OB unveils Weizen beer

The nation’s largest beer manufacturer Oriental Brewery on Wednesday presented Premier OB Weizen, a premium wheat beer based on a traditional Bavarian brewing style, to expand its business portfolio.

Premier OB Weizen, made of German wheat malt and European barley malt, marked the start of the company’s Brew Master Selection, a series of premium beers developed by the brew masters of Anheuser-Busch InBev, which owns OB.

This new Weizen beer, with an alcohol-by-volume level of 5 percent, has a milky golden color, a dense taste and soft texture ― differentiating itself from Premier OB Pilsner, an all-malt lager launched in November.

“The beer business in Korea has turned into a portfolio game,” said CEO Frederico Freire, who had himself called by his Korean name, Kim Dae-hoon, at a launching ceremony on Wednesday.

“We already have a series of popular beers such as Cass, but in order to keep our lead in the market, it is crucial that we maintain a well-balanced combination of strategies, incorporating a variety of brands.”

The company plans to divide its beer product portfolio into three price clusters in response to customers’ diversifying demands, according to chief marketing officer Alex Song. Premier OB Weizen, classified as a local premium brand, will be positioned in the middle price group.

“We expect to sell about 2 million boxes in the first three months,” Song said.

“Premier OB Weizen will be slightly more expensive than most of our top-selling products, but we believe that Korean beer consumers are capable of recognizing the premium factor.”

The new product will go on sale from June 27.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)