Craft Beer in Ho Chi Minh City — A Local's Guide (2026)

Why Ho Chi Minh City?

Craft beer took hold in Vietnam faster than almost anywhere else in Southeast Asia. The combination of a young, cosmopolitan population in Ho Chi Minh City, a strong food and hospitality culture, and a growing middle class with disposable income and a taste for premium products created the perfect conditions for craft beer to thrive.

By 2026, Ho Chi Minh City has a genuinely competitive craft beer scene — with local breweries producing IPAs, stouts, wheat beers, and increasingly creative specialty releases that stand up against anything being brewed in Asia.

The Rise of Vietnamese Craft Beer

The craft beer movement in Vietnam really accelerated around 2018–2020. Before that, the market was dominated by the big three: Tiger, Heineken, and Bia Saigon. These macro lagers remain dominant by volume, but they've been steadily losing ground among younger, urban consumers who want more from their beer.

The shift is visible in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 — the epicentre of the HCMC craft scene. Street-level taprooms have replaced some of the old bia hơi spots. International visitors arrive with expectations shaped by beer scenes in Tokyo, Bangkok, and Singapore. And local consumers are increasingly interested in the story behind what they're drinking.

What Makes Saigon Craft Beer Different

The best craft beer coming out of Ho Chi Minh City reflects where it's being made. Brewers here are incorporating local ingredients — Vietnamese herbs, broken rice (cơm tấm), local citrus, and teas — into styles that originated elsewhere. The result is something genuinely new: craft beer with a Vietnamese accent.

MixTape's own Olé! Mexican Lager is a good example — a crisp Mexican-style lager brewed with cơm tấm for a subtle sweetness that makes it unmistakably Saigon. The Peaches & Cream NW IPA was designed for the heat — full hop character that stands up to spicy food, clean enough to drink all night.

Craft Beer in District 1 — The Best Spots

District 1 is the heart of the craft beer scene in HCMC. A short walk covers most of the key spots. Here's where we'd point you:

MixTape Taproom — 40 Đặng Thị Nhu

Our taproom. Five craft beers and three ParTea hard teas on tap — all brewed by us. The room feels like a record shop crossed with a brewery: pink neon, good music, cold pours, and a kitchen doing food that actually goes with the beer. Happy hour daily 12–6PM. Get directions →

The Neighbourhood

40 Đặng Thị Nhu sits five minutes' walk from Ben Thanh Market, putting it in the middle of a dense cluster of bars, restaurants, and street food. A perfect base for a craft beer evening that flows into the wider D1 experience.

The Best Craft Beers to Try in HCMC

If you're new to the local craft scene, here's what we'd recommend starting with:

• Peaches & Cream NW IPA — Our Chairman's Award winner. The definitive MixTape beer. Start here.
• California Sun Wheat Beer — For the heat. Light, juicy, endlessly refreshing.
• Ái — Hazy Love — The hazy IPA for serious hop lovers. 7.7% ABV, tropical juice bomb.
• Molly Milk Stout — The dark horse. Creamy, smooth, and nothing like Guinness.
• Olé! Mexican Lager — The Saigon beer. Brewed with cơm tấm. Cold and crisp.
• ParTea Green — For non-beer drinkers. Real brewed lemon green tea at 4.2% ABV.

Craft Beer and Food Pairing in Saigon

One of the most exciting things about craft beer in Ho Chi Minh City is how well it pairs with Vietnamese food. The spice, umami, and acidity of Vietnamese cuisine are natural partners for hop-forward beers. Some of our favourite pairings:

• Bún bò Huế + Peaches & Cream IPA — the bitter hop presence cuts through the lemongrass spice beautifully.
• Cơm tấm + Olé! Lager — the broken rice connection is no coincidence.
• Bánh xèo + California Sun Wheat — light beer, crispy pancake. Easy.
• Phở + ParTea Green — the clean tea flavour matches the clarity of a good broth.

Ordering Craft Beer Online in HCMC

Can't make it to a taproom? MixTape offers same-day cold delivery across District 1, District 3, Bình Thạnh, and surrounding areas for orders placed before 2PM. This is Vietnam's only cold-chain craft beer delivery service — the beer arrives as cold as it left the brewery. Order online →

Craft Beer for Wholesale — B2B in HCMC

Running a bar, restaurant, hotel, or event venue? MixTape's B2B wholesale programme includes cold-chain delivery, staff training (the MixTape Master certification), and marketing support. MOQ 24 cans, mixed cases welcome. Enquire about wholesale →