Page 20 - Thirst Magazine Issue 2 June 2017

THAILAND’S

CRAFT BEER

REVOLUTION Brewski, the first

craft beer bar on
a hotel rooftop
opened this year.
By Brian Bartusch
5 years ago, Thailand was a virtual beer wasteland. European classics that seem more like museum

Today, international craft beers can be purchased pieces than fresh brews.
Thankfully the drought of beer flavour ended
in bars thanks to importers. On the other hand, about 5 years ago when a few importers such
Thai home grown craft beers brewers are battling as Beervana, HopSession and Smiling Mad Dog
took the plunge and cut through mountains of
for a change on laws to sell their brews. paperwork, taxes and regulations to introduce
D o you think it’s going to rain?” delicious craft brew was flowing into Bangkok.
craft beers from around the globe.
The floodgates opened and soon a deluge of
On this particular Sunday afternoon we’re
It didn’t take long before craft-focused bars were
on a rooftop near the edge of central Bangkok,
popping up all over town. Several new importers
pondering the dark and cloudy skies.
followed suit, improving the variety of brews.
“Even if it does the brewery is covered.”
The delicious flavours and incomparable
I’m with a local home brewer named Tan. His brewery nuances found in craft beer couldn’t be
is a clandestine operation shaded by banana trees and a contained by Bangkok and soon word was
neighbouring low-rise condo. He’s one of several hundred out across the Kingdom. Craft was flowing
such outlaw brewers who are currently making small ripples from Chiang Mai to Phuket and everywhere in
in Thailand’s sea of Big Beer. between. The palates of thousands of locals had
He’s set out a vast array of illegal local home brews awakened and there was no going back.
alongside an equally impressive cache of imported craft beer Bars, restaurants and media were soon
from around the world for us to sample today. We’re doing a buzzing about craft beer and the newest quest
bottle share and getting a little tipsy as he brews. He checks was for craft on draft. Recently developed ‘one-
the kettle of boiling froth and adds more hops, increasing way’ disposable plastic kegs made it easy to
the bitterness in this rich brown ale. We have a few minutes send draft beer overseas without shipping empty
before the remaining hop additions to reflect on how quickly steel kegs back. Cold rooms and tap walls were
the beer scene has grown in Thailand, and how much change starting to open in bars across town, including
is still needed. tap walls with 40 taps solely devoted to craft
Five years ago the Kingdom was a virtual beer wasteland. beer. A welcome change from just a year before
Beer markets were dominated by the common local lagers, when Hoegaarden and Guinness were the only
Singha and Chang, long established and ubiquitous Thai interesting drafts in any abundance.
brands. The only variety available was found with a few Yet the full evolution of craft had yet to be
German, British and Belgian standards. While nothing is realized. It wasn’t long after those first bottles
wrong with these foamy drops, there was also nothing new left the port and made their way to beer lovers
or exciting about them. The selections were old and tired before many had the thought, ‘Can I make beer

20

t 24, Marine wanted to move to the
other side of the world to distil spirits.
FEATURE_CraftBeerThailand.indd 20 28/5/2017 11:11:50 PM
Recently graduated from university
with little working experience, her
Aparents tried to convince her to gain
a few more years experience before starting this
adventure. “Why wait when you can do it now?”
she thought, so she packed and went to Thailand
with her partner, Thibault Spithakis.
Six years later in 2016, the distiller created
Chalong Bay Rum, a pure sugar cane rum,
naming the spirit after the beach near where the
distillery sits (“chalong” also means “celebration”
in Thai). The agricole-style rum has won several
awards since 2012.
WHY PHUKET?

“Phuket holds a special place in my heart and
I can’t tell you how grateful I am to the people
on the island after the tsunami in 2004. So many
people died but my family survived. I believe
there is a reason for that.” So when Marine and
Thibault decided they wanted to start a business
together, the location was never a question.