At BeerFest Asia 2011
Singapore, 16 June 2011 – BeerFest Asia 2011 opened today with the inaugural Asia Brewers’ Conference, culminating in the much anticipated Asia Beer Awards Dinner, an integral part of the four-day long BeerFest celebrations. Over 200 luminaries, industry heavy weights and special guests converged at Marina Promenade, the festival grounds, in anticipation of this coveted awards ceremony, recognising the best beers from around the world.
In its sophomore year, the current edition of the Asia Beer Awards salutes the finest international beers, brewed from around the world – 450 different beers originating from 47 different countries vying for top honours in 36 categories.

Blind judging was done on 14 & 15 June at Red Dot Brewhouse, Boat Quay. More than 15 judges comprising international speakers specially flown in for the Asian Brewers’ Conference, local brewers and industry figureheads diligently conducted the tastings over 2 full days.
Top Honours Go to….
Singapore based Pump Room, clinching 11 awards, including the Best of Show for its Pump Room Golden Ale. Kudos to brewers Hayman Tin and Scott Baczet for their success:
6 Gold Awards:
Category Submission
Strong Ale/ Lager (Asia) Pump Room
Porter (Asia) Pump Room Porter
India Pale Ale (Asia) Pump Room IPA
Golden Ale (Asia) Pump Room Gold
Golden Ale (World) Pump Room Gold
Porter (World) Pump Room Porter
3 Silver Awards:
Category Submission
Wheat/ Wit/ Wiess (Asia) Pump Room Wheat
Pale Ale/ Amber Ale (Asia) Pump Room IPA
Pale Ale/ Amber Ale (World) Pump Room IPA
1 Bronze Award:
Category Submission
India Pale Ale (World) Pump Room IPA
Asia Beer Awards/ Page 2
MOA Beers, a first time entrant at the BeerFest Asia Beer Awards swept 10 awards. Brewed in New Zealand, MOA craft beers bagged the following:
Gold Awards:
Category Submission
Belgium Golden Ale (Asia) MOA St Joseph’s
Seasonal Ale (Asia) MOA Methode Ale
Stout (Asia) MOA Imperial Stout
Wheat/ Wit/ Weiss (Asia) MOA Revolution
Pale Ale/ Amber Ale (Asia) MOA Pale
Pale Ale/ Amber Ale (World) MOA Pale
Silver Awards:
Category Submission
Flavoured Beer/ Fruit Beer (Asia) MOA Breakfast
Belgium Golden Ale (World) MOA St Joseph’s
Bronze Awards:
Category Submission
Lager (Asia) MOA
Stout (World) MOA Imperial Stout
Archipelago Brewery Company, with its small batch brewing techniques and excellent products, inspired by the adventure, romance and craftsmanship of bespoke handcrafted beers complete the winners’ circle at the Asia Beer Awards ceremony. Here are the 7 awards garnered:
Gold Award:
Category Submission
International Pub Ale (Asia) Archipelago
Silver Awards:
Category Submission
India Pale Ale (Asia) Archipelago IPA
Golden Ale (Asia) Archipelago Gold
Brown Ale (Asia) Archipelago Irish Ale
Brown Ale (World) Archipelago Irish Ale
Golden Ale (World) Archipelago Gold
Bronze Awards:
Category Submission
International Pub Ale (World) Archipelago
####

The Complete Results:
Belgium Golden Ale (World)
Gold
St Martin Blonde
Silver
MOA St Joseph’s
Bronze
Victory Golden Monkey
Belgium Golden Ale (Asia)
Gold
MOA St Joseph’s
Seasonal Ale (World)
Gold
Holzfass Bier
Silver
Schneider Weiss Aventinus Weizen Eisbock
Bronze
Birrada Ris
Seasonal Ale (Asia)
Gold
MOA Methode Ale
Flavoured Beer/Fruit Beer (World)
Gold
Timmerman’s Peach
Silver
Timmerman’s Strawberry
Bronze
Honey Brew
Flavoured Beer/Fruit Beer (Asia)
Gold
Jazz Lychee
Silver
MOA Breakfast
Belgium Dark (World)
Gold
Calvinus Noir
Silver
St Martin Brun
Bronze
St Martin Noel
Dunkel Wiessen (World)
Golf
Schneider Weisse Unser Aventinus
Silver
Jazz Dunkel
Dunkel Wiessen (Asia)
Gold
Jazz Dunkel
Silver
AstraGold
Stout (World)
Gold
Java Stout
Silver
Stark Raven
Bronze
MOA Imperial Stout
Asia Beer Awards/ Page 4
Stout (Asia)
Gold
MOA Imperial Stout
Silver
ABC
Bronze
Storm Stout
Strong Ale/Lager (World)
Gold
Owd Roger
Silver
Golden Monkey Victory
Bronze
Stone Double Bastard
Strong Ale/Lager (Asia)
Gold
Pump Room
Porter (World)
Gold
Pump Room Porter
Silver
Black Mac
Bronze
Stone Smoked Porter
Porter (Asia)
Gold
Pump Room Porter
Silver
Black Mac
Lager (World)
Gold
Carlsberg Gold
Silver
Steinlager Classic
Bronze
Starker Lager Fresh
Lager (Asia)
Gold
Starker
Silver
Jazz
Bronze
MOA
Wheat/Wit/Wiess (World)
Gold and Silver medal
Schneider Weiss Mein Grungs
Bronze
VE Dett Wit
Wheat/Wit/Wiess (Asia)
Gold
MOA Revolution
Silver
Pump Room Wheat
Bronze
White Ant Wit
India Pale Ale (World)
Gold
Marsten’s Old Empire
Silver
BrewDog Punk IPA
Bronze
Pump Room IPA
Asia Beer Awards/ Page 5
India Pale Ale (Asia)
Gold
Pump Room IPA
Silver
Archipelago IPA
Pale Ale/Amber Ale (World)
Gold
MOA Pale
Silver
Pump Room IPA
Bronze
Brakspear Oxford Gold
Pale Ale/Amber Ale (Asia)
Gold
MOA Pale
Silver
Pump Room IPA
Bronze
I-Brew IPA
Pilsner (World)
Gold
Mac’s
Silver
I-Brew
Bronze
Belgium Pils
Pilsner (Asia)
Gold
Mac’s
Silver
I-Brew
Bronze
Jazz Premium
International Pub Ale (World)
Silver
Duchy Original Organic Ruby
Bronze
Archipelago
International Pub Ale (Asia)
Gold
Archipelago
Golden Ale (World)
Gold
Pump Room Gold
Silver
Archipelago Gold
Bronze
Storm Gold
Golden Ale (Asia)
Gold
Pump Room Gold
Silver
Archipelago Gold
Bronze
Storm Gold
Best of Show
Pump Room Golden
Asia Beer Awards/ Page 6
Cider (World)
Gold
Weka Pair
Silver
Weka Apple
Bronze
Magners Pear
Cider (Asia)
Gold
Weka Pear
Silver
Weka Apple
Bronze
Razor Back
Low Carb Lager (World)
Gold
Skinny Green
Silver
Yanjing
Bronze
Mac’s
Low Carb Lager (Asia)
Gold
Skinny Green
Silver
Yanjing
Bronze
Mac’s
Brown Ale (World)
Silver
Archipelago Irish Ale
Bronze
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
Brown Ale (Asia)
Silver
Archipelago Irish Ale

The Asia Beer Awards is a part of BeerFest Asia 2011, held from 16 through 19 June 2011. For more information on BeerFest, please visit www.beerfestasia.com
For ticketing, call SISTIC (65) 6348 5555 or log onto www.sistic.com.sg

'Now let's see how much I won't spill if I pour it from this high...'

We posted about Diageo’s search for the best – make that World Class – bartender. Now here’s an update on how this arduous quest to seek out the best mixologist is going. Thanks to Michelle Lee of ImpactAsia, PR agency for this event, for these notes.

As we head towards the National Finals on 13 June, for the third and final challenge held last week, Akihiro Eguchi of Orgo and Zach Elias of TAB tied for the top spot with their original serves.

Aki’s creation is already available for $25++ and we’ll update you on Zach’s drink availability shortly. Raveen Misra of Nektar placed a close second and his drink will start selling on the 30^th for $26++. We will have more info and images of these drinks to share soon.

The National Finals will see four SG finalists competing to represent Singapore at the Global Finals in New Delhi this July.

-          Patrick, Tippling Club (winner of Ron Zacapa rum + service ritual challenge)

-          Raveen Misra, Nektar (winner of Ketel One vodka + local produce challenge)

-          Akihiro Eguchi, Orgo  (winner of Singleton and classic malts + food pairing challenge)

-          Zach Elias, TAB(winner of Singleton and classic malts + food pairing challenge)

The judging panel will comprise industry leaders, Diageo representatives and an overseas guest judge – Carson Quinn, Bar Consultant at Opco Indonesia and an important personality in the Indonesian bar scene.

To follow World Class SMI, visit http://www.facebook.com/worldclass.smi.

This shophouse bar bistro is set up by banker Celina Tan and her engineer husband Kok Fook Onn. Serves modern-style homemade food and boasts of an extensive drinks selection.

First off, thanks to my like-minded boss Howie for this latest Good Things Must Share post. Celina’s GastroBar is introducing two you-can’t-find-it-at-7-11 beers today and is on till 28th May – MOA (New Zealand) & Hitachino Nest Beer. Unfortunately its closed on Vesak Day, so those of you who want to enjoy a Buddhist bank holiday brew will have to look elsewhere. MOA is a brewery helmed by really quirky kiwis with a twisted sense of humour. And that always makes for good beer, we say! In their own words, ‘Brew using traditional costly, inefficient and labour intensive techniques’ and ‘Fifty years ago, before there were lesbians, this is what beer tasted like’.

None of that big beer commercial cost cutting methods for the good folks at MOA

Were there really no female homosexuals more than fifty years ago? Seriously, we didn't know! Thanks, MOA!

Hitachino Nest, on the other hand, is less irreverent (despite the cute cartoon owl logo), and its legacy has somewhat links to the Japanese royal family. Started as a sake brewery, it has since evolved into a craft brewery and they recently started a winery as well, having just acquired 4,000 sq metres of vineyard. The first batch of Merlot and Chardonnay were turned into 2 hectoliters of alcoholic grape beverage in 2004.

No mice flavoured beer from these guys... yet?

These guys are available in other parts of Asia such as Hong Kong and Shanghai. Now in Singapore.

MOA Tasting Notes

MOA ($16+ per bottle; $42+ for any 3 bottles)
A champagne-style beer brewed by wine-makers, is a naturally carbonated beer. Available in 4 different flavours:
Noir - Dark lager. Chocolate and roasted coffee beans dominate. A full
flavoured palate giving MOA Noir a long smooth finish.
Blanc - Wheat beer. Brewed with 65% wheat malt, 35% barley malt resulting in an elegantly smooth beer with hints of spice. Like most wheat beers, it has a cloudy appearance.
5 Hop Winter Ale – a blend of 5 premium malts & Nelson hops. Smooth velvety characters on the palate as well as a refreshing floral nose.
Pale Ale - Powerful floral citrus & tropical notes, best enjoyed just below room temperature.
Hitachino Nest ($14+ per bottle; $36+ for any 3 bottles)
Brewed by a sake brewer, has all the subtleness you expect from sake.
Available in 4 different flavours:
White Ale – A refreshing mildly hopped Belgian styled beer with a complex
flavor of coriander, orange peel, nutmeg.
Amber Ale - A reddish brown beer brewed with a rich malt and bitter hops
Japanese Classic Ale – Bottle-conditioned fine creamy head on top. Medium bodied feel with sweet bitter taste. It has a unique note of cedar
and complex spicy yet mild aroma of British traditional hops such as Kent
Goldings and Challenger.
Sweet Stout - A perfect mixture of coffee, chocolate, and roasted flavors in
the nose and on the palate. No bitterness, but sweet notes
throughout to the very finish.
…and there is great food in small plates to accompany
All prices are subject to 10% service charge. No GST will be applied.

We LOVE Celina’s title – FUN MANAGER – as she calls herself. One look at her designated role and you know at once you’ll get all the excitement of a craft beer and hostess dedicated to a good time  – presumably skills not picked up during her stint at the bank. Check out:
Celina’s GastroBar
51 Duxton Road
S089515
tel: 62201684

Just found out also that Hitachino Nest Beer is available at Meidi-Ya the Japanese supermart in Singapore at S$9.50 per 330ml bottle.

We wished we had a beer created for our own weddings. And named after us, not the wives. Like Kiss Me Andre and Kiss Me Derrick

We were just wondering how anyone would judge a good wedding beer from a bad wedding beer. Or does the hope of the brewers lie with the fact that revellers would get so caught up in the royal wedding mood that any fermented barley drink would be as precious as the crown jewels? I guess we’ll find out on April 29th 2011. Actually, we think the blokes at the beer factory have the answers now! Thanks to the better half of one half of the 175proofers, Joyce, for pointing this story out!

How would you judge a good wedding beer from a bad one? Same as you would for any pub brew?

Anyways, we came across this television commercial medley from Cheers – we seem to have seen the creative concept of the holy grail parking lot version though – in a Western beer ad. Anyone recall? We can certainly relate to the theme of the ads – the celebration of the small victories that make our otherwise mundane everyday existence such a chore. The 3rd commercial is our favourite. Maybe cos crab vermicelli is one of our favourite Thai dishes too.

Adrian, we said hello to Ah-Ter for you and we heard, "Harp, cannot hear."

We’re not sure whether Arthur Guinness got any celebs of his time to sing at his disposal but that’s exactly what Arthur’s Day is all about. The folks at Guinness have been organizing Arthur’s Day across several cities worldwide including Dublin, KL, Lagos and New York with acts like Black Eyed Peas, Jamie Callum, Tom Jones, Sugababes belting out for Guinness fans. Last weekend, we got invited to Arthur’s Day in Jakarta with Lifehouse rocking late into the night.

Lifehouse doing a toast with the Guinness team

Other than Rivermaya, we didn’t know any of the opening acts, and even with Lifehouse, the only song we’ve got on iPod is Hanging By A Moment. But all that was mitigated by the fact that we were treated to the brilliant dark liquid all night and being in place like Jakarta, it’s difficult not to “party like a rock star”!

Arthur would be very happy with our performance.

To the folks at Guinness Singapore, thanks for the party and cheers to Arthur!

Now, being true to our cause of “Have drink, will travel”, we located a brewpub at the basement of Plaza Senayan. It’s called Brewhouse and apparently they brew an ale/porter. Apparently because they were out of it when we tried to order some. They’ve got Carlsberg on tap and a few other bottle beers like San Miguel, Corona. If you’re misguided into shopping there, check it out, if not, suggest you take your empty throats elsewhere.

1. Which is the 175proofers’ favourite ‘pint of black stuff’ that contains only 198 calories per pint. That is less than most light beer, wine, OJ, or even light milk.
2. Which city in South East Asia has a population of 23 million people, the 4th largest urban area in the world, no less, and will be playing host to the next Arthur’s Day on 4 Dec 2010?
3. Which two lucky chaps have been invited by to party with Arthur this weekend?
   

   Par-tay!

   Answers:

1. Guinness (Duh!)
2. Jakarta (Surprised?)
3. The 175proofers! (we’re sure you’d guess it by now)

So anyways, we’ve been invited by the kind folks from Guinness in Singapore to attend Arthur’s Day in Jakarta, Indonesia this weekend. It will be a great concert and party with VIP priviledges, we can only imagine! We’ll be hanging out with 6 fans from the Guinness Facebook Fans too along with most of the Guinness Brand team – drinking Guinness with like-minded stout-aholics, rocking to Lifehouse, Rivermaya, Superman is Dead and other local acts. There are worse ways to spend a weekend, I’m sure.

We’re really excited to be invited on our first official overseas junket. Stay tuned as we reveal more about our experience at Arthur’s Day in Indonesia! Now to go pack in the Guinness T-shirt and other dress-up paraphernalia we’ve loyally amassed over the years!

BTW here’s a Guinness Gem we came across: Did you know the perfect pour should take 119.50 seconds. It is a result of a double pour at a 45 degree angle. The result a creamy head on a smooth dark beer served at 6 degrees Celsius. Next time you order a pint, time your bartender to make sure that you’re getting the best pint possible. More here.

Talk about offering an incentive to drive support for your national football/rugby/netball/table tennis/Scramble team! A free beer is being promised to every adult in Australia if they win the Ashes. If you’re as clueless about cricket as us, the Ashes is some cricket match played between Australia and England, named as such because the winner takes home at urn of ashes (yes, we’ve given up trying to understand the game, let alone figure why anyone would want this honour).

Carlton and United Breweries sponsor the Australian team and they’ll be publishing coupons in five Australian newspapers which are good for a bottle of Victoria Bitter if the Aussies win. It’s estimated that this will cost them AUD$20 million. It’s been 24 years since they’ve won on home soil, we sincerely hope they don’t end up “bitter” about it!

Our local S-League folks should take a sip from this marketing ploy!

I was told to be

kind to little creatures. I’ll

have a drink to that