Craft Brewery Spotlight: Taipei Brewery

Region: Taiwan

Note: Our Spotlight articles break down how each producer's unique process results in the distinctive flavour profiles of their drinks and spirits. Click here to learn all about the basics of craft beers and why they are a big deal.

Taiwan Beer's story evokes contradictory emotions – a testament to the country’s unique brewing heritage; one that’s been influenced by craft, culture and politics.

While there is a growing appreciation for craft brewing in Taiwan, Taiwan Beer (台灣啤酒) remains the island’s most widely available and popular beer brand. This has something to do with its history. Despite being a “light” lager made by the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation (TTL), the beer has a rich history that is about as convoluted as the island’s geopolitics. In a way, Taiwan Beer existed before modern Taiwan, with a history dating back to Taiwan’s colonial years under Japanese rule.

 

The forerunner of Taiwan Beer began its story as an ale product (rather than a lager) and was produced by the colonial Monopoly Bureau (the predecessor of TTL) which established the Takasago Brewery in 1919. This was the first beer brewery in Taiwan, and for a long time, it was the only one. This was because the Japanese-controlled colonial Monopoly Bureau banned production of alcohol by any other party in Taiwan, effectively running a monopoly to raise revenue for the government.

The Takasago Brewery was built to be over 13,000 sq metres large – about the size of a soccer field – and was established with brewing equipment imported from Hawaii. The brewery was also operated by Japanese brew masters who produced the Takasago Beer (高砂麥酒) which had two styles – a light malt beer and a dark malt beer. Takasago Beer was very popular amongst ethnic-Japanese consumers based in Taiwan, who preferred it over saké due to its refreshing quality that could quench their thirst during Taiwan’s punishing summers.

On the back of a network of Takasago beer houses and billboard advertising in major Taiwan cities, Takasago beer gained a huge following in the 1920s, and by 1925, it had become the leading beer brand in the Taiwanese market.

The party came to an end by the close of World War II in 1945. Japan ceded Taiwan back to the Republic of China government (this was the one founded by Sun Yat-sen and gang, not the modern day People’s Republic). Japanese brewers departed from the brewery. Takasago Beer was also re-named Taiwan Beer in 1946, and the brand name stuck since then.

Over the next few decades, Takasago Brewery was also re-named several times before finally settling on Taipei Brewery as it is now known.

Unlike its thicker and maltier predecessor (Takasago Beer), Taiwan Beer is a light and crisp lager beer with a distinct bright-saké like note, popular as a thirst quencher while people eat Taiwanese stir fry dishes during scorching summers.

There are two explanations for this flavour profile. On one hand, the typical Taiwanese consumer, like many in Asia, prefers bright, sweet and non-bitter lager beers. On the other hand, the popularity of light lagers could in part be due to the sudden ejection of the Japanese brewers in 1945, which resulted in a lack of beer brewing expertise in the country. This prompted the government to quickly send its employees to Germany to study beer brewing, a decision which arguably led to the proliferation of light, German-style lager beers in the Taiwanese market.

If you sip it carefully, you’d also notice that Taiwan Beer also has a bright and distinct fermented note reminiscent of a mild saké which some say resembles lychees – an unusual note not found in other light Asian lagers. This note is a result of research by the brewery, which determined that locally-produced Formosa rice (蓬萊米) that is known for its delicate texture and sweet aroma – similar to Japanese short-grain rice.

The iconic green-bottled Taiwan Beer continues to be Taiwan’s best-selling beer and is an integral part of life in Taiwan. It is seen wherever there is Taiwanese food and a cultural touchstone in conversations and media. The brand launches large advertising campaigns and pays for endorsements by well-known Taiwanese celebrities  – if you’re into mandopop, the list includes A-Mei (張惠妹) and Jolin Tsai (蔡依林). There is even a team in a Taiwanese basketball league named Taiwan Beer. In more ways than one, the brand has transcended malt and rice and become a symbol of Taiwanese identity. Well… whatever it means to be Taiwanese!

Various labels from TTL’s Taipei Brewery

The Taipei Brewery of today produces 3 main styles of beers:

• Taiwan Beer (台灣啤酒) 5% ABV
• Taiwan Beer Classic (台灣啤酒經典) 4.5% ABV
• Taiwan Beer Draft, 18 Days (台灣啤酒 - 生) 5% ABV

Both the flagship Taiwan Beer (which comes in a distinctive green, white and red label) and the Taiwan Beer Classic (which comes in a slightly old-fashioned label) are widely available at eateries, convenience stores and grocery stores throughout Taiwan. These two beers are somewhat similar in flavour profile, albeit that the “Classic” label is even lighter tasting with a lower alcohol content. You could think of this as the Bud Light of Taiwan.

A more interesting product is the Taiwan Beer Draft, 18 Days which is slightly harder to come by. This is an unpasturised brew which has a fresher taste but is more rarely seen in retail stores due to its expiration of just 18 days after production.

Apart from the three core labels, TTL also produces a very wide range of beers of varying styles, from alcohol-free beers to wheatbeers, stouts and fruit “beers” (think lychee or green grape soda spiked with alcohol).

Speak to an average Taiwanese consumer and you would find that they are highly sophisticated and well-informed when it comes to the appreciation of alcoholic drinks, wines and spirits. But despite the growth and interest in craft brewing in Taiwan, the unique (and honestly somewhat messy) heritage of Taiwan Beer and Taipei Brewery means that the brand would be at the centrepiece of Taiwan’s drinking culture for a long, long time.

Taiwan Beer has a brand story that could simultaneously evoke seemingly contradictory emotions: memories of a colonial past and its current inhabitant’s idea of a distinct geopolitical identity. It’s truly a testament to the country’s unique brewing heritage – one that’s been influenced by craft, culture and politics.

@CharsiuCharlie