HiteJinro "Kelly emphasizes malt flavor over Max... aiming for mass appeal"

"‘Kelly’ is a beer that emphasizes the natural flavor of malt. This differentiates it from ‘Max,’ another all-malt product that highlights a citrusy hop aroma. Additionally, it is designed to offer a smooth yet more intense carbonation than Max, allowing consumers to experience contrasting charms."

Jang Juseok, Senior Researcher, Beer Development Part, Alcohol Development Team 1, HiteJinro

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Bangsuseok, a senior researcher in the beer development team at HiteJinro’s Liquor Development Division 1, revealed in an interview with Asia Economy on the 19th that the biggest challenge during the development of Kelly was determining the appropriate level of the unique flavor of all-malt beer. If the malt flavor is too weak, the beer loses its inherent advantages despite using 100% malt, whereas if the flavor is too strong, it could actually limit market expansion.

Kelly is a beer brand introduced by HiteJinro for the first time in four years since ‘Terra’ in 2019. It is an all-malt lager made using 100% malt. Typically, beer is made from malt, which is barley that has been germinated and dried, as the basic ingredient. When 100% malt is used, the malt flavor tends to be relatively strong. On the other hand, when adjuncts such as rice or corn are partially used, the malt flavor is somewhat reduced, and the characteristics of the adjuncts appear instead; Terra, an American-style adjunct lager, is a representative example.

The core guideline in developing Kelly was to secure the distinctiveness of all-malt beer while maintaining mass appeal. Unlike Max, an existing all-malt beer, Kelly was designed so that the hop aroma is not prominent. Researcher Bang explained, "The hop aroma emphasized in Max was reduced considering the balance with malt flavor, and the optimal bitterness level was applied to add flavor to the beer. The hop aroma was set at a level that does not interfere with the malt flavor, and the bitterness from hops was balanced with sweetness."

HiteJinro 'Kelly'

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To secure mass appeal, a pale lager style similar to Terra was adopted. Researcher Bang asserted, "Although the craft beer industry is growing and various beer styles are being produced and consumed, the beer that appeals to the largest number of consumers is still the pale lager style."

Researcher Bang emphasized that Kelly is designed to be smooth but not heavy, making it a beer that consumers who prefer Terra can enjoy without discomfort. He stated, "The beers most consumed domestically are those with mild flavors and strong carbonation. Kelly focused on finding an all-malt flavor level that consumers familiar with Terra would not find alien. We concentrated on delivering a smooth taste, foam, and strong carbonation together." Since Terra is chosen by consumers for its refreshing carbonation and popular taste, Kelly also adopted a strategy to maintain Terra’s strengths while differentiating itself with the smooth malt flavor and foam of an all-malt beer.

To realize this beer, HiteJinro selected the manufacturing processes of ‘slow germination’ and ‘double maturation.’ Researcher Bang said, "Yeast plays a very important role in beer maturation. Through multiple tests, we found the optimal temperature to keep the yeast in the best condition. For a smooth initial taste, the primary maturation was done at 7℃ to minimize stress on the yeast, removing off-flavors and odors. Secondary maturation at -1.5℃ further eliminated negative flavor components and factors, maximizing the lager’s inherent intensity and freshness."

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