☆ Club ACE view "Susumu's gourmet" Platinum:

artistic beer brewery in Seoul

In today's global beer market, Giant such as Budweiser, Miller and Coors dominate the world with light brews some would say characterless. Logic seems to be that more beer resembles water, the more of it we can drink. Bad news? Not quite. The bigger the national brewers, and the blander their products, the greater the demand for flavorsome beers. Platinum which opened the door recently in posh Shinsa-Dong is one of few micro breweries springing up in the Seoul landscape.
Upon entering the dark lighted room, Light is focused on shining copper and stainless tanks. You know who the main actor is in this stage and Korean hip hop and video on the wall set the scene. Changing pattern of beer drinking is quite evident with quite few tables occupied by young professional women enjoying a quality beer.
Beer is basically divided into ale and lager, former produced in England and Belgium and latter in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Netherland and Denmark.
Where many breweries regards German prototype as a best example in Asia, Platinum wants to show the art of ale making. Menu lists six ale type beers with one lager, on our last

visiting, there were three types of beer sold.
Best way to start may be to order sampler and decide which beer you prefer.
Our sampler came with Belgian white, English ale, Irish cream stout.
Because strong flavored beer can ruin your palate for the lighter beer, it is good idea to start in the order of menu listing.
Revived from the brink of extinction, Belgian white is the type of wheat beer.
It was light and smooth and refreshing, slight tartness offsetting the sweetness of orange.
English ale also known as bitter because of hops are representative of English beer making which uses top fermentations which results in slightly acidic and relatively strong in flavor, Platinum's ale was well balanced.
Stout is an intensely flavorful dark beer with toasty bittersweet flavors with a notable alcohol presence.
Pilsner inspired by the Urkel (original) brew from the town of Pilsen, in the Czech province of Bohemia with its lightly roasted malt is the prototype of the modern lager and is characterized by the hoppiness of its flowery aroma and dry finish.
It would have been nice if Pilsen were included in a sampler to show the difference of beer making.
In Germany and U.S.A, Best accompanying food for beer is Pork such as Eisbin (pig's feet with Sauerkraut), Bratwurst and B.B.Q rib and hamburger. Platinum seem to cater for local crowds with various dishes from around glove and dishes are made to share.
Most of the recommended dishes are well prepared although there are some bumps.
Kitchen excels in frying. Assorted fried combinations and Fried shrimp with pineapple mayonnaise sauce were crispy and greaseless. Assorted mushroom and sausage were also delicious with smoky flavor of sausage with well prepared mushrooms. On the other hand seafood chow fun had too much chili so that delicate flavor of seafood and black bean sauce did not come through.
In the world of mass market which is at best static, beer making requires individuality and character as well as beer be interesting and varied as wine. Platinum seems to be on its way and number of female guests seem to prove to be so.