Tucked in the corner of the Florin Road 99 Offramp sits Asian Brothers Brewing Co. This establishment serves the Sacramento community with Asian inspired beer that makes any beer nerd excited. The beer that Asian Brothers Brewing Co. delivers a unique taste from different exotic ingredients such as durian to your taste buds. Asian Brothers Brewing Co. specializes in authentic Asian Craft Beers of several cultures: Hmong, Laotian, Vietnamese, and, soon to come, Cambodian.

When I visited Asian Brothers Brewing Co., almost half of the beers they made were sold out. Hmong beer has consistently sold out. Even though Asian Brothers Brewing Co. is a small establishment, they pack a big punch with great products and continues to grow. This place is a must-go for the beer enthusiasts!

Photo Credit: Michael Le

Beer

The beer at Asian Brothers Brewing Co. is what makes this place shine. The current offerings, though limited, are all good. I am personally a beer enthusiast and try all sorts of beers every time I travel to different countries and cities. With the beer here, it did not disappoint. Each was unique in their own way and stood out in each style. Each beer has a story behind it as Asian Brothers Brewing Co. wanted to share the history of the Boat People (those who were refugees that fled on boats to different countries) to their customers.

Using beer as a platform, each type is geared for the type of food and history. Hmong beer is made to pair well with Hmong food. As with the Vietnamese beer, it pairs well with Vietnamese food. The same with Laos beer. Asian Brothers Brewing Co. aims to ensure that the quality of each beer holds up to its names. I definitely can say it does! Come here for a taster or a pitcher, it is decently priced here.

The Bull – Hmong Beer

The bull is a light pilsner that is made specifically for the dedication of Hmong families and history. It reminded me a full tasting beer and it complimented the food they served here.

54 – Saigon Street Beer

This is another light beer that pairs well with Vietnamese food. It’s a nice lager and light enough to enjoy with a range of different food. You can definitely taste the Saigon Street inspiration in this beer.

Nyiaj Kub Pale Ale – Hmong Beer

This Hmong beer is definitely a great pale ale. It finishes well with a sweet note and softly textured. Inspired by mango kush, this beer is dedicated to the November harvest which coincides with the Hmong New Year.

75 – Vietnamese Tropical IPA

The 75 is definitely my favorite as it was full in flavor with nice hints of fruits (and durian!). This beer is a tribute to U.S. exit of the Vietnamese War in 1975.

Lao Jungle – Lao Beer

The Lao Jungle is a rich IPA with strong hints of citrus and white peach. This beer is inspired by the backyards of the families in Laos which are jungles.

Coming Soon

With Asian Brothers Brewing Co. growing more, the new beers that will soon be released are the Dark Weasel Stout and the ’68. The Dark Weasel Stout is inspired by coffee stouts and Kopi Luwak (Weasel Poop Coffee). This is definitely unique and when it releases, this will most likely sell out fast. Important to note, the other, the ’68 is a honey blond that is dedicated to the Americanized Vietnamese. This is expected to have hints of orange and lychee.

Photo Credit: Sunny Le

Food

Anh Hong serves food that is made to order with big portions. A variety of Vietnamese and Laos food fills the food menu. The majority of the menu is Vietnamese food and is extensive. Anh Hong’s main appeal is the Bo 7 Mon which is Seven Courses of Beef: Cháo Bò (Beef Porridge), Gỏi Bò (Beef Salad), Bò Tái Chanh (Beef Carpaccio), Bò Lá Lá Lốt (Grilled Beef Lot Leaf), Bò Nứơng Sả (Grilled Beef Lemongrass), Bò Mỡ Chài (Beef sausage), and Bò Chả Đùm (Beef Meat Balls). Keep in mind, this is a whole lot of beef that ranges from raw to cooked.

The menu includes appetizers such as Saigon Rolls, Chicken wings, Egg rolls, beef salad, and Pork & Shrimp lotus salad. Also, Anh Hong has wrap dishes in which you make your own spring rolls. Other dishes are rice plates. Main items in the dishes are grilled tilapia, grilled catfish, beef fondue, grilled shrimp, bbq chicken, bbq pork, bbq beef, beef rolls, beef sausage, and beef meatballs. They also have vermicelli plates such as grilled pork, grilled beef, grilled shrimp, grilled chicken or a combination of those. Anh Hong also has Lao food that includes Lao sausage, beef larb, papaya salad, and Name Khao. Prepare yourself, this menu is extensive.

I tried several dishes here and it was an interesting experience. Having the Bo 7 mon to myself, almost all the beef courses were super satisfying. Being unaccustomed to raw beef, the beef carpaccio was a difficult one for me to eat. With all the items in the 7 courses, each is unique and pairs well altogether. The Hell Pork Cracklins are a great snack when drinking beer. They present as spicy, crunchy, and tasty.

Atmosphere

One of the best aspects of this establishment is what they do for the community. Almost every night, the place fills with people for all different occasions. On the night I visited, it was Hmong New Year and the place was packed with people celebrating the day by dancing and singing to live Hmong music. It was truly a great experience. On other nights, you can find other members of the community here having events like weddings, dance rehearsals, and celebrations. Moreover, there’s always something happening here and the place is open to the public during these times.

The staff here is always friendly and offers you tasters of the beers. Additionally, the staff or owner often come by your table to have a chat with you. At times, you can find other patrons in the establishment just randomly talking to you and having a great conversation over beer or food. This is the place to be for a great time and experience.

About Asian Brothers Brewing Co.

Michael Le and his wife, Daovone, established Asian Brothers Brewing Co. in 2018 after crafting a variety of small-batch beers. After about 7 months of trying variations of ingredients, the first Hmong beers was born. The two Hmong beers are the Nyiaj Kob Pale Ale and Pilsner the Bull. Asian Brothers Brewing Co. is the first Asian Craft Beer Brewery in California. It’s location in South Sacramento is perfectly suited to type of the beer and food served. In addition to being the first Asian Craft Brewery in California, they are also the first to create Laotian Craft Beer and Vietnamese Craft Beer. Michael indicates that plans to grow are in the near future and we can’t wait to see what is coming!