Craft Beer Brewery: Celebrating Filipino

Drinking Culture through Brewery Appreciation

ARCH 142: Mini Thesis Proposal

By: Kenaz F. Evangelista

2012-20126

Prof. Maria Lisa V. Santos

Second Semester, AY 2018-2019

1
 PRE THESIS PROJECT PROPOSAL

I. INTRODUCTION

A. BACKGROUND OF THE THESIS PROJECT

RATIONALE
The local craft beer scene has been around for quite some time. It has started
around 90’s and has been a continuing art especially for beer enthusiasts and
connoisseurs. However, it is still beaten by large scale manufactured beers
because of the price and availability. Currently, most craft beers are seen on
higher end restaurants and are offered at a higher price compared to mainstream
beers. Others are offered on smaller bars which serve several kinds of craft beers
from different brewers. Craft beer then seems limited in terms of availability and
production. Most people won’t see craft beers at local stores and convenience
stores. The industry has the potential to grow and compete, but progress has been
slow over the years. This is the main drive of the research. Beer is part of the
Filipino food culture but we haven’t fully realized its full potential. We are yet to
discover that there are a number of ways to enjoy the drink. There are other
flavors that different kinds of people can enjoy and appreciate. This study will try
to explore how beer can be better appreciated and celebrated in the country as one
of its staple food traditions.

RESEARCH
Drinking beer in the Philippines has always been a staple act especially during
gatherings and get-togethers. Many Filipinos see it as an essential part of most
celebrations. It is a cheap alternative to more expensive spirits and easily
accessible as it can be found in convenience stores and sari-sari stores. This is
why it is almost the go-to drink in the Philippines. One can say that beer has
really made its space in the Filipino culture.

2
 The beverage came in Philippine shores when it was introduced during the
Spanish Colonial Era in the late 1800s. It started with La Fabrica de Cerveza de
San Miguel which was opened by a successful businessman Don Enrique Maria
Barretto de Ycaza y Esteban. In 1889, Barretto applied for a royal grant from
Spain to open up a beer brewery in the Philippines which would become the first
of its kind in Southeast Asia. Barretto was awarded the grant for a twenty-year
period, and the beer business had established its location at 6 Calzada de
Malacanang and was supposedly open for business on September 29, 1890. The
inauguration was moved twice due to the frequent storms arriving in the country.
Barretto was later joined by Pedro Pablo Roxas, a financier in the late 19th century
and they became the first technical directors and managers of San Miguel
Corporation. Since it was the first brewery in the Southeast Asia region, business
quickly flourished and branched out into many orders and exports to different
countries like Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Guam. The company became a
corporation in 1913, and has since undergone various business strategies in order
to expand into the successful company that it is at the present.

Beer has become a drink that is a social gathering essential that helps bring out
more fun and experience to the people. Beer has a lot of types and flavors that
could make it more different than the usual brew. This is the reason that a lot of
enthusiasts became interested in brewing on a relatively smaller scale as
compared to the larger and more famous beer brand counter parts. The
microbrewery industry has then started as a means to get craft beers into a wider
range of stores and establishments. A microbrewery or craft brewery is a facility
that does the small scale production of these craft beers, preparing the said beers
for distribution. These breweries are mostly seen as giving more emphasis on the
quality, flavor, and brewing technique of the beer rather than the quantity
produced. At its early beginnings in the 90s, being individually produced beers,
the distinct taste the craft beers offer were yet to be adapted by the local beer
drinker’s taste, which are used to the mainstream beer in the country. As the years

3
 have passed more local craft beer companies are becoming known and more
accepted. The microbrewery industry has been paving its way from merely an
industrial endeavor to becoming a commercial offset. Craft beers are usually
integrated to restaurant menus in hopes of attracting other beer enthusiasts and
curious diners alike.

The emergence of the craft beer industry in the Philippines brings with it a rise in
the curiosity of the actual process by which the drink is produced, as well as a
general inquiry of how craft beers are different than the commercial beers offered
on most restaurants and convenience stores. Of course the obvious difference is
that craft beers have distinct flavors which are a product of numerous
experimentations and personalizing of the brewing process through variation of
the ingredients added in the mix.

The production of the beer and the actual distribution to different markets are
obvious to the people. Very few attention and appreciation is given in the actual
process that the beer undergoes before being served.

The proposed microbrewery aims to give emphasis on the actual process of beer
production. It will allow the consumers to be curious and see how beers are made
and all the aspects included in brewing. The facility shall cater to all the processes
involved in brewing, from production of materials, through the brewing and to the
production and distribution.

The study shall name a collective of more established craft beer breweries in the
Philippines as the clients. These include Katipunan Craft Ales, Engkanto
Brewery, Joe’s Brews and Craftpoint Brewing Co. Furthermore, the Craft Beer
Association of the Philippines, the organizers of the MNL Craft Beer Festival
event will also be included, so as to further the goals of making craft beer known
and appreciated by the general public. The strength of collaboration in order to

4
 compete against mainstream offerings and make a louder buzz to the market shall
be utilized in the study.

B. PROJECT SETTING
1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Beer brewery in the Philippines is currently dominated by the large scale
manufacturing of local brews of the San Miguel Corporation. Filipinos are
used to the mainstream offerings such as the Pale Pilsen and Red Horse as
these are more accessible and relatively cheaper than the current prices of
craft beer. Our minds then are somehow framed to think that beer has that one
distinct bitter flavor. In a way, we are fairly conservative when it comes to
beer because we only know a limited type of beer. Its potential and variety
then is not fully realized and appreciated even though the drink has been part
of the country’s food culture.

Craft beer industry on the other hand undergoes the actual process of brewing
more carefully. Brewers are free to modify the ingredients according to their
taste and preferences. The master brewer is more involved in the brewing as
compared to the highly commercialized beer offerings. Because of this skillful
manipulation of the process, craft beer industry offers more variety of the
drink. It showcases its potential to be enjoyed by more people by giving them
more choices. The craft beer industry is disrupting the notion that we only
have one type of beer that everyone can enjoy. The progress though has been
slow and the production and distribution of such beers are limited to small
scale up to now. This begs the question for this study, how can the craft beer
industry be accelerated to a larger scale of production and distribution in order
for Filipinos to appreciate the beer brewing process and celebrate the social
drinking culture?

5
 2. DELIMITATIONS
The current study will be concentrating mainly on the production side of the
whole brewing process. This will include procurement and production of the
raw materials and undergoing the processes of brewing. Spaces will include
an agriculture area where hops and malt can be grown and industrial spaces
for the tanks that will be used. The secondary facilities are meant for the
endorsement and consumption of the products. Spaces will include bars, pub
and a recreation center. Offices may also be included for the formation of
branding and promotion ideas of the products.

The target users are mainly beer enthusiasts and aspiring brewers who would
want to setup their own brewing business. Current brewers may also use the
facility to upscale their production process. Secondary users are the curious
diners and mostly young to middle aged groups visiting the place for social
gatherings.

The study shall explore farming and harvesting systems that account for the
agricultural side of the project, however, more in-depth details such as
technical drawings and parts will not be included. Information that will be
included will tackle more of how the process can work theoretically for the
proposed building.

The research shall be based on general and common processes of brewing

craft beer and not just one specific way by which certain current craft beer
companies adhere to. Spaces to be included for the brewing area will be
determined by research and possible interviews with current brewers.

The study will not include the specifics regarding the main dining and bar
component such as specific companies or partner restaurants.

6
 3. DEFINITION OF TERMS
a. Craft beer
Beer from small, independent breweries which have limited
production and employ traditional and experimental brewing
techniques
b. Artisanal
Of a product (food or drink) made in a non-traditional way or manner
c. Urban Agriculture
Also known as urban farming; the practice of cultivating, processing,
and distributing food in or around a village, town or city
d. Hops
Flower seed/cones of the plant Humulus lupulus used in the beer
production process as a flavoring and bittering as well as a stability
agent
e. Malt
Seeds of the plant that have been germinated, and the germination
process stops at its initial stage. It is usually barley malt that is used in
brewing beer
f. Microbrewery
Refers to the facility that produces beer. For the study, this will refer to
the beer production facility

4. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT STUDY

a. To determine how proper growth of malt and hops can be administered
in an urban environment
b. To determine which brewing techniques are currently used by local
brewers
c. To describe in further detail the steps of the discovered brewing
techniques

7
 d. To know what equipment are used in brewing; how big these
equipment are and what kinds of utility requirements they need
e. To find how much beer is needed to be produced in a day to sustain
the development
f. To discover how regular diners and drinkers are attracted to pubs and
drinking places
g. To see how mainstream beer is distributed in the country and see
which methods can be applied to craft beers

5. IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

The Craft Beer Microbrewery is a multifunctional facility catering to the
needs of budding beer brewing enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. It will tackle the
combination of agriculture and industrial spaces into one facility. Commercial
spaces are also included in the mix in order to achieve the goal of showing off
the brewing process to the consumers.

The study will look into several urban agriculture methods that can be
applicable in the Philippines. Several beer brewing processes will also be
looked into to be able to determine the actual needed spaces. The following
are the objectives of the study:

a. To be able to make locals appreciate the brewing process of beer

b. To demonstrate sustainability features and ideas that may also be
implemented in other industrial or similar buildings
c. In the agriculture part, the project aims to bring farming techniques in
an urban setting. It also brings to the table a more holistic brewing
process that involves the procurement of the natural ingredients used
in brewing

8
 d. The commercial spaces will provide a space for congregation and
leisure, while aiding the goal of celebrating the beer brewing process
e. To provide a local brew shop where the needs of other local brewers
will be easily accessible
f. To let Filipinos know that they can enjoy more than one flavor of beer

II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Alcohol and Media: The Situation in the Philippines, Joyce Valbuena, 2006

The article presents the different effects and aspects of alcohol, both beer and
hard drinks here in the Philippines. Several sections are mentioned, each tackling
an aspect of alcohol, its effects, how it is consumed here in the country. One
section discusses alcohol as a business. The section shows data on how much
alcohol was made during a certain year. Another section discusses how much
Filipinos consume alcohol, including data on the average Filipino’s yearly alcohol
intake and how much he spends on it for a year, on average. Another section
discusses how alcohol is marketed in the country.

The article offers some solid data regarding alcohol and beer. This gives a
greater look at just how much beer is a part of our food and social gathering
culture. The article helps the study by giving ideas on how the main topic affects
the targets and secondary users.

The Filipino as the Quintessential Drinker, Maritona Labajo, 2010

The study focuses on examining the Filipino drinking patterns, including

its history, key cultural aspects in the Filipino society and indicators of alcohol
related impact, both positive and negative. The study presents a drinking profile
9
 for the country which shows data on how many Filipinos are occasional, regular
and hard drinkers, percentage of which alcohol Filipinos drink most, reasons
behind drinking. The study also analyzes the marketing side of alcohol and how it
has become a part of culture and tradition, shown in events made specifically for
alcohol. Lastly, the study analyzes the benefits and drawbacks of having such
tradition in the country.

With this study, it is easier to see how the Filipinos are really inclined to
drinking, be it with a big reason or just a simple social gathering. The study shall
be able to aid in the design process as it gives helpful insights on the beer drinking
culture of the Filipinos.

B.THEORIES BEARING ON THE PROBLEM

a. Place-Identity Theory

This states that an individual incorporates itself with certain places far beyond the
mere physical aspects. Place Identity theory says that an individual can identify itself
with a place in a sense that it induces the remembrance of memories, actions,
interpretations and beliefs that they embody. This signifies that a place can define a
person’s long standing personality or can symbolize a certain culture of a group of
people. A place can be a collection of remnants of unifying tradition, culture, action, and
perception that bind a group of people as a whole

b. Integral Design

When dealing with integral design, it may be a very general term but this
theory is one of the best fit theories for the goal of the study. Its goal is known
specifically as having the need to integrate and to make coherent the abundant strategies
and practices present in the world today. As for this study, the factors that will be focused
on and integrate are the different steps on beer production in its entirety. Industrial,
commercial and agricultural typologies are to be integrated into one cohesive structure in
this study.

10
 c. Network Economy

Network economy is a theory in economics that stems from a key attribute which
wherein products and services are created and value is added through social networks
operating on larger or global scales. The theory can be applied to microbreweries as
local brewers can work as a network that as a collective entity can match the
mainstream beer offerings.

11
Notes page:

*30 kilos of malt=300 bottles

*Introduce an institutional area where people can be taught how to brew beer; promotes and
encourages others to start a new brewery

*brew kits and online beer making courses

12