This Saturday, the Seoul Homebrewers Club was planning to throw its 4th Annual Spring Beer Fest. Last year, the event was a great success, with over 300 people in attendance and 20 homebrewers showcasing their beer to the public. It was a great afternoon filled with good beer and gave attendees the chance to explore the HBC area. However, this year’s event was suddenly canceled, leaving many people curious.
Korea has very strict alcohol laws regarding distribution. These rules are responsible for the lack of diversity in Korean produced beer. According to regulation, a brewer license is required to serve beer to anyone outside of the individuals that created the beverage. Any brewer who is found guilty of providing beer to the public without a license, is punishable by a fine of 2,000,0000 KRW (about 1,900 USD). Luckily, a few weeks before the event, the local tax authorities contacted the event planners and informed them of the law.
As of now, the event planners are working with local tax authorities to find a solution. However, the biggest loser of this fiasco is the local animal shelter, who was going to receive the profits from the event. No rescheduled date has been set as of yet, but Elect Row will keep you updated.
