Brewing in Singapore

tHE bIG mOVE

2010-09-29T14:19:00.000-07:00

I have move my Blog. I hi-jacked my other blog site- the Pau Hana Time Lounge and - I have changed the name. All further post from my adventures here in Amerika will there (please use the link below):

http://pau-hanatime.blogspot.com/

The Singbrewer Blog will remain intact but, with the exception of visits to Asia, will remain silent.

Phnom Penh Again Again

2010-08-30T06:21:00.001-07:00

I just got back from a long weekend in Phnom Penh Cambodia (great town). This was my 4th time to Cambodia and my third time to Phnom Penh (once in Angkor Wat/Siem Reap with my sister). I have enjoyed all four of my trips to Cambodia immensely - and each one was distinctly different (in it's own way).

Phnom Penh is changing fairly quickly. It is getting some well deserved economic growth. And Phnom Penh is working hard at improving it's image. Just two years ago the water front along Tonle Sap & the Mekong was just dirt - dusty, devoid of tress or grass and scattered with litter. Now there is grass, tress, shrubs, a nicely tiled walkway, and the area is alive with activity (well at least at night when it is cool enough). In the evening brightly lit boats drift along in a cool breeze. (well, passes for a cool breeze in Phnom Penh)

If you wanna see some of the pictures check here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/

or Jeff's photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffinsing/

I will say that Phnom Penh is a fun town with lots to do and see; the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda (Wat), nice & friendly people, three micro-breweries, lotsa great food (that is inexpensive), cheap beer, several good markets, nice coffee, Nagaworld Casino (if you are into that kind of thing), a nice river front walk, Boat trips down the Mekong, cheap massage, inexpensive hotels, a few good clubs (if you are into that kind of thing), good bands, some great random wanderings, beautiful Wats, an interesting national museum, (albeit somewhat in need of a make over), Tuk Tuk rides, a variety of fried insects (if you are into that kind of thing), historical buildings, and a rich & complex history. Did I mention how nice & friendly the people were ?

And I will say I find it disturbing that there seems to have grown up a whole industry related to their very unfortunate recent past (how many time will you have to tell Tuk Tuk Drivers "No thank you, I don't want to see the killing fields - ever!"). Honestly it was hard enough just to read about their suffering (there are dozens of books on the Khmer Rouge rule, those sad years & the genocide of their own people), I do not want to see those places first hand. Tuol Sleng, the Killing Fields, and blowing up a cow with left over army missile launchers - those things should not be tourist attractions.

But I digress - Cambodia is a great place to visit. If you have not visited there yet you should go (and soon, before it all looks like the Nagaworld Casino - not that there is anyting wrong with NagaWorld, per se ...... )

Middle Age Brains

2010-08-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

About 10 years ago a young man (we'll call him Joey) said to me "You're old dude, what's good about that ?" And at the time* I thought well, several things; I own my own house, I make good money (at least better than he did), I have gained some wisdom over the years (and although some might disagree - they did know me at his age), I am a calmer person now than I once was, and maybe best of all - I know better than to treat people with disrespect (saying dumb things like - "You're old dude, what's good about that ?").

But my only response was "lots of things" and left it at that. I felt it was a bit of a weak retort back then, but it was all I could come up with (spur of the moment and all). I didn't really have a lot of facts to back up my thoughts on the subject.

Well, now I can add to that. Recent studies have shown that although middle aged people may not be the best choice for pro sports players and they may have more trouble remembering names, or some individual facts and factoids, they are better at several types/ways of cognitive thinking. It turns out that when it comes to the brain there are several advantages middle aged people have over younger people.

Check out the article below. (and the Podcast on NPR Fresh Air - with Mary Gross - below)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-strauch/aging-the-secret-life-of_b_543298.html

or the Pod Cast here

http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13&prgDate=4-14-2010

So if you are approaching or in middle age (defined as 40 - 60) you have a few things to look forward to, and you can .... ahh .... whats that word I'm looking for ?? - oh yeah - postpone. You can postpone your mid life crisis till your 60+

"MYTH FIVE: Our brains operate best in our 20s.

In fact, our brains, in most important areas, reach their peak in midlife. We get better in a whole range of areas, including inductive reasoning, vocabulary, judgment, even the ability to get the "gist'' of an argument and find solutions. There is evidence that we can also become more creative as we age."

Yo Joey - "HA HA !" (ok, mature brain doesn't mean you always act like a grown up)

* at the time - I was still in my early 30's and not even at middle age yet

What the …. @#%*!!?!? (Brewing in the Tropics – things you never thought you would have to think about)

2010-08-24T00:40:00.001-07:00

So, like most brewers I learned to brew in a temperate climate (in Seattle in America’s NW corner). It may be damp but it is cool (or even cold) and when it is warm (the short period that it actually is warm) it is dry. But it is not so my friends when one lives in the tropics. It is ALWAYS warm and almost constantly damp. And these two things together can cause you some interesting problems for a brewer. For example I had bottom man-ways installed on all our fermentation vessels – they are safer, easier to access, have no cleaning shadow and are thus easier to keep clean – but because of the way they (necessarily) have to be made they are not insulated. In the north (where it is at least cool at night) the cold from the rest of the tank “telegraphs” down the stainless steal of the cone and keeps your yeast cool. In SE Asia, where it is about 32 degrees (94 F) most of days and nights the whole of the cone warms up and all your yeast sitting down in the bottom of the cone warms up as well - and then it dies. Bottom access manways are just not ideal for a tropical climate.

The heat; Yes, I know it sounds obvious but heat build up in an already hot climate can be a killer. The average ambient temperature in Singapore is about 33 degree C (about 92F). Add to that, heat absorbing brink or cement building or an un-insulated roof or poor ventilation, or steam leaks, or just a hot brew house full of boiling wort and the temperature can hit 38 degree C (around 102 F) and the humidity – that is a lot of sweating and at least one change of clothing a day (usually two).

Also one never thinks (or at least I never gave much thought to) malt vermin. In most temperate climate breweries their malt source is near by, deliveries are frequent, malt gets used fast and the temperature is cool (at least at nights). But did you know that there are weevil eggs in your malt (in all malt, it is already there) – the malt comes to you with the weevil eggs in it, and moth eggs too. Given enough time (about 2-3 months) at a warm temperature, these eggs will start to hatch and the resulting vermin will eat the insides out of your malt, leaving you with only brittle husks (which don’t really make a very tasty beer). There is not much you can do to combat this – except use the malt fast – very fast.

An additional worry is moldy malt. During the rainy season it can stay near 90% humidity for weeks on end and that can be enough to start mold growing (especially in an improperly sealed malt bag). Are if malt dust is left to settle or cling to almost any surface mold will grow on it. A frightening example of that is our grist bin. If left (without a water cleaning) for more than a few days the malt dust in our grist bin starts to mold and turn a wonderful color of hairy blue. So at the end of every week of brewing we wash down the grist in and let it air dry over the weekend. Temperate climate brewers never have to face such a potentially troublesome problem.

Surface Black Mold (which all but the luckiest brewers have to deal with in some area) in most climates is somewhat more aggressive and thus more of an issue. The warm and damp climate is perfect for it and it grows constantly, on everything – even on stainless steel. There is a fairly constant pressure washing, scrubbing and chemical abatement program. And that is just to keep it at bay.

These are a few of the unusual problems faced by breers in the tropics. If you brew in a temperate climate (much like the one I am returning to soon) you are luck and don't have to worry about t most of these issues - although then you may have freezing pipes or a zillion fruit flys or any number of other local problems. Brewers; just remeber - Luck you make beer for a living. A temporary solution to all life's little problems.

Exit Strategy

2010-08-22T19:41:00.000-07:00

I have been in Asia for five years, but now my time here has come to an end. It is with mixed feelings that I box up my belongings and my life here in Singapore. I have enjoyed my time in Asia very much. I have met great people and traveled to exotic and interesting place. I have tasted some of the best food on the planet and my share (and a few other peoples share) of good beers. I have had the amazing opportunity to help build a brewery and create a brand. I was lucky to have worked with a fantastic team of people - at every stage. I have been fortunate enough to be welcomed into people's homes and lives and to share their experiences. I have made many good friends here. I have indeed been very fortunate.

I arrived here (14,500 km from home) knowing not a single person, and I am leaving with what I am sure are life long friends. And as many of my friends know my preferred exit strategy is the Mas Selamat (better know outside of Singapore as the French exit) but saying I am going to the jamban & then sneaking out the back seems (for once) inappropriate. So - I want to thank all my friends and colleagues for making my time here so enjoyable, for making my job here so much easier than it might have been, for taking me with you on all those great adventures, and for showing me Asia. I promise you I will be back.

So where to next ?
I am returning to my home in Anderson Valley, Northern California. I will start a new job with my old friends and colleagues at Anderson Valley Brewing Company. I will have to replace my Singlish & Bahasa with Boontling and Spanish. I will have to make the shift from living in one of the most populated places on earth to one of the least populated. There will be no more late night hawker center visits, but there will also be no traffic jams.

I am looking forward to getting reacquainted with old friends and the excitement of pushing some brewing boundaries in the land of hoppy beers. I promise we will be doing some interesting thing in our quiet little corner of NorCal. I hope that you all will take the time (and make the arduous drive) to come visit me in what really is one of California's most beautiful places.

Stay tuned .....

Really ?!?!

2010-08-17T04:05:00.000-07:00

Come on Ford - WTF ?!?!

Ford releases a engine called EcoBoost - But it is all total marketing foolishness. It is touted as getting 17 mpg city and 25 Hyw - cracka Pleeze !! My 7 year old Toyota Pickup truck gets 18 - 19 mpg city and 25 Hwy. (without a canopy some more). Ford should be ashamed of themselves for not bringing out an engine that REALLY was more eco-friendly. Is this the future of marketing ? Repackaging the same old stuff and marketing it as "green" - or are we actually going to do something to better the environment ?

Hong Kong, San Fransico, Eugene, Portland, Singapore

2010-07-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

So many places to go - so little time

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00

In July I did a bit of traveling. It was all rather fortuitous. It was mostly preparing for my new job with Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Nothern California. I felt I needed to get back and re-invigorate some of my connections to the North American (read Left Coast) brewing scene. Our biggest market is in San Francisco - so I thought I better go visit friends (and bars) there, get re-aquainted with the people and the kind of beers I would be "facing" in the near future.

I love San Francisco - a beautiful city, nice climate, quirky people, lotsa funky bars and great beers (whats not to like). The best Beer bar (maybe in the world) is there - The Toronado + one of my favorite beer gardens in town- The ZeitGeist

For details about SF bars and such
http://pau-hanatime.blogspot.com/2006/11/san-francisco.html

The Oregon Brewer's Festival was at the end of July and Portland Oregon is a good market for us - so I thought I had better visit there too (for the same reasons + see brewer friends).

http://pau-hanatime.blogspot.com/2006/11/portland-oregon.html

When you vist Portland - be prepared to be blown away by beer. There are literally too many good breweries, beers and bars to mention them all - but to mention one; Ron Gansberg of Cascade brewery and barrel age beers - WOW, you gotta check out their new place on S.E Belmont (across from Green Dragon brewery - also good beers). If you are lucky enough to try some of Ron's barrel aged beers - they will blow your mind.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/thebeerhere/2010/03/cascade_barrel_house_portlands.html

Also check out Stump Town Coffee (owned by Duane Sorenson; one of the best coffe roasters in the world - literally)

http://stumptowncoffee.com/

Since my Mum lives in Eugene Oregon, well, I thought I had better stop in there too (+ it is also a pretty good market for us). Visit the Beer Stein on 11th, they have a HUGE selection of bottled beers (the biggest I have ever seen)

http://www.myspace.com/thebierstein

And then there was Hong Kong - I had never been. The SIA flight passed right through there - why not stop over. So I did.

Hong Kong is a cool city, very Blade Runner-esk. There can be little doubt that Ridley Scott visited HK before he made Blade Runner. It was eeire how much it felt like the movie looked. I wandered aimlessly, saw a lot of cool stuff, ate often and sweat a lot (it was hot Hot hot). The food was nice, but not so much the people. The trolleys were great, but not so much the taxis. The bars were fun (esp. The Wanch - good bands, no cover and Sunday night is crazy before 22:00). I got a hair cut (I advise against it if you are a Qweilo (鬼佬) and dun speak Cantoneese - I am sure I explained wrong what I wanted) All in all a really good trip (well, except that hair cut).

2010-07-07T22:40:00.001-07:00

Cambodia & Lao

2010-06-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

I have to say I really like both Cambodia and Lao. Oh not that I don’t like Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia too, but Cambodia and Lao are a little more rough and tumble, they are a little more the road less traveled. Even in the most touristy places; like Vang Vieng (Lao) or Angkor Wat (Cambodia) with even the slightest of deviations from the brochures plan you can find yourself in a completely local place that is unseen by 99.5% of the other visitors.

It is easy to do, all you need is a desire to explore and a lack of fear that you are out of place – that and knowing a few words of the local language helps (and don’t be daunted by the knowledge that you are horribly mispronouncing them all). If you can learn to say “hello”, “please” and “thank you” you are pretty much on your way. Knowing how to say “beer”(very important), “Chicken” (or beef), “vegetable” and “good bye” also helps.

It is not hard to find a good local experience, head down a side street, or rent a bike and ride around. Smile and nod to people, and say Hello (Chum’ree-uhp Soo-uh*), don’t be afraid to stop and talk. People like it when you try.

In some places people will even seek you out to talk - especially the younger people. They are excited to practice their English (in Lombok, Indonesia I could scarcely get 20 meters without another person asking me to “please, Mee’ster - sit and speak English with me”). And once you get a out of the toeurist areas the food is always more authentic (i.e.: better - imo). Better food, better views, and nice people - all at cheaper prices, what's not to like.

I think that is what appeals to me most about Cambodia and Lao, the ease in which one is able to step out and glimpse a little bit of the local life style and how friendly the peole are when you do.

*Cambodian. Sah bah Dee in Lao

BeerFestAsia !

2010-06-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

BeerFestAsia !

The BeerFestAsia (http://www.beerfestasia.com/) is next here week. It is bigger and should be even better than last year (which was pretty damn good - IMO). I am pretty excited to try a bunch of new beers (there are over 250 beers to try) and I am looking foward to hearing the live music too. Hell's Bells will be returning and Killer Queen looks really fun. I think it should be a really good Beer festival. Look for me there and come over and say hi at our Archipelago booth.

Cheers - Fal

Wheeee

2010-04-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it has been a long time since my last post - I am a bad Blogger!! (sorry) But we have been very busy.

Archipelago has a totally new line up of beers, and we won a silver medal for our Straits Pale Ale at the World Beer Cup last week (the Academy Awards of the Beer world). It is all pretty exciting stuff.

Alright, so first with the new beers. For the most part the Asian spiced beers are a thing of the past (we still have the Samui as our wheat beer - made with Kalamasi lime and Pandan leaves). But, it was felt that the spice beers were a bit too niche for the market (actually a niche within the niche of craft beers), and maybe that's right. Maybe we were a bit ahead of the curve with those beers, and so we have redesigned. (don't worry Tony - we will still have the Trader's Brown Ale around for a while longer)

We have come out with what we think are fout classic beer styles. The new beers may be a bit more generic in name, but they are definitely not generic in flavor. We have done our best to craft interesting beers of distinction that will appeal to a broader spectrum of people.
It was quite fun to brew the new beers (no doubt) and I think we have made some pretty good ones. In some ways I had a freer hand in designing these beers than I did with the spiced beers.

So here is the line up; most of you are familiar with our Samui and that has been re-named our Archipelago Wheat beer (a rose by any other name ....).

We have a new Summer Ale that will be the counterpart of the (silver medal winning) Straits Pale Ale (yes, I too will be sad to see this award winning beer go). But the Summer Ale is very drinkable and has a hint of the exotic with its touch of New Zealand Pacific Jade & American Chinook hops.

The Irish Ale is our interpretation of a traditional classic Irish Ale; no red malts here to make it sweet and cloying, just a sturdy brown beer like one might have found in the early part of the 18th century (or so my research would suggest). It's not fancy but is a solid and very drinkable beer (manly yes, but ladies will like it too - yeah ok, I stole that from the soap commercial).

Last is our new Bohemian Lager - we have produced a traditional all malt Pilsner style beer with the rare Czech Saaz hops and touch of the (extremely hard to acquire) Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand.

In additional we will have season beers that will be available at our many new concept outlets (Queen & Mangosteen, Circular Rd., Malted Milk at Robertson Quay, Smokey's in Joo Chiat, The Pit in Holland V., Timber-2 @ Art House, Blarney's at the Sail, Mel's Place and others)

The awards: It is quite an honor to have your beers recognized for the excellence and the World beer Cup is the most prestigious beer competition of them all.

This year Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) won three medals; two golds and a silver. They entered a total of 9 beers, 3 from our small 30 hl Archipelago brewery, the others 6 beers from some of their 30 breweries that they own around Asia. Of the three medals; the Archipelago brewery brewed one of the beers (a silver for our Straits Pale), for the other medal (a gold for Tiger Crystal) our Archipelago brewery did the R & D and the prototype brew (before it went into production – with some changes – at a much larger facility), and the third medal (a gold medal) was for Tiger beer which is the Asia Pacific Breweries lead brand (the production of which I have very little to do with).

For these three combined medals Asia Pacific Breweries was awarded the Large Brewery of the year award and since I was the only representative of APB present at the award in Chicago I got to accept the award. (yeah that was fun). I am just glad that our small brewery was part of the calculation winning such a prestigious award.

Congratulations to all my fellow brewers who won !!!
To see all the lucky winners check - www.worldbeercup.org/winners.html

Green

2009-12-16T23:15:00.000-08:00

I have always been a recycler, composter, organic gardener kind of guy (land space permitting on the latter). It comes from having this very practical (and slightly hippy minded) mother and a horse trader to-it-your-self kind of father. I was listening to a Podcast the other day. It was about some dude in NYC who lived a month with no carbon foot print. I thought - really ? NO carbon foot print ? That seems unlikely to me. I mean was he naked the whole time or did he wear a coat made of his own fur ? (neither being really very practical in NYC). What did he eat ? What did he do with his waste, did he compost it or did he make it into bricks for his no carbon footprint hermitage ? And what of bathing ? Was it the Hudson River or did he just smell bad (as one might imagine he would in a coat made of his own body hair). It got me thinking about this whole globalwarminggoinggreencarbonfootprint thing. And I thought that maybe some people might be interested in what we do at breweries with our “by-products” (of course, maybe not, in which case please skip to the bottom and leave me a nasty comment about what a stupid idea this was – you won’t be the first).

Recycling and reusing is smart – it makes good business sense as well as good sense for the environment, so we try to do the best we can (although it does take encouragement for some people to take the extra time and slight effort needed). Our situation is a little unusual. We are a small brewery, but we are attached to a fairly large one. This means that (for the most part) we do better than other breweries our size on environmental impact. Often times small brewery just don’t have the economic efficiencies of scale that we have available to us, like re-capturing their carbon dioxide – but I am getting ahead of myself.

Beer is made with three basic ingredients (Malt hops and water)

Malt
All our malted Barley comes form the closest possible source; Australia*. This saves on shipping and the Aussies make some fine malt, so – no worries there. The larger brewery gets all their malt in bulk (17,600 kg containers). We have to get ours in 25 kg bags and thus our shipping container can only fit in 16,000 kg. The result is higher shipping costs (more fuel per kg of malt). We are looking at alternatives and we do reuse or recycle all the plastic bags when they are empty.

After we extract the sugar from the malt to make the beer what’s left is called “spent grain”. There is some small amount of sugar left as well as significant amounts of protein and amino acids. All our spent grain is picked up by lorry and taken to northern Singapore for animal feed (mostly chickens and goats). It use to go all the way to eastern JB (haahh, too far, cannoh tahan) so we found local farms that were closer –less trucking, less petrol burned.

Hops
Hops (like Malt) will not grow in the tropic and so we must also import it from areas of temperate climate. Most hops are grown in America and Europe and that is where most of our hops come from although we are using some New Zealand hops as well. Hops are usually mixed in with the grains and sent out as animal feed as they also retain significant nutritional value too. We recycle all the packaging that they arrive in (plastic liners in cardboard boxes)

Water
Much of the water used in brewing ends up as beer, some is retained by the spent grain, some is evaporated off during the boiling of the wort (which will later become beer), the rest goes down the drain (mainly in conjunction with tank cleaning). The subject of brewery effluent could take up a whole blog post on it’s own. So, suffice it say that the Singapore waste water municipality is set up to deal with our effluent better than we are. We pay them a surcharge for that service. Brewery cleaning is done by non toxic alkaline cleaners, and thus for the most part brewery waste water is less acidic than the normal effluent stream and the municipality enjoys that neutralizing effect.

By-Products
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a byproduct of fermentation. It is a major greenhouse gas of concern, but before you get all wiggy lets do the math. The barley (used in brewing) takes in CO2 from the atmosphere, it converts it during photosynthesis to sugars, and other organic compounds (in a reaction something like this: nCO2 + nH2O → (CH2O)n + nO2 ). The barley is harvested and sent to us (the brewers). We extract the sugars (and other organic compounds) and feed them to our yeast. The yeast eat the sugars and produce flavors, CO2, alcohol (in a reaction exactly like this: C6H12O6 → 2 CO2 + 2 C2H5OH ). In smaller breweries it is not economically viable to sequester the CO2 produced during fermentation – but at larger breweries (like Tiger next door) it is. They capture all the excess CO2 from fermentation and compress it into liquid, they package it in usable quantities and send it to bars/pubs around the island to dispense the beer on draft. So all the CO2 produced by fermentation (of which 100% was fixed from the atmosphere during the barley growth) is captured and used to carbonate and dispense the beer = equaling = no net CO2 produced in the beer cycle. (the brewery can not be held responsible for any methane production on your part).

Brewer’s Yeast is a eukaryotic unicellular micro-organism that that turns sugar into alcohol (see formula above). In doing so it increases (in population) through asexual reproduction by about 800%. This excess yeast is a highly nutritious food source. It is harvested, dried and sold in health food store around the world or in less fortunate circumstances it is turned into a dark food paste with a highly questionable flavor profile that can be found in certain areas of the *southern hemisphere. In either case it is returned to the food chain and is not a direct waste product of brewing.

Packaging
Now that we have made the beer it has to get to consumers. The best thing to do here is quote Seattle brewer Mike Hale – “Think globally, but drink locally”. The most obvious advantage that Singapore brewers have over the imported beers on the island (from a Low carbon footprint aspect – or LCFP) is that there is almost no shipping to get our beers to you. But wait – unless you are drinking at a brewpub (like Brewerkz, Paulaner, The Pump Room, RedDot or Tawandang) who mostly serve directly from bulk “serving tanks” then the beer will need to be kegged, bottled or canned. Kegging is the obvious best container (not just for protecting beer flavor but from an “LCFP” stand point), cans are next best choice and bottle come in last. (whispered aside – “see, this is just one more reason to go out and drink draft beers”). Kegs are cleanable and reusable, they are very durable and they are made from a completely recyclable material (should they be damaged beyond use). Cans use very little raw material and are super light (resulting in a lower shipping cost). Their aluminum is 100% recyclable as well. And Can are the most recycled beverage container on the planet (about 75% get recycled compared to about 16% of bottles). Bottles take more raw materials to manufacture, are heavier to ship and harder to recycle (and take more energy to recycle) – but they are 100% recyclable too.

Associated packaging
Keg win in this area as well, most kegs only have a small sticker or tag for labeling. Cans are sold with a minimum of associated packaging and are by far the lightest to ship. Bottles have metal caps, paper or plastic labels, six pack carries and a “mother” carton - luckily all these can be recycled with a minimum of effort. Great care is taken here (in house) that all of the “waste” from the brewery’s packaging line gets recycled; all the broken or rejected bottles and cans, all the damaged paper products, all the plastic wrap and strappings and all the damaged metal caps – all these get recycled.
  All of our pallets are made of durable reusable plastic (some percentage of which is post consumer recycled – but I cannoh find out how much) and all of our returnable bottles go out is plastic reusable crates.  
So the next time you are worried about being green enough, relax and have a beer. You can rest assured in the knowledge that although we are not a zero carbon footprint product - at least we are not wearing clothing made of our own body hair - and we are a fairly green industry.

Beer & BBQ

2009-11-09T18:08:00.001-08:00

Singapore; the land of great food. Maybe the greatest diversity of food anywhere (per sq kilometer), but no place is perfect. Sadly there is a dearth of certain ethnic food varieties here; there is no Ethiopian, no Hawaiian, no Samoan, only okay Mexican (Sorry, but it's true) - and until just the other day there was no really good western barbeque.

But last week a joint opened up that really does it right; the meat rubbed (with a secret mix of salt and spices), then it is slow smoked for several hours, and afterwards it is allowed to rest overnight. Then (and only then) is the meat ready to be cooked - right before serving - sauce served on the side, not slathered on and hiding the delicate smoky beauty. The result is smoky BBQ the likes of which Singapore has not seen on a commercial basis. Easily (IMHO) the best BBQ ribs in town (and their sauce is pretty good too).

But it gets better. What goes best with BBQ ? A good beer - obviously (what else would you expect me to say). Besides knowing BBQ the owners of this place (Rob & Saran) also know their beer. They have 6 beers on tap (6 of which are Archipelago) with plans to expand soon to a total of 8 draft beers. Their current line up is Apsara Lager, Islander IPA, Samui, Straits Pale, and our seasonal beer (either Traveler's Wheat or the English Amber).

Now the cynics are gonna say that I am just talking this place up because they have our beers on draft there - but anyone who know how serious I am about both beer and smoking meat will know that I would never do that. I am as serious as a heart attack about those two things (the later of which may actually lead me there on day). I would never talk up a BBQ place unless it was really good - and to make great ribs (or brisket) it has to be slow smoked - and these guys are doing it right. OK - maybe it not Smitty's in Lockhart Texas* (possibly the best BBQ on earth) but this place is the best western style BBQ I have had in Asia yet. Check it out for yourself - and if you don't agree - I'll buy you a beer (but you'll have to tell me wherever it is you think has better BBQ in Singapore)

"Smokey's" - 73 Joo Chiat Place
(and Now also open - "The Pit" in Holland Village - 6 Archipelago beers on tap too)

Pictured: Jeff Murphy (Pump Room Brewer) with a plate o empties & an Apsara Lager (yeah they were good)

* http://pau-hanatime.blogspot.com/2007/04/austin.html

Horseman pass by

2009-10-12T23:56:00.000-07:00

Greg Noonan, Jeff Charnick, Ray Deter, Danny Williams

You will all be truly missed my friends, not just your excellent beers, and your many contributions to craft brewing, But mostly we will miss your company, your quick wit and your willingness to join in or lend a hand.

Geoff Larson put it best "I wish I had known you were going on this trip, I would have stopped by and had a beer with you before you left."

Take it easy, both of you, we will miss you.

Kota Kinabalu

2009-07-26T21:26:00.001-07:00

I went to Kota Kinabalu (KK) in Borneo a little while back. It was kind of out of the blue. My friend James called one day and said " You wanna go to Kota Kinabalu ?" We had no reason to go - except that we had never been there before - Air Asia had cheap tickets and we had a three day weekend - so I said "Sure, why not".

Kota Kinabalu (formerly know as Jesselton in colonial times) is located in Sabah. Sabah is part of east Malaysia on the Northern part of the islnad of Borneo. Borneo today is about one third Malaysian (Sabah and Sarawak), two thirds Indonesia (Kalimantan) with a small chunk that is the Kingdom of Brunei. Borneo has a very diverse population (more than 80 local dialects are spoken in Sabah alone) and a long and fascinating history that involves Sultans, head hunters, tribal warfare, foriegn company rule, Japanese invasion, resistance fighters, independence and then a merger with Malaya on September 16th 1963. On that day in 1963 Sabah, Sarawak, Malaya and Singapore joined to form the new country of Malaysia . Two years later Singapore was politely asked to leave, and the remaining territories are today what make up Malaysia.

KK (as locals refer to it) is the capitol of Sabah, but it was not always so. When the Japanese invaded in 1942 the capitol of Sabah was Sandakan, but allied bombing of the Japanese in Sandakan literally obliterated the town. At the end of the war the British administrators decided that Jesselton (renamed Kota Kinabalu in 1968) would make a better administration center.

Today KK is a relatively small coastal town of about 500,000 people situated on Borneo's northwest coast. Although it is the capitol of Sabah, KK retains its small town feel with a leisurely pace and lack of congestion. There are a few backpacker hostels and hotels of differing price ranges. We stayed a very nice little place called Gaya Borneo Lodge on Jalan Gaya in the older part of town. The rooms were small, clean and affordable, the common room stocked with the stuff that a backpacker might need, and the staff was very friendly.

On Sundays there is a big street market on Jalan Gaya and one can buy anything from fresh vegetables to pets, to hand crafted clothing, to home made snacks. The Sunday we were there an unannounced action film crew was shooting a scene where a hapless "hero" ran through the crowd being pursued by a gang of "thugs" wielding plastic knives and fake machetes. Unsuspecting customers scattered, children squealed and a vegi stand was over turned - the mayhem captured by the cameras on the roof top above. We bought char su pau to go with our coffee as the crowd re-settled itself.

We had no real objective to our visit and so spent the first day wandering the streets getting a feel for the town. KK is rather compact but there is a lot to see. The water front is a nice area with a couple of small harbors with small commercial fishing and dive boats
( www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/3399079776/ ).
There is also a larger container shipping dock a little north of town.

We found a surprising number of restaurants and pubs to visit as well as street food vendors and hawker centers. The food scene in KK is quite good. In the evening along the water front by the fish market there is a big food market set up with BBQed sea food and other local specialties. www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/3398351397/ .
Just town side of that (a little ways) along the water front is a row of places where you can linger in the ocean breeze, have some makan or sit by the sea with a cold drink while watching the approaching (or in progress) sunset. http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/3403842389/

Despite its name the "Cock & Bull" is one of the better places along that stretch. Farther north just in from the coast road there are a few more night time hang outs catering to a bit more active of a crowd. If you favor a little more of a local hang out check the food stalls and pubs in Api Api centre.

The only thing (besides food & beer) on our agenda was scuba diving - we knew that we wanted to do that. As it turns KK has a nice little diving community and dive trips can be arranged very affordably. For about $160 (USD) each we were able to hire a boat, rent all our equipment, do three dives at three different locations (with an accompanying dive instructor) and eat lunch on the beach – not too bad. The diving was pretty fantastic as well. Having grown up in the warm waters of Hawaii, dove off far flung motus in the Cook Islands and Samoa, and get in the water when ever possible – I was not expecting too much new, and although the fish were a bit sparse, the corals were outstanding. I had never seen anythig quite like it – and apparently KK is considered "not that great" in terms of Borneo diving.

The next day we stumbled on the Monsopiad Cultureal Centre
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/3398376901/
The Monsopiad Cultural Center is a bit out of the way but well worth the taxi or bus ride out there (although I recommend the taxi). It has exhibits from local cultures around the area and a very good traditional dance and singing show put on several times a day (not to be missed). We were especially lucky that day in that they had on an exhibit of traditional local brews and distillates (of special interest to someone like myself). The exhibit covered raw materials, processing and equipment. It had working a fermentation and distilling in progress - with easy access for sampling (for those of stern constitution)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/3403885067/

Scuba diving, A cultural center (with free drinks), a street market, nice food and cool pubs, all in a relaxed and affordable setting by the sea - All in all a really nice 3 day weekend.

Beer & Food

2009-07-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

The previous post seemed to be of interest to people, so I thought I would post a slightly altered part of an article that I wrote for Asia Pacific Breweries trade publication "What's Brewing". I would be remiss not to thank Garrett Oliver for his assistance through his book ("The Brewmaster's Table") and his articles on food & beer pairings.

When people discuss food and beverage pairing they usually look first to wine, but here in Southeast Asia where the flavor range is so varied and often involve hot spice flavors, or some times intense herb notes, wine is not the best choice. Beer is the beverage to look to. The reasons that beer pairs so well with the food here are several. First, beer has a wider range of flavors to work with. Beers flavor pallet ranges from sweet to sour to bitter, from bready, to caramel, to toffee roasted and even smokiness. Beer can be fruity, spicy, citrus, and herbal, it can have flavors and aromas contributed from it’s four major ingredients (malt, hops, water and yeast – compare to wines ones ingredient) and there can be many fruits, spices and other flavorings added to be - sadly wine can never find that broad of a pallet. For example you will never find a roasty flavor or note in wine.

Another great advantage of beer it that it is carbonated. The carbonation in beer helps cool and refresh the palate, the carbon dioxide bubbles lifts the oils of the spices or herbs off your tongue and it thus prepares you mouth for the next bite. Beer’s carbonation can also work wonders with heavy or “fatty” flavors like in cheese, or rich and heavy sauces.

When you pair any beverage with a food you want to look for three things; impact, compliment or contrast. Compliment and contrast are opposites approaches, and impact is related to both, and it is important to keep in mind. Remember the goal is to enhance the meal, both the beer and the food should be improved by the pairing.

Impact
We will start with impact. Impact is the strength of the beverage or food’s impression on your palate. To have a successful pairing, you’ll need to match the impact of the beverage to the impact of the food. You want to create a delicate dance and interplay between the food and the beverage; you don’t want to create a football tackle. A big complex stout will overwhelm delicate steamed fish, and a lighter delicate flavored beer may seem to disappear when paired with spicy Thai or Malay foods. Plan to pair light bitterness for more delicate dishes, and save bitter or darker beers for richer more complex items. Impact is a fairly simple matter–if you think a beer and a dish are pretty well matched as related to impact, then you’re probably right.

Complementing
Find a compliment between the food and beverage can be a little trickier but when done right create the ultimate pairings. Look for flavors in both the beverage and the food that will harmonizes and accentuates each other, look for a complementary “hook” between them. As mentioned beers can have a wide range of flavors and all of these can may find opportunity to complement, “hook” or match flavors in foods.
Take caramel, for example. Anything that’s roasted, grilled, sautéed or fried develops some flavors of caramel and sweetness. In this case, caramel is the flavor “hook” –we want to find similar caramel flavors in a beer. A perfect match would be Killkeny or London Pride – each of these beers have distinct caramel notes and sweet malty flavor. Roast pork, steaks, barbecued ribs, and even grilled vegetables can work well with malty, caramel beers (beers that are Amber, red, brown and even black in color). One of my favorite beer parings is the Archipelago Trader’s Brown Ale with a deep roasty beef Rendang. The roasted meat pair perfectly with the roastiness of the brown ale and the ginger in the Rendang picks up on the young ginger we use in the beer.
Other good pairings are roasted meats or other dishes that have a brown sauce would be good with a stout or a dark wheat beer. Any dishes that has flavors of char, coffee or chocolate are a good candidate to match brown ales, porter and stouts. The chocolate flavors in a beer will link up perfectly with the chocolate flavors in the sauce, and deserts and sweet dishes as well.

On of my favorite pairings is a smooth chocolaty stout and vanilla ice cream - it does not sound like it would work but the roastiness of the stout blend perfectly with the soft smooth ice cream.

Wheat beers are very versatile. Wheat beers pair light hop bitterness with brisk carbonation, light acidity and bright fruit flavors for a combination that can match a wide variety of dishes. Wheat beers go great with salads, where their low bitterness and light fruit allow a nice pairing with delicate greens. Wheat beers are friendly to acidity, so vinegar or vinaigrette dressings don’t clash for similar reasons, wheat beers are a great accompaniment to fish and shellfish like crab, oysters, shrimp, prawns and lobster and they work fairly well with medium spicy dishes too.

Contrasting
Contrasting is a little easier to do but the results are not usually quite as interesting. Sometimes it can be difficult to find the complimentarily flavors in some types of beers and spicy foods – so with a few exceptions it is better to contrast when pairing these food and beer. For most spicy dishes - like Thai, Malay or Indian - use a crisp sharp or even bitter beer. With a good lager beer the clean sharpness will “cut” the spices, it will cleanse, cool and “refresh” the palate, and it will prepare your taste buds for the next bite. Tiger beer and chili crab is a classic example of this. For more roasty spiced dishes, like tandori or chicken tikka try a more full bodied beer like the sharp and hoppy IPA. These are good examples of contrasting the beer with the foods.

So the next time you are out for a meal with your friends or family you can say to the server with confidence – “please I’ll have a beer with my meal, it will pair nicely with our first dish”

Express Yourself

2009-06-24T23:35:00.000-07:00

I do a lot of beer dinners, beer tasting, beer and food pairings, staff training and general beer education. I think that all small brewers do at least some of this. One of the great challenges that all brewers today face is convincing people that beer can be very versatile and complex, that beer is not just yellow, cold and fizzy, that beer can be a lot more (oh soooo much more) . But changing people's paradigms can be hard.

Throughout the later 20th century wine makers have done a fantastic job of convincing people that wine is the complex, sophisticated drink for erudite people with discerning taste - and during that same time period beer marketeers have done just the opposite for their product. It turns out that these marketeers did all of us (brewers and consumers alike) a great disservice. Many people really believe that beer is just a one dimensional pedestrian beverage, suitable only for chugging on a hot day at the beach - well - a big part of my job is to change their minds about that.

Beer can be many things; from thirst quenching, sprightly and light to complex, full and contemplative - and everything between. Today in America (of all places) there is more diversity in beer and more breweries making beers than any other country. From traditional style from around the globe, to experimental style using unusual ingredients, to barrel aged beers that take years to make - Beer in all its complexity is blossoming to its full expression. And this passion for a greater beer diversity is spreading around the world.

For all those who are part of this, for all those who want to elevate beer to its proper place, I have gathered together some terms that will help you in your quest. Below is my list of beer tasting terms (those of you familiar with wine terms will recognize some of these terms, but you will also quickly realize that many of these can not be applied to wines. This is because as good as wine may be, wine just does not have the same breadth of flavors and aromas that beer does. Beer has a bigger palate).

I hope you enjoy

Accessible A beer that is easy to drink
Acetaldehyde A green apple aroma or taste. A yeast (or bacteria) by-product. Often a constituent of young beer
Acetic Aroma or flavor similar to vinegar formed by aerobic bacteria producing acetic acid
Acidic A beer with a noticeable sense of acidity. In beer where acid is appropriate the acid should not come from excessive aerobic fermentation (producing acetic acid)

Aftertaste A term for the taste left on the Palate after beer has been swallowed. "Finish" is a synonym.
Aggressive A beer with pronounced or over the top flavors. The opposite of a beer described as "smooth" or "soft"
Alcoholic A beer that has a noticeable or an out of balanced presence of too much alcohol. Often noted as hot or spicy
Almondy Aromas of almonds or Marzipan
Astringent An overly dry or astringent beer or a beer with harsh grainy flavor. Often perceived in the aftertaste
Aroma The smell of a beer. The term bouquet can also be used
Autolytic or Autolysed Aroma of "yeasty" or acacia -like floweriness. Commonly associated with beers that have been aged on yeast for too long. At higher levels it may be described as meaty or soy sauce like.
Baked A brewer with a high blood alcohol content that has remained so for too long. Often the result of over-consuming their own products.
Balanced A beer that incorporates all its main components in a manner where no one single component stands out. This usually refers to a Hop vs. Malt balance of both flavor and aroma.
Banana Aromas like banana or notes of Bazooka Joe Bubble gum – from Isoamyl acetate; a fermentation by-product
Barnyard Used to describe the earthy and sometimes vegetal undertones (often with hints of sweat or urine mixed in). These aromas are most common in spontaneously fermented beers. At low levels some beer drinkers may find this appealing, for others it may offend .At higher levels most people find these notes unpleasing (see Farm Yard)
Big A beer with intense flavor, or that is high in alcohol.
Biscuity A beer descriptor often associated with malt flavor. It is sense of dried bread, bicuts or crackers in both aroma and flavors.
Bite A firm and distinctive perception of hops, tannins, husk, acidity or carbonation. This can be a positive attribute (as in controlled hop bite) or negative attribute (as in tannin / husk bite) -This depends on whether the overall perception of the beer is balanced.
Bitter A noticeable flavor of hops, can denote lack of balance (but not always).
Black currant An aroma or flavor of black currant, raisins or Cassis
Body The sense of feeling in the mouth. The sense of fullness from malt or alcohol in the beer. Some common descriptors are thin, winey, delicate, light, medium, balanced, robust, full, heavy, dense, viscous, overwhelming
Boozy An exaggerated alcohol aroma. Commonly associated with barleywines or other high gravity beers
Bouquet The layers of smells and aromas perceived in a beer.
Bright When describing the visual appearance of the beer, it refers to high clarity, very low levels of suspended solids. Lacking haze
Burnt Having an aroma or flavor of smoke or burnt wood. A negative component that can be caused by excessive temperature during boiling (heating with a gas ring or electrical elements) or from fouled heating surfaces
Buttery A beer with a noticeable yet acceptable level of Diacetyl – giving a rich, creamy mouthfeel & flavors reminiscent of butter. Too much of this flavor is considered a defect. (also see Diacetyl)
Butyric Aromas of rancid butter. Always a flaw

Caramel Aromas or flavors of caramel, browned or burnt sugar, toffee.
Carbonated/Carbonation The amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the beer (usually between 4.5 and 6 grams per liter). This is what gives beer its effervescence. Some common descriptors are spritzy, sprightly, zesty, prickly, gassy, sharp, smooth, creamy, delicate, piquant, champagne-like

Cardboard or Wet Cardboard Having an aroma of wet cardboard (see papery)
Catty Having an aroma of cat urine – always a flaw in beer (similar to skunky)
Chalky having a mouthfeel that is powdery dusty, chalky, or of particulate
Chewy The sense of malt that is tending toward overwhelming on the palate.
Cheesy An aroma of cheese – an element characteristic of aged hops. It is caused by the use of old and improperly stored hops.
Chill Haze A haze formed by protein complexes when the beer is chilled, effects clarity and can effect flavor at higher levels
Chocolaty A term most often used to describe rich brown beers such as Porters and Stouts, it describes the flavors and aromas associated with chocolate or dark malts
Cigar-box An term used to describe aromas of tobacco
Citrus A beer with the aromas and flavor from the citrus family of fruits (grapefruit, orange, lemon, etc), these notes are usually derived from hops .
Clean A beer that is not demonstrating any obvious faults, flaws or unwanted aromas and flavors.
Clear A beer with no visible particulate matter.
Closed A beer that is not very aromatic.
Clovey An aroma associated with German wheat beers that give the perception of cloves spice (Syzygium aromaticum). It is caused by the yeast's creation of esters and is due to the brewer’s choice of yeast strain.
Cloying A beer with a sticky or sickly sweet character that is not balanced. Often associated with too much malt or not enough hops to balance
Coarse A term for a beer with a rough texture or mouthfeel. Usually applies to the perception of tannins, husk flavors or a harsh bitterness.
Coconut Aroma perception of coconut derived from treatment in American oak in barrel aged beers.
Coffee Having a roasty aroma and or flavor of coffee. Roasty with out being burnt
Color Listed here to reduce entries; a beer's color can range from light yellow through golden to red , brown, black and even deep inky black.
Compact Opposite of "open". A beer with a dense perception of flavors and aromas.
Complex A beer that gives a perception of being multi-layered in terms of flavors and aromas.
Cooked A term where the fruity flavors of the beer seem like they have been cooked, baked or stewed.
Cooked Vegetables An unfavorable characteristic in beer. Aromas and flavors of cooked cabbage, parsnip, broccoli or celery. See vegetable below
Corked A tasting term for a beer that has cork taint (only to be found in cork finished beers)
Creamy A term to describe the perception of a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. The perception of creaminess is generally picked up at the sides and back of the throat and through the finish of the beer.
Crisp A pleasing sense of bitterness in the beer.
Crust or Sediment The detritus, generally yeast and protein precipitates, that adhere to the inside (usually bottom) of a aged bottled beer
Definition A beer that is the perfect or original example of the style
Delicate A term that relates to the more subtle notes of a beer – – usually in relation to hops and / or ester aromas, but not always.
Depth A term used to denote a beer with several layers of flavor. An aspect of complexity.
Diacetyl (“D”) A buttery, butterscotch or buttered popcorn flavor or aroma. Acceptable at very low levels (0.1 ppm or less) but considered a fault at higher levels. One of the vicinal diketones (VDK) it is detectable by some people as low as 0.05parts per million. The source can be yeast metabolism or at higher levels may indicate bacterial contamination (esp when coupled with sourness) (also see Buttery)
Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) A sulfur aroma of cooked corn or rancid cooked cabbage. A malt (or hop) derived compound - yeast or bacteria by-product related.
Dirty A beer with off flavors and aromas that most likely resulted from poor hygiene during the fermentation or packaging process
Dry A beer that is lacking the perception of sweetness, especially those beers that finish clean on the palate
Earthy A beer with aromas and flavor reminiscent of earth or soil --such as forest floor or mushrooms.
Edgy A beer with a noticeably level of sharpness that heightens the flavors on the palate.
Elegant A term to describe a beer that possess finesse with subtle flavors that are in balance.

Estery Aromas of yeast esters from fermentation, often fruity (peach, apple, pear, passion fruit, etc.)
Ethyl acetate Aromas that are light fruity, pear or solvent-like
Expansive A beer that is considered "big" but still accessible.
Expressive A beer with clearly projects its aromas and flavors.
Farmyard A generally more positive term than "Barnyard" used to describe low levels of the earthy and vegetal undertones of some spontaneously fermented beers. It may develop after maturing in the bottle. (see Barn Yard)
Fat A beer that is full in body and has a sense of viscosity. A beer with too much fat is not balanced and is said to be "flabby" (also see Full)
Finish The sense and perception of the beer after swallowing.
Finesse A very subjective term used to describe a beer of high quality that is well balanced.
Firm A stronger sense of flavor (see tight) .
Flabby Lacking sense of balance, too full or overly thick. The opposite of tight
Flat In relation to carbonated beers flat refers to a beer that has lost its effervescence. In all other beers it denote a beer that is lacking complexity and finesse
Flowery Aromas of fresh flowers often from hops or a combination of hops and yeast esters.
Fresh A beer with a noticeable perception of liveliness
Fruity The high perception of fruit characteristics - including but not limited to pineapple, apricot, banana, peach, pear, apple, mango, prickly pear, nectarine, raisins, currant, plum, dates, prunes, figs, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry
Full or Full Bodied A term usually used in context of beer with heavy weight or body. It can also refer to a beer that is full in flavor as well
Gassy over carbonated with excessive dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2)
Goaty Having the musky aroma of a goat.
Grainy Aromas or flavors of raw grain or cereals, usually a negative descriptor
Grapefruit Aromas of grapefruit and citrus. Hop derived
Grapey A beer with the aromas and flavors reminiscent of fresh grapes
Grassy A term used to describe an herbaceous element in a beer ranging from freshly mown lawn grass to hay, alfalfa, straw or open fields.
Gravity (high or low) The original sugar content of a wort before the yeast ferments it into beer
Green Typically used to describe a beer that is not yet finished maturing in its flavor and aroma profile
Harsh Similar to "coarse" but usually used in a more derogatory fashion to denote a beer that is unbalanced in tannins, husky notes, phenols or acidity.
Hazy Having haze, particulates or cloudiness. Not bright
Head This refers to foam on the top of the beer. The foam head should be thick, dense and tight for most beer styles. Some terms for describing a beers head are; persistent, rocky, fluffy, dissipating, lingering, frothy, tight, dense, smooth
Heavy A beer that is alcoholic and has a big sense of body
Herbaceous The herbal, vegetal aromas and flavors
Hollow A beer lacking the sense of malt or body.
Hoppy Having the character of hops. It can refer to high hop aroma, flavor and bitterness. Hop aromas can range from flowery to fruity, to herbal, but aromas should be clean and fragrant. Hop Flavors have a wide range as well. Bitterness should be clear, clean and sharp
Horsey / Horse Blanket An aroma of mustiness with earthy undertones and often a hint of horse sweat. Usually a by-product of Brettanomyces yeast and is a character of some beers - notably lambic beers.

Hot An overly alcoholic beer.
Husky a flavor of harsh astringent bitterness from grains
Inky A term that may refer to a beer's dark coloring and opacity – associated with Stout beers
Intense Strong in character, aroma and flavor
Intensity The degree of character or strength of a beer. Some common descriptors are assertive, mild, delicate, refined, balanced, complex, hearty, robust, bold, intense,
Jammy A beer that is rich in flavors of stewed fruits or berries.
Lean The sense of thinness, somewhat lacking in overall complexity, a kinder term than watery (see watery)
Leathery Having an aroma of leather
Legs The tracks of liquid that cling to the sides of a glass after the contents have been swirled. Often said to be related to the alcohol content of a beer.
Lemony A term referring to the tangy hoppiness of a beer with fruit flavors reminiscent of lemons.
Lightstruck A tasting term for a beer that has had exposure to light causing "skunky" type aroma and flavor.
Linalool The characteristic flowery-peach aroma. Derived from yeast ester production or hops
Liquorice A term used to describe the concentrated flavor from rich sweet beers, some times with hints of wood or Anise.
Luscious Similar to "voluptuous" but more commonly associated with sweet beers that have a rich, concentrated mouthfeel.
Meaty A beer with a yeast bite, also can be described as brothy, cooked meat, meat extract, peptone, yeast broth – often from autolysis of yeast cells
Medicinal Having an aroma of medicine, phenols, plastics or disinfectants. Sometimes referred to as “band-aid” aroma
Mellon having an aroma of ripe melons
Mellow A beer with a soft round texture that is nearing or at the peak of its maturity having had any hard edges rounded out.
Mercaptan Aromas of mercaptans, rotting garlic, dirty drains, fecal, or an outhouse stench. Uncommon in beer and always a flaw.
Metalic Aroma or flavors of metal or rust, especially that of iron
Midpalate A tasting term for the feel and taste of a beer when held in the mouth.
Minerality A sense of mineral notes in the beer, flavors of slate, rock or minerals. Usually from hard water in the brewing process
Molasses Aromas and flavors of raw sugar cane, molasses, or black treacle, treacley, also sometimes referred to as Cracker Jack flavor. Molasses notes may occur in sorghum-based beers (used for making gluten-free beers).

Moldy Aromas that are Cellar-like, leaf-mold, woodsy notes of decay
Mouthfeel A tasting term used to describe the feel of a beer in the mouth. Some common descriptors are creamy, smooth, silky, velvety, opulent, voluptuous, tingly, warming, viscous, oily, coating, thin, watery
Musky A complex aroma of sweat, sweetness, and earthiness, with light under tones of the sea, sandalwood and hair, but lacking the sharper acidic note of horse blanket
Musty Aromas of mold, mildew or decay. A defect at medium or high levels. (see moldy)
Nose A term for the aroma or bouquet of a beer.
Nutty Flavors and aromas of various types of nuts (Brazil nut, hazelnut, walnut, etc.)
Oaky A beer with a noticeable perception of the effects of oak. This can include the sense of vanilla, butteriness, sweet spice, diacetyl , toasted flavor or woodiness.
Oily A generally full bodied beer with a viscous mouthfeel. Unusual in beers.
Opulent A rich tasting beer with a pleasing texture and mouthfeel that is well balanced.
Over Carbonated An excessive amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the beer (usually over 6 grams per liter). This will cause a carbonic bite and or excessive fizziness
Overtones The more obvious characteristics, aromas and flavors of beer.
Oxidized A negative term describing a beer that has experienced too much exposure to oxygen giving it the typical "wet cardboard" or papery type aroma and flavor. On occasion in aged beers that has been mildly oxidized, it may not be considered a fault if it exhibit sherry like aromas.
Palate A term used for the feel and flavor of a beer in the mouth.
Papery Having an aroma of paper (see Oxidized)
Peppery A beer with the aromas and flavors reminiscent of the fruit from the pepper family of plants such as peppercorn
Perfumy A generally negative term used to describe an aspect of a beer's aroma or bouquet that seems artificial or overly flowery.
Phenolic Aromas of plastic, burnt plastic, Bakelite or tar. In low levels it is acceptable in certain beer styles (like German Wheat beers)
Phenylethanol Aromas of a Rose-like nature
Plummy A beer with the fruit flavors of plum, more common in aged and darker beers
Powerful A beer with a high level of alcohol that is not excessively alcoholic.
Raisiny A beer with the aromas and flavors reminiscent of dried grapes
Resinous Aromas of resin, cedar wood, pine, pinewood, sprucy, terpenoid, sap
Rich A sense of depth or fullness in the beer that is not excessively sweet.
Robust A full bodied beer
Round A beer that has a good sense of body and balance
Salty Mouth coating and slick feel (uncommon in beer)
Sharp A term normally used to describe the acidity of a beer though it can refer to the degree of bitterness derived from a beer's hops.
Silky A rich mouthfeel of smoothness
Sherry like A term used to describe a beer that exhibits sherry like oxidized aromas
Skunky Aromas like a skunk, see light struck
Smokey A beer exhibiting the aromas and flavors of the various types of smoke, either from smoked malt or from roasted malts or a toasty smoke derived from oak influences.
Smooth A beer with a pleasing texture. Typically refers to a beer with soft notes and flavors and a creamy texture
Soapy Having the aroma or flavor of soap
Soft A beer that is not overly hoppy or overly carbonated
Sour A tart flavor, often acidic, sometimes puckering. Appropriate in some beer styles (Belgian browns, Lambic beers, etc)
Spicy A beer with aromas and flavors reminiscent of various spices. While this can be a characteristic of the yeast strain, many spicy notes are imparted from hop influences or even the use of spices in the beer. Also may be from high alcohol content
Stale Aromas and flavors of old and oxidized beer, flat and papery, possibly over aged, or over pasteurized
Stalky A woody, green herbaceous note in a beer.
Structure A term used to describe the solid components of a beer’s balance; malt sweetness, yeast notes, hop aroma & flavors, all in relation to the overall balance and body of the beer.
Sulfur Aromas of sulfur– when obvious a defect in all beer styles but at very low levels it can add to fullness
Sulfidic Having aromas of strong sulfur, rotten eggs, or natural gas – a defect in all beer styles
Sulfitic Having noticeable aromas of a burnt-match or burnt rubber – a defect in all beer styles
Supple A beer that is not overly dynamic
Sweet A beer with a noticeable sense of malt sugar. Also usually lacking in hop balance
Tannic A beer with aggressive tannins - harsh and dry in the mouth.
Tart A beer with high levels of acidity. As related to sour beers or possibly an infection in other beer styles.

Texture A term for the mouthfeel of beer on the palate.
Thick A beer that is overly full in palate and mouthfeel
Thin A beer that is lacking body and complexity
Tight A beer that is well put together, properly matured and optimally served.
Toasty Notes from malt character like that of toasted bread. Can also be a sense of the charred or smoky taste from an oaked beer in wood aged beers
Toffee Aromas or flavors of caramel, browned sugar, treacle.
Turbid Cloudy and opaque

Under Attenuated A term for a not fully fermented beer. Having flavors or components of wort or wortiness. (see worty)
Undertone The more subtle nuances, aromas and flavors of beer. Having flavors or components of wort or wortiness. (see worty)
Upfront A beer with very perceivable characteristics and quality that do not require much thought or effort to discover.
Vanilla Characteristic aroma reminiscent of vanilla – often oak induced
Vegetal A beer with aromas and flavor reminiscent of vegetation either cooked or raw. In the case of cooked, as in cooked greens or cooked cabbage, parsnip or celery
Viscous thick in a fluid nature, having excessive heaviness of character in the body or mouthfeel
Vinous An aroma, flavor or texture suggesting wine – usually in higher alcohol beers
Voluptuous A beer with a full body and rich texture.
Warm or Warming A beer with noticeable but balanced alcohol as opposed to a beer with excessive alcohol that maybe described as "hot".
Watery A beer that is excessively "thin" in body
Woody A collective term used to describe the woodsy aroma of a beer that has been treated with oak or other wood.
Worty Having a taste of wort or unfermented beer, usually disagreeably sweet and lacking complexity
Yeasty Often uses to describe a yeast noticeable aroma – can be also described as somewhat "dough like", bready or of fresh yeast, flavor of heated thiamine (can be similar to "biscuity" - see above)
Young Beer that is not matured (see Green)
Zesty A beer with noticeable active carbonation.

Meet the Brewers

2009-05-20T23:41:00.001-07:00

I thought that it might be fun for everyone to say hi to the brewers here in Singapore - you know to get to know what they look like so the next time you see them you can buy them a beer (I hear that it is particularly good luck to but beer for a brewer with a beard - suppose to bring great prosperity)

Tiger Brewery - 459 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim

http://www.apb.com.sg/

Duncan Crow - Pix not available

Brewerkz - 30 Merchant Road #01-05/06 (Riverside Point)
http://www.brewerkz.com/

Scott Robertson - Brewerkz

Kim Tang - Brewerkz

Neo Say Wee (and wife) - Brewerkz

Paulaner Brauhaus- (Suntec) - at Millenia Walk
http://www.paulaner.com.sg/

Alex Buchner

Archipelago - 459 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim (the yellow building)
http://www.archipelagobrewery.com/

Fal Allen

Ben Tan (and wife)

Pump Room - 3B River Valley Road, Clarke Quay#01-09/10
http://www.pumproomasia.com/

Scott Bezcak

Jeff Murphy

Red Dot Brewhouse - Block 25A, #01-01 Dempsey Road
www.reddotbrewhouse.com.sg/

Ernest Ng

Siao Chu

Itipan

Beer Station - 9 Lock Road at Gillman village
http://www.beer-station.com/

No pix available - Yet

Tawandang - Dempsy (behind Red Dot)
http://www.tawandang.co.th/

No pix available - Yet

Lucky Eight - 8

2009-05-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

The beer scene in Asia is changing and changing pretty quickly. Twelve years back there was but one brewery here in Singapore - Asia Pacific Breweries, the makers of Anchor and Tiger beers. Then came Paulaner, albeit briefly (as they closed soon after at that location), before Brewerkz opened 1n 1997, followed by Paulaner at a new location in Suntec. It remained that way (with these three breweries) for almost 10 years, that is until Archipelago opened a new brewery in 2006 bringing the total number to four. Since then things have sped up a bit, The Pump Room opened later that same year, the Red Dot Brewhouse in Dempsy area opened late in 2007, The Beer Station in Gillman Village soon followed - and now (once again in Dempsy) we will soon have another place that makes our favorite of all beverages - beer. The Tawandang brewery, which has two other locations in Bangkok, will soon open their doors to the thirsty public of Singapore. This new location is a somewhat smaller version of the Behemoth location that they have in central Bangkok - but that seems natural as greater Bangkok has about three times as many people as the island nation of Singapore. I have written a bit about the Tawandang Brewery before ( http://singbrewer.blogspot.com/2008/08/bangkok-so-much-to-do.html ). Although I don't know what the Tawandang brewery in Singapore will be like if the beer, food, and floor show is anything like their Bangkok operations it will be well worth checking out. The new Tawandang brewery's Singapore location will be very near Ernest's RedDot Brewhouse making the Dempsy area the second cluster to have dueling breweries (Clark Quay has Brewerkz on one side of the river and the Pump Room on the other side). This is all good for the Singaporean beer drinker. Now we have Eight breweries and maybe more to come. With all the thousands of restaurants, food stalls and eateries in Singapore I feel sure that we can support a few more places that make and serve great beers. If you are a beer drinker in Singapore eight is your new luck number

The Breweries - In chronological order

Tiger Brewery - 459 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim

http://www.apb.com.sg/

recommended outlet - the Tiger tavern at the brewery

Brewerkz - 30 Merchant Road #01-05/06 (Riverside Point)

http://www.brewerkz.com/

Brewerkz KA - Kampong Ampat (brewery no beer service) - 171 Kampong Ampat

Outlets (beers but no brewery)

Brewerkz Kallang - 2 Stadium Walk #01-06/07/K1

Brewerkz Bukit Timah - 903 Bukit Timah Road

Paulaner Brauhaus- (Suntec) - at Millenia Walk

http://www.paulaner.com.sg/

Archipelago - 459 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim (the yellow building - brewery no beer service)

http://www.archipelagobrewery.com/

outlets (beers but no brewery)

Archipelago Craft Beer Outlet - 79 Circular rd, behind Boat Quay

Queen & Mangosteen - 1 Harborfront walk #01-106/107 VivoCity

Pump Room - 3B River Valley Road, Clarke Quay#01-09/10

http://www.pumproomasia.com/

outlets (beers but no brewery)

The Pump Room Great World - 1 Kim Seng Promenade, #01-66/67 Great World City

Red Dot Brewhouse - Block 25A, #01-01 Dempsey Road
www.reddotbrewhouse.com.sg/

Beer Station - 9 Lock Road at Gillman village

http://www.beer-station.com/

Tawandang - Dempsy (behind Red Dot)

http://www.tawandang.co.th/

two other locations - Rama III Road, Bangkok (1999) & Ram Indra toll way (2005) in Bangkok

Pike Place Brewery - 20 years

2009-04-13T02:34:00.001-07:00

A few years back I worked at a little brewery in Seattle (a few years - well, about 20 years ago). It was called the Pike Place Brewery. Each year we would make a Barley Wine for the Holiday season. And each year we would stash away a keg or two for the following year (or two). After I left in 1998 those kegs were ignored by the then brewer. A couple of years ago he left and my friend Drew Cluley took over as the head brewer. One day Drew was doing some cleaning of the hop cooler (where I use to store the kegs of Barley Wine) and guess what he found ? Three kegs of of Old Bawdy Barley Wine from the years that I was brewing there (vintages 1996, 1997 1998). So Pike planned a tasting of these three old vintages and the three new ones drew had brewed. This was all part Pike's celebraton of 20 years of brewing. I happened to be in the USA for a visit home when this event was taking place so I flew on up to Seattle for the tasting. Many of the past Pike Place brewers were in attendance and there were 6 really good Barley wines.

Happy Birthday Pike !

If you want to hear our drunken rambling after 8 or so 9% beers - check the podcast below (I blame it on all the barley wines)

http://www.craftbrewcast.com/

http://www.pikebrewing.com/

Pitaya Rosé

2009-04-12T20:20:00.001-07:00

Archipelago Brewery has a new beer - We designed and brewed especially for World Gourmet Summit and it is their official beer this year.

When we designed the beer I knew we wanted to make something special, something unusual, with unique ingredients that we had not tried before, something that would wow the foodies that come to the WGS from around Asia and the world. We have already used a lot of unusual Southeast Asian fruits, herbs and spices in our beers - things like Assam, Mangosteen, young Ginger, Goji berry, Gula Malaka, Língzhī (never sold*) , Ba Jiao, Pandan, Lemon Grass, Coriander, Chinese Orange peel, Lychee, Kalamansi Lime, Tongkat Ali (also never sold*), and even Durian - so what to use this time - I was stumped.

Then one day a friend offered me a Dragon fruit (Pitaya or Huo Lóng Guo). I had tasted it before and was not really that impressed with the flavors, but when they cut it open instead of the normal pearl white color this one was a vibrant dark pink - I knew instantly that I had found my new ingredient. The Flavor of the Pitaya is mild and slightly sweet, the aroma is delicate and floral, but that dark pink color - that was it. It was exactly the thing I was looking for. The flavors and aromas matched perfectly with the ideas I had for the new beer; light and subtle yet unique, and the color - that was the wow factor I was hoping to find.

We had some unusual (and amazing) New Zealand Hop that I wanted to try (the Nelson Sauvin). It is the unique aromatic character of crushed Goosberries and Sauviougn Blanc wine grapes. To this I wanted to blend in a touch of Lavender for added aroma. We planned to use a light golden ale as the base beer and I added in a small amount of Galangal to spice up the flavor.

Finding the needed amount of red Pitaya turned out to be more difficult that I had thought. My initial search turned up only a few fruit, but I did learn that locally the red Pitaya were referred to as Malaysian Dragon fruit. Armed with this scrap of knowledge I headed to my favorite market - the huge Pasir Panjang wholesale market. It did not let me down. After wandering around for about an hour and searching over a dozen stalls I had procure about 30 kg of Malaysian Red Pitaya. The Lavender and Galangal were much easier to find.

The Pitaya Rosé will be at several events during the three weeks of the World Gourmet Summit including the Opening Event (April 19th) and the Chill & Grill with Archipelago event (May 2nd - hurry, and get your tickets now). Starting April 22nd will also be available on draft at the Queen & Mangosteen (in Vivo city) and Archipelago Beer Hub (Circular road).

The Pitaya Rosé is a limited addition beer, maybe never to be made again so look for it during the months of April and May - after that it could all be gone.

http://www.worldgourmetsummit.com/wgs2009/english/eventdetails.php?id=13

* these two very not nice tasting in beer (both are very bitter and taste of wood)

Two Wheels Good

2009-03-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

People that say there is noting to do in Singapore don't ride their bike enough (or maybe they don't even own one). Singapore is fairly small so you can ride around the island in a day if you wanted to (bring lots of sun screen) or ride across and back. But even though it is small there area a lot places to go and fascinating things to see - and a bicycle is the best way to see most of it.

I like to ride (although I am not what most bike riders would call fast). I ride to or from work most days of the week (about 20 km) and I try to get out at least once a weekend (when I am in town).

The great thing about riding your bike is - well, there are so many great things about riding a bike - it's great exercise, you are outdoors, it is faster than walking, yet slow enough to see things and stop to explore if you want, there free always parking everywhere, it's cheap, you don't burn any petrol, you can go places you never could in a car, and it fun. I have ridden to most of the western and southern parts of the island , I still need to explore the northern and farthest eastern parts - there a lot to see.

Many people who live here have never been to Lim Chu Kang or to Raffle's Marina. You might know that there a great goat farm in Lim Chi Kang but have you ever visited it ? Or been out to Marina south where the old shuttle boats ferry people to and from the thousands of freighters that make call here each year. Or visited Bukit Brown Cemetery and looked for Pontianak ? Okay, so maybe you wouldn't really want to find a Pontianak - but my point is there is a lot to do and see in Singapore.

I got out for a ride twice this weekend . On Saturday I went out by myself and rode to Marina South, and on Sunday I met up with my friend James and we rode around some of the parks out west. Both rides were great - over one weekend I went to Kent Ridge Park, The Hort Park (horticultural park), Labrador Park (and the piers near by), Telok Blanga Hill Park, Mount Faber Park, Marina Padang, Marina South piers, Commonwealth park (and the green space off Portsdown rd), Kepple Golf course (we did not ride thru the course), visited the Singapore/Malaysia train station, crossed Henderson Bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/3355136443/), Alexandra arch, the elevated forest walk, explored many back alleys, found out where the Kent Ridge mountain bike trail starts, found two new places to eat and found 5 new bars (El Barrio - maybe Singapore's best/worst dive bar). And I found a cool biking web site some more. True I had been to some of this before but I went to a ton of new places too.

Man, there is a lot to do and see in Singapore - and on two wheels is your best bet!

Check out the routes on the cool bike site -

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/HV-to-Marina-south-loop

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/West-cost-Parks

for picture of the weekends rides check

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/

Queen and Mangosteen

2009-02-24T23:03:00.000-08:00

We have a new place - ahhh, well - it (like the other ones in town) is not really our place. We have a strategic alliance with all of them - we supply the beer (and beer delivery systems) and aid in concept development (and some implementation) and then - Presto ! We have a new Archipelago beer outlet !

The new location is a partnership between the folks that own and operate the Highlander (and The Pump Room) and Archipelago. It is called the Queen and Mangosteen and it is perched on the waters edge at Vivo City, and the view of the harbor is great. The Queen & Mangosteen (or Q & M for short) is a British Gastro pub with Asian accents. The food is delicious and the service is friendly and very good - and the beers, well, they are just nice (as they like to say here in Singapore). There is a nice alfresco seating area where one can relax and watch the sunset (while tilting back a cool crisp Apsara lager) or an indoor area that can accommodate larger groups. The bar itself sits half way between. They have all seven our beer on tap.

And

Q & M will be the first place to get our new beer limited addition beer - Pitaya Rose (after the opening ceremony of the World Gourmet Summit on April 19th). We brewed Pitaya Rose especially for the World Gourmet Summit. It will feature the rare Nelson Sauvine hops (imported from New Zealand and whose aroma has been described as "breathtaking with overtones of Sauvingnon Blanc and hints goosebeerries" ), Galangal, and the fresh squeezed juice of (the also fairly rare) red Malaysian Dragon Fruit (ay, dun make fun, was very hard to find two cartons of these buggahs). The flavors, aroma and color are unique - they are unlike any I have ever tasted - and good (Whoa!)

And while we are on the subject if you are a foodie you should check out the World Gourmet Summit with Archipelago Pitaya Rose featured throughout the month of events.

http://www.worldgourmetsummit.com/wgs2009/english/eventdetails.php?id=13

Red Dragon Fruit in the field

http://www.queenandmangosteen.com/

So come down to the Queen and Mangosteen in Vivo city, have a nice cool handcraftted beer, Try one of my favorite bites - like the juicy Wagu beef mini burgers or the delicious minced Thai basil beef, sit back relax and enjoy the sunset of just watch all the people stroll by on the water front. If I see you there I will buy you a beer.

Penang

2009-02-24T22:59:00.000-08:00

Penang (Pulau Pinang) is a mostly un discovered treasure. This small island off the west coast of Malaysia sits languidly in the straits of Malacca very near Malaysia's southern border with Thailand. Georgetown, the capitol of the island, became a UNESCO world heritage site in July of 2008 in the hopes of preserving some of its unusual cultural and architectural heritage. Penang, Malacca and Singapore were once all a part of the "Straits settlements" administered by the British from India. This along with certain shared geography proximity has resulted in similar shared culture and attitudes. The food in all three is renown through out Asia. And although there are some similarities they are different enough to be unique. Architecturally Penang is what Singapore was some 40 years ago. Georgetown has retained many of it's shop houses and other colonial buildings and the street scenes remain much as they were in years past. You still see trishaws pedaling down the narrow streets taking aunties home from the markets, or hawker carts selling delicious local street cuisine.

The food culture is strong in Penang and many a Singaporean visits there just for the food (and attractive exchange rate). We spent as much time as we could seeking out local flavor. Some of the local "must trys" are Penang Assam Laksa (differing greatly from the Singaporean Laksa), Char Kway Teow, Nasi Kanda, Hokkien Mee, Chendol, the fresh sea foods and of course the Durian. And the place to have the best Durian is fresh, from a stall, out in the country near the farms.

One day we (James, Mallett & I) rented motor bikes and rode around the island. James's goal - eat fresh Penang Durian in the back county of Malaysia. It is a fantastic ride with many things to stop and see. The whole circuit takes about a 4 to 12 hours (depending how often you stop for Durian - and other attractions). We started out in the morning heading north to Batu Feringgi, from there we zipped over to the Tropical spice garden.
( www.tourismpenang.gov.my).
The garden is located in the village of Teluk Bahang and not only is it beautiful but very educational too. After wandering for about and hour and seeing what spices were available for new beers, we walk across the street for lunch on the beach at a little road side makan stall.

After lunch we mounted up and headed up into the mountains - in search of Durian. Somewhere in the middle of the island we found what we were looking for. (www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2987395325/). The Penang Durian is considered (among the cognoscenti) to be some of the best in the world. I found ours to be less pungent than the "Malaysian D24" you can find in Singapore, but more robust than the delicate Thai Durian. It had a rich pleasing taste, sweet and bitter at the same time, lacking some of the onion character found in D24, and not as creamy. It had a high flesh to seed ratio (unlike most Indonesian Durian) and cost about $15 Ringet (probably inflated for tourists). (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2988256358/) The Durian stayed accompanied us the rest of our road trip and well into the nigh (as Durian will).

The trip then took us through the mountains, past villages and temples, and back down to the coast. On the way back to Georgetown we met up with Mr. Larry and stopped in at the "Snake Temple" ( http://www.malaysiasite.nl/snaketempleng.htm ). The temple, is as its name implies, filled with snakes (real deadly poisonous vipers). And if that is not enough excitement for you go next door to the reptile house and see even more snakes and lizards. Having worked for years in the Seattle Zoo's reptile house I thought it would be a bit dull, but I was mistaken. They have a very nice collection housed well and displayed nicely. If you are lucky you can see the owner handle his 3 meter King Cobra (which is something you would NEVER see at any zoo) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2987328645/). If you are in Penang it is well worth a visit.

That weekend was Deepavali and Mr. Larry (who worked for many years on cruise ships) had a local Indian friend (Haneef) who had invited us over to their family gathering. I have to say that Deepavali in Penang is way better than the Deepavali I have been to in Singapore - I think that maybe it was the addition copious amounts of fireworks. Fireworks were a big part of celebrations when I was a kid growing up in Hawaii and the sulfury smell of gun powder and a street littered with red scraps of paper reminded me of home. Haneef's family welcomed us in as if they had know us for years. There were curry, satay, beer and whiskey. The evening progressed from eating, to drinking through fireworks to dancing. Fun. ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/3001772698/ )

Good food, unusual entertainment, inexpensive hotels, some good bars (like the Jenny & Peter's Hong Kong Bar), nice beaches, friendly people, cheap prices, Durian, not that many tourists, and a World Heritage Site some more - We had a great time - Penang has a lot to explore.

Phnom Penh Again

2008-12-15T22:39:00.000-08:00

I went back to Phnom Penh a few weeks ago. I had enjoyed my previous trip so much that I thought it was worth another visit - and I was not disappointed. I did a little more exploring this time, which turned out to be great. I wandered more (without any destination) and that usually leads to a few good finds - as it did this time. I went with a few friends (James & Patrick from Singapore - and James' friend Joe who met us there). They were game for a bit of exploration, so we ate more street food, we went deeper into the alley ways, checked out more local markets, and we stayed out later at night. We found temples, tucked away food stalls, small wet markets, abandoned villas, hidden bars, delicious food, and a lots of really friendly people.

One of the things that I have started doing when I travel is renting a bike and riding around. It is fantastic (albeit sometimes a bit more dangerous) way to see a city. It is much faster than walking, but slow enough to see everything, and you are still out in the open air (unlike car travel which usually leaves me feeling a bit detached).

I had read about a brewery in Phnom Penh so when Joe and Patrick went off to see Toul Sleng (possibly the most depressing place in SE Asia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum ) James and I rented bikes and rode off in search of the Man Han Lou brewery.

Luckily James had a clue; while I was busily racing up and down the streets and zipping along in the crazy Cambodian traffic James located the fairly nondescript Building that housed the object of our desire. And none too soon as pedaling madly around dusty Phnom Penh dodging on coming cars, other bikes, motor bikes, lorries, and the occasional Ox cart can really build up ones thirst.

The Man Han Lou Brewery & Restaurant (opened in 2007) serves four kinds of beer - delineated by color Gold, Red, Black and Green . I find this to be common among Brewers trained in China (delineation by color) as indeed Man Han Lou's Brewmaster was (or so Patrick told me after speaking with him - my Mandarin being all but nonexistent) The beers were surprisingly good for a small brewery operating in what has to be difficult conditions. All four of the beers were flavorful and well made. I have since read that only two of the beers are brewed (the Gold and the Black), one is a blend (the Red is a combination of the Gold and the Black), and the Green beer is the Gold with spirulina added. None the less - we enjoyed several glasses of them all.

The restaurant serves both local and Chinese dishes. We had a small variety meal and all the dishes were very nice. The service was very good as well (but it was mid afternoon with but one other table in the entire place). An excellent bike adventure and well worth searching out !

I have since read that another small brewery (the "Munich Beer Restaurant") has since opened and that they are making a decent drop. - I guess we will have to go back to Phnom Penh for another visit again soon.

Man Han Lou Restaurant - #456 Monivong Boulevard

Munich Beer Restaurant - #86 Sothearos Boulevard.

For more Cambodian Beer ramblings check out one of my favorite food blogs
www.phnomenon.com/index.php/cambodian-food/category/drinks/cambodian-beer/

For Pix of our trip check - http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/sets/72157611323295128/

No Secrets

2008-12-03T19:27:00.001-08:00

The other day I was visited by a group of graduate students from Denver Colorado (USA). They wanted to pick my brain about the brewing industry in Asia. They wanted to talk about the feasibility of opening a small brewery here. They told me that they were graduate students - but they dressed more like industrial spies - they might have even been industrial spies - but I don't think so, and I will tell you why ? Because, the craft brewing industry does not have industrial spies. There is no need for them - we have no secrets. There is no need for secrets when everyone shares everything with each other. Most of the head brewers here in the Singapore are from North America, where 25 years ago there was a rebirth of the small brewing industry. Back then (25+ years ago) there were almost no small breweries left. Certainly there were none in the North America or Asia. There were some in Germany, a few in Belgium - and a few more in the UK, but many of those were having a hard time. Traditional beer was on the wane and larger breweries were on a march to gobble up every bit of market share that they possibly could. Large breweries were buying up the smaller ones, closing their brewing facility down, and taking their market and tied houses or bars. Back then there were few (if any) professional organizations for small brewers, there were almost no equipment suppliers, and there was even less literature on operating a small brewery. This was especially true in the US where small brewing had been wiped out by prohibition some 50 years before. It was a fairly fizzy yellow and bland state of affairs. The resurgence of small brewing started with home brewing and CAMRA in UK and the it drifted over to US (and then a few years later it filtered back across the pond again to the UK where it inspired a new breed of small brewers there). In 1976 president Jimmy Carter legalized home brewing in the USA (God Bless him!). It was when those early hippy dippy odd ball home brewers, returning from their European vacation, filled with whacky ideas of opening their own small brewery that really got "micro brewing" started. But with no one to guide them and no books for "dummies" it was hard going at first. It happened in drabs and sputters. The first small brewer was the New Albion Brewery (they struggled and then died prematurely), and some time later Hale's Brewing, Sierra Nevada, and others followed.

The first Micro breweries were strange things indeed, equipment scavenged from other food industries, cobbled together in backyards or warehouses, with engineering as strange as the beer that they would create. The beers were something to behold too; wild with esters (or sometimes infections), only vaguely in a style and designed for punch not panache. But these brewers kept honing their skills, scavenging the libraries for information and talking to who ever might be able to help.

These first brewers had suffered, experimented (and sometimes failed) and they learned things the hard way. So as the next generation of brewers came up these pioneer brewers were willing to give of their self taught wisdom - and thus they spread an infectious passion to share.

I was one of those brewers early in that second generation (as was Scott from Brewerkz), and in those days there was still not much written about brewing. We learned (especially at first) to talk to each other and share knowledge, share ideas - and we passed this on to every brewer we met.

But this kind of sharing is not limited to the American craft brewers, you find the same thing all over the world - New Zealand, Vietnam, Belgium, England, Indonesia, Germany, Australia. Where ever I go I seek out the breweries, I meet the brewers and they are always happy to sit down, share a few pints, and talk about their brewery and their process, and share what they have learned.

I had a hard time convincing these American graduate students that there really were no secrets – it was clear - they had not talked with a lot of brewers.

Co Joined but Not Twins

2008-12-01T20:38:00.002-08:00

Now that it is final I can talk about it. We have reached an agreement. Archipelago Brewing Co. has taken over the production of beers at the Pump Room. For the past two months (since their head brewer Alex Chasko* left) we have been in negotiations work out the detail. When Alex gave his notice The Pump Room approched us. They are a restaurant and Bar business and they know how to do that really well. We are a brewing comapnay and we know how to do that. It seemed like a logical fit, but as they say the devil is in the details.

It took a while but I think that we have most of them worked out (mostly).

Some might know (although many may not) that we produced some of the Pump Room beers for them in the past. A few years back Alex came to us and asked if we could (under his supervision) brew an IPA for them, and then a few months later we brew a celebration ale as well. We made both those beers for them under "contract" as it is called. We used there specifications and recipe, they used our raw materials and equipment. It is an arrangement that is fairly common throughout the brewing industry where one brewery (usually smaller) has excess sales and another brewery (usually bigger) has excess capacity.

What we have doone now is a bit different. We are suing their equipment and recipes but supplying the labor, process and expertise. We will keep using there raw materials (where different from our own) and since we are using their equipment much of the "house Flavor" will remain.

So - What (you ask) does all this mean to you (the Beer Drinker) . Here's how it breaks down. We have hired a brewer (Scott Beczek) to do/oversee the brewing operations, we have also taken on the remaining Pump Room brewer (Jeff Mrphy). We (Archipelago) will over see the process and technical needs. Scott and Jeff will brew together and continue to craft the current Pump Room Beers, they will strive to improve beer quality (not that we didn't like the beers now, but one can always improve), and they will develope a few new beers in the future. We (Archipelago) will supply them with raw materials, technical expertise and process support. We have made a few needed repairs to the Pump Room's berwing equipment and we have fine tuned the recipes just a touch.

So why ? well, for The Pump Room they get to give up the responsiblity and complexities of making beer and get to focus on their core business (running restaurants), they get a better price on beer as we have greater buying power and they get technical support. Archipelago gets more volume, more outlets to sell beer and more customers aware of our brand. I get more employees to manage and a few more nervous nights worrying about unusual fermentations, but I also will get another place to drink beer (wait a minute I could already go there and drink beer - hmmmm I guess I will have to as Pump Room for a discount plan I guess :-)

Our first beers will start coming out in Mid December and then you all can write and tell me what you think.

I am pretty sure it will be a win, win win situation (win for Pump Room, win for Archipelago, win for the consumers).

*pictured here is the new Archipelago crew (Veronica, Racheal, Scott, Ben, Hoshang, Ashlyn, Jeff and Fal) Pictured at the top; Alex (PR former brewer) and Scott (new PR brewer) drinking someone else's beer at a bar in Golden Mile

Beer Fest !! (!!!)

2008-09-23T00:02:00.000-07:00

"Putting on a beer festival, that's just like throwing a big party" or so people keep telling my friend Tom. Yeah, much like to make great beer you just gotta boil some grain, beer festivals are that easy. Well, not really. But there is a grain of truth in that thought - to be able to put on a good beer festival you have to know how to throw a good party - and in that sense the Singapore Beer Festival (SBF) has got it right. The three guys most responsible for this upcoming event (Irvin, Matt and his brother Tom) have a good party sense. They know the essentials; Good entertainment (music, dancing, a guy to crack a few jokes), nice food and most importantly a whole lotta interesting things to quench the thirst. The beer line-up for SBF promises to pique the interest of even the most discerning beer connoisseurs. Matt and Irvin went all over the world to procure the beers for this event. There will be over 300 beer from over 50 countries across six continents (what, no more beers from Antarctica ?) . It's a pretty amazing list, especially for their first year out.

So - the bottom line; even if they make a few minor mistakes and forget a few of the small, small beer fest details (note: next year order more portable toilets, don't hire the biker gang for back stage security, and #@*! sake - ban the Durian beer!) they will definitely have the key elements covered.

Go see for yourself October 2 thrugh 5 at Fort Canning Park. Over 300 beers from around the world, packed with great entertainment from a cast of international and local artists, (live music, DJs and stand-up comedians some more) and plenty of good Makan. Check it all out ahead of time at http://www.singaporebeerfestival.com/

also check -
http://tigertales.sg/2008/09/01/brewniquely-singapore/

Moakirikiri

2008-09-14T06:32:00.000-07:00

I was just in Bali for the weekend (which, BTW, is nowhere near enough time for even a short visit to Bali). We were driving down the road and as we drove we are talking about how great lunch had been yesterday (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2855314051/ ) My friend Martin said "and there's this place just up here that sells live bats to eat - for only 20,000 Rupiah". Well, I thought "Bloody hell, only 20,000 Rups, I have about a million Rupiah on me, I could buy every bat they have and let them all go free" (you know like they do with song birds in Cambodia - as an act of good Karma). I sat there imagining myself giving some guy 600,000 Rupiah as bats squeaked off into the sky around us - and him, with this look of 1/2 Super happy (because this moron Bulay just gave him a months salary) and 1/2 totally confused (because some moron Bulay just bought 30 bats and let them all go). In mid-thought of my bat exodus we came around the corner and there they were.

I had imagined little bats (like the ones that dart around Singapore eating bugs under the street lights), but these bats were anything but small.Tthere they were - hanging upside down from their day time perches on the side of the road like black cocoons - two fairly larged sized Moakirikiri (the Maori name for flying fox - as they are more commonly known in Austral/Asia). WOW!! Moakirikiri ! I had wanted to get a close look at one of these guys ever since I had first read about them 25 years ago. And now there they were, and I could save them - and at a price some more - a mere 20,000 rups. I told Martin we HAD to pull over.

Thoughts raced through my head - I'd buy them both - and .... let them go, or ..... I don't know, look how cool they were, maybe, maybe smuggle them back to Singapore with me. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2856164266/
). Martin (I think reading my thoughts) said "No way you are bringing one of those in the car"

I popped out of the car. I had to save them from being eaten (I knew that they were considered a great delicacy in some areas, but they looked way to cool end up as dinner). As I walked up the guy beamed a big smile at me. I walked over to look at the flying foxes. "Can I touch them" I asked. "Yes 20,000 Rupiah only". With relief I understood. These flying fox were not for makan (eating). They were this guys pets and livelihood and for 20,000 Rupiah you could pick them up, pet them, play with them and he would take a few pictures for me

He put his hand out and the giant bat reached out and grabbed it. He lifted the hanging bat from his perch and he pasted him to me. The Moakirikiri was heavy, about 6 kg and he looked exactly like a small dog, except with expensive glossy leather wings, thick hook like "hands" and substantial clawed feet. He was totally tame and use to being picked up and pet. I stood there enthralled - Attached to my arm was the largest flying mammal in the world, his wing span easily 5 feet or more.

The flying fox stretched out his wings and flapped a little. He twisted around to look up at me. He was clearly curious, I reached down with my other hand and gave him a little rub. His fur was very soft and clean. He smelled my hand and gave my finger a little playful chewing on. Did that mean he liked me (??) or maybe it was just the boiled peanuts I had been eating in the car earlier.

I petted him for a few more minutes totally amazed at how friendly and dog-like his behavior was. Unfortunately we could not stay longer as I had a plane catch. If I hand not already discovered a dozen other reasons to return to Bali this one would have been reason enough. What a Super cool road side attraction par excellance.

Bangkok - so Much to do

2008-08-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Bangkok, it is a great city for things to do. There is just so much to do and see there. Of course there is the "normal" things that people do there that Bangkok is so well known for (like shopping, touring the Wats, the night life, etc.), but there is a lot more. At the top of my list of other things to do is the "Back Alley" bike tour (see photo left), eating Street food (and/or at the many great restaurants), a walking tour of China town (back alleys included - actually the back alleys are the best part), the weekend market madness (HUGE), and the Tawandang brewery and show. I am not sure which of those I would rank as "best" but the Tawandang brewery was the most fun.

The brewery has two locations one in town (on Rama III) and one just north of town on Phra Ram III. They should more correctly be called The Tawandang Theatre show extravaganza restaurant & brewery. It is kind of hard to fully describe this restaurant, concert hall, floor show, brewery thing that they have created. Each loaction seats over 600 people (and according to some sources as many as 1200 people ). Tawandang Brewery has a reputation for providing consistently delicious Thai and Germand dishes served by a fleet of (some say over 200) experienced and courteous wait staff - but there is more - much, much more.

They make their own beers on location (and you know we like that). There are usually three styles available; Pilsner, Dark lager and German wheat beer. All three are made in accordance to the Reinheitsgebot (the German purity law of 1516 or there abouts) and they are all well made beers and very nice examples of the styles. They serve German food (like pork knuckle, sausages, and Kartoffelkloesse) as well spicy Thai dishes (like Yen Ta Four - เย็นตาโฟ) .

The floor show is truly amazing, with a flurry of changing acts - they have everything from traditional Thai music and dance, to Rock n Roll, to magic acts, to American Country and Western, to acrobatics, to Disco, break dancing, a little comedy, Chinese dancers, and back again to traditional Thai. Completely entertaining - I have not laughed so much in years.

If you plan on a visit I highly recommend reservations, but be careful it can be confusing. They told us "Your reservation; You, before eight." We figured the show had a sitting at 8:00. So we dutifully showed up before 8:00pm. They did not have our reservation for Mr. Larry + 4 guest. But after a few minutes they asked us to look at the "big Board" and sure enough there we were; number "48 - Mr. Lally". You'll be number 4-8 (number forty eight on the list)

As far as I can tell (since most of it is in Thai) this is there official web site
http://www.tawandang.co.th/

The back alley bike tour we did was with ABC - Amazing Bangkok Cyclist Ltd ( http://www.realasia.net/ ). This was a truly great day of adventure. Their guide took us through the tiny back alleys of Bangkok, some alleys so small you could hardly ride through them, some dark and concealed, some places open and friendly, others winding through the middle of shanty towns, all places that you would never find on your own, or (even if you are very brave) would be willing to adventure down on your own. They took us through Klong Toey to a ferry terminal, and from there across the river to explore Bang Kachao. Bang Kachao is an area of plantations, farms and and traditional housing, where elevated walkway wind through the patty fields and plantations. There are very few people and even less traffic on the few roads that are out there -kampong living, all only a few minutes from down town Bangkok.

For a few photos of Bangkok scenes check out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2753885822/

If you have free time on the weekend I recommend the absolutely huge Chatuchak Weekend Market. It is the undisputed king of markets taking up about 35 acres. It has over 15,000 stalls selling everything you could possibly imagine that might be sold in an open market (and many thing you would never imagine would be). It is a stunner. But be prepared, it is also crowed in the extreme (getting more than 200,000 visitors a day) it can get pretty hot and tiring. The best way to get there is by sky train. Get off at the Mo Chit station. And be resolved to bargain and be prepared to spend.

Thai Cowboys at the Chatuchak weekend market
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2754033854/

The iBrew Challange

2008-08-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, the iBrew Challenge this year was WET (the photo left was taken early on - before the really rain started). Really three words better describe the day - wet, muddy and fun. August 23rd started off nice enough but by 12:00 is was raining rather hard, so hard in fact that most of the ECP was flodded. But that did not deter most of the iBrew fans. Despite the rain and occasional heavy down pours it was a great day of celebrating beer and brewing. There was (of course) a home brew competition (the winners of which get to enter their beers in the Asia Beer Awards* - Asia's first craft beer competition). There was free flow of many delicious home made beers to try, combined with some tasty makan, a couple of beer games, prizes, a lucky draw, music, and a lot of happy people. Did I mention we had free flow of delicious home crafted beers. (and with enough free flow of delicious beers - who needs dry cloths or shoes - http://www.flickr.com/photos/26343838@N02/2792315432/

So if you missed it this year - you'll just have to wait until next year.

For more information about The iBrew Challenge or Home Brewing go to the forum at http://www.ibrew.com.sg/IBC2008.asp

Cheers again to Raymond Lee of iBrew for being The Organizer of such a fun event.

Sunday Session

2008-06-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

This post is for all you folks who live in Singapore or are planning to visit some time in the near future (although it may have some interest for other beer people as well). When I first moved here I was tasked with finding places where I thought our beers might do well (a rough job I'm tell'en U), so I scoured the island, I went hither and yon. And now have been to most places worth having a beer (a few still elude me - but I am working on it). During the course of my investigations I (only naturally) found a few that I liked more than others, places that fit my sensibilities*, and I hoped that we could get our beers on at most of them.

One of my favorites was the Prince of Wales (POW). Tucked away in Singapore's Little India district it is a comfortable little pub with a backpacker's hotel above it. Malcolm (the owner) is an Aussie and thus the pub has a bit of that flavor to it. Malcolm is an entrepreneur and independent thinker and he does all his own grass roots marketing. He gives discounts to all the teachers in Singapore, he give discount to Singapore Home Brew club members**, and he puts on a great weekly "Sunday Session". The Sunday session is an Australia tradition where people meet up early at the pub, have a few beers, grab a bit to eat, listen to music and by dinner time you are home and ready for bed.

And the POW's Sunday session is not too different. They have a great beer special (Archipelago Samui for $6.00 a glass), free steak sandwiches, free live music and a lucky draw some more. Plus there is a nice outdoor section to hang out in or you can be a chill indoors with some aircon action. I mean what more could you want?

So if you have not been down to the Prince of Wales (and their Sunday Session) - check it out !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2508958674/

*Check here for good places -

http://pau-hanatime.blogspot.com/2006/11/singapore.html

** Singapore Home Brew Club members not only get to meet once a month to discuss beer and brewing they also get discounts at the following bars: Archipelago (Circular Rd), The Beer Club, Brewerkz (all locations- Riverside, Indoor Stadium, Bukit Timah, T3), Cafe Iguana, HomeBrew.com, iBrew.com, Lot Stock & Barrel, Paulaner, Prince of Wales, The PumpRoom, RedDot, The Archipelago Straits (Far East SQ.), and Wine Garage. Discount varies. check out - http://club.homebrew.com.sg/index.htm

*** Above photo by Larry Flynn

Lombok, Indonesia

2008-05-20T01:39:00.000-07:00

When I returned from the USA, I found that the Larger (Tiger) brewery next door (from where we get all our utilities) was shut down for maintenance. We could do no brewing, no packaging, no cleaning, - almost nothing + we had a long weekend coming up. So, bo pian (I had no choice), I went on Holiday.

My friend James had decided the week before that he was going to Lombok island in Indonesia - So I just tagged along. Lion Air had special going - and it was as easy as that.

Lombok is the lesser know island next to Bali, and being lesser know is not as frequently visited and not as touristafied. The people of Lombok could not have been friendlier, and the island was beautiful - the picture speak for themselves ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/ ) . We rented a car for two days and drove around the island. Then we took a boat out to the Gili islands and spent a few days there. The Gilis are a bit more touristy and not as nice as the main island, but still it was nice and not that crowded.

And the beer - the beer was good and cheap (although a bit harder to find than in Bali as Lombok is predominately Muslim) . Beer Bintang and Ankor beer were the most available (I preferred the Ankor) and the cost for a big bottle sitting on the beach - about 19,000 Rups (or $2 USD).

My recommendations for those visiting Lombok are A) stay cheap - the lower priced hotels are nice and clean, B) rent a car and tour around, get to places you normally would not and see the scenery, C) if you take a boat buy the cheapest local ticket and don't be talked into buying any other kind of ticket, D) walk around and meet the people in the towns or villages - I met dozens of friendly people who were excited to practice their English and I got to practice my Bahasa Indonesia (great fun).

It was a great trip - very enjoy.

Home

2008-05-20T01:38:00.000-07:00

Before San Diego I went home for a break (and a lot of yard work). "Home" is Anderson Valley (Mendocino County) Northern California. And it is always a bit of a culture shock to go from Singapore to Anderson Valley. Kind of akin to shifting from 5th gear to first (without clutching). I know I have said this before but Anderson Valley just about could not be much less like Singapore (except maybe unless it were in the Alaskan outback). The total land area of Anderson Valley is about the same as Singapore and I suppose crime is relatively low
in both, but that's pretty much where the similarities end. I love both places. Here are just a few of the differences.

Singapore = 4,500,000 people
Anderson Valley = 4,000 people (maybe)

SIN = is a business Hub, with very little land left for agriculture
AV = is one of the last truly agrarian communities in California
(almost everyone is farming something)

SIN = is ultra modern model of efficiency and prides itself on that fact
AV = in an archaic anachronism held together with bailing wire
(and prides itself on that fact)

SIN = has Singlish - http://www.singlishdictionary.com/
AV = has Boontling - http://mms.mcn.org/~boontling/

SIN = most people live in high rises
AV = there's no building over three stories

SIN = nearest neighbor is 2.5 meters away
AV = nearest neighbor is several hundred meters away

SIN = there are literally thousands of great places to eat
AV = there is one (maybe two) good places to eat

SIN = there is great pressure to conform and behave
AV = is a community of non-conformists given to acting up

SIN = Almost no one owns a gun
AV = Almost everyone owns at least one gun

SIN = Has (supposedly) thousands of plain cloth police hidden everywhere
AV = Has Kieth, the one policeman (& his angry dog) looking menacingly at you

SIN = many children have never seen a live chicken
AV = some people still barter for child care with live chickens

SIN = has Geylang
AV = has the Wool festival

Our Mendonesian house among the Redwoods (and Bamboo)

The view out my window in Singapore

The Craft Brewer's Conference & World Beer Cup

2008-05-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

I was in San Diego for The Craft Brewer's Conference (CBC) & World Beer Cup (WBC). The CBC is an annual event that moves around the country. Last year the CBC was in Austin Texas; a great city with great music and a lot of great food (esp the BBQ). The CBC is an educational conference with presentations and lots of opportunities to exchange ideas and network with fellow brewers and other people in the industry. As you might imagine a conference of craft brewers is more fun than a conference of software engineers or sales persons (believe me, I speak from experience). And I say this not to cast aspersions on those other groups, but to confirm what most people already believe - that making beer for a living ismore fun than most jobs. But having said that, all in all a conference is a conference - there are speaker sessions and a trade show and hopitality rooms and discussion groups and open forums and a lot of schmoozzing. Sama Sama, tetapi tidak sama (same same, but different).

The WBC is an every other year event. This year there were almost 3000 beers entered in 91 styles from 644 breweries in 58 countries. That's a lot of beer. The judging took 129 judges from 21 countries three days to complete (that's about 2350 hours of judging!). I was lucky enough to be one of those 129 judges. Judging at the CBC is a great opportunity to learn and listen to what other people from around the globe think about beer and brewing techniques. It is a rare glimps into how other (sometimes secretive) brewers think. But contrary to what you might imagine beer judging is not that much fun. The judges take their responsibilities very seriously and spending 8 hours a day tasting and writting notes on about 130 beers each day is pretty tough work (esp on the third day).

Unfortunately Archipelago did not win any awards this year (there is alway 2010 WBC) but I am happy to inform that Asia Pacific Breweries did - their Baron's Strong won a bronze medal for "Belgian style Strong Ale" and Anchor Ice (from VBL - Vietnenam) won a Gold medal for "Tropical style Light Lager". I think that's pretty cool. (previous Singapore medal winners are Tiger beer and Brewerkz E-IPA)

Photo caption: Lucky 13: Not only does each of the 6 judges at this table have 12 beers to judge in this final round - look at the color (and one would suspect flavor) differences. It'sa Tough job, but somebody has got to do it.

SoCal & the Fish Taco

2008-05-19T22:23:00.001-07:00

Offer - The Huge Fish Taco, complete with guacamole, from La Posta (on 3rd in SD)

Jenny goes in for another bite - still only about a third of the way into her fish taco

It's
just too big - Christopher has to come in as a closer to finish it off

If Southern California was its own country (and it should at least be its own state - and I mean that in a good way) the fish taco would be the national dish. Loved by surfers, skater grommets, businessmen and moms alike it fairly screams Southern California. So I was in San Diego a few weeks back for the Craft Brewers Conference and World Beer Cup (more on that later) one of my main missions was to have as much authentic Mexican food as possible (or at least as much authentic SoCal Mexican food as possible). Our friend Tom Nickle (owner of O'brien's Pub - http://www.obrienspub.net/) recommended a very small street corner joint near by and off we went. The thing about all food (at least for myself and most of my friends) is the more authentic the better - and sometimes that means you gotta search a little harder and look a little further.

Some times you have to look past the 1960's Naugahyde and the chipped asbestos floor tiles or past the the paper plate or aluminium foil presentation and maybe even past the worn out tank top and flip flops of the person cooking. Never mind all that - don't be distracted by looks, the taste is what we are looking for. (and being a good bargain can help one look past minor defaults in presentation). I have found it to be true in most places; the best food is usually not in the nicest restaurants.

There's really not any great Mexican food in Singapore, there's maybe a few above average places (Cafe Iguana is pretty good) but there is nothing like in California. No burrito wagons on the corner, no late night Taco stands - and nothing like the El Centro Nuevo in SF, or like La Posta or Ortega's in SD, or Babita in LA. So when I am in California that's what I want to eat. Luckily it's not hard to find. Now, the decision; "I'll have a Bohemian and ...." Carnitas, Tamales, Carne Asada or the Fish Taco ?? It's so hard to discide - I Better plan on coming back tomorrow.

Yeast bud

2008-03-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

"Hey - I heard you guys are part of Tiger ?"

Ahhh, No, not really - not Tiger

"But Tiger makes the beer. Right ?"

No, we make our beers

"But you make it at Tiger - Right ?"

I get these questions a lot - so I thought maybe I would talk about it some here.

I am very lucky (in many ways). One of the ways that I am lucky is that I work for a tiny little company (only 6 employees). A small company is nice because you know all your co-workers, you know who is doing what and you feel a part of the effort. Another way that I am lucky is that the tiny company I work for is buried deep inside a much larger company (of several thousand employees). Big companies are nice because they have big resources. Our little company operates small but has some of the resources as if we were large. Its' lucky for me that I usually get the best of both of these worlds (yeah I occasionally get hit with the worst of both too, but that's pretty rare).

So, I know that does not clarify much yet (except that I am lucky)

Some people think that Archipelago Brewery is owned by Tiger Brewery - which it is not. Some people think that we are owned by Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) - which we are. Asia Pacific Breweries owns 32 other breweries in 12 other countries throughout Asia. These breweries are in as distant lands as New Zealand, India, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, China and about every other SE Asian country. APB Breweries make brands like Tiger, Monteiths, South Pacific, Tui, Anchor, Heineken, Larue, Guinness, and many others - over 40 brands in all. Each of the other breweries produces over a million hectoliters a year (yes, APB is pretty big) but Archipelago produce somewhat less beer. Some people think that our beers are brewed by Tiger brewery - which they are not. Tiger's 500 hectoliter brewery produces Tiger, Heineken, Guinness, Anchor, Barons, and a few other brands, but not the Archipelago beers. Archipelago's beers are brewed on its own 30 hectoliter brewery. APB owns both Breweries. Both are located in Tuas (at the far west end of Singapore). Both breweries share the same street address but not the same brewing facility. The two breweries are in separate buildings next door to each other. Archipelago is like a small sprout next to the giant tree. We sit in the shadow of the Tiger Brewery. We actually do share some things. The larger brewery supplies us with all our utilities and warehousing, and we split on our administration and sales duties. We operate all our own production (brewing), operations and marketing. We give some back in APB occasionally uses us as an R & D facility and we are (we hope) bring new customers to beer (and thus increasing the market) by offering them a wider range of flavors and new concept of what can be.

And if you have had our beers you know that they are nothing like the usual line up of beers you would find on your market shelves. In fact most of the Archipelago beers are even different from the offerings from other small brewery that you might find. Not only are Archipelago beers hand crafted, all malt, full flavored beers - but they often have some added addition of unique local cooking ingredients. We have created beers using assam, blue ginger, gula malaka, lemon grass, coffee, galanangal, Ba Jiao, Kalamansi lime, pandan, Chinese orange, Lingzih, Goji – just to name the more exotic things we have tried. The larger corporation has given us free reign to create new beers and do things in a new way.

I bring all this up not to point out that small is better than big, or that one kind of beer is better than another, but to help clarify for you (the beer aficionado) and point out what may be a unique relationship in the brewing world; A truly small brewery owned by a giant brewing corporation and yet still making truly unique beers. (did I mention I was lucky)

Phnom Penh

2008-02-28T19:32:00.001-08:00

I recently spent four days in Phnom Penh Cambodia and really enjoyed it. And to keep this in the realm of the beer world let me say that while we were there we had some very good Anker beer on draft, and some pretty good Beer Lao in a bottle too. The food (although not as exciting as the selections in Singapore) was good and inexpensive. One night we ate at what was recommended to us as the best restaurant in the country and it was very nice. For four of us the bill was less than $50.00 USD - so yes the food was very inexpensive too. But more interesting by far were the friendly and gregarious people, and Cambodia's complex and interesting history.

Cambodia (Kâmpŭchea) has what must be one of the most troubled histories of any country in the later 20th century. With a long history of being invaded and occupied from one of its bordering neighbors; either Thailand or Vietnam, Cambodia came under French rule in the mid 19th century and remained so until Japanese forces took over in 1941. The Japanese, never gentle as an occupying force, did little the bring stability or prosperity to the region. The French re-established a shaky rule after WWII but the age of colonialism was quickly drawing to a close. In 1949 France granted Cambodia “independence” within the French Union, and in 1953 the monarchy gain full autonomy. Although Cambodia tried to remain neutral during the unrest in of the 1960’s the conflict destabilized the entire region and the Cambodian’s monarch fell to coup led by Lon Nol in 1970.

The pro-western Lon Nol government dragged Cambodia deeper into conflict. By 1972 Cambodia’s border with Vietnam was a war zone, hundreds of thousands of people had been killed, injured or displaced and a civil war threatened the government. The US military continued a massive bombing campaign through out the country even after the 1973 peace accord was signed. In the following two years what the once small band of former government officials, monks and teachers now backed by the communist, gained strength in the villages and surrounding country side and people fled by the thousands to Phnom Penh.

1975 saw the total collapse as the then unstoppable Khmer Rouge took control of the over crowed capitol. The people were overjoyed at the possibility of peace. Within days the joy turned to fear and then to horror. The Khmer Rouge evacuated all of the over 2 million residents to the country side. And then the nightmare of the killing started.

Any former city dweller, educated person or person associated in any way with the former government could be killed for any reason. Among the capitol offences were foraging for extra food, associating with a relative, having owned a business, speaking French, practicing Buddhism, not working hard enough, having associated with a Vietnamese or wearing glasses.

Under the leadership of Pol Pot the Khmer Rouge set up farm camps throughout the country. These were forced labor camps of grueling hard work. Conditions varied depending on location but eventually hundreds of thousands of Cambodians would slowly starve to death at these farm camps. The Khmer Rouge also set up interrogation centers to extract confessions from the guilty. The most famous of these was Tuol sleng (code named S21) where of the over 20,000 people that entered for questioning only 6 are know to have survived. In these interrogation centers people were photographed, questioned, and then tortured to death. And anyone could end up there – even Khmer Rouge party members and some of Pol Pot’s oldest friend.

This Cambodian life of horror went on until early 1979 when Vietnamese troops invaded and took over the country. During the Rouge party’s reign more than 1.5 million Cambodians were killed or starved to death. The population was decimated, a fact that is still evident today, as one looks around and see almost no old people (median age in Cambodia is 21, compared to Singapore where the median age is 38)

The Vietnamese occupation lasted more than 10 years. In 1991 the Paris Peace Accords where withdrawl was negotiated mandated a ceasefire and democratic elections. Factional fighting and armed skirmishes continued to hampered political stability and free elections throughout the 1990’s. The remaining guerilla Khmer Rouge forces surrendered only in 1999. The 21 century has seen a return of political and economic stability. Although far from completely mended - the country remains poor, it is rank the third most corrupt county in S.E. Asia, the income gap is huge, and life expectancy low – overall Cambodia seems to be headed in a better direction. Spectacular Ankor Wat and Siem Reap are quickly becoming a tourist destinations and Phnom Penh (only a few hundred kilometers away) is rebuilding and beginning to look better than some cities in more affluent countries. There is much more to Cambodia then just the last 60 years. Home to some of the largest temple (or Wat) complexes in the world it was once the trading capitol of all S.E. Asia with an empire that extended from Myanmar to Malaysia. And despite the horrors of the past the Cambodian people are genuinely friendly and kind – and excited to have you visit them and tell you about their rich history - before the troubles of the 20th century.

For more on the Cambodian Holocaust http://www.edwebproject.org/sideshow/index.html

Thaipusam

2008-01-22T19:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Thaipusam. Thaipusam is only practiced in Singapore, western Malaysia, and only a very few places in Southern India. Thaipusam is a Hindu celebration to demonstrate ones devotion. The festival is held in honor of the Hindu deity, Lord Subrahmaniam on the full moon day in the month of Thai (usually Jan or early Feb.). There are several stories surrounding this Tamil holiday some are about Idumban and Lord Subramaniam, and others about the Goddess Shiva and Parvathi's son Murugan. Even after reading about Thaipusam I am not exactly clear on all that this festival involves - devotion, purification, paying for one's sins, the granting of favors by Subramanian, the vanquishing of evil (my personal favorite), carrying burdens, milk, vows, and hardship all seem to get some play. What I am sure of is that Thaipusam is an amazing spectacle to behold, and that Thaipusam is not for the squeamish.

To show their devotion (and some say to pay for their past transgressions) the devotees undergo first a cleansing fast and then physical mortification. In order to properly prepare a devotee has to be a strict vegetarian, offer prayers and observe austerities for a month before the festival. On the day of the festival devotees parade from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Little India to the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple on Tank Road (about 4 km).
Many devotees carry their burdens or kavadi (often jugs or pots of milk) along the course, but some devotees have more elaborate burdens. Some carry objects hooked into the skin, others carry the giant vel kavadi - the portable shire of 108 piercing. Yes, that is 108 punctures into their skin to support this elaborate human float for the length of the parade. The devotees will often then pierce their cheeks and tongue as well and some even go so far as to wear shoes of nails.
The vel kavadi are so elaborate and large it is hard to believe (and hard to photograph). The vel kavadi toting devotees are supported by friends and family who give encouragement, sing clap and dance around them. The streets are filled with people of all kinds supporters, devotees, onlookers. The feel is very festive and participants are all upbeat.

Of course not all that attend go to such extremes, some people are contend to offer prayer and support to the other devotees. Thaipusam is not merely a tradition, a ritual or a religious holiday it was a genuine show of devotion and deep and intense belief. I have a friend who (in his early 50's) participated in the more physical portion of the parade for the first time last year and he said that the feeling so intense that he could not describe it in words. Even as an observer it is hard to describe.

Also check - http://jpingel.blogspot.com/2008/01/its-thaipusam.html

Vietnam

2008-01-13T18:47:00.000-08:00

In December I logged a lot of travel. After my long weekend in Manila (see previous post), I went up to the Republic of Vietnam. Asia Pacific Breweries has an operation just outside of Saigon (renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1975, but still referred to as Saigon by most residents). That is where my colleague Venus and I were headed. Our first stop and base of operation would be the luxurious downtown New World Hotel Saigon. It is not often that I get to linger in such opulence, but as nice as the rooms were, we were here to work. Still thinking of how comfortable the bed was I made my way to the Lobby to meet our driver (Lin) and off to the brewery we went. One of the first things that one notices about Saigon is how many people (and motor bikes) there are there. Saigon is vibrant city and abuzz with activities. The official population is about 7 million, but most residents suggest that the number is closer to 10. The traffic is astounding. The second thing one is likely to notice is how modern and affluent downtown Saigon looks and feels. As you drive through the busy streets you'll see shops carrying a variety of high end consumables; Louis Viutton, Cartier, Gucci, Prada and even (I am sorry to say) Starbucks. It's hard to believe that less than forty years ago Vietnam and American were at war. As one looks about it is hard to imagine what that conflict was about. What's more amazing is how little Americans seemed to have learned from it. If one gauges by the available shopping it is easy to forget that Vietnam is run by a communist government. But Saigon is not just the downtown, Saigon is huge and spread out (covering approximately 2000 square kilometers) and not all of it is flashy store fronts.

As one leaves the central area Saigon begins to take on a different look, taller buildings give way to two and three story shop houses. Signs become less frequent and the streets become more congested and noticeably narrower. Driving in Saigon is an exercise best left to seasoned experts (hell, even crossing the street in Saigon takes nerves of steal). There are no demarcations of traffic flow and the rules of the road are the most basic; size (and bravado) have the right of way, it is like a constant game of Chicken. Driving in Saigon is so nerve wracking that the best you can hope to do as a passenger is try to think about something else - look at the colorful scenery and shops or maybe just close your eyes and think happy thoughts (if you can) - never look into the head on coming traffic, you are not in control here.

Our trip to the brewery took about an hour. We were going there to discuss the feasibility of new beers for growing markets around Asia. Archipelago had brewed some test batches for consumer evaluation and I was there to consult from that perspective. The Vietnam Brewery (VBL) is a joint venture with APB, Heineken and the Vietnam government. And they brew a lot of beer. Their total capacity is over 2.2 million hectoliters a year (about 2 million barrels). Their Brewer, Mr. Man Hoang Huu, is a man with a lot of character and a great knowledge of brewing. Our discussions with Huu were lively and interesting, and as usual in our industry they ended in the tavern over a pint (or two). The Vietnamese have a different view of beer than some of the other Asian countries. Huu told us that the beers for Vietnam had to be a little bit stronger. They could not be too weak as his country men (and women) were in the habit of adding ice to their beer and too weak a beer ended up tasting thin and watered down. The habit of adding ice to beer has dual benefits; it keeps ones beer cold and it keeps one more hydrated - both important in a country known for it hot climate. Light beer, it was explained, would never sell well in Vietnam. Coors tried to market the silver bullet there but as of this date they have had little success. We were also informed that the Vietnamese per capita consumption was one of the highest in Asia and that in Vietnam one ordered and drank not by the bottle or glass - but by the case.

This was even more evident after our discussions in the brewery tavern. About dusk Huu found our driver and sent us on our way back to the city center. Saigon traffic can be very bad and I knew the trip would last at least an hour. I took the appropriate precautions and visited the gents before departure. As the sun began to dip below the horizon we took our leave. Venus and I sat back to relax and discuss the progress we had made. After an hour or so I looked out the window and noted that there were no tall buildings to be seen in any direction. In fact there had been a general decline in density - of cars, of buildings, of people. Hmmm, where were we ? and where was town ? And more importantly when could our driver conveniently pull over.

Saigon sits in the middle of the Mekong delta. It is a very flat area and with the exception of a few tall buildings (which were not in sight) there are no prominent land marks. It seemed to me that our driver (the normal driver for one of the brewery's executives) should know his way back to downtown. Surely he had made this trip innumerable times before. Certainly we could not be lost. (I had never heard of the kidnappings of foreigners here in Vietnam - should we be worried ?) Finally after it had become clear to all of us that we were in fact quite lost our driver pulled over to ask for directions. The exchange was brief (and in Vietnamese) and I assumed simple - "yes, back the way you came, then take a right at the .... " And once again we were on our way. Another 30 minutes later we had retraced out steps and then some, but seemed no close to our goal. Again we pulled over and asked for help. After a further 20 or so minutes I was in dire need (it had been about 2 hours since we left the brewery - and discomfort was turning to pain). Although we were close to town it was obvious to us all that we were still lost. More directions and this time I was in luck. When he pulled over I saw a restaurant across the street and I bolted for it. It was with much dismay that I discovered that some restaurants in Vietnam (regardless of external neon lighting) have no restrooms. I was forced to take my chances elsewhere, on my own, and not speaking a word of Vietnamese. I ran from the restaurant. A crazed white man running through the back alleys of a small town looking for an open field (or a shadowed tree).

When I returned the driver had figured out why I braved a mad dash through traffic and across the road. He had very kindly arranged for me to use the facilities of house near by, but that time had passed, so we continued on our trek. The entire trip home took almost 3 hours. Our apologetic driver dropped us off at the hotel and we headed out to dinner at the famous Pho 2000 next to the Ben Thanh market. The Pho at Pho 2000 is pretty damn good (and inexpensive) but what makes it famous is that Bill Clinton ate there in back when he was the Man. It not your typical Vietnam Pho house but the food is just as good (or better) than most places and it has good service too. Plus we were starved we couldn't complain.

The following morning we had off to wander the streets before our afternoon flight back to Singapore. I went to the Ben Thahn market and then wandered the streets and parks near by. In a country that had known such hardship for so long and at hands of so many I wondered how it was that I was greeted with nothing but smiles and friendly nods. Shouldn't they be suspicious and angry with all foreigners? Maybe they were, maybe politeness wouldn't allow it show. I stood there watching the throngs pass by. A young lady road by on a old bicycle in her flowing and fluttering Ao dai and her Non la. I wondered at the many changes here. I wondered how much had changed for someone like her.

Suggested reading: The Quite American by Graham Greene. An excellent book with deep insight and many layers to it. It captures a Saigon of a time now past, but the story has as much relevance and meaning today as it did when written in the 1950's, maybe even more.

Those who cannot learn from the past are condemned to repeat it - George Santayana (paraphrased)

Manila

2008-01-10T22:12:00.001-08:00

Yes, I know, it has been a long time since my last post – what can I say, I am a bad blogger. The holidays were just more activity than I had planned on. First I went to Manila with my friends Bill and Brett (they had both been before but I had not). Ostensibly we went to visit a friend of Bill’s, but really we used that as an excuse to look for, hang out in and drink/eat in new places. The food scene in Manila is not as diverse or as interesting as it is in Singapore (but really where is ??). We did make a few nice discoveries, and there is a lively street food scene with some good BBQed items. The Crispy Pata (deep fired pork leg& trotters - foot) was as you might imagine – completely delicious (I mean come on, it’s pork AND it’s deep fried – shhaa, how could it not be delicious ?).

We also had some good Chicken Adobo. Adoba comes in many forms and my favorite of all time is made at the Oriental Mart lunch counter in the Pike Place Market in Seattle (hand made daily by a very nice Filipino family - comes with pancit bihon). We searched out a few Adobo places in Manila and they were pretty good but none as good as I have had in Seattle or Singapore (I wonder what that says about a. - my tastes or b. - the quality of the Adobo in Manila ??). Some other notable dishes that we had were Nilaga (beef soup), Bangus (steamed milk fish – was excellent, especially with a little kalamansi lime on top), Lumpia (fried spring roll) and Palabok (noodles with sauce, boiled egg and stuff). Sadly we could not find any decent looking balut (one of Brett’s favorites), and maybe that was for the best (even though it tastes like chicken I am still a bit not so okay with it). Overall, although most the food was nice, I have to say that the food in Manila was a little bit disappointing - a bit bland by Singaporean standards (I guess I am a little bit spoiled now). I have been told that the Filipinos don’t like spicy as much as some other Asian countries (and as much as I do) so this may account for my perception.

The bar scene in Manila was pretty good and despite warnings that Manila could be dangerous everywhere we went we were greeted with smiles and friendly greetings. We went to several good bars and some were defiantly a cut above. I here list some of the more notable. The Hobbit House, located in the Makati district, is a theme bar based on the JRR Tolken books. The Hobbit House was designed to feel and look like a bar you might find in the Shire of Middle Earth, and it pulls it off pretty well. It had a very underground feel complete with no windows and intertwined vies running accross the cieling throughout. They have swords and shields hanging on the walls, and even a round entrance door, and then they took it a little bit further. The owner and all the employees were Hobbit sized little people. And it was quite the opposite of making a spectacle of them, it was more like a place to celebrate there stature. A place built for little people that allowed us clumsy large people to come in and have a drink. Now here is a bar that could absolutely never exist in modern America (what with the completely gone out of control political correctness there), and too bad. I talked to a few of the staff and they had most of them been there a very long time. Everyone seemed to enjoy working there. Also notable was that the good beer selection. It is one of the best in Manila with beers from all over Europe. The musical performances on the stage were a pretty good show of local talent too. We went there a few times and enjoyed every visit.

Manila is filled with great little bars. The Sunshine Coast (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2097632850/) was a classic one, cool and dark we sat around and swapped stories with the bar staff and other customers for hours. Beers were cheap and the music was good. We also found a place called L.A. Café. Their main bar sucked but they have a new place right across the street and it was great during the day (much more comfortable, almost no one in there and a friendly bar staff who is always happy to shoot a game of pool. Another good place we stumbled upon (not in to) was the Oar House (http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/2096854117/).This tiny bar is along a stretch of road by itself almost. Nautically themed it was maybe built in the late 1960's and it is still in very nice condition. It was cool and quiet and had a good 1940’s maritime feel. You almost expected to look up from the bar and see Steve Moran (Bogart in To Have and To Have Not) and his side kick Eddie walk through the front door. We were the only ones there at 4:00 and beers were damn near 1960’s prices - about $0.65 USD per bottle (you gotta love that).

It was not all eating and drinking (although mostly it was) we did walk around the old historic district and check out the old walled citadel. We were only there a few days, just hardly scratched the surface, clearly I gonna need a return trip soon.

New Brews

2007-11-22T21:52:00.000-08:00

For all those of you that are looking forward to new beers from Archipelago we have several treats for you in late 2007 and early 2008.

We will be bringing back the smooth and roasty Java (Black Lager beer). We brewed this beer last year and it was a popular addition to the Archipelago draft line up (plus it is one of my favorite beer styles). Silky smooth, round and redolent with roasted coffee flavors Java blends the best of old Bavarian brewing traditions, the original home of the black Lager, with a flair from the east. To give Java a hint more coffee flavor we have blended in a touch of special hill grown Kopi Bali (Balinese coffee) to the dark roasted malts. Aged (or lagered) for an extended period of time to develop the velvety character, the result is an even richer roasted, nutty, chocolate flavor in this already luscious dark beer. Since this is one of my personal favorites I am very much looking forward to its release in late December.

We have also just brewed a special beer for the DFS (Duty Free Shops). The beer is named Explorer. It is in the Belgian Saison style, but lighter and more refreshing than our Siason Sayang (Sayang was maybe a bit ponderous for some). Explorer offer a variety of aromas and flavours reminiscent of the fragrance of the outdoors. Explorer is lightly spiced with liquorishy Anise and coriander, it has a strong bready character and a hint of fruits and hardwoods, a note of fresh cut grass, and touch of acidity. Golden pale in colour, Explorer is smooth and complex, round and flavorful yet refreshingly dry and thirst quenching. We have a limited number of kegs to pour at our Archipelago signature pubs (Circular road or Far East Square) otherwise "Explorer" is available in bottles exclusively at DFS in Singapore.

To help ring in the new year Archipelago has decided to put our ever popular Samui into bottles so that you can enjoy it at home or (better yet) at the beach. Archipelago Samui was brewed to commemorate our first anniversary. We decided to go out on a hunt for that special ingredient to create something totally new for this exclusive birthday brew. We felt that the tangy taste of the calamansi lime would truly be complemented by the fruity flavors of wheat and the nutty flavors of malt. The use of imported German Saaz hops gives this beer a nice light floral note. We combined all that with a hint of the aromatic herb pandan leaf to create a concoction that is both zesty and refreshing and uniquely Archipelago.

Come on down to one of our pubs and try the new brews (or look for them at outlets around the island) - Cheers

Move

2007-11-21T17:12:00.000-08:00

I shifted apartments last week. I moved from Bukit Gombak to Holland Close. -Whuhh, moving is always a lot of work. First you have to pack up everything you own, then you have to move it all, then you have to go back and clean the apartment (scrub, scrub, scrub - lest you not get back your deposit), then you have to unpack everything into your new location. It’s a lot of work. But at least in my case I don't have everything I own here in Singapore - so not too bad.

What precipitated this move was a spectacular rent increase. Not a just a small the 20% increase (as I had expected) but a whooping 120% increase (Wah Lau - more than double what I was paying !!) and mines was not the worst of it - Bill's went up 150% and I talked to one guy whose rent tripled. WTF is going on with SIN rentals? So - I had to move (boh pian).

My new place is about 40% more than what I was paying, but still that is 30% less than I would have had to pay had I remained in Bukit Gombak. (seems like some sort of high school math problem: "If Brewer's rent went up 215%, and his new rent is 40% more than his old rent ..... what would was his original rent ?" - I never liked math)

My old place was a nice Condo with lots of amenities (a pool, a gym, BBQ pits, a putting green, gardens, security guards, etc), but it was far from town. It was close to work but far from most activities. My new place is by Holland Close It is an HDB (government built, but privately owned) housing development. And although it lacks the amenities of a condo it is a nice, quiet and comfortable. And it is in a MUCH more exciting part of town. There is Holland Village on the one side and Commonwealth on the other, and each has its own special attractions.

In Holland village there are restaurants, bars and shops a plenty. There are several very nice restaurants, some tucked away in quiet corners, the bar scene is lively and the beer selections pretty good, but what I am most enamored with is the grocery store. The first time I went into the Cold Storage grocer in Holland V. I was giddy with excitement. After more than two years of shopping at a "mom n pops" style grocery near my old place - where an item might (or night not) be on the shelf one day and never to be seen again the next - I was now suddenly confronted with a plethora choices. Choices in both number of items, and the selections within a given category. I had not seen selections like this since I left Seattle 7 years ago. It all seemed so decadent. They seemed to have all the western items I could never find in Bukit Gomak without sacrificing any of the local things I had come to love and depend on. GOOD GOHD, they had CHEESE ! And decent fish cake too. I literally stood in the isle and giggled (I hope no one saw).

The Commonwealth side is special in another way. It has a few "mom & pops" stores that are convenient and friendly, but what it has that is special it dozens of local eating places - and they are fabulous. When I first walked around the Holland V. side I thought "where will I eat ?", because although there were some nice restaurants with what looked like pretty good food, they were not the Singapore eating houses I have fallen in love with. They were all, well, too fancy for everyday eating - and I saw no Malay food at all! * - what to do ?

*Okay, not entirely true; in Holland Village proper (where all the shops are) there is no Malay food but there is a great Nasi Padang place on the west side of block 46. It is Sarena Nasi Padang & Ayam Penyet (yum - smashed Ckicken - one has to wonder how this dish came about, but I digress). At Sarena the food is excellent (and unordinary - like curried Jack Fruit!) and the staff friendly. There are also several other good place to eat in the section of fod stalls

At first my walking exploration of the Commonwealth side did not yield much and as the first day drew to a close I was becoming a bit worried. Would I have to start cooking at home more ? Had I made the wrong decision to move here. But then I saw, in the middle of a parking lot for a huge complex of HDB flats, a bunch of old shop houses and on the corners there were places to eat. I wandered over not expecting too much, but to my surprise I had discover the veritable mother lode of eating houses. This complex will sustain me for years to come. It has over three dozen places to eat and the range of foods and the quality of what's available is fantastic. The atmosphere perfect (for me), it is just what I look for - outdoors, local food (of all kinds) with nice and friendly people. That first night I had some Nasi Padang style and it was really good. The next I had clay pot chicken rice at a place called Read Seal and it was really delicious, the best clay pot I had even had, way better than that "famous" place in Geylang (at least in my opinion). There is a Laksa place I have high hopes for too, and several Chinese places and an Indian one too. So far I am 2 for 2 and I expect that most places there will beat my expectations. (located at blocks 116, 116, 118 off Commonwealth link)

And maybe one of the best things is I discovered I am only a short $4.00 taxi ride from my friends Ernest's new Red Dot brew pub* in Dempsy.

So basically shifting to my new place was a total win. I am in a better neighborhood, closer to town and my friends, in a more comfortable apartment, surrounded by even better makan (both in variety and quality), close to a brew pub and it is cheaper rent. Yeah, I am gonna consider that a total win!

*Blk 25A #01-01 Dempsey RoadSingapore, 247691Singapore+65 6475 0500

GABF, MOVE, NW BR

2007-11-20T19:30:00.000-08:00

Whoa ! So much has happened in the past month, I think I will break it in to three separate posts. 1) The GABF (Great American Beer Festival), 2) I shifted apartments (from Bukit Gombak to Holland Close), and 3) we made two new beers (plus we are putting Samui in the bottle - yumm).

So I start with the GABF. Held in Denver each year the GABF is the largest beer festival in the USA. At this, the 26th annual, an estimated 46,000 people attend over the three days of the event. There were more than 600 breweries represented and they entered almost 2800 beers to be judged by a panel of 104 brewing professionals (I was lucky enough to be one of the invited Judges). The judging takes place over three days. Each judge tastes about 100 to 120 beers a day (about 25 to 30 beers per round) - pallet fatigue might otherwise be a bit of a worry, but we are all trained and experienced professionals. Beers are judged in one of 75 categories, each category has three rounds, the final of which is the medal round. The judges take a lot of notes and give feed back to the brewers.

In my opinion the most useful thing about beer competitions is this feed back to the brewers. The beers are tasted and analyzed by Judges who have been trained in sensory evaluation and the brewing processes. A trained pallet allows a judge to glean clues as to the cause and effect of the flavor and aroma defects and make educated comments on those flavors, aromas and their interaction and possible derivations. This feedback can give the brewer insights as to what procedural or raw material changes might be made to rectify the problems or enhance positive attributes. This in turn can lead to something we are all very interested in: better beer. And making interesting, quality beer is really what it's all about. Of course the brewers must always take this feed back with a grain of salt because unfortunately not every judge is perfect and even the best pallets can be mistaken (sometimes) - and of course not all people have the same taste and likes.

Besides judging beer I got to spend some time with good friends that I don't get to see very often. There is a core group of us that seem to always end up together (I think maybe it's because we are all of the same "generation" of brewers). On Friday after the judging was done we went out on our usual Dive Bar Crawl (check Pau Hana Time Blog for future updates on Denver). We started around 10:30 in the AM (there is really nothing quite like being tipsy before lunch - now that's relaxation!) and we ended the evening about 1:00 AM. We went to 11 of Denver's worst (best) dive bars and 4 fairly decent ones - 15 bars in all - and I think we had some food in there somewhere (I recall a slice from some pizza place and later on White Castle mini-burgers with fries). High lights on the day/evening was a real old school bar called "Bar Bar" - it only had one sign out front announcing "BAR" - so locals just refer to it as the Bar Bar. It had not been remolded since the early sixties and the place was a classic, complete with interesting bar tenders and sketchy patrons - and a mean Bloody Mary. (if you are inclined look for it near the Denver Hitting Club). There were a couple of nice bars long the way too. Our favorite was called Sobo; 8 really nice (and hard to find) imported beers on tap and a few micros as well. The place was clean and friendly with flirty waitresses.

The festival itself was a fun time (all be it a bit crazy) 15,000 over people converging in one spot to taste and discuss the best beers America has to offer. I didn't have a bad beer the whole time and there were some really interesting ones (all of which are not available in Singapore - alas). I guess I'll just have to keep drinking the nice Microbrewed beers we have here until my next visit. to the GABF.

Speaking of festivals it looks like Singapore will have its own International Beer Festival starting this year in October. The organizers plan on bringing in beers from around the region. Their focus will be on craft beers but will include larger breweries as well. Look for it in 2008.

AND also coming to Singapore soon my friend Ernest Ng (whom you may remember from earlier posts) opens his own Brewery in Dempsy called Red Dot* - look for them start serving up interesting beers in December.

These are indeed very exciting times to be a beer lover in Singapore !!

*Blk 25A #01-01 Dempsey RoadSingapore, 247691Singapore+65 6475 0500

Pod me

2007-09-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have a confession to make - It is a dirty little secret and it’s a bit embarrassing. It is not something that is really a very productive use of my time and it is a bit voyeuristic in nature - but I can't seem to stop myself. Once I start I want to do it more and more, I just can help it - and it involves the internet.

It podcasts. I can stop myself. My ipod has become a constant companion and every trip (be it bus, train or plane) involves headphones. There are podcasts on every imaginable subject, some entertaining, some are educational and some just down right freakish. After years of refusing to read the papers or watch TV news (because both are nothing more than either senseless drivel or moronic fear mongering), I have now found an interesting source for some legitimate news and political discussion. And I am realizing - it'sa kinda scary world out there, but fascinating.

Here are a few of my favorites

http://www.truthdig.com/podcast/
In a world of corporate controlled media hear another side of the story. A Great range of topics and far more interesting than your local “news” paper. WARNING: Some episodes may cause outrage at the current administration and then cause you to get involved and write your legislators or join left wing pinko organizatations.

http://www.thislife.org/
Helps restores my faith in human beings (especially after a political episode from Truthdig.com)

http://www.szcz.org/
The Ministry of Truth – More left wing Commie news podcasts about what’s going on.

http://www.mrbrownshow.com -
A Singapore MUST

If U don live n Singapore use d "Coxford Singlish Dictionary" - found at - http://www.talkingcock.com/
This will allow you to translate those parts of the Mr. Brown show that you just can’t quite get

http://www.podfeed.net/episode/Pimps+and+Preachers/729948 - Completely fascinating - words can hardly describe it

http://welltoldtales.com/ -
Many stories of an interesting nature. Mostly Thrillers, detective stories and Sci Fi

http://www.bestoftheleftpodcast.com -
Godless Commie Pinko propaganda stuff (that happens to be a fair minded view of the USA)

http://www.dancarlin.com/ -
Really hard core history told in an entertaining way - excellent podcast

A View from the Brew Deck (A few unrelated beer thoughts)

2007-09-02T00:48:00.000-07:00

No hops allowed
We just made an experimental beer for our (much larger) parent company. They wanted the option of putting it in a clear, flint or green bottles, so the beer had to be a light stable beer. Making a light stable beer is pretty difficult if you don’t do it all the time. You need fresh dedicated yeast. You can not use the yeast from a previous “normal hopped beer” as yeast has entrained a fair amount of IBUs (reckoned by some to be 10% - 15% of total bitterness) and for the same reason you can’t use wort from a hopped beer to grow up the yeast needed. All your equipment has to be extra clean - totally free of any hop resin or residue from previous beers. The hop products that are used in a light stable beer are a special CO2 extract of raw hops. There are no hops in the kettle boil (the extract is added post at the end of the boil – or optionally post fermentation). Aroma hops extract are added post fermentation (for maximum efficiency). The boil is a bit problematic (lots of fobbing) as there are no hop oils to settle the malt proteins. The trub in the bottom of your kettle is all malt based (tastes as Ben described “like toast) and there is no bitterness at all. And there is a surprising amount of it. Of course no hops means no hop solids to absorb the precious wort and the whirlpool has never been more effective. But no hops also means no anti-bacterial properties in your wort (should o choose to use only post fermentation hop additions – we chose to add the bittering hops at the end of the boil) and then one wonders are the extract you add later – are they sterile ? The IBU target for this beer (as one might imagine) is not high. Overall a very interesting experimental brew, but not one we will be doing regularly – hell, where’s the fun in beer without hops ?!

Unprotected ?
Archipelago’s other brewer (Ben Tan) is Singaporean. That means he is in the military – every adult male (of sound mind and body) must serve two + years of active duty in one of the branches of the Singapore Armed Forces – and then they remain a reservist for the next 25 or so years. Thus 2+ weeks a year Ben is away at military training (not too much of a hardship, we can plan for that). It’s good to know that should some sort of prohibitionist movement try to lay siege to the brewery proper that Ben (and all the men around me) could leap into action in defense of our facility. It also means that to be prepared for such an event (unlikely though it may be) on occasion Ben gets activated for unscheduled maneuvers (often called up on a Friday for a long weekend of duty). Then I have no brewer and I am left unprotected – den how ?

Mumbai
I recently went to Mumbai (Bombay) to help look at equipment for some ongoing projects that our parent company’s India division have. We looked at both new and used equipment, met with suppliers, and looked at the facilities. The project was interesting, but Mumbai was more interesting. People were very friendly, the streets were very crowded (and badly in need of repair), housing ran the gamut from plastic tarps to palaces, and the food was really good (and the beers were not bad either). It is well worth further exploration. Coincidentally about two months earlier my friend Larry lent me a book. The title is Shantaram. It is semi-autobiographical and takes place mostly in Mumbai. The book is sometime great, sometimes a bit aggravating (could any man be so …. @u#*ed up ?!). Reading the book made the trip all that much more interesting - going to some of the places that the protagonist went to, seeing some of the same sights that was nice. Shantaram is well worth reading. I hope I get back to India again soon.

Boleh
There is only one rule in Singapore about beer (at least as far as I can tell) and that is: PAY YOUR TAXES. Beyond that there seems to be no other field of proper conduct – thus things that would be unimaginable in other countries seem to be really quite fine here in Singapore. For example – Give a gift to a bar owner for supporting your product line (possible), give a bar two kegs for the price of one (no problem), bribe a really popular bar $50 per keg to sell your beer (can), give a bar free beer for an event (can!), So that they can give free beer all night to their customers (also can), let these customers drink until they cannot walk and pass out (alamak – even this also can!). Get caught doing any of the above without paying the prescribed taxes on the beer (mati - no even mati you must also pay, you have no choice). See, there seems to but the one rule. Oh, got one more rule – not even one small sip of alcohol and then driving. There is truly zero tolerance for drink driving here. So, I guess got two rules.

Culture shock
We are currently running four cultures (strains or) of yeast (should I be worried ?) We always have two; the Wit beer yeast for our Traveler’s Wheat beer and the sundry other one off Belgian style ales we make (like Saison Sayang) and the London Ale yeast for our other beers. We are currently running a Urquell (lager) yeast for a special project that we are doing for our parent company (I hope to use the yeast again for a black lager we are planning) and we are using a fourth (American ale) yeast for a contract brew that we are doing for another local brewery who is out of capacity. At the moment we have three of these yeasts in active fermentations and the fourth just finished. What is most fascinating (to me anyway) is how different each yeast behaves and smells. The London ale (a perennial favorite of mine) has a sweet fruity nose reminiscent of apricots and peaches, and the Lager yeast smells like, well – like you cracked an egg open while boiling it (whuuh, not nice lah). And the difference between the super vigorous, semi-indestructible Wit yeast (it’s like the Jackie Chan of yeast strains) and the finicky has-to-be-treated-just-right London ale yeast (draw your own analogies) is amazing. After 20 over years of brewing - theoretically I know all this – but it still amazes me to see it in practice – just how different each yeast can behave.

I really love brewing.

Flash

2007-09-01T22:28:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I was sitting on the front porch of my home deep in the redwood forests of NorCal (Northern California). I would sometimes just sit there and stare out into the yard, lost in thought. Our house is what was described by the man who built it as “Mendonesian” in design. It is a very definite combination of Mendocino sensibilities (Mendocino being the exceedingly counter-culture county it resides in) and Indonesian kampong design – thus Rumah Mendonesia. The house is surrounded by redwoods (endemic) and bamboo (introduced) and is situated in a small gulch on the north side of a larger gulch which is finger off of the Anderson Valley.

The land under our house is a 10+ acre parcel mostly cover in Redwoods. Our dirt driveway dived the front of the properly in half. On the east side there is a large garden, on the west side there is an enclosed paddock where live 4 goats (Nick and Nora, who begat Ned and Nute, before Nick got his much needed operation), 3 chickens (Gibson, Olive, and Ethel), and 5 ducks, (Indira, Othello, Socrates, and Lucky , and one other who arrived since I departed). It a farmette of sorts.

Our nearest neighbors to the east lives in the next gulch over and remain completely undisclosed to us. The neighbor on the west side lives farther up the hill and her house is only just glimpsable though the redwoods. It is much farther than even the best pitcher could hurl a stone. The road to our house is a private one, built for the express purpose to getting to our house, well, not just OUR house, but the houses of the people that live on this parceled out former ranch. It is a dead end road, it just goes to the top of the valley wall and ends – a road to nowhere. Few people travel that way for unless they live there, or are visiting, they have no reason to.

The nearest real “town” (read village) is named Boonville (pop. 420). Boonville has a gas station, an small old hotel, a old school hardware store, a post office, two “quickie marts”, a couple of restaurants, and a lumberjack bar ("No chainsaws or firearms allowed inside"). For us to get to the nearest real store is a 50 minute drive and even then one can’t always find what they want.

I tell you all this to more vividly illustrate the isolation of my previous existence - compared to today.

Today, I stood and stared out the window of the elevated train that intertwines and tunnels its way through the island state of Singapore. Outside the city streaked by. I was lost in thought and completely alone on the train. Then the train hit a little bump and I was jostled back to reality. In that brief moment between deep thought and reality I saw Singapore as one who is newly arrived would – just for a flash – and then I was back, shoulder to shoulder, amongst the breathing masses. As I stood there, surrounded by people chattering in many different languages, watching the now familiar landmarks pass by, I realized how much had changed for me, how very different my life had become.

If fifty or sixty years ago you had shown a science fiction writer a glimpse of today’s Singapore they would have been thrilled – it is (with the exception of personal flying transportation devises) almost exactly how they had envisioned it. Singapore is clean, safe, organized, efficient, vertical and manicured to within an inch of its life. It is almost like walking through a botanical gardens with high rise buildings. It is pretty amazing.

Singapore is probably the most purpose built city in the world. For the last 42 years the authoritarian government has had its hand in shaping almost very aspect of life here. Its leaders had a vision of their future and they pursued it with a passion. They created not just the physical city; the buildings, transportation and economy, they molded their citizens as well. While tearing down the old shop houses and erecting new multi story housing units they changed the behavior of the people who would inhabit them. They created an economy that is the envy of almost every other country in Asia, and built a nation where 70 over percent of its citizens own their own housing. Almost 5 million people inhabit Singapore and yet the kind of poverty seen in other large city is almost unknown here. Singapore is easily the safest city and country in the world. Anyone can walk any street at any time without fear of molestation or harm. And even with an authoritarian government (or maybe because of it) Singapore remains as free as almost any other country you might visit.

Now, all of this planning and organization does come with a few side effects. There isn’t really a “free press” here as the government owns almost every TV, radio station and periodical in the country (but I can’t tell difference – of course I really pay very little attention to the news). Penalties for breaking the law here can be rather harsh (so it is recommended you don't break te rules). And with its dive towards modernization Singapore has left behind some of its history and cultural roots. The government now recognizes that its push to conform and its removal of some of the fringe elements has created a citizenry that has some difficulty with creative thinking and innovation. The government recognizes the problem but ..... well, you can see the dilemma.

But what is the most unusual for me is the culture of it all. Singapore in many ways is like an ant colony; there is a definite master plan, it is structured, compact and designed. Much of the housing apartments are interconnected with coverd walk ways and overhead bridges, and down town there is a vast warren of interconnected underground areas, some complete with shops, banking and food stalls. People live vertically here (as it should be for all cities – thus avoiding the horrible urban sprawl that creeps across American like a mold). Education is exceedingly serious and competitive. A child future is decided early on and their education is tailor to it there after. There is a definite feeling of community solidarity and oneness despite any differences. People activities are (for the most part) centralized; a central "business" district, shopping in “mega malls” and “hyper marts” recreation on selected islands and in recreation parks. Transportation is easy and efficient with inexpensive taxis, a well planned highway system, and excellent mass transit (both trains and busses). Life is ordered.

I now live in the Indo-Malay Archipelago, but my living quarters could not be less Indonesian. I live in a condominium complex is called the Madeira. My 17th floor unit is in one of three 28 storey towers. The complex is walled and surrounded by landscaped grounds. There are over 475 units in the three towers, and they house more than 1500 inhabitants. The Madeira is a near self contained complex with an ample car park, 3 swimming pools, tennis courts, a putting green, two gardening plots, play areas, 10 BBQ stations, a water feature, a gym, Jacuzzis and his and her steam rooms. In the bottom floors of the adjacent apartment buildings there are dozens of places to eat and many shops selling a multitude of diverse products: pets, bicycles, herbal medicine, hardware, clothing, religious items, massage, groceries, doctors, school supplies, shoe repair, driving classes - almost everything one could ever need. All of this in one square block.

It is nothing like NorCal.

Welcome the Roaming Souls

2007-08-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

We are again in the time of year when Spirits roams the streets. The 7th month on the Chinese Lunar Calendar marks the beginning of the Hungry Ghost festival. Taoists believe the that hungry ghosts are souls of people that did not find everything they needed to survive in their after life. For one month each year the gates of hell are thrown open and the souls of the wretched are allowed to roam the physical world at will and feed off of the living. The ghost will scare people, and then draw strength and energy from the fear. To appease and distract the ghosts there are elaborate entertainments put on all over the city. People also will pray, chant, burn copious amounts of joss sticks or leave offerings of food about. People also burn effigies and offerings to send them over to their relatives on the other side so that they will have what they need to move on to their next life.

The items that get burned as offerings range form simple pieces of paper to hell money , or paper clothing, paper cars and even paper houses. There are Barrels about for the purpose of burning, but they are not always used. Some offering burns are on the sidewalks or in an open area. The piles of ashes are all over and some of the fires are rather large indeed. Oranges and cakes are left about and burning incens line the sidewalks and drives.

The entertainments put on to distract the hungry ghosts are many and varied, they have dances, dinners, puppet shows singing, plays and operas - all to entertain the wandering souls that have been released from the underworld. The the first row of seats in these performances are always left open so the ghosts have a place to sit. The Shows are lively but often sparsely attended - but that is not really of concern as the entertainments are not performed for the living.

This time of years is viewed as an inauspicious one and it is bad luck to start new ventures or projects. Thus during this month most construction stops, there are no new buildings started, Chinese weddings drop off to almost zero (although Muslim wedding continue unabated), and new businesses will have to wait.

At the end of the 7th month some souls are not yet ready to return to their pain filled internment in the underworld. Horse-face (mǎ miàn) and Ox-head (niú tóu) the fearsome Guardians to Hell are some times called on to "help" the more reluctant of souls find their way back to Hades.

For a good (and creepy) Singaporean movie that takes place during the 7th month rent "The Maid" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0474791/ - very scary

For more pix of teh 7th month check - http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/

343 days later

2007-07-01T18:26:00.001-07:00

Yes, it has been that long. July 24th will mark our first anniversary of selling the new Archipelago beers. One year. Whoa ! It has been a pretty good year, we have released our three main beers (Traders Brown, Traveler's Wheat, & Straits Pale) at first only on draft and now in bottles too. We have brewed several new beers (both traditional styles and spiced), we have done a lot of interviews and events, and we've made a lot of new friends.

On the new beer front we crafted Ming; made with Goji berries and orange peel. Keeping our beer line diverse and interesting (we don't want to do just spiced beers) we brewed a couple of very traditional beer styles; we made Java, a traditional Bavarian Dark Lager (cold fermented with 60 days of lagering), and the Pilsner Gold was our version of the world's most brewed beer style (it sold out quickly so it must have been tastier than most). Blending tradition with a touch of innovation we brewed our Saison Sayang for the Crystal Mirror dinner theatre in the Padang. It was a traditional southern Belgian farm house ale style with a hint of the east (we blended in star anis, coriander and lemon zest). It was so popular we brewed a second batch. If you have not tried any of these beers and would like to, head on down to one of our two Archipelago flagship outlets.

For our first anniversary we have created a special new beer, we named it Samui (after Koh Samui in Thailand - hoping to capture some of that relaxing-laying-on-the-beach feeling). Samui is again a foray into our concept of blending European brewing tradition with the Asian cooking tradition. Samui is a sparking light beer made with a small percentage of wheat, to that we have added Kalamansi lime and a touch of Pandan leaves. The resulting beer is light and citrusy, with a hint sweetness form the Pandan, a beer that is refreshing in a way like no other beer we know of. And the aroma - wow ! Drop by one of the Archipelago outlets after July 6th onwards.

We are having promotions and events all through July so keep an eye out (we are even giving away 2 trips to Koh Samui !!) For more details on the event and our flagship outlet locations check http://www.archipelagobrewery.com/.

In the future we promise to continue our exploration of flavors. What can you expect ? Well, nothing is final until it's in the bright beer tank, but I am very interested in discovering more about Pandan leaves, we are planning to brew a British style Pale Ale (for all you Anglophiles out there), we like the flavor of the Queen of fruits - Mangosteen (although it is seasonal and hard to work with - so we'll see) and, Spiralina is still on the table, as is Kewra (an Indian pandanus fruit extract), maybe a Chinese mushroom beer or something with curry leaves, Porter is out there on the horizon somewhere, and maybe we'll bring back the Pilsner (who knows, people liked it). We'll all just have to see what the next 343 days brings.

U'wuuuh That Smell

2007-06-22T01:06:00.000-07:00

Durian has been honored with the title "The King of Fruits", and justly so, for it is without a doubt the most powerful of them all. Durian is one of those things that evoke either love or hate, there really does not seem to be much middle ground. Durian's aroma has often (unjustly) been described as that of rotting garbage, but that is the impression of the dull and uninitiated and it is grossly unfair.

The famous British naturalist and explorer Alfred Russell Wallace had this to say about the the King of Fruits; "The second object of my especial admiration is the Durian. The five cells within are silky-white, and filled with a mass of firm, cream-coloured eatable pulp, whose consistency and flavour are indescribable. A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds, and with occasional wafts of flavours that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy. It is neither acid nor sweet nor juicy; yet it wants neither of these qualities, for it is in itself perfect, and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop. In fact, to eat Durians is a new sensation worth a voyage to the East to experience."*

When first I arrived here I was told that there were two fruits that were absolutely off limits to my brewing experiments, these were Durian and Pineapple. There is a belief among some Singaporeans that Durian taken with alcohol will cause certain death. I was told that one could never consume Durian and beer. I am a bit of a skeptic on most matters and it seemed to me highly unlikely that any fruit and beer could cause anything greater than an upset stomach - and certainly not death. I mentioned this to my friend Tony and he agreed that at our first opportunity we had to put this theory to the test. After we confirmed that beer and Durian did in fact NOT cause death (or even slight illness) we were informed that beer was not strong enough, that it was (in truth) whiskey and Durian that was the fatal combination (beer in Durian was merely .... bad for you). And so wandering back to our hotel one night in Bangkok we bought some Durian and stopped at a street side bar (one of those "bars" that opens up on the Bangkok streets after the regular bars have closed). We had to know, would Durian and whiskey in fact be fatal ? And so we boldly (or foolishly) made our move. Since you are reading this now, I'll bet you can guess the outcome. Durian and whiskey are in actuality a complementary combination of flavors and cause (as far as we could tell) no ill effects whatsoever. We were later told that Thai Durian is too mild and delicate and just not strong enough (it does have a milder flavor) - that it was the infamous Malay D24 that we should never be mixed with whiskey (well, we tried that too - tidak Mati)

Durian (for whatever reason) does get a pretty bad rap. The aroma is so pungent that it is not allowed in most hotels, or on public transportation. It is believed to be too heating and may cause excessive sweating (and bad breath). It is said that is can not be eaten in conjunction with coffee or with any form of alcohol, that it is bad for pregnant women, and for people with high blood pressure, and that it's aphrodisiac properties will cause "men, monkeys, and birds ... all (to be) aflame with erotic fire." Wah !! - it goes on to say - "It is a blessing that this fruit is not obtainable in the West, because our store of sexual lunatics is already full to overflowing. We might perish in the foulest of mucks" (Wow, it never has that effect for me - but maybe it's all that whiskey I had with it).

Durian is in season here now and I can smell the open stalls by my apartment from over a block away. It is an indescribably delicious aroma and I look forward to it as I wander about in the evenings. (if you love Durian you know what I mean - there is nothing quite like the aroma of Durian on your fingers after eating it - I just keep putting my hand up to my nose for another brief whiff, and I hope no one notices me sniffing my fingers). If you are not familiar with this most unusual of fruits I suggest you try it. Don't let the aroma keep you from an experience that is something unique. Start with the easy one - try Durian ice cream first (ho, so good !!) and if you find that appealing move on to Durian duffs and then on to fresh Durian (but maybe save the D24 for last). It truly is as Wallace says "the more you eat of it, the less you feel inclined to stop"

Tony's views on Durian - http://web.singnet.com.sg/~tonym/durian.html

* yes I know a took a few liberties with editing out a word or three, but the meaning (and most of the wording) remain intact.

Hot and Spicy

2007-06-14T21:03:00.001-07:00

I love food, and drink is not bad either (really drink is just liquid food, they are two sides of the same coin). I am always in search of something I have not tried before. Living so near what use to be called the spice islands and in the middle of southeast Asia, surrounded by differing cultures and cuisines makes for a continual discovery of new flavors. Having grown up in the tropics (Hawaii), in a multi cultural environment, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what was out there. That was until I showed up here - here there are dozens of fruits, veggies and spices that I have never seen before, and food items I had never imagined. It is a blur of new things to try out in the kitchen (and brewery). At first I felt a bit overwhelmed, I had no reference to many of these things- what the heck is "Bakek", and do I wanto try it in beer ? And then I stumbled across Gernot. Gernot Katzer has complied what may be the definitive web site on spices. If you are a foodie, cook, or brewer who needs answers - well, Gernot is your man. His site comprises about 10500 names for more than 100 different spices and herbs, it is in at least 30 different languages and has the names in over six scripts (including Thai, Latin, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic, Tamil). Each entry covers uses, family, constituents, sensory, origins, etymology, further selected readings, discussion, pictures and Gernot's thoughts on the subject (as well as a few pleasant digressions). The site is a stunner ! If you want to know more about a spice - check with Gernot

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/index.html

ps - Gernot, if you ever read this - thank you for all your help

iBrew, there 4 I am

2007-06-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

For those that made their way down to the East Coast Park for the annual iBrew Challenge it was all fun. There were a lot of good beers and food to try, and a lot of shooting the breeze (or in Singlish - talking cock). We played beer games, had a lucky draw give away and an all around good time. It was a beautiful day at the park and it was really nice to have a chance to meet and talk to so many brewers while sampling more than 10 different types of home-crafted beers. The free flow beers included (to the best of my memory); a German wheat beer, a Bavarian lager, a pilsner, two English bitters, a stout, a hoppy Real Ale, two IPAs, and a pale ale. It's great to see a growing interest in home brewing and sponsor Raymond Lee of iBrew reported that there were upwards of one thousand home brewers in Singapore now.

The ibrew challenge had more than 40 entries - there were first and second places awarded in the Ale and the Lager categories. The winning beers were quite good and over all the general quality of all the beers entered seemed to be improved over last year's iBrew challenge (although last year's winners were also very good), This is a good trend as it means interest in home brewing is growing and those who are brewing are talking more to each other, sharing their knowledge and the general overall understanding of beer and brewing is expanding.

For more information about The iBrew Challenge or Home Brewing go to the forum at http://www.ibrew.com.sg/forum

Thanks again to Raymond Lee of iBrew for being The Organizer of such a fun event

Makan Madness

2007-05-18T22:35:00.000-07:00

One can hardly talk about Singapore without talking about the Food. The word amazing does not even start to cover the cuisine here. Eating is truly the Singaporean national past time, so much so that the most common local greeting is - " have you had your ______ yet” (fill in the blank with the nearest appropriate meal - breakfast, lunch, dinner). At first the greeting kind of freaked me out. I feared that if I answered “no” they would try to feed me and I would then be in their debt - or if I said yes that they would think I was being disingenuous or something. (yes I know I am insane). Eventually I realized that it was just a greeting and that the answer was not all that important (kind of like the American equivalent of “how are you doing” – to which no one really wants a truthful answer - just try it one day, try telling someone how you really are - the look on thier face is priceless). But in fairness it is not really just a questions because eating and food play such a vital part of life in Singapore. It’s not just about filing your pie hole (I love that expression), it about many other diverse things; flavor, community, relaxation, family, camaraderie, recreation, sharing, obligation, spirituality, good fortune and much more - as well as the filling of ones stomach. (we will have to wait for another post to cover the social implications of food in Singapore)

The variety of food styles in Singapore can’t be beaten, there is just no way. There is no other place like it, where so many cultures have come together and still retain the gastronomic heritage. As well as those instances where a fusion of cuisine cultures has occured (like Peranakan food - yum). There are more than a half dozen styles of Chinese food, as well as Malay, Indonesian, Indian (north and south), Thai, Pilipino, Myanmar, Vietnamese, Korean, Peranakan (a blend of Malay and Chinese), and then there area the imports; Japanese, Australian, American, Russian, and all forms of European. The only things that I can’t seem to find here are, Samoan, and soul food (but I am still looking).

Part of my job (a very nice part) is to know and understand the many varying cuisines of Singapore. Upon my arrival I was sent out to explore and discover all that I could about local food and cooking. I had some help from renown Singaporean Chef, writer and all around food expert Violet Oon. Violet pointed me in the right direction and armed with the always useful (and mostly reliable) Makan Sutra guide, and off I went. At first my searching around Singapore was a solo undertaking. I would wander at random the streets and alleys in search of local delicacies. Later my explorations were aided by the many friends & collogues I came to know; Laksa with Kah Sing, Bah Kut Teh with Max, Fish Head Curry with Ernest, Otah with Scott, diners at Kim and Tang’s House. Each week I would go forth to seek out new places and find new foods to try; from the corner Nasi Padang to The Shangri La hotel I have endeavored to taste as much as possible – and yet there remains much to still explore. After two years in Singapore I am still by no means an expert on local cuisines and cooking, but I do have a better grasp than your average Ang Moh (which may not really be saying much).

The availability of tasty cuisine and the number of places to eat at is also astounding. They number in the thousands (and remember Singapore is a small island). In my far flung neighborhood of Bukit Gomba there are almost a 100 places to eat within a two block radius and in more densely populated areas there can be twice that number within the same area. It truely boggles the mind.

The prices are pretty hard to believe as well. A tasty meal of noodles can be had for as under $1.00 SGD and your average Hawker center meal comes in around $5.00 SGD. Of course you can spend more (there are plenty of mid range to extremely high end restaurants in town) but honestly, the food is probably not going be a whole lot better. As is true in many places some of the best food is found in the smaller shops that cater to the local customers. Obviously there are a few exceptions to that rule. The real key to Singapore and it's cuisine is to explore !

Brewer’s Recommended food and places not to be miss in Singapore:

Char Kway Teow - anywhere as it is all good (some places are better)
Duck Rice – better than chicken rice (easily)
Fish Head Curry – Lau Hock Guan Kee in Joo Chiat (Samy’s also can)
Beef Rendang – each place makes there own version (YUM!)
Nasi Lemak - (a good place in Boon Lay, Changi Village has several)
Laksa – (each place has their own recipe – try them all!)
Deer meat
Bah Kut Teh – (Joo Chiat area has some good places for Bah Kut Teh)
Sambal Stingray - Lau Pa Sat is a nice place to try
Perankikan food – True Blue on East Coast Road
Ayam Buah Keluak – (A MUST TRY when at True Blue)
Wild boar – On Pulau Ubin (when they have it)
Pepper Crab – (forget chili crab - try black pepper crab instead)
Char Siew Pau** – (a constant favorite of mine since childhood, also try the baked kind)
Durian ice cream – look for the mobile ice cream carts (so good, broke da mouth)
Durian Puff - Durian wrapped in pastry
Nasi Padang - Indo-Malay "buffet" dinning
Bak Chang – Wrapped up sticky rice (with hidden treasures inside)
Durian - the more you eat the more you want

For more suggestions visit the Pau Hana Time Lounge at - http://pau-hanatime.blogspot.com/

*Makan is the Malay/Indonesian/Singlish word for food or eating
**For all you Hawaiians out there Char Siew Pau is da same as Mana Pua (except smaller)

Makan Madness (part 2)

2007-04-08T00:17:00.001-07:00

The meal shown here; Duck Rice (a personal favorite of mine) is offered as an example of just how tasty and inexpensive a meal in Singapore can be. This meal consists of a nice portion of succulent roast duck, special "duck rice", a boiled egg, gravy, cucumber, cilantro, a small bowl of soup, and hot sauce* - all for the price of $2.50 SGD or about $1.70 USD (the diet coke is an extra $1.10 SGD). Most Singaporeans prefer Chicken Rice over Duck rice and you may hear lengthy discussions about who has the best chicken rice in town. Should there ever be a consensus of who has the best chicken rice (an unlikely event) you will undoubtedly find a long queue (line) in front of that shop as people await their chance to try the best.

Queuing (or standing in line) is a Singaporean fascination that I have not been able to crack yet. There seem to be several differeing theories - but we will leave that for another post.

Anyway, for my money ($2.50 SGD) I'll take Duck rice over Chicken rice any day - but hey, that's just me. Try them both and see for yourself.

*(Sambal, or some sort of hot sauce, is a part of almost any meal here and Singaporeans have been know to take their favorite sambal or sauce with them when they travel abroad as they (rightfully so) perceive some other countries food to be .... just a bit too bland)

Media Mania

2007-02-16T21:01:00.000-08:00

The preamble:

There are many things about brewing in Asia that make it fun and exciting (mostly I am just glad to be brewing again, but there are other things as well).

Back in the day, when I was a brewer in the early 1990’s in Seattle, there was a huge buzz about micro & craft brewing. It was a new and exciting concept - a small local brewery. People treated brewers a bit like hometown heroes. When I went to a party and was introduced to people as a brewer – the reaction was always “Wow, a brewer, that’s cool ! How’d you get to be a brewer?” Of course back then there were maybe 300 people in the whole of the US who actually made beer for a living. It was a rather uncommon profession. In the ensuing 20 plus years since then being a brewer has become somewhat less of a novelty. Back then the thing that most of us (most of those 300 or so brewers) really wanted, what we all worked together to help achieve, was that every town (big and small) across North America have its own local brewery. Over many years that goal was realized, but at the same time we unwittingly diminished our own sui generis. The profession of micro brewer became less unusual and our status (at least at parties in Seattle) became somewhat less elevated. And I have to admit – I liked being unique and interesting at parties - I missed it.

Thus when I was offered the opportunity of moving to Southeast Asia to help develope a micro brewery “revolution” there, I knew that I was being offered another chance to help create something unusual - and once again be sort of .... especial.

Little did I know what I was getting myself in to.

The Point:

The purpose of my blog is to tell you (the avid reader) about my experiences of brewing in S.E. Asia. And the media has become a major part of that experience.

Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) is a BIG company, they have a really good media & communications department. Those folks have worked hard to get Archipelago Brewery tremendous media coverage. The results have been a bit amazing. In the first 3 months our brewery and products were featured multiple times on television and radio, and in dozens of newspapers and magazines articles. It was not uncommon for me to give two or three interviews a week. It was hectic but kind of fun too. I thought that all the attention would be short lived, that in a few weeks, maybe a few months, things would calm down and go back to normal - but the coverage has not waned. Each time we bring out a new beer, or do a special event the interest is renewed. And now there is a fourth Micro brewery in town (The Pump Room) and that has caused an even further increase in interest. Even as we near the one year mark the request for interviews continues unabated. I am still doing an average of two interviews a week.

I think that it is a combination of several things – Micro breweries are new and different, Singaporeans are very food and beverage conscious, APB does a great job of interacting with the media and small brewing has became a near global phenomenon. It is a whole new facet of my job and it makes it all that much more exciting. It's not your usual brewer routine - press conferences, speaking engagements, photo shoots, talk shows, a PR handler (who, BTW rules) - it's all a bit surreal. One would never get this kind of attention in the States or Europe today. I must admit - I find myself enjoying the attention.

Now, If I could just get invited to a few more parties.

Below are a few links to some of the media coverage. (you may have to cut n paste the URLs)

http://www.alestreetonline.com/content/view/230/45/

http://www.stomp.com.sg/stfoodiesclub/drinks/liquiddiet/58/index.html

http://www.theurbanwire.com/stories/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1070

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2006/10/01/2003330022

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1590182,00.html

http://thestaronline.com/news/story.asp?file=/2006/9/29/nation/20060929112122&sec=nation

http://www.examiner.com/x-241-Beer-Examiner~y2008m6d16-Beer-and-Brewers-in-Singapore--Archipelago

Bahas

2007-02-06T04:21:00.000-08:00

Singapore is a city of great diversity. Nowhere is that more evident than in the number of languages that people speak here. During an average day wandering around Singapore you will easily hear four, five or six (or maybe more) different languages. You might hear; Mandarin, English, Malay, Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Tamil, Tagalag, Thai, Indonesian, Hindi, Javanese, Japanese, Korean, Hakka, German, Bengali, Hainanese, Foochow, Malayalam, Punjabi, Telegu, Vietnamese – and these are just some of the ones that you are likely to hear ! The official languagesin Singapore are English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, and ANY government document can be had in all four of these languages. Pretty much any official or warning sign is in at least three, and usually all four, of these. And let us not forget about Singlish - a “pidgin-English” or creole mix of English, Hokkien, Malay, Tamil and a bit of Cantonese. The longer you are here the more of it you pick up - it's unavoidable. Checkout - the Coxford Singlish Dictionary at - www.talkingcock.com.

When I first arrived in Singapore I had a bit of trouble even understanding the English that was being spoken. At meetings where there were many people of different cultural (linguistic) background it took me about five to ten seconds to adjust my ear to their accents and of course by that time they had usually made their point. British accents, Malay accents, Indian accents, Chinese accents, Australian accents – my head was swimming in a sea of unfamiliar sounds and I could barely keep it above water. And then sometimes people would switch into their mother tongue to more fully explain a point to someone else. I was totally lost. I spent the first five or so meeting here wondering if I would ever understand anything anyone was saying. But eventually my brain makes new pathways and I got the hang of it.

So I thought I would learn Chinese.

Chinese (well, some Chinese) has four tonal “inflections”, or four different ways of saying one word. I am told that Thai has six and that Vietnamese has eight (wah lau! Like I was not confused enough with four). I will give you an example: I have a friend, his name is Xiau Chu, or "little Chu". Xiau (inflection down) means little, but Xiau (inflection up) means crazy, Xiau no inflection means … something else, I don’t know - and if you say it just right Xiau in Hokkien means sperm. So, I live in fear of calling my friend crazy Chu (or something worse). Luckily Chinese is also very contextual and thus few would make the mistake (regardless of how badly I mispronounced it) of thinking I was calling my friend sperm Chu (at least not on purpose). Xiau, like most words, has four different meanings (all pretty much seemingly unrelated). There are many examples of this, but this is the most vivid. On top of that Chinese it not written in Romanized characters, making learning it even more difficult. And hence the fact that I only know about 20 words in Chinese.

Singapore is surrounded by Malaysia (to the north and east) and Indonesia (the south and west) and these two countries share a common language or bahasa

Bahasa (both Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia*) has no “inflections” like other Southeast Asian languages, and is written in Romanized characters, there are no tenses and the constructions is easier (at least for me). So when I admitted my defeat in my attempts to learn Chinese, I thought I might take a crack at learning Bahasa. From southern Thailand all the way south through Indonesia it is the native language of about 25 million people. It seemed like a no brainer.

I set out to teach myself Malay/Indonesian, first by reading up, then by listening to web sites and CDs, and finally by attempting to speak to people (one gets use to the strange looks while they slaughter the proper pronunciation). If I don’t get rattled and if I have not had too many beers I can convey the basics, ask and answer questions, or even catch a bit of a conversation. I have a long way to go. This was made evident during my last negotiation of pricing. After a greeting and some discussion I asked (instead of how much – berapa), I asked why (mengapa) ? He looked at me a bit oddly and told me the price and then (very kindly) took out his calculator and showed it to me as well. I realized my mistake and smiled weakly. I am sure as I walked away he was shaking his head thinking Bule Gila (crazy white people). I figure the best way to learn is try it out. I am trying, and maybe one day someone new to Singapore will be walking down the street and they'll hear me speaking Bahasa to a friend - and think wow Singapore really is a diverse place.

*bahasa literally means language in Malay/Indonesian. So technically I speak Bahasa Ingriss, but if you ask someone "do you speak Bahasa ?", most people will know what you are asking. Interesting Bahasa is related to Polynesia/Hawaiian and shares some cognates and concepts. Having grown up in Hawaii (and knowing a little Hawaiian) makes learning Bahasa a little easier.

Big Brew Day

2007-02-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

Our friends over in Indonesia at the Dragon Brewery moved locations recently. You may recall that the owner of the Dragon brewery (Tan Munj Tai) was kind enough to let me brew a few test batches at his brewery back in 2005 (see the December 2005 & January of 2006 posts) and we have developed a good friendship over the past year.

So when Mr. Tan called me and said he needed some help I was glad to see what I could do. We met at The Archipelago Pub (79 Circular Rd, near Boat Quay) and he told me he needed a temporary brewer. My contract forbids me from working for anyone else but it doesn’t say I can’t help out for free. Still I didn’t want to violate my contract but I did want to help out, so I called up my friend Tony to see if he might be interested. Tony is an all grain home brewer here in Singapore and he was excited about the chance to brew on a larger system. Our friend Bill (another of Singapore’s active homebrewers) wanted to join in and we were glad to have him along. So the three of us headed over for a day a brewing, beer and Makan (eating). Tony, Bill and Chandra (the assistant brewer at Dragon Brewery) did the actual brewing, I mostly just drank beer, ate copious amounts of great food and gave the occasional suggestion.

Now, I could tell you all about our big day brewing at the new location but Bill has done a far better job than I can (plus he has some good pictures) Look to Bill’s sight (“Bill’s Beer adventures” listed to the right) or follow the link below

http://billbrehm.com

Click on “Big Brew Day”

Take it away Bill ........

Train Kept a Rollin'

2007-02-05T04:49:00.000-08:00

The New Year has brought some changes to our small company. Yes, we are small. We are owned by a huge company (Asia Pacific Breweries – APB) but the Archipelago Brewery “company” is small. We have only six employees, we had nine but … well, as I said the new year brought some changes. We lost three of our team; our sales manager/person (Max Lo), our operations manager (Chong Hui Cheng), and our Envisioner (Chan Loo Siang). They were all friends and I am sad to see them leave. But I think that each will find success in their next endeavor.

As I said Archipelago is small, and APB is big (they own over 28 breweries throughout Asia). Now, working with a big company has some decided advantages; the benefits are good, they have money (so you can have good equipment), they are strong and respected in the industry, and you can piggy back on that muscle (like getting better pricing on raw materials). Of course there are downsides too. A big company (like a big ship) is not maneuverable, it is slow and takes great effort to change its direction. It is complicated, there are layers of systems and layers of management, and even finding out who the correct person to talk to about an issue can be difficult.

Since Archipelago shares many systems with its next door neighbor (the Tiger Brewery) I seem to run into the big vs. small issue with some regularity. We have our own brewery (separate building, brewing equipment, sales and marketing) but we share many of the other services of the larger brewery; utilities (water, sewer, steam, CO2, electricity), billing, purchasing, warehousing, payroll, etc. I come from a small business background so I sometimes I feel like a fish out of water. I seem to always be messing something up – I have not used the right form, or I have sent my wrong form to the wrong department, I did not check with …. Somebody, or I need to get “X” before I can have “Y”. I just can’t quite seem to get in sync. It’s all a bit like the movie Brazil for me.

If you are a big company all that may work for you, but when you're a small company wedged into the big company system it can create conflict and frustration, especially when your small company was purposefully designed to be quick and responsive to the market. And I think that was part of what brought about all three of my friends leaving, trying to be maneuverable while attached to a train going down its own tracks.

Now what got me started on this train of thought was some of the good things about being attached to a big company. My personal favorite is our shares utilities. After five years at Anderson Valley Brewery (where almost everything is self generated and disposed – including sewer and some power) is like a dream not to have to worry about water, sewer, steam boilers, CO2, electricity, generators, fork lifts etc, etc, etc. (my utility requirements are not even one tenth of one percent of what they use next door). There are other nice touches too – we have our own company doctor, our own cafeteria that serves about 300 meals a day (both breakfast and lunch – the typical lunch is about $1.00 USD - free salad on Tuesdays), a bus service to take people to and from work, regular health screenings, free passes to movies, the zoo, the bird park, and about every sports event, and a pub that serves free beer to all employees. Yes, the working life in Asia is very different than it is in the USA.

Sometimes I am a bit frustrated because I have not yet learned the system or sometimes I am just frustrated with the system. One has to learn a certain sort of Zen attitude to get along in corporate life anywhere, otherwise it is just all too much and you get derailed. Now I am not saying I have mastered this (not by far), but I am beginning to learn – all be it a bit slower than some, but I am learning.

Slacker

2006-11-11T19:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know I am bad. I should post more often, but it's not that I am a slacker, I have been busy - really ! I mean, well, sort of.

Toby came to visit and we did a week in Singapore (Pulau Ubin, Newton Food Court, Deepavali and Little India, Geylang Serai, the Divine Society, etc) and a week in Phuket (laying on the beach, visiting the temples, eating delicious meals at small food stalls, soaking in local flavor and culture). We were very lucky to be in Phuket for the Vegetarian festival (or Jia Chai in the local dialect).

The Vegetarian Festival is unique to Phuket Island and unusual in the extreme. It is a ten day Buddhist event for the cleansing and purification. Devotees refrain from eating any meat, and other earthly desires. They wear all white, bring offerings of food and drink to the temples, pray and light incense. They cleans their bodies and their spirits (as well as their households) and in doing so bring good fortune to themselves and their community. So far it all sounded pretty good to me. But it's the lengths that some of the devotees go to that makes this festival different and that can be a bit disturbing to the faint at heart.

Special devotees, called Ma Song, have the gods Lam Tao (who keeps track of the living), and Pak Tao (who keeps track of the dead) enter their bodies. This enable the Ma Song with supernatural powers and enables them to evade physical harm perform great feats of self-tortures. These feats shift the evil from other individuals and onto themselves, and thus the Ma Song bring the community good luck and fortune. The Ma Song come in two categories: those people who, have had a vision of their impending doom, and want to extend their lives; or those specially chosen by the gods for their moral qualities. The performances include bodily abuse like bathing in hot oil, climbing bladed ladders (made of sharp knives and swords), fire-walking, coal eating, and body piercing.

The ceremonies performed at the Phuket Vegetarian festival are similar in nature to those performed by Hindus at the Thaipusam (or the festival of purification) - Which (BTW) is now only celebrated in Kuala Lumpur(Malaysia) and Singapore (other countries thinking it too extreme)

Well, enough talk about body mortification. (Alamak ! I could not even watch the bladed ladder climbing - freak me out).

The Island of Phuket is very beautiful and the beaches are like out of a movie. The town of Potong is where most of the disco party going tour-i hang out so we avoided it. Preferring to get out and see a little more of the island we rented a car and toured about. We rightly surmised that it was the only way we were going to find really good Thai food and see most of the island. Renting a car was well worth it. Toby had secured us a free room at one of the resorts (with her millions of Starwood points) so each day started out with a luxurious complementary breakfast and then in the afternoons when we'd finished our excursions we laze around on the beach. Complementary cocktails served from 5:00 to 6:30, and then back out in the evening to explore and have dinner somewhere. Now if we could just figure out how to retire and do that all the time.

To see our pictures check
http://flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/
or
http://flickr.com/photos/48089670@N00/

Goji Beery

2006-10-01T08:06:00.002-07:00

Now that the brewery is up and running and have our three main beers in full production, we wanted to stretch a bit and try a few new beers. While wandering through the different markets in Singapore I ran across these bright red Chinese berries . I really liked the taste and thought they would go nicely in a beer (and maybe turn it pink). After talking to some of the vendors I found out that Goji berries were very popular. There are several names for these little red guys; Goji, Wolfberry, Matrimony Vine, Boxthorn and Lycium barbarum.

They are suppose to do a whole host of good things for the body including (but not limited to) lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, cleanse the blood,increase eye sight, be anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and help in the treatment of - skin rashes, psoriasis, allergies, insomnia, chronic liver disease, diabetes, tuberculosis, any eye problem at all, plus put the led back in your pencil (and they taste good too).

On top of all that Goji Berries contain 18 amino acids (six times higher than bee pollen), more Beta Carotene than carrots, more iron than spinach, and 21 trace minerals, Vitamins B1, B2, B6, and E , they contains 500 times more Vitamin C by weight than oranges and are 13% protein (higher than whole wheat)

Damn, now that's some kind of berry.

So of course we wanted to use it in a beer. The Goji berry's flavor lies somewhere between a cranberry and a cherry, but there is more going on there, hints of leather, and they remind me some of the Hawaiian 'Ohelo berry. A nice and unusual taste. We designed and brewed a light wheat beer which we infused with rehydrated and blended Goji berries. Sadly it is not bright pink as I had hoped, but the flavor is nice so far (it just finished fermenting). The taste is tangy and a bit tart with a nice bready backbone from the wheat and barley malts. We have high hopes, and why not, it will taste great and be less illing. It should be available at our downtown Archipelago outlet about early/mid October.

We will have at least two more beers by the end of 2006 (and maybe more) so if you are near Boat Quay slip on over to Circular road and try one. And for those of you who don't live in Singapore - well, you had better plan to visit soon (before it is all gone).

I am sorry but I just gotta say it once more - "Taste great, less illing"

First Brew

2006-09-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

We (successfully) brewed our first commercial brew today on the 30 hl system. We brewed the Trader's Brown Ale. I had help from Ben (our new assistant brewer) and Ernest (my Contractor/home brewer friend), we were even visited by the Brewmaster from Tiger next door (Juan) and the General manager for APBS (Alan). They both hung out for a while and helped us put the Gula Malaka (palm sugar - pictured here) into the brew kettle. It is nice to have friends drop by and help out a bit. It was a bit of a challenging day, including (but not limited to) 4 burst air lines, missing raw materials, a caustic shower (because I am not yet familiar with which valves should never be opened in sequence), a nonfunctional automated water mixing device, boiling water down the boot, the shifting of the mini brewery to downtown, a semi-functional wort cooling system and assorted acid/caustic burns. It took about 12 hours - but we brewed beer ! It felt great to finally brew beer on this system. And we plan on shaving about 3 hours off tomorrows brew (he said hopefully).

A Bit Blur

2006-08-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

September is upon us and I know not what happened to August - it was hardly even a blur - it vanished with nary a trace. But all was not lost, in it's place now stands a brand new fully functional 30 hl brewery. It took 16 months but now we are finished - well, almost finished. There are a few more details to sort out but we are finished enough for me to start brewing. I brewed my last (for a while) batch on the mini brewery on Thursday and I brewed my first batch on the new brewery today. I will be brewing all next week so that we may start selling the beer out into the wider market and we will move the mini brewery back downtown Tuesday.

August was madness - I worked the last 26 days in a row, usually about a 10 to 14 hours a day. By day I brewed beer on the mini brewery and supervised the installation of the new brewery, by night I did radio, TV and magazine interviews where I babble on mindlessly about beer and brewing (our corporate communication team is very agressive in getting me in front of the press). For one Men's magazine the two other craft brewers in town* and myself did a 60+ beer tasting (in two hours) it was not an easy task - you should try it some time (yee-iiee). After brewing each of our three main beers this week - I am really looking forward to a weekend off (what will I do with myself).

My assistant starts tomorrow, his name is Ben Tan. He has been with APBS (Tiger Brewery) for the last 5 years working in the larger brewery. This is good as he has relationships (connections) that I lack. He is a very nice guy and very enthusiastic about learning more about brewing. He is an commando in the armed guard (things are a little different here in Singapore where all males do a tour of duty in the armed forces and all men under the age of 42 are still in the active reserves) - basically what this means is that Ben is tougher than your average guy (a fact that I plan on using often). Craft brewing is not for the weak or those who lack stamina. Lugging a 20 meter length of 2 inch hose around is not an easy task (nor is hefting 25 kg. bags of malt, or 50 liter kegs). I believe Ben may be called on to use much of his training in his new job. (plus, if we are out drinking and someone hassles me Ben will break them in half like a twig - no not really, he is much too nice of a guy to do that).

On the horizon - Soon we will develop two new beers ..... I was thinking that we'd stick with the classics - good and evil - something light and something dark.

*the two other craft brewers in Singapore are Alex (from Paulaner), and Scott (from Brewerkz). Both very nice guys. And yeah we were a bit blur after 60+ beers

This, That and the Hungry Ghost

2006-07-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been almost a month since my last posting and a lot has transpired. I brewed 10 batches of beer on our 3.25 hectoliter mini-brewery. We then pulled it out and shifted it over to our downtown location. And for that entire month I seemed to be surrounded by some incredibly cleaver evil demons whose main reason for existing was to @#%* me up. Upon its arrival I discovered the mini-brewery used 220, three phase electricity (and Singapore did NOT – I had to find a transformer), I had a fermenter that developed a mysterious hole in it (while full of beer), a fermentation that would not start, a pump seal (on my one and only pump) that came out of place and required a rebuild (in the middle of a double brew), a solenoid valve that stuck open and began freezing the beer, a hose burst, CO2 leaks galore, the list goes on and on. But with perseverance and the help many people (and not a few profane expletives from myself) the beer was brewed.

On the day we had to shift the mini-brewery downtown I had to brew the last batch of beer, clean the tanks and get all the utilities disconnected. The movers showed up as the electrician was disconnecting the power from he transformer. The brewery was shipped out, and then upon arrival downtown was stuffed into place behind the bar, and the bar was finished up.

All this had to be done to meet our launch prior to the start of the Hungry Ghost Festival as it is widely believed that to launch any enterprise during the Hungry Ghost is to doom it to abject failure. And we hoped to avoid that if possible.

We launched The Archipelago Brewery the last day before the start of the Hungry Ghost – at midnight on the evening of our launch the candles and incense were light, the food was placed outside, and the air was thick with the smoke of burning “Hell money”.

During the Hungry Ghost Festival the gates of Hell are flung wide and all the unhappy souls tormented there are allowed to go forth and roam the earth in search of food and entertainment (and possibly seek revenge on those who wronged them in what was happier times for them). So during the 7th lunar people put on entertainments, burn candles and incense, and leave out food offerings. All to keep the ghosts appeased. People also burn a lot of offerings to the deceased. These offerings are made by burning facsimile objects like paper televisions or radios, paper clothing, fake money, paper cars & even paper houses. They believe that these offerings will reach the ghosts through conflagration and help them exist more comfortably in their world.

Our launch was generally regarded as a big success. We had an excellent turn out and people’s reviews of the beers in general were very favorable (I personally had lost all perspective by this point and thus decided it best to start drinking to brace myself against any possibility of negative comments – luckily people started to say nice things before I got too inebriated, and I was still able to carry on semi-intelligible discourse with guests and the press). We started the launch at our excellently designed Archipelago Brewery outlet in town. After a beer we loaded everyone on to busses and took them to the waterfront of Sentosa island, were dockside we paired the beers with different dishes. After some makan and beer we took anyone who cared to out into Singapore Harbor for a starlight sailboat ride. Then back the pier for some local entertainment, music and more beers. Eventually most of the guests ended up back at our pub downtown for a few more beers.

Since the launch we have had at least one interview a day and today a local drama/variety show filmed on location at the pub. Nightly the number of patrons increases and we are selling about 50% more beer than we anticipated that we would. Which is great except….

Our 30 hectoliter brewery has been repeatedly delayed and has not yet arrived in Singapore. The brewery license for our pub/outlet location has not yet been approved and thus we can not yet brew there (you see where this is going don’t you?) So, this Sunday we will chop up the pub, crane out the mini-brewery, load it onto a truck and send it BACK to our micro-brewery location outside of town (where we DO have a brewery license). We will reinstall the it there, brew (like mad) until our big brewery shows up on August 14th. Meanwhile we will get the pub back in shape to reopen the next day (sans mini-brewery). Then the larger brewery will arrive and while installation is taking place we will again uninstall the mini-brewery and shift BACK to the pub downtown. Stuff it back into place and again fix the damage to the bar. I know it sounds like total and complete madness but ….. I ask you what other choice do we have? None.

I told my boss Andrea that when asked she would have to say “yes, he installed 5 breweries for us” (admittedly four of those breweries were the same brewery in different locations, but, really, does that actually matter?). And I would rather have the problem of selling too much beer (with all its associated problems) than have the beers be unfavorably received – I couldn’t take that kind of rejection.

The Beers

2006-07-31T08:54:00.000-07:00

For those of you not familiar with our brand concept or beers, I list here a brief discription. (Picture - Our team in 1930's attire)

Archipelago Brewery Company was first established in Singapore in 1931 by German brewery Beck’s. In 1939 the brewery was seized by the British government as enemy property. In 1941 the brewery was sold to Malayan Breweries , which today is Asia Pacific Breweries.

Capturing the romance, adventure and craftsmanship of the original brewery, the new Archipelago Brewery Company will brew bespoke craft beers combining the best of the beer brewing traditions from the west, with the flavours and spices of the east. The brew master will creating unique and flavourful beers to match perfectly with the lifestyle, weather and food of the Malayan Archipelago.

Traditionally Brewed and Uniquely Archipelago

Archipelago Traveller’s Wheat

This wheat beer is refreshing, with a distinctive character and flavour. Working in the tradition of Belgian craft brewing, Archipelago’s Brewmaster has introduced some unique, Asian touches to this beer. He blended in Assam(tamarind)and lemon grass, with a hint of ginger, coriander and Chinese orange peel. All this creates a beer of unique refreshing character

Archipelago Traveller’s Wheat is enjoyed when paired with any food that is sour and spicy, especially those that contain Asian spices. Perfect with Assam Fish, Thai Vermicelli, Salads, Mussels, Top Shell, or Pepper Crab.

Archipelago Trader’s Ale

This is a very special ale, perfect for gatherings with friends and family, over a good meal or after a long day. Archipelago’s Brewmaster has blended special malts, hops, and a touch of Gula Melaka (palm sugar) and ginger to create this luxurious brew, which is creamy, smooth, enjoyable and satisfying till the last drop.

Archipelago Trader’s Ale is best paired with roasted meats or food cooked in brown sauce, such as Suckling Pig, Roasted Squid, Peking Duck, Satay and Rice Dumplings (Bak Zhang)and beer Randang.

Archipelago Straits Pale

This Beer is a real thirst quencher, crisp, clean and satisfying, making it a perfect choice for the tropical weather in Singapore. It is brewed in the American Pale Ale style with imported American hops for a refreshing crisp flavour with a smooth, round body that is enjoyable anytime.

Archipelago Straits Pale perfectly complements dishes such as Thai Green Curry, sea food, shell fish, Indian curries, Tandooris.

Snap!

2006-06-28T07:31:00.001-07:00

Well, I brewed this first two batches of beer today and they both went off pretty much without major difficulties. It only took 13 hours for them both, not bad considering that they were the first two batches on that system. There are a few more bug to be worked out, but I will be brewing another double tomorrow. Today I brewed the Sienna Ginger Beer (or as we will be calling it Archipelago Trader's Ale), tomorrow, the Belgian style Wit Beer (Archipelago Traveler's Wheat). Today was a pretty exciting day, I was assisted by my friend Ernest and Itipan one of Ernest's Thai workers (thank goodness they were there - I needed the help). Tomorrow should be fun as well. It really (REALLY) feels great to be brewing once more - It has been a while, but now - Snap! - Now, I'm a brewer again!

Brewery Update #2

2006-06-26T06:59:00.001-07:00

For those of you who read this blog with any regularity you might be wondering – “Hey I thought this was suppose to be about brewing in Asia, - where’s the brewing ?” Each week I think that I will have some juicy news to put on the blog about the brewery’s progress and each week I am deigned. If you have been following along you’ll remember that about 110 days ago we had 100 days until we HAD to be brewing. Well, yes - There have been a few delays, and several set backs. But that’s kind of how projects of this nature go. There are so many companies and people involved that if one person has a problem it usually impacts someone else and your delay is not just that one person (or company). That’s the case here – except everyone has had delays. The only two things that showed up on time were the malt and the hops. We still don’t have water in the building – and as you may know beer (like people) is about 90% water.

So what the hell has been going on you ask. Well, a lot. When I was hired (back in May of 05) I was responsible to setting up the brewery, making the beers and then representing those beers out in the market. When I arrived in September the responsibility of the project manager for the new brewery building was added. I did not (then) know much about buildings, but there were a lot of people to help and support that project, and so we managed to build a pretty nice structure. Then we decided to add a brewery outlet downtown. Then we decided to have a mini brewery in the outlet. I located a 3.5 hl brew house and we had some 7 hl tanks made for us in Malaysia. Then we decided we needed to set that mini brewery up in the new brewery building and brew on it BEFORE the arrival of the 30 hl Microbrewery (because the 30 hl brew house was running about 60 day behind schedule). And we had to do all this before the Hungry Ghost Festival which runs the entire 7th lunar month. It is considered very bad luck to start up any new enterprise during the 7th lunar month (which starts July 21st)

So - We are finishing up the new building, setting up the outlet downtown, setting up the 30 hl brewery (the tanks arrived this past week - check the web site below), setting up a 3.5 hl brewery in the same area, planning to brew on the 3.5 hl system this week, and then after brewing about 15 times we will uninstalling it from the new building and reinstalling it in the outlet downtown. By that time the 30 hl brew house will have arrived and we will finish the installation of the 30 hl system and be ready for full production. Yes, it is all a bit confusing, but there you have it – that’s what I have been doing. We will be brewing our first batch tomorrow and (should all go right) in a few days I will be posting the results. Cheers!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/

Tuak

2006-06-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

You see a lot more when you are moving at a slower pace. And you never know what you might find. One of my favorite ways to get around is to bike or to just get out and walk.

I was in Indonesia not too long ago. In my afternoon wanderings I passed into a poorer part of town (where I suspect few foreigners ever go). I was walking along a narrow uneven dirt road with small wooden houses on either side. It was late afternoon and people were outside playing or sitting around talking. I was greeted with the familiar “Hello Mees'terrr, where you go” (I love the way they trill the Rs) - and my ubiquitous answer to that question is “Jalan Jalan” (just out walking). As the lane turned onto a wider road a small gathering of people called me over to a house, where on the front porch area they were sitting around drinking out of these unusual looking bottles. As I got a little closer I could see that the bottles obviously contained a fermented beverage of some kind that I was not familiar with. I was offered a seat and the chance to buy a bottle. My first thought was - well, look it's still fermenting in the bottle - those guys are drinking it and they are not dead (yet) or comatose (yet), so sure why not, what could happen ?

The woman told me it was 500 Rupia (about 8 cents US) and I thought what the hell. I sat down and drank a glass (much to the enjoyment of the other guys sitting around). I tried a healthy sip and found it strong and wild. There were blur smiles and some nods of agreement from around the table. The aroma was of fermented fruit and fresh bread with a hint of decay, and the taste was sharp and citrusy. We sat for a while in the afternoon heat. One guy played a guitar while others chatted. They asked me the regular question, "whre you from", "where you live", "What you doing here". After a while I finished my glass and figured I should keep walking. I pulled out some change and gave the woman 500 Rupiah. She looked at me aghast and said "no, no - no 500". Well her English being not so good and my Bahasa still not really up to speed I wondered if she had really meant 5,000 Rupiah (about 80 cents). So I took out 10,000 note and asked for change. At which she told me “no 5,000 - 50,000” pointing to my money – well, I knew that was WAY too much for such an item (as beer in a bar is only about 15,000 Rupiah) and thus I got the opportunity to make my first joke in Bahasa. I took back my 10,000 and instead gave her 3,000 saying to the group in Bahasa - "whoa, she crazy woman, yes ?" That got quite a few laughs (although I don’t think she found it all that funny). She continued to insist on 50,000 and I continued firmly but with a smile "Ta Boleh - 5,000" (“no, not acceptable - 5,000”). Finally one of the guys said "yeah it 5,000 not 50,000", and he took my 10,000 note and made change for her. I took my 5,000 change, my bottle of pungent yellow mystery liquid and bid them “Salamat Tinngal”.

As I walked along I quickly SMS'ed the other guys that I had found something special and that we should meet up so that they could try this new discovery. Let’s meet at Larry’s Hotel. I sat in the lobby waiting for the others - And as I sat sweating from my walk - I had a moment. My head had started to buzz pretty good and I began to wondered just exactly was it that I had ingested 10 ounces of ? What the @#%* have I done, God knows what the hell was in that stuff. My head began to swim. I had heard that Extasy (sic) is popular in a lot of Indonesia and I was slightly worried about that for a few seconds. But then I thought - poor people are not going to put expensive EX in homebrew, there is no sense in that. I tried to relax. The head buzz combined with the heat, my excitement of finding a new drink, and my fear that I might have just consumed something that I would have to "ride out" gave me a pretty thrilling 4 or 5 minute there. But as I calmed down I was able to relax and enjoy the feeling. The buzz was different from just alcohol. Bill was the only other person willing to try more than just a sip of the stuff. Both he and I agreed that it gave one the feeling of your head being slightly electrified, like there was a mild electrical current running all over it. That combined with the normal giddy effects of alcohol and a slight disassociated feeling made it quite interesting and unique.

We asked some long time expats what this drink was called but (surprisingly) none of them had ever heard of it. We found out later from some locals that this new (to us) beverage was called Tuak. It is made from the sap of the coconut flower (Cocos nucifira, the most well-known of all the palm trees). It is a traditional beverage made throughout Southeast Asia and recipes and flavors vary from region to region. The taste is an acquired one to be sure. But I think that this new discovery warrant more research on our part (much more research)

http://www.putritour.com/indonesia_jakarta_bali_research/indonesia_bali_info_87.htm

Saigon

2006-05-12T05:48:00.000-07:00

Bill had been talking about it for a while, and we all agreed - the Singapore Home Brew Club needed to do a road trip. We needed to explore. Vietnam was chosen as our destination; it is exotic, the food is great, there are lots of small breweries there and it is inexpensive. Beer could be had for as little as about 20 cents USD a glass. Ho Chi Minh City (formerly, and still referred to by locals as, Saigon) was reported to have at least 10 micro or pub breweries. Bill arranged for the choice of two hotels – one nice, touristy, and downtown, the other, less expensive, local style and out towards the edge of town. Bill & I stayed in the later, so as to be more local style (no, not because we are cheap). Our hotel was in an interesting neighborhood about a 30 minutes walk from town centre. Our rooms were large and comfortable and had a refrigerator. And unfortunately for us the lobby and entire front of the building was being renovated. This meant several things for us; one – that there was sand and cement everywhere and there really was no front desk, two – that the crew all parked their motor scooters in the lobby (or what there was of it), and three – that every day (Sunday included) the construction crew started work (mostly with hammers) at 7:00 am. Did I mention the interesting neighborhood ?

Each morning Bill & I were out the door by 8:00 and off to have our coffee (and then Tea). We chose a busy thoroughfare where we could watch, with great interest, the passing motorists. About 90 percent of all vehicles that we saw were two wheeled, about 5 percent were three wheeled machines fabricated from old motorbikes and carts and the rest were car or the occasional truck. Saigon is a city of about 10 million people, that means there are a lot of motor bikes on the road. The motor bikes usually had more than one person on them (often three and sometimes even more – the maximum I saw was five) And the things that you saw people carrying between them on their motor bikes was truly astounding. A partial list includes, Truck windshields, a sheet of glass, a desk, sheets of plywood, a lawn mower, office chairs (to go with the desk no doubt), multiple children, 30 foot lengths of pipe, bundles of rebar, three bags of scorpions, and (my personal favorite) another motor bike (a Honda 50). Yeah, another motor bike in between two ladies on a motor bike of the same size.

And even more amazing was watching people cross the street. They literally just stepped out into traffic (sometimes without even looking) and maneuver across the road while the motor bikes and busses swirled around them like water around an island in a steam. Well, a moving island. I tried it several time (without anything like the calm and bravado that the locals had) and managed not to get hit except once. I got hit as I stepped off the sidewalk (after looking both ways) by a woman who had just zipped out of a driveway and was going against traffic. Lucky for both of us she was not going very fast or carrying a sheet of glass.

After a leisurely coffee and tea it was time to walk in to meet the others and go for a beer (or two) and then search out lunch. After lunch we had exploring to do and brew pubs to find. There are also in Saigon small beer spots called Bia Ho’i where beer from one of the local large breweries is sold. The Bia Ho’i prices were geared more to the local consumer (about 20 cents a glass). The beer there was better than the average mass marketed bottled lager but not anything special. The attraction for us was the local flavor and the good pricing. Our goal was 12 breweries and at least two Bia Ho’I in three days, I know it seems a bit lofty but we felt we were up to the task. Afternoons of walking and exploring left us thirsty and hungry. Evenings brought dinner of Vietnamese food at one of the many great local food courts and an array of delicious and sometimes unusual dishes. The oddest dishes we tried were pregnant fish and Balut (nearly developed duck still in the egg). Don’t think about it just eat it, and if your lucky you can use the beak as a tooth pick.

Recommended things to do and places to see should you be lucky enough to find yourself in Saigon; Hoa Vien Brewery, Nguyen Du Brewery, any of the many Bia Ho’i places, Sao Dong food court, Bia Tu’o’i Pacific (excellent food upstairs), take a death defying ride on the back of a motor bike taxi, and stop in at any local coffee shop, preferably on the side of a busy thoroughfare.

Varpalota and Budapest

2006-04-30T06:01:00.000-07:00

Next Stop Hungary. Twenty some odd hours later (including a pretty dull lay over in Heathrow) there I was, standing in the Budapest airport hoping that Lewis (the owner of the company making our brewing equipment) would be there to meet me. I must admit I was a bit nervous as I could not speak a word of Hungarian or even hope to read the signs (Hungarian is not an easy language to pick up, the letters are Romanized but it is of a completely different family than the Indo-European languages – there’s not cognate between them and almost nothing looks familiar). But Lewis was there. We loaded in my bag and off we went, headed to Varpalot about 100 km WSW of Budapest. Lewis's manufacturing plant is there, just outside of the small farming community of Varpalota (Pop. 22,000). As we drove Lewis told me of the old days when Hungary was still part of the Eastern block. In the late 1970's Lewis was a young professor of mathematic. He worked that and another job and considered himself well to do, but there issues with which he was not completely comfortable. His travel was restricted and he could not easily visit other countries or take his family with him. His superiors had been pressuring to become a party member but the idea did not appeal to him. The pressure had started small but was steadily increasing and he was beginning to feel ill at ease. So one day he and his wife packed up a few things and slipped across the border and then on to America. A country that he says he is forever grateful to for giving him and his family freedom. He still live in Southern California today. He returned to Hungary about fifteen years later to start up the brewery equipment manufacturing company. Vapalota seemed the place to do it. The factory is in an old warehouse off the main railroad tracks. You can still see the influence of the Soviet years; stack dull boxy building standing among the old houses with their sway backed center beams wieghed down from years of supprting the tiled roofs. They were there before them and will probably be there after the cement boxes have long been replaced. We arrived about 10:30 at night and Lewis's plant manager (Czelard) and shop foreman (Frank) were there to meet us. We went through the plant and took a quick review of the tanks and the plants capacities. After which we adjurned for a late dinner, a few beers, and discussion about the remaining work to be done (the brewhouse was not complete and there were still a few minor design issues with some of the unfinished tanks). We talked till about 2:30 in the morning and then being Easter the next day Czelard and Frank had family obligations that had to met early. The next morning about 8:00 Lewis and I are back at the plant for a more complete inspection of the tanks. As you might imagine Varpalota not being a really wealthy town, and welding equipment being worth what it is, the plant had a fair amount of security to get through. Lewis, who not often visited the plant alone, had written down the security code and obtained the many keys needed for us to gain entry. The gate key, no problem, the pad lock, no problem, the door key, no problem, the alarm code …. "error" light. The alarm goes off (and it is loud, really, really loud). We call Czelard (cell phone off – family day), we call Frank (out picking up food, be back soon), the people from the farmhouse down the street come over (but they know Lewis) - all the time the alarm – try as we might we can not turn it off. The police are alerted, the police arrive, the police don’t know Lewis. I don’t understand a word of what is being said but I feel fairly certain - it ain’t good. After a few more phone calls and many reassurances, the police leave and we get the alarm reset. We are left alone to continue our attempt to inspect the tanks, but the lock on the final door will not budge. We try every on the twenty some odd keys (twice, thrice - no luck). More phone calls ensue. Finally Frank's son (who looks right off the tour bus from a Seattle Grunge Rock show) arrived to body check the door open (wasn’t locked – you just have to body slam it to get it open). Alamak ! He sticks around and helps with the tank inspections. It turns out he is responsible for all the finishing of the tanks and the welds. In the afternoon Lewis drops me off at Europe’s largest lake for a couple of hours while he visits an uncle. It was early spring time in Hungary; people were out walking, the air was crisp and cool, the sky a clear pale blue, and the fruit trees were all in bloom. It was a perfect day to walk along the lake shore watching the few sail boats out on the water (most still in dry dock being worked on). Later Lewis picked me up and deposited me back at the hotel, he had to go off for his own families dinner. (my Easter dinner was ordered in rusty German at the hotel – and I was glad I could manage that) The next day was another meeting with Czelard to discuss the follow up details. At the end of which he dropped me back in Budapest for a few days on my own.

Budapest was often referred to as the Paris of the east. It is made up of two old cities Buda (to the west) and Pest (to the east). The city is divided by the river Danube. The Buda side is where the castle and government and nice houses all are, the Pest side is where all the action is. I stayed on the Pest side- not so much for the action but because that is also where the cheaper hotels are (yes I am what some would call a frugal man) and lets be honest I didn’t really want to go clubbing anyway. I figured there might be a few good “brown bars", maybe a good band or two and the people watching (a favorite past time of mine) is always better in the more hopping or Bohemian areas. When I get to a new town I like to walk around a bit. Walking really is the only way to get to know a place. Things are moving past you slower and you see a lot more. You can talk to people (provided you speak the language) and there are smells and sounds you’d miss if you were moving faster. So after dropping my bags I headed straight into Jozsefaros (district VIII) Budapest most intact, poorest and (I assumed) most authentic area. It is hard to get pictures in an area like that – the buildings are close together, the light is usually not great, there are lots of people looking at you funny - so I contented myself to just walk along and see what there was. The neighborhoods were a little bit rough and a bit run down but you could see what Budapest must have once been like. Budapest is surrounded by two ring roads. I thought if i walked through evey district wiwthin the centeral ring road then - I would have seen most of Budapest. That was my objective. I spent many hours over the next couple of days criss crossing the city. I walked both sides of the river, across there of the bridges, through narrow alleys and through the courtyards of many buildings. I figured I walked about eight to ten lines a day. I stumbled onto (and then out of) several god bars. Two of which rate as really great. They should not be missed if ever you are in Budapest. The Old Man Bar; hidden in the basement of a side street building has good food, and live Jazz/Blues music. And Szimpla Kert; what may be the coolest bar in eastern Europe. It was a movie house, an outdoor bar (of sorts), a coffee house, a place to hide during the day and a place to gather at night. It was so cool I was madly jealous that I did not own it. Check “Singbrewer’s additional pictures” for photos, although the pictures just don't do it justice.

I enjoyed my few days in Budapest, although by the time I left my feet were blistered and a bit sore. Budapest may be a bit out of the way but it is a city that deserves a few more trips for further investigation and discovery.

My trip home, I was dreading it a bit. It involved a 5 hour stop over in Heathrow, from there onto Seattle and an overnight stay there. Then a 12 hours back to Narita for a 3 hour layover, and then finally 6 more hours back to Singapore. But things are usually not as bad as one imagines they might be. In Heathrow I found a nice little pub with 5 cask beer on the handpump including Flowers IPA and Director's Best Bitter (5 hour layover, 5 cask beers – could there be any doubt). When I reached Seattle I called my friend Dick and he and I went to a nice watering hole in West Seattle owned by our mutual friend Gary. We spent the night in convivial conversation (something that we didn’t get to do much during the hectic Craft Brewer’s Conference) and then of course there was the free beer in Narita airport. All in all not such a bad trip - when there’s pleasant distractions like those along the way.

Seattle & Beer

2006-04-25T07:42:00.000-07:00

I love to fly (no I don't, not really - no, really, I love to - no) Two weeks ago I left Singapore for Seattle via the Narita airport in Japan. It was only about 22 hours (counting lay over in Narita - where I found a free beer dispensing machine, so cool!). Why would anyone willingly suffer 22 hours in transit you ask. Well, I got to hang with Toby for three days, I judged beer at the World beer Cup (WBC) for three days, and I was on a panel at the Craft Brewer Conference (also thee days), oh yeah and I got to drink a ton of fantastic beers - all in 8 day. I know the math doesn't quite work out but I swear that's just how it was ... really. The World beer Cup (WBC) had over 2220 beers from 56 countries around the world entered this year, more than ever before. There were 109 judges from 18 countries. The judging takes three days 8 or 9 hours a day. And I know what you are thinking - bummer dude, you had to drink free beer for 8 hours a day - but the judges also have to turn in clear and concise tasting notes on each beer (especially if they want to be asked back in following years). But note taking aside at 9:00 in the morning on the third day of Judging the thought of tasting beer for another 8 hours can give you a little bit of the willies. Especially if you have something really scary like American Malt Liquors or (the dreaded) Honey Lagers. Yeeeh ! But the reason brewers and beer pundits from around the world travel so far to judge at this event is because the experience of tasting, judging and discussing beers next to the brewer from the likes of Duvel , Fullers, Orval, Russian River, Guinness, Elysian, Westmalle, Sierra Nevada, Monteths - hell, think of a world class brewery and their brewer has probably judged at the WBC. The super stars of the brewing world (yes, I know I am a beer geek). The Craft Brewer's Conference starts the day after the WBC judging ends. The conference is just what is sounds like a gathering of brewers and beer people sitting around brewing & beer experts. Every industry has these kinds of conferences and if you think we are geeks check out the computer programmers conferences (of course they are getting paid about 4 times what the average brewer makes, so maybe I should shut up). Now the talks and presentations at the conference are pretty good but the reason folks come the conferences (really I think any conferences) is networking (or hanging out drinking beer and yaking). But one should never underestimate the value of networking, especially in the brewing industry. As Sam Calagione so correctly pointed out it's common practice for one brewer to call another and ask for help or advice - "hey, I'm having a problem with my run off do you have any suggestion on what might be wrong". And there would be a free flow of information between these two colleagues. Can you imagine Bill Gates calling Steve Jobs and asking for his thoughts on a computer problem he was having or if he could borrow a few spare chips. Never happen (never ever happen). Networking in the brewing industry means a lot more than it does in other industries. Plus we have way better beer than they do.

That Friday near the end of the conference I bid farewell to Seattle and my fellow brewers and boarded a British Airway flight bound for Budapest Via London. What Joys would await me during my 5 hour lay-over at Heathrow airport. One could only guess at what treasures I might discover. Did I mention that they have a free beer machine in international lounge in the Narita airport.

Check the Singbrewer's Additional Pictures Link to the right

Visitors

2006-03-20T05:47:00.000-08:00

My sister Suzy and nephew Patrick came to visit this weekend and of course I had to show off Singapore and all its great treasures to see (and food to eat). We did the ubiquitous tourist stops like Chinatown, Little India, the botanical gardens, Orchard (Road, not tower), Bukit Gombak, etc. We had all manner of food; Chinese, Indian, Peranikan, Malay, Thai. But the most memorable thing we did was definitely our trip to Pulau Ubin. For those of you who have been checking in on the singbrewer blog for a while you’ll remember the fantastic dinner I had with my friends Ernest and Muilee on Pulau Ubina few months back. Ever since then I have wanted to return and explore the island a little more. I wanted to do a day trip and really check out the island, so one morning we woke up early and caught a taxi down to the Changi Jetty. We waited for the requisite 12 people to show up (the boat only leaves when it has enough passengers to make the trip worthwhile). About 9:30 or so we loaded onto the Bum boat and made the crossing, arriving at the Ubin Jetty about 30 minutes later. We checked in at the information Kiosk and the ranger told us all about the animals we might expect to see. He said that there had been a sighting of the Pied Horn bill right there in the village just that morning - Check (www.wildsingapore.com/chekjawa/text/f221.htm). We inquired about the elusive proto-chicken (the red jungle fowl - or RJF). Suzy has a student that is doing a research paper on the mitochondrial DNA of the RJF and its dispersement throughout the pacific and we had heard that there might be a few RJF left on Pulau Ubin. The ranger was very nice and showed us where we were most likely to find our quarry. He also told us that when last counted there were about “one thousand over” living on the island. Skeptical of his math we went off to rent bicycles (the primary mode of transportation on Pulau Ubin). We decided to splurge and we got the $5.00 a day bikes (an almost completely indistinguishable upgrade from the $2.00 per day bikes). After some seat adjusting we mounted up and creakily (the bikes not us) off we went. About 10 minutes into the ride we can across the largest monitor lizard I have ever seen. Tongue to tip of the tail it was close to two meters long and took up most of the road. while scrambling to get out my camera I dropped my bike and he/she slithered off into a little creek and then into the culvert under the road. It poked its head out a few times but that was about as much as it cared to, and who could blame it – the temperature was heading towards 33 (90 F). We continued on our way and at the crest of a hill a few minutes later Suzy mentioned (at the same moment I was thinking it) that this was a likely spot for a chicken to hang out. She stopped her bike and there, not 10 meters away, was a male Red Jungle Fowl scratching in the leaves. We dismounted and slowly moved forward - but if you thought domestic chickens moved fast you should have seen this one run. Suzy and I tramped around in the bushes for a few minutes hoping to find a feather for genetic testing but no such luck. When we got back to the road Patrick had wandered a little ways away and as I looked back towards him a huge wild boar rushed across the road between us. My estimate on size was about 110 kg (250 lbs). Apparently for several years now the pigs have been repatriating themselves by swimming across the Straits of Johor to re-establish their home on the island. There are so many of them now that they are offered on the menu at the (only) local restaurant (and taste so ono brah – ho, broke da mouth). We had been told that if we waited in almost any one spot for a while eventually a wild boar(s) would come along, and sure enough – there one was. After trying (unsuccessfully) to photograph the boar we decided to move on. Another 100 meters or so along the way and another RJF ran across the road, and then another. We tried to get a few pictures but the damn wily things just moved to fast. A little later we ran into a French film maker who was studying the Pied HornBill. As he told us all about the RJF and studies that had been done on it, he pointed out the Hornbill sitting in the tree right above us (of which we had been completely unaware). He was a wealth of information and without his assistance we might never have seen a Hornbill. We rode all over the eastern half of the island that day and we saw over three dozed Red Jungle Fowl. But the best photo I managed to get was this small red blur bolting through the forest and my field of vision. Even though there are over a thousand of them on the island we found not a feather (although we did find a feather from one of the only four mating pairs of Hornbills on the island). It was not a great day for science but it was a great day for us. Pulau Ubin is just a great place to go - to get away from the city, to ride a really cheap rent a bike, to explore the forest and to see rare wild life. I look forward to my next visit – and exploring the western half of the island.

Brewery update

2006-02-28T05:59:00.000-08:00

The brewery is moving along quickly. We need to be up, running and brewing beer in 90 days (100 at the outside). The building is structurally completed, the electricity and panels are being installed over the next two weeks. The equipment is about 30% complete, it is suppose to arrive the 10th of May (I am suppose to fly out to Hungary to inspect it at some point). I am purchasing ancillary equipment as fast as I can; a keg washer from my friend John in Chico, a pad filter from Montana, tipping dumpsters for the spent grain, and a drive-in cooler for the beer.

I flew out to NorCal last week to look at the Keg washer (a 19 hour flight) My timing was good and I was lucky enough to work out being in San Francisco for a day to participate in the 13th annual Toronado Barley Wine Festival. I helped out some this year and I gotta say cleaning beer line (slightly hung over) at 8 am on a Saturday morning is not as glamorous as I thought is might be. But what a great festival; old time Toronado bartender-stars Jessie, Ian and Johnny flew in from Oregon, San Diego and the Mission district (respectively) to work the opening shift along bar favorites Tad, Betsy and Tony. The place was so packed you could hardly get to the bar – 58 Barley Wines on Draft ! There really is no other event like it. If you have never been, well … don’t bother going you’ll just make it more crowded next year (just kidding – you should really check it out)

The brewery is also looking at a stand-alone bottling line now too - since the integration for bottling between the large brewery and the Micro brewery is looking increasingly like it is just too expensive. Raw materials have to be ordered next week, beer hoses too, and then there is all the other small items to be rounded up (pumps, extra valves, gaskets, spare parts, tools clamps, lab equipment) all that stuff you forget you’ll need but can’t be bought at the neighborhood store.

Last week I brewed another test batch in Indonesia. It was a “Belgian style” Wit beer. It was very similar to the one we brewed back in May at the Elysian but I made a few minor changes. It “seems” to have gone well. Brewing experimental beers in someone else’s brewery, with water, ingredients, and yeast (and languages) you are not familiar with is a bit like playing the guitar with heavy leather gloves on – it’s doable, but difficult, and you are never quite sure how it will turn out. We will know for sure next week when I head back over to keg it up.

Although I am enjoying this process and all the learning that has accompanied it – learning about the building, systems integration, brewery design and all the rest of it - I am also really looking forward to just brewing beer, to having a more defined goal in front of me. With a little luck that day is Less than 100 days from now. That's not such a long time - and I have always been fairly lucky.

Year of the Dog

2006-02-23T05:22:00.000-08:00

Gong Xi Fa Cai - Happy lunar new year ! The Chinese (or lunar) New Year (CNY for short) is a really really Big deal here. It is like 4th of July, new years and Christmas all rolled into one. And it last for 2 weeks and involves big family meals, private parties, gift giving, Ang Pow disbursements, crates of Mandarin oranges, and hundreds of public event. Even now as I write (6 day into it) I can hear one of the many mobile drum groups playing outside. They decorate a lorry up with flags and banners, load the drums and about 8 drummers into the back and then they drive around drumming away. The drumming starts about 8:00 in the morning and seems to continue all day. I am not sure if the drumming groups are part of clubs or organizations or if they are put together specifically for CNY. Sometimes there are more stationary drumming events that include Lion dancers. The Lion dance (and the drumming), when they are done properly, will bring good luck and scare off the evil spirits. Lion dances can be very complex and involve rather dangerous looking feats and a lot of physical strength. On the Friday before new years the CEO of Asia Pacific Breweries threw a CEO dinner for the executives (sah’aah, of course I was invited). Everyone was requested to dress in Chinese attire. I was fairly certain that this was some kind of practical joke they played on the new employees, you know, I show up in my Chinese attire and everyone else (dressed normally) laughs at me for being such a gullible shnook. But I wanted to dress up anyway so I went out and bought a back Chinese dress shirt with embroidered black symbols on it (I know – I have been told – black is very inauspicious, but I look cool in black - very Chuck Norris like in Return of the Dragon – or was Bruce Lee wearing the black Chinese shirt ? Well, whatever, I was a white guy in a cool looking Black Chinese shirt – you get the idea).

To see the whole totally kickass Bruce vs. Chuck fight sequence visit:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/43236/bruce_lee_fight_with_chuck_norris/

On the train ride in to town no one looked at me too strangely so I began to feel a little more relaxed, like maybe it was okay for an Ang Moh to be dressed like a Bruce Lee wanna be, at least during Lunar New Year. When I arrive at the party, I see that pretty much everyone is dressed in Chinese attire (wheeuoh). In fact everybody looks really great, the guys are mostly dressed in shirts that are less reserved than mine (and now I am kinda jealous cause I did not buy something a little more flashy) and the ladies all look very fetching in their silk dresses or shirts. The party turnedout to be a lot of fun. There was nice entertainment, tasty food, and a lot of good conversation. And I learned a lot about the structure of our company.

The next night I went down to Chinatown to see the Big Event. I had heard that we had some kind of participation down there so I though I might go down, watch the fire works, have a couple of beers, and welcome in the Year of the Dog from our beer booth. On my way through the very crowded street (they estimated over 100,000 people were in attendance) I happened to see two guys in Tiger beer shirts. I figured they knew where the booth was so I caught up and tagged along with them. These guys had badges and headed straight back to the VIP area, the security guard stopped me the gate. I whipped out a name card and said “Ahhhh, I’m with them” (who knew I could be so quick on my feet) and the very nice security guard guy apologized and gave me a VIP badge too. Tiger brewery had about 100 employees there and it was not so much a booth as it was a great big hang out session with free beer and hired help to dispense it (see the “additional pictures” section to the right). We were very near the main stage which made for good viewing. There were singers, dancers, and at midnight really good fireworks to welcoming in the New Year. The event ended (at least for me) when everyone started pouring beer over each other (I was told that it’sa Singaporian CNY thing, but I felt that this might be a tradition that it was acceptable to shy away from). After being lightly doused my friend Guss and I decided to retire to a near by bar and pay for the beer inside us rather than have free beer on the outside of us. And the best part was we didn’t have to be back to work until Thursday. (you just gotta love having 5 days off in a row). It was definitely an entertaining and fun weekend.

Gong Xi Fa Cai – Happy New Year of the Dog.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

2006-02-04T03:26:00.000-08:00

I am working on a post for Chinese New Years but it is gonna have to wait. First I have to tell you about today’s bike ride through the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. It was fantastic beautiful, the place is filled with creatures and it was a total blast to get off road on the mountain bike. In the mid afternoon I set out from the apartment on a random ride to nowhere in particular. About 10 minutes in I can across Dairy Farm road, a road that I had wanted to live on but there were no near by MRT stations. So, I thought I would ride around and check it out. I was really enjoying the exploration when I came upon a monkey sitting on the side of the road. I pulled over to snap a picture and realized I was on the edge of the Bukit Timah nature reserve. I had read some about it but not made it around to a visit yet. The nature reserve is in the middle of Singapore and it is very large (about 4 miles across and 6 miles long), and it is just one of only two urban primary rainforests in the whole world (the other being in Rio de Janeiro). The Bukit Timah section of the reserve is 164 hectares and is home to more than 840 flowering plants (Black or Bat lily) and over 500 species of animals. The most commonly encountered are the Long-tailed Macaques monkeys, yeah that’s right wild monkey in Singapore, but other more scary thing creep around the forest as well. Monitor lizard (which I have seen in the city), reticulated pythons, I have been told that there even Flying lemurs (Colugo). Forest birds include the Striped tit-babbler, the Fairy bluebird, drongos and bulbuls. On my jaunt through the jungle I saw; a hawk, some sort of blue bird, two different species of monkeys, a bearded Iguana, an albino mina bird, a red squirrel, a half dozen kinds of butterflies, several interesting new (to me) kinds of dragon flies, and an all black wild chicken (chickens are originally from this part of the word – so seeing a wild one was kinda cool). The trails were fairly well maintained. At one point the trail meanders through the jungle and along a little stream, and at another point it moves along the edge of open fields. There are some single track trails and some fairly rough hilly areas, but by and large most of the trails were not too tough. I spent two hours riding around and I didn’t see it all by any means. There is plenty to explore and there are (I have read) far more hiking trails than biking trails. So once you have ridden all the trails for bike you can hoof it into more remote areas. I can’t wait to get back out there. What a fantastic accidental find.

UPDATE:
I had such a good time yesterday I went for a ride in the nature reserve again today. This time I was able to see a little more and appreciate more of what I did see. I went out to the end of the one paved road that penetrates into the reserve and found that there is a tree top canopy walk set up about another 30 minute walk in (no bikes allowed). I will have to give that a try another time. And, there were a lot more monkeys. Check my flickr account for several good new pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/

Can.

2006-01-16T03:50:00.000-08:00

You know that uneasy feeling you get when you haven't done something in a long time, something that you are suppose to be good at, but it has been a while and you kind of begin to wonder if you can still pull it off. Maybe you just thought you were good at it, but you really weren't (you know like most white guys and dancing). Or maybe you really were good at it back then, but you are out of practice now - you use it or loose it. I think that most of us have experienced this kind of semi-irrational fear at some point.

That was the kind of the feeling I had a few weeks back when we went over to brew in Indonesia. Was I ever really that good at this ? People had said so ..... but maybe they were just being polite. I mean, well yeah, I had brewed some good test batches at the Elysian back in April but come on, I was working with one of the best craft brewers in the world - how much could have gone wrong there ? Now, here I was in a foreign country, with a brewer who didn't speak my language (or me his) working on a small (and somewhat funky) brew system and using ingredients I was not entirely familiar with. I didn't even have a water analysis.

I was beginning to feel a little ill at ease here.

On the plus side; Xiao Chu is a competent and conscientious brewer, the brewery was better than some (ah, not as good as others), I had Ernest (a Davis trained brewer) there to translate and help, my ingredients were top notch (Crisp malt & Haas hops), the yeast was healthy, strong and a great strain, I'm a fairly a skilled brewer, and I've always been a pretty lucky guy.

So how wrong could things go ?

I would not know the answer to that question until we arrived at the brewery to package the beer. I procured three 10 liter kegs from APBS, stuffed two of them into a large suitcase and rubber banded the other to the top. Now, all I had to do was get these bomb shaped canisters out of Singapore, into Indonesia, fill them with an alcoholic beverage, get them back out of Indonesia and through the customs in Singapore (a country not renowned for it’s lax importation laws). Let’s review; four border crossings, bomb shaped canisters, filled with alcoholic beverages, in Indonesia = Muslim country = not really fond of alcohol in general. It should be a breeze

Getting out of Singapore really was easy, scary looking things LEAVING the country – not an issue. On arrival in Indonesia I encountered immediate resistance. Me, and my suspicious looking stainless steel canisters, were accompanied by the dark blue uniformed guards into the special back room. Heck, I hadn't even made it to the line for x-ray machine. The back room looked very much like a scene from Midnight Express. A small room, four guards, all standing around, the captain behind the big wooden desk giving me the hairy eyeball. Me stuttering (my Bahasa somehow failing me) as I tried to explain that these were empty kegs for the local brewery to fill. “Nothing inside, empty” – “Buka - boleh?”. This went on for a while; me fumbling along and the big boss scowling at me across the expanse of wood. I felt he was warming up for a bribe. Then - Thank God, Ernest pops in through the door - coming to my rescue, not just knowing what to say but how to say it and in what language. It turns out that they were more concerned with us bringing in the kegs duty free than the whole looks-like-a-bomb-thing. We filled out some extra paper work, I promised thyat they would not stay in the country, and that I would take them out with me when I returned to Singapore. Ten minutes (and a few ounces of sweat) later, we were on our way.

And, I am happy to report that things went very well at the brewery. The yeast performed well, Xiao Chu took great care of things and resulting beer was really quite nice. I feel fairly confident in saying that it is the first Sienna Brown Ginger ale with Melakan Palm sugar ever made in Asia (at least in recent years).

We filled the three kegs that we had, drank a few jugs for testing purposes, had a small feed with Mung Tjia and Xiao Chu, and our day was well on its way.

Returning to Singapore the next day proved to be no problem as well. Tony and I found the Singapore customs agents to be not only nice, but helpful too. See - I knew we could pull this whole thing off - no problem. And now we have the prototype for our third production beer. - thank you Ernest, Xiao Chu, Tony, Bill & Mung Tjai - without them, well, I would proably still be back in the big bosses office surrounded by gaurds dressed in blue uniforms.

Don’t forget you can click on the “additional pictures” link that's to the right to see updated pix of the brewery’s progress.

By the Numbers

2006-01-03T04:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

Can it really be 2006 already? Whoa! Just a few days ago (seemingly) it was 1978, Led Zeppelin was blaring out of my little lemon yellow cassette player and I was trying to decide if I would look good in one of those John Travolta disco suits, and if so would it help me get any chicks (BTW - the answer to both of those questions turned out to be a resounding NO!) Now, here we are more than a quarter century later and I am not really very comfortable with the math that got us here. I think I'm gonna need a couple a beers to help sort it all out.

Last week (back in 2005) we went over to Indonesia to the Length Brewery to brew a test batch of beer. Well, really we went over to assist their regular brewers in making the beer. Xiao Chu (their Head brewer) and Chandra (his assistant) did most of the real work. We helped out where we could and monitored the process. We is Ernest, Tony and myself. Ernest and Tony the only two all grain homebrewers in the whole of Singapore. That's a pretty cool claim - the ONLY two all grain home brewers in the entire country! - Yes, it's true Singapore is not huge place, but that truly makes them each one in a million (actually they are 2 in just over 4 million, but who's counting).

I thought it was great that they wanted to go over to help, and as I have said before without Ernest's help in translating I am sure I would never have been able to set up the deal to brew there, much less pull off the actual brewing. We brewed a Sienna Ginger ale (with palm sugar added). I think that Xiao Chu found the idea of putting Ginger and Palm sugar in the beer a bit odd. The thought of the ginger clogging up his heat exchanger freaked him out a bit but he was willing to give it a try. In the end the beer went off by the numbers and we hit our gravity, color and flavors specs. We pitched my favorite hard floccing London Ale yeast and pretty soon the fermentation was moving along.

Not too much later we were drinking beer in the Length Brewery Pub, and of course a bit of Makan. Mr. Tan (the brewery owner) is an excellent host and a great cook. He and his kitchen staff made up two dishes that were fantastic, a mullet steamed with thinly sliced ginger, and pork in onion and garlic stir fry. Both dishes were amazingly good (ho brah, broke da mouth) and they went great with the Length Brewery's Dragon beers.

We need to go back next week to give the beer a try and keg some up to bring back here for taste test analysis. Taste test analysis sound so scientific - we're gonna drink some and then talk about it. If everybody like the concept of the beer then we refine it a bit, or if it is all but perfect (as I am sure it will be, well .... hope it will be) then we will have our third and final start up beer. Of course I'll need to develope a few seasonal beers too.

Back in Singapore our brewery building is still on schedule. The roof is on, the walls are up, the window frames are in, and next week they will start laying the tile. It is really looking good. Mr. Chua (Thiam Construction Company's project manager) has the crews working 24 hours a day sometimes just to keep us on schedule. They have 24 days left before Chinese New Years (and the cessation of all work in SE Asia). It's great to work with a company who is committed to getting the job done on time. In less than 30 days I will be moving my stuff into a new office. Then all we will need is brewing equipment, but that is coming along as well.

For more photos of the brewery's progress (and Singapore) check
http://www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/

Just Like an Erector Set

2005-12-16T03:47:00.000-08:00

They will be pouring the second story columns early next week and then the steel roofing beams will be set in place a few days later. Before the new year arrives the brewery will have a roof. And if I learn any more about building the government may press me into service as a contractor. No, really what I don't know about construction could fill a stadium. But I have learned a lot. Things I didn't know about a construction crews life, that I know more about now than I ever imagined I would are: Bore pilings, air handling, security systems, highbay lighting, wiring diagrams, drain layout, service load, slab sloping, rebar, Crain hoist angles, load bearing points, screeting, LUX, AHU, BAS, PID, ASME, GRLWEP, OMG - WTF !! (I really thought that some of these terms meant something completely different - but we won't go into that now)

Meanwhile, on the equipment side, we continue to discuss the relative merits (or lack there of) of the different grades of stainless steel. After much research and discussion we have concluded that the 316 TI is in fact superior to the 316L despite the higher carbon level in 316 TI (but as you may have already surmised the addition of the Titanium in 316 TI binds with that additional carbon and creates and even more corrosion resistant metal, well that and the addition of the Molybdenum, but I don't need to tell you about the Molybdenum in the 316 - right ?). I pity the fools who are still using 304.

Well, all this keeps me on my toes and when it is all said and done I'll know that building and the equipment from the inside out. The learning this job reqiured is one of the main reasons I wanted it and one of the things I enjoy most about it. I just needed to tell somebody about it. Thanks.

Mode of Operation

2005-12-11T07:24:00.001-08:00

I’m not sure if it’s the heat (actually it’s not that hot for Singapore – a rather pleasant 84 degrees F) or if it is the impending nearness of the holidays, but I can’t quite seem to get motivated to write. I have started this blog entry about forty times now, and each time I stumble, falter and can’t find the will to go on. Maybe it's that so much has happened since that last time I was able to put fingers to keyboard. No matter, tonight I will forge ahead. The brewery building is over 30% completed (for all the great new photos visit - www.flickr.com/photos/55592119@N00/ ). The entire building will be complete by January 28th or we will have some real trouble. Come the evening of January 28 all the workers pack their bags and leave (for points unknown) to celebrate Chinese new years, which by all reports will last for the following 2 to 3 week. I am told that February is a lost cause. And by the nervous look on the contractor face when people pleasantly rib him about the work stopping I believe that it’s for real. So, in less than 50 day we will have a completed home for our new brewery.

The brewing equipment on the other hand will not be ready until March15th, and I am a little skeptical of that date. Although there will be no Chinese new years to slow them down (the equipments being made in Europe), I fear other factors will. Even is it is completed and loaded on the boat it still has to be shipped all the way down here. Equipment just seems to take longer. We shall see. We are planning on commissioning the brewery by the early May and have beer for the masses by early June. I am really anxious to get to the brewing.

In the meantime I have arranged to do some test brews at the Length Brewery in nearby Indonesia. The owners and the brewer are extremely nice and helpful, and I am hoping that the relationship can work out to be mutually beneficial well into the future. The brewery (pictured here) is just 3 hectoliters but it is the perfect size for our needs and it supplies them with beer very nicely as well. They make beer for their pub and a few outlets around town. The brewer speaks very little English so I will need to take my friend Ernest along to translate. I am exceedingly lucky to have Ernest there to help me out, not only can he speak Mandarin and English fluently, he is a UC Davis trained brewer, so he knows the Chinese words for brewing terms that might be otherwise untranslatable by your average bi-lingual friend (Plus he loves brewing). I hope to be able to do our first batches there by the end of this month.

I still have to find and acquire an acceptable kegging machine and a filter. We have our eye on a used semi-automated two head keg cleaner/filler (made by Till) that is currently resting at our sister brewery in Myanmar. We are negotiating to purchase it and I hope to fly out there with one of our engineers to have a look at it the middle of nest month. For the filter I’ll be depending on my old friend Vince Cotone ( http://www.soundbrew.com ) to make us a good deal on something nice that will fit our needs.

If I find I have free time at the office I work on sourcing material (malt, hops, yeast, special ingredients, and other stuff). I have to find a supplier for each and everything needs to be compliant so that it will dovetail with the big brewery (it is ISO 14001 certified). Once all that is taken care of I’ll start on my HACCP. See being a brewer is not all sampling beers and hanging out in bars – there actually is some paper work, well sometimes.

Festival of Lights

2005-11-16T04:56:00.000-08:00

The first week of November this year marked the celebration of both Deepavali and Hari Raya on Tuesday and Thursday respectively. In Singapore’s multiethnic community these are both major events, and they are both national holidays.

Deepavali is the Hindu Festival of Light that is believed to dispel darkness and bring illumination into one’s life. The truly remarkable light show on the main street in Singapore’s Little India has the wattage to make sure of that. Deepavali is a time when Hindus remember to thank the gods for happiness, knowledge, peace and prosperity. It is a four day festival that commences with Kartika Shudda Vijiya that marks the vanquishing of the demon Naraka. The last day of Deepavali marks the beginning of their new year.

Hari Raya is the Muslim festival that marks the end of the month of Ramadan (the month of daily fasting). The faithful fast from dawn till sunset every day, and in addition to not eating or drinking, Muslims are also forbidden from smoking and having sexual relations. They are expected to avoid lying, breaking promises or cheating during the month of Ramadan as well. The primary purpose of all of this is to remind Muslims of self-control and submitting to the will of Allah.

The obvious up sides to this week were; a lot of happy people, lots to do and festivities to see, and a three day work week. The down side was it set the brewery project back about a week, but what can you do – everybody was having such a good time.

That weekend I was invited out to dinner with my new friend Ernest and his wife Muilee. They wanted to take me to see the last vestiges of a Singapore that once was. Out on the southeastern Island of pulau Ubin, kampong (village) living is still a way of life. Most of the people that live on pulau (or island) Ubin are fishermen, substance farmers or they rent bicycles to the few tourists that happen to find their way over. To help ward off development a large portion of the island has been turned into a nature park, with a keen eye on preserving as much of the rustic ambience of village life as possible. To get to pulau Ubin one has to go to the Changi point jetty where a small (and somewhat rickety) collection of “Bumboats” take turns ferrying people out to the island. The Bumboat captains wait patiently dockside until they have the 12 or more passengers needed, enough to make the 20 minute crossing worth their while.

We arrived late in the afternoon but still had enough time to walk around the main village and see a bit of the kampong life. The center of town had had an old covered stage area for public performances, a temple, a couple of out door eating houses (as they are called), and several bike retail shops. There are houses just out side the main square and a small police post.

After wandering about for a bit we settling in for an excellent dinner that consisted Chili Crab (who I got to meet prior to his being prepared - live tanks are common here, they insure super fresh seafood), Char Kway Teo (fried broad rice noodles in dark sauce with extra stuff), fried rice, an excellent large fried fish, a vegitable whose name I am not familiar (but it looked and tasted like a cross between Bok Choy and young cauliflower), and as an added special treat, we were lucky enough to be able to try some of the local wild boar. And what would dinner have been with out a few beers (cold, fresh Tiger Beer - ummmmm).

The meal was excellent, the surrounding were beautiful, and the company great. Later, standing on the jetty waited for the requisite 12 people needed for the boat ride back to the city, I realized that it was the first time I had seen any stars since leaving NorCal (where in our black little corner of Anderson valley I was nightly awed by the vast multitude). We loaded into the open air boat and started on our way, the stars now bouncing about us as we bumped along. By the time we had reached the other shore they had all disappeared, swallowed up by man made light.