Okhotsk Blue Draft: The Japanese Beer made from melting Icebergs

And Blue seaweed, for coloring of course.  Looks refreshing, at least that’s what I thought after watching the video. Now I also know that Chinese yams contain ingredients good for foaming beer.

The Hokkaido Abashiri Microbrewery also makes normal coloured beers, for those of you not keen on drinking beer that looks like cookie monster. And here’s what I could decipher frpom the brewery homepage:

The image of the empty sea of Okhotsk ice “Okhotsk blue” light仕上GEMASHITA to tap fresh water used to taste better with the ice in the Sea of Okhotsk仕込concept.
東京農業大学生物産業学部による技術指導のもと開発され、今までにない澄んだ鮮やかなオホーツクブルーの海ときめ細かい泡立ちにより泡は、ほんのりブルーで海に浮かぶ流氷をイメージさせます。 Technology was developed under the guidance of Tokyo University of Agriculture Faculty of Biological industries, fine chemicals and the foam of the sea of Okhotsk and vivid blue in the past is not clear, let the image of the ice floating in the sea faintly blue.

グラスに注ぐとそこには、ロマンあふれる冬のオホーツク海が広がります。 Pour into a glass and it will expand the Sea of Okhotsk in winter full of romance.
地元の素材にこだわる当社の工場長の思いが作り上げた自慢の一品です。 The dish is made to feel proud of our plant manager to stick with local ingredients.

Here’s a good one – for those who love to gamble AND drink. Cheers to dk.

Brewerkz Flip Night

Here is an interesting promotion by Brewerkz Bukit Timah.

From 14 July to 25 Aug 2009, every Tuesday evening from 6 to 9pm, just flip a coin when ordering your beer. If the coin lands on your chosen side, you’ll only need to pay $1 for your beer. (I guess if it doesn’t you’ll need to pay the usual amount)

Only at Bukit Timah Brewerkz. And only for half liters draft selection.

Platinum microbrewery in Apujeong

Back in Seoul, Andre and I explored a few other microbreweries but were less than thrilled with the quality of products. I think to be fair, we both prefer a variety of light, medium and full bodied selections but those we have come across so far were but light and had weakly defined characters.

Platinum was one of the most prominent, found in Apgujung’s eclectic shopping district. Down a flight of stairs from street level, you enter a dark beer hall with a long bar lining one side of the place, behind that, bartenders and fermentation tanks. We ordered a sampler portion which came in rather large 300ml glasses. Not complaining.

Inside Platinum - the bar and fermentation tanks behind it

This is the place I mentioned where patrons were eating a platter of cut fruits with their beer orders. Jerry our Korean friend explained that since it was about 9ish pm, the patrons would have just had their dinner. So in order to follow the golden rule in Korea of simultaneous drinking and eating, fruits would be an acceptable food order.

Platinum's sampler in 300ml mugs

We didn’t stay too long in Platinum, one of the reasons being it wasn’t  a terribly exciting place nor were the brews outstanding. But worth a quick visit if you are in the area.

Another microbrewery in Apgujeong is Homebrew. We stumbled onto this one by chance before we were again quickly disppointed by the place and brew.

Ancient Egyptians will lead you to Homebrew

But let me recount it anyway. Down a flight of steps (again) from street level is this cosy home-feel pub where eclectic furniture and street signs serve as decorations. Walls are also adroned with American cultural memobrilia, with the fermentation tanks fenced up and lining one side of the room. We ordered one of their (only) two brews and while it did not taste mass commercial, there was definitely something missing.

I think the proprietors knew their beer history since their sign boards outside had ancient Egyptians brewing beer depicted. But they may have gotten their geography confused since inside the pub it is clearly American. But I am being too micro (no pun intended) here. Final take: We thought this place was forgettable. Don’t bother unless you are clubbed over your head and dragged in kicking and screaming.