Misugaru: The 12-Grain Powder Koreans Have Drunk Iced for Generations

A drink born in the Korean countryside

Misugaru has its roots in agricultural Korea before industrialization. At a time when preserving food was a daily challenge, roasting and then grinding grains made them keep longer while making them ready to eat at once, with no cooking. Farmers carried this powder to the fields, where adding water from a spring or a well was enough to make a filling meal in a few seconds.

This convenience explains why misugaru became the drink of hard physical work and hot weather: harvests, long walks, summer labor. It is mentioned in several Korean ethnographic works on traditional rural food, where it is described as a staple food as much as a drink.

With the rapid urbanization of South Korea from the 1970s onward, misugaru left the rice paddies for city kitchens, and more recently for cafés, where it has been reinvented in a more indulgent form, closer to the codes of Western iced coffee.

What is really in misugaru?

The traditional composition of misugaru varies by region and by family, but it almost always rests on a common base of roasted, finely ground grains and legumes. You often find brown rice, pearl barley, black soybeans, red azuki beans, black sesame and sometimes perilla seeds or corn. Some traditional recipes can blend up to twelve of them, which explains the name sometimes used: "twelve-grain powder".

Roasting plays a decisive role in the final result: it develops the characteristic toasty aromas, close to light hazelnut and toasted bread, while adding a gentle natural sweetness with no added sugar. This absence of added sugar in the base recipe sets misugaru apart from many sweetened milk drinks found elsewhere in East Asia.

A distinctive texture

Once stirred in, misugaru does not behave like a classic tea or coffee. Its texture is closer to a thin smoothie or a slightly grainy oat milk, with a light natural sediment at the bottom of the glass if you let it sit, a sign that it has not been over-processed industrially.

Where the name misugaru comes from

The Korean term 미숭가루 (misugaru) breaks down into 미수 (misu), which historically refers to a refreshing grain-based drink made from roasted grains and enjoyed in hot weather, and 가루 (garu), which simply means "powder". The name therefore literally describes the product: a powder meant for preparing misu.

This direct etymology contrasts with drinks that have more poetic or symbolic names, and reflects the practical, everyday character of this preparation, designed above all to feed and refresh quickly rather than to embody an elaborate ritual.

How to make it iced, step by step

The traditional preparation needs no special equipment and no waiting time. For a classic iced version, pour the contents of one misugaru stick into a shaker or a large glass. Add 150 to 200 ml of very cold water, or milk depending on the texture you want. Mix vigorously, with a spoon or by shaking the closed shaker, until the powder is completely dissolved. Then add several ice cubes and serve immediately, ideally in a large clear glass to enjoy the characteristic light brown color.

For a creamier version

In Seoul cafés, misugaru latte is often made in a blender with whole or plant-based milk and ice blended together, giving a texture closer to a light milkshake. This method also makes it easier to add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup for palates that prefer a slightly sweet drink.

Variations and tasty pairings

Once you have mastered the base, misugaru lends itself to many variations. A drizzle of honey or agave syrup softens the drink slightly without hiding its toasty notes. A few crushed nuts or extra sesame seeds sprinkled on top add crunch and make the drink feel more substantial.

For a dessert version, some people blend cold misugaru with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, creating a liquid dessert halfway between a drink and an ice cream treat, especially popular on the hottest afternoons of July and August.

Misugaru also pairs well with plant milks such as almond or oat milk, which extend its naturally roasted notes without altering the original taste.

Misugaru in contemporary Korean culture

Far from being a mere relic of the past, misugaru has seen a notable revival in South Korea since the mid-2010s, driven by a wave of nostalgia for traditional flavors and by the rise of independent cafés looking to stand out from international chains. The term "misugaru latte" now appears routinely on café menus in Seoul, Busan or Daegu, next to matcha latte or classic iced coffee.

This rediscovery is part of a broader movement to celebrate traditional Korean fermented and grain-based ingredients, also seen around boricha, the roasted barley tea, or the Korean barley tea we covered in a previous article.

Storage and choosing a good misugaru

Misugaru keeps naturally well thanks to the roasting of its grains, as long as it is stored away from moisture in an airtight container. The individual stick format, like the one offered by the Korean brand Damtuh, has the advantage of protecting each portion from air and humidity until use, while making it easy to measure without scales or guesswork.

When choosing a misugaru, it helps to check the list of grains used: the more varied and transparent the composition, the more the drink tends to reveal complex aromas rather than a generic sweet note.