It’s no secret that drinking beer in Phnom Penh comes easy with every restaurant, hotel and mini mart selling beer for the most generous prices. However favorable the general beer quality may be in Cambodia, for real beer lovers the old can won’t always do.
The answer to all bold taste cravings with individual character lies in craft beer, which usually comes from small, independent breweries that use the highest quality ingredients ranging from traditional to innovative.
Post Plus took it upon outselves to drink their way through Penh Penh’s craft beer landscape to present you with the best five beers we found after long hours of thorough “research”. Photos supplied
Munich Beer Garden - Gold
This light beer is perfect to start the craft beer crawl. Unsubtly sweet and with only 3 to 4 per cent alcohol this brew goes down quite easily. Fortunately, the sweetness is somewhat balanced out by a strong orange peel flavour aftertaste. |
Himawari hotel - Oats
Try Himawari Hotel Microbrewery’s sampler set. We decided their Oats beer was the one to have. It’s a soft-flavored stout with a not so soft alcohol level of 6.5 per cent. The scent is reminiscent of sandal wood with a touch of lemon, like a freshly polished wooden floor. As the name suggests, this stout’s main flavour is oats, followed by a slight cider kick and a nuts. |
Kingdom Brewery - The Clouded Leopard Pilsener
This straw-colored, light beer is crisp with a balanced bitterness and slight grassy tones. The aftertaste reveals hints of malt. Despite its character, this beer is main stream enough to fit in with the many bars, mini bars, restaurants and super markets that carry it. |
Five Men Fresh Beer
Coming from Sihanoukville, this craft beer is one that no beer enthusiast should miss out on. The beer is impressively crisp and medium-bodied. The aroma of this beer is of sweet wheat bread, which is also shown in the taste along with a grassy, apricot flavor. There is a gentle young blossom after taste. It’s also at a safe 4.5 per cent alcohol content, which is perfect for having just one more. Saibur, Mad Monkey and The Quay are a few of the many bars offering this beer. |
Cervesia Craft Brewhouse - (Princeps) Imperial IPA
This brewery has managed to create a true, classic Imperial IPA here in Phnom Penh. Princeps has a zesty malt flavor, with the slightest splash of citrus. It’s a medium-bodied beer with 7.4 per cent alcohol content. Its spring, floral aroma translates into its bold taste. It has a clean finish with a very subtle bitterness. The catch is that this beer is reserved for special events (Hint: Join their Facebook page). However, this brewery has other beers in locations such as Brooklyn Pizza & Bistro, Deco Restuarant and The Exchange. |
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