The local brewery created the new bitter brew in response to the closure of their Mongkok tap room due to a sudden rent hike
In a time when the F&B industry continues to struggle, with businesses reporting up to a 90 per cent decrease in revenue, it’s shocking to hear about the closure of local gems such as The Ale Project due to rent increases. On 14 August, beer fans were left bereft as the Kowloon tap room announced their closure on social media, citing that their landlord had listed their space for almost a 50 per cent premium on their current rent—a cost they simply cannot afford. The last day of service for The Ale Project, which has stood proud on Hak Po Street for the last six years, will be on 7 September, 2020.
The Ale Project was opened in 2014 by Young Master’s Rohit Dugar together with Chris Wong, co-founder of HK Brewcraft, and Phil Chan, and was one of Kowloon’s earliest craft beer bars. Eschewing the flashy, hipster aesthetic of taprooms around the world, The Ale Project was a modest space with decidedly budget interiors but a whole lot of heart poured into their food and drink offerings. The venue proudly served a list of beers that were dominated by local brews, while the international offerings were both esoteric and fascinating, highlighting brewers with a story to tell rather than falling back on conglomerate brands. To match, the food was a unique proposition too: Cubano sandwiches made with Cantonese-style roast pork belly, for example, or the distinctly Hong Kong touch in their salt-and-pepper shrimp po’boy.
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