Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jdog2050]

Tasting the Queens Ale EB (extra bitter) right now. It tastes like...an EB. I wouldn't kick it out of bed but it'd be far down from a first choice also. Nose is very indistinct "noble" hops, lightly malty. As for taste, it's pleasantly malty but there is SOMETHING cardboardy about it--maybe the filtering is stripping out too many proteins? Speaking of which, I am actually very impressed with the coloration and clarity--a really nice copper. Overall, a step in the right direction. Calling it a bad beer would actually be quite unfair...it's "a'ight".

That said, I am sketched out by the price. If this is a 100% malt and hops beer, something tricky is happening if it's 3100W for a pint. They're either using hop extract (which would explain why the nose is so indistinct and bland) or they're using this beer as a "loss lead", which wouldn't surprise me.

[jdog2050]

Tasting the Blonde Ale now. The blond is like...exactly the same color as the EB...what? Nose: quick blast of caramel. Zero hops. Taste: A little too bright--this might be the "metallic" that a friend of mine was describing. It's basically the EB but more fruity instead of "noble/spicy". The coloration is a joke. And actually, the more I drink the more the blonde basically tastes like the EB.

So...I dunno what's going on with these beers. I've got the sneaking suspicion that the EB and blonde are pretty much the same but with the hops switched out...even the alcohol percentage is the same which has my spidey-sense tingling. That probably explains the low-low pricing: same recipe, switched hops, save money all around.

[Threequalseven]

I'd like to try these, but I'm afraid the distribution trucks won't make it to my ends of the country until 2014. Where did you buy these at anyway?

Also, as valid as I'm sure your reviews are, I wouldn't say 3,100W is cheap for what should be a quality domestic beer. All the imported beer here is taxed more than double its actual value which is why it's so expensive. I'd hope a domestic brewer could put out a decent beer for 삼천백원.

[Old fat expat]

I'll try them when I see them.

My hopes will be up. Reality will be harsh. Again.

So far the attempts at beer has been rough, unbalanced, with blending of the elements being used lacking harmony. What seems to be lacking is subtlety. You would think they are going by recipe and not by outcome. I would think sourcing from local markets would provide variability that needs to be balanced. But I don't brew beer so this may be difficult to do.

Until there is a culture of beer drinking for other than alcohol delivery, this will not change for a while. Until there is a foody culture that compliments flavorful beer, don't hope too much. Gochu-jung takes no prisoners.

In fairness I should disclose that my youth was spent working in an upscale sandwich shop retailing to the State legislature. It boasted 20 foreign beers (ooohhhh). We were the first to do so in what was a progressive town. That was Tallahassee in the late 70s. All the other bars had Bud, Pabst, Miller, and for special occasions, Michelob. Bland.

But things have changed RE USA beers. Really, this is my ember of hope.

[Seoulman69]

OP - where did you buy the beers? I've been looking high and low for them.

[Threequalseven]

Well, hey! I just went down to the Emart down here in Bum-do, and they actually sell it! Seoulman, I suggest going there.

Anyway, I just tried both of them. I started with the Blonde Ale, and here's what I wrote as I was drinking it: "Good color, like Sam Adams. Initial taste is good. Afterward is nothing special. The best part is right when it reaches mouth - aroma is like a decent pale ale."

The "Extra Bitter Type" was practically the same damn thing. The only difference is that the emphasis is more on the aftertaste. Like the OP said, they're the same color. I didn't notice the cardboard taste the OP mentioned though.

They're both decent, but definitely not as full as an import like Indica IPA for example. I'd definitely buy them again if they were on sale, but probably wouldn't go out of my way otherwise. I can't describe exactly what's lacking... it just doesn't have the pizzazz of the ales back home. Still, I'd put it a notch above the 7braü IPA, which tastes more like a pale ale trying to be a porter. The Queen Ales do seem quite balanced in comparison.

[Seoulman69]

3=7, thanks for letting me know where to pick it up.

[Seoulman69]

I picked some up and it's not that great. I bought loads after reading other posters opinions but it's not as good as I hoped. It's like a slighty better Max.

I'll let you know if it is as rough on the stomach as other Korean alcohol when I find out.

Update - after drinking all day I thought I would do a comparison between the Extra Bitter Queen's Ale and a Sam Adam's Boston Lager.
The colours are pretty much the same, an amber orange, but where the QA is transparent the Sam Adam's is very slightly opaque.
The Sam Adam's has better head retention whereas the QA's head dies pretty quickly.
The Sam Adam's has a bready smell similar to the Black Isle Ales which reminds me of baked beans, the QA smells of very little.
The QA has a bitter taste not dissimilar to the Sam Adam's. A major difference though is how quick the aftertaste kicks in. The Queen's Ale has a slight aftertaste which hits fairly quickly whereas the Sam Adam's takes a brief pause before kicking in with an aftertaste stronger than the QA.

Overall the Queen's Ale is not a terrible beer. The problem it faces is that due to the price it is going up against far better beers than Max and Cass. At 3,000 won for a 5000ml can it is not cheap, and in direct competition with beers such as Smithwicks, Staropramen, Pilsner Urquelle and more. In all honesty I'll probably keep paying extra for the beers I really enjoy.

[mike in brasil]

I can't believe I just bought a bottle of La Chouffe (Belgian Tripplel with cardamom) at me local Emart for 5,000!

It's one of my favorite Belgian ales, although Trappiste Rochefort 10 will always be me ultimate favorite.

[Threequalseven]

[Seoulman69]

If you suffer stomach problems after drinking Korean beer I'd advise you to stay away from the Queen's Ales.
I don't want to be too graphic but there was a middle of the night dash to the bathroom.
I'm fine with other beers, it's just Korean beers for some reason.

[Beeyee]

I was gonna pick a few of these up yesterday, but for the same price I got Pilsner Urquell instead. I think I probably chose well.

[Zyzyfer]

[FDNY]

I've been drinking beer for the better part of thirty years, and I have to say to Jinro/Hite, well done. I know the OP said OB, but it is actually the aforementioned brewery that makes it.

I prefer the bitter, but the blond is definitely not bad. And living in Korea for years I am no great lover of blonds, but this one is OK.

Much better then Japanese beer. Also, I think the only Asian country to make an ale.

Much more full bodied than the regular Korean fare. The only worry I have is that if foreigners like it, then it will soon disappear. I have experienced this with other Korean products. The Korean palate seems to be, like many things, tunnel visioned. In my case, the major competitor for this is the 1600won German "L" beer. But as of tonight, I am proud to extol this to my friends.

[riley]

I'm generally a fan of hoppy beers so finding a "cheaper" beer than the IPAs here, was nice to find. It isn't great but it is nicer than other Korean beers and it's cheaper than the IPAs that I like to buy.