About Dalnaru
Dalnaru Makgeolli is a Berlin-based microbrewery dedicated to crafting premium Korean rice wine. Each batch is brewed entirely by hand using only three ingredients: rice, water, and nuruk, the traditional Korean fermentation starter. Grounded in Korean brewing practice and produced in Berlin, Dalnaru serves as a port between two cultures, bringing the familiar taste of makgeolli to a new home.
The meaning of Dalnaru
The name Dalnaru comes from two Korean words: Dal (달), meaning moon, and Naru (나루), an old term for a port or crossing place. While the moon has long been associated with alcohol-making, for Dalnaru it has a more personal meaning. It refers to the first batch of makgeolli, brewed in 2016 in a so-called moontown in Seoul — mountainside neighborhoods often described as being “closer to the moon.” From there, Dalnaru grew into a project bridging cultures and bringing the taste of home to Germany.
The Maker
Lennart was born and raised in Berlin. In 2014, he moved to Seoul as an exchange student, where he discovered Korean culture and traditional alcohol, developing a particular interest in makgeolli.
By 2016, this interest had become hands-on. Living in various moontowns in Seoul, he learned traditional home brewing methods, including makgeolli, ehwa-ju (이화주), and soju. Brewing alongside friends, he was soon nicknamed Makgeolli-ggun (막걸리꾼), a Korean term for someone deeply experienced in a craft.
After returning to Germany, Lennart adapted these methods to local conditions, sharing his makgeolli at tastings, parties, and Korean markets in Berlin from 2018 onward — laying the foundation for Dalnaru Makgeolli.
