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SINGAPORE - Ladies and boozehounds, say hello — again — to your old friend, beer.
Recently, the brew has been experiencing a resurgence. Having given way to more prestigious liquor in the past, it now seems that despondent bankers and impoverished investors around the world are no longer indulging in expensive Cristal, choosing to drown their sorrows in bitter lager instead.
According to independent research house Research and Markets, beer consumption has been growing steadily worldwide for the past two decades, and the incline remains unwavering.
In August, Heineken announced double-digit growth in profit and consumption. Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) experienced a leap of over 30 per cent in the third quarter of this year. Locally, APB’s profits grew almost 10 per cent.
Everyone, it seems, is suddenly guzzling beer. So why the demand?
HAIL TO THE CHIEF
Scott Kerkmans, recently appointed chief beer officer — that’s the CEO of beer — of the Four Points hotels by the Sheraton group, had this to say: “What has contributed largely to the beer run is awareness of the variety of beer that exists. Drinkers today are more cosmopolitan, and demand more than just the regular labels you get at the supermarket. When they travel, they want to have what the locals have. They are a more discerning drinker.”
Kerkmans, 28, is the first chief beer officer in the entire world, and his appointment marks a change in the food and beverage industry’s attitude to beer. A passionate beer advocate, his task will be “to promote the drinking of beer and to get people to really pay attention to the beers they are drinking”.
This isn’t a gimmick. Kerkman’s position has tangible performance deliverables. One of them is to promote the Best Brews programme with Four Points that will see each of their hotels providing local craft beers to guests, along with international labels. “Each of the hotel properties will recommend local beers to me, and I have to decide if they should be in the hotel or not,” he told TODAY.
SINGAPORE BEER FESTIVAL
From now till Sunday, Fort Canning Park will be packed full of beer lovers as we hold the inaugural Singapore Beer Festival. Over 300 different types of beers from 45 countries will be available for your imbibing, including what is considered by many to be the equivalent of a Chateau Petrus wine in the world of beer — the Chimay Grand Reserve. Yes, even beers have Grand Reserves.
Other more exotic libations available are New Zealand’s Harry’s Brew and Peru’s Cristal (which incidentally looks remarkably like the champagne in terms of clarity and colour). Locally, brands such as Archipelago, Tiger, Beer Station, Brewerkz and Pump Room will be pitting their craft brews against the rest of the world to see if they stand up to connoisseur scrutiny.
The Beer Festival will also host the first Asia Beer Awards, with six judges selecting the best brew for ales, lagers, wheat beer and innovative brew, as well as the three best beers presented in the competition.
While this year’s awards are open to Singaporean breweries and microbreweries, the competition will be expanded to regional and, eventually, global breweries in following years.
Irvin Bhatt is the managing director of the Singapore Beer Festival. His plans are to grow the festival into “the biggest beer event in the region and develop a more educated beer culture in Singapore”. The 35-year-old hopes to “assist breweries from around the world to promote their products here”.
Tickets to the Singapore Beer Festival are available at the door from Sistic.
BEER CONNOISSEURSHIP
The availability of microbreweries and growing varieties of beer have made it a drink for connoisseurs as much as it is a thirst-quencher. Fortunately, beer experts prefer not to do the swirling and mouth-swishing that some pretentious wine aficionados seem so passionate about.
“What we look for is balance in the flavour and quality of beer,” remarked Fal Allen, 48, brewmaster of Archipelago and chair of the Asia Beer Awards.
To some extent, there is no difference between beer and wine connoisseurs. While the latter tend to look for the expression of the terroir (a term referring to the site-specific differences in wines caused by factors such as soil type and sun exposure), the former look for an expression of culture in beer.
Said Kerkmans: “Personally, I do prefer boutique beers to the international brands, because they tend to express the local culture more in terms of the flavours that are often added to local brews.” This may well explain the prevalence of local drinkers at microbreweries in Singapore.
Still, Kerkmans agreed that the best beer is one served cold and in good company. “The perfect brew is one that ispart of a great memory, an excellent drink that accompanies a spectacular moment,” he said.
And if you’re short on spectacular moments to enjoy that great pint of bitter, then you should just keep drinking until it comes. - TODAY/ar
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