No…but who is she and how do I get to know her.
She’s the bass player for the Chithonics, named Doris, and you are too late… she is married to Legislator Lin Freddy Changzhou now…
Sounds like you’re paying something like NT$50-60 per pint for your beer, which I must say is surprising. I would expect closer to NT$30/pint for a good-quality product, produced in modest volume. It could be that it’s just a very new industry and they need some time to get more efficient. I also notice it’s very hard to get quality malt and hops at reasonable prices - possibly there are punitive import tariffs? Hang in there; it can only get better!
Yeah, I’m digging her in the non-prescription glasses.
It’s unexpectedly very drinkable and not just a gimmick.
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If this were possible, I’d consider brewing my own. Back when I did, I remember the cost coming to like a nickel a bottle.
In the video image she seems to have a noticeable squint, but maybe I’m not supposed to be looking at her face.
Yeah, I’d be interested to know what the deal is here re. taxes and tariffs. Is it perhaps like 18th-century England where barley was tax-free but malted barley had a massive tax imposed? In idle moments I’ve wondered whether it would be worth setting up a malting house here, perhaps even growing barley up in the mountains. Can’t be doing with excessive interference from pen-pushers, though.
Careful, man. That statement could be construed as racist. 
I really miss the brewing supply stores in the U.S. where you can buy everything you need in bulk at super low prices.
Yes, and I like it. As mentioned before seems to be not just a gimmick, but a very drinkable beer. Bottle is pretty too, as is Doris ^^
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Unfortunately the price you figured isn’t even for a pint, and is on the low end of spectrum from the pile of quotes I’ve gotten (‘price is firm’ as they say).
True It’s a relatively new and ‘small’ industry to Taiwan, but Belgium beer has been in the Taiwanese market since the 90s and established breweries like Anchor and Fullers came in around ‘06 ‘07.
We don’t import so I don’t know how much exactly is added on top of the cost of keg from US/Canada/NZ/EU breweries. That includes cost of container shipment, insurance, alcohol (beer specific) import tax (something like NT26/liter), sales tax, cold storage space rent, door-to-door delivery, etc…
As far as local brews, maybe others home brewers can shed some light of current ingredient costs. From what I’ve heard is the malt/hip prices are coming down and selections have gotten a lot better. However, they are still ‘imported goods’ regardless.
Fun Fact: beer alcohol tax @ NT26/liter applies to import AND local brewed beer. What about export local beer? FREE!!
(I smell something lambic. I mean… funky 
We reside on the outskirts of Taipei City 
I’m getting a case then.
Name? Might like to stop in some time, but no worries if you’d rather not.
I second this.
Brewers need to get a lot more efficient then. I wonder if some of it is down to the local disregard for energy consumption (at least until the bill comes in)? Especially in this climate, thermal design is critical: heat regeneration during liquid transfer from the boil, refrigeration and insulation during ferment, recycling of heat-pump output, etc.
To be fair, that’s logical. The point of alcohol taxes (at least in theory) is to keep a lid on consumption. So anything exiting the country should not have tariffs imposed.
OTOH NT26/liter tax on a product which - globally speaking - only costs about NT26/liter is insanely high. It pretty much guarantees that any producers here will look for export sales, even though that might not be the intended effect (or, I dunno, maybe it is - does Taiwan still like to hoard US dollars?).
Hops AFAIK are becoming more expensive, especially the more sought-after ‘flavour’ hops (as opposed to commodity high-alpha bittering hops).
It’s like wine, some people give good money for good wine, others by cheap crappy wine. Because it’s called beer doesn’t mean it is of lower value than some good wines. Good beers are worth the money.
We invested a lot of money in the better beers.
Most craft brewers are just that, people that do a good job, like their craft, pay attention to quality. It’s an art and a science, equal to making good wine, it’s just the same, an art and a science.
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The Taiwan government just this year introduced such a tax on fruit beers!
Pulling a decent beer is not that easy. Everyone can pull the handle but that’s it. In Belgium it’s to be learned at a course of a few days. Getting the right amount and the right foam is not easy, and removing the overflow is not straight forward.
As you said, hygiene is a big issue.
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I remember when I read about this (yes, I did) it was lower than that. It depends on the percentage of alcohol. also it depends on who brews it.
EDIT: maybe I’m wrong, or maybe the tax has changed over the years:
Would love to have you guys over for some beer. Though last thing we want is to stir up the pot too much since there aren’t many specialty craft pleases on the outskirts of Taipei City. After all it’s a smalll industry and some might not be so happy about what was said.
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