CRAFT Beer Bar — Photo courtesy of CRAFT Bangkok
Craft beer keeps making its way up the Bangkok nightlife chain, and it's now firmly entrenched on the city's drinking palate.
It wasn't all that long ago that American craft beer made its way across the Pacific to Thailand, courtesy of Beervana, a curator of fine beers created by a couple of American craft beer-lovers. The American beers expanded to other world beer notables like Norway's Nogne O and some of the Japanese craft brewers. And these days, craft beer can be found at restaurants and bars all over town.
The Beervana guys and the team behind Whisgars – a local cigar and whiskey bar – got together and opened up CRAFT, which started as a popup bar selling bottles of craft beer, then went on to feature 20 rotating taps of fine brew. Soon, they'll have 40 rotating taps, making CRAFT one of the largest beer pourers in all of Southeast Asia.
What's on tap at CRAFT Bangkok — Photo courtesy of CRAFT Bangkok
The latest CRAFT endeavor is their new full-fledged pub over on Silom Road, the heart of one of Bangkok's business and nightlife districts. The new bar has over 100 bottles of fine craft beer from around the world, and it boasts a wall of 20 taps to select from.
Standouts include American craft beers brewed by Anderson Valley, Deschutes and Ninkasi Brewing; Japanese brands like Kagua and Baird; and many of the Norwegian Nogne O's best selections.
The sleek, dark wood interior bar features live sports and makes a great spot to meet up with craft beer-lovers from around the planet.
Hanging out at CRAFT Bangkok — Photo courtesy of CRAFT Bangkok
CRAFT takes pride in what it's doing, and there are no industrial lagers or mass market labels to be found anywhere on its premises.
CRAFT hosts all sorts of special events ranging from workshops to tasting parties – even teaming up with some of the city's best gourmands to host dinners complete with craft beer pairings. And the Beervana team gets the beer out to food trucks and farmers markets, which have been proliferating all throughout Bangkok over the past year.
Staff here are well trained in the art of beer, so those not familiar with the extensive beer selections need not fear the wide array of brew, and they can be guided through the different types of stout, India Pale Ale, lager and other yeast- and hop-driven madness that has staked a firm claim in Bangkok.
While strict government rules on home brewing and high taxation have slowed Bangkok's rise to a craft beer capital, beer drinkers have still opened their mouths and wallets, and they're embracing good beer like never before.
Especially at CRAFT.
