Top 10 oldest breweries in Asia
Grappling with the shadow of colonialism, much of Asia’s beer brewing origins were inspired by European brewing methodologies. Today, Asian beers such as Snow Beer, Tsingtao and Asahi are among the most consumed in the world. db looks at the 10 oldest beer breweries still operating on the continent. The post Top 10 oldest breweries in Asia appeared first on The Drinks Business.
Grappling with the shadow of colonialism, much of Asia’s beer brewing origins were inspired by European brewing methodologies. Today, Asian beers such as Snow Beer, Tsingtao and Asahi are among the most consumed in the world. db looks at the 10 oldest beer breweries still operating on the continent.
While there is no specific date for the establishment of this brewery, it is approaching 200 years old, which makes it far and away the oldest on the continent. The brewery was originally founded by British entrepreneur Edward Abraham Dyer in Kasauli, but he soon relocated the brewery to nearby Solan in 1835 due to water scarcity in Kasauli. The original Kasauli site was converted into a distillery, which continues to operate today. The company is renowned for producing Asia’s oldest beer, Lion, which was originally an Indian Pale Ale but changed to a lager style in the 1960s.
Established in 1860 to meet the demands of British and military personnel at Ghora Gali, this is the second south-Asian brewery on the list to be founded by Englishman Edward Dyer. The brewery now offers an impressive variety of beers, ranging from a Czech-inspired pilsner to a German-inspired wheat beer, alongside various non-alcoholic beers. They have also carved out a reputation for brewing whiskies, gins and vodkas.
Created in the same year as the telephone, Sapporo holds the title of Japan’s oldest beer brand. Their foundation kickstarted a string of Japanese brewery openings during the Meiji era (1868-1912) when Japan was rapidly industrialising. Sapporo brews premium lagers with a crisp, refreshing flavour and clean finish. They also have a museum onsite at the brewery, the only museum dedicated to beer in Japan.
Founded 140 years ago as the Japan Brewery Company, they became ‘Kirin’ in 1907. Like many on this list, Kirin was heavily inspired by German beer-making, using malted grains and hops imported from Germany and employing German brewers to oversee production. Today, they produce two of the nation’s most popular beers: Kirin Lager, one of the country's oldest beer brands, brewed since 1888, and Ichiban Shibori.
Although the most famous Asian beer brand wasn’t founded until 1949, its predecessor, Asahi Breweries, was founded in 1889. Introduced in 1987, their flagship beer brand Asahi Super Dry is a product that transformed the modern beer industry in Japan and has had massive international success. During the First World War, German prisoners worked in the brewery. Now, over a century later, the brewing titan has an estimated net worth of approximately £15 billion.
Tsingtao Brewery was founded by the Anglo-German Brewery Co. Ltd., an English-German joint stock company based in Hong Kong. Renowned for their flagship well-hopped pale lager, the brewery also produces several other beers, including Tsingtao Dark Beer and Tsingtao Spirulina Green Beer, a pilsner coloured by spirulina and claimed to promote good health. Their beer is now one of the most consumed globally.
The true Heineken of Asia (Bintang is also a subsidiary of the Dutch brewing giants), their beer closely replicates Heineken’s, both in flavour profile and in appearance (utilising a green bottle with a red star). In the same year the US was going into financial meltdown, this brewery was being constructed during the Dutch colonial rule of Indonesia. Alongside their primary pilsner, they also brew a 0.0 beer and a low alcohol Radler in both lemon and grapefruit flavours.
Kasauli Brewery (now Solan): late 1820s – India
While there is no specific date for the establishment of this brewery, it is approaching 200 years old, which makes it far and away the oldest on the continent. The brewery was originally founded by British entrepreneur Edward Abraham Dyer in Kasauli, but he soon relocated the brewery to nearby Solan in 1835 due to water scarcity in Kasauli. The original Kasauli site was converted into a distillery, which continues to operate today. The company is renowned for producing Asia’s oldest beer, Lion, which was originally an Indian Pale Ale but changed to a lager style in the 1960s.
Murree Brewery: 1860 – Pakistan
Established in 1860 to meet the demands of British and military personnel at Ghora Gali, this is the second south-Asian brewery on the list to be founded by Englishman Edward Dyer. The brewery now offers an impressive variety of beers, ranging from a Czech-inspired pilsner to a German-inspired wheat beer, alongside various non-alcoholic beers. They have also carved out a reputation for brewing whiskies, gins and vodkas.
Sabeco Brewery (Saigon Beer): 1875 – Vietnam
In the same year that the Civil Rights Act was passed in the US, Vietnam’s leading beer producer was established by Frenchman Victor Largue. The country’s leading beer brand, Bia Saigon Special and Bia Saigon Export, won a silver medal in the 2022 World Beer Awards. Despite the company being 150 years old, one of their beers, a 100% malt offering, is marketed to consumers that are “youthful, dynamic and successful in life”.Sapporo: 1876 – Japan
Created in the same year as the telephone, Sapporo holds the title of Japan’s oldest beer brand. Their foundation kickstarted a string of Japanese brewery openings during the Meiji era (1868-1912) when Japan was rapidly industrialising. Sapporo brews premium lagers with a crisp, refreshing flavour and clean finish. They also have a museum onsite at the brewery, the only museum dedicated to beer in Japan.
Kirin: 1885 – Japan
Founded 140 years ago as the Japan Brewery Company, they became ‘Kirin’ in 1907. Like many on this list, Kirin was heavily inspired by German beer-making, using malted grains and hops imported from Germany and employing German brewers to oversee production. Today, they produce two of the nation’s most popular beers: Kirin Lager, one of the country's oldest beer brands, brewed since 1888, and Ichiban Shibori.
Asahi Breweries: 1889 – Japan
Although the most famous Asian beer brand wasn’t founded until 1949, its predecessor, Asahi Breweries, was founded in 1889. Introduced in 1987, their flagship beer brand Asahi Super Dry is a product that transformed the modern beer industry in Japan and has had massive international success. During the First World War, German prisoners worked in the brewery. Now, over a century later, the brewing titan has an estimated net worth of approximately £15 billion.
Harbin Brewery: 1900 – China
China’s oldest brewery has perhaps the most interesting history of any entrant on the list. It was founded by Pole Jan Wróblewski to supply Russians working on the Trans-Manchurian railway. Since then, it has gone into joint control of the Chinese and Czechs (1932), the Soviets (1946), and back to the Chinese government (1950). Driven by Chairman Mao’s great famine, the company became the first to brew beer with corn instead of rice in 1959. While its share in the European and American markets is minor (at least comparative to its Chinese competitors, Tsingtao and Zhujiang), it is a giant in China’s beer industry, annually producing over 1 million tons of beer.Tsingtao Brewery: 1903 – China
Tsingtao Brewery was founded by the Anglo-German Brewery Co. Ltd., an English-German joint stock company based in Hong Kong. Renowned for their flagship well-hopped pale lager, the brewery also produces several other beers, including Tsingtao Dark Beer and Tsingtao Spirulina Green Beer, a pilsner coloured by spirulina and claimed to promote good health. Their beer is now one of the most consumed globally.
United Breweries Group: 1915 – India
The United Breweries Group is a conglomeration of various pre-existing Indian breweries founded by a Scotsman, Thomas Leishman. A first of two Heineken subsidiaries on this list, the company made its initial impact by manufacturing bulk beer for the British troops before India’s independence. Now, they are India’s largest producer of beer, most renowned for brewing Kingfisher lager.Bintang Brewery: 1929 – Indonesia
The true Heineken of Asia (Bintang is also a subsidiary of the Dutch brewing giants), their beer closely replicates Heineken’s, both in flavour profile and in appearance (utilising a green bottle with a red star). In the same year the US was going into financial meltdown, this brewery was being constructed during the Dutch colonial rule of Indonesia. Alongside their primary pilsner, they also brew a 0.0 beer and a low alcohol Radler in both lemon and grapefruit flavours. 
