Hite Beer

Hite Beer
Seoul, Korea
Another country, another average beer. I'm drinking this as I look out the window of our hotel in Seoul. The view is a mix of old and new; the tatty Daerim Arcade merges with more modern, but just as ungainly buildings; further into the background bare gardens surround Jongmyo, Seoul's royal shrine and hills of the Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung palaces. Made by the Hite Brewery Company, this is one of Korea's three main commercial beers and is widely available. The label claims it has a "FTK" or "Fresh Taste Keeping System", though it looks like a normal crow-seal to me.

The beer is a yellowy, straw colour with a light fluffy head that quickly dissipates. The nose offers nothing interesting, actually nothing much at all. If I really snort there's hints of preserved lemon and public urinals. The palate is just as disappointing with a little sourness and a slight taste of stale Wheet-bix. To be honest my flavour profile is almost contrived as Hite Beer tastes of nothing, smells of nothing and for all intents and purposes is an absolute non-event. A pitiful, pale beer that would probably quench a thirst, but isn't good for much else.

Visit their cool looking Korean website or the boring corporate English website.