With Endemic Expectations... 'Chimaek' Fever Heats Up

▲Chimaek negatively affects hemorrhoids.
[Photo by Mediheal Hospital]

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] As expectations for COVID-19 becoming endemic grow, the dining industry is heating up with the craze for ‘Chimaek’ (the combination of chicken and beer).

According to the industry on the 25th, bhc Chicken recently launched a Chimaek set in collaboration with Lotte Chilsung Beverage.

The set is a new menu exclusively available at Beer Zone, a cafe-style store where customers can enjoy Chimaek, consisting of one serving of the new menu item ‘Chipongdang Fried Chicken’ and three bottles of Lotte Cloud Draft Beer.

bhc Chicken explained that as social distancing measures have been eased and more customers are visiting stores, they planned this set menu to provide the beer that pairs best with chicken, allowing customers to fully enjoy the happiness of returning to everyday life.

Kyochon Chicken offers a 10% discount on the total amount when ordering chicken menu items together with craft beers (‘Chimaek’, ‘Geumgangsan Golden Ale’, ‘Baekdusan IPA’) through the Kyochon order app until the 3rd of next month. However, the discount does not apply when purchasing other alcoholic beverages.

Chimaek is the first craft canned beer introduced by Kyochon after acquiring the craft beer brand Moonbear Brewing. It is an authentic witbier made from barley malt and wheat malt. Orange peel and coriander seeds are added to provide a rich citrus aroma, and the carbonation level is increased to offer a refreshing and cool taste. Notably, it uses underground rock water from 200 meters deep in Goseong, Gangwon Province, and does not contain flour or starch, resulting in a cleaner beer flavor.

Geumgangsan Golden Ale is a flavorful ale beer characterized by subtle floral scents and refreshing citrus aromas. With an alcohol content of 4.6% and a mild bitterness, it is perfect for customers accustomed to lagers.

Baekdusan IPA is a beer that leaves a strong yet smooth hop flavor and a subtle malt sweetness with a rich aftertaste, making it an excellent pairing with chicken.

Genesis BBQ Group is running a discount promotion on craft beer set orders through its app until the 30th of this month, as Chimaek set orders have increased after the endemic phase.

The promotion is automatically applied at payment without the need to download a separate coupon and is also available at the same discounted price of 4,500 won for takeout orders. The applicable set menus include three new products?Rose Chicken, Crunch Butter Chicken, and Hwangol Combo?and one serving from 32 popular menu items such as Golden Olive Chicken, Kanpung Chicken, and Jamaica Whole Leg Chicken, paired with two 500cc cans of BBQ’s craft beers GPA and Weizen, which perfectly complement BBQ chicken.

Previously, in July 2020, BBQ partnered with Microbrewery Korea Co., Ltd., a first-generation craft beer specialist company, to launch its own craft beer brand, the first in the domestic chicken franchise industry. After about a year of research and development, BBQ Beer was released in six varieties, showcasing the essence of German-style craft beer and gaining much love. BBQ is preparing its own craft beer factory in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and plans to accelerate its entry into the premium craft beer market by securing its own production facilities.