Guide to Local Craft Beers in Manila
Filipinos are known to be drinkers, so it’s no wonder if they create their own beers. Local craft beers in the Philippines may seem small compared to other countries, but it is definitely changing the drinking scene in the country. According to the Philippine Craft Beer Community, there are now 36 local breweries: 12 craft brewpubs and 24 nano/microbreweries with over 200+ craft beer styles. We have listed some local craft beer that may leave you wanting more which includes the following:
Katipunan Indio Pale Ale (4.8% Alcohol by Volume)
Katipunan is a Filipino revolutionary society formed in Manila to gain independence from the Spanish invaders. True to its name, Katipunan Craft Ales is on the local breweries that revolutionized local craft beer with their Indio Pale Ale. It is an American Pale Ale style beer that has less alcohol with a fruity but spicy taste. You can get it at the Bottle Shop, Smoky Bastard, and in Big Bad Wolf BGC for Php 250.
Turning Wheels Craft Brewery’s Mountain King IPA (7% Alcohol by Volume)
Mountain King IPA is a West Coast style IPA that has an intense hop aroma and recognizable bitterness, with explosion of flavors from grapefruit, pineapple and citrus. Mountain King IPA is available at Alamat Pub and Deli in Makati for Php 280.
Craftpoint Liberation Pale Ale (5.5% Alcohol by Volume)
Liberation Pale Ale is perfect for drinkers who want a more flavorful experience with their beer. A Belgian Pale Ale, is a blend of Belgian yeasts and American Pale Ale which give off a caramel matiness, tropical fruit notes, and a floral fragrance with a hint of bitterness. You can get it at The Bottle Shop, Smoky Bastard, and in The Perfect Pint for Php 200- Php 275.
Joe’s Brew Sierra Madre Wheat Ale (4.3% Alcohol by Volume)
Sierra Madre is an American Pale wheat ale style beer that has a light, fruity flavor with hints of banana. Perfect for those who prefer the haze and silky feel of a wheat beers. Sierra Madre is available at House of Joe’s in Makati for Php 160/350 ml and Php 260/550 ml. You can also get it at Smoky Bastard for Php 230.
Pivo Praha Dark Lager (4.5% Alcohol by Volume)
Although some craft beer experts don’t consider it a local craft beer, Pivo Praha still sets a line between mainstream beers and local microbreweries in the country. Pivo Praha’s Dark Lager is a Czech-style beer made from a mix of barley, caramel, black malt, hops, and yeast. It gives off rich caramel undertones and a sweet rather than bitter aftertaste. Get it at Pivo Praha microbrewery in Makati for only Php 95/300 ml and Php 135/500 ml and at Alamat Filipino Pub for Php 190 per bottle.
Fat Pauly’s Iligan Single Hop Origin Pale Ale (7.4% Alcohol by Volume)
Iligan Single Hop Origin Pale Ale is a classic pale ale style using a single hop variety harvested only in a specific hop farm. It is made from brew-grade malt and ingredients endemic from Iligan City. This crisp beer is deceptively strong with a hint of sweetness. Iligan Single Hop Origin Pale Ale can be found in Alamat Filipino Pub and Deli and in Big Bad Wolf ranging from Php 275- Php 350.
The Cebruery’s Boracay Blonde Ale (4.5% Alcohol by Volume)
The Boracay Blonde Ale is an American Blonde Ale style beer brewed by The Cebruery, a microbrewery based in Cebu City. It is light and a refreshing beer made with imported german malt and hops, which gives off a light pomelo flavor with a crisp and slightly bitter finish. Boracay Blonde Ale is available at the Perfect Pint and in The Bottle Shop for Php 250.
Baguio Craft Brewery’s Pugaw (7% Alcohol by Volume)
Baguio Craft Brewery names their beers after elements of Ifugao mythology. Pugaw or Earthworld India Pale Ale is Baguio Craft’s American style beer that has a high hop of flavor and bitterness with citrus and pine notes. It gives off a clean and malty taste with a medium-dry finish. You can get it at Alamat Filipino Pub and Deli for Php 260.
Palawan Honey Kolsch (6.5% Alcohol by Volume)
Palaweno Brewery is the first and only craft beer brewery in the island of Palawan in the Philippines. One of its famous local craft beers is the Palawan Honey Kolsch, which is considered as a “tribal beer”. It is a German style beer made with native Palawan honey. It is available at The Bottle Shop and in Smoky Bastard for Php 250.
Pedro Brewcafter’s Endless Summer Wheat Ale (7% Alcohol by Volume)
Pedro Brewcafters is a microbrewery based in San Pedro Laguna. Its first beer is the Endless Summer Wheat Ale, a citrus beer with a hint of toasted nuts. It has a crisp note, perfect for those who prefer a sweet, semi-fruity flavor with a nutty finish. Endless Summer Wheat Ale can be found at Smoky Bastard for Php 200.
As the local craft beer scene gets bigger, numerous pubs and bars are now offering them. In Makati, you can get craft beers at the Bottle Shop in Paseo de Magallanes, Global Beer Exchange in AP Reyes Avenue, Alamat Filipino Pub, and the Smoky Bastard, both in Poblacion, Handlebar Makati in Bel-Air Village, Hole in the Wall in Century City Mall Makati, and the Perfect Pint in Greenbelt. For those who want to drink and enjoy craft beers in Bonifacio Global City, the Big Bad Wolf and the Hungry Hound Gastropub is the place for you. Also, you can find them at Beerhouse Kapitolyo in Pasig, Gilmore Wines and Spirits in Quezon City and in Casa Marcos.
Written by Philippine Primer Intern Pia Cyril Ramirez
This also appears in Philippine Primer magazine October issue.
