The title is a pun from Agent 007's martini preference: "Shaken, not stirred".
And beer has been around since 5,000 years ago, in what is now Iran (or Iraq?) of all places where the omelette also originated, and probably brought to Europe by soldiers of the Roman Empire and took on by the Germans who concocted the ales and lagers of today.
But it was to the UK that we owe the microbrewery movement which began in the 1970s, the progenitor of craft beer which is defined in Wikipedia as "small, independent and traditional".
In other words, craft beer should be artisanal (hand made), small (home-based) and local, like the those offered by the taps of Pierre's Craft Beer and Liquor Cellar in Morato corner ERod that showcase an array of potions from nearby provinces (Life of Pablo IPA from Boracay, Juicy IPA from Makati, Juice Ko Po NE IPA from Pampanga).
Pierre is actually the owner who exlained that he intentionally kept the bar unsigned to capture the speakeasy context of the past, and Oskar was happy being there after our Manila Face-to-Face.
I am too because to me, Pierre is KUYA Pierre.
The Philippine craft beer movement is in its early years but has been expanding fast from its Manila enclave to the provinces, and I was happily surprised that a local brand (Amihan Blonde Ale from the Santiago Brewery and Malthouse in Antipolo) is in the menu of the Cavite Republic Restaurant in Trece Martires City.
I struggled whether to attend the constitution of Kalayaan Court No. 61 in Cavite or just stay in Manila where I will leave for Bangkok the next day, and that unexpected experience assured me I made the right decision.
The craft beer culture is alive in Bangkok but precariously due to draconian regulations that has effectively ensured Thai Beverages' (maker of Singha, Chang and Leo through its Boon Rawd Brewery) monopoly over the Thai beer industry, so much that Thai craft beer has to go underground by being brewed outside the country and exported back.
There were good taps at Brewski and Bad Burger (Thai White Ale) but those from Hair of the Dog and Craft that I taste-tested during the ASEAN Lawyers' Meeting are mainly imported craft beer (US and European) which in my opinion does not qualify as local and therefore not 100 percent craft.
Honestly, I think these self-declared craft beer joints are just fancy bars selling imported beer to northern expats in Bangkok.
I am hopeful that someday, Thai craft beer will have the enabling environment it requires to grow and prosper but in the meantime, Lao Beer is in and Singha/Chang/Leo out as my contribution in challenging the hegemony of the monopoly, although I am disppointed to be denied entry to the Havana Social (no slippers policy) and did not really enjoy the Westin Grande Sukhumvit's superb breakfast buffet due to a dental issue.
And beer has been around since 5,000 years ago, in what is now Iran (or Iraq?) of all places where the omelette also originated, and probably brought to Europe by soldiers of the Roman Empire and took on by the Germans who concocted the ales and lagers of today.
But it was to the UK that we owe the microbrewery movement which began in the 1970s, the progenitor of craft beer which is defined in Wikipedia as "small, independent and traditional".
In other words, craft beer should be artisanal (hand made), small (home-based) and local, like the those offered by the taps of Pierre's Craft Beer and Liquor Cellar in Morato corner ERod that showcase an array of potions from nearby provinces (Life of Pablo IPA from Boracay, Juicy IPA from Makati, Juice Ko Po NE IPA from Pampanga).
Pierre is actually the owner who exlained that he intentionally kept the bar unsigned to capture the speakeasy context of the past, and Oskar was happy being there after our Manila Face-to-Face.
I am too because to me, Pierre is KUYA Pierre.
The Philippine craft beer movement is in its early years but has been expanding fast from its Manila enclave to the provinces, and I was happily surprised that a local brand (Amihan Blonde Ale from the Santiago Brewery and Malthouse in Antipolo) is in the menu of the Cavite Republic Restaurant in Trece Martires City.
I struggled whether to attend the constitution of Kalayaan Court No. 61 in Cavite or just stay in Manila where I will leave for Bangkok the next day, and that unexpected experience assured me I made the right decision.
The craft beer culture is alive in Bangkok but precariously due to draconian regulations that has effectively ensured Thai Beverages' (maker of Singha, Chang and Leo through its Boon Rawd Brewery) monopoly over the Thai beer industry, so much that Thai craft beer has to go underground by being brewed outside the country and exported back.
There were good taps at Brewski and Bad Burger (Thai White Ale) but those from Hair of the Dog and Craft that I taste-tested during the ASEAN Lawyers' Meeting are mainly imported craft beer (US and European) which in my opinion does not qualify as local and therefore not 100 percent craft.
Honestly, I think these self-declared craft beer joints are just fancy bars selling imported beer to northern expats in Bangkok.
I am hopeful that someday, Thai craft beer will have the enabling environment it requires to grow and prosper but in the meantime, Lao Beer is in and Singha/Chang/Leo out as my contribution in challenging the hegemony of the monopoly, although I am disppointed to be denied entry to the Havana Social (no slippers policy) and did not really enjoy the Westin Grande Sukhumvit's superb breakfast buffet due to a dental issue.
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