Does Kimchi Have Alcohol?

BySam Eames, Certified Nutritionist

Kimchi is the perfect way to experience authentic Korean cuisine. This food is made from fermented vegetables and is commonly eaten as a side dish. But does kimchi have alcohol?

Kimchi does have alcohol, however, only very small amounts. When the vegetables go through fermentation, alcohol is created when the process has finished.

How Kimchi is Made

You can easiliy make kimchi with only a handful of ingredients. The process is very straightforward, but you will need to allow the vegetables to ferment for a few days.

  1. Cut vegetables: The first step to making kimchi is to prepare the vegetables. It’s common practice to use cabbage, which should always be cut lengthwise. Then, cut them into quarters and remove the stems from each piece.
  2. Mix in salt: Once the veggies are cut you can then place them in a large bowl. Add salt and mix it in using your hands. If you do this correctly the cabbage should soften. Add water and let the vegetables sit for 1 hour.
  3. Make spice: While the cabbage is sitting, you can make the spices. This really comes down to your personal preference, but you can use ginger, garlic, shrimp sauce, and water. Stir all of these together until it becomes an even paste.
  4. Drain the vegetables: After the cabbage has been drained, you can then combine it with the spices. Make sure all of the water is removed before this step. Use your hands and mix all of the ingredients together, making sure the cabbage is covered with even amounts of spice.
  5. Add Kimchi to Jar: Once everything is mixed, you can then finally place the kimchi in a jar to seal. One quart jars work best, as this is the standard size used for pickling vegetables. Allow the kimchi to ferment for 3-5 days, or until it looks ready.

How Long Does it Take to Ferment Kimchi?

Kimchi will usually take around 3-5 days to ferment at room temperature. But this really depends on a variety of factors. Kimchi will ferment quicker in a humid environment.

kimchi in white bowl

And it will also take longer in dry, winter conditions. It helps to check the kimchi each day, to see if it is ready. You should make sure that the vegetables are always submerged, so they can continue fermenting.

When it begins to taste ripe, the kimchi will be ready to eat. However, it will taste even better if you place the jar in a refrigerator and let it sit for one week before eating.

How Much Alcohol is in Kimchi?

As we mentioned above, kimchi has very little alcohol. The exact amount will depend on the recipe and fermentation process – but you can expect anywhere from 0.1% to 0.4% alcohol.

Because this is such a small amount of alcohol, you won’t even notice it. The alcohol will either vapor away, or it will eventually turn into vinegar.

Just like other foods, kimchi will eventually go bad. After there jar has been opened, oxygen will make its way into the vegetables and speed up the process. You should always stop eating kimchi if it has become overly sour.

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