Asia’s Beer Scene: Larger than Lager

Asia is home to some of the world’s largest lager brands – exported around the globe, and found adorned on the t-shirts sold at many of the street markets.  In recent years, craft beer has grown exponentially in popularity worldwide and Asia is no exception.  We’ve picked out four of the best destinations for imbibing the best brews  and because this is Asia, it is enjoyed with the magical union of beer and street food. Why not swap a popular lager for the more distinct flavours of local beers and join this dynamic, artisanal scene?  

1) BEIJING, CHINA

Microbreweries and brewpubs have sprung up across the city in the last few years, which also plays host to the ‘Beijing Invitational Craft Beer Festival’ – a celebration of craft beer featuring local breweries and craft breweries from around the world.  Don’t worry if you miss the beer festival though; just a few places to sample the best beers are NBeer Pub (the first solely Chinese-run craft beer venue in Beijing), JingA Brewpub, Slow Boat Brewpub, Great Leap Brewing and the newly opened Oh Yeah! Brewing. 

To make a bar crawl even easier, jump aboard a private tuk tuk stocked full of beer and be introduced to Beijing’s craft beer scene, whilst discovering the historic old town with its hutong neighbourhoods. Visit one of Beijing’s premium craft breweries nestled in a quaint hutong (or alleyway) to try expertly crafted beer, a hip brewpub and even a BBQ joint!

2) HANOI & HO CHI MINH, VIETNAM

Vietnam is now the top beer consumer in Southeast Asia. The beer scene here has history, with the French bringing their brewing techniques in the 19th century. ‘Bia hoi’ is the light, local draft lager, found in small bars and street corners in the north of the country (particularly Hanoi), which can cost as little as 30¢ a glass. It is brewed for a short time without preservatives — so is less alcoholic, contains less sugar and has a short shelf life. Sampling it is a must on a street food walking tour of Hanoi amidst the hidden lanes of the Old Quarter.

Down south at Ho Chi Minh City, craft beer is now a booming scene.   Delve into Vietnam’s nightlife and beer culture on a Vespa tour of Ho Chi Minh City. Pay a visit to the independent brewers who still produce small homemade batches of beer, to the more famous brand of craft beer and cider in town. Learn the actual brewing process and the ingredients involved.  Apart from multiple tastings of the best beers, each place also offers a variety of delicious and elaborate food pairings including gourmet tapas and some Vietnamese inspired bites.  

 

3) TOKYO, JAPAN

Japanese beer has been brewed in the country since the 19th century and is known worldwide for its quality and taste. Craft beer is much newer to the scene – but is now going from strength to strength.  Get a taste of it on a Tokyo tour of three craft beer bars in three unique neighbourhoods. Dive deep into the local bar and craft brewery culture, accompanied by delicious street food throughout the evening.

4) PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA

Cambodia’s capital city has a small but rapidly growing craft beer scene. Take a ramork (Cambodian-style tuk tuk) around Phnom Penh’s different neighbourhoods on a beer-bar-hopping adventure. Visit a variety of the city’s most popular craft beer venues – including a German-style beer garden, a riverside nano-brewery tour, a rooftop bar that offers the largest selection of locally and regionally produced craft beer in Cambodia – with a sampling of appetizers and pub grub along the way. 

If this has whet your appetite for something more exciting than a basic lager, contact our travel consultants below and discuss how a craft beer adventure can bring out an experience of Asia’s local flavours!

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