THE historic Oboza Compound was the venue of the first Davao Craft Beer Festival which was held at the Huckleberry Southern Kitchen and Bar in the ground floor of the Oboza residence.
The festival was held in the evening of October 22 where it introduced Dabawenyos to some of the fine craft beers in the country. There were about 23 craft beers in the line-up featuring micro-brewers from Manila and Cebu which included Joe’s Brew, Nipa Brewery, Crazy Carabao Brewing, Pedro Brew Crafters and Cebu brewer, Turning Wheels.
To those who are not acquainted with craft beers, these are made by small, independent beer brewers who use traditional or innovative brewing techniques. The products called craft beers have unique and distinct full flavor as compared to regular beers or lagers to which many are accustomed.
You might compare them to independent or indie films of the beer industry. Craft beers are also more expensive than regular commercial beers as these maintain a strong commitment to quality, consistency and uniqueness. The main ingredients of craft beer are barley, malts, hops and yeast.
The craft beer festival has a wide selection of premium ales, Indian Pale Ale (IPA), wheat beers, stouts and others which were sold at discounted prices. The event was organized by Huckleberry so that Dabawenyos will gain familiarity over craft beers.
It was a night which introduced them to Ale, a type of beer characterized by warm fermentation method and known for being fruity, sweet and full-bodied taste. My favorite ale variety is the IPA which is known for its strong hoppy flavor. It originated during the British colonial era where brewers used hops to preserve the beers sent to British troops stationed in India.
Aside from beers, it was also a night of music with local indie musicians such as Ceejay Sagarino, Tramonto and Anne Mendoza who were performing at the Oboza grounds. Another guest band, the Lost Dogs from New Zealand played rock, folk, blues, and Americana during the night.
To complement the beers, an outdoor grill was set up were specialties such as sausages, ribs, burger sliders, chicken and waffle sandwiches, and corn dogs were offered. My favorite fresh oysters were also available for serving aside from the dishes offered by the Huckleberry, a bar known for its Southern US-inspired food.
For the craft beer lovers, the selection will be available at the Huckleberry. If you would want to have a different beer experience, you might want to visit the Oboza compound at Rizal Street.
Special thanks to Chris Pamintuan of Huckleberry and Marie Braganza of Fish Tank Productions who co-organized the event in cooperation with Blackout Craft Beer Distribution (Turning Wheels, Nipa Brewery, Crazy Carabao, Pedro) and Joe's Brew.