The recent legalization of home brewing by Singapore authorities has hit the shopping malls. Previously, prospective home-brewers needed to turn to on-line supplier I-brew. However, yesterday at Carrefour, I was pleased to see this:
NOW LEGAL IN SINGAPORE!
The manufacturers could not have asked for a better slogan - though I'm still skeptical that good beers can consistently be brewed using all-powdered mixes.
I was offered a small glass of Indian Pale Ale by one of the gentlemen promoting the product. It was very light and no notable head to speak of. Still, on the whole, it was tastier than most of the bland international lagers produced by the region's larger brewers.
One problem that the retailer has not thought of, however, is that Singapore's tropical temperature may prevent consistent results. Unless a person is willing to dedicate an active air-conditioning unit to his beer unit, there is the possibility that the island's 30+ Celsius temperatures will kill the yeast before it converts all of the sugars.
I-brew, by comparison, advertises two reasonably-priced cooling modules. Also of note was the 10-pint BrewZer advertised in local tabloid Today. The novelty item, which also uses powdered mixes, can be ordered from a local supplier for S$99.
The 10-pint BrewZer
Naturally, a license to brew must still be acquired...
Comments
Alan - December 11, 2004 9:54 am
As a laspsed homebrewer, I can imagine a decent all dry malt extract brew with top quality stuff and intense sterilization but I would be adding a part mash, holding say 5 lbs of various cracked malts at 62° to 65° C for 90 mins. If you can't get that, get some rolled barley at a health food store. Make a very thin porridge and strain that into the boil. Guinness is full of that and it makes for very nice body.
blork - December 13, 2004 11:14 am
Mmmmmm. "Miracle Beer Powder!" Gotta git me summa dat!
I don't get the economoics of the BrewZer. $99 for the startup kit comes out to almost $10 a pint for your first crack at it. After that, kits are $28 each, which comes out to $2.80 a pint. While that's cheaper than the pub, it's not cheaper than buying it at the beer store.
I suppose this would be useful if you lived in a cabin far, far in the woods.
ady - January 27, 2005 3:08 pm
Ah... that sort of clears up why NTUC Fairprice is selling brewer's yeast in the organic food section.
Geordie - December 23, 2005 10:37 pm
30L Brewing Barrel & accesories including vapour traps, hygrometer, syphon tube etc going cheap at Rm100, come to JB and collect.
Tiger's Whip - December 25, 2005 8:53 am
I haven't seen Beer Macine in the supermarkets in Singapore for many months now - presumably the uptake was lower than expected. The good news is that Brewerkz is still going strong with S$3 per pint beers during week day lunch times. There is also a brew pub on Batam called Dragon Length Brewery, they make yellow, green and black beers. In addition APB are building a new microbrewery in front of the Tiger factory and will be launching new craft beers in 2006.
Alan - December 25, 2005 9:09 am
Thanks for that TW but I don't understand what is meant by yellow, green and black beer. Is that pale ale, wheat and stout or are they just colouring one beer different colours?
Tiger's Whip - January 17, 2006 4:09 am
Regarding the beers at Batam Length Brewery:-
The yellow is a lager type beer, the black is a stout, the green is similar to the yellow, but they add some edible nutritious algae to give the colour.
The Brewpub is in the Bengkong district of Batam.