Top Breweries in Singapore

Top Breweries in Singapore

“TGIF! Where shall we go for drinks?” is probably a common phrase you would hear everywhere on Fridays; be it co-workers celebrating the end of a hectic week and ushering the long-awaited weekend, or just a bunch of friends wanting to hang out for a casual catch-up session, alcohol is no stranger to the nightlife scene in Singapore. And for some of us, it doesn’t even have to be Friday to be an excuse to grab a quick drink or two. (wink)

We are fortunate enough to be living in a country where there is no shortage of alcoholic options to choose from – there is always something for everyone. From cocktails to wines to whisky; and even for those who do not take alcohol, mocktails are just as awesome. But if your choice of poison is beer, we’ve got you covered.

Popularity of beer in Singapore

Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage across the globe. In Singapore, it is easily one of the most popular alcoholic drinks, and it’s no wonder why it ranks high in terms of accessibility and affordability. Apart from retailing at restaurants, cafes and supermarkets, beers can also be found off the shelves of convenience stores and even in non-pretentious settings like your neighbourhood kopitiams (also known as traditional coffee shops for all you non-Singlish speakers). A big bottle of beer usually costs no more than SGD 10 at hawker centres, which explains the looming presence of beer-chugging uncles and aunties at kopitiams on a regular basis.

The beer industry is a niche segment within the alcoholic market in Singapore and much of its growth is spurred by the younger generation’s increasing interest in imported beer (read: brand-conscious and affluent youngsters). While the older generation typically prefers the national beer, Tiger, the younger population’s interests are piqued by flavoured beers, with tendencies leaning towards speciality and craft beers.

What exactly is a brewery and what are the most common types of breweries?

A brewery is a place where beer is produced for commercial purposes. And there are various types of breweries which are typically categorized by their annual beer production and percentage of beer sold on-site. Here, we break down the types of breweries and their specialities.

Industrial Brewery

This is the largest scale of brewery that produces and distributes over six million barrels of beer on an annual basis. Big names like Carlsberg, Heineken and SABMiller are the more commonly known beers produced in these industrial breweries. Also known as macro breweries, these operate on a global scale and beer is mass-produced in large quantities to be shipped to consumers all around the world. Because its production is so large scale, the beers do contain more cost-cutting additives, many of which could be culprits in those awful hangovers.

Craft Brewery

Unlike industrial breweries, craft breweries operate on a smaller scale, producing no more than six million barrels per year. Craft breweries are typically independently owned, which means that no more than 25% of it can be owned by an external counterpart. It is much less commercialized than industrial breweries. Fun fact: the term “craft” actually came about from the breweries’ emphasis on producing quality beer and their tendencies of viewing beer production as a form of art that is highly driven by passion, while focusing on fine-tuning the brewing techniques. So yes, beer brewing is art. Traditional ingredients such as malt, water, yeast, hops and barley are usually used in such breweries and they tend to have stronger and more aromatic flavours as compared to beers produced in macro breweries, making craft beer a popular choice amongst beer drinkers.

Micro-brewery

Micro-brewery is perhaps the smallest scale of brewery in the list today. Such breweries produce “speciality beer” capped at only 15,000 barrels annually, and by definition, at least 75% of their beer must be sold off-site – some of these breweries double as brew pubs, bars or restaurants. Microbreweries are often confused with craft breweries, and it is easy to see why, as many microbreweries do in fact brew craft beers as well. The only difference between the two would be in their production volumes, as speciality beers brewed in microbreweries are primarily brewed only for a season or specific event to showcase a certain special ingredient.

Where to go for your next beer crawl

Things to consider when choosing a brewery to visit

Are you someone who likes listening to a live band play while enjoying a pint of beer? Or do you prefer somewhere quieter where you could have deep conversations with your partner? Perhaps your preference is a place which boasts chill vibes that you could hit up with your girlfriends for a long overdue catch-up session? Regardless of the purpose of your night out, it might be useful to have a budget in mind when choosing the brewery of your choice. Of course, having loads of fun on a night out is priority, but not at the expanse of your wallet where you would have to scrimp and save every penny for the rest of the month!

As with everything, moderation is key. Feeling like you are about to knock out from one too many drinks? Maybe now would be a good time to put that drink down for a bit. Munch on some snacks to help slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, or down some water to help flush the toxins from the body. Most importantly, don’t let your friends coerce you into drinking more just because “you’re a wuss” for not doing so. Your body, not theirs.

And since we are on this topic, I would also like to take this opportunity to remind all you readers out there on the golden rule of NOT drinking and driving. Scrape those thoughts of “I just had a couple of shots, I’m not drunk” or “it’s just a 10-mins drive away, nothing will happen”. If you know you are going to be drinking, do not drive; simple as that. With the abundance and convenience of car hires these days, you should not have to drive home on your own after consuming alcohol.

Editor’s Note:

While every precaution has been made to ensure the accuracy and fairness of this listing, we acknowledge that they may be inaccuracies. Therefore, we urge you to contact the service provider above for the correct information and/or contact us with the correct information.

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