I decided to keep the old posts just to see the history later on. So much has happened in Vietnam since 2014. I am now updating beervn.com but does the latest articles on https://abudhabibeer.com/ from 2021. These years was the most important and as of 2022 there was craft breweries everywhere. Breweries like Heart of Darkness that has brewed over 400 different beers and Pasteur Street thats over 200 is still going strong since 2015-2015. There was 315 different breweries in Vietnam in 2022. 

The history of craft beer in Vietnam

The history of craft beer in Vietnam is short. The first craft breweries came 2015 and the boom started. Like in many other countries; it can go very fast from a few ones to a total hype. Like in Poland where craft beer was served at a handfull of places in 2013 and in 2016 more than 120 multi tap bars and pubs are serving craft beer. It is not a question IF, the question is HOW MUCH.

Is this Vietnam in a few years? The picture is from a multi tap bar in Warszaw with 95 taps that opened in 2016 where the boom started 2013.

The Craft beer pioneers

First of all Luisiane Brewhouse and Beerfest-Vn approached the term craft beer with producing 4-5 different beers. The first brewery to use the term craft beer was Platinum that made a lighter ale. The first craft brewery to open was Pasteur Street brewing that opened their doors in 2015 on the same street as the Czech microbrewery Gammer Beer.

The craft beer boom

The craft beer festival Saigon Outcast in August 2016 had seven different craft brewers representing their liquid gold. Meanwhile in Hanoi; Craft beer pub opened in the summer 2016 with focus on local and imported craft beer.

Vietnam has a rich beer culture with not only commercial company on one side and craft beer on the other. There are more than 40 microbreweries making Czech or German styled lager and not to forget; Bia Hoi, one of the cheapest beers in the world. Bia Hoi is made from rice, malt, sugar, hops and water and has an ABV (alcohol by volume) on about 3.5 %. Its both a concept and a beer style.

Business lunch at Hoa Vien Brauhaus in Hanoi. Beer is present at most occasions in Vietnam.

Where to drink Craft beer in Vietnam?

There are a few places in Hanoi that have Craft beer in the pipe line. For a more extensive suppl, its necessary to travel down South to Saigon to have many multi tap bars to choose from.