Six of Hong Kong's New Craft Beer Bars
There’s a slew of new craft beer watering holes and menus around town.
Second Draft
Bringing fresh brews to the cooler-than-thou hipster enclave Tai Hang is Second Draft, the second establishment by the bar team behind Mong Kok craft beer bar The Ale Project. This time the food’s paired with a fusion gastropub menu by Little Bao’s May Chow. The vibe of the place takes inspiration from old school Hong Kong, using Star Ferry-style doors, 60s-style stenciled signage, wooden chairs and pale melon-green interiors characteristic of old-timey cha chaan tengs. G/F, 98 Tung Lo Wan Rd., Tai Hang, 2656-0232.
Drink this: The newest Young Master brew: Lui Sun (meaning “goddess”), a mangoey IPA with a relatively light bitterness derived from experimenting with a new type of hop.
Read More: The Best Beer Bars and Bottle Shops in Hong Kong
Hitachino Nest
This may the be latest brewery on the block but it’s no newbie brand: Established in 1996 (and part of a sake-brewing facility that dates back a century), the venerable craft beer makers from Japan’s Ibaraki prefecture opened its doors in Fo Tan early August. Brewing for the Hong Kong market as well as for export to the mainland, the brewery makes a few of the brand’s signatures, and is planning to experiment with Hong Kong-exclusive flavors and sour ales. It’s open for brewery tours to the public every Saturday from Aug 27. Unit A1, G/F Unison Industrial Centre, 27-31 Au Pui Wan St., Fo Tan, 2620-0095.
Drink this: The Espresso Stout, a richly chocolatey dark beer that tastes just like a smooth iced Americano. If we could start drinking this first thing in the morning and still stay standing by the end of the day, we would.
Little Creatures
Having just opened in July, Aussie export Little Creatures is already a crowded hotspot come weekend evenings, and it’s almost impossible to get a table without booking in advance. Service is still a little spotty and confused on the bar side, but it’s better for a sit-down meal. Great, unpretentious food (the ribeye is fantastic), fresh beers brewed on-site, a friendly atmosphere and an incredible high-ceilinged industrial space make this a great hangout for larger groups. Shop 1 G/F New Fortune House, 5A New Praya, Kennedy Town, 2833-5611.