Have Some Korean Craft Beer to Wind Down After A Long Day
Image credit: Juju Brews on Facebook
One of the best feelings in life is winding down after a long day with some ice cold beer. Whether you're alone with your book or favourite TV show, or with the people who matter the most to you, there's no denying that the day's (maybe even week's) stress just melts off your bones and you truly feel this sense of 힐링 (hil-ling; literally: healing).
Drinking the same can of beer over and over again may suffice, but if you'd like to try something new and be a little more adventurous, why not take a look at some craft beers instead? Craft beers are beers made by master brewers who handpick the ingredients that go into making the beer, and breweries are often small and independent, making only small batches of beer each time.
Image credit: Juju Brews on Facebook
Probably one of the first Korean craft beer importers here in Singapore, Juju Brews carries an impressive array of Korean craft beers from seven different breweries. Their website https://www.jujubrews.com/ has also classified the beers into different taste notes. At ABC KOREA, we've chosen one beer per flavour that we believe you'd enjoy!
Complex
As opposed to the familiar taste of traditional beers, craft beers with complex flavours experiment with a variety of techniques to bring a new and interesting layer to your (not so) average beer. Perfect for those who are always on the look out for something new and are not afraid for some experimentation.
Gorilla Brewing Co.'s Chocolate Cinnamon Vanilla Roll Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout hits all the right places. While its name is long, it's long for a reason — to give you an overview of the complexity of the product. Vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate are things we tend to associate with comfort or childhood food. But why not try it with a cold can of beer too?
Image credit: Juju Brews
You can find Gorilla Brewing Co.'s Chocolate Cinnamon Vanilla Roll Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout here!
Crisp & Clean
No, we're not talking about laundry. Yes, we're talking about beer. Beers that are described to be crisp and clean are usually lighter and more refreshing. Less experimental with flavours, they're good for those who may still be a little averse to going out of their beer comfort zone.
Amazing Brewing Co.'s Helles Lager is a German-style lager that's a lot more robust than your average grocery store beer. Lagers are a type of beer that have been brewed and conditioned at a low temperature. They are often lighter in colour and body, making them good for casual drinking.
Image credit: Juju Brews
You can find Amazing Brewing Co.'s Helles Lager here!
Dark & Roasty
If light beers are not your thing, you might prefer beers that are classified as dark and roasty instead. These beers carry with them hints of dark roast malt and coffee, and often have a heavier body for a stronger taste.
Goodman Brewery's Seoul Porter fulfills that desire for heavier beers. When you take a sip, you can taste a hint of coffee and chocolate, along with the sweetness of the malt and creamy yet dry profile. Porter beers are beer that are brewed from brown malt, giving it a darker appearance and tend to be on the more acidic side.
Image credit: Juju Brews
You can find Goodman Brewery's Seoul Porter here!
Fruity & Spices
Especially for those who may be new to drinking beer, you might have found that a lot of beers out there are too bitter for your liking. This is where Juju Brews' fruity and spices category comes in for you! Packed full with the fruit and spice flavours (some beers are even brewed with the actual fruit and spices!), beers in this category are almost completely free of that bitter kick that you're looking to avoid.
While your roommate may not be a Guminho, your drink can always carry the vibes of one! KABREW's Kumiho Relax Beer was made for easy drinking without sacrificing flavour. Relax with a cold can that tastes lightly sweet and fruity after a long day. Or you could always bring it to the beach for a taste of paradise!
Image credit: Juju Brews
You can find KABREW's Kumiho Relax Beer here!
Hoppy & Floral
Hops are green cone-shaped flowers of the Humulus lupulus plant that play a huge part in a beer's aroma and flavour. How the hops are used in the brewing process affects the strength and direction of the hop profile. Beers in this category often have hints of pine, citrus, and herbs.
Budnamu Brewery's Minori Session is made with steamed rice called Godubap. This same rice is also used to make Korean traditional wine. The resultant beer is light with a tangerine scent that makes it easy to drink. A fun fact, Budnamu Brewery is a very traditional brewery and it's their first time ever exporting out of Korea!
Image credit: Juju Brews
You can find Budnamu Brewery's Minori Session here!
Malty & Sweet
When we think of malt drinks, we tend to think about Milo, or Horlicks. But what exactly the malt taste like? Caramel? Toffee? The flavour is hard to describe but there's no doubt that we love the taste of malt (yes, the writer has aspirations to appear on the next rendition of Show Me The Money).
Who says that we have to wait until it's Autumn in the Northern hemisphere to enjoy anything pumpkin-related? Playground Brewery's Pumpkin Ale captures the taste of Halloween and Autumn in its can. Brewed with fresh pumpkin, there is a strong pumpkin flavour that complements the malty taste of the beer perfectly. A tip from Juju Brews for when you drink this: wet your glass rim and dip it into a cinnamon/sugar mix before pouring the brew to savour what a pumpkin pie would taste in liquid (and beer) form!
Image credit: Juju Brews
You can find Playground Brewery's Pumpkin Ale here!
Tart & Funky
There are two types of people: those who love tart & funky beer, or those who do not. One of the more unique types of beer flavours, beers with these tasting notes are often sour and surprise you with unexpected scents or flavours.
Gorilla Brewing Co.'s Sun Shower finds the balance between introducing something new without making it too foreign with the sour notes of lemon and lime, and the familiar bitterness of a clean hop. Juju Brews recommends this beer as a replacement for lemonade on a hot day!
Image credit: Juju Brews
You can find Gorilla Brewing Co.'s Sun Shower here!
The coolest thing about Juju Brews is that they even have a map of breweries and taproom serving craft beer in Korea! Keep this in your bookmarks for the next time you plan a trip up!
Additionally, from now until 18 August, Juju Brews is also having a special 10% off storewide with the code "B2BP2HA" so hurry down to get your fix of craft beer!