The Rooftop Beer That Started a Hong Kong Trend

Back in the early 2010s, long before craft beer was trendy in Hong Kong, a group of friends started brewing small batches of beer—on the rooftop of a tenement building in Mong Kok.

Armed with a homebrew kit, passion, and a portable fan to keep the bottles cool, they began mixing East and West: ginger from the wet market (for a zesty spiced saison), osmanthus from their grandma’s tea stash (infused into a delicate blonde ale), and hops smuggled in from Australia (for a punchy citrus-forward pale ale). The result? A floral, fruity, and lightly spicy trio that tasted like a walk through a Hong Kong herbal shop with a cold breeze.

They invited friends over for “rooftop beer nights,” and word spread fast. Soon, artists, musicians, and journalists were lining up a steep stairwell for a sip. One local newspaper dubbed it “The Brew Above the Fray.”

This buzz helped kick off the city’s independent beer boom, inspiring dozens of microbreweries across neighborhoods from Kwun Tong warehouses to Kennedy Town waterfronts. One of the first bars to give these new brewers a real platform was The Globe, a beloved Soho pub that became the unofficial headquarters of the city’s emerging craft scene.

Today, you’ll find local beers infused with everything from longan honey to salted plum—served in dive bars, hotel rooftops, junk boats, and even dim sum brunches.

If you’re looking for beers for your next event in Hong Kong, you’re in the right place. From local craft favorites to international classics, we’ve got the perfect pour for every guest.

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