Frequently Asked Questions

Dokkaebier is a Korean-inspired craft beer brand founded in San Francisco in February 2020 by Youngwon Lee. Its beers pair traditional styles with Asian ingredients — kimchi cultures, yuza citrus, gochugaru, rice, peppercorn and more. Dokkaebier is sold across Northern California, Chicago and Milwaukee.

The name comes from dokkaebi (도깨비), the shape-shifting creatures of Korean folklore — mischievous spirits who love to eat, drink and gather in company. Combined with "beer," it becomes Dokkaebier, pronounced doh-kay-beer.

Dokkaebier was founded in San Francisco in February 2020 by Youngwon Lee, a Korean-American entrepreneur. He started the brand to bring his own culture and identity into the beer industry — putting Korean heritage into the beer itself, not just the label.

Dokkaebier was born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland, California, where it operated its own brewing facility. Its beers are now brewed in Chicago and Milwaukee and distributed across Northern California and the Midwest.

No. Dokkaebier is an American craft beer brand, brewed in the United States — not an import. It was founded in San Francisco and its beers are brewed in Chicago and Milwaukee, using Korean and Asian ingredients rather than being shipped from Korea.

American craft beer has long been an IPA-driven market built on European and American traditions. Dokkaebier was the first craft brewery to bring Korean and Asian heritage into the beer itself — not just the branding, but the flavors: yuza citrus, gochugaru, rice and peppercorn built into classic beer styles.

Dokkaebier is sold at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods Market and Total Wine & More, alongside independent grocers and bottle shops including Berkeley Bowl, Binny's Beverage Depot, Lucky and Raley's. It has been carried in 300+ stores since 2020 across Northern California, Chicago and Milwaukee.

Yes. Dokkaebier is carried at select Costco warehouses in Northern California. Availability varies by location and season, so check the Dokkaebier store locator or contact your warehouse before visiting.

Yes. Dokkaebier is stocked at select Walmart stores in Northern California. Availability varies by store, so check the Dokkaebier store locator for the nearest location carrying it.

Yes. Dokkaebier is stocked at Whole Foods Market locations across the San Francisco Bay Area and Chicago.

Yes. Beyond Northern California, Dokkaebier is distributed throughout the Chicago and Milwaukee metro areas — in grocery stores, bottle shops, bars and restaurants across Illinois and Wisconsin.

Dokkaebier publishes a live store locator listing every retailer, bottle shop, bar and restaurant currently carrying its beers, searchable by location with directions to each store. Because retail stock moves quickly, contact the store before making a trip.

Dokkaebier does not operate its own taproom. Fresh Dokkaebier is on draft year-round at all three Pilot Project Brewing taprooms in Chicago and Milwaukee, where its beers are brewed. To find the nearest bar or restaurant pouring Dokkaebier, use the store locator.

Yes. Dokkaebier is poured on draft at all three Pilot Project Brewing taprooms in Chicago and Milwaukee, plus bars and restaurants across Northern California and the Midwest. The Dokkaebier store locator filters for venues serving it on draft.

Dokkaebier's core lineup is five beers: K-Beer (4.9% ABV), a crisp Korean rice lager; Yuza Blonde Ale (4.9% ABV), a blonde lifted with yuza citrus; Milk Stout (5.2% ABV), a creamy stout with cardamom and green peppercorn; Dokkaebi IPA (6.5% ABV), a tropical, aromatic IPA; and Kimchi Sour (6.6% ABV), a tart and savory sour with gochugaru and ginger.

Kimchi Sour originally started as a kettle sour brewed with Dokkaebier's own homemade kimchi culture. It opens with a ginger note, turns lightly tart and savory, and finishes with a hint of warm chili. It is not your typical fruited, sweet or aggressively sour beer — it's the go-to sour for anyone who wants culture and character in the glass.

Mildly. The gochugaru gives a warming finish rather than heat — closer to the gentle glow at the end of a sip than to a spicy dish. Most drinkers describe it as savory with a soft chili warmth.

For a first taste, start with Yuza Blonde Ale — bright, easy-drinking and lifted with fragrant yuza citrus — or K-Beer, a clean Korean rice lager. Save Kimchi Sour for once you know the range; it is the boldest beer Dokkaebier makes and rewards drinkers who arrive expecting something savory.

K-Beer is Dokkaebier's Korean-style rice lager, 4.9% ABV — light and crisp, brewed with rice for a clean finish, with gentle malt character. It is the most approachable beer in the range and pairs naturally with Korean food.

Yuza (유자), also written yuzu, is a fragrant East Asian citrus fruit — tart and floral, somewhere between a lemon, a mandarin and a grapefruit. Dokkaebier brews it into Yuza Blonde Ale, where it gives the beer a bright, zesty lift.

Yuza Blonde Ale is bright, light-bodied and citrus-forward at 4.9% ABV, brewed with yuza — the fragrant Korean citrus also known as yuzu. It drinks like a blonde ale with a floral, zesty lift, and is Dokkaebier's most popular warm-weather beer.

A crisp, light lager cuts through the richness of Korean BBQ best — Dokkaebier K-Beer, a Korean rice lager, is built for exactly that pairing. For grilled meats with heavier marinades, Kimchi Sour offers an acidic contrast that works like a pickle alongside the meal.

Yes. Dokkaebier is sold online through its retail partner The Epicurean Trader, which handles fulfillment and shipping. Orders are placed from the Dokkaebier website and ship directly from the partner.

Dokkaebier ships to 46 US states through The Epicurean Trader. The four exceptions are Alabama, Mississippi, South Dakota and Utah, where alcohol shipping is restricted. State eligibility is confirmed at checkout.

Online orders are fulfilled by The Epicurean Trader, a licensed retail partner. Someone 21 or older must be present with valid ID to sign for any alcohol delivery.

No. Dokkaebier beers contain gluten. They are brewed with traditional malted grains and are not suitable for anyone avoiding gluten.

Yes. Dokkaebier works with retailers, bars, restaurants and distributors across California, Illinois and Wisconsin. Distribution and wholesale inquiries go through the contact form on the Dokkaebier website.