Any Craft Beer Lovers Who Have Been To Bali?

[chrisluki]

Any craft beer lovers who have been to Bali?
If so, were you hanging to get a decent beer at end of your holiday?
Do you think Craft Beer could thrive in Bali? Why did the last Craft Brewery there fail? Will the new one be any good? Is it hard to get up and running? Would the locals support it, are the tourists interested?
So many quesitions...I have a crack at answering them!

http://beerhealer.com/index.php/2016/10/16/bali-ready-craft-beer-revolution/

 

[peteru]

Can't quite make it out, but is that Wanker beer on the right?

 

[chrisluki]

Can't quite make it out, but is that Wanker beer on the right?

That's what it should be called...it's not a great beer!

 

[Coodgee]

I had the three beers from the Bali craft brewery last year. Having tasted them, i am not surprised they went broke. The term "revolting shit" comes to mind.

 

[chrisluki]

I had the three beers from the Bali craft brewery last year. Having tasted them, i am not surprised they went broke. The term "revolting shit" comes to mind.

Was that from Stark? I had their Dunkelweizen and was less than impressed!

 

[damoninja]

I can see why it may have failed in the Bali environment

1. It's expensive on a small scale from a commercial perspective
a ) Ingedients hard to get?
b ) Cost of refrigeration?
c ) Low ROI?

2. "Ah fark that gimme a farkin' bintang ay" - it's expensive from a retail perspective without demographic to support it eg. doesn't cost 3 cents

3. It isn't served in a pineapple / coconut / fish bowl
4.

4.

 

[Coodgee]

Was that from Stark? I had their Dunkelweizen and was less than impressed!

Yeah stark.the dunkel was shit but it was the only one that wasn't completely undrinkable.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Just got back from Bali on Friday and the beer I liked the most was San Miguel. Could not even find storm which is what I was drinking about 4.5 years ago over there. I did have the Stark dunkelweizen which wasnt too bad.

My drink of choice over there was actually the kombucha. Lots of flavour and refreshing for the climate.

 

[Mardoo]

I used to like the arak with deer foetus. No shit. Beerwise though, it was always ice-cold Bintang. I focused mostly on top quality local arak and brem.

 

[pcmfisher]

Nothing wrong with and ice cold Bintang with humidity at 110%.

In fact, under those conditions I would rather a woosy lager than a hoppy IPA served at 7 degrees.

 

[Coodgee]

I agree, when in Bali just drink the crystal clear lager. goes down nice.

 

[chrisluki]

I used to like the arak with deer foetus. No shit. Beerwise though, it was always ice-cold Bintang. I focused mostly on top quality local arak and brem.

That sounds f##king horrible!

 

[chrisluki]

Nothing wrong with and ice cold Bintang with humidity at 110%.

In fact, under those conditions I would rather a woosy lager than a hoppy IPA served at 7 degrees.

I was a bit the same, but like to finish my nights with my last beer being something different...usually a dark beer at home, but wanted some APA in Bali.

 

[chrisluki]

Just got back from Bali on Friday and the beer I liked the most was San Miguel. Could not even find storm which is what I was drinking about 4.5 years ago over there. I did have the Stark dunkelweizen which wasnt too bad.

My drink of choice over there was actually the kombucha. Lots of flavour and refreshing for the climate.

I had a few SM Light's around the pool...just to keep things tidy with the wifey and kids around!

 

[chrisluki]

I agree, when in Bali just drink the crystal clear lager. goes down nice.

If we as craft beer lovers are saying this...maybe this answers my question. If this is how WE feel, imagine your average Aussie beer drinker on holidays, they wouldn't give craft beer a second thought.

 

[Coodgee]

You do get sick of lager after a while though

 

[Mardoo]

But then most Balinese love the Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, sold warm in bottles at any roadside warung. In all honesty it goes down a treat, so I'm sure there's room for craft beer there. The successful brewer will need to engage the local market as well, IMHO.

 

[chrisluki]

I can see why it may have failed in the Bali environment

1. It's expensive on a small scale from a commercial perspective
a ) Ingedients hard to get?
b ) Cost of refrigeration?
c ) Low ROI?

2. "Ah fark that gimme a farkin' bintang ay" - it's expensive from a retail perspective without demographic to support it eg. doesn't cost 3 cents

3. It isn't served in a pineapple / coconut / fish bowl
4.

4.

Nailed it!!!

 

[chrisluki]

But then most Balinese love the Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, sold warm in bottles at any roadside warung. In all honesty it goes down a treat, so I'm sure there's room for craft beer there. The successful brewer will need to engage the local market as well, IMHO.

I wonder why it has worked so well in Vietnam then...I see a lot of similarities in their countries.

 

[peteru]

As you mention, religion would be a big factor. Most of the Vietnamese population would be of a persuasion that has no issue with alcohol. Not so in Indonesia / Bali.