As a latecomer to the sour beer trend, Korean breweries and bars hadn’t been the fastest to adopt sour beers even as craft beers themselves became popular. That is until Busan-based Wild Wave Brewing Co. introduced its signature sour beer, ‘Surleim’. A dry-hopped sour ale with a bright yellow appearance, the beer is made with a unique mix of tropical and citrus hops for lighter and refreshing sourness. It’s a must-try for anyone even remotely interested in craft beer—don’t just take it from me, but take it from RateBeer (a resource of consumer-driven beer ratings), on which Surleim was top-ranked among all Korean craft beers in 2016. As its Korean meaning suggests, Surleim will leave you excited and wanting more from Wild Wave Brewing Co. for sure.
While Wild Wave used to outsource production, it recently opened its own brewery and brewpub near Songjeong Station, allowing it to craft their beers in-house. When you enter the brewery, you’ll notice a row of about 50 wooden barrels lined up along the wall—making you wonder if you have indeed come to the right place, in a country where barrel-aging of beer is still somewhat of a rarity. These barrels and the unique sour flavors created with them are what separate Wild Wave Brewing Co. from its competitors nationwide.
The rest of Wild Wave’s line-up is also worth noting; from Surfing High, made with recipes from Germany’s Cologne region, to pine and tangerine-infused Pineville IPA and omija (magnolia berry)-based Ruby Saison, there’s more than enough to excite the beer enthusiasts’ palate any season of the year. The brewery and pub also hosts weekend barbecues, where you can be sure to find a dish to pair with any kind of beer offered at the spacious terrace seating. For your next trip down to Busan, a visit to the Wild Wave Brewing Co. should be at the top of your list of things to do.