Moving to Seoul for a year

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prsman

prsman

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Okay, I finally bit the bullet and am going to be in Seoul South Korea for a year teaching english starting in Feb. I've heard there are some homebrew shops and didn't know if anyone had any good info on where to get ingredients and equipment while I am there. I currently brew all-grain, and don't really cherish the though of going back to extract but if I have to for a year then I guess it's better than the local stuff. Don't think I can drink much Cass and the like... :) So any brave homevrewers in Korea?
 
Not that i know of but i have seen that guy that eats all of the wierd crap in south korea eating deer penis i think. You should steep some of that with your specialty grains for virility, you know, so you are "strong like bull"
 
Reverend JC said:
"strong like bull"
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Wouldn't that be "strong like buck?"

There are a couple of homebrewers who frequent the board from Korea. One is in Daegu and the other is near Seoul, I think (user name, Bosch, maybe?). Neither of them brew all grain as far as I know, and the only Korean HBS website I've seen is a bit expensive.
 
Yeah, I'm the one in Seoul.
I do DME + grains + hops, which works decently enough. There's a number of websites for ordering supplies in Korea (all in Korean) and they're a bit pricey, but the local beer is so bad and the imported beer is so expensive that homebrewing is VERY much worth it financially despite the price hike.

Of course you can order whole grains (www.goodbeer.co.kr) has a good selection, the main limitation will be getting a burner powerful enough to get a good boil, those are hard to come by in Korea. But if you bring your equipment you should be fine...

If you need any advice about stuff in Seoul send me a PM, I've been in the country over four years now and I know my way around pretty well...
 
Before you start doing your own homebrew in Korea check out all the different and wierd concoctions the locals make. I spent 15 months there back in the 70's and was never bored with the selection of local juices. Once you sit down in one of the little mokoli shops you gain an appreciatin for what can be done with a little fermented rice water. It's kinda like a thick, flat, sour beer with a kick.
AP
 
APendejo said:
Before you start doing your own homebrew in Korea check out all the different and wierd concoctions the locals make. I spent 15 months there back in the 70's and was never bored with the selection of local juices. Once you sit down in one of the little mokoli shops you gain an appreciatin for what can be done with a little fermented rice water. It's kinda like a thick, flat, sour beer with a kick.
AP
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Makkoli's good ****, but a bit of an acquired taste. Also getting a bit hard to find in bars and restaurants (except for the more traditional places) these days :(
 
Where were you on Friday Bosh? I was in Seoul...left on Sat.

I was in Dongduchon the week before last. I met up with a couple of guys who are interested in HB'ing.

I was in Daegu all last week and the weekend. I tried to hook up with TboneinDaegu, but he never replied to any of my emails.
 
homebrewer_99 said:
Where were you on Friday Bosh? I was in Seoul...left on Sat.

I was in Dongduchon the week before last. I met up with a couple of guys who are interested in HB'ing.

I was in Daegu all last week and the weekend. I tried to hook up with TboneinDaegu, but he never replied to any of my emails.
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Our drinking with one of SWMBO's friends and my brother in-law, didn't know you were around...
 
Seoul is absolutely awesome

The only real place inside Seoul you might get in trouble is in Yongsan or Itaewon (lot of American Soldiers there)

I'll admit as far as beer goes ---- its not a great place for it

party / drinking 24/7

Gangnam is the name of the college district --- that is a crazy place. Try it on Club night

Also -- for some really great really edible food --- check out Carne Station in Gongdok - Carne Station is All you can eat AND Drink
 
homebrewer_99 said:
The college district is off limits to Americans because there have been too many rapes there lately.

I may be back there in the summer. Maybe we can get together then.
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Something is just soooo wrong with that. Who's doing the rapes? When I was there in the mid 70's the college district was just starting their own San Francisco style 1960's hippy phase. Sex, drugs, and rock&roll.
AP
 
There's an awesome bulgogi house not far from Gangnam Station. It's called Sariwon, named after the North Korean town from which the original owner came. It's a unique bulgogi in that the marinade is made with very little sugar, supposedly because the founder's husband was a diabetic. I thought it was fantastic.
 
shaggynuts24 said:
Gangnam is the name of the college district --- that is a crazy place. Try it on Club night
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No, Gangnam is the business district. Hongdae is the place with Club Night.

The college district is off limits to Americans because there have been too many rapes there lately.
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Soldiers are banned all over the place and have been for years, non-military Americans can go wherever they want.

Sex, drugs, and rock&roll.
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Sex, alcopop and horrific pop music up there these days...
 
Thanks for the links guys, I hadn't had a chance to check the board in a few days and it was nice to see some replies. I might have some of my equipment shipped once i'm there. Can't wait til Feb. Bosh I might have to hit you up once i'm there as i'll know no one, and don't speak Korean. I've picked up a phrase book and am trying to learn how to read it, but don't expect to pick up too much until i'm there.
 
Bring equipment and ingredients if you can.

While you wait for your brew to ferment, do an "ammo-bowl" or two with friends. Let me know how you feel in the morning waking up in a Korean alley!
 
Bosh said:
Soldiers are banned all over the place and have been for years, non-military Americans can go wherever they want...Sex, alcopop and horrific pop music up there these days...
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That's not what they brief, but it's understood by the soldiers that civilians can go where they want without a curfew. I certainly chose the second route. :D
 
homebrewer_99 said:
That's not what they brief, but it's understood by the soldiers that civilians can go where they want without a curfew. I certainly chose the second route. :D
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Poor GIs, always so sad seeing the MP drag them back to base. I've never been turned away from anywhere for being a foreigner and I've only once had someone try to rip me off for being a foreigner. Koreans are mostly pretty good about that sort of thing, they just don't much like GIs, so I'd recommend not getting too short of a hair cut to avoid hassles.

I might have some of my equipment shipped once i'm there.
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Try to bring as much as you can via carryon, at least a bottling bucket to do some simple stuff until you get good equipment.

Can't wait til Feb. Bosh I might have to hit you up once i'm there as i'll know no one
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Sure, email me at dboshko at gmail dot com. Where in the city will you be working?

and don't speak Korean. I've picked up a phrase book and am trying to learn how to read it, but don't expect to pick up too much until i'm there.
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The phrase book won't be too much good since your pronunciations will be pretty off and Koreans tend to be very bad at understanding mispronounced Korean. But learning the alphabet is WELL worth it since it lets you read all of the English words (they're all over the place) that are written in Korean and learning the alphabet will improve your pronunciation IMMENSELY.

Also Korean tend to be pretty good at trying to figure out what you mean when you speak English.
 
Bosh said:
No, Gangnam is the business district. Hongdae is the place with Club Night.

/QUOTE]



thats right --- i couldn't remember Hongdae --- off-limits or not, i spent several all-nighters there

Stompers for the win :) :rockin:
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Iteawon is awesome- Nicklebees has an awesome RedRock beer.

Also Korean food is incredible.

Nandaemoon Market was very cool to visit.
 
homebrewer_99 said:
Ever go to Gecko's in Itaewon? It's just around the corner on the second floor across from Burger King. Lots of Americans go there.

Last time I was there a Franziskaner Hefe Weizen cost $9.00.
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I always hung out at Pancho's in Itaewon --- pool table and their quesadilla's are pretty good.


Doesn't Gecko's have the list of 100 shots to do?
 
homebrewer_99 said:
Ever go to Gecko's in Itaewon? It's just around the corner on the second floor across from Burger King. Lots of Americans go there.

Last time I was there a Franziskaner Hefe Weizen cost $9.00.
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Yup, one of the better places for decent beer and reasonable prices (by Korean standards). German hefes are stupidly expensive everywhere in this country for some reason.

But no Burger King anymore, its a coffee place now.

Lot of GIs on these boards I see :)
 
Bosh said:
Yup, one of the better places for decent beer and reasonable prices (by Korean standards). German hefes are stupidly expensive everywhere in this country for some reason.

But no Burger King anymore, its a coffee place now.

Lot of GIs on these boards I see :)
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I was just there last week and didn't notice the BK gone.

I must have been thinking about it from 2 years ago when I was last there..."the mind's a terrible thing" :drunk:
 
Yuri

Although I understand your dilemma- Not sure if you traded up or down. lol

Ive been offered more than I should have been in both Ietaewon and Songtan. And loved every second
 
is that old lady still hanging out on Hooker Hill --- the really old one with no teeth --- offering BJ's for 5,000 won?
 
hey before i got deployed i was over there for a year and i couldnt find anything for homebrewing i had to order all my stuff online so i did all extract. but while your there the best bar in Itawan (youll figure it out) is the rocky mountain tavern or if you happen to go up north (not north korea) to Tong Du Chan (spelling?) near camp hovey, go to JC loung tell him Tony sent you hopefully he still rembers me



BeerNinja
 
I was at Camps Casey and Hovey 3 weeks ago conducting training. :D I followed that up with another week at Waegwan.

The town names and street signs for Tongduchon and Taegu have been changed (per the Korean president) to Dongduchon and Daegu.
 
hell hell you should still go to JC's its a great car, and last time i was there, there where no jucies




BEERNINJA
 

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