East West Brewing
Written by Eloise Jones on June 1, 2025
The Venue: Inside Da Nang’s Beachside Brewhouse
East West Brewing is just a very, very cool place. Proper chill, beach club, Ibiza-during-the-day kinda vibes. It has that textbook brewhouse feel: exposed copper and tarnished wooden tables, complete with a beachfront patio adorned by plush sofas, fairy lights and sky-scraping three-litre beer towers.
You’d be hard-pressed to catch a sunset pint on Vietnam’s east-facing coast, but East West’s beachside location is a desirable alternative, allowing for stellar views of the candy floss clouds as they catch the last of the golden hour light from the west.
After dark, the open-air space allows for ample viewing of the first twinkle of stars in the twilight, and the light of the Son Tra peninsula’s Lady Buddha statue, which comes aglow at night.
It’s like the perfect place for craft beer hipsters and their pretty Instagram partners (which Ramiro and I get a lot, obviously).
Photogenic as ever
More to the point, it’s the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by with a delicious pint of just-poured ale.
The Experience: The Far East IPA
During our three weeks in Da Nang, constantly hot, sticky and looking for somewhere to cool down whilst also coincidentally staying in an apartment just metres away from the brewery, we managed to sample our fair share of their goods.
But let’s talk about the main event. The showstopper. The pièce de résistance:
The Far East IPA.
We absolutely could not get enough of the stuff. Even on those days we slipped into the venue under the guise of ‘oh we’ll just have one, won’t we?’ we ended up walking (stumbling) out, clutching four-packs of Far East IPA to our chests.
It’s a potent brew with an ABV of 6.7%, but it’s sweet, fruity and dangerously moreish. The abundant maltiness can be seen before it’s tasted, in the thick, off-white head that takes on the amber-orange hue of the body.
If it’s a beer that absorbs light when you look through the glass, like a black hole gobbling up the rays of the sun, it’s a beer with my name on it, and that’s exactly what we got in the Far East IPA. In colour, it’s a lot darker than other IPAs, with all the thick haze and opacity beer nerds go crazy for.
All of this amber goodness enjoyed against the soft light of a balmy Da Nang evening. It’s enough to keep anyone coming back. (In all honesty, I think they could’ve served me the Far East IPA in a dark, damp room and I still would’ve lapped it up).
My only grudge with this wonderful venue would have to be the food. It’s an extensive menu that’s certainly on the pricier side for Vietnam, and when served, it leaves much to be desired.
But hey, you can’t have it all, and what East West lacks in culinary expertise, it absolutely makes up for in hoppy delight.
The Wildcard: The Summer Hefeweizen
Let’s take a moment to discuss the East West Brewing Summer Hefeweizen.
She’s juice, she’s zest, she’s the tropics in a glass. I rarely stray too far from my trusty IPAs and pales, but there was something about the humid Da Nang heat that had her calling my name (that, and the fact that it was pictured with a grapefruit wedge garnish, which I just had to get my laughing gear around).
I mean... how inviting is that
I am a huge advocate for beer that tastes like an ale and a sparkling citrus presse had a baby, without that horrible, metallic aftertaste that comes with some sours.
The hefeweizen really is all that, and more.
It comes in at a relatively low IBU of 20, but packs a punch with an ABV of 5.9%. Just enough strength to balance out the sweetness.
The verdict: Roast or Toast?
East West Brewing has a great selection of high-quality beer that just kept us coming back. The beach-front venue’s stunning views of the Son Tra peninsula were rivaled only by a few other establishments on the same block, and unwinding in the balmy afternoon breeze with their wares was an absolute pleasure.
It’s worth noting that you absolutely must make sure you get yourself on the sofa seats when you visit. The view is just so beautiful, with coastline vistas and an excellent view of the Cham Islands on a clear day. If they’re reserved, you’ll see a sign noting the reservation time, so if you arrive well before, just ask your server. They’re very accommodating.
It probably goes without saying that East West Brewing gets a tremendous TOAST as far as we’re concerned. The atmosphere, the service and, most importantly, the beer, melt together to give the beachside brewhouse visit of dreams.
What’s the best ambiance you’ve experienced in a brewery? Do let us know so we can add it to our list.
Looking forward to catching you next time
All our love
Eloise & Ramiro Xxx
