Get ready for a clash of creativity and flavor! The Asia Brewers Network is bringing back its highly anticipated Brew King Philippines with the flavour showdown happening at this year’s Mabrewhay Craft Beer Festival, 16th May.
Brew King is no ordinary beer competition. It’s a freestyle brewing challenge that throws out the rulebook of traditional beer style guidelines, giving commercial brewers a platform to express themselves without boundaries. This year, competitors are tasked with brewing a “Tropical Fusion Ale” that highlights the unique qualities of Fermentis’ SafAle™ S-04 yeast. Brewers can unleash their imagination and brew any beer style they desire, as long as it showcases the designated hero ingredient and concept.
The Fermentis SafAle™ S-04 produces “balanced fruity and floral notes” and is great to use in hoppy beers – so if you’re a hop lover, this is a brew-off not to be missed!
The competition’s unique format sets it apart from others. Instead of adhering to strict style categories, brewers focus on crafting one exceptional beer that aligns with the competition brief. Entries will be judged based on the brewer’s notes, emphasizing the brewer’s intended profile rather than rigid style definitions.
In 2024 Engkanto Brewery raised the Brew King paddle with the winning brew, a dry-hopped Cali-style Pils “Cali Current Pils”. The brewers brief was to brew something ‘Fresh, Floral & Fruity’ showcasing Fermentis SafLager S-189 & Palisade Cryo Hops®. They submitted a Cali-style Pils that was hopped like a Pale Ale, with a dry biscuit malt profile and notes of stone fruit, tropical fruit, citrus fruit and light herb. A highly drinkable “Cali-style” Pils with complex fruit notes beating off stiff competition from 17 other beers ranging from Cold IPA’s to a Baltic Porter!
The road to crowning the Brew King involves a two-stage judging process. First, a panel of industry experts, including a brewer from each competing brewery, will select the top 5 beers. Then, the public gets to have their say at the Mabrewhay Craft Beer Festival, where attendees will vote for their favorite brew from the Top 5. The beer with the most public votes will be declared the Philippines’ Brew King for 2025.
Adding to the excitement all the top 10 beers will be available for the public to enjoy at the festival with proceeds from the sale going to the Philippine Craft Brewers Association (PCBA) to support their efforts to promote craft beer in the Philippines.
So, mark your calendars for the Mabrewhay Craft Beer Festival 16-18th May, and in particular the 16th where you can witness the crowning of the Brew King and sample some of the most innovative brews the Philippines has to offer!
