Beer in Philippines: history, traditions and breweries

History

Manila, 1890. The Philippines had been a Spanish colony for more than 300 years. In the San Miguel district, near the governor-general’s palace, the businessman Enrique María Barretto de Ycaza received a royal licence from Spain: he was allowed to brew beer. The “Fábrica de Cerveza de San Miguel” was the first brewery in all of Southeast Asia.

People on the islands had drunk fermented drinks long before: tuba, fresh palm wine from the sap of the coconut palm, and on Luzon basi, a wine made from sugar cane. But the pale lager from Manila spread quickly, first among Spaniards and the well-off, then throughout the country.

Only eight years after the founding, Spanish rule came to an end. In 1898 the United States took over the Philippines. The brewery survived the change of power, and San Miguel even won prizes at exhibitions in the United States. While Prohibition began in America in 1920, beer kept flowing in Manila.

The Second World War brought disaster: in 1945 Manila was almost completely destroyed in the fighting. The brewery was rebuilt, and the beer went beyond the country’s borders. In 1948 San Miguel was founded in Hong Kong, and breweries in other Asian countries followed.

The small brewery grew into San Miguel Corporation, one of the largest companies in the Philippines. San Miguel Pale Pilsen is still the beer most Filipinos mean when they say “beer”. In 1982 Red Horse followed, a strong lager in a big litre bottle, drunk mainly in groups of friends.

In recent years a craft beer scene has been growing in the Philippines too. Young brewers use local ingredients such as calamansi, mango or coffee from the mountains of Luzon – and so carry on the story of the island nation in their own way.

Traditions and drinking culture

People like to drink in a group, the “inuman”. Often there is only one glass: the “tanggero” pours, passes it to the next person and refills it, round after round.

Beer comes with “pulutan”, food for drinking: pork sisig, garlic peanuts or grilled skewers. The toast is “Tagay!” or “Mabuhay!”.

Typical beer styles

• Pale lager (Pale Pilsen)
• Strong lager
• Tuba (palm wine)
• Craft beer of every style

Beer cities and their stories

Beer cities of the world

Breweries and their stories

Timeline

1. 1890Manila

   With a royal licence from Spain, San Miguel is founded – the first brewery in Southeast Asia.

2. 1898whole country

   The United States takes over the Philippines. The brewery survives the change of power.

3. 1945Manila

   Manila is almost completely destroyed in the war; the brewery is rebuilt.

4. 1948whole country

   San Miguel now also brews in Hong Kong and grows across Asia.

5. 1982Manila

   The strong Red Horse is launched – in a big bottle for sharing.