Tasting

A Cass Fresh tastes of pale grain, comes across as sweetish, and finishes clean, almost without bitterness. OB Golden Lager has more malt body, and so does Max. Tasting these three side by side reveals just how close they are and how subtle the differences really are.

The craft scene offers more variety. Magpie Brewing started in 2011 in Gyeongnidan, Craftworks opened in 2010 in the same neighborhood, and later came beers from brewpubs in Hapjeong and Hongdae. There, people drink IPA, stout, or pale ale in smaller pours, paying attention to aroma, bitterness, and body.

Temperature makes the difference in Seoul. Lager is typically served ice-cold, often in a pre-chilled glass or mug. At very cold temperatures, you taste less sweetness and less aroma. That's intentional for mass-market lager, but a shame for craft beer, since cold beers lose their aromatics.

Tasting etiquette in Seoul follows its own rules. When pouring, there's a courtesy rule: you pour for elders first, hold the bottle with both hands or support your arm, and never pour your own glass. The table keeps refilling each other's glasses, so a glass rarely sits empty. If you've had enough, you simply leave your glass half full.

For somaek, a shot of soju gets poured into a glass of beer, usually in a three-to-seven ratio. Koreans also call this poktanju, or 'bomb shot.' The mix is stronger than plain beer, so the rule is: drink slowly, have water on hand, and eat anju.