Danish Delights

Jakob Mørkenborg Rasmussen of Hopsessions, who import beers from cutting-edge Copenhagen-based brewer Mikkeller and the ultimate handcrafted beer, Bøgedal, as well as medieval drink of choice, Mead.

What’s your favorite beer currently available in Bangkok?
It’s hard to choose as there are more and more good beers arriving. If I had to pick one, then it would be BrewDog - Hardcore IPA. You can never go wrong with that! It’s a powerful beer, stuffed with hops. I love the freshness and bitterness. It also works great with spicy food.
Describe the taste in three words?
Citrus, caramel, hops.
What beer from your range would you recommend to Bangkokians?
If I had to pick just one, it would be Hvedegoop. It’s the hallmark of Craft Brewing, a collaboration between Three Floyds Brewing, USA, and Mikkeller, Denmark. It’s a powerful hoppy wheat wine at 10.4% ABV—same as a barley wine but based on red wheat. It’s so well balanced it’s crazy! The American release of this beer sold out in a few hours. Luckily, Mikkeller had a few cases left in Copenhagen, so we bought the last drops. This beer will never come again, so try it while it lasts.
What beer would you have for your last meal?
One that really stands out is Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel, which is a 10.9% stout brewed with Kopi Luwak. Unfortunately, it’s expensive, rarely brewed, and normally sold out before they even brew it.

Stateside Serenade

As one of the co-founders of pioneering craft beer importers Beervana, Aaron Grieser brings in American craft beers from the likes of Rogue and Andersen Valley US and has recently started importing a range of ales from Singapore’s oldest micobrewery, Brewerkz.

What’s your favorite beer currently available in Bangkok?
I’m loving Anderson Valley’s Imperial IPA, Heelch O’ Hops.
What makes it special?
Heelch (meaning “a lot” in the local dialect where it’s brewed in the mountains of northern California) is a hop-head’s delight. It’s 8.7% alcohol and has as much bitterness as your tongue can perceive, yet it’s also perplexingly balanced and easy to drink and packed with all kinds of citrus and tropical fruit notes. Delicate and dangerous.
Describe the taste in three words?
In. Your. Face.
What beer from your range would you recommend to Bangkokians?
I’m really excited to see the reception that Brewerkz Golden Ale has gotten in Bangkok. We just launched it a few weeks ago at Smith and the Roadhouse and it’s just killing it! It’s an excellently crafted ale with solid fundamentals and it’s lighter bodied so it’s good for the tropics. Also, I’m pretty sure it’s the freshest craft beer in distribution in Thailand; we get it only a week after brewing and it’s available in draft.
What beer would you have for your last meal?
The Aurora Australis from crazy Norwegian brewery Nøgne O. Its brewed in Australia, aged in red wine barrels and then matured at sea on the way to Norway.

Local Brews

Supavich “Kong” Vongvivat and Kan Navikapol are two Thais who set up Smiling Mad Dog Co., Ltd., running a series of beer-dedicated bars like Beerology and Beerosophy in Bangkok. After finding out what their customers really like, they have now started bringing in beers themselves, such as Scottish craft beer BrewDog, famous Belgian beers St.Bernardus and Chapeau, as well as Aspall Cyder (Premium English cider), available later this month.

What’s your favorite beer currently available in Bangkok?
It all depends on the time and the amount we’re drinking. After a hard day’s work, a pint of Aspall Cyder is very refreshing. But on the weekends, it would have to be BrewDog PunkIP. It’s indescribable; you have to smell the aroma, taste the first sip, and experience the finish. This beer is unlike any other beer in the market!
Describe the taste/flavor in three words?
Like it, love it, live it.
What beer from your range would you recommend to Bangkokians?
Everyone has their own personal preference depending on their character and taste buds so we’re going on beers to fit characters!  St.Bernardus is good for fresh young executives looking for a smart-confident look. BrewDog is well suited to arty hipsters wanting a punky look, while executives might plump for the classic Englishness of Aspall Cyder.
What beer would you have for your last meal?
I would definitely go for the BrewDog PunkIPA just because it is one of the “100 Beers to try before you die” but more importantly, I want to still have the taste of hops on the tip of my tongue once I reach heaven (or somewhere else?).

Find out where to enjoy these beers and more with our round up of the Best Beer Bars in Bangkok and discover how you can also have them delivered to your door with our guide to Bangkok's Best Beer Delivery Services.