Just returned from our annual spring Korea trip. Another awesome holiday in Korea. After a 13 hour flight to ICN from SFO and 45 minute express train to Seoul Grand Central station we got on the KTX bullet train to Yang-San (north of Busan). Another 3 hours later we were at our friends apartment. For those who don’t know Korea has nothing but 20-30+ story condos/apartments. Dotting the entire country. I brought with me a case of local cans (Green Cheek, Monks, Beachwood, RiiP) to drink & share. We stopped at Galmegi and ate pizza and had pours of Galmegi IPA’s. Gorilla, down the street has closed and moved to a different location in Busan. I was able to bring some fresh cans of Galmegi IPA & Hop Bomb. We took the bullet train to Seoul and spent 3 nights in there in the Jongra district. Perfect to see most of the sites and visit some of the craft breweries. We visited Art Monster, Seoul Gypsy and Neighborhood. Also found a lot of fresh cans from some of the other breweries in Seoul & Korea, including an excellent hazy DIPA from Incheon Brewery. I would have to say they have improved from our last visit a year ago.
Thank you for the insight @dcgunman! My brother lives and works in Busan, and I have been to Gorilla and have a t-shirt I wear regularly that he got me from Galmegi. I'll be visiting him again in South Korea this summer for the first time since 2017, so your suggestions for both Seoul and Busan are conveniently timely and insightful! 감사합니다!
WE will be back in Seoul/Busan in 1 week. Another 10 days, 5-Seoul & 5-Busan. I hope to check out a few different places and will be back to Seoul Gypsy.
We’re here in Seoul, day 2 and I decided to hit up a couple of places I haven’t been to yet. We arrived late to our AirBnB Friday evening so I just opened one of my cans I brought from home. That was a long day from SNA-SFO-ICN. Yesterday after a long day shopping with the wife in and around Seoul we ended up at ChillHop Brewing in Itaewon. Had a flight of their IPA’s and finished off with their Schwarzbier which was pretty dam delicious. Grabbed a 6pk mix to bring home. We then headed over to Magpie Brewery and had their IPA which was good enough to buy 3 cans to bring home and share. In Korea they don’t sell 4 or 6pks. Individual cans are not cheap here. The best part of the evening was the bus ride back to our AirBnB. The buses are called Maeui. It was more like an E ticket ride along some of the smallest streets/alleys throughout the streets of Seoul. Especially in and around Namsan area. The bus packed with young Koreans heading to other places in Seoul to meet up with friends going to more bars & pubs. Mind you, we had bags full of stuff my wife bought to bring back home and I had a bunch of cans in my backpack. We were stuffed like we were in the subways, except the bus was on some very hilly roads. Tonight 8 ended up not far from our AirBnB, Manri 199 which is across the street from Seoul Central Station. Beers were okay and the pizza was like croissant style pizza crust. First time for a croissant crust pizza. We’re heading to Yangsan tomorrow morning. To be continued….
On the KTK bullet train back to Seoul Station from YangSsn and onward to ICN for our flight back to SFO & then to SNA. Another long day ahead of us. Day 2 in Yangsan we took the subway to Busan Jalgechi Market so the wife could pick up all her Korean dried fish, squid, seaweed, etc. Then off to Haeundae Beach via subway. We ended up at both Galmegi Brewing & Gorilla Brewing. Both were nice, but I enjoyed Galmegi more. The ipas were good at both locations. I ended up buying just as many cans as the wife did her seafood stuff. Looking forward to getting home and opening them. Actually I’ll be taking half to my local brewery and sharing them.
Man, you spend a lot of time in the air. Do you get backaches from being crammed into those airplane seats? I get it almost every time, it’s the worst part about flying for me.
Most of the time, when available we fly in 1st class. Especially international. So it’s not so bad on the back in our sleeper beds. Yes we do get stuck in the back sometimes but most of the time we at least get economy plus which has a little more leg room. Yes, we fly a lot. 9-12 times a year.
Thanks for the reply, I was hoping there was a secret that didn’t cost thousands of dollars per flight. We went to Japan over the summer and I think the price difference between steerage where we sat and first class was a couple thousand dollars a ticket. On the way there, I was crammed into the little seat with the lady in front of me reclined in my lap, I was so stiff when we got there, I felt like Frankenstein walking around. We were still in the small seat on the way back, but I had the seat behind the bulkhead and could stretch out, it made a world of difference.
Anyone know the etiquette of bringing young children to breweries and/or craft beer establishments in Seoul? Google AI tells me under 19 is not allowed. I'd love to have more info on what is law and what might be unwritten rules based on their culture. I have a list of new breweries/beet places that have popped up since my visit 10 years ago that I'm itching to try - Seoul Brewery, Seoul Gypsy, Chillhops, Mysterlee, EULREUL!, Fred, owlpammi, beer up, xs brewingroom, social drnkrs??... Untapped and the internet have provided a beergeek rabbit hole. Anyways, any advice in this manner is appreciated.
I’ve never really paid any attention to children in pubs/bars or breweries in Korea. We’ve been going to Korea every year since 2016 without our grown up kids. The many times and places I’ve been to I don’t recall seeing any children inside whether it has food or not. Nope, don’t recall seeing any children inside. Remember, a lot of the places open up in the evenings. The earliest I’ve been is probably around 3pm. We are going this weekend for a week.
Our March Korea trip was postponed to this month. We just got back from Seoul. Spent a week this time. Checked out 2 new places this trip. At least new for me. Seoulista, in Namdaemun area is a craft beer bar with food menu. They have around 20 taps from all over S Korea. New York style pizza is the main food item with other dishes to be had. Brewery 304 is a nano brewery is in the Okcheon-Do area and off the Main Street and in a small alleyway. Brewery 304 is my favorite brewery so far of all the places I’ve been to in Seoul. I haven’t been to Amazing Brewery or Seoul Brewery yet. The bottled ipa and the pale hazy was pretty damn good, as the hazy was my favorite. The theme for the beers were of cats and dogs. I went back the next night and brought 3 cans from my local breweries and shared with the manager, beertender, head brewer and a young Korean woman. The head brewer brought a Cantillon bottle to share. Cantillon Ashanti was delicious. I was going to hit up Gangnam area to check out Art Monster and craftBros. Art Monster is closed Monday to Wednesday and CraftBros is closed down completely. The Kkahnbu Chicken under our hotel had bottles of Budvar to pair with their awesome fried chicken. If you’ve never had Korean Fried Chicken you’re missing out. Korea is the capital for fried chicken.
How’s the craft beer scene on island Jeju? We’ve never been. We’re looking at Jeju Island for our next Korea trip. I know of Jeju Brewery. Any pubs/bars that carries Korean local crafts. Or is the island dry?
Does anyone know if Brewery 304 (Seoul) is closed for good? Looking at NAVER map is shows the hours as closed all 7 days. I know this is a long shot asking here. Also, has Amazing Brewing closed down one of its locations? We just got back from Ohmae Brewery in Yeosu-Si and it had a closed sign on its door and it looks like it has been closed for a while too. NAVER Map says it’s open at 11am on Sundays. We don’t have a Korean phone or other ways to call.
Goose ipa is the only ipa to be had in Yeosu, Korea. 3 month old cans at Lotte Mart. Get them while there still old.
My favorite beer, so far, in the Seoul area is by Craftbros, from Gimpo. Had a few of their IPAs ( some double dry hopped) and they are fantastic and seemingly available fresh. Also love Art Monster's Hazy IPA from their brewery locations.
If you’re still in Seoul, check out Seoul Gypsy. Three locations. We were at their Fermentaria location Sunday evening. Pizza was great as well as their beers. Highly recommended
I have been to that one & their original. Really enjoyed their IPA and their "sichuan spaghetti " dish. Great vibe too
Currently enjoying a Hazy Double IPA called "Double Grabber" from Mysterlee Brewing Co. Double Dry Hopped. It is super fresh and quite enjoyable
