The 2022 Asia Beer Championship has concluded, and winners were announced last week.

This annual competition is organised by ABN, a well-regarded regional brewer's industry publication run by industry insiders, and supports the rapidly developing beer culture throughout Asia. The competition provides a trusted quality benchmark for consumers as well as constructive feedback from experts to fledgling craft brewers. 

Beers will be judged by professional brewers and beer judges across the following 32 beer categories which include traditional styles and popular styles developed by modern craft brewers, from the likes of Weissbiers and Witbier to Sour Beers, Porters, English IPAs and New England IPAs (also known as Hazy IPAs). While not technically a "beer", apple ciders are also judged under this competition. 

The competition is open to any beer brewed commercially within Asia. This year, the competition attracted a total of 551 beer entries from 108 breweries representing 11 Asian countries. 

Singaporean brewers pulled off a strong showing this year, winning a total of 5 Gold medals, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze, second only to South Korea which came in with 6 Gold, 4 Silver and 2 Bronze. Each of these medals are awarded to a particular beer produced by a craft brewery.

Brewerkz, one of Singapore's longest-running craft brewery operations (which started in 1997), remains a favourite of the competition judges this year, and has been named "Champion Mid-Sized Brewery of Asia" after collecting 8 medals with its beer entries. Just last year, Brewerkz was also the most awarded Singaporean brewery. Nice showing guys!

Apart from Brewerkz, entries from 4 other Singaporean microbreweries have also impressed judges, and are absolutely worth checking out. Without further ado, let's have a look at the good booze made at these microbreweries.

1. District Brewers: Tuas Factor Pilsner

District Brewers had only recently began operations in Singapore but has done particularly well with its Tuas Factor Pilsner clinching the Gold medal under the Pilsner category. 

This pilsner comes in at 5% ABV and had been wet-hopped with Green Bullet hops from New Zealand, conferring it a highly tropical fruity aroma with hints of dark fruits, pine needles. Its texture is smooth and sessionable.  

Grab a pint in person at Darjeeling Social or online via their official website.  

2. Specific Gravity: Classic IPA

Specific Gravity's Classic IPA had won the Silver medal under the English Style IPA category. This comes in at 5.8% ABV. While it is an IPA, it had been "artfully hopped without being too bitter" and features a lighter, yet still assertive malt profile to create a well-balanced hoppy malt beer with an approachable mouthfeel.

Grab a pint in person at Candlenut Kitchen or online via their official website.

3. EightX / SevenDaze Brewing: It's My Life 

It might be a little confusing whether they call themselves "EightX" or "SevenDaze". Regardless, this brewery's releases are variously named after familiar and catchy pop songs - the sort that you can't quite shake their melodies out of your head. "It's My Life" (evidently named after rock band Bon Jovi's hit single) is one of its flagship beers which has been awarded the Silver medal at the competition.

This highly sessionable pilsner comes in at only 4.9% and despite the low ABV packs a heady rush of bright and dazzling sweet hay, country bread and honey.

Grab a pint in person at their swanky flagship restaurant or online via their official website.

4. Cross Roads Brewing: Orchard Road Apple 

Bone dry and bursting with tart apple flavours, Cross Roads Brewing's Orchard Road Apple is a light-bodied cider with a zesty, mildly sweet finish. This craft cider has enough acidity to cut right through oil and pairs well with Indian curries, stinky cheeses and decadent Béchamel-sauce pasta.

This cider has been awarded the Bronze medal under the Sweet Apple Cider category.

Grab a pint in person at Malthouse or online via their official website.

5. Brewerkz: India Pale Ale  

Brewerkz's India Pale Ale won the Gold medal under the English Style IPA category. This comes in at 5.6% ABV, and is a malt-forward, English-style IPA brewed exclusively with English malts for a complexity that matches its big, herbal, floral hop character.

Grab a pint in person at any Brewerkz pub restaurant or online via their official website.

6. Brewerkz: 4AM Double IPA 

The 4AM Double IPA from Brewerkz won Gold for the Double IPA category and features a beautiful mural-style art of local Singaporean food hawkers making their daily preparations in the wee hours of the morning – an incredibly intimate portrait of the Singaporean experience.    

This comes in at a punchy 7.5% ABV, and has a pleasant, fruity aroma with citrus, mango and a juicy blast of sweet-but-bitter white grapefruit. The malt backbone eases the bitterness across your palate and drinks very smoothy. 

Regarding the bottle art, Brewerkz describes making the Double IPA as "very hard work" which, just like these hard working hawkers, takes double the dedication. 

Grab a pint in person at any Brewerkz pub restaurant or online via their official website.

7. Brewerkz: Mildly Dark Mild

Brewerkz's limited edition Mildly Dark Mild dark session ale took the Gold medal under the Dark/Brown Ale category. 

This comes in at only 3.4% ABV and is a refreshing malt-focused dark session ale with caramel and light roast character, with almost no hop bitterness.

Grab a pint in person at any Brewerkz pub restaurant or online via their official website.

8. Brewerkz: Rye in Peace 

Brewerkz's limited edition Rye in Peace baltic porter is a made with a large proportion of malted rye. This comes in at a heady 7.5% ABV with notes of rich malt, tones of prune, rye bread and dark caramel. This won the Silver medal under the Porter category.

Grab a pint in person at any Brewerkz pub restaurant or online via their official website.

9. Brewerkz: Deer Kick Tropical Stout

The Deer Kick Tropical Stout from Brewerkz is brewed with heaps of coconut and Gula Melaka that turn it into a deliciously cream of the crop liquid "ondeh-ondeh". This stout won  the Gold medal under the Stout category. 

Grab a pint in person at any Brewerkz pub restaurant or online via their official website.

Congratulations to the winners!

A big congratulations to District Brewers, Specific Gravity, SevenDaze, Cross Roads and Brewerkz for putting up a strong showing for Singapore in this competition! Click here to view the full list of awarded Asian brewers from Korea, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan Cambodia and Philippines. 

@CharsiuCharlie