Beer, king of alcoholic beverages in the Philippines

Filipinos love them alcohol. Alcoholic beverages in the Philippines are creative and usually sweet. From the strong boozy taste of gin killed off by being poured into the sweet concoction of Pomelo (local grapefruit) juice, to the many cocktails created using native mangos and local rum, there are indeed many ways to enjoy alcohol in the Philippines. But something you can find everywhere and anywhere is beer. Here is a short guide to Philippine Beers.

 Amongst all alcoholic beverages in the Philippines, the Red Horse brand of beer, with its sweet-cereal taste, and antiseptic smell, is the most popular amongst all options. This is meant to be drunk when refrigerated thoroughly. Enjoyed by many, it is affordable and even comes in a liter bottle. If you’re lucky, you might find the bottle with the mythical happy horse on its logo, supposedly promising that the beer you’ve received is of a stronger variant.

 If Red Horse doesn’t quite do it for you, then you probably will be the man for the bitter-tasting San Miguel Pale Pilsen, arguably the drink of choice for many a father or brawny uncle in the Philippines. As stereotypes go, the San Miguel Pale Pilsen drinker has the sort of alcoholic equivalent of mystique that the Marlboro Man presents. This beer, with a good hoppy flavor, and decent head, can be found anywhere from the local roadside beer gardens in provinces to the top hotels in the country. A similar style would be the San Miguel Super Dry beer, a little harder to find but also well appreciated by many an educated beer drinker, good to accompany you through dinner.

 IF you’re just looking for something light to accompany you through your long night of partying, the San Miguel Light beer promises 0 calories, and none of that heaviness that you feel in your stomach that accompanies most wheat beers. Marketed using the sexiest and most popular local celebrities of the moment, this adjunct lager is also best served cold and will be enjoyed by people who enjoy the similarly styled Corona, Heineken, or Dos Equis beer.

 Now if you’re the kind of beer drinker that only partakes of this calorie-laden alcoholic beverage if it is prepared by Trappist monks in Belgium or small award-winning craft breweries in the US, fret not, as there are growing options for you all-around the Philippines –you just have to know where to look. A good place to find these handcrafted beers would be in Global Beer Exchange, owned by beer geek Jim Araneta, who sources Craft Beer from Japan and the US, while helping nurture local beer-making enthusiasts through monthly meetings with the Beer Club of Manila.

One of the local beers that is well-stocked at the Global Beer Exchange is by a local craft brewery called Katipunan Craft Ales. They brew a mean American Pale Ale beer that is slowly garnering the attention of beer connoisseurs everywhere.

 If you’re still under the notion that the choices for alcoholic beverages in the Philippines are limited, then, obviously, you don’t get out much. 

List of Hotel Bars and their Specialty Drinks

As of last year, with the Department of Tourism’s push for everything being more fun in the Philippines, it was decided that if Singapore had the aptly named Singapore Sling in the historical Raffles Hotel, then the Makati Shangri-La would also have a signature drink for Manila, called, the “Manila Sunshine” of course.

 The “Manila Sunshine” is made with lambanog, a coconut wine, as its base. It is also mixed with local fruits including mangos and pineapple, with a dash of triple sec, and the local rum much loved by tourist, Tanduay. The cocktail is then garnished with lemongrass and a sliver of sliced pineapple. A non-alcoholic version of the drink is also available, appropriately called the “Virgin Manila Sunshine”.

 Not to be outdone, The Mandarin Hotel’s Martinis Bar provides live music in a sophisticated setting, and of course –excellent martinis. Have your fill of the hotel signature drinks in the form of the Ginger Martini, Calamansi Martini, and the Coconut Martini. If you’re looking for something not easily replicated in other bars though, have a “Manileno”, a mojito/caipirinha mix made of the local dark rum muddled with fresh ginger and topped with ginger ale.

If cocktails aren’t quite your thing, then head over to Dusit Thani Hotel’s bar and restaurant called Fiesta San Miguel.  Here you can take partake of their signature drinks in the form of unlimited San Miguel Draft Beer with beer matches such as currywurst, fish and chips, and adobo pizza. You can take your drinks in the main area backdropped by big brewery kettles while listening to the Top 40 tunes provided by the house DJ. If you’re looking for a more laidback evening with your friends or workmates, head over to the terrace to bask in the open air for a relaxed evening.

 A reliable list of hotel signature drinks in Manila would not be complete without mentioning the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila’s grand restaurant Spiral. With 21 dining ateliers to cater to your every gustatory need, including a peking duck oven, a churrasco, a cheese room, a hug chocolate station, and all the sushi and sashimi you could ever hope to eat in an evening –there is certainly the a drink to match your every need. But because this is a French-run hotel, you might as well have something from their impressive wine cellar. Have their in-house sommelier choose a wine to go with your food, and don’t be afraid to tell them your budget beforehand, they won’t sneer at you if you want something affordable.

 The Salon de Ning of the Peninsula Manila provides the setting for a 1930s Shanghai ala Wong Kar Wai’s film “In The Mood For Love”.  Lose yourself in the cocktail lounge’s signature drink “Ning Sling”, a blend of Belvedere Pomerancza, lychee liqueur, passionfruit fruit puree, and orange juice.

Bars in Metro Manila

Filipinos enjoy gathering around with their office mates or friends after work and on weekend to enjoy drinks. Be it just to hang out or some business meeting, getting together with alcohol is part of every culture. For that very reason bars nowadays offer a wide variety of beer, wine, and spirits from all over the globe. There are a good number of bars and clubs in the Philippines that are perfect for enjoying a night of drinks.

The Distillery’s 3 branches around Metro Manila says it all about them. They aim to supply the crowd with whiskey, vodka, tequila, and foreign beer at reasonable and competitive prices. The place is usually packed with people but enough elbow room for comfort. High ceilings and a dim ambiance give it a cool place to relax and just enjoy with the company. Their branches are located in Eastwood City, The Fort, and Jupiter st. The crowd is great and usually filled with young professionals who want to catch a drink or two after work. Drinks usually range around 100 php to 200 php depending on the drink.

Draft Gastropub is a place not only for great drinks but also for great food. They specifically serve European food generously. Draft is located at the Fort and is usually best to call and make reservations since it seems like it’s always full. The gastropub definitely has a pub feel with wooden planks rowed in for walls and booths. Customers can also choose to sit in front of the bar and share a story or two with the bartender. The waiters and waitresses are very friendly and eager to serve. This place serves almost every drink one is hoping to find. Beers such as Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Becks, Guinness, and Leffe are on top of their list. They got a great selection of sandwiches, burgers, ribs, pasta and dessert to go with their drinks. One bottle of Hoegaarden goes for around 150 php and above.

Tourists and locals looking that are looking for a different kind of club, Sky W lounge bar is the place to be. This bar is located on the roof deck of W Building in Fort Bonifacio Global City. The place is classy and refreshing since it’s an open air area with huge fans to circulate the air. The place overlooks the Global city and is on the pricier side with drinks ranging around 200 php and above. This place requires reservation on their guest list and a proper dress code to get in. This bar is the place to see and be seen right now in Manila. Everyone comes to have a great time.
Republiq Club is located in Resorts World Manila and boasts the best nightlife and parties in the Metro. It is one of the biggest dance clubs in Asia with around 13,000 square feet of dance space to guests to move around and have a great time. International artists are invited often to draw the crowd into it’s dancing halls. The club caters to a younger crowd and never runs out of music and movement making it one of the best among bars and clubs in the Philippines.