Time passes so quickly when you’re having fun, and… oh look, it’s time for Beerfest Asia again!
But since it can be quite challenging to plow through similarly inebriated fellow festival goers to find out what you may like, we’ve put together a list of beers you may want to put on your must-try list:
For the session drinker.
1. Box Steam Brewery Piston Broke (Shiok Beers, Booth B0)
First time in Singapore and debuting in Beerfest Asia, the Piston Broke from Midlands, UK-based Box Steam Brewery is an easy-drinking golden ale with refreshing citrus notes and has low bitterness.
2. Archipelago Limited Edition Steam Beer (Asia Pacific Breweries, Booth R11)
Singapore’s own Archipelago Beer will be showing off not one but two limited edition beers for theis year’s Beerfest. Aside from the recently launched Yuzucha, they will also be debuting a California Commons style beer that promises refreshing drinkability.
3. Bridge Road Beechworth Pale Ale (TSA Wines, Booth R12)
This aromatic pale ale from Victoria, Australia-based Bridge Road Brewers is a perfect session beer – available on tap – that you can keep drinking the whole night. Or the entire four-day festival.
4. Hitachino Nest Yuzu Saison (Eastern Craft Trading, Booth B3)
One of Hitachino Nest‘s newest beers, the Yuzu Saison sees the use of citrusy yuzu fruit in a traditional farmhouse style ale that’s crisp, lightly bitter and fruity at the same time.
5. Moon Dog Bjorn To Boogie (TSA Wines, Booth R12)
This incredibly refreshing wheat beer from quirky small Aussie craft brewery Moon Dog Brewing sees the use of watermelon for a uniquely fruity taste.
6. Estrella Damm Inedit (Asia Pacific Breweries, Booth R11)
For those with a touch of class, the Estrella Inedit was conceived by molecular gastronomy genius Ferran Adria of the now defunct El Bulli. The Inedit is a lovely Belgian style witbier with citrusy and light spice notes.
7. Mountain Goat Fancy Pants (Rogue Merchants, Booth B1)
It’s what Melbourne, Australia-based Mountain Goat originally wanted to do for its mainstay Hightail Ale if they had free reign. Now it has – and it’s a lovely full-flavoured session ale with tropical fruit and spice notes.
8. Mikkeller Singapore Dream (The Drinking Partners, Booth B19-20)
What happens when you challenge Danish gypsy brewer Mikkeller to make a beer to beat Singapore’s infamous heat and humidity? This hoppy pilsner is the result.
9. Summer Wine Brewery Barista Espresso Stout (Applehops, Booth B8-9)
If you want a light drinking stout, this delicate and smooth Arabica coffee infused stout from Yorkshire, UK-based Summer Wine is sweet, bitter and slightly acidic at the same time – like a good coffee would be.
10. Stassen Elderflower Lime (Shiok Beers, Booth B0)
But if you’re not really a beer drinker and cider is more of your thing, try this one by Belgium’s Stassen with flavours of floral elderflower, sweet pear and zesty lime that combine for a refreshing taste.
For hardcore beer snobs.
11. Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Pretzel, Raspberry and Chocolate Ale (Beerstyle Distribution, Booth B5-6)
This limited edition collaboration with Oregon-based doughnut shop Voodoo Doughnut by Rogue Ales is the third of its series, and this beer promises the liquid version of your favourite pastry (although without the sweetness).
12. Buxton Brewery Tsar Bomba (Applehops, Booth B8-9)
Derby, England-based Buxton Brewery has less than 60 bottles of this exclusive imperial stout – made with yeast rescued from a 34-year old vessel used to make the original Courage Imperial Russian Stout – left. Only 12 bottles will made available during the whole festival.
13. Wild Beer Co Put It In Your Pipe (Applehops, Booth B8-9)
Cigar enthusiasts will enjoy the smoky flavours of this stout – from Somerset, England’s Wild Beer Co – with rich, tea-like flavours. Probably would go very well with certain cigars too, really.
14. De Molen Rasputin (The Drinking Partners, Booth B19-20)
Dutch brewery De Molen is famous for its big bold beers, and the Rasputin is an imperial stout that’s one of its most highly regarded brews. Available on tap too!
15. De Molen Hell and Damnation (The Drinking Partners, Booth B19-20)
Also on tap from De Molen is the insane Hel & Verdoemenis, or Hell and Damnation, an imperial stout made with oak chips that’s been soaked in 40-year old cognac. For those who want their beer and spirits at the same time, and drink it too.
16. Schneider Weisse TapX Porter Weisse (Dre@mfields, Booth R7-8)
Schneider Weisse‘s TapX series is its limited edition line, and this Porter Weisse combines the traditional English porter with the Bavarian wheat beer styles for an insane strong dark wheat ale. Achtung, baby.
17. Westmalle Dubbel (The Drinking Partners, B19-20)
Made by Trappist monks, the Westmalle Dubbel (double) is a Belgian strong dark ale in a style previously made for religious purposes but now commonly enjoyed across Belgium and the world. Available on tap, but just one keg for the whole of the festival.
18. Summer Wine Padrino Imperial Affogato Stout (APPLEHOPS, BOOTH B8-9)
Think of this as as a very alcoholic version of your favourite Italian affogato – ice cream and espresso in a match made in heaven. Packs an alcoholic punch too.
19. Stone Ruination IPA (Beerstyle Distribution Booth B5-6)
Stone’s much beloved Ruination IPA, now available on tap for the first time in Singapore, right here at Beerfest Asia. Big, bold and very delicious.
20. Heretic Brewing Evil Cousin Double IPA (BEERSTYLE DISTRIBUTION BOOTH B5-6)
Debuting at Beerfest Asia, and also new in Singapore, is Heretic Brewing‘s Evil Cousin, an in-your-face West Coast style imperial IPA that’s big, sticky and aggressive.
21. Bristol Beer Factory UN/LIMITED Double IPA (APPLEHOPS, BOOTH B8-9)
Part of its new UN/LIMITED range, the Double IPA blends Simcoe, Citra, Amarillo and Centennial hops for a full American style imperial IPA experience.
22. Anderson Valley Gatlin Damnosus (BEERSTYLE DISTRIBUTION BOOTH B5-6)
Available on tap, the Gatlin Damnosus from Anderson Valley Brewing Company is a sour American barleywine that’s aged in bourbon barrels for a vinous, woody, sour yet fruity character.
23. Wild Beer Co/Beavertown Rubus Maximus (APPLEHOPS, BOOTH B8-9)
A collaboration between two of England’s most cutting-edge breweries, this is a beautiful dry, tart beer that’s made with wild yeast and tons of raspberries. Only 1 keg available at Beerfest!
24. Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12 (Eastern Craft Trading B3)
If you’re a fan of Highland Park single malt whisky, this is Harviestoun’s Old Engine Oil porter aged in whisky casks that once held 12-year old Highland Park whisky.
25. Theakston Distillers Cask Range Finest Masham Ale (EASTERN CRAFT TRADING B3)
A full bodied ale that’s been aged in Speyside whisky casks for a slightly sweet, caramelized fruit flavor culminating in a warm, smooth lingering finish.
26. Nogne O Sunturnbrew Bourbon Barrel Aged (Dre@mfields, R7-8)
A monstrous smoked barleywine from Norway’s Nøgne ø, with layers of smoke, vanilla, licorice and sweet malts and then aged in bourbon barrels for a big vanilla and spice kick.
Bonus – Whiskies!
27. Yamazaki Distiller’s Edition (Beam Suntory, W01-17)
Beam Suntory recently launched a Distiller’s Reserve edition for its Yamazaki and Hakushu lines of whisky, and they’ll be present at the Whisky & Wine Experience tent at Beerfest Asia. The Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve is a classic Yamazaki with a slight twist; it contains young whisky finished in French oak wine casks from Bordeaux, adding notes of strawberry.
28. Bowmore The Devil’s Cask (BEAM SUNTORY, W01-17)
The Devil’s Cask hails from the distillery’s vaunted No. 1 Vaults, the oldest maturation warehouse in the whole of Scotland, and is an amazingly complex whisky full of fruitcake and tabacco notes that ends with an exceptionally long and full-bodied finish.
And if these aren’t enough for you, you can preview the entire beer list at Beerfest Asia here, as well as the range of spirits at the Whisky & Wine Experience.
[…] like the list we put together last year, if you’re attending this year we looked through the offerings at the four-day event to sort […]
[…] like the lists we put together last year and the year before, we sorted out the beers and ciders available at Beerfest Asia and recommend 29 of them you may […]