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Special Ingredient: Kimchi

It can be a polarizing dish for those who didn’t grow up with it, but there are some affinities between certain styles of beer and this fermented Korean favorite. Can you brew with it? Of course you can.

Joe Stange Apr 15, 2024 - 7 min read

Special Ingredient: Kimchi Primary Image

Photo: Yousuk Yang/Shutterstock

Can you brew a beer with kimchi? Of course. Should you brew a beer with kimchi? That is not a question we ask at the Special Ingredient laboratories. As a brewer you must first consider the ingredient, its flavors, and the potential ... and then look deep within your own dark heart.

For the most part, there are three kinds of people in this world: People who don’t know kimchi, people who’ve had kimchi and think they know something but don’t realize how little they actually know (hi, it’s me), and people from Korea.

Personally, I love the stuff. It’s fermented, spicy, sour, salty, versatile, and it’s even kind of healthy—what’s not to like? Sure, it’s an acquired taste, but all the best ones are. So, I’ll be ignoring all of you who’ve decided you hate it because it’s got cabbage or it smells funny, or whatever. Get with the program.

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