By Ling Hui and Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Feb 9: Sarawak’s first locally produced craft beer — 1602 Craft Beer — is named after the year 1602, when one of the earliest maps of Borneo was first published.
Master brewer Randy Liew, who has over 20 years of brewing experience, was the one who created this beer that is said “to belong to the people of Sarawak”.
He said the specialty of 1602 Craft Beer which comes in four flavours: Wheat, Pale Ale, Extra Dark, and Lager, is that it is a type of craft beer which prioritises quality instead of market reach.
Industrial beer, which is mostly available in the market, he said, has limited choices and usually comes with only one or two flavours because it is brewed for the mass market.
“Industrial beer targets the mass market. It should be convenient. With one or two types, it serves everyone’s palette in the whole world.
“As for craft beer, we are more into providing craftmanship. Quality always come first, and it will always be that way.
“Of course, I don’t mean to say that industrial beer is of any lesser quality than craft beer.
“I have to re-emphasise that industrial beer and craft beer merely serve two different types of drinkers. As simple as that,” said Liew during the launching of 1602 Craft Beer held at a local hotel tonight.
Meanwhile, when asked about his expectations of 1602 Craft Beer’s popularity or sales in Sarawak, he said the only challenge would be to create the awareness among Sarawakians that 1602 is a type of craft beer and not like other industrial beers.
“I think the sky is the limit, because we are the only one (craft beer producer in Sarawak). We have no competition (so far in Sarawak).
“But the biggest challenge is to let people know that we are not an industrial beer. So, once we are able to cue that passage into the consumer’s mind, it should be fine,” he told DayakDaily when met after his speech.
The launching ceremony was officiated by Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.
Among those present were 1602 Craft Beer founder Dato Sri Vincent Lee Kee Lung, 1602 Craft Beer Brewery, Corpial Corporation Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie, and board of directors. — DayakDaily
