Which Hong Kong Craft Beer Should You Try Based on Your Personality?
Craft beers have enjoyed a rapid rise in status in Hong Kong over recent years, and if all the colourful cans and bottles stocked in bar fridges aren’t enough to attest, the blossoming of microbreweries around the city are a sure sign that the local palate has finally adjusted to appreciate these fermented elixirs.
Take our quiz below to find out what craft beers you should reach for next time you find yourself debating in front of the sliding cooler, courtesy of the city’s best breweries of course.
The Adventurer
To you, beer is the ultimate thirst-quencher enjoyed on expeditions into the great outdoors. Homing in on the characteristics of beer that make it oh-so-refreshing, Double Haven Brewing keeps it chill with their super drinkable Double Haven Lager and Weekender Pale ale.
Also going hand-in-hand with a love for the outdoors, environmentally conscious Seven Brews is a label thoroughly imprinted in restaurants, gastropubs, and bars all about the city but has left considerably less of a carbon footprint in the atmosphere. Kick back with a Too Easy India Pale Ale, and rest easy knowing you’re contributing to the fight against single-use plastics with A Plastic Ocean.
The Connoisseur
You’re all about the classics. You feel like craft beer is at its best when it’s showcasing the elements that only these fermented grains can carry across. As the OGs of the craft beer scene in Hong Kong, Young Master Brewery and Hong Kong Beer Co have been longstanding mainstays in the game who sling much-loved staples like the bold 1842 Island IPA and Dragon’s Back Pale Ale, respectively.
The Foodie
As if it isn’t obvious enough by the wealth of vibrant restaurants all around, Hong Kongers love food. A cold pint is always a welcome complement to any meal, with a broad range of pairings to fit any cuisine. Though no longer manufactured in the city itself, the three Yau beer choices all offer an accessible drink that’s easy to knock back when beside an array of eats.
Fans of spicy food will find a perfect match in Moonzen Brewery’s Chinese-inspired lineup. The flowery Thunder God Ale offsets numbing spice beautifully, whilst the balanced Jade Emperor IPA is an absolute delight for when you fire up the grill.
The Hipster
Sure, you’re taking a liking to craft beer may be in part because of the aesthetic (just look at these label designs!) and implications of superior adroitness in taste, but your enjoyment of these brews in itself comes naturally. Appealing to not just the olfactory and gustatory senses, Carbon Brews selections are recognisable by their blockish and playful exteriors. Their buzzing gastropub along Wyndham adds a layer of a unique experience that makes their pint of Crazy Rich Lupulins IPA all that more satisfying.
Another master brewery that’s recognisable by their occult-inspired, HK Lovecraft is much raved about for its unpasteurised and unfiltered lagers that have been deeply informed by German brewing styles. Take a pick from the likes of the old-school style Rauchbier, the toasty Dunkel, and the golden Helles Lager, all with their own one-of-a-kind profiles.
The Experimentalist
You love craft beer for its versatility, embracing new varieties and profiles that are each wilder than the last. You are sure to love DEADMAN for their inventive flair that has brought along flavours like the hops-laden and malty Hang Five session IPA, and the lusciously contrasting coconut-and-choco Cocomo, alongside the city’s first line of CBD beers. You should also check out the deliciously creative varieties from Heroes Beer Co that range from the hazy Kupuzzy double IPA, to Hangry Donut wheat beer, and Captain Psykick pilsner.
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