warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Vietnamese Craft Beer Scene
I've written about the growing Vietnamese craft beer scene that surprised me when I first ran into it. Here's another example of it, although I do not think I stepped in for a drink.
Clearly targeted at tourists and expats, but growing incomes in Vietnam has lead to a shift in local attitudes. From what I've been reading there has also been an increase in bars selling craft beers in parts of Vietnam where tourists usually don't venture. During my travels in other Asian countries I was able to find craft beers as well, but it was very rare to find them marketed like this, targeting craft beer lovers with terminology they will understand and appreciate.
To give you an idea how much these cost, 95k works out to about $4 USD and 160k to $7. A more traditional bia hoi, which is very popular with locals and is brewed daily will set you back about 5-10k, or about 20-40 cents. It is a very light lager with a 3% or so alcohol content, usually found in the northern part of the country. Craft beers in comparison offer more flavour and usually more alcohol content.
One thing I liked about Vietnamese craft beers is that many of the beers use local ingredients, leading to unique flavours. Vietnam has an abundance of different kind of fruit growing within its borders, which has contributed to this exploration of new flavour combinations. The local love of coffee has also had an impact, but Vietnamese craft breweries have been looking to all sorts of locally grown ingredients for inspiration, such as jasmine and sugarcane.
Many of these breweries have been started up by foreigners, such as East West's head brewer Sean Thommen, who hails from Portland, Oregon. This is slowly changing as well, as craft beer has really caught on here and will probably continue to grow. Western craft beer brands usually can't compete either, as beer imports face heavy tariffs and high taxes. This has lead to a unique craft beer scene that I dare say would excite almost any craft beer lover.
I've written about the growing Vietnamese craft beer scene that surprised me when I first ran into it. Here's another example of it, although I do not think I stepped in for a drink.

Clearly targeted at tourists and expats, but growing incomes in Vietnam has lead to a shift in local attitudes. From what I've been reading there has also been an increase in bars selling craft beers in parts of Vietnam where tourists usually don't venture. During my travels in other Asian countries I was able to find craft beers as well, but it was very rare to find them marketed like this, targeting craft beer lovers with terminology they will understand and appreciate.
To give you an idea how much these cost, 95k works out to about $4 USD and 160k to $7. A more traditional bia hoi, which is very popular with locals and is brewed daily will set you back about 5-10k, or about 20-40 cents. It is a very light lager with a 3% or so alcohol content, usually found in the northern part of the country. Craft beers in comparison offer more flavour and usually more alcohol content.
One thing I liked about Vietnamese craft beers is that many of the beers use local ingredients, leading to unique flavours. Vietnam has an abundance of different kind of fruit growing within its borders, which has contributed to this exploration of new flavour combinations. The local love of coffee has also had an impact, but Vietnamese craft breweries have been looking to all sorts of locally grown ingredients for inspiration, such as jasmine and sugarcane.
Many of these breweries have been started up by foreigners, such as East West's head brewer Sean Thommen, who hails from Portland, Oregon. This is slowly changing as well, as craft beer has really caught on here and will probably continue to grow. Western craft beer brands usually can't compete either, as beer imports face heavy tariffs and high taxes. This has lead to a unique craft beer scene that I dare say would excite almost any craft beer lover.