"Please take a sip right now, before the foam settles."
On the 6th, 'Asahi The Lounge' was set up in Wine Works on the first basement floor of Hyundai Department Store Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul. A staff member handed over a freshly poured draft beer, "Asahi Aftertaste," and recommended tasting it immediately. This is because one can clearly feel the differences in taste and aroma depending on the pouring method only if consumed before the foam layer disappears over time.
Japanese premium beer brand Asahi opened its first brand pop-up at Hyundai Department Store Seoul approximately nine years after entering the domestic market. Until the 11th, professional tappers (beer pouring experts) at 'Asahi The Lounge' will recommend beers poured in two different ways. Visitors can also compare the taste and aroma of the beer with paired food items.
Asahi plans to introduce a new way of enjoying premium beer through this pop-up. In line with recent alcohol consumption trends, such as wine and whiskey, where taste and aroma are savored slowly, the initiative aims to inform consumers that draft beer can also be enjoyed like wine.
This is also why Hyundai Department Store Seoul, which attracts young consumers, was chosen as the first pop-up location. A total of 1,892 pop-ups have been held at Hyundai Department Store Seoul through last year, and the 20s and 30s age group accounts for 58% of total sales. In the past, brands such as Won Soju and Jack Daniel's also opened pop-ups at Hyundai Department Store Seoul and achieved commercial success.
If you book in advance, you are served two types of draft beer as a course. The first is "Asahi Original." The beer and foam are mixed in an approximate 7:3 ratio, creating a dense layer of foam on top of the glass. Because the thick foam and beer are held together in the mouth, it is characterized by a smooth and creamy taste.
The accompanying plate contained sausages, octopus, french fries, and olives. After eating the salty and greasy french fries and octopus, drinking the draft beer cleaned up the lingering flavors in the mouth. Each time a bite of food was followed by a sip of beer, it "reset" the palate, naturally leading to reaching for the next snack.
The second, "Asahi Aftertaste," differs from the moment it is poured. It uses the "overflow pouring" method, where after filling with beer and foam in an approximate 8:2 ratio, it is poured once more to spill over the rim of the glass. As the beer and foam overflowed and covered the glass, the tapper placed the glass into a bucket of water with ice to wash the exterior before handing it to the customer.
There is a reason for intentionally pouring the beer until it overflows. It is explained as a process where adding more foam at the end causes the beer inside the glass to rise and blend with the foam. Although it is the same beer as the Original, this small difference made Asahi Aftertaste have relatively distinct fruity aromas and beer flavors from the very first sip.
Basque cheesecake was served alongside Asahi Aftertaste. If the first course was a familiar combination of enjoying salty snacks with beer, the second was a composition to conclude the meal with dessert. After eating the non-stimulating cheesecake, drinking the beer made its inherent taste even easier to perceive.
Asahi is a Japanese premium beer brand with a history of over 130 years, entering the domestic market in 2017. In Japan, it has long operated a method of pouring beer in various ways to enjoy differences in taste and aroma. At this pop-up, it introduced this concept to Korea for the first time, emphasizing that the same draft beer can be enjoyed differently.
Asahi plans to further expand such offline experiences in the future. An Asahi official stated, "We believe that conveying Asahi's value and the proper way to enjoy it to consumers aligns well with the brand's direction," adding, "We plan to showcase drinking experiences, including draft beer, professional pouring, and food pairing, in various spaces."
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