Carbon Brews Opens on Wyndham Street

Local craft brewery Carbon Brews new outlet soft-opened this week on Wyndham Street. It would be slightly misleading to call it a ‘taproom’ or ‘gastropub’ because (as you can see from the photo) it has a far more clubby/ lounge vibe.

With thirty taps, there’s likely to be a beer for everyone – flavour profiles range from the traditional to a pina colada flavoured Kokomo – and they are served in small, medium and large sizes. As well as Carbon Brew beers, other local craft beers and collaborations will rotate across the taps. There’s also an option to buy a keg and have your own ‘tap’!

Chef Sean Yuen’s menu features a selection of tasty starters and mains that the knowledgeable staff can pair with a beer to enhance your meal or snack.

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Carbon Brews Central
Shop 1, G/F, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong

Local Breweries Boycott Beertopia

Twelve local Hong Kong breweries are boycotting Beertopia this year due to rising costs. The boycotting breweries are Black Kite Brewery, Citi Brew HK, Gwei.lo, Heroes Beer Co, Kowloon Bay Brewery, Lion Rock Brewery, HK Love Craft, Mak’s Beer, Moonzen Brewery, Tai Wai Beer, Yardley Brothers, Young Masters Ales.

Here is the collective statement from the beer companies and the Hong Kong Brewers guild in full.

“At a recent meeting of the Hong Kong Brewers’ Guild, the majority of local Hong Kong breweries took a collective decision to not participate in Beertopia 2018. The Hong Kong Brewers’ Guild is disappointed to announce this result.

Beertopia has previously been one of the calendar highlights for local Hong Kong breweries – they like nothing more than sharing their beer with like-minded passionate craft beer fans. However, the increased cost of the event to Hong Kong’s craft breweries would necessitate exceedingly high prices for end customers.

Collectively, the Guild feels that the ethos of Beertopia has shifted away from its original focus on the enjoyment and promotion of craft beer. Whereas large international producers can afford the newly raised event costs by serving industrial-scale beer, local Hong Kong brewers have no financially viable way to participate in Beertopia.

In support of fairly priced events which showcase the best of craft, local and international beer for people in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Brewers’ Guild, the Craft Beer Association of Hong Kong and local breweries are working together to organise new craft beer festivals in the coming months and years ahead. Stay tuned for updates.

Thank you for supporting and understanding the decision taken by our local breweries.”

There are only three Hong Kong Breweries at Beertopia in 2018: Hong Kong Beer Co., Deadman Brewery24mInnocence Brewing is listed on Beertopia‘s website as from Hong Kong but it’s actually from Singapore.

Beertopia
Date: 5-6 October, 2018
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: $495, $400, $380, $280, $250

Wine & Dine Festival @ Central Harbourfront – 26 October, 2017

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The annual Wine & Dine Festival returns to the Central Harbourfront this weekend fatter for all the fine wine and food indulged in, as the venue’s waistline expands to encompass half of Tamar Park.
Click on any photo for the full gallery of images. Click here for some ideas of dishes to keep an eye out for.

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Wine & Dine Festival – Some Suggestions

The annual Wine & Dine Festival returns to the Central Harbourfront this weekend fatter for all the fine wine and food indulged in, as the venue’s waistline expands to encompass half of Tamar Park.

There are entrances at both ends of the festival and around 400 booths to enjoy including country pavilions from the USA and a large Bordeaux area in the centre which includes not only wine but also a food from the Bordeaux and South West of France. Items on offer include a French ‘cheesecake’ known as Torteau Formager ($20) and

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On the side of the ‘concept store’ Filters Lane is offering chocolate and passion fruit cocktails ($55) which include a fragrant Earl Grey foam.

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Hong Kong Street Eats is showcasing it’s cook at home egg waffle with savoury and sweet toppings, nice but a bit small and pricey at $50.

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The hotel zone features some good sized potions of popular dishes from local hotels including The Pullman, Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel and City Garden Hotel.

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Mac and cheese raclette ($100)… from Porterhouse features four cheeses and is rather tasty, but heavy on the stomach. Raclette is popular around the festival with several other stands offering it straight, with meatballs and other combos.

With so many wine booths, our recommendation is to wander around and try things to find those you enjoy. It can get expensive, but step out of what you’d normally choose and try something different. Lots of companies are offering tastes and there are numerous free classes.

Two final thoughts, bring a bottle of water. Even with the more spread out venue, it’s hot. Have fun, there’s lots of good food and drink to taste.

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Wine & Dine Festival
Date: 26-29 October, 2017
Venue: Central Harbourfront Event Space
Tickets: $30
More info:
26 October 7:30–11:30pm
27 October Noon to 11:30pm
28 October Noon to 11:30pm
29 October Noon to 10pm

Beertopia @ Central Harbourfront – 18 November, 2016

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Beer lovers, local breweries and craft beer importers gathered on the Central Harbourfront for the fifth Beertopia – to enjoy and compare ales and tales. A good time was had by all.
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Wine & Dine 2016 – A Few Things to Enjoy

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It’s Wine & Dine! After a walk around under the blazing sun here’s a few things to enjoy. We can’t say it’s a ‘best of’, there’s over 400 booths to explore taste and savour. Have fun finding your own favourites.

It’s not cheap! While many outlets are offering discounts on their regular shop prices for buying bottles (with many happy to home deliver after the festival). Food is pricey, most places are averaging $50-75 per portion.

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In an attempt no doubt to break up the massive crowds this year’s Wine & Dine Festival is laid out in short blocks set at sharp angles. It’s not instinctively easy to find your way back to an outlet/booth so eat /drink what you want when you see/find it. This layout also makes it hard to direct friends to a spot they’d enjoy – take a photo of the booth number.

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Wine Whiskey and Beer

There are more wine companies and stands than you can possibly sample… decisions, decisions. Your wine tokens get a tasting portion – not a full glass. Ensure they rinse your glass first! Check out the Riedel tent, the glass manufacturer has an ongoing selection of talks and tastings.

There’s a large, essentially craft, beer area – towards the Admiralty end, far side from the harbour – with a wide range of local and international beers to sample. Several stands have special beers only available at Wine & Dine. Want a bite with your beer? Next to the beer stands at booth E814 you can find a mixed sausage platter of black cuttlefish and traditional German cheese sausages covered in melted cheese for $40.

If you like whiskey there are single brand whiskey stands, most are grouped in the middle of the festival. Except for the Jack Daniels booth which is in the American area. Celebrating it’s 150 anniversary, you’ll be able to taste a wide selection of Jack Daniels.

Food

It won’t mean much to many but one of the booths in the American street is offering a free drink to those who kiss Hillary and or punch Donald 🙂 For for a simple snack try Millennium Seafoods lobster soup.

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Enjoy a big tasty sausage? Opposite the stage the 30cm Mega Jumbo Wurst ($75) offers a nice meaty custom made German sausage. Cooked over a massive circular BBQ, the team is organised and ready for the rush, their target to serve you in 60 seconds. There’s also a 15cm version ($65) which is the same type of sausage but sold more like a hotdog in a bigger bun. Wash is down with some Fruh Radler (lemon beer).

Flavabomb (E506) has a lovely light refreshing Gelato di Moscato – a choice gelato ice-cream, topped up with moscato and we added in a few dried strawberry flakes (top photo). A light refreshing option perfect in the summer sun or after dark. They also have a range of bakery products including croissants and pain au chocolat and some tasty beef balls with truffle.

Seafood: Abalone more abalone plus a bit of shellfish. There several booths offering abalone from a variety of different locations, in different sizes and farmed or wild. On the harbourfront edge of festival The Gold Coast Hotel has a bowl of their signature tasty Sri-Lankan crab for $98 and a hearty German sausage with sauerkraut for $60. Both portions sized to be almost a complete meal in themselves. Next door the Panda Hotel has a lobster bun ($40) and salmon, crab, cheese tarts ($40).

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If want a change from seafood, U Banquet is offering Grilled Assorted Balls for $20 a portion

While you’re picking up your free cookies from Lucullus check out some of their other offerings the predominantly Kowloon side chain has a range of tasty bakery and desserts on offer including cheese tarts (original, durian or green tea, $30 for 2) and stuffed baked parmesan cheese rolls (chicken, Thai green curry, sichuan spicy pork $35 for 2) and some cute looking chilled offerings.

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There are lots of desserts on offer, one of bc’s favourites from last year returns at booth E507. A rich silky smooth egg custard served in a real egg shell. $40 for  box of 4, it’s seriously delicious.

Other food booths to check out –pork knuckle specialists Golden Pig, K-Town, Butcher and Baker who are offering hotdogs ($40) and baked chocolate fondants topped with ice-cream $30. And for something a little different, next to the Admiralty entrance, Kwun Tong private kitchen Wines Buddy and Dining at Home.

Basic things: A reminder there is little shade! Sun cream and a hat or expect to boil during the day. Bring water, there’s lots and lots and lots of wine, beer, whiskey – but little water to keep hydrated. There are very few seats.

NO refunds on coupons! In fact, unless you want to sample wine, there’s very little point in waiting in the long lines to buy coupons at a rough estimate over 80% of booths accept cash.

It’s outside, there’s food, wine, beer, whiskey, live music… what’s not to like, have fun!

Wine & Dine Festival 2016
Date: 27-30 October, 2016
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: $30

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