Latest news with #microbrewery
Forbes
3 days 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.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
UK's first and only Guinness attraction is finally opening this year
After years of eager anticipation, Guinness fans in the UK can finally toast to the opening of a new attraction in London later this year. A brand-new Guinness microbrewery is set to open its doors in Covent Garden before Christmas. The £73 million venue spans 50,000 sq ft across five buildings, and will feature various food and drink outlets, a glass rooftop with panoramic views, events spaces and a merchandise shop. The brewery will serve up 14 different limited-edition brews, including no and low alcohol options, offering a unique tasting experience for fans of the black stuff. While actual Guinness won't be brewed on-site, the iconic Irish stout will be readily available for drinking. Visitors can also participate in tours to learn about the history of Guinness and its brewing process. Beyond the brewery, the venue will feature a selection of food and drink outlets, including a food truck, a brasserie and grill, and a seafood restaurant on the rooftop. The restaurant offers a stunning 360-degree panoramic view of London, as well as a dining experience that complements the brewery offerings. Originally announced back in 2022, the long-awaited attraction vows to bring a taste of Dublin to the heart of London, much to the delight of fans and tourists alike. The brewery is located in Old Brewer's Yard, a historic site where beer was first produced over 300 years ago. Guinness hopes that the free-to-enter attraction, which will open from 9.30am to 11.30am each day, will draw half a million visitors in its first year. The venue will be the fourth site for the Guinness brand, which operates other locations in Dublin, Baltimore and Chicago. According to The Standard, the venue will also be a hub for Diageo's Learning for Life Bartending and Hospitality program. The project is expected to create up to 150 jobs and train up to 100 bartenders each year. Demand for the stout has surged recent years, so much so that pubs in the UK issued customers with ration cards for Guinness due to a nationwide shortage back in December. Drinkers visiting The Old Ivy House in Clerkenwell, central London, were required to purchase two other drinks before they are entitled to a pint of the black stuff. The special cards were signed and stamped by staff to prove punters were entitled to purchase 'one ration of Guinness.' Co-owner Del Currie at the time said the hostelry usually got through around eight barrels per week but received just three kegs this week. He told The Morning Advertiser: 'Instead of freaking out and saying, "There's going to be no Guinness for Christmas", we thought we'd have a bit of fun with it. We started doing it last night and it ended up being quite fun - people really enjoyed it.' Mr Currie said the watering hole would continue with the ration cards 'while stocks last'.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
UK's only Guinness attraction to open in time for Christmas party season
LONDON'S Guinness microbrewery is a step closer to opening, as a launch date is announced. The new Guinness venue will be located in Covent Garden, next to the iconic Stanford's bookshop. 3 3 The venue is now expected to open in the run up to Christmas this year. The brewery was originally announced back in 2022 - however, since then it Guinness has spiked in demand, with some pubs in the capital having to hand out ration cards for the drink. Officially called The Open Gate Brewery, the build for the venue has cost £73million. It is located on a historic site that first produced beer over 300 years ago. In total, the venue spans 50,000-square-foot, across five buildings and will feature events spaces, a rooftop with panoramic views, a merch shop and a microbrewery serving up 14 limited edition brews. There will also be no and low alcohol options. Guinness itself however, will not be brewed on site as all the Guinness produced for Europe is brewed in Dublin. The venue will also boast three different food spots including a food truck, brasserie and grill and a seafood restaurant on the rooftop. Guinness hopes that the free-to-enter destination will attract half a million visitors in its first year. The destination will be open from 9:30am to 11:30pm each day, with paid tours available in the early evenings. Why Guinness tastes better in Ireland This will be the fourth site for the drink brand, with other locations in Dublin, Baltimore and Chicago. According to The Standard, the venue will also become the southern UK hub of Diageo's Learning for Life Bartending and Hospitality programme. The programme aims for over 100 London based students to graduate from the 'Guinness at Old Brewer's Yard' programme annually. Brewing originally took place at the site from 1722 to 1905. Beers originally produced at the brewery included the aged brown beers, which became knowns as 'Stout Porter' before the name was eventually shortened to 'stout'. Last year, another popular drink brand - Heineken - announced it would reopen 62 popular British pubs with £39million investment injection. Plus, the UK's highest pub with insane countryside views set to open new beer garden. 3
