Text by SpotTown compiled report Photo by SpotTown Liao Weiren
By the end of 2019, Taiwan’s food and beverage scene had changed dramatically from just a few years prior. Since Taiwan allowed private brewing in 2002, in less than two decades dozens of local breweries and brands have emerged. Craft beer has become a lifestyle consumer product, and this brewery hidden in the Wugu Industrial Park not only brews beer but also houses an ultra-chill, stylish bar.
A stylish bar hidden in a factory.
About a 20-minute drive from downtown, turn into Lane 116 along the Wugu levee, and you might feel like you’ve arrived in Brooklyn. A recent hot topic among Wugu residents is the arrival of a new brewery nearby, featuring a brightly graffiti-painted iron gate and always parked out front are two cool-looking beer trucks.
A relaxing atmosphere as soon as you walk in.
The striking blue-and-red “Yugui Beer” sign, paired with the grinning “UGLY” neon lights, makes this unique presence hard to miss in the industrial area. Stepping inside, the spacious area with quality furnishings and background music, along with the faint scent of malt beer in the air, creates a perfect vibe.
The playful and cute name of Yugui Beer leaves a deep impression.
The two characters of “Yugui” together mean “ugly,” and the pronunciation is similar to “drunkard.” The name alone conveys the brand’s lively, bold, and distinctive personality.
Two founders full of vision and drive.
The two founders, Max Gilbert and Harn Sun, come from New Zealand and the United States—two countries where craft beer culture thrives. They met in Asia through their shared passion for food and drink. Committed to introducing the craft beer trends and new dining styles from both regions to Asia, they decided in 2017 to start building a team and establish their own craft beer brand in Taiwan.
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