Made in Hong Kong: tea-infused craft beers at city’s smallest microbrewery
Couple behind Tai Wai Beer aim to create brews that even non-beer drinkers will enjoy
The hollow rattling and grinding of machinery intensifies as I walk down the corridor in a Kwai Chung industrial building towards the entrance of Tai Wai Beer. Standing near the doorway, with his sleeves rolled up and sweat dripping down his forehead, is co-founder Henry Wu Hang-fu, working the drill of a malt mill.
“It’s all very DIY, isn’t it,” Wu says as he invites me into what is possibly Hong Kong’s smallest brewery. “It’s just been [my wife] Wendy [Tai Lok-sze] and me. Two people. Four hands.”
The decision to start a brewery was an impulsive one: Wu wanted to do something special when he turned 30. With more than 10 years of experience in beverage management – most recently at Hong Kong’s various Robuchon establishments – Wu is no stranger to the world of fine wine and spirits. But, ultimately, it was his love for craft beer that got him to take the plunge.
[Brewing at home] will leave your apartment smelling like Vitasoy’s malted soybean milk and hops
“When I first got into the [F&B] industry, I tried a really good Belgian beer – a Duvel – and since then I’ve had a question stuck at the back of my mind: how come no one in Hong Kong is making beer? Back then, the only beer produced locally that people knew about was San Miguel,” Wu says.
Then three years ago, having studied the beermaking art through books and YouTube videos, Wu and Tai made their first batch of pilsner. “[Brewing at home] will leave your apartment smelling like Vitasoy’s malted soybean milk and hops,” Tai says. “We put the six-gallon fermenter in our bedroom with the air-conditioner on all the time.”
The experience made Wu appreciate craft beers even more. “The major differences between commercial and craft brews are the depth of flavour, variety of styles and the complexity. The first time you make your own beer, you realise flavours can come from different types of yeast, malt and hops. Brewmasters pour their heart and soul into creating a unique brew,” Wu says. “It’s a work of art, and I really admire that. There isn’t ever a bad beer, it’s just down to whether or not the beer suits your taste.”
Last year, the couple launched Tai Wai Beer. Their vision? To make beers that even non-beer drinkers would enjoy.