#FlavourTectonics - Recommendation of the week 2

by Flavour Tectonics, an interest group of like minded individuals exploring the world of flavours in all kinds of drinks.

For this week’s recommendation we have a Belgian Saison brewed in Vietnam, as travelling just got a lot easier, it is time to introduce some foreign product that is difficult to obtain in Singapore, just to entice and tantalise that long lost fervour for the foreign experience. Thom Brewing’s Tây Bắc, which means Northwest in Vietnamese, stems from the ingredients that went into brewing this beer.

Before we talk about this particular beer, we should familiarise ourselves with the term: Saison. Saison, French for season, is a traditional, semi-naturally fermented beer that came from the French speaking region in Belgium. It is usually light in alcohol level, easy drinking and have great fruity and spiced aroma accentuated by a malty finish. As this genre of beer is quite open to interpretation, breweries have taken their own spin on the methods of brewing, utilising different hops and spices to bring out different nuances within the beer. As Saisons are traditionally farmhouse ales, fermented with the inclusion of natural yeast that exists in the farmhouse air, it tends to exuberate certain fermentation funk with it.

For Tây Bắc, it is brewed with the addition of Doi seeds, which is a unique spice utilised in Vietnamese cuisine, and it comes from the Northwest region, hence the name. This beer is reminiscent of the up and coming Vietnamese architecture - bold, adventurous, yet not losing touch with their roots. The incorporation of traditional spices and the inclusion of the local essence through the addition of natural yeasts grounds this beer as a Vietnamese beer. Yet its flavour is full, bitter, and with an intense spiced aroma of Doi seeds, lemongrass, barley, and finishing with just a hint of malt sweetness - perfect for a night out on the balcony overlooking the busy Vietnamese streets.

Unfortunately we are not aware if this beer is available in Singapore, but Vietnamese craft beers are definitely worth a trip to Hanoi. Thom brewing is situated in the city centre, along with several other brewery and taprooms, like 7Bridges, Furbrew and Turtle brewing, take a slow stroll along the lake, and hop around these places for a complete Vietnamese craft beer experience.