Brewlander Brewery Opens in Tuas
It’s not every day you meet someone willing to abandon all that they know to pursue a hobby and turn it into a career. It takes immense grit, a dignified love for craft beer and passion of the highest degree, something that only folks like Brewlander founder and award-winning master brewer, John Wei, has.
After spending the last decade and a bit wandering the wilderness as a gipsy brewer, Brewlander has opened up its own full-fledged brewery! Albeit delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their brewery in Tuas West Drive is finally up and running.
To celebrate this new chapter, fans of Brewlander and seasoned craft beer drinkers alike can look forward to bigger and crazier beers. We’re talking three new seasonal as well as a throwback Double IPA that will excite your tastebuds. To give you an idea of the crazy, the lowest ABV among the four beers is 6.0%!
Meet Master Brewer & Founder of Brewlander, John Wei
Formerly in finance, John’s home-brewing journey started in 2008 after a trip to Cornwall where he experienced what he calls a “beer awakening” upon trying a stellar brew there. After eight years of home-brewing for leisure, he finally took his passion to the next level when he started Brewlander in October 2016. Being one of the earliest home brewers and BJCP beer judge in Singapore and the region, John is a familiar figure in the craft beer community in Singapore and abroad.
While John may not sport a massive beer belly—as you would naturally expect a beer brewer to have—you best believe he’s a man that’s fat full of love for the things he’s passionate about.
Seasonal Brews: Acid Hop
Acid Hop is a pineapple sour IPA that, for its soft and well-rounded drinkability, punches high at 6.0% ABV. This juicy, hazy beer brings together the things we all enjoy in an IPA combined with a Berliner Weisse. Plenty of hop profile, a rounded mouthfeel and a refreshing tartness. Hopped with Citra and Chinook, pineapples are added to this sour IPA to give it a subtle tropical flavour. Refreshingly juicy, the Acid Hop would be ideal for drinking any time of the day.
For those not yet exposed to the wonderful world of sours, this Acid Hop Pineapple Sour IPA bridges the gap beautifully.
Tip: Don’t drink it when it’s cold. Let it sit for a bit for the flavours to become more pronounced.
Psychedelic NEIPA
One of our all-time favourite New England IPAs would be the Yakima Valley Hazy Double IPAs by Garage Project. But we’re thrilled to share that Brewlander’s Psychedelic New England IPA (NEIPA) comes close as far as taste profile, mouthfeel and juiciness go. This bad boy is hopped heavily in a whirlpool before being double dry-hopped with both Citra and Chinook hops. The result is a mega juicy IPA that’s fresh-tasting, fruity with a subtle bitterness that mellows out nicely.
Cherry Sundae Pastry Stout
When people think of a pastry stout, minds often gravitate toward a rich imperial stout that’s incredibly sweet and/or with a high ABV. For the case of their Cherry Sundae Pastry Stout, it’s quite the opposite.
For theirs, they wanted to implement the richness of good, artisanal chocolate (they use freshly roasted cocoa nibs from FOSSA) and the subtle tartness and sweetness of ripe dark cherries. This particular stout is characterised by a soft, silky-smooth mouthfeel and a deep roasted, almost coffee-like aroma to it. If you’re looking for a sweet imperial stout, this isn’t it. Instead what you get is a stout that is nuanced, rich, and delicately bitter with a lovely roasted flavour. What’s cool to note is the choice of yeast for this is fermented using Kveik. What it is: a yeast strain used more conventionally for brewing IPAs and certain kinds of Saisons.
Throwback Brew: Courage DIPA
Courage is a West Coast-style Double IPA made using five different hop varieties i.e. Columbus, Simcoe, Chinook, Ekuanot and Centennial. The result? A delightfully tasty beer featuring a mishmash of bright, bitter flavours backed by plenty of aromatic hops. It’s a party on your palate. Every sip reveals something different. Go easy on this one though, because while it’s extremely crushable, it boasts an ABV of 8.2%! Yes, it’s a throwback brew that we’re so glad they brought back.
Brewlander Brewery’s Guided Tasting Tours
The brewery is currently organising tours for the public at $50 ($53.50 if you include GST). During the tour, you’ll get to experience the inner and outer workings of the brewery; and one welcome drink along with six 240ml tasters of whichever beer you prefer.
Brewlander Brewery is a lot more accessible than you think. It is conveniently located beside Tuas MRT Station – just a two-minute walk!
Address: 21 Tuas West Dr, #02-02A, Singapore 638411
Contact: +65 6816 2966
Nearest MRT Station: Tuas Link
Disclaimer: We were guests of Brewlander Brewery, but all opinions remain our own.
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