A quick write-up of my recent trip to Fundamental Brewing, a brewery and taproom in Suwon. It’s about a 40-50 minute drive from downtown Pyeongtaek and about the same from Anjeong-ri. Thanks, Pyeongtaek Travelers for letting us at The Pyeongtaek Craft Beer Society share this wonderful treasure of a brewery with your community.

About Fundamental Brewing
This was my second trip to Fundamental, and boy/girl, was it worth it! As one should do before driving some distance in “the new world” (reference COVID-19), we called to verify Fundamental was open, validate rules for party numbers (per COVID-19 guidelines), and ensure dogs were still allowed. Yes, they were open on Saturday evenings; for parties of more than two, all members had to show their COVID-19 vaccination cards (we brought our physical cards in case photos didn’t make the cut), and YES, well-behaved dogs were allowed! Jack Bauer, my part Catahoula Hound / Border Collie mix, definitely stole the show. Many of the patrons asked to pet him and even snuck some Instagram selfies with him. Jack loved every moment of it. The establishment is family-friendly with a couple of high chairs available for the kiddos and there is a very large parking lot right out front.
The atmosphere of Fundamental is very posh and modern–not something that would be typical in the US or Canada. It appeared more of a date spot or a place to impress a potential client. Sure, it was casual enough, but lacked character, unless simplistic and modern is your taste. The ability to see the brewing equipment through a glass wall was impressive AND it was super-cool they were barrel-aging some of their beers. I love the warm and inviting feeling barrels invoke.
Fundamental Brewing is Dog Friendly
Regardless of the more overall more formal’ish atmosphere, Fundamental allows dogs–indoors! The tables have industrial steel-type legs, making it easy to tie our pup up without fear of ruining their furniture. We asked and they provided a water bowl. GREAT JOB, Fundamental!
My Experience at Fundamental Brewing
We arrived fashionably late, around 8pm, and most of the taproom was still lively. After showing our vaccination cards, we were seated and handed menus. Some temporary confusion ensued as all the beers on the menu were written in Korean, although the food portion was written in both Korean and English. One of our party “reminded” us the beer menu was written over the bar IN ENGLISH. Silly us. Fundamental used an old-school American billboard-type signage for their English beer menu.
After deciding what to eat and drink, we patiently waited for our server to arrive. Silly us AGAIN, as we were supposed to order our food and drinks at the bar! We ordered a couple Hot Chili Lasagnas, Buffalo Wild Wings, Fried Shrimp Dumplings, Honey Glazed Pork Belly, Berlin Curry Sausage, Fried Flat Potato w/ Butter Garlic & Sour Dip, Nachos w/ Homemade Salsa, few orders of French Fries, a couple of sprites, and several different types of beers.
The lasagna and glazed pork stood out the most to me. The lasagna had the perfect amount of spice, flavor, and cheese! The glazed pork belly…I should’ve ordered three for myself. It was more of a pork belly steak than what we would typically associate with Korea, which is sliced pork belly, “samgyupsal,” at Korean BBQ establishments. The thick, moist bites almost melted in my mouth. This dish was heavenly. The food is mostly appetizers, meant to be shared. Prices are comparable to mid-priced stateside restaurants, with the highest priced dish being the pork belly at ₩14,500. There is also a lunch menu available at more moderate prices, up to ₩9,000. Enjoy coffee and not beer? There is a decent coffee menu, as well.
What I Drank at Fundamental Brewing
I started with the G.A.P. Pale Ale and Squall Session IPA, followed by the Hae Tae Pilsner, Jinie Stout, DDH Session IPA, Junky Milk IPA, and Nuty Bery Imperial Porter. All beers had unique flavor profiles with a couple leaving me utterly speechless but in a great way. My favorite was the Disco DDH Session IPA. Why? It reminded me of my current favorite IPA (see my review of the Voodoo 1985 on The Pyeongtaek Craft Beer Society page). There was one beer we could not quite characterize as the flavor was TOO unique–the Weing Golden Strong. I’m going to drink one next time to try to unravel the mystery flavor.
My Opinion of Fundamental Brewing
Overall, the beer was wonderful. There are three size options for beers: 1) Small (0.23L); 2) Medium (0.36L); and 3) Large (0.48L). I wanted to sample as much as I could, so I kept with the smalls, which were mostly ₩4,500. Prices were as low as ₩3,500 for a small Joey Lager and went up to ₩9,000 for a large Nuty Bery Imperial Stout (9.6% ABV). My only complaint was they did not offer beers flights, or a small beer sampling typically served on a wooden board. It would’ve been nice to get a small sample of ALL the beers, even in a shot glass. I believe they do offer free samples, but don’t quote me on that.
I went in very ambitious, hoping to sample all 14 of their beers, but only made it through seven smalls. I suppose one should pace themselves and perhaps drink several sips from each beer rather than drink large gulps, but I hate to waste beer, so I made sure to drink every single drop.
The Families Overall Experience at Fundamental Brewing
My friends and family, including my son, Micah, and our pup, Jack, had a great time bonding over food and beer (no beer for Micah, Jack, or our designated driver). I was quite impressed with my son’s phone photography skills, as well.
I will definitely return, likely for lunch, with my family and pets. I always have a good time at Fundamental Brewing. Closed on Mondays and open Tuesday-Sunday, 1100-2200.*
Photo credits for the first five photos go to Fundamental Brewing. The remaining are thanks to my son, self, cousin, and brother-in-law. Shout-out to our designated driver, my cousin-in-law! We might never have made it home (safely) without you. Thanks for the company, guys (and gal)!
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Osan Craft Beer Club
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Fundamental Brewing
0507-1319-7808
Copy and paste phone numbers into Naver Maps to get directions
Hangul Address
경기 수원시 영통구 매영로269번길 61
The atmosphere of Fundamental is very posh and modern–not something that would be typical in the US or Canada. It feels like a date spot or a place to impress a potential client. The ability to see the brewing equipment through a glass wall was impressive AND it was super-cool they were barrel-aging some of their beers. I love the warm and inviting feeling barrels invoke.


Founder of the Pyeongtaek Craft Beer Society, Mike Smith is currently studying for a Master Brewers Certificate while living and working in South Korea.
The Pyeongtaek Craft Beer Society fosters friends and a love for craft beers across South Korea. The group provides a welcome and inclusive space to learn about new beers, share beer stories, and generally geek out about all things brewing. Anyone is welcome to join their Facebook group to learn more about Korean craft Beer.