Two women have opened the Palaweño Brewery in the country’s remote Palawan archipelago – and are having the time of their lives in the process

You won’t struggle to find a cold beer in the Philippines, as long you don’t mind drinking the ubiquitous San Miguel. So the idea of a craft brewery in Palawan, the country’s ultra-tropical “last frontier” – and run by two women to boot – is big news in these parts.

Ayah Javier and Malu Lauengco are the founders of the first craft brewery in Palawan and proudly claim to be the first female craft brewers in the Philippines. After six years living in San Diego, Ayah brought home a love of craft beer (and a homebrewing kit). The microbrewery, in Palawan’s capital, Puerto Princesa, produces five core brews, including a nut-brown ale laced with wild honey and Ayahay IPA, which “wants to make you hoppy”. It has also experimented with seasonal brews such as Mango De Palawan and Buko Loco Coconut Cream Ale.

Ayahay (local slang for chill or relax) is sold in nearby bars, but also now at tastings in the intimate brewery tap, with members of the team on hand to talk through the brews chalked up on the board. Part-way through our tasting, Ayah appears. She’s been labelling the bottles downstairs – the brewery makes labels by hand for the 300 cases it produces each month. She offers us a taste of Buko Loco. It’s refreshing and light, perfect for hot and humid Palawan.

The brewery is keen to use the island’s plentiful coconuts to create an affordable craft beer. Their goal, says Malu, is to offer quality, affordable beer to the local market: “Our mission is to make the best beers in the Philippines, and have the time of our life doing it.”

• The brewery is open 1pm-9pm, Mon- Sat, tours offered every day except Wednesday, palawenobrewery.com



