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Kerry Newsome
Jul 21, 20223 min read

The Craft Beer Scene In Vietnam

Updated: Jul 24, 2022




One of the best-leaked travel secrets in Vietnam is the booming craft beer scene.


Travelers can experience the unique local flavours through delicious craft brews and in many cases great food.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a beer drinker to join in on this fun! This taste sensation is for everyone. To find out more about the amazing craft breweries of Vietnam keep reading.


We started exploring this scene with this fine brewery in Danang. Let us introduce you to The Five Elements Brewing Company through our podcast featured this month.


The Five Elements Brewing Company

On the latest episode of What About Vietnam I had the pleasure of talking to Gary Bett, head brewer at Five Elements Brewing Company in Danang. At Five Elements Brewing Company the warm experience and craftsmanship hold true to Vietnamese traditions. You may be wondering how they capture the expression of the five elements in their beer? Well, they use local ingredients and flavours as inspiration. Some of these are rare and treasured herbs and spices, such as black cardamom, mac mat leaves, chili, bitter melon, and wild forest mushrooms.



At the moment, you can find Five Elements Brewing Company at three outlets, Nha Trang, Da Nang and Quảng Ngãi, these are all centrally located and easy to find. But Five Elements Brewing Company is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the booming craft beer scene in Vietnam.


Check out the full show here


Craft Beer Scenes around Vietnam


Craft beer is exploding all over Vietnam and travelers who want to partake in this exciting experience won’t have a hard time finding a great local brewery. If you’re looking for craft beer around Vietnam, these are all great places to start!


Saigon


The beer scene in Saigon rivals that of any city in the U.S.and Europe and they are just getting started! These brewers love to experiment with local Vietnamese flavours like passion fruit, dragon fruit, and beetroot. Some of the major players in the craft beer scene of Saigon include:


Brews to try at Pasteur Street: Chocolate Cyclo Stout, Jasmine IPA, Passionfruit Wheat Ale

Brews to try at Heart Of Darkness: Sinfully Good Vietnamese Pale Ale, Marlow’s Mellow Pomelo IPA, Excited Magpie Irish Stout

Brews to try at TeTe Brewing: Mellow Red, Electric IPA, White Ale




We had to include this brand as it has grown off the charts in recent years and today they own two well-loved and established craft beer brands, Sundowners™ Hard Seltzer, eco-friendly beWater™. Check their website for venues and stockists.











Hanoi


When visiting Hanoi, on any given night on bustling streets, you’re sure to find locals and travelers alike, sitting on tiny plastic stools sharing glasses of ‘bia hoi’, this is the capital’s famous freshly brewed draught beer (not a craft brew). The city’s vibrant beer culture is growing fast and you should get in on it! Some of the best craft breweries we found in Hanoi include:


Brews to try at Furbrew: Hanoi Saison, Sour Watermelon Gose, Fresh Mullberries (seasonal)


Turtle Lake Brewing as seen here

Brews a great scene, to try at Turtle Lake Brewing: Mango Smoothie Session IPA, Hanoi IPA, Cold Blooded Triple Rye IPA


Brews to try at Homie Brewhouse: Hanoi IPA, Cocovu, Cam WIT






Nha Trang and Danang


The coastal cities of Nha Trang and Danang are getting in on the craft beer action, with cool locations and amazing beer concoctions. Besides my guests Gary Bett’s brewery, Five Elements Brewing Company there are a few of other notable breweries in Nha Trang and Danang including:


Brews to try at 7 Bridges Brewery: Dragon IPA, Sunset Tangerine, Beach Blonde

With beachside views its not always about the beer!

Photo credit - 7 Bridges Danang


Brews to try at Louisiane Brewhouse: Passion Beer, Red Ale, Pilsner


If you find yourself in Nha Trang, and need a bit of help on what to do in the area, make sure to check out 10 Things You May Not Know About This City.


No matter where you experience the craft beer scene in Vietnam you are sure to leave with a better appreciation for local Vietnamese flavours and the amazingly inventive concoctions of these breweries. Cheers!


NOTE: All the Breweries information provided here is not a reflection of the writer's tastes nor is it any form of endorsement or are they paid advertisements. We suggest you try them for yourself and give us your feedback.

If we missed any that you know about, please let us know. A lot has changed since Covid.


IMPORTANT TO NOTE: The writer does not encourage the drinking of alcohol in any way irresponsibly. Please observe the rules of Vietnam on the consumption of drinking and driving.



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