There are far more spirits in the world than the Western classics we’re used to—and Malaysia has a few of its own, too. Beyond gin, whisky, rum, and vodka, some bars pour mezcal, baijiu, or even Swedish aquavit. But Southeast Asia has its own rich spirits culture that’s often overlooked. In Malaysia, several local spirits reflect the country’s history and agricultural roots. Rice, a staple crop, is the primary base for many of these drinks. Some are made commercially, while o

A no-nonsense industry vanguard, Niks champions fair employment standards — and has zero tolerance for dirty bar toilets. Niks is one of Bangkok’s true originals — the driving force behind transforming Chinatown’s Soi Nana into one of the city’s most vibrant cocktail-hopping districts. Long before it became fashionable, he was shaping the area’s identity bar by bar, helping redefine how Bangkok drinks. His influence reached a global audience after being featured on Netflix’s

Tett from Bao Bae in Penang makes his own stamp on a modern classic with Yuzu Business — a fresh, Japanese-inspired twist on the modern classic, The Business. By adding yuzu sake into the mix, the cocktail takes on a brighter, more aromatic profile, balancing crisp acidity with gentle citrus notes. Ingredients 45ml Gin 22ml Honey 22ml Lime juice 15ml Yuzu sake Method Mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake for 15 seconds, then strain and serve in a chilled glass.

For decades, the global cocktail canon has been framed around sweetness: sugar syrups, fruit juices, dessert-like pleasures dressed up with citrus and foam. Yet across Asia, the drinks that quietly make the most sense are not sweet at all. They are salty, briny, spiced, fermented, sometimes even broth-like. From pickles and preserved vegetables to soups, sauces, and seasoned beers, the palate logic is already there. These drinks don’t ask the drinker to “learn” alcohol throug

The festive season has a way of stretching drinking habits. Office parties blur into family gatherings, and “just for the holidays” quietly becomes daily alcohol intake. While most people worry about hangovers or weight gain, the liver is dealing with something more immediate: fat build-up caused by alcohol. Alcohol-related fatty liver disease is often silent. There’s no pain, no obvious warning signs — just fat accumulating in liver cells as alcohol metabolism blocks fat bur

Maria may look serious behind the bar, but don’t be fooled — when martinis are involved, Maria can quite literally drink anyone under the table. She is the bar manager of Penrose, and while she may be relatively new to the bar world, her rise has been nothing short of remarkable. Formerly a professional dancer — and a Miss Universe Malaysia 2018 finalist — she brought discipline, stage presence, and grace into bartending, where she underwent rigorous training under Jon Lee wh

"Forgotten Cocktails" – those were the words that grabbed my attention while I was looking through some new books to add to my reading list. The hardcover book was interesting. Unlike most cocktail books, where the cover is plain or features some cocktails, this one has a background similar to leather-bound books of the 1920s, framing a picture of a bar scene of the same era: a few top hat-wearing gentlemen standing over a bar counter tended by (what I assume to be) the barte

With an interesting tattoo history and an even wilder love for his dog Lola, Pae has racked up more than a decade behind the bar — all while somehow looking like he’s barely old enough to drink. Pae is the face of Funkytown, bringing his signature energy and talent to Bangkok’s cocktail scene. His journey has taken him from Shanghai to Tokyo and now back home, but bartending wasn’t always the plan — he once set his sights on becoming a chef and even studied in Melbourne for i

With her bubbly personality and a twelve-seater bar built for intimate chats, snagging a seat at June’s counter is hands-down the best way to spend your night. June hails from South Korea but has made Singapore her home, where she co-founded Hup San Social Club and quickly became a warm, familiar face behind the bar. For her, bartending is more than a craft — it’s the rare chance to connect with guests in a truly intimate, personal way. That love for genuine interaction shine

The Latin word fervere , meaning "to boil or seethe," is the root of the English word "fermentation." Since the bubbling and foaming of early fermenting beverages resembled boiling, it was given this name. However, fermentation doesn't need heat like boiling does. It is a subdued chemical reaction, a metamorphosis that elevates simple sugars into something much more potent. So what is fermentation, really? Fermentation is a natural process where microbes like yeast, molds, an

Meet the ex-engineer and globetrotter whose latest passion project is a cocktail bar where he explores flavor pairings together with his wife and his adorable Munchkin cat named Whisky. Chong Hau has a knack for reinventing himself every few years. He began in IT, then shifted through a series of new pursuits before landing on his latest obsession: flavour exploration. His extensive travel and dining experiences opened his eyes to how ingredients can be elevated when treated

Dave swears he’s done with running Bar Stories at least once a week — but after 20 years behind the stick, he knows he’s far too in love with bartending to ever walk away. Dave is the man behind one of Singapore’s OG cocktail institutions, Bar Stories — though he’ll be the first to admit he didn’t start out with noble intentions. In his younger days, he got into bartending because he thought it’d help him meet girls. Fast-forward more than 20 years in the industry, and while

Most people today would find the idea of chewing and spitting as the first step to making alcohol rather confronting — yet for millennia, this was one of humanity’s simplest and most effective brewing techniques. Chewing starch-rich foods like maize, cassava, or rice allows enzymes in saliva, especially amylase, to break down complex starches into simple sugars. Yeast cannot ferment starch directly, but it can ferment sugar.  Before malted grains and mold starters (like Japan

She might look fierce with her tattoos and that semi-permanent long-sighted squint, but behind the bar Shirmy turns out some seriously mean cocktails. Shirmy is one of Kuala Lumpur’s pioneering female bartenders, a trailblazer who has spent years proving her mastery of the craft. After cementing her reputation as a cocktail maven, the pandemic pause gave her the chance to recalibrate and finally realize a long-held dream: opening her own bar. Today, she helms Bar Terumi, wher

Patty loves her cocktails, and she knows her limits, which is why bartenders who are familiar with this bubbly barfly would never give her straight shots. Patty is one of Bangkok’s most beloved barflies — the kind whose smile gets her recognized in cocktail bars across the city and beyond. While rumors swirl about her owning some mysterious bar, she’s quick to set the record straight: she runs a bakery, not a bar. Still, her genuine love for great drinks and the people who ma

Ask any regular cocktail drinker, or aspiring home bartender and they’re probably (passingly) familiar with bitters – at least the big names like Angostura and Peychaud’s, or possibly a few specialty blends with trendy ingredients like chocolate and yuzu. It's something we all know, but almost all of us know surprisingly little about. Especially when you consider the taste-altering impact just a few small drops of bitters can have. That is, unless you’re someone like Dr. Adam

Masaki of The Bar Vagabond in Bangkok brings a worldly twist to a timeless classic. Though he hails from Japan, his Old Fashioned is inspired by his years in the United States – a place that shaped his approach to the craft of a great drink. While the classic/original Old Fashioned recipe only calls for bourbon , sugar, and bitters, Masaki's version is a take on the Prohibition-era style which includes a slice of orange and one cherry (the bright red version, not the fancy on

Cocktail bars across Asia invariably stock a range of vermouths, like Cinzano or Martini brands, given how essential they are behind the bar. From the classic martini to the ever-popular Negroni, vermouth is a cornerstone of cocktail culture. Yet, outside of Europe, few people have experienced vermouth other than in a cocktail. On its own, vermouth can taste very similar to mulled wine (especially red vermouth), thanks to its infusion of botanicals. So , what exactly is ve

Vijay may champion regional spirits — but he’ll tell you straight up that milk punches should disappear and that most modern cocktails all simply look the same. Vijay is the driving force behind Native, a bar built on a steadfast, sustainability-led philosophy that champions local and regional ingredients. For nearly a decade, he has pushed the boundaries of what a truly rooted cocktail program can be, earning Native repeated recognition for its thoughtful approach to flavor,

Some writers drink to dull the world. Others drink to taste it more clearly. In the smoky salons of Paris, the back rooms of London clubs, or the balmy nights of the Caribbean, cocktails have long been companions to many writers — as ritual, rebellion, or reward. Here’s a tour through ten of literature’s best barflies, and the drinks that fueled their genius. 1. F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Dreamer of the Jazz Age Favorite drink:  Gin Rickey (60ml gin, juice of half a lime, top