North Korean scientists may have invented hangover-free liquor. Well, that's what a report by the DPRK's Pyongyang Times has claimed.
State-run Taedonggang Foodstuff Factory has reportedly invented world's first hangover-free alcohol, called Koryo Liquor, which is made from extracts of indigenous ginseng or Kaesong Koryo insam and glutinous rice.
According to the report, researchers used sugar in the past to remove bitterness in insam liquor, which has 30-40% alcoholic content, and thus failed to solve hangover problem. But this time around they found a replacement for sugar in boiled and scorched glutinous rice.
"Glutinous rice is first boiled and the boiled rice is scorched when it begins to steam. In the process of boiling, the nutritive substances of the rice settle down to the bottom and the starch breaks up to become glucose at a high temperature,' the report added.
"Koryo Liquor, which is made of six-year-old Kaesong Koryo insam, known as being highest in medicinal effect, and the scorched rice, is highly appreciated by experts and lovers as it is suave and causes no hangover."
Is North Korea's claim of inventing "hangover-free liquor" real or farce?
Despite the claims to have invented hangover-free liquor, most experts maintain that there is no way one can escape hangover after taking substantial amount of alcohol.
"There are some high quality liquors made in North Korea, though in my experience there is no such thing as hangover-free booze anywhere in the world," Andray Abrahamian, director of research from Choson Exchange, told NK News.
It may be recalled that North Korea had earlier claimed that it had developed a wonder drug -- Kumdang-2 Antidote -- made from ginseng that can cure some of the deadliest diseases in the world, like AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome), SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and Ebola.
