Two years ago, I spent three weeks touring Vietnam on a motorbike, discovering some great taprooms along the way. My first stop: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Craft beer in Saigon

Vietnam doesn’t exactly have a long-standing craft beer history, but beer itself is incredibly popular. Thanks to an influx of expats from Australia and the U.S., a vibrant craft beer scene has emerged.

What’s great about the capital is that, besides craft beer bars, there are actual brewpubs as well. If you’re lucky, you might even meet a brewer—and not just Western ones!

One thing to keep in mind: at all the bars mentioned here, expect an additional 10% VAT and around 7% service charge. It’s not a big deal, but I didn't see this anywhere else in Vietnam—not even at taprooms in the north. The surcharge is listed on the menu but isn’t included in the displayed prices.

Pasteur Street Brewing

In the wealthier District 3, you’ll find Pasteur Street Brewing’s two taprooms and brewery. They’re located in a quiet alley, and both are within walking distance of each other. If you head upstairs, there’s a cozy rooftop terrace with a nice city view.

Since it was a weekday and already quite late, the bar wasn’t too busy. As with many of these higher-end bars, the crowd mostly consisted of upper-class locals and expats. Not surprising, considering a large bottle of Saigon Beer costs around 15,000 VND, while craft beers start at 90,000–100,000 VND.

A great feature of this taproom is the option to order tasters. At 50,000–60,000 VND, they’re an affordable way to try different beers. When I visited, there were 12 beers on tap—plenty to choose from. You can also buy (chilled) beers to take home or enjoy at your hotel. Cans go for 60,000–75,000 VND, which is pricey but not much more than supermarket prices.

I was lucky to have one of the brewers behind the bar, who gave me plenty of insight into their brewing process and their focus on using local ingredients. Expect flavors like jasmine, pomelo, passion fruit, and dragon fruit in their beers.

[ Stay tuned! The next 2 taprooms will follow ]