With Singapore now hopefully on the rebound from the coronavirus pandemic we took the time to catch up with Tyrell Foster, co-Founder and head brewer for Singapore’s new brewery start-up Civilization Brewing.
We wanted to know what to expect from the breweries upcoming new releases and how Civilization Brewing have tackled launching in such uncertain times.
ABN: Hi Tyrell, thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind Civilization Brewing Co and what differentiates you from other Singapore craft breweries?
TF: Beer is as old as civilization itself. It has been and still is an important part of bringing people together. This is what inspires us, as we hope to participate in continuing the great traditions of beer.
Historical styles that have stood the test of time are our passion, as we want to (re)introduce people to these amazing beers.
This is what differentiates us in the market, we are not trying to create a new good beer – we are showing people what great traditional beer is.
Tradition does not have to be the mass market breweries, and craft brewing does not have to be novelty and gimmicks. Ultimately, we want people to not only enjoy the taste of beer, but also appreciate the meaning and historical significance of their beer.
ABN: Can you tell us a bit about the first two beers you have launched and why you went with these styles?
TF: So firstly, I believe that we must first make only what we genuinely love, so I started with 2 of my favorite styles, the Milk Stout and the American Pale Ale. It is hard to find both of these styles here in Singapore, so I decided I was going to make them.
There are many stouts in Singapore but not many people like the dry Guinness which most breweries try to emulate. The Milk Stout is sweet and full bodied, I’ve heard it described as a drink for the ladies, alcoholic chocolate milk, and a beer for people who don’t like beer.
Most of society thinks beer is the light fizzy lagers, but this one is on the opposite side of the spectrum. Hopefully, it will give people a taste of the true variety of craft beer and start them down their own journey.
The American Pale Ale has a special place in my heart. The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is what got me into my love affair with hops, and rightly so as this style is the grandfather of all the hoppy IPA’s we see out there today. It is clean, malty, and hoppy but none of it is overpowering like with the IPAs.
American’s initially took the classic British Pale Ale, and then did what American’s do best, they went bigger, with more American Malts and American Hops. It started the craft beer revolution, and with those already into the craft beer scene it is the IPAs that sell big.
We designed this for those who love the hops, one that highlights the American hops and give the hop heads a very easy drinking beer but of course is rooted in history.
ABN: Sounds great, we love that you are championing these traditional styles. What styles will you be brewing next and why?
TF: The next beers we are releasing will be a Weissbier and Vienna Lager, these will form part of our core range. We are still mulling over what to do for a Christmas special (get it? “mulling”!); maybe a Spruce Beer or a hearty Belgian Double?
ABN: Now that you have launched, how will you be developing your brand on the market?
TF: We’ll have our four core styles that we love (Milk Stout, American Pale Ale, Weissbier, and Vienna Lager), but we also like to mix it up with special seasonals every quarter. Aside from the time-tested core range, the seasonals are great opportunities to share beer history and different cultures with a wider audience.
ABN: Were you nervous about launching at a time when F&B businesses have been badly effected by the coronavirus pandemic?
TF: There is always a bit of anxiety when starting something new, but long-term success is more about passion than it is about timing. Bad times won’t last forever, but our love for great beer will. While it is unfortunate that many bars and breweries have had to shut down, Singapore is a resilient market. Much better to launch now than just before COVID and get blindsided by it, right?
We have had to make some adaptations for the “new normal” as has everybody – even brewers. One example for us is adjusting our ratio of kegs and bottles, as people’s drinking habits are different now, and will probably change again when everything re-opens. Sometimes that long-term passion requires lots of flexibility.
ABN: Can you tell us a little more about your brewing background, what got you into brewing in the first place?
TF: As a former military officer, I know a thing or two about putting my heart and soul into things. While I learned many important things at West Point Military Academy, I also happened to learn that I love making beer.
I became head brewer of the Academy’s brewery, named The Kicking Mule Brewery, which was run by the Chemical Engineering Department. Now it’s been more than a 10-year love affair with beer.
The other love of my life brought me to Singapore four years ago, where we got married.
In addition to my bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, I also received my full brewing diploma from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling.
While in Singapore, I have brewed professionally at several other establishments, but now it’s my time to brew what I want to share with people, which is definitely inspired by the classics of beer tradition. I hope to help everyone find their favorite beer, especially those people who say that they don’t like beer (which really means they just haven’t found the right one yet)!
(at this point Zach Smith, Tyrell’s partner in the business joins us)
ZS: My great-grandfather was a moonshiner during the American Prohibition that made illegal liquor up in the mountains, so you could say it’s in my blood!
I seriously got into brewing about four years ago. Since first moving to Singapore in 2007, I have lived in many different countries across Asia and Africa. Part of that journey was becoming more aware of how people made their own local foods as I experienced more diverse dishes, and being forced to make things for myself when some of my favorite items were not locally available.
Combine that experience with the local taxes on alcohol, and I was very ready to start making my own beers and ciders at home. It became like home cooking, and I quickly fell in love with it. I had studied history and geography, so the vast traditions and cultures of beer-making really spoke to me. Beer was such a fascinating nexus of culture, history, environment, science, technology, business, and pleasure – so I was thrilled to partner with Tyrell in his mission to shine the light of Civilization!
ABN: Brewing as you do at the moment at the General Brewing Company, do you brainstorm with the other brewers to help inspire each other?
TF: There is a wealth of knowledge at TGBC and I am constantly tasting my test beers with Daryl and Casey while comparing them to traditional guidelines.
ABN: What plans do you have for the future of Civilization Brewing and what is your general outlook for the craft beer industry in Singapore?
TF: Beer has had some unfortunate setbacks in recent history, such as the American Prohibition and the dominance of low-quality mass market beers. We don’t want to just brew great beer, but we also want to help shape culture, build relationship, and give back to the community.
Of course, for more immediate goals, we would love to get our own brewing space with some custom equipment, and then expand geographically.
Keep an eye out on our social media, we love to share our Beer Facts of the Day, and hope to do some videos to try and brew authentic or unknown styles of beer!
You can currently enjoy Civilization Brewing Company’s Beers at these great outlets across Singapore: Good Luck Beer House, SG Taps, Sixteen Ounces, Orh Gah Taproom, Alchemy Bistro, Temple Cellars, Singabrew Bar, Hop Shop, Little Creatures Brewery, Druggist.
