Home-grown tipples at Beerfest

NEWS: THE STRAITS TIMES

Home-grown tipples at Beerfest

The 1925 Microbrewery & Restaurant's director Ivan Yeo and brewmaster Yeo King Joey (right) will be taking their beer to Beerfest Asia 2016.
Written by Anjali Raguraman for The Straits Times on June 10, 2016
See the actual report here: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/home-grown-tipples-at-beerfest

As you sample brews from all over the world at the upcoming Beerfest Asia, leave room for some home-grown tipples as Singapore producers are putting out some new drinks for the event.

A Beerfest veteran, craft beer maker Archipelago Brewery, for example, is launching 10 new flavours, including Crouching Tiger, Flying Barrel, an ale fermented using three different yeast strains, pushing its ABV (alcohol by volume) to a boozy 15 per cent.

Family-run 1925 Microbrewery & Restaurant, a three-year-old company located in Jalan Besar, will bring three beers to the festival: a dark ale (BLK 6.22), a pale ale (The Yellow Van) and an Indian Pale Ale (Small Monster), all priced at $8 for a 330ml pour.

Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (APBS) will also release two new limited edition brews under the Tiger brand: Tiger Black, a full-strength amber lager brewed with Asian black rice, and Tiger White, a wheat beer with coriander, clove and citrus notes. Both will be on tap and go for $9 a pour.

Beerfest Asia, which has 35 exhibitors from around the world, will take place from June 16 to 19 at Marina Promenade.

For hopheads, beer geeks and enthusiasts, it is a great chance to try great beers from around the world in one spot.

For exhibitors, it is a good test-bed for their new products, since organisers expect about 34,000 visitors this year.

As head of Archipelago Brewery, Mr Malcolm Davies, says: “The easiest way to measure what works is which one moves the fastest, and which one people keep coming back for. If something really takes off, it becomes a permanent variant.”

The Tuas-based brewery is also launching an open fermentation, Finnish-style Juniper Sahti, and a Flowers Pale Lager with hops flowers thrown in. You might even find a bit of hop leaf floating in the lager, which is left unfiltered to retain its natural carbonation.

Mr Davies says: “All the beers that we’re taking to the Fest are focused on punching you in the nose with aroma and making you go wow even before you drink it.”

With so much quality booze on offer, you may be worried about how to ration your alcohol units.

This is where the beer sampling platters will come in useful. The platters, with six 50ml portions, start at upwards of $8 a set at selected booths.

Entertainment options are also aplenty for those who like some music or theatre with their beer.

There are three marquee stages, including an all new Electronic Dance Music stage hosting 17 female deejays.

Perennial favourites such as tribute bands dedicated to David Bowie (Major Tom) and Bon Jovi (Slippery When Wet) and a Singapore Beatles tribute act by Jack & Rai together with The Day Trippers will perform at the other two stages.

The comedy tent, with its $28 entry fee, also returns with Canadian comedians Wes Zaharuk and Lars Callieou.