North Korea now has a new beer hall, where they serve pints made at a brewery in Wiltshire.

Welcome to the new Hwasong Taedonggang Beer Restaurant in North Korea! This brand new beer hall is part of a major effort to revitalize the capital of Pyongyang and create more homes for its people. In the past two years, three new suburbs have been built, including two impressive 80-storey skyscrapers. With these new developments, there was a need for more infrastructure, and that's where the idea for a landmark "beer restaurant" came about.

The Hwasong Taedonggang Beer Restaurant, located in the newly constructed Hwasong district, is managed by Gang Bong Suk. He proudly shares that the restaurant was built thanks to their respected General Secretary, who wants the people to enjoy a better life. The restaurant is spread across two floors and features beer halls, separate rooms, and balconies, providing customers with a variety of options to have a good time.

As you enter the beer hall, you can't miss the Taedonggang Beer branding, which is not surprising as it's the most popular beer in North Korea. However, what might surprise you is the presence of global beers on tap as well. The restaurant proudly serves Taedonggang Beer, which is named after the river that runs through Pyongyang, but also offers a variety of international beers for customers to try.

But here's the interesting part - the Taedonggang Brewery, which produces the beloved Taedonggang Beer, has an unusual origin story. It actually started as Ushers of Trowbridge in Wiltshire, England. In 2000, the Ushers of Trowbridge brewery went bankrupt, resulting in all of its staff being laid off. As the land and equipment went up for sale, a surprising bidder emerged - Kim Jong-il, the former Supreme Leader of North Korea.

After a lengthy buying process involving a German middleman and difficulties with customs, the disassembled brewery was shipped in 30 containers from Bristol to North Korea. The state-owned brewery was then reassembled, with the help of German experts, on a former cabbage farm near Pyongyang in 2002. The entire purchase cost North Korea £1.5million, which is equivalent to about £2.7million in today's money.

The Taedonggang Brewery produces seven versions of their beer, simply named "Taedonggang number one", "Taedonggang number two", and so on. Interestingly, the number two version is the most popular and is described as a light lager with a lot of bubbles. Despite its unusual origin, Taedonggang Beer has become a favorite among the North Korean people, and the Hwasong Taedonggang Beer Restaurant proudly serves it as their signature drink.

So next time you're in North Korea, be sure to visit the Hwasong Taedonggang Beer Restaurant and try out the famous Taedonggang Beer, a product of an unexpected and intriguing origin story.

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