Cheongdam Beer, a craft beer brand born from collaboration among three experts, won two awards at the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards.
Cheongdam Beer said on the 24th that with its Citra IPA (CITRA IPA) released this year, it simultaneously won the top prize in the craft beer category and the highest honor, "Year of Craft Beer (Year of Craft Beer)."
The product stands out for being developed through collaboration among three experts in dining, medicine, and law. Led by CEO Jang Dong-eun, Kim Beom-jun, a dermatology professor at Chung-Ang University Hospital, and Park Min, managing attorney at law firm Hyeonmin, took part from product development and sensory evaluation to brand strategy.
CEO Jang has led Korea's alcohol and dining culture since the 1990s. He spearheaded the launch of the mojito at W Hotel's Woo Bar, and the creation of the World Class bartender competition while at Diageo Korea. Professor Kim participated in the product's sensory evaluation and testing process, and Attorney Park, a finance and strategy expert, handled brand planning.
The recipe targets both mass appeal and flavor. Using Citra and Centennial hops to highlight orange fruit aromas, it blends five malts and grains to enhance rich foam and body. An eight-week fermentation and maturation, followed by a dry-hopping process, maximized flavor balance.
The alcohol content is 5.0%, and the IBU (bitterness index) is around 17, making it more approachable than the typically strong bitterness of IPAs. IBU is a unit that rates a beer's bitterness on a 100-point scale, with higher numbers indicating stronger bitterness.
Cheongdam Beer aims to be a high-end lifestyle beer, drawing on the symbolism of the Cheongdam-dong neighborhood. The label emphasizes a premium image with a tiger design rendered in a European heraldic style.