MANILA, PHILIPPINES — What makes a beer Filipino? Is it its familiar flavor that resonates with our local sensibilities, as reliable and as predictable as the year-round tropical heat? Is it the memories we associate with it, of summer nights and rites of passage and every household celebration? Or is it in something as categorical — and well, obvious — as its name?
As a country that houses Southeast Asia’s oldest brewery, it’s not surprising to find out that a large part of Filipino drinking habits revolves around beer. San Miguel and Red Horse have been the life of every Filipino gathering for the longest time. Now, independent local breweries, like Engkanto, are coming up with new flavors that’ll have you and your guests reaching for these bottles
The rise of craft beer in the Philippines
Craft beer in the Philippines has been gaining steady traction over the years. While these bottles come out to be more expensive than mass-produced beers, the artisans behind each bottle make it special. But what exactly makes craft beers so unique?
Ian Paradies may have some answers. The seasoned entrepreneur is the founder and president of Engkanto, the six-year-old Filipino craft beer brand whose ubiquitous presence is seen all over Manila’s most attractive nightlife locations, restaurants, and hotels.
According to Paradies, revelers and patrons have become more discerning nowadays since their official launch in 2017. “You see a lot more interest now with people trying new beer styles”, Paradies shares, adding that micro-breweries were focused on business-to-business models, making and selling beers to other bars. “But in the past 2 to 3 years, you see an explosion of other breweries opening their own bars. You have different breweries exploring and creating their own identity through a direct outlet.”
The appreciation for local craft beer has certainly evolved, its market demand coasting alongside the swell of the local movement that has seen much clamor in the last few years. And Engkanto is certainly at the height of it: they opened their bottling facility in Carmona, Cavite in 2018, bringing their much-loved draught beers in bottles.
Engkanto Brewery’s origins
Engkanto is inspired by the founder’s childhood in Cebu, who as a young boy, would be regaled by tales of mythical creatures that shrouded much of our local folklore. “Growing up (in Cebu, I was) exposed to all the stories of dwendes, kapres, tiyanaks, aswangs… I used to love those stories growing up.”
Similar to the rest of the country, beer was also the quintessential drink for festive occasions and family gatherings in Cebu. “It’s light in alcohol, you could have it on any type of occasion, and particularly in Cebu with close proximity to the beach — we were always on the beach every Sunday with my family — it’s kind of the best drink to enjoy.” As youths of his generation and those before him would testify, mass-produced brands were revered not out of sheer preference; they were the only option available.
“It’s always bothered me that with spirits, we’ve never had much choice growing up”, Ian laments. “We only had about four or five options — and that’s across the board, from beers to spirits. And all of them were focused on commercial products, never on craft or artisanal products.”
It was Paradies’ time abroad as a student in the United States that had introduced him to the world of craft beers and showcased the possibility of what hand-crafted, high-quality local beer could be like. “A lot of the beers I found (in the States) were very big, very bitter, very hoppy. It didn’t fit my taste profile”, Ian narrated. “I could still appreciate it, but I would have one or two beers and go back to the traditional lagers.”
Ian then envisioned Engkanto, a Filipino craft brewery that would make Filipino-centric craft beers. He reached out to Josh Karten of Rhode Island’s Proclamation Ale Company, who would become Engkanto’s co-founder and brewmaster. In spite of Karten’s extensive experience with Western beers, it was important to Ian that the brewery represented the Filipino taste.
Before Engkanto Brewery entered the local beer scene, Ian and Josh worked tirelessly to understand what would appeal to their market. According to Ian, “We would see a lot of craft breweries come and try to bring Western-style beer profiles, particularly of the US and Europe. But my thinking was, if we’re a Filipino brewery and we’re trying to get Filipinos to appreciate a different way of making beers and different taste profiles, you don’t want to shock them. You want to create taste profiles that fit the palate.”
Creating respectable brews that appealed to the local market was a tall order — but they eventually found their answer in fruity, light-bodied beers such as the lager. Ian explained, “In the Philippines, lager works very well because of the general temperature. It’s hot all year round, so you want something light and easy to drink and very crisp and refreshing.”
Known for its humble style, lagers provided an excellent gateway for the uninitiated to cultivate an appreciation for finely crafted beer. Add to that an abundance of fruits and flavors in the Philippine tropics and you’ve got a match made in heaven. Ian shared, “We wanted to do simple beers with flavor profiles they were familiar with, but didn’t overwhelm especially from a bitterness standpoint. But if you look at the Philippines, we have such amazing fruits and flavors to choose from and utilize in beers.”
Engkanto’s design
In 2022, Engkanto traded in their death moth minimalist approach for a sunnier disposition in line with their rebranding. Rebirthing and reimagining beers by focusing on crafting new products with better quality ingredients.
Engkanto has kept its striking color palette and design to help customers differentiate variants. However, they added an information label on each bottle to help customers know what to expect from each bottle in terms of complexity, flavor, and story.
Engkanto’s rebranding, executed by Creature Theory, comes at the opportune time when alcohol ad spend growth has increased. Meaning, more and more customers are looking for their next purchase online. Triggering the need for Engkanto to transform its brand to stand out against other local craft beer companies in the digital space.
Engkanto beer flavors
Engkanto is best enjoyed in a draught, Paradies contends. After all, there’s no beating the sensory experience of a brew freshly served from a keg. However, bottles guarantee one clear advantage over kegs: mobility. Engkanto’s cases find their way from Baguio all the way to Davao. Paradies is convinced that beers, even craft beers, will find their own space beyond crowded bars and busy restaurants.
Currently, Engkanto has seven brews, some award-winning while others are seasonal releases:
- True Brew West Coast IPA, 6.5% ABV
- Paint Me Purple Ube Lager, 5.5% ABV
- Live It Up Lager, 4.8% ABV
- High Hive Honey Ale, 5.1% ABV
- Mango Nation Hazy IPA, 5.7% ABV
- Green Lava Double IPA, 8.0% ABV
- Hoop Coolture Pale Ale, 5.4% ABV
One look at a bottle of Engkanto beer and one may wonder about the mysticism that shrouds its identity. After all, its name is Filipino for an environmental spirit, a mythical creature that figures in much of our local folklore and traditional tales. But as Engkanto’s founder Ian Paradies alludes, there is nothing mysterious about this four-year-old craft beer brand: just good old, honest beer-making and local flavors.
The journey to a craftier future
Engkanto’s popularity among other local craft beers shows us that the market is ready to add new flavors to its staples. These craft breweries are showing us that exciting times are ahead and that their products will only be limited to their creativity.
Have you found your favorite craft beer brewery yet? Comment below and tell us your favorite flavors!
