International Beer Day 2023: The best locally brewed craft beers to celebrate with

Similar to Singapore’s humble beginnings, Pink Blossoms Brewing proves that the biggest successes come from simple origins. Painstakingly built from scratch in 2018, unlikely founder Hong Han started out as an accountant and tax adviser, whose work serendipitously led him to the vibrant world of American craft beer. The brewery’s philosophy prompts drinkers to seek out beauty in mundanity. Like how a sakura’s breathtaking bloom is short-lived yet unforgettable, the big, bold flavours of Pink Blossom’s brews are immortalised in our savouring of each sip.

The store’s flagship beers are aptly granted uplifting names. Its generously dry-hopped New England Pale Ale, Lean On Me, is a smooth blend of refreshing pale ale, infused with citrus and stone fruit hop aromas. Let It Be embodies its name with an IPA which changes from time to time at the whims of Pink Blossoms's creative team. Don’t miss their latest Imperial Stout, Never Say Goodbye, full-bodied and roasted with rich malt flavours—coffee, caramel and chocolate.

Pick your favourite bloom on the Pink Blossoms Brewing webstore.

One of the pioneers of the Singapore craft brewery experience, the Brewerkz legacy began in 1997 as a regular brewpub, later expanding into the restaurant business. A far cry from their unassuming start, Brewerkz now operates its own brewery and is the proud recipient of a multitude of honourable accolades in the brewing industry—a true parallel to Singapore’s own success story. Despite holding the title of Singapore’s oldest brewery, the company’s popularity stems from its contemporary designs and youthful soul.

Proving that Brewerkz always has a finger on the pulse, the company’s most recent achievement comes in the form of its Circuit Breaker New England IPA—the global winner of the 2021 Craft Beer Marketing Awards Global Crushie, in the category of “Best Can Design/Pandemic Related". The can’s design encapsulates the mundanity and desolation of a nation caught in the throes of Covid-19, and the revolutionary substyle of IPA is brewed with heaps of oats and wheat, creating a soft and silky mouthfeel. The tropical brew delivers bright hints of mango, cempedak and pineapple—a drinkable pick-me-up during these times of woe.

Get yourself an award-winning brew on the Brewerkz e-store.

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Another founding member of the local craft beer scene, Reddot is built upon raw passion and fondness for home brews. The company is run by a close-knit family. Founder Ernest Ng’s daughter, Crystalla, fell in love with the brewing process and her interest drove her to pursue a higher education in the science of beer brewing in VLB Berlin, the oldest beer brewing university in the world. An inspirational figure in a largely male-dominated industry, the young brewmaster’s adventures abroad and personal tales translate into unique and intriguing flavours.

The brewhouse’s signature brews include the Bottle Chrysanthemum Rum Lager—a Chinese dinner game-changer that deconstructs elements of white chrysanthemum & rum, as well as the Bottle Monster Green Lager—a sparkling green, Spirulina infused lager with a citrusy, malty aroma and crisp champagne flavour. Also noteworthy is the seasonal Heartlander Stout, an ode to our island home. Using coconut as its main ingredient theme, this medium-bodied creation tastes of toasted coconut and dark ripe fruits, giving off a comforting hazelnut and coffee aroma.

Get your hands on a Crystalla special through the RedDot e-store.

The troublemakers over at Trouble Brewing are driven by a sole purpose: to bring Singaporeans quality, fresh, local brews that taste good and are affordable. Priding themselves on being matter-of-fact and no-frills, the brand’s tongue-in-cheek philosophy prizes a simple, good drink over triple-hopped embellishments.

Enjoy rustic classics such as the Dodgy Tip—suited for hop-lovers with notes of roasted malts and torched maple with a spicy finish, and the Middle Child featuring saccharine notes of banana and pears, as well as herbal spice cloves with a fruity dry finish. Trouble has even come up with the perfect gift for our nation's birthday: the special edition Singapore Lager. The beer pours a typical crystal-clear light golden colour with a foamy white head. Light and rejuvenating, every swig of this drinks smooth, crisp and clean, and complements your favourite local cuisine well.

Thirsting for more trouble? Satisfy your craving on the Trouble website.

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Hippy gastronomist Francis Khoo’s chance encounter with award-winning Steve Spinney led to the conception of this craft beer. Khoo’s diligent honing of his taste experiences across the globe coupled with the Bali-based brewmaster's distinguished skills brought Singapore some of its finest in-house brews.

Marketed with groovy pop art pieces that range from bohemian to rockstar, the company's microbrewery is home to a captivating assortment of ales. You might be drawn to the alluring mermaid featured on the Sister Golden Ale—a golden brew serving big malt and fruit in the mouth with a distinctive hoppy nose, or take a stroll through Eden with the Four Letter Worts—a light ale, malt with ripe fruit and an elegant finish. You might even be enticed by the dark aura surrounding That Old Black Magic—a sinister blend of eight different malts and three types of hops to give a perfect bitter-sweet balance, leaving tastebuds tingling with chocolate and coffee.

Feast your sights on an illustrious array of artistic brew on the Little Island website.

Although this brewery only opened in 2020, it has already won multiple accolades including the winner of 2022 Craft Beer Marketing Awards. Co-founded by Clive Tan and Shirley Kee, this local brewery hopes to inject creative local flavours into its brews. For example, its Fluff up Belgian Witbier is a herbal and citrusy ale comprising raw wheat, oats, spices and orange peel. While the Snickerdoodle Milk Stout is a sweet ale, inspired by Christmas cookies. Available on Sunbird's website. 

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This Singaporean beer company has a rich history dating back to 1836. First originating in London, this brewery produced high quality ale for over 100 years, before being demolished in 1949. In 2018, the brewery was brought to life in Singapore by Will Julius. Today, Lion Brewery prides itself on continuing to craft high quality ale and hopes for it to be enjoyed all over the world. 

Enjoy classics like the Straits Pale Ale, a refreshing and crisp pint brewed for hot equatorial climates. The crisp and well-balanced pint is single-hopped with Citra, offering notes of lychee and citrus fruits. Available on Lion Brewery Co's website. 

One of Singapore’s foremost homegrown breweries, Brewlander grew out of a beer lover’s HDB flat and has since developed into a fully-automated brewery. Each beer is carefully brewed with quality ingredients and high standards in a variety of styles, from classic and recognisable flavours to more daring ones such as the “Love Wild IPA”, with notes of tropical fruit and a lingering bitterness on the palate.

This International Beer Day, don’t miss out on Brewlander’s very own beer festival, Brewnanza Fest by Brewlander. Running from August 3 to 6 at the Bayfront Event Space, the festival will feature over 20 local and international breweries, with more than 100 beers to sample.

Owned by three Singaporean brothers, Rye & Pint focuses on top quality ingredients to make beers in their Tuas craft brewery, where each bottle is kegged fresh from the fermenter to guarantee a wholesome and natural brew. The local brewery has a range of beers available all-year-round— from its refreshing “Sunday’s Brews Pilsner” to the Scream Ale with corn-like notes —as well as seasonal and small batch beers that are worth snapping up before they’re gone.

One of Singapore’s heritage breweries established in 1931, Archipelago Brewery continues its tradition of small-batch brewing to the present with flavours inspired by the little red dot. The “Tropical Pale Ale”, for one, combines passionfruit and citrus for a refreshing pour. But if you’re more into classic styles, choose the Irish ale, which combines six different malts for an ale that revels in sultry coffee and chocolate notes. Alternatively, try the Belgian Witbier for a crisp and smooth balm to beat the tropical heat.  

With Alive Brewing’s eclectic bottle designs and high quality brews, this local brewery started by a chemical engineer and financial analyst produces beer with passion. For something classic, choose the “One Night in Cologne”, a tribute to the Kölsch style of brewing originating from Cologne, Germany. And for those who love to have a little something unexpected, the “Chocolate Bomb” adds premium Belgian chocolate to an imperial stout for a sweet and creamy palate. 

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