Cass Fresh is the flagship beer of Oriental Brewery, which is majority owned by AB InBev, and has held a dominant share of the South Korean beer market since its 1994 launch. Its defining process is a cold-brew method that ferments the beer at 0 C for 72 hours before packaging, which the brand credits for the beer’s clean, crisp character. Cass has become closely tied to Korean drinking culture, particularly the somaek tradition of mixing beer with soju, and has expanded into the US largely through Korean and Asian grocery retailers as demand for Korean food and drink culture has grown.
Cass Beer Review at a Glance
| Style | Adjunct pale lager |
| ABV | 4.5% |
| Brewery | Oriental Brewery (AB InBev) |
| Country | South Korea |
| Serving temp | 3 to 5 C (37 to 41 F) |
| US availability | Asian grocery retailers, specialty wine shops |
How It Tastes
Cass Fresh pours a pale straw gold with a light, quickly settling head. The aroma is mild, mostly clean grain with a faint hop note. On the palate it is light-bodied and lightly sweet upfront, with a notably crisp, almost snappy finish that feels cleaner than most beers in the same weight class, likely the payoff of that extended cold-brew process. It has very little bitterness and almost no aftertaste, which is exactly the profile it needs for pairing with Korean barbecue or mixing into a somaek.
The 72-hour cold brew actually shows up in the glass as a genuinely crisper finish, which is more than most mass-market lagers can claim.
- Noticeably crisper finish from its cold-brew process
- South Korea’s best-selling beer
- Widely available at Asian grocery retailers in the US
- Pairs well with Korean food and somaek
- Not stocked on Saucey
- Fairly light, simple flavor profile
- Best consumed very fresh and very cold
Cass is South Korea’s number one beer but is not sold through US delivery apps. Sapporo Premium is a comparable US-available crisp Asian lager.
FAQs
Is Cass a Korean beer?
Yes. Cass Fresh is brewed by Oriental Brewery in South Korea and is the country’s best-selling beer.
How strong is Cass beer?
Cass Fresh is 4.5% ABV.
Why is Cass beer cold-brewed?
Cass ferments at 0 C for 72 hours, a process the brand says produces a crisper, cleaner-tasting finish than standard fermentation.
Can you buy Cass in the US?
Yes, Cass is widely available at Asian grocery retailers such as OKIDOKI Asian Market and specialty wine shops, though it is not currently stocked on Saucey.
For the wider Korean beer market and its chimaek culture, see our Korean beer guide.
