East West Brewing Company - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The brewing process in Vietnamese.

Recently, I had to the chance to visit Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with my father. He has worked there on and off for decades. One of the breweries he told me we had to check out was East West Brewing Company. East West Brewing Company is Ho Chi Minh City’s first in-house craft brewery located in the heart of District 1. Delivering bold and authentic flavors using the freshest and finest quality ingredients from the East to the West. Their mission is to artfully craft high quality beer that everyone can enjoy and foster integrity in everything they do. Authenticity and innovation are the core foundations for the flavors in every handcrafted beer that they brew. It begins with the search for flavor of discovering the perfect balance of taste and aroma. They integrate both European and New American brewing traditions, along with the brewing styles of Eastern cultures.

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The cool thing about East West Brewing Company is that their Head Brewer, Sean Thommen, has Portland, Oregon, USA roots. Sean has had over 15 years of combined experience with crafting, from homebrewing to professionally brewing. He studied in Chicago and Germany in brewing science, and began brewing professionally for over 10 years in the city of Portland, Oregon, USA. Sean is extremely excited to share his extensive brewing knowledge and is dedicated to advancing the craft beer culture here in Vietnam.

With a population of over 10 million, Ho Chi Minh City is one of South East Asia’s fastest growing cities in conjunction with being Vietnam’s largest and most electrifying city. It brings life and vitality into foreign backpackers, travelers, expats, and all those who settle here. A crowded, lively, bustling, and booming city barely scratches the surface of describing the city that is the heart of Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City.

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Here is what we tried:

Far East IPA – The Far East IPA takes an international route. This full-bodied India Pale Ale is loaded with malt, hops, and yeast from all over the world. From aromatic American centennial hops to New Zealand’s tropical Nelson Sauvin hops, this beer provides a beautiful inter-pacific aroma that is enjoyable all year round.
Saigon Rose – This crisp and light bodied wheat ale contains a refreshing acidity and luscious fruit forward profile of fresh raspberries. Pink rose hues and berry perfumes, the Saigon Rosé delivers a crisp, clean, and subtle sweetness that is perfect for any occasion. Hands down my favorite beer that we tried. I also heard a rumor that my sister-in-law also loved it.
Modern Belgian Blonde – Deceivingly strong, with aromas of bold bouquets from the Belgian yeast and unique blend of hops, Far East Brewing Company present to you their Modern Belgian Blonde. Malts provide a strong foundation, while balancing the medley of pilsner, pale, and wheat hops. An infusion of Vietnamese palm sugar provides a contemporary twist to this Belgian classic.
Coffee Vanilla Porter – Their Coffee Vanilla Porter uses a unique cold press coffee blend designed to compliment the robust character of the beer. The interplay of deep roasted malts and Vietnamese coffee are perfectly married, while the addition of vanilla contributes layers of decadence. It is truly smoothness in a glass.

Have you been to East West Brewing Company? Or Ho Chi Minh City?