Along one of the many beery streets in Hanoi, there is a giant log hanging over an open door. The place seems fancy, but there is blaring ballad music to draw in a sucker for the 80s like me.
Address: 45A Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, Hang Buom Ward, Hoan Kiem
We sat at the open window facing the bustling street, which provides a lot to look at while you sip. The craft beers are made by some of the staff, and have a really high quality taste. Something unique is in there, too. It’s as if there are Belgian brewing influences, but with a Vietnamese twist to the taste. I’d describe it as Belgian-y, sweet, and a tiny bit funky. Clearly, the yeast reacts to the local conditions in a unique way.
I’ve had a lot of craft beer in my life, and these are something new! Super delicious, too.
The beers are named like a royal family, and we tried four of them. The best I had was the Emperor Beer, which is what I would call a Vietnamese Imperial Stout. It’s double fermented and infused with coffee and a few spices. Amazingly smooth and easy to drink despite the higher ABV.
The guys at the place are helpful, friendly, and really know their stuff. They realised that we knew something about beer and immediately struck up conversation. After that, they gave informative descriptions of their beers and the processes they use. Great for beer geeks!
We didn’t try the food last night, but I told the guys that we’d probably be back soon. Maybe we’ll eat a little there tonight. What a great experience for our first night in Hanoi.
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