At that point having good relations with the West, via connections to Germany, the Government of North Korea bought the intact and still in place brewery plant of the closed Ushers of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England for £1.5 million via broker Uwe Oehms.

"[13] A Finnish review of Taedonggang's brown ale notes an alcohol content of 5% and a taste significantly more bitter than most Asian beers.

[7] Taedonggang beer is named after the Taedong River, which runs through the centre of the capital city of Pyongyang.

Taedonggang beer is targeted primarily at domestic consumers,[citation needed] but was exported to South Korea during the years of the Sunshine Policy.

[citation needed] In mid-2007 availability of Taedonggang beer in South Korea began to lessen and it is widely believed now that it is no longer being imported into the country after the brewery increased the price 70% without warning.

[citation needed] According to expatriates in North Korea it is to be the most popular brand of beer, and is widely served in restaurants and bars, and in Pyongyang hotels catering to foreign visitors, where a small bottle costs about 0.5 euro.