No sooner than the punks write about North Korea’s Taedonggang beer, the company launches North Korea’s first-ever beer commercial. In the advert the beer is referred to as the “Pride of Pyongyang” and claims that it will help ease drinker’s stress. It also states “It will be a familiar part of our lives.” I could talk about the commercial all day or you can watch it for yourself…

I have to thank Adam, the same guy I randomly met in Rock and Roll Pub in Seoul, who made me aware of this commercial. He is both a gentleman and a scholar.

“Make Beer Not Missiles…” Sadly, from what I have read the beer costs roughly US$0.60 a bottle in Pyongyang, and only the most elite North Koreans can afford it. But, there does appear to be an underground ‘home-brew’ movement amongst the lesser classes. Ingredients for these home brews include anything the brewer can get his or her hands on. A man named Jong Su Ban said this about the process, “We found corn flower and hops and made something that came out a weird milky color” he went on to say “At least it was fizzy like beer.” Remember much of the great Italian and French cuisine we enjoy today was derived from what was considered ‘peasant’ fare, so who knows where this movement could bring Korean brewing in the future…