Gunsan City 'Beer Festival' Concludes Successfully... "Elevating the Status of 'Gunsan Maek-a'"

Expectations for Expanded Market Access of 'Gunsan Maek-a,' the Only Domestic Producer

The beer festival '2024 Gunsan Craft Beer & Blues Festival,' which showcased an early summer feast of beer and blues, successfully concluded over three days from the 21st to the 23rd amid enthusiastic responses.

According to Gunsan City on the 24th, it is the only place in Korea that produces malt domestically. This festival featured Gunsan craft beers made with Gunsan malt as well as various regional beers.

It elevated the status of the beer festival with collaborations such as 'Gimcheon Beer' made with malt from sister city Gimcheon and Gunsan, 'Chungnam Hongseong Craft Beer,' and craft beers from a Taiwanese company in a Gunsan exchange city.

The '2024 Gunsan Craft Beer & Blues Festival' held from the 21st to the 23rd.
[Photo by Gunsan City]

The opening ceremony kicked off splendidly at 6 p.m. on the 21st. Despite the early heat, the venue was bustling with crowds eager to enjoy beer and local food with friends, lovers, and families even before the event started.

At the event, Gim Chung-seop, Mayor of Gimcheon, and Kim Ki-woong, County Governor of Seocheon, visited in person to offer congratulatory remarks. Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeonbuk Province, sent a video message wishing for the development of the Gunsan craft beer festival.

During the opening ceremony, speeches by Gim Chung-seop, Mayor of Gimcheon, and Kang Im-jun, Mayor of Gunsan, along with a love shot, heightened the festive atmosphere. Mayor Gim Chung-seop said, "I am pleased that Gunsan Beer and Gimcheon Beer are together," adding, "This will be a model case of inter-local government exchange and regional win-win development through beer."

The following Blues Festival created a lively stage atmosphere. The first performer, 'Choi Hang-seok and Boogie Monster,' presented the 'Gunsan Blues,' a song produced for the Gunsan Craft Beer Festival, to the public for the first time, receiving enthusiastic applause.

During the event, the festival stage featured dazzling live performances by 16 top domestic and international bands, including Sinchon Blues, Kim Chang-wan Band, and Boohwal, adding to the festival's enjoyment.

The audience enjoying the performances also savored beer and blues, exchanging light toasts and smiles even with strangers, fully enjoying the Gunsan Craft Beer Festival.

A man in his 40s from Gyeonggi-do, Mr. A, said, "I was enjoying a trip to Gunsan with my family when I found out about the beer festival and came here," praising, "I tried Gunsan beer for the first time, and it was much better than I expected since it was made with domestic malt. It added another memorable moment to my Gunsan trip."

Meanwhile, Gunsan's craft beer industry dates back to 2012. That year, barley procurement was halted, blocking sales channels, and the city noticed that malt was entirely dependent on imports. In response, the city is expanding consumption channels for domestic malt, which is barley sprouts germinated and dried?the main ingredient of beer?into the craft beer market and others, seeking a breakthrough for barley farming.

A Gunsan city official said, "With this year's beer festival concluding successfully, Gunsan beer and the city's recognition have risen nationwide," adding, "We will continue to strive to develop tourism resources linked to local agriculture, urban regeneration, and youth entrepreneurship, and to expand the market for Gunsan malt."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.