10 Craft Beers to Seek Out in Asia

Think of Beertopia as Asia’s smaller but equally impressive version of the Great American Beer Festival. In November 2016, the fifth edition of Beertopia set a new attendance record with over 14,000 people.

This two-day festival in Hong Kong has grown into Asia’s largest craft beer event, featuring nearly 125 breweries from across the globe in 2016, with almost half of them from the Asia-Pacific region.

After a thorough, ahem, 'research' session, we're here to highlight 10 standout beers from Beertopia that you should track down in Asia. While many other exceptional brews didn't make the event, this list is a great starting point for diving into Asia's expanding craft beer scene.

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1. Hong Kong Bastard Imperial IPA (Hong Kong)

Duncan and Luke Yardley, the brothers behind Yardley Brothers Beer, poured everything into crafting Hong Kong Bastard to stand out in the crowded IPA market, filled with both local and imported options.

“This brew features more than double my usual malt amount, 10 kilograms of five different hop varieties, and continuous hop additions throughout the boil,” says Luke.

“During the extended dry-hop phase, we stirred the hops twice daily using CO2 to fully infuse the hop resin into the beer. I also played heavy metal music to it every day, which I believe made a difference.”

The hard work (and heavy metal jams) paid off big time. At Beertopia’s inaugural Hong Kong Beer Championship, Hong Kong Bastard was named “Best IPA” and went on to win the coveted “Best in Show” award.

On December 10, Yardley Brothers opened a new brewery and taproom in Hong Kong at Unit 10, 5th floor block A Wah Tat Industrial Center, 8 Wah Sing Street. It’s the perfect spot to taste their full range of beers, including Hong Kong Bastard and exclusive one-off creations.

The brothers are aiming to start exporting their beers in 2017.

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2. Hutong Clan CDA (Beijing)

A generous amount of Oregon-grown cascade hops gives this rich black IPA from Jing-A Brewing Co. its bright citrus character and refreshing grapefruit notes.

Initially created as a limited-time collaboration with Oregon’s Boneyard Beer in October 2015, the Hutong Clan CDA has become so popular that Jing-A continues to brew it at its Beijing facility.

This is just one of many high-profile partnerships for Jing-A, which, despite only being around for less than four years, has already collaborated with major breweries like Elysian Brewing (Seattle, Washington), Beavertown Brewery (London, England), and Nøgne Ø (Grimstad, Norway), among others.

Although it’s occasionally available at bars in cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen, the Hutong Clan CDA is most commonly served at Jing-A’s vibrant Beijing taproom (1949 The Hidden City, Courtyard 4, Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang district), where a rotating selection of guest beers accompanies Jing-A’s latest releases.

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3. Wild Saison (Melbourne, Australia)

Ever wondered what it means when your beer-obsessed friend describes a beer as having a “horse blanket” taste or smell? Crack open a bottle of the bone-dry Wild Saison from Melbourne’s La Sirène Brewing and you’ll get the picture.

Created over six years ago, the Wild Saison was one of the first beers in Australasia to be fermented with Brettanomyces, a wild yeast strain known for producing funky flavors, earthy aromas, and the kind of musty characteristics you'd expect from an old farmhouse.

It’s a unique flavor profile that takes some getting used to, but once you develop a taste for wild ales like this, you’ll discover a whole new world of possibilities for what beer can be.

“This beer is co-fermented with two wild yeast strains and takes several months to mature in the bottle, allowing us to cultivate our signature 'house character,'” explains founder Costa Nikias.

“It’s a versatile brew, too – the drinker can control the level of funk and barnyard flavors by aging it between 18 to 23 Celsius for continued fermentation, or by chilling it to halt the yeast’s progression,” adds Nikias.

Beyond Australia, La Sirène Brewing’s beers are also available in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan.

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4. Island 1842 Imperial IPA (Hong Kong)

A testament to its significant impact on Hong Kong’s evolving beer scene, Young Master Ales claimed four out of nine categories at the Hong Kong Beer Championship, earning the coveted title of “Best Brewery.”

Rohit Dugar, a quiet entrepreneur, founded the brewery in 2013 after leaving behind his career in finance. While his strong 1842 didn’t earn an award this year, it remains a standout – a smooth, rich IPA that expertly balances its hefty 8% ABV.

“1842 Island is a powerful imperial IPA designed to highlight every layer of its bold hop and malt combination,” explains Dugar. “We use hops generously throughout, but what sets it apart is its strong malt backbone that perfectly complements the hop character.”

Young Master Ales is among the most widely available craft beers in Hong Kong.

To truly explore the brewery's full range, visit its two affiliated bars: TAP – The Ale Project in Mongkok and Second Draft in Tai Hang.

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5. Cyclo Imperial Chocolate Stout (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

After sampling this award-winning chocolate stout at Beertopia, Pasteur Street Brewing Co brand ambassador Mischa Smith exclaimed: “This is hands down the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

He wasn’t joking, and this writer is certainly not alone in agreeing.

Brewed using a key ingredient from local chocolatiers Marou, Faiseurs de Chocolat, the Cyclo Imperial Chocolate Stout earned a prestigious gold medal in the 'Chocolate Beer' category at the biennial World Beer Cup, where 253 judges evaluated over 6,500 beers from nearly 1,900 breweries worldwide in 2016.

“We use European malts, while the hops are milder American varieties,” says brewmaster Dave Byrn.

“The real star, however, is the cacao nibs we carefully source from two farmers' crops in the Mekong Delta, along with whole cinnamon and vanilla beans.”

A beer of this caliber – and at a strong 13% ABV, best enjoyed in good company – comes in a 750 ml bottle, packaged in a handcrafted wooden case. You can pick one up at Pasteur Street’s taproom in District 1, HCMC.

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6. Tire Burning Weizen (Koh Kong, Cambodia)

Panitan Tongsiri, the founder of Stone Head Thai Craft Beer, found a clever workaround to Thailand’s restrictive brewing laws: brew in Cambodia and market it back home as an 'imported' beer.

“We’re the first, and currently the only, group of Thais with a microbrewery that brews and bottles its own beer independently,” says Tongsiri.

“Our mission is to shed light on the unfairness of Thailand’s brewing restrictions, and to spark a conversation about why Thais aren’t allowed to brew their own beer in their own country,” he adds.

Made with Hallertau hops – one of Europe’s esteemed 'noble hops' – Tire Burning is brewed at Stone Head’s facility in Koh Kong, Cambodia. This easy-drinking German-style wheat beer has a balanced profile with delicate notes of clove and banana.

While Stone Head aims to expand and distribute across Southeast Asia eventually, they currently only supply to Bangkok.

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7. Pernicious Weed (Wellington, New Zealand)

The small, three-person team at Garage Project in Wellington has arguably produced more beers in the past five years than almost any other brewery in the region.

From light, session-friendly brews like the 2% ABV Fugazi and the 2.9% Rhubarb Rhubarb Rhubarb, to boozy powerhouses such as Bastard Rye (13.75%) and Cockswain’s Courage (13.2%), these experimental brewers are always pushing the boundaries with different beer styles and ABVs.

Garage Project brews its intensely bitter and piney Pernicious Weed IPA with New Zealand’s Rakau and Nelson Sauvin hops, adding tropical notes of mango, grapefruit, and passion fruit to the resinous, earthy base. You can find their brews in Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand across the Asia-Pacific region.

Garage Project’s Wellington taproom in Aro Valley (91 Aro St) serves up 20 different brews, including two cask ales, with a takeaway shop just around the corner.

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8. Yama Sichuan Porter (Hong Kong)

Moonzen Brewery is among the many Asian craft breweries embracing their regional terroir, experimenting with locally sourced ingredients that infuse their beers with a unique sense of place, both in the bottle and on tap.

For example, the Yama Sichuan Porter, which founder and brewmaster Laszlo Raphael explains is inspired by the bold flavors of China’s Sichuan region, features Sichuan peppercorns and chilies as key ingredients.

“Yama is the ruler of the Chinese underworld, and upon death, he judges the soul,” says Raphael. “The concept we wanted to embody with this beer reflects that idea, imagining hell as a place that’s dark, smoky, and fiery.”

While Raphael notes that Yama pairs perfectly with classic Sichuan dishes like mapo tofu, he also recommends trying it with a pungent cheese, such as Stinking Bishop from England.

You can find Moonzen Brewery’s creations in Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, and Taiwan.

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9. Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout (Ibaraki, Japan)

A winner of the 2016 Hong Kong Beer Championship’s “Best Specialty” award, the bold and boozy Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout is Kiuchi Brewery’s interpretation of the traditional Russian imperial stout.

Brewed with roasted barley, four distinct malts, and earthy hops such as Chinook and Kent Goldings, this Espresso Stout derives its rich coffee character from espresso beans added directly to the kettle during the wort boiling process.

Produced both in Japan and at the new Hitachino Nest brewery in Hong Kong, Espresso Stout can be found in 10 countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

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10. Procrastination Pale Ale (San Pedro, Philippines)

Keep an eye on the Philippines, as it’s poised to become the next big hub for craft beer in Asia in the coming years.

Pedro Brewcrafters is at the forefront of this movement, making history as the first Filipino craft brewery to showcase their beers at Beertopia. Procrastination Pale Ale is one of their flagship brews.

Jaime Fanlo, head brewer and director of operations, explains, 'We wanted to craft a beer that offers crisp, well-balanced bitterness, perfect for enjoying on a hot, humid day.'

'We use a generous amount of American hops, like Citra and Centennial, to give the beer its signature aroma, while keeping the malt profile simple so the hops can truly shine,' says Fanlo.

Pedro Brewcrafters’ beers are easily found in craft-friendly bars, restaurants, and supermarkets across Manila. The brewery plans to release at least two new year-round beers and one seasonal brew in 2017.