[Seoul/Nakseongdae] Kikiki Taphouse – A welcome taphouse and hotspot for local craft beer

EP. Kikiki Taphousecraft beer2025. 05. 24

It is a craft beer pub that suddenly appeared in a secluded corner at the end of Sharosu-gil.
Kikiki Taphouse, The handwriting on the glass door reading 'KEY KEY KEY TAP HOUSE' is a welcome sight.

The exterior walls are finished in beige mortar, with red brick accents only on the bottom.
I like the feeling of being able to see the counter and taps right through the glass window.

The interior consists entirely of a small table for two and a small bar that can seat about five or six people.
Things like beer coasters and bottle cap collections on the wall indicate that it is a craft beer pub.
Various beer-related items are stacked on the ceiling shelves.
Things collected with affection rather than an overly organized interior
The appearance of the accumulated space is close to the image I love.

The tap lineup of this house is written in handwriting on a blackboard menu on the tiled wall.
As of today, eight taps were open, and newly tapped beers are marked with "NEW" to indicate their availability.
Including Czech Pilsner Urquell, two British ales, two farmhouse series, and West Coast IPA,
They have a wide range of styles, from Imperial Stout to Modern Bitter.

Forsythia (10,000 won) / Sejong de Pesche S (8,000 won) / I'm Classic (11,000 won)

The cup is served in a Usahari cup.
The rim that touches the lips is ground down to a level of 0.9mm.
Even the same beer feels distinctly different when in contact with metal or a thick glass.

For the first drinks, the three of us chose two Farmhouse style and one West Coast IPA.

Gaenari — Mystery Brewing / Saison 5.2% / 10,000 won

Mystery Brewing is one of the fixtures of the Seoul craft scene, located near Gongdeok Station.
Saison is a Belgian summer beer that is drier than lager and has a prominent fruity aroma.
It is a complex ale.
True to its nature, the scent of the forsythia came first.
It had a yellow floral color and a nice foam, and I liked the funky sensation from the yeast along with the fruit esters.

Saison de Peche — Ashtree Brewery / Farmhouse Ale 4.2% / Small 8,000 won

Ashtree is a brewery near Guui Station, and its signature drink is a farmhouse ale made with wild yeast and Brettanomyces.
It is a place that continuously releases Saison variations by changing the ingredients, such as herbs, Earl Grey, and apple mint,
Sejong de Peche is also an extension of that.

Palm House Ale is a name used to refer to a Sejong in the United States.
It refers to a broader style than Sejong.

True to its name, Pesche (peach), it is said to have been made using white tea, peaches, and flower petals.
If Forsythia comes out with acidity and funkiness first, Saison de Peche finishes a little more neatly and dryly.
They are both a good pair to drink side by side.

I'm Classic — Ale Crew Brewing / West Coast IPA 7.0% / 11,000 won

As the name suggests, it is a West Coast style IPA, a classic among IPAs.
The hop's pine and grapefruit aromas rise neatly, and
The bitter taste that provides just the right balance is good.
It is a style that emphasizes the hop structure rather than the prominent fruit notes like a New England IPA.
It feels clean and free of any frills while drinking.

Dozens of tap handles are hanging from the ceiling shelf above the tap.
Welcome names like Brooklyn Lager, Founders KBS, Modern Times, and Coronado are visible.

Seoul in Daily Life — illang Brewing × Seoul Brewery / Modern Bitter 5.0% / 9,500 won

Nitro (nitrogen) extracted bitters pique curiosity.
Traditional British bitters are actually not a popular style.
IPAs distinguished by explosive hop fruit flavors or Imperial Stouts emphasizing stimulating adjuncts, etc.
Compared to popular styles, it is a quiet and calm style.

It is easy to be misunderstood because the meaning of 'bitter' is attached to the name,
In reality, rather than the bitterness of the hops, the heaviness of the malt and
It is close to a highly drinkable genre with balanced fruit esters characteristic of British yeast.

Since IPA and Hazy have taken over the spotlight in the craft scene, it is rare to find a place that puts Bitter on the tap.
Everyday Seoul had foam sitting distinctly on its yellowish-brown body, and,
When I drank it, the malty richness and balance made it pleasant to drink.

Tribute — St Austell Brewery / English Pale Ale 4.2% / 12,000 won

Tribute is the signature English Pale Ale of Cornwall St. Austell Brewery.
British Pale Ale and Bitter came from the same British ale lineage, but they are different in character.
Pale Ale has a slightly more prominent hop aroma and is easy to drink, and,
The presence of malt and yeast is relatively strong in bitters.
A light golden color with a refreshing floral hop aroma emerged.
I liked the step-by-step process from bitters to English pale ale.
It makes me wonder if you intentionally designed the tap list that way.

King Kong — Gorilla Brewing / Imperial Stout w/Coconut 12.0%

While drinking balanced beers, something suddenly appeared
It is a 12-degree Coconut Imperial Stout.
It is a dark brown color close to black, with a thin beige head.
On top of the weight of chocolate and roasted malt
It has a sweet and creamy texture.

Considering the 12% alcohol content, the finish is smoother than expected, but,
After three or four sips, the sensation of alcohol heat gradually rises.

I've almost finished all the different types of taps, so I came to look at the bottle and can refrigerator.
It's cute that the price is written on the refrigerator with a pen.
Takeout To Go 30% Discount!

Sally Botanical Gose — Holiday Brewery / Gose 4.5%

A unique botanical gem chosen by the group.
Gose is a traditional style beer from the Goslar and Leipzig regions that contains salt.

Sally from Holiday Brewery lavender, Botanical GoZero with juniper berries and chamomile
It is an interesting experimental work that incorporates unique materials into an already unique solid.
It was my first time trying Holiday's beer, and it was quite delicious. I thought I definitely have to visit if I ever stop by Cheongju.

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA 7.2%

Sierra Nevada's Torpedo is like a textbook example of American IPA.
It is known as a method that maximizes hop aroma using a Torpedo dry hopping device, and,
It is characterized by pine, grapefruit, and peach scents.

Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but I'm so glad to see a classic IPA like this.
It is bitter yet well-organized, staying true to the principles of a West Coast IPA.,
It is also a disease often recommended to beginners in crafting.

Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin IPA

This is foamed sculpin that is being imported again recently.
I have an affection for Sculpin because I got into craft beer when it was at the height of its popularity in Korea.
There was also a lot of talk that the taste of this import was completely different.

It is a structure where the hop bitterness binds with the acidity of the grapefruit juice, allowing the bitterness to release refreshingly.,
It is a beer that serves as a starting point even for those unfamiliar with IPA.
Looking at the bottle, it says New Zealand? It seems to be made in a region other than San Diego.
I don't know if that's the reason, but it was still a good beer for me.

It's just that it doesn't have the same impact as before.
I have absolutely no way of knowing if people have become deceitful or if the beer has changed.

I didn't order any food separately, but there are menu items like these.
There is a dish on the menu called Gat Jjapa (10,000 won) made with gat kimchi brought directly from the owner's hometown of Yeosu,
It didn't work out on this day due to circumstances.
This is a dish I definitely want to try the next time I visit.

Kikiki is a shop near Seoul National University Station that serves craft beer at reasonable prices.
With a different concept from 'Ringo', which mainly deals in imported beer
I am glad that 'Kikiki Taphouse' with many local tabs has opened.
I enjoyed the meal 🙂