I Regressed and Became Too Good at Brewing - Chapter 53
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 53. Living On and On (5)
It was truly a shocking taste.
Not in a negative way—quite the opposite.
The moment it touched my tongue, what bloomed intensely was the fragrance of pine needles and a deep, resinous aroma.
Closer to crisp refreshment than florescence, yet somehow carrying an undeniable fragrant quality.
It might sound strange to say that taste could deliver fragrance, but I meant it sincerely.
Because this was something that could only be described as aroma.
“But that’s not all.”
The sea of pine forest stretched out beyond, vast and layered.
The solid earthiness that composed those broad mountains circled through my mouth together with the firm foam.
It wasn’t parched or cloying at all.
Rather, a weighty and savory depth burrowed down to the root of my tongue, maintaining a stable harmony of flavor.
And a delicate foam layer sealed in that richness.
“Then, as more time passes…….”
If there is earth, and upon that earth a garden, then surely the sky too must exist.
Lifting my gaze slightly upward revealed a blue sky stretched wide and high.
Clear.
Clear and open.
A pristine blue sky unfolded in my mouth, untainted by any debris.
The clean depth of the Pilsner settled alongside the intense and sharp bitterness of the Magnum Hops.
“Ha. Truly…….”
“Ahhh…….”
“Fuuuh…….”
The reactions I saw after drinking were no different for Se-jun and Jin-woo and Eun-chae.
Because it was a taste that couldn’t be described in simple terms.
“This is a mountain beer too, though…….”
“It’s completely different from Meari, isn’t it?”
“Yeah! This is amazing!”
For Se-jun, who had traveled far and wide sampling many spirits, to say “amazing” was itself proof that this possessed a far superior taste compared to others.
And I shared that very same opinion.
“Meari described a Korean mountain, but this is a garden. A very vast garden.”
“I’m not sure if you can even call it a garden with how huge it is?”
“It’s a garden.”
Because the intent behind it was vividly apparent.
With Meari, the intention was to evoke a sense of humans standing apart in nature.
Surrounded by mountains, breathing that air, savoring the scent of earth—the purpose was to share that feeling of enjoyment.
“But this was different.”
“In what way, sir?”
“I pursued only one thing.”
To enjoy.
Rather than awe or satisfaction, I pursued only the act of enjoyment itself.
That’s why this place was a garden.
A joyful garden meant for play and delight.
“Except I simply made it vast enough to match the size of a forest.”
“Do you always approach brewing with such intentions, then?”
“Isn’t that how it should be?”
“Pardon?”
Jin-woo and Eun-chae both opened their eyes wide, questioning me again.
Odd—isn’t that how it usually works?
What’s strange about that?
“So… Jin-woo?”
“Yes?”
“You only need to hear about half of what our Yeon-woo says.”
“What does that even mean?”
“What I’m saying is, more than half of what he says is difficult for other people to understand, and even if they do understand, they can’t replicate it.”
“Ah.”
Most of the people I’ve shared my appreciation of spirits with up to now have been goblins.
Because of that, my expressions had apparently been rather raw.
“You’re only realizing it now?”
“Well, nobody said anything much, so I figured it was fine.”
“Good grief. You see? This is what I mean about him. People always assume everyone’s like me.”
“That… that is indeed remarkable! In any case, most impressive!”
There’s an odd urge to argue back, and yet the criticism doesn’t sit badly either.
“In any case, how’s the beer itself tasting?”
“Excellent! Really delicious!”
“Is this truly your first time brewing? This is the kind of flavor that even serious breweries have to pour their heart and soul into producing…….”
“Genius, what can I say? Ha ha ha!”
The reception was solid.
More than solid—nothing but praise.
Not hearing Hwang-gu’s voice, I glanced around and found the creature had moved past conversing entirely, its head now planted firmly in a barrel brimming with beer, gulping it down with abandon.
Even so, it seemed that a goblin’s passion for good drink was simply unstoppable.
“I’m truly grateful. And… I’ll join the guild right away! I was planning to anyway, so how should we handle the contract?”
“Please, hold on. We haven’t quite resolved every issue yet.”
“But with beer this fine already in hand, what else could possibly—oh.”
Eun-chae trailed off as understanding dawned, her frame going rigid.
It was the obvious problem.
The true hero behind this beer was none other than the Indigenous Korean Hops that Seo-ah had supplied.
Without them, there would have been no way to achieve this deep, piney aroma.
“If the supply becomes unstable in any way, we’ll have a serious problem.”
Hoptoran, which Seo-ah operates, is an exceptionally small farm.
In other words, if it were to collapse under any pressure, we’d lose the ability to make this beer entirely.
“And given its size, you should probably abandon any hope of consistent quality.”
“Mm… true enough…….”
Unlike the large-scale operations that deploy cutting-edge equipment so advanced it can override climate itself, Hoptoran’s cultivation methods were fraught with risk.
Between the seasonal cycles that come around without fail and Korea’s particular climate pattern—where dust storms, monsoons, and cold snaps arrive in relentless succession—there was a very real possibility of losing an entire year’s harvest.
But such worries evaporated the moment Hwang-gu lifted his head from his drink and spoke.
“Hm? What did you say?”
“Pardon? What was that?”
“Oh. No, nothing. Just talking to myself… something urgent came to mind. Let me make a quick call—I’ll be right back.”
As I naturally stepped outside with my phone, Hwang-gu began again.
“Nothing to worry about? How can we not worry?”
“Nurture? What do you mean… surely you don’t……”
Goblins each possess their own unique ability.
Song-ha can visualize flavor and aroma.
Mok-tong can discern the optimal aging method in advance.
And Hyo-gi, whom I’ve only recently come to know, can hear the voice of yeast during fermentation.
By that logic, Hwang-gu must surely possess the ability to preserve the freshness of ingredients used in brewing.
“Now that I think about it, the hop condition was impossibly good……”
All The Hop’s materials were pristine.
The hops gleamed with vitality, and the malt was nothing short of premium grade.
Even at Songhada, we’d have to scout extensively to source materials like that… yet here, Hwang-gu handles it.
“So what you’re saying is, no matter what hops arrive, you can maintain their quality?”
I reached over and gave the creature’s head a gentle pat as it bounced happily, delighted at the praise.
That settled it.
One less worry to carry.
There was no way I could imagine The Hop’s new beer, made from quality Indigenous Korean Hops, failing to sell.
Which meant Hoptoran would find new pathways forward, and we could sustain this good partnership going forward.
The moment we finished talking and stepped back inside, I broached the subject.
“Let’s sign the contract.”
“I’m sorry? But just a moment ago you said……”
“I’ve found a solution. Don’t worry—let’s proceed with the contract.”
“I brought the contracts with me beforehand, of course.”
Se-jun withdrew a bundle of contract papers from his bag.
At the top, in large letters, was written: “Songhada Brewing Guild Membership Agreement.”
“I’ll proceed the way I mentioned before. Simply put, you should understand that we’ll be receiving royalties,” I explained.
“And on our end, we can receive support from Songhada—that is, from the representative here, correct?”
“Of course.”
“Then that works well for us.”
Without even reading through the entire contract, Jin-woo flipped directly to the last page and stamped it with a decisive thud.
His wife, Eun-chae, simply nodded at this audacious decision.
It was Se-jun and I who were actually taken aback.
“Are you certain you’re comfortable deciding this way?”
“I’ve already made up my mind to sign. Long before the beer even came into being. Aren’t you someone who understood our circumstances and offered help?”
“Besides, you’ve helped us create this beer in the first place.”
“Still, you should at least review the royalty terms….”
“There it is. Five percent? That’s practically a gift. Haha!”
Songhada Brewing Guild had set the royalty at the standard rate of five percent.
Honestly, I’d worried it was too much even then, but Se-jun and Ha-jeong had said something like “You think we should dig ditches and sell instead?” so I’d let it go.
“Isn’t that a lot?”
“A lot? Not at all. It’s common for places with strong brand power, or those offering concrete solutions, to attach premiums of ten percent or more.”
“Besides, we weren’t even turning a profit before, let alone collecting five percent.”
Since both of them had already hardened their resolve, I didn’t press the matter further.
I simply extended my right hand and offered a handshake.
“Welcome. You’ve become our first member.”
“Haha! The first? I’m truly honored!”
The grip of Jin-woo’s hand was solid—hardened by all the effort thus far.
It was as if his resolve itself, to stand unwavering and steadfast with Songhada from this moment forward, had taken root in his palm.
“Ah, wait. There’s one big thing we’ve been overlooking, isn’t there?”
“What’s that?”
“This beer. What should we call it?”
Se-jun was right—we really had overlooked something major.
A drink’s name is one of the most crucial elements in capturing people’s interest.
Of course, aroma and taste come first, but for consumers who haven’t yet experienced it to pick up a bottle, we couldn’t ignore the name and package design.
“Hmm… if this were just an ordinary beer, I might have simply attached our shop’s name to it….”
“I’d rather not do that. And I’d like both Songhada and The Hop’s identities to be reflected in it.”
Without Jin-woo and Eun-chae being asked to do so, they were already thinking of a name that honored Songhada first.
I was about to suggest adding The Hop’s name because I was grateful for that sentiment, when—
“Me! I’ve got a great idea!”
Hwang-gu, hopping around with his hand raised, darting in all directions,
“Pine tree! Always green, so how about Cheongsan? Human!”
Green mountains.
Hwang-gu was truly a tremendous help.
I gave a small nod, acknowledging it in a way only he could understand, then opened my mouth.
“Cheongsan IPA—let’s go with that.”
It was the moment the name of The Hop’s flagship beer and the first member brewery’s creation under Songhada was decided.
* * *
And so The Hop, armed with its new beer, Cheongsan IPA….
“Boss! Five more beers over here!”
“Wow! This is seriously delicious!”
“This is the real deal!”
In no time at all, it had drawn crowds and risen to become a hot spot.
At the same time.
“The name’s Cheongsan?”
“Yeah! The taste is incredible. It’s so refreshing, you know? That crisp, clean sensation flowing down your throat! Ahh!”
“Cheongsan… Cheongsan, huh….”
“They say it was made with the up-and-coming Songhada representative? You’d know better than anyone, wouldn’t you? You make drinks too.”
“Right. Yeah. That’s really impressive.”
A man drinking with his friend wore a mysterious smile.
“Worth meeting, even.”
As his interest in Songhada took root.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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