Latest news with #MartinBem
Forbes
15 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Visit The World's Highest Microbrewery In A Building
LeVeL33 has incredible views over Marina Bay in Singapore. Singapore's LeVeL33 has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the highest microbrewery in a building. Located on the 33rd floor of Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1, the brewery was recognized on December 10, 2024, with its official certificate being delivered in March 2025, although the process began months before. 'It is a tedious process,' said Martin Bem, founder and managing director of LeVeL33 on a video call. That process began in August 2024 and involved expert witnesses and supplying plans for the original building construction, which was completed in 2010, from the building authority in Singapore. 'It is a nice achievement to give ourselves a little bit of birthday present with this achievement,' said Bem. LeVeL33 is an original tenant of the building and has been operating for 15 years. The brewery has been at this height all along, but Bem thought the official Guinness recognition would be a fun acknowledgement to celebrate the brewery's anniversary. LeVeL33 has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records Bem has had a long career in hospitaility. 'I started in Bavaria. I was already in the beer industry,' said Bem. Bem works with Germany's Paulaner Brauerei in Singapore and had a prior, successful Bavarian-inspired concept restaurant in Singapore. 'So I always wanted to do a microbrewery,' said Bem. 'I really wanted to have our own homemade, home brewed beer, unfiltered, and unpasteurized because obviously it's a completely different product. And I think quality-wise, it's different from the commercial beers. But I also love my wines and I love my food.' 'So I thought, it's a new concept to have homemade beer, but really good, food and a nice wine list,' said Bem. 'I was looking for a very particular location. I was scouting the market with a real estate broker from Singapore and then when I saw the model of Marina Bay Financial Centre, I immediately looked at the penthouse and asked the landlord what they were planning to do there. And it was still up for grabs.' Given the iconic location and the commercial possibilities for the space, the landlord held a tender process. Bem and his team were the everything winning bidder. LeVeL33 has occupied the space since Day One. 'I signed the lease before I knew how we could bring the brew house up,' says Bem. 'I knew that the service lifts were too small. We explored helicopter, but the Marina Bay is a no-fly zone. That was out of the question.' Ground-based cranes would not reach high enough—LeVeL33 is 149.321 meters high (489 feet, 10 inches). At the end of the day, a portion of the building's façade had to be removed so that a modular crane could be installed on the 33rd floor to hoist all of the brewery equipment up. That brewing equipment consists of a 1,000-liter (over 8-barrels) brewery with 2,000-liter fermenters (over 16-barrels). Special stainless-steel beams needed to be installed, along with a stainless steel plate that distributes the weight of the brewery and liquid over a greater area. Given the height of the brewery, a high-pressure water tank was also installed; the building's regular plumbing would not suffice. LeVeL33's brewery is no mere showpiece. All beer served is brewed on site. Even packaging occurs on site. Those beers are five regular offerings ranging from blonde ale to stout, available on draught and in cans for takeaway. The brewery also makes seasonal beers and, in line with the elevated dining experience expected from a restaurant in the heart of Singapore's financial district, offers Brut Beer a beer brewed with the same yeast as the Champagne Barons de Rothschild and with second fermentation in a bottle, like champagne. As for Bem's affinity for wine, 'We have only wines with less than 5,000 cases of production.' That wine list from small producers is 12 pages long, while an extensive list of other beverages and cocktails, not including the beer, adds six more pages to the menu. As would be expected from a restaurant of this caliber, the food is high end, with many including beer ingredients or beer itself. Where possible, the brewery and restaurant uses organic ingredients. Singapore is a well-known destination for food and restaurants. But LeVeL33 takes dining to new heights.
CNN
13-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
It's official: This is the world's highest urban microbrewery
Having a cold beer on a hot day is one of life's great pleasures. But having a cold beer on a hot day while looking over the scenery in one of the world's most photogenic cities? Even better. That was the concept behind LeVel33, a Singaporean spot that was recently named the World's Highest Microbrewery in a Building by Guinness World Records. The brand announced the news on its Instagram and Facebook pages on March 12. 'Growing up, my friends and I would read the Guinness Book of World Records with interest and awe,' Martin Bem, the brewery's founder, told CNN. 'It is an amazing feeling and great validation to have a project included in such an iconic book, and to celebrate the win with more than 100 friends and colleagues. In a way, this is a gift to our whole team for our 15th anniversary.' 'We see this as an important achievement for LeVeL33 as well as an opportunity to showcase the Singapore story of odds-defying innovation,' Bem said in a statement. One of those 'odds-defying innovations' was finding a location with enough room to brew beer in busy, densely-packed Singapore. Located 33 floors up — hence the name — in Singapore's Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower, LeVel33 opened in 2010. The brewing equipment was specially ordered from Europe, but most of the machines were too big to fit into the building's elevator. Eventually, the equipment — 12 tanks, two copper brewhouse kettles and a cooling machine — had to be brought up to the top floor by crane. Bem's unorthodox plan worked. Now, being 33 floors up means patrons can enjoy views of famous buildings in the Singapore skyline like the Marina Bay Sands hotel (and its iconic rooftop swimming pool), the silver lotus-esque ArtScience Museum and the Singapore Flyer Ferris wheel. The bar can get packed around sunset time as happy hour revelers crowd in for drinks and photo ops. LeVel33's beer menu has the usual list of styles, like an IPA and a stout, but one more distinctive brew is Brut Beer, made in partnership with Champagne company Barons de Rothschild. It's only available on-site. From now on, the brand's mainstay Blond Lager will carry a label with the Guinness World Records logo on it. Like what you've just read? Here is more of our recent travel news. Pakistan's shiny new $240 million Balochistan airport has got everything an aviation hub needs — other than passengers or planes. The 400,000 passenger-capacity airport isn't a big need for Gwadar, a coastal city with a population of 90,000 that lacks clean water and isn't connected to the national grid. Here's how this situation came about. The Gwadar airport is financed by China and that's not the only big airport in which the Asian superpower is investing. It's building the world's largest artificial island airport off the country's northeastern coast. Here's what you need to know about Dalian Jinzhou Bay International. Finally, Europe's biggest airport is set to get even bigger, as the UK has green-lit the building of a third runway at London Heathrow, a beleaguered project that was first announced more than 20 years ago. Eurostar trains between France and England were halted Friday after a 'really huge' unexploded World War II bomb was found outside Paris. The device weighs in at a whopping 500 kilograms (1,100 lbs), of which 200 kilograms (440 lbs) are explosives. A couple was arrested at Miami International earlier this month on suspicion of trying to force their way onto an American Airlines flight, pushing people in the process. The flight was headed for Cancún, Mexico. Following the string of recent aviation incidents that has been alarming travelers, a Delta Air Lines captain recently walked out of the cockpit to reassure passengers. The video moment has gone viral. Other pilots have shared their reactions with CNN on the drop in public confidence following these incidents. 'Fate is screaming at us to do something,' a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association told CNN. After 19 years of service at Six Flags Adventure Park in New Jersey, Kingda Ka, once the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster, went on its final kinetic adventure. The attraction was imploded to make space for new rides coming in 2026. If you love theme parks but hate what high velocity does to your hair, then you'll want to take a look at this guide to the 21 best hair tools for travel. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, got the lowdown from experts. What it's like to travel as a woman in Saudi Arabia. Obstacles to accessing the conservative country have eased over recent years. 'Australia's Bigfoot' watched over the small town of Kilcoy for decades. Then one day, it disappeared. She traveled to Italy to save her marriage. Here's how she ended up falling for her Italian tour guide.
CNN
13-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
It's official: This is the world's highest urban microbrewery
Having a cold beer on a hot day is one of life's great pleasures. But having a cold beer on a hot day while looking over the scenery in one of the world's most photogenic cities? Even better. That was the concept behind LeVel33, a Singaporean spot that was recently named the World's Highest Microbrewery in a Building by Guinness World Records. The brand announced the news on its Instagram and Facebook pages on March 12. 'Growing up, my friends and I would read the Guinness Book of World Records with interest and awe,' Martin Bem, the brewery's founder, told CNN. 'It is an amazing feeling and great validation to have a project included in such an iconic book, and to celebrate the win with more than 100 friends and colleagues. In a way, this is a gift to our whole team for our 15th anniversary.' 'We see this as an important achievement for LeVeL33 as well as an opportunity to showcase the Singapore story of odds-defying innovation,' Bem said in a statement. One of those 'odds-defying innovations' was finding a location with enough room to brew beer in busy, densely-packed Singapore. Located 33 floors up — hence the name — in Singapore's Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower, LeVel33 opened in 2010. The brewing equipment was specially ordered from Europe, but most of the machines were too big to fit into the building's elevator. Eventually, the equipment — 12 tanks, two copper brewhouse kettles and a cooling machine — had to be brought up to the top floor by crane. Bem's unorthodox plan worked. Now, being 33 floors up means patrons can enjoy views of famous buildings in the Singapore skyline like the Marina Bay Sands hotel (and its iconic rooftop swimming pool), the silver lotus-esque ArtScience Museum and the Singapore Flyer Ferris wheel. The bar can get packed around sunset time as happy hour revelers crowd in for drinks and photo ops. LeVel33's beer menu has the usual list of styles, like an IPA and a stout, but one more distinctive brew is Brut Beer, made in partnership with Champagne company Barons de Rothschild. It's only available on-site. From now on, the brand's mainstay Blond Lager will carry a label with the Guinness World Records logo on it. Like what you've just read? Here is more of our recent travel news. Pakistan's shiny new $240 million Balochistan airport has got everything an aviation hub needs — other than passengers or planes. The 400,000 passenger-capacity airport isn't a big need for Gwadar, a coastal city with a population of 90,000 that lacks clean water and isn't connected to the national grid. Here's how this situation came about. The Gwadar airport is financed by China and that's not the only big airport in which the Asian superpower is investing. It's building the world's largest artificial island airport off the country's northeastern coast. Here's what you need to know about Dalian Jinzhou Bay International. Finally, Europe's biggest airport is set to get even bigger, as the UK has green-lit the building of a third runway at London Heathrow, a beleaguered project that was first announced more than 20 years ago. Eurostar trains between France and England were halted Friday after a 'really huge' unexploded World War II bomb was found outside Paris. The device weighs in at a whopping 500 kilograms (1,100 lbs), of which 200 kilograms (440 lbs) are explosives. A couple was arrested at Miami International earlier this month on suspicion of trying to force their way onto an American Airlines flight, pushing people in the process. The flight was headed for Cancún, Mexico. Following the string of recent aviation incidents that has been alarming travelers, a Delta Air Lines captain recently walked out of the cockpit to reassure passengers. The video moment has gone viral. Other pilots have shared their reactions with CNN on the drop in public confidence following these incidents. 'Fate is screaming at us to do something,' a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association told CNN. After 19 years of service at Six Flags Adventure Park in New Jersey, Kingda Ka, once the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster, went on its final kinetic adventure. The attraction was imploded to make space for new rides coming in 2026. If you love theme parks but hate what high velocity does to your hair, then you'll want to take a look at this guide to the 21 best hair tools for travel. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, got the lowdown from experts. What it's like to travel as a woman in Saudi Arabia. Obstacles to accessing the conservative country have eased over recent years. 'Australia's Bigfoot' watched over the small town of Kilcoy for decades. Then one day, it disappeared. She traveled to Italy to save her marriage. Here's how she ended up falling for her Italian tour guide.
CNN
13-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
It's official: This is the world's highest urban microbrewery
Having a cold beer on a hot day is one of life's great pleasures. But having a cold beer on a hot day while looking over the scenery in one of the world's most photogenic cities? Even better. That was the concept behind LeVel33, a Singaporean spot that was recently named the World's Highest Microbrewery in a Building by Guinness World Records. The brand announced the news on its Instagram and Facebook pages on March 12. 'We see this as an important achievement for LeVeL33 as well as an opportunity to showcase the Singapore story of odds-defying innovation,' founder Martin Bem said in a statement. One of those 'odds-defying innovations' was finding a location with enough room to brew beer in busy, densely-packed Singapore. Located 33 floors up — hence the name — in Singapore's Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower, LeVel33 opened in 2010. The brewing equipment was specially ordered from Europe, but most of the machines were too big to fit into the building's elevator. Eventually, the equipment — 12 tanks, two copper brewhouse kettles and a cooling machine — had to be brought up to the top floor by crane. Bem's unorthodox plan worked. Now, being 33 floors up means patrons can enjoy views of famous buildings in the Singapore skyline like the Marina Bay Sands hotel (and its iconic rooftop swimming pool), the silver lotus-esque ArtScience Museum and the Singapore Flyer Ferris wheel. The bar can get packed around sunset time as happy hour revelers crowd in for drinks and photo ops. LeVel33's beer menu has the usual list of styles, like an IPA and a stout, but one more distinctive brew is Brut Beer, made in partnership with Champagne company Barons de Rothschild. It's only available on-site. From now on, the brand's mainstay Blond Lager will carry a label with the Guinness World Records logo on it. Like what you've just read? Here is more of our recent travel news. Pakistan's shiny new $240 million Balochistan airport has got everything an aviation hub needs — other than passengers or planes. The 400,000 passenger-capacity airport isn't a big need for Gwadar, a coastal city with a population of 90,000 that lacks clean water and isn't connected to the national grid. Here's how this situation came about. The Gwadar airport is financed by China and that's not the only big airport in which the Asian superpower is investing. It's building the world's largest artificial island airport off the country's northeastern coast. Here's what you need to know about Dalian Jinzhou Bay International. Finally, Europe's biggest airport is set to get even bigger, as the UK has green-lit the building of a third runway at London Heathrow, a beleaguered project that was first announced more than 20 years ago. Eurostar trains between France and England were halted Friday after a 'really huge' unexploded World War II bomb was found outside Paris. The device weighs in at a whopping 500 kilograms (1,100 lbs), of which 200 kilograms (440 lbs) are explosives. A couple was arrested at Miami International earlier this month on suspicion of trying to force their way onto an American Airlines flight, pushing people in the process. The flight was headed for Cancún, Mexico. Following the string of recent aviation incidents that has been alarming travelers, a Delta Air Lines captain recently walked out of the cockpit to reassure passengers. The video moment has gone viral. Other pilots have shared their reactions with CNN on the drop in public confidence following these incidents. 'Fate is screaming at us to do something,' a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association told CNN. After 19 years of service at Six Flags Adventure Park in New Jersey, Kingda Ka, once the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster, went on its final kinetic adventure. The attraction was imploded to make space for new rides coming in 2026. If you love theme parks but hate what high velocity does to your hair, then you'll want to take a look at this guide to the 21 best hair tools for travel. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, got the lowdown from experts. What it's like to travel as a woman in Saudi Arabia. Obstacles to accessing the conservative country have eased over recent years. 'Australia's Bigfoot' watched over the small town of Kilcoy for decades. Then one day, it disappeared. She traveled to Italy to save her marriage. Here's how she ended up falling for her Italian tour guide.
