The Seoul beer trail: craft taphouses, baseball brews, and DMZ sips
We drank our way through Seoul’s craft brewpubs, stadium stands, convenience store aisles—and even had a can from the DMZ. Here’s our full trail.
Thirsty in the city of Seoul
We didn’t plan to try almost 90 beers in South Korea — but Seoul had other ideas.
The first day of our dream trip played out exactly as you’d expect when two librarians travel together: research-heavy, colour-coded spreadsheets, and powered by Google Maps. We’d already scoped out where to drink, flagged all the best Seoul craft beer spots, and figured we’d work them in as we went.
But that very first afternoon, after switching to the Seoul-superior Naver app to explore Insadong’s backstreets and wandering through the hanoks of Bukchon in Jongno District, we stumbled across Kiwa Taproom, tucked into a cluster of traditional buildings.
Little did we know, it was the start of a boozy adventure through Korean breweries, unexpected neighbourhoods, stadium beer backpacks — and even a peace-themed pour near the DMZ.
Our Korean beer stats
🧾 89 beers sampled overall🍺 18 craft taphouses and brewpubs
🧃 10+ convenience store finds
⚾ 2 stadium backpack beers
🏳️ 1 beer from the DMZ
Interactive map: every beer stop
Our custom Google Map helped us plan a self-guided beer crawl across Seoul — from taprooms in Jongno and Euljiro to hidden bars in Yongsan and even the DMZ.
The Seoul Beer Trail: Seoul’s best craft taprooms and brewpubs (that we tried)
Kiwa Taproom – Tradition meets hops in Jongno
You always have a fondness for your first. Named after the charcoal-coloured roof tiles that cap traditional hanoks, Kiwa’s slanted wooden beams and warm interior take you back in time, especially with a ’60s soundtrack on high rotation. The taps lean heavily on Euljiro Brewing, with a few guest appearances; the Euiljiro Searsucker IPA and Glen Check Amber Lager were standouts. A generously sized hummus plate with veggie sticks and fries made for a solid vegetarian-friendly snack.
Magpie Brewing – Sleek seasonal sips in Euljiro
The brewery may be based on Jeju Island, but Magpie began in the alleys of Seoul — and that’s exactly where you’ll still find it. Hidden behind a nondescript door on an Euljiro side street, a short climb upstairs (because it’s Seoul) leads to a sleek, modern taproom. Tasting paddles are generous and come with helpful notes, while the tap list mixes seasonal specials — like the sublime berry-infused Bring Spring farmhouse ale — with core staples like their IPA, kölsch, and pale ale. There’s also a second location in Yongsan, right next to The Booth (see below), plus a well-stocked bottle shop.
The Booth Gyeonglidan – Geek style in Yongsan District
The Booth has grown a lot since its humble beginnings as a beer-and-pizza bar in a Gyeongnidan alley, but you can still find that original, laidback charm in this geeky little dive. The walls are a pop-art explosion, the pizza comes by the slice, and the window seat is perfect for people-watching. The beer list mixes local microbrews with the occasional Belgian tripel, making it a great stop for variety.
White Rabbit – Beer and whisky in Yongsan
Beer lovers might walk right past this spot, tucked just around the corner from The Booth and Magpie, misreading its wall-to-wall whisky bottles for a specialist bar. But make no mistake: White Rabbit has a serious beer tap list. We spent ages chatting with the friendly owner, who seemed to have a beer anecdote for every country. From robust local hazy IPAs to Aussie imports from Mountain Culture, there’s plenty to explore. But don’t skip White Rabbit’s own Alice, a fruity, refreshing lager brewed in-house.
The Ranch Brewing – Chatty hangout in Euljiro
A sign on the wall warns: “Table time is limited to 2 hours when there are teams waiting outside.” Teams? Is this a competitive bar? Not quite: but it’s definitely built for social drinking, and best visited with a group. The tight interior and bunker-like corridor to the toilets only add to the rough-around-the-edges charm. Expect rowdy conversations over a Hipjiro Brut IPA or Big Field IPA, with a few soju shots thrown in for good measure. The Detroit-style pizzas lean heavily meaty, but the fries and dangerously addictive garlic bread knots will keep us vegetarians fuelled.
Euljiro Brewing – Fun brews with a queasy mascot
The neighbourhood’s namesake is found down a sidebar in Euljiro, an area busy by day and positively hopping at night. The distinctive signage, with its gut-busting patron after a few too many brews, lights the way into the small venue. Eulijiro’s core range is on tap with a few guest taps as well. On the day we visited, we’d already run through their stuff while at Kiwa, so we tried some stuff from Taepyung Brewing and Beervana Brewing Co.
Artmonster – Variety is the spice of life in Jung District
The excellently named Artmonster has several locations across the city, but we ended up at this one after a long wander through the buzzing streets of Myeongdong and a sweaty descent from N Seoul Tower. Climb the stairs above the 7-Eleven and you’ll enter beer nirvana. We loved that there were three tasting paddle options, each with five generous pours — perfect for sampling a wide range without overcommitting. Food-wise, think pizza, fries and (wait for it) fried milk cubes.
Chillhops Itaewon Project – An Antipodean Yongsan District
Founded by an Australian brewer and brimming with Australiana, this friendly taproom wears its roots proudly, from the NZ and Aussie hops to the familiar animal logos. The second they heard my accent, we were chatting about quokkas and Perth. The spacious outdoor seating made it easy to kick back and watch the neighbourhood roll by. Top picks include the Hops ‘N’ Chill and Hops ‘N’ Thrill series, but we couldn’t go past an IIPA named Chur Bro, a bright red sour shouting Bloody Hell, or a pale simply called G’Day Mate.
Amazing Brewing Company – Living up to the name in Seongdong
You’d better be good if you’re going to call yourself Amazing, and thankfully, this place is. We already knew them by reputation and through other taprooms, but their First Love and even boozier Last Love are essential sips: a double and triple New England-style IPA, respectively. The Tawny Owl, a white stout with nutty oat notes and a smooth cacao finish, also impressed. Order from the tablet or pour your own from select taps. And don’t skip the guest beers: we sampled Wild Wave’s Vino Vibe, a vinous wild ale, and Firestone Walker’s Parabola (2025), a 14.5% Russian Imperial Stout that absolutely floored us.
Goose Island Brewhouse – Honk if you’re drinking in Gangnam
Chicago’s own Goose Island needs little introduction, and yes, as part of Anheuser-Busch InBev, it doesn’t quite sit in the same indie craft camp as most of this list. But this Gangnam style brewpub isn’t just an outlet — it’s a fully fledged brewspace with its own Seoul-made flavours. As we sipped on the Seoul IPA and 118 IPA, a brewer behind us was chopping up melon for an active batch in progress. We passed on the divine Bourbon County Stout, which came in at a staggering ₩110,000 (roughly $124 AUD), but it was tempting.
Brew 3.14 – Last call in the Jongno District
On our final night in Seoul, we went out for a vegan meal in our new favourite area, Insadong. Tucked just around the corner, in the bustling Saturday night alleys thick with overlapping conversations and sizzling plates, we found this wee bar. It’s a great place to sample broadly from a solid list. Its larger twin, appropriately named Brew 3.15, sits just across the way, offering more food and space if you need to spread out.
Hand and Malt Brew Lab – Neighbourhood vibes in the Yongsan District
We sang The Smiths the entire way there, but it was still worth it. One of Korea’s big-name breweries has set up this fun, two-storey gastropub in the shadow of a military building. Despite the surroundings, the space reflects the chill, slightly quirky vibe of the neighbourhood, one which also includes a Hello Sydney Pavlova shop and a Teddy Beurre House café. There’s plenty to choose from on tap, including the Yellow Bomb NEIPA, Slam Dunkel, UnexpecTED Saison, and Your IPA. Actually, it’s mine (but you can have a sip).
MYBL Homebrew Haus – Pour your own and watch the world go by
You might not guess it’s a brewpub from the outside, with the giant, colourful figures from the Yiayia and Friends shop downstairs stealing the spotlight. But head upstairs and you’ll find a whimsical little space where you can pour your own beer. After registering a wristband at the tap, you’re charged by the volume you drink. To be honest, the beers weren’t our favourites — but the novelty was strong, and the view from the top floor as the sun went down was a real treat.
Backpack brews at Jamsil Baseball Stadium
Here’s a hot tip: in Korea, you can bring your own beer into baseball games. It’s a literal game changer. But if you forget to stock up, or have just run out, you’ve still got options. Macro classics like Cass Fresh and its offshoots are on offer for around $3 a can, either inside the stadium or at nearby convenience stores. By the time I went back for a third round, the server saw me coming. “Cass?” she asked. I felt very seen. You’ll also spot roaming vendors with draft-pouring backpacks and giant 1.5-litre bottles of Terra. We, along with a Canadian couple beside us, were tearing skin as we struggled to open ours, at least until a local in front of us casually popped them open without breaking stride. His girlfriend’s reaction made our night: “Korea power!”
A cold one from the DMZ
Among the many surprises on a tour of the Demilitarised Zone — from peering into North Korea through binoculars to hearing K-pop blasted north via giant speakers — stumbling across a DMZ-exclusive beer was one of the most unexpected. At Unification Village, where there’s a small shopping arcade of all things, we picked up a can of Pajussal Ale from Daonsoop, brewed specially for the region. And you know what? It wasn’t half bad.
Convenience store cans: hits and misses
If you’re not from Australia, buying beer at a convenience store might not feel like a novelty — but it always is for us, especially at these prices. We spotted cans of Kelly, Goose Island, Amazing Brewing and other mainstream names right there between the sodas and highballs, often for less than ₩3,000 (around $3.50 AUD). Not every can was a winner, but for that price? Worth the punt.
Beyond Seoul: Busan beers and other pours
Heading south? Busan’s beer scene may be smaller, but it’s absolutely worth the detour for any travelling beer nerd. We loved our visit to Galmegi Brewing Co., which has several locations across the city — all good vibes and great music (not always a given), plus a beer with a cheeky Aussie nod: Uluru-lala. Gorilla Brewing offers two excellent taprooms bookending Haeundae Beach; their Best Bitter and Newing IPA were standouts. Over at Gwangalli Beach, Bronx Brewing serves up a solid lineup you can sip right on the sand, with the nightly light show on Gwangan Bridge as your backdrop. SOL Taphouse, while boasting good pizza and a decent range, didn’t win us over as much. Either way, the beachside location does offer a lovely view of the bridge.
Top 10 Favourite Beers
In no particular order, here’s a list of some of our favourite beers we drank while in Seoul.
Bring Spring – Farmhouse Ale/Saison (4% ABV) – Magpie Brewing Co.
Endless Love – Porter: American (5.9% ABV) – Artmonster Brewery
Vino Vibe - Wild Ale (5.8% ABV) – Wild Wave Brewing Co.
Hops ‘N’ Thrill – IPA: Triple New England/Hazy (10% ABV) – Chillhops Brewing Co.
Tawny Owl – White Stout (7% ABV) – Amazing Brewing Co.
Yellow Bomb – NEIPA (6.5% ABV) – The Hand and Malt Brewing Company
Seersucker IPA – IPA (6.5% ABV) – Euljiro Brewing
Hipjiro Brut IPA – Brut IPA (6.1% ABV) – The Ranch Brewing Co.
Seoul IPA – IPA (7.3% ABV) – Goose Island Brewhouse Seoul
Alice – Lager (4.5% ABV) – White Rabbit
Pro-tips: planning your own Seoul beer crawl
📍 Best taproom areas: Yongsan/Itaewon, Jongno, Euljiro📱 Use Untappd to find nearby brews
🗺️ Naver Maps > Google Maps in Korea
💬 Touchscreens = easy ordering in English
🌿 Most places offer veg pizza or fries
🕒 Daydrinkers note: bars usually open 4–5pm
👭 Bars felt safe and female-friendly — in fact, many were majority women when we visited pre-dinner.
🍻 Tasting paddles = try more, drink less
🚰 Hydrate and drink responsibly
Final sips
Coming from one of the finest ale trails in Sydney’s Inner West, we didn’t expect to find such a thriving craft beer culture in the pulsing heart of this massive capital. But that’s exactly what we found. One of the joys of beer tourism is how it nudges you into corners of the city you might never have explored. We landed in Dosan looking for a single venue and ended up spending the afternoon wandering through quirky (and pricey) shops and bakeries. And this was just a taste of what Seoul has to offer. If there’s a spot we missed, let us know. We’re already planning the return trip.
