Korea Applease

Hebe

헤베

Hebe is a 9% ABV apple fruit wine from Hanguk Apple Cheese Brewery in Gyeongsangbuk-do, made entirely from 100% apple juice wine. The fermentation captures the clean, juicy essence of fresh apples rather than artificial sweetness — the nose opens with crisp orchard fruit and a bright, almost cider-like lift. On the palate, the body is light with a smooth, easy-drinking flow at 330ml, making it a natural single-serving pour. The apple character stays vivid throughout, with gentle sweetness balanced by a faint tartness that prevents flatness. The finish is clean and moderately short, leaving a pleasant green-apple freshness. Designated as a 2016 Chajaganeun Yangjojang (Visiting Brewery), the production carries a craft identity rooted in the Gyeongbuk apple-growing region. Serve chilled at 6-9°C with afternoon cheese boards where the fruit acidity cuts through creaminess, or alongside light appetizers and fruit-based desserts where the apple brightness amplifies rather than competes.

9% ABV330ml

Episode Sangria

애피소드 상그리아

Episode Sangria is a 3.5% ABV sangria-style fruit wine from Hanguk Apple Cheese Brewery in Gyeongsangbuk-do, blending grape wine with distilled spirit, purified water, grape concentrate, and high-fructose sweetener. This is designed as a fun, low-commitment pour rather than a serious wine experience — the sangria approach strips away formality and leans into candy-bright enjoyment. The nose is cheerful and immediate, with grape juice, fruit punch, and a sugary lift that sets expectations for lightness. On the palate, the body is decidedly light, almost juice-like, with effervescent sweetness that washes over the tongue playfully. The grape concentrate adds color and a pleasant berry dimension, while the 3.5% ABV means you can pour freely without worrying about heaviness. The finish is short, clean, and refreshing — it practically asks for another sip. The 500ml bottle is perfect for outdoor situations, afternoon gatherings, or any occasion where you want fruit-forward fun with minimal alcohol impact. The producer holds a 2016 Chajaganeun Yangjojang designation. Serve very cold at 4-7°C as a picnic drink, alongside light snack boards and finger foods, with brunch dishes where the fruity sweetness complements eggs and pastries, or simply on its own as a refreshing low-alcohol cooler.

3.5% ABV500ml

Episode Apple

애피소드 애플

Episode Apple is a 3.5% ABV apple fruit wine from Hanguk Apple Cheese Brewery in Gyeongsangbuk-do, made from apples. This light, easygoing pour positions itself at the casual end of the fruit wine spectrum, where refreshment matters more than complexity. The nose leads with crisp green apple, a hint of pear blossom, and a clean, juice-like sweetness that immediately signals approachability. On the palate, the body is very light — closer to a sparkling apple juice than a traditional wine — with bright, uncomplicated sweetness that coats the palate gently. The apple flavor is genuine and fresh, without the artificial candy notes that plague some low-ABV fruit wines. A whisper of natural malic acidity keeps the sweetness from becoming flat. The finish is short, clean, and refreshing, making it easy to drink through a full 500ml bottle over a relaxed session. The producer was designated a 2016 Chajaganeun Yangjojang, lending local craft credibility even to this most casual offering. Serve very cold at 4-7°C at brunch tables where the apple freshness pairs with pastries and egg dishes, alongside light cheese and fruit plates, or on its own as a refreshing afternoon pour when heavier drinks feel excessive.

3.5% ABV500ml

Hanseuochadeu Apple Wine

한스오차드 사과와인

Hans Orchard Apple Wine is an 11% ABV apple fruit wine from Hanguk Apple Cheese Brewery in Gyeongsangbuk-do, crafted from locally grown apples. Compared to the lighter 3.5% Episode line from the same producer, this is a more serious expression that showcases what Korean apples can achieve at proper wine strength. The nose is generous — ripe Fuji apple, honey drizzle, and a warm, baked-apple depth that suggests orchard maturity. On the palate, the body is light-medium with a smooth, gently viscous texture that gives the sweetness real substance. The apple flavor is layered: bright fresh-apple notes on the attack give way to honeyed, almost caramelized fruit tones in the midpalate. Natural acidity provides structure, preventing the wine from tipping into simple sweetness. The finish is moderate in length, warm, and leaves a pleasant baked-apple residue. The 750ml bottle invites proper food pairing. The winery was recognized with a 2016 Chajaganeun Yangjojang designation, and Gyeongsangbuk-do is one of Korea's most productive apple regions. Serve at 9-12°C with cheese boards where the apple-honey quality meets aged cheddar beautifully, alongside light appetizers like smoked duck or prosciutto, or with desserts like apple tarte tatin or walnut cake where the orchard theme carries through.

11% ABV750ml

Premium Aepeul Wine Hanseuochadeu

프리미엄 애플와인 한스오차드

Premium Apple Wine Hans Orchard is an 11% ABV fruit wine from Gyeongsangbuk-do, made entirely from domestically grown Korean apples. Gyeongsangbuk-do is one of Korea's premier apple-growing regions, and the fruit here benefits from mineral-rich soils and sharp diurnal temperature swings that concentrate sugars and aromatics in the skin. The nose is immediately inviting — crisp red apple, honeyed apple blossom, and a gentle vanilla-like sweetness. On the palate, the body is light with a bright, juicy texture that feels like biting into an orchard-fresh apple. The sweetness is polished and gentle, never heavy, with enough natural malic acidity underneath to maintain a lively, quaffable profile. There is a subtle caramelized-apple note in the mid-palate that adds warmth. The finish is clean and moderately short, leaving a delicate apple-skin freshness. The producer holds a 2016 Chajaganeun Yangjojang designation, confirming strong local identity. The 750ml bottle suits both casual sipping and structured pairing. Serve at 8-11°C with mild cheeses like brie where the apple freshness cuts creaminess, alongside light appetizers like bruschetta, or with fruit-based desserts like apple crumble for a resonant echo.

grilled meat (galbi)bossam

11% ABV750ml

Premium Aepeul Wine Hanseuochadeu — Korean Fruit Wine, from Gyeongsangbuk, 11%

Korean Soju

The Chajeulsurok

The 찾을수록

The Chajeulsurok is a 14% ABV flavored spirit from Gyeongsangbuk-do that starts with apple wine and builds an unusually broad aromatic palette for its modest proof. The flavor profile reads like a catalog — peach, grape, apple, citrus, ginger, and coffee-like notes — and the remarkable part is that these accents coexist without confusion. The nose is immediately engaging: ripe stone fruit sweetness, a citrus lift, and an unexpected dark roasted note that adds intrigue. On the palate, the body is light-medium with a soft, slightly effervescent texture. The apple wine base provides a clean fruit backbone while the additional flavors layer in sequence — peach and grape in the entry, citrus sharpness at mid-palate, ginger warmth building through, and a surprising coffee-like bitterness in the tail. At 14%, the alcohol is barely perceptible, making this an easy sipper that still delivers complexity. The finish is short-to-moderate with lingering fruit sweetness and ginger warmth. Linked to the 2016 Find-a-Brewery designation, this 360ml bottle is designed for casual dining. Serve chilled as an aperitif or alongside diverse Korean banchan spreads where its shifting flavors can match multiple dishes.

CleanAromatic

14% ABV360ml

Korean Soju

Geumgwa Myeongju

금과 명주

Geumgwa Myeongju is a 40% ABV apple-distillate spirit from Gyeongsangbuk-do that combines apple distilled liquor with high-fructose syrup, apple flavoring, and caramel coloring to create a smooth, fruit-accented soju. The base apple distillate provides genuine orchard character — crisp green-apple brightness layered with a subtler cooked-fruit warmth from the caramel addition. At proof, the spirit drinks cleaner than many grain-only sojus of equivalent strength, with the fructose softening the ethanol edge without making the palate overly sweet. Gyeongsangbuk-do's apple-growing regions (notably Cheongsong and Yeongju) supply the province's most celebrated fruit, and this spirit channels that agricultural identity into a high-proof expression that holds its own served neat, on the rocks, or alongside hearty Korean barbecue.

CleanAromatic

grilled meat (galbi)bossam

40% ABV750ml

Geumgwa Myeongju — Korean Soju, from Gyeongsangbuk, 40%

Korean Traditional Drink

Episode Hop

애피소드호프

Aepisodeuhopeu (Episode Hope) is a 3.5% ABV traditional brew from Gyeongsangbuk-do that blends apple juice, barley, rice, and hops — an ingredient combination that straddles the line between Korean grain-based fermentation and Western hop-forward brewing. The inclusion of hops is notable in a traditional Korean context, where bitter hop character is rarely part of the flavor vocabulary. However, at 3.5%, the hop contribution likely stays in the aromatic and preservative range rather than delivering aggressive bitterness. Apple juice adds a fruity sweetness and natural acidity that balances the grain softness from the barley-rice base. Selected as a 2016 Visiting Brewery, the producer represents a generation of Korean craft brewers willing to hybridize traditions, incorporating foreign ingredients into a fundamentally Korean fermentation framework.

SmoothBalanced

Korean side dishes (banchan)grilled meat

3.5% ABV500ml

Episode Hop — Korean Traditional Drink, from Gyeongsangbuk, 3.5%

The More You Seek (Americano Aroma)

더찾을수록(아메리카노향)

The More You Seek (Americano Aroma) is a 14% ABV apple-coffee hybrid wine from Gyeongsangbuk-do, created by blending apple wine with coffee flavoring and malic acid. This unusual crossover produces a profile that shifts from bright orchard fruit into roasted, aromatic coffee tones — part cocktail, part digestif. The apple wine base provides fruit structure while the coffee layer adds an unexpected bitter-sweet depth that lingers like an espresso finish. At 360ml, it is sized for post-dinner sharing over cheese and dessert.

FruityAromatic