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Imported beers

Beer is South Koreans’ favorite alcoholic beverage, with top ratings for deliveries, market share, and preference, a survey shows.

As tastes diversify, beer imports have also risen nearly 300% between 2009 and 2014.

A report on alcoholic beverages from a 2015 survey of market conditions for processed foods published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs on Dec. 27 noted a 5.1% increase in beer deliveries from 1,962,000 ㎘ in 2009 to 2,062,000 ㎘ in 2013. Deliveries for diluted soju, another popular beverage, dropped 2.5% from 929,000 ㎘ to 905,000 ㎘ over the same period.

Beer also enjoyed healthy growth in imports and exports. Imports for 2014 totaled 119,501 tons and US$111.69 million , an increase of 288% and 301% respectively from the 41,492 tons and US$37.16 million recorded in 2009.

Changes in alcohol consumption per person (bottles)

One reason for the sharp jump in beer imports is the introduction of different European and US beers at low prices since the establishment of free trade agreements (FTAs). Another factor has to do with shifting tastes, as more and more consumers turn from the plain lager flavor of domestic brews to the richer variety of imported lagers, ales, and wheat beers.

Lagers represent a more modern form of beer fermented at relatively low temperatures. They have a clear golden color and are easily stored. Ales, in contrast, are a more traditional variety fermented at higher temperatures with a dark color and richer flavor and scent. While lagers traditionally dominated the South Korean market in the past, the growing popularity of European ales has prompted domestic producers to make their own, including Sevenbrau, Queen’s Ale by Hite, and Aleston by OB. New traditional lagers with richer flavors and scents than past varieties have also emerged, including Lotte’s Kloud.

Beer has also gained a growing share of the domestic retail market. In 2014, beer accounted for 2.76 trillion won (US$2.4 billion) of the country’s total alcoholic beverage market of 5.278 trillion won (US$4.5 billion), or 52.3%. Next in line was soju at 28.1%, with traditional liquors coming in third at 5.7%.

Meanwhile, average yearly per capita consumption of beer rose from 139.8 in 2010 to 148.7 in 2013, a difference of 8.9 bottles. In contrast, consumption of soju dropped by 3.9 bottles from 66.4 to 62.5 and traditional liquor by 0.7 bottles from 33.7 to 33.

At 48.8%, beer ranked as the most preferred alcoholic beverage among South Koreans. In gender terms, males ranked soju first at 46.4%, while women preferred beer at 52.8%. Domestic beer accounted for 61.0% of consumption, compared to 21.6% for imports. Domestic consumption was higher among older people, while imports were more popular among younger drinkers.

By Kim Kyu-won, staff reporter

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