Page 21 - Thirst Magazine Issue 2 June 2017

like this myself, here in Thailand?’ With this, the
Thai craft beer revolution was born.
The laws of Thailand only allow brewing
under two types of permits. The first is for
commercial brewing with a minimum of 10
million litres of beer per year, and minimum Professionally bottled
registered capital of 10 million baht. This permit and labelled Thai
allows for packaging and selling beer off-site. brews during a home
The second is a brewpub-only permit that brew competition.
has a minimum of at least 100,000 litres of
beer per year and restricts the brewery from
packaging its beer and selling off-site. Local
zoning laws are also a factor that combined with
the restrictive permits have stifled the growth of
craft breweries in Thailand.
Thankfully, some early pioneers with a
passion for brewing were willing to break these
laws. P. Chit is the brewer whom many consider
to be the grandfather of Thai craft brewing. He
started ‘Chit Beer’ in Pak Kret, a small island in
the Chao Phraya River, north of Bangkok. Let The Boy Die sold locally
P. Chit was the first Thai citizen to proudly brewed beers and was shut
brew and sell his illegal beer as well as host down by the authorities
numerous times.
brewing education workshops, which led to the
1st generation of Thai brewers.
Many of his students have since taken their of ‘Taopiphop’s Ale Project’, recently felt the wrath of local
passion and recipes abroad to have their beer laws when the police and the Excise Department raided his
brewed legally in nearby countries such as brewery/bar in January 2017. His expensive brewing gear was
Taiwan and Cambodia. Some have travelled confiscated and he was taken into police custody. Tao was
as far away as Japan and Australia, mainly soon released after paying a reduced fine, only to find he had
looking for high-quality breweries in nations become an overnight celebrity. He has since been interviewed
with favourable export agreements to Thailand. by several national news outlets and the story of his passion
One group of Thai brewers went even further for beer and willingness to break the laws for it has made him
by setting up their own brewery in Cambodia, a nationwide sensation.
which is now producing the brand Stone Head Even Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha released a
as well as contract brewing for other Thai statement soon after Tao’s arrest regarding illegal home brew,
brewers. Their beer is then shipped back to saying: “You can’t just brew it in the back of a shop, in the
Thailand and subject to import and excise taxes. back of your house, or in your toilet. There have to be rules
Some brewers consider this an unnecessary and regulations.”
and expensive process, instead seeing value in Home brewers know sanitation is of utmost importance
keeping the revenue in the country by building and would never make beer in a toilet, but the general
their own breweries right here at home. does have a valid point about rules and regulations. Many
The rush to get beer on the market has led to countries allow home brewers to make beer, but none allow
a rapid influx of ‘Thai craft’. Many of the beers the legal sales of this beer to consumers. Home brew in
still aren’t quite world class, however there are a Thailand is most often sold to bars and restaurants as well as
few standouts such as Sandport and Happy New home consumers without any regulations, taxation, or quality
Beer, who have produced brews that compare control. This could be why some recent changes in alcohol
well to their imported counterparts. It’s only a control laws will increase the penalties for home brewing
matter of time before these beers from the first from less than a few hundred dollars to several thousand
wave of Thai brewers will be considered top- dollars, along with the real possibility of spending time in jail.
shelf suds. The fines for selling and possession of home-brewed beer will
The underground and illegal beer scene be significantly increased as well.
continues to thrive, despite recent government But there is hope, and as Tan completes his batch of
and police crackdowns. One brewer, Khun Tao, rooftop brew without rain or police interruption, he knows
his exposure is minimal and unless he starts selling his beer,
he’ll likely never be caught. The Thai beer scene will continue
YOU CAN’T JUST BREW IT IN THE BACK to flourish with a steady stream of world-class imported
brews to inspire the illegal home brewers like Tan and Tao,
OF A SHOP, IN THE BACK OF YOUR who plan to take their recipes abroad for contract brewing
and ultimately import back to Thailand.
HOUSE, OR IN YOUR TOILET. THERE HAVE the leaders of Thailand will change the laws and open
Beyond their determination is the undying dream that
TO BE RULES AND REGULATIONS. up to the vast opportunities in craft brewing that are
being lost overseas.

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