NEW YORK, Feb 3 — With the craft beer scene here heating up, a dedicated festival will be launched next month to introduce more people to the various flavours of beer.

Called Craft Singapore, the festival “is all about trying something new, getting everybody at the same place and the same time to ask them to try out these different flavours and experience new things”, said the festival’s director Charles Guerrier. “We want to show people that craft beers aren’t niche products, craft beers are for everybody.”

There are a lot of more textures and different flavours in a craft beer compared to beers from main brands, said Guerrier, who also organised the Singapore Craft Beer Week. “It’s difficult for bigger beer brands to move into (different flavours), people are used to their taste, whereas the smaller breweries can play around more.”

He noted: “Over the past few years, I’ve seen that Singapore is falling in love with craft beer. There are more flavours coming out in the market and the market is growing, with more distributors.”

Pointing to a changing market, Guerrier, who started BeerCellar in 2002 and Singapore’s first Belgian-themed bar Oosters Belgian Brasserie in 2003, said: “People are looking for new experiences, particularly the younger generation.” He attributing this growing trend to Singaporeans becoming more well-travelled and tasting craft beers on their travels.

Jan Dietrich, head of sales at The Drinkery, said there is growing awareness of craft beer in Singapore, and people here are “searching actively” for it. “There is so much more out there than the normal beer you’re used to drinking...and craft beer has so much variety that you can definitely find a beer you like,” he said.

So far, six microbreweries have confirmed that they are onboard, including Little Island Brewing Co., Archipelago Brewery and Paulaner Brauhaus.

Distributors that will be showcasing some of their offerings include TSA Wines (which carries Brewdog and Thatchers Cider), Eastern Craft Trading (which carries beers from Fourpure and St Austell) and The Drinkery (which carries beers from Lost Coast and Modern Times).

Festival goers can also chow down on artisanal bites from relatively new eateries, such as handmade dim sum from Li Bai Express, sandwiches from Park Bench Deli, grilled meats from The Butchers Club, tacos and honey tequila hot wings from Vatos Urban Tacos and cheeseburger spring rolls and IPA onion rings from the Armoury.

Also on the cards: Beer pong tables, performances by musicians and DJs, workshops on speciality cocktails and ciders, as well as beer-tasting.

Archipelago Brewery’s head brewer Robert Beck said their highlight at the festival would be their new Singapore Blonde Ale, which has pandan flavours infused into it. “It’s something we’ve worked on because we find that some of the beers here due to the heat aren’t quite sessionable (drinkable at large quantities), so we wanted to brew a beer that you can quaff loads of,” he quipped.

Craft Singapore will be held at Marina Bay from March 4 to 6 over five sessions. Tickets cost S$95 (RM281) per person per session, (which includes S$50 worth of food and beverage vouchers and access to workshops), and S$125 for two consecutive sessions or one day. Family tickets are S$100 (for two parents and at least one child below 18), and allow families to come in on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. — TODAY