Drinking is a very important part of Korean life and culture. You will always find people socializing with friends, coworkers, and even professors on a typical evening, cheering for drinks. Although drinking has always been a favorite activity in Korea, the beer culture has only just begun to flourish. Korean beer was once not that interesting to expert beer tasters. However, you would be thrilled by the fantastic transformation homegrown beers have experienced within just a few years. It’s wonderful to see smaller breweries attempting to create distinctive, flavorful beers. We have put together a list of the 5 ‘must-buy draft beers in Korea’ that you cannot miss on your trip! Read on to know more about some of the nation’s top draft and small-batch beers.
Ggeek Beer
If you want to rise above the average beers and want something that is unique and worthy of a special event, Ggeek is the one for you! Describing them in the language of most of the top beer lovers – “It’s hard to match Ggeek beers’ quality and flavor in other homegrown brands!” While they are the latest brewery to join the blooming beer culture of Korea with their humble abode in Seoul, you will be amazed at how well they have shaped up most beer lovers’ wishlists within so less time. With flavors ranging from seasonal to round-the-year core drinks that never go old, Ggeek has earned quite a name in the brewery industry of Korea. Their beers range from amazing hop flavors to seasonal beers and also craft lager, craft ale, and others! But their must-try beverage surely comes down to Ggul Ggeok (reason? You won’t need one once you try it!)
Hite
HiteJinro, the original company that owns the Hite Beer brand, is a heavily known name in the Korean beer industry. Hite is more of a rice-tasting European pale lager, quite comparable to Budweiser. Although brewed from rice and barley malt, the taste is neither too unique nor too boring. You would find it a common drink for regular consumption rather than a special celebration. Nevertheless, it’s worth trying! Hite is a good choice to have along with spicy Korean foods or even Korean barbeque if you just want a few sips and do not want the beer interfering with the taste of the food. Hite is more of a refreshing lager choice for hotter or humid weather. With only 4.3% alcohol content, it is light and easy to drink, having a sweet aftertaste and non-hop flavor.
Cass
Contrary to other common Korean beers that you might encounter (not mentioned here), Cass offers a more iconic and distinctive taste that you should try while in Korea. With an alcohol percentage of 4.5%, it has a strong taste and aftertaste than most cheaper beer brands in Korea. A sip of Cass leaves a light hops flavor in your mouth that lingers for a while. Not as smooth in flavor as some other beers, but definitely a refreshing summer drink. If you look for it, there’s a faint fresh malt flavor. This is another one that pairs well with hot and spicy Korean cuisine.
Kloud Beer
Another relatively new brand that entered Korea in 2014, Kloud is a German-style staple in the country that s easily available at every convenience store. Kloud features a slightly fruity taste, which is a unique one to experience. It has distinct cereal hops taste first, later followed by a refreshing yet slightly sweeter aftertaste. With 5% alcohol content, Kloud is a lightweight beer you can enjoy every now and then, best for people who despise a sharp, bitter taste in casual beers. Kloud is a fantastic beer to pair with mildly salted or bitter side dishes because of its distinct flavor profile.
OB Golden
If you are into very mild, minimal-tasting beers, you are in for a treat with OB Golden! It features a clean flavor profile with 4.8% alcohol content and a light straw color. While the taste is overly carbonated, it still ranks higher than all other cheaper brands we haven’t mentioned here, primarily for its flavor profile. A bottle of OB Premium will be your best bet if you are craving some good old European-style malt beer. Although the last one on this list of the best draft beers in Korea, we could not resist including OB on our list of ‘must-buy draft beers in Korea,’ and you will surely feel that once you taste it – perfect for a casual all-day drink as well as evening sips while you’re here!
Hope you find a beer that suits your taste on our list and don’t forget to let us know!
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