugar added. The finished drink contains soft grains of rice and, sometimes, pine nuts. In some regions, barley is sprouted, ground, and fermented for the malt. Commercial sikhye is often sold in cans or bottles, with rice sediment at the bottom.
How and when is Sikhye eaten?
Sikhye is typically served cold as a dessert, especially after meals in Korean restaurants. It is also popular as a ready-to-drink beverage from stores. Homemade sikhye is sometimes offered to guests, reflecting hospitality. The drink is enjoyed year-round and is not tied to any particular festival or religious occasion. It is valued for its refreshing taste and is sometimes believed to aid digestion.
Kinds of Sikhye
There are several regional types of sikhye. Andong sikhye, from Andong, includes radish, carrot, and red pepper, giving it a light red color and a crunchy texture. Yeonyeop-sikhye from Gangwon province is wrapped in lotus leaves with glutinous rice, sake, and honey, and served with pine nuts. Hobak-sikhye is made with pumpkin, rice, and malt, and is sweetened with a little sugar.
What Sikhye means
Sikhye is a familiar part of Korean daily life, found in homes, restaurants, and convenience stores. It is often associated with hospitality and is served to guests or after meals. The drink is thought to help with digestion and is sometimes offered to those recovering from a hangover. While not tied to specific holidays, it has a long-standing place in Korean culinary tradition.
Questions people ask about Sikhye
What is sikhye made of?
Sikhye is made by fermenting cooked rice with malt water. The drink contains grains of rice and sometimes pine nuts, with no added sugar.
Where does sikhye come from?
Sikhye is a traditional beverage from South Korea. It has been enjoyed for generations and is now a common part of Korean cuisine.
How is sikhye served?
Sikhye is usually served cold, often as a dessert after a meal. It can be homemade or bought ready-to-drink in cans or bottles.
Are there different types of sikhye?
Yes, regional versions include Andong sikhye with radish and red pepper, yeonyeop-sikhye wrapped in lotus leaves, and hobak-sikhye made with pumpkin.
Is sikhye alcoholic?
Sikhye is a fermented drink, but it is not alcoholic. It is sweet and mild, suitable for all ages.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Sikhye", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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