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New deal to revive the Capital Hill brewery
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Posted on Jun 20 2008
A Korean corporation is giving new life to Saipan’s only microbrewery with a lease that will jumpstart a plan to market several local brands of beer on the island and overseas.
The Sin Ho Corporation in April finalized a five-year lease of the Brewhouse—a now idle microbrewery on Capital Hill that shut its doors several years ago amid financial trouble—with plans to revive the operation, according to brewery manager Heinz Staffler.
“I’m from Europe, and in Europe we know beer,” said Staffler, an Austrian. “And what we’re going to brew here is real beer.”
The corporation’s lease of the Brewhouse comes as wheat beers have emerged as a trendy drink of choice at bars in Korea. To capitalize on this, the brewery already has a major standing order to export wheat beer there in kegs.
“As of right now, we’re almost ready to brew,” Staffler said, adding he is hoping to begin production later this year, perhaps as early as September.
Before the brewing begins, however, the Brewhouse is seeing a minor facelift to get the building ready. Malted barley is also being bought and shipped to Saipan, a task complicated by a worldwide shortage, and an experienced brewmeister from Munich, Tobias Hess, is en route to the island.
Equally important is what to name the beer. Staffler said the brewery plans to hold a naming contest in the coming months with the help of the popular Garapan nightspot Godfather’s.
“Locals should be proud that there will be a local beer, and we’re trying to give it a local name,” Staffler said.
In addition to brewing wheat beer, the Brewhouse is poised to produce at least four other brands for marketing on Saipan and Guam. One is a lager, to be accompanied by a light version. The brewery also plans two European-style beers and some seasonal beers such as stout.
