Tiger Beer relaunches its icy cold Tiger Crystal

First launched in 2010, Tiger Beer’s Tiger Crystal – made using a special cold filtration process – makes a comeback to a hopefully less frosty reception.

In a rather surprising move, Tiger Beer has official announced the release of an all-new Tiger Crystal, a beer that’s made with what the beer brand calls a “unique -1°C crystal cold filtration process” that helps “preserve and enhance the most desirable flavours and aroma”. The result from the process is an easy-to-drink pale gold lager that is crisp and refreshing, and “specially brewed to deliver a truly premium experience from start to finish”.

We say the move is surprising because this exact same beer was actually first released back in 2010 that it hoped then to target a more sophisticated and discerning modern-day drinker i.e. not your usual hardcore lau-hor drinking uncles at the nearby kopitiam. Despite its initial success at launch, Tiger Crystal would flounder and just a few years later was withdrawn from the Singapore. Instead it found more success in the rest of Southeast Asia, such as Vietnam, Thailand and even Myanmar.

But it seems Tiger Beer’s brand owner Heineken has deemed that it’s time to bring Tiger Crystal home. “Having been here for over 80 years, Tiger has a special bond with local beer-lovers and we have the brewing expertise to explore new flavour profiles that would energise the industry,” said Faye Wee, Marketing Director of Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore.

“Tiger Crystal caters to a new generation who prefers a less bitter and more refreshing crystal cold beer that’s suitable for any occasion at any time of the day. We are thrilled to continue growing our locally brewed portfolio, and we’re confident that (it) will appeal to a younger generation of Singaporeans,” Wee adds.

Tiger Beer insists that despite the similar name and branding, this Tiger Crystal is a different animal from the previous one launched in 2010. For example, it comes at an ABV of 4.6% instead of 4.3%, a slightly larger bottle at 325ml instead of 300ml, and is actually made in Singapore. The previous edition was made in China, it revealed.

But still the beer makes a return to Singapore at a time when the consumer is spoilt for choice and a market even more competitive than it was back in 2010. Aside from the craft beer boom in recent years – resulting in an explosion of interest in both locally brewed and imported craft beers – there’s also a growth in the cider and wine segments that target exactly the same demographic.

For Tiger Beer’s sake, here’s hoping more Singaporeans, err, warm up to (the new) Tiger Crystal.

Tiger Crystal is now available at a recommended retail price of $12.90 for a 4-bottle pack at all major supermarkets and select e-retailers, and is also available at restaurants and bars (prices vary).

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