Dave Kim, owner of Wildcat Brewing Busan, Zachary Hooker and Andreas Meyndt of Turmbrau Brewery Busan sample Hooker's homemade Italian Pilsner at The Key Craft Bar in Daegu, April 20. Courtesy of Kevin Grabb

As my train pulls into Dongdaegu Station, I ask myself, "Why don't more people leave Seoul?" Daegu is a major metropolis with a lot to offer. For me specifically, it's Korea's premiere home-brewing competition — the Daegu Stout Smackdown.

Started by homebrewer-turned-pro Jared Hatch, this annual competition gives homebrewers in South Korea a chance to flex their skills on all beers dark: stouts, porters, Russian imperial stouts, vanilla stouts — the list is numerous.

This competition began in 2015, shortly after Hatch won Best in Show at Seoul's first homebrew competition. "I wanted something local [to Daegu] and wanted a way to hone my beer judging skills. My friends and I would practice every week to learn the Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines," said the beer enthusiast.

And from those humble, guerrilla-style beginnings, where does he see this competition as being currently? "Oh, it's much bigger and there are many more Koreans participating," Hatch claims. "We also have a lot more professional brewers involved and helping out with organizing."

As I enter The Key Craft Bar in Suseong District, there is nary a seat to be found. Every year this event seems to draw in capacity crowds wherever it's held. The time to enjoy some black, pitch-tar, roasty beverages has begun.

But what exactly is a stout? Many laymen may immediately call to mind Guinness and they would be right. But this is not where it ends. A stout is essentially a beer with a high percentage of roasted grains. This roasting of the grains not only darkens them, but also adds that roasted "chocolate/coffee flavor" to the beer.

And what makes a good stout? In a sea of beer experts, I went and probed further. The word "balance" became a keyword here. Ryan Blocker of Galmegi Brewing Busan said, "A balance of roasted notes but with a creaminess."

This was seconded by Patrick Mackay, one of Korea's most prolific and respected homebrewers: "A balance is nice. Like, the richness of a chocolate or a coffee, but with the cream of a nice espresso."

Andreas Meyndt, German owner of TurmBrau Brewery, acknowldges his country's lager-heavy history before offering his take: "I'm certainly not an expert on stouts, but not too much roast."

It seems the key here is to balance a nice "burnt" roasted flavor with the "body" of the beverage.

I wade through the crowds for another drink. "Seoul Brewery Robust Porter han-jan juseyo."

The crowd becomes larger. People get a little louder, in volume and in numbers. Hatch makes it known that it is almost time to announce the winners.

There shall be nine lucky winners tonight. This competition boils down to three categories: low alcohol, high alcohol and spiced. There are first-, second- and third-place prizes for each.

Hatch brings out his stack of certificates. "Spiced will be announced," he yells over the din of merry revelers.

Jared Hatch announces the winners of the Daegu Stout Smackdown at The Key Bar in Daegu, April 20. Courtesy of Kevin Grabb

I brace. I have a vanilla porter in this category. I submitted two beers last year and walked away with nothing. A saying I have in life is, "Expect nothing, be grateful for most things." It helps, but at the end of the day, a loss is a loss. I listen through the third-, second- and first-place winners. Cheers, yells, whoops and hollers fill the room. I have nothing but my applause for others. This is not my year.

But not to worry! Having already sampled my vanilla porter, I know it's not amazing.

However, I, Kevin Grabb, have one more beer up my sleeve and I have much more confidence in it. It's an American stout that clocks in at 6 percent alcohol and is full of Chinook hops. These hops are spicy and pine-like, with a hint of grapefruit. There's also enough dark U.S. malts in here to paint a red door black.

Hatch begins, "Third place, ..." not Kevin Grabb.

I applaud politely, but it must be said, "If you win, you win." It's hard work and they deserve it. I remind myself of my mantra, "Expect nothing."

"Second place, ..." not Kevin Grabb.

My heart sinks. I won nothing last year. Vanilla porter down in flames with no ejection seat. I am a novice brewer, I remind myself, with no actual formal training other than making beers at home and attempting to improve.

Hatch smiles, "And the first place for high-alcohol stout is… Kevin Grabb."

My internal monologue laughs, "Ha! That's your name."

Eyes around the room start to draw their bead on me. Hatch, whom I'm behind, turns around slowly with a great, big gape of a grin, "Congratulations, man. You've earned it."

Me, rarely at a loss for words, step forward. I go through all the normal processes one would in a situation like this. I shake Hatch's hand as I come up and say thanks. I smile at the crowd and they smile back. But surely, this can't actually be happening. This is a good thing and good things don't happen to people like me! I've never been so happy to be proven dead wrong.

More beer is in order.

The writer, Kevin Grabb, left, poses with Oscar Bassett, who holds a prize for a beer he made with Tom Streeter and Robert Henry, at the Daegu Stout Smackdown held at The Key Bar in Daegu, April 20. Courtesy of Kevin Grabb

As I make the rounds, a certain sense of confidence starts to kick in. I wish I could say it was the win, but it's just as likely the fifth pint. I contemplate next year. Can I replicate this? How? The daunting aspect of winning again sets in. I need advice.

I turn to Zachary Hooker, an organizer of the event, former Stout Smackdown winner and prolific homebrewer in his own right, and he tells me, "People think we are born with good taste, but we're not. Eat, drink and smell as many things as you can."

Truer words have never been spoken.

Kevin Grabb is a Canadian homebrewer and YouTuber. His channel "Korea Brewing Adventure" covers Korean alcohol from production to consumption.