Classic Jjimjilbang Drinks: Misutgaru & Iced Black Coffee/Two Iconic Jjimjilbang Menu Items in Korea

 

Hello, this is Hyengjipsa💚😽
Today, do you know a place in Korea called a jjimjilbang?

A jjimjilbang is a traditional Korean space that’s different from a regular sauna.
It has heated rooms like bulgama, cold baths, relaxation areas, and shared common spaces where people rest together.

As you might know, Koreans really value food.
While sweating in the hot jjimjilbang—or after finishing—it’s very common to enjoy cold drinks together with baked eggs.

The two drinks I’m introducing today are a truly classic combination.

One is misutgaru, a traditional Korean drink made from roasted mixed grains.
It’s nutty and slightly sweet, and when served cold, it’s absolutely refreshing and comforting.

The other is black coffee.
It has a flavor similar to coffee candy, and in the past, it wasn’t called an Americano—people simply called it black coffee.

These aren’t fancy recipes, and they don’t really follow trends.
They’re two drinks that Koreans have loved for a long time.

Let me introduce these timeless flavors to you.
Welcome to Hyeng’s 24-hour jjimjilbang! 🧋🥚💚

😸😹😺😻😼

Two Classic Jjimjilbang Drinks

(2 cups, 500 ml each / digital scale & measuring cup required)

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Iced Black Coffee

• Instant coffee 5 g

• Cold water 350 ml

• Sugar 41 g

• Crushed ice, to taste

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Iced Misutgaru

• Cold water 300 ml

• Misutgaru (unsweetened roasted grain powder) 60 g

• Sugar 20 g

• A pinch of  matsogeum

• Crushed ice, to taste

💜💚💚💚💛

Since you’ve arrived at Hyeng’s jjimjilbang, let me serve the baked eggs first! 🥚
In Korea, there’s a fun rule: you crack the baked egg on the head of the person you came with, then dip it in salt before eating. 😂

It’s a playful Korean tradition, not a serious rule—just part of the jjimjilbang fun!

If you’ve traveled to Korea and visited a jjimjilbang or local restaurant, this bottle will definitely look familiar.
Okay—enough jjimjilbang props. Let’s get to making the drinks!💧

For the coffee, I used Maxim Arabica 100 in the brown package.
When you use this one, it tastes just like old-fashioned Korean coffee candy!
It’s that nostalgic flavor people used to enjoy at bathhouses and jjimjilbangs. Hehe.

Now, let’s make the black coffee.
Add 5 g of instant coffee to a cup.

And just to be clear—this is not an advertisement. 😄

The coffee itself is unsweetened—any sweetness comes from the sugar added later.

First, mix the instant coffee with 50 ml of cold water to help it dissolve smoothly.

Pouring in all the cold water at once can leave undissolved coffee granules, so this step makes a smoother drink.

Once the coffee granules are fully dissolved, add the remaining 300 ml of cold water and stir well.
Then add 41 g of sugar and mix until fully combined.

After that, you can add ice to finish.
I’ll add the ice later together with the misutgaru drink, since ice melts if added too early.

Now, let’s make the misutgaru.
You don’t need milk—water works perfectly fine and still tastes great.
Of course, using milk instead of water and honey instead of sugar would make it even richer.

For this one, there’s no need to pre-mix.
Add 300 ml of cold water and 60 g of misutgaru to a cup, then whisk well with a small whisk until smooth and lump-free.

Note: If you use milk and honey instead of water and sugar, the measurements will be different—please adjust accordingly.

Next, add 20 g of sugar and a pinch of matsogeum.
Adding matsogeum really brings out the sweetness—
it’s the kind of flavor that makes you go, “Wow!” from the very first sip. 😄

Matsogeum is a Korean seasoned salt that includes MSG, which enhances savory flavor.

For reference, I made the coffee with 50 ml more liquid than the misutgaru.
Coffee is light and clear, while misutgaru is thicker and heavier.

As the ice melts, the misutgaru becomes lighter in texture,
making it easier to drink smoothly through a straw.

Misutgaru comes in both sweetened and unsweetened versions, and I used the unsweetened one.
Now, whisk it well with a small whisk, pour it into a commercial-style bottle,
then add crushed ice (factory-made ice, not homemade) and mix until nicely chilled.

And that’s it—your jjimjilbang drink is ready!

Today’s filming keep point:
I fixed the silicone straw by sliding chopsticks inside to keep it in place before inserting it.
A tiny step toward being eco-friendly. 😄

And now…
it’s finally time to head into the bulgama, dear guest!

Alright, today’s plating—here we go!!!
I used a bamboo mat that somehow reminds me of people lounging around inside the bulgama.

I photographed it together with
matsogeum, baked eggs, the two drinks,
and even a little Montreal model for fun. 

Today’s tasting buddy is… me!
Now then—shall we take a sip and a bite? Chomp! 😋

👽

Mmm…! The misutgaru is really good…

The black coffee(?) tastes sweet too—
just like old-fashioned coffee candy!

Eating baked eggs dipped in matsogeum,
getting a little choked, then washing it down with a sip…
it’s so refreshing.
Wait—should I turn the boiler up higher or something…?

— Hyengjipsa says 💚😽—

And with that, today’s “Make Jjimjilbang Drinks at Home!” comes to an end.
Did you enjoy it?

Personally, the misutgaru was seriously delicious… hehe.
The coffee tasted exactly like the kind you’d have at an old bathhouse.
(Yes—Korean women’s bathhouses actually sell this kind of coffee too!)

I think this is something you can easily and happily make at home,
so I definitely recommend giving it a try.

Now then, Hyeng’s Bulgama 24-hour…
well, not really 24-hour—will be closing for cleaning!
(The real reason? I got tired making the drinks and ran away. 😅)

Thank you so much for reading so carefully today.
And with that… bye-bye! ✨😄

Oh—I almost forgot 😂

Before I properly say hello,
here’s Kong wearing a jjimjilbang-style sheep towel 🐱♨️

Kong, cooling off while sipping misutgaru—
“Ahhh, that’s refreshing.”

Recipe by Hyeng Butler’s Korean Food Blog
Photo and text theft is prohibited. Copyright belongs to this blog.