Choosing craft beers in Huế is easier when you start with the flavours you enjoy. At Đông Ba Brewery, you can explore six different directions: a balanced Pale Ale, an aromatic IPA, two wheat beers, and refreshing beers inspired by tamarind and salted lime. Each offers a different way into the glass, whether you prefer gentle bitterness, toasted malt, citrus or a little acidity.
Our brewery, taproom and restaurant is at 14 Nguyễn Sinh Cung, Huế, where we brew beer on site. This guide introduces the craft beers in our current collection and helps you choose something for your own palate. Check the current beer collection before your visit, as the serving list can change with the brewing schedule.
Contents
A quick guide to our six craft beers
The figures below follow the beer collection currently published on our website. ABV describes alcohol strength, while IBU provides a reference for bittering compounds. These numbers are a starting point for choosing, rather than a rule: personal taste matters more than finding the supposedly perfect beer.
| Beer | ABV | IBU |
|---|---|---|
| Hue City Pale Ale | 4.8% | 27 |
| Dong Ba Market IPA | 6.0% | 39 |
| Hương River Sundowners | 5.5% | 18 |
| Hiển Nhơn Dunkel Weizen | 5.0% | 18 |
| Salted Lime Beer | 4.5% | 8 |
| Tamarind Beer | 5.0% | 5 |
These craft beers are easier to compare by flavour than by colour. A pale beer can have assertive bitterness, while a darker beer can be gentle. Seasonal beers and individual batches may also vary, so the menu and staff can help you confirm what is being served.
1. Hue City Pale Ale: balanced and approachable
Hue City Pale Ale offers a clear golden colour, a light malt foundation and a refreshing finish. At 4.8% ABV and 27 IBU, it sits between the softer wheat beers and the more assertive IPA in this collection. It is a useful first choice when you want some hop character without making bitterness the centre of the experience.
If you normally drink lager and are new to craft beers, take a moment to notice the aroma before the first sip. Then pay attention to how the malt and bitterness meet in the finish. You do not need to recognise a particular fruit or grain to enjoy it; deciding whether that balance feels comfortable is enough.
Choose it if: you are exploring craft beers for the first time, your table has mixed preferences, or you want a versatile beer alongside a few shared dishes. Grilled food and crisp fried dishes provide an easy starting point for pairing.
2. Dong Ba Market IPA: for hop aroma and a firmer finish
Dong Ba Market IPA is the most hop-forward option in this six-beer collection. The current version is listed at 6.0% ABV and 39 IBU, with citrus, pine and resinous hop character supported by a firm malt base. Choose it because you enjoy aromatic, more bitter beer, rather than simply because IPA is a familiar name.
Smell the beer before tasting, then separate what happens in the aroma from what happens on your tongue. A fruity aroma and a bitter finish can coexist. Those impressions are part of the appeal of an IPA, and they need not suggest that the beer is sweet.
Choose it if: you enjoy a clearer hop presence and a flavour that continues after swallowing. Grilled meat or richly flavoured food can make a suitable partner. If you are sensitive to either bitterness or chilli heat, a softer wheat beer may be more comfortable with a spicy meal.
3. Hương River Sundowners Witbier: citrus, wheat and gentle spice
Hương River Sundowners is a Belgian-style wheat beer made with orange peel and coriander. Its published figures are 5.5% ABV and 18 IBU. The flavour direction is soft and refreshing, with citrus and a light spicy finish, making it a good alternative when you enjoy aroma but prefer less pronounced bitterness.
Among these craft beers, it offers a different kind of fragrance from the IPA. Instead of looking for a strong hop finish, notice the relationship between wheat, citrus and spice. Take a small sip first and give the finish a moment before deciding whether you want another.
Choose it if: you want a gentle introduction to wheat beer or something to accompany seafood, salads or dishes built around herbs. The name looks toward the Hương River at sunset, but the best reason to order it remains simple: those flavours appeal to you.
4. Hiển Nhơn Dunkel Weizen: a darker colour with soft malt character
Hiển Nhơn Dunkel Weizen is a dark wheat beer listed at 5.0% ABV and 18 IBU. Its malt-led profile brings toasted bread, caramel and light roasted character into a smooth drinking experience. It gives you a different direction from the citrus-led beers without requiring a preference for strong bitterness.
Do not use its colour as a shortcut for alcohol strength. In the published collection, this dark wheat beer has a lower ABV than the IPA and Witbier. When tasting craft beers, colour is an invitation to look more closely, rather than a reliable measure of how strong a drink will be.
Choose it if: you enjoy toasted or caramel-like flavours, prefer malt to hops, or want to try a darker style. Roasted, braised or grilled dishes are sensible pairing directions. Allow yourself time to notice the finish; the first impression does not have to tell the whole story.
5. Salted Lime Beer: bright citrus with a subtle savoury touch
Salted Lime Beer, or Bia Chanh Muối, brings Vietnamese salted lime into a refreshing wheat beer. The current published figures are 4.5% ABV and 8 IBU. Its citrus character and subtle salty touch provide another direction for drinkers who prefer a lively flavour with restrained hop bitterness.
Consider it alongside Tamarind Beer when choosing between the fruit-inspired craft beers. Tamarind points toward a sweet-sour fruit balance, while salted lime adds a citrus and savoury impression. Neither needs to replace your usual favourite; trying a different flavour direction can simply help you understand your own preferences.
Choose it if: you enjoy citrus, a little acidity and a gentle saline note. Seafood, crisp fried food and moderately spicy dishes are good places to begin experimenting. As with Tamarind Beer, look at the current serving list rather than assuming this seasonal beer will always be available.
6. Tamarind Beer: a familiar Vietnamese flavour in a different glass
Tamarind Beer is a seasonal wheat beer brewed with local tamarind. The current collection lists it at 5.0% ABV and 5 IBU, with a gentle sweet-sour balance. It is worth considering if you are curious about local ingredients or enjoy fruit flavour more than a pronounced hop finish.
Let the tamarind lead your expectations: notice its fruit character, the acidity and the way the flavour settles after a sip. A low IBU does not remove the other sensations in the glass, so think about sourness separately from bitterness.
Choose it if: you want to explore craft beers with a Vietnamese ingredient at their centre. Fried food, grilled dishes or a sweet-sour sauce can be useful pairing ideas. Confirm availability when ordering, because seasonal brewing means it may not be served at every visit.
How to choose craft beers when you are unsure
Start with one question: what do you want to taste? “Something refreshing” is useful, but adding one more detail makes choosing much easier. You might want low bitterness, a fruit-led flavour, toasted malt or a clear hop aroma. There is no need to know the technical name of a style.
If you enjoy a clean, balanced beer, begin with Hue City Pale Ale. If softness and citrus sound more appealing, consider Hương River Sundowners. If toasted flavours are your priority, Hiển Nhơn Dunkel Weizen moves the conversation toward malt. Dong Ba Market IPA is the clearer choice for a more prominent hop finish.
For a fruit-inspired option, compare Tamarind Beer and Salted Lime Beer by the ingredient that interests you most. Describe what you prefer to the staff and ask which craft beers are available. A short description of your taste is more useful than ordering whichever name seems most fashionable.
Different people at the same table can choose different craft beers. You do not need one style to suit everybody or to keep changing beers throughout the meal. Begin with a drink you feel comfortable with, enjoy your food and conversation, and explore another direction only if you feel like it.
What ABV and IBU tell you about craft beers
ABV means alcohol by volume: the proportion of alcohol in the beer. Compare that number directly when strength matters to your choice. The craft beers listed here range from 4.5% to 6.0% ABV, but a soft flavour or low bitterness does not make a beer alcohol-free.
IBU means International Bitterness Units. It describes bittering substances and helps you make an initial comparison, particularly between hop-led beers. It is useful information, but it cannot describe the entire experience of drinking a beer.
Malt balance, acidity, aroma and texture also influence your impression. For example, low-IBU craft beers can still have a noticeable tart character, while a beer with more bitterness can have enough malt character to feel balanced. Use the numbers to narrow your choice, then let the flavour guide your preference.
For a simple explanation of these and other terms, explore the CraftBeer.com Beer Glossary, published by the Brewers Association. You do not need to memorise the terminology before visiting; it is a useful reference when a word on a beer menu makes you curious.
A simple way to notice flavour
Tasting craft beers does not need to turn an evening into a lesson. Look at the beer, smell it gently, take a small sip and notice the finish. Those four steps give you enough information to decide what you enjoy.
Separate aroma from taste. Citrus in the aroma, bitterness on the tongue and a toasted impression in the finish are different observations. “Fresh,” “soft,” “too bitter for me” or “I like the malt” are all useful descriptions. There is no prize for naming the most flavours.
Try a sip before your food arrives, then another alongside a bite. Your impression may change with the dish. Use that change to choose what you enjoy next, rather than trying to follow a fixed tasting order or an expert’s preference.
Choosing a beer alongside dinner
Think first about the intensity of the food. Gentle dishes usually leave more room for a soft wheat beer or a balanced Pale Ale. Grilled or richly flavoured food can stand alongside a more pronounced IPA or a malt-led dark wheat beer.
For seafood and dishes with citrus or herbs, consider Hương River Sundowners or Salted Lime Beer. For roasted and braised flavours, start with Hiển Nhơn Dunkel Weizen. Hue City Pale Ale is a flexible option when a shared table includes several different dishes.
These are pairing suggestions, not promises that every dish is currently on our menu. Choose from the food being served that evening. When matching craft beers with dinner, your own preference is a better guide than insisting on a pairing that looks correct on paper.
Brewed on site in Huế
Đông Ba combines a brewery, taproom and restaurant in one place. The beer is brewed on site, giving your visit a direct connection to the work behind the glass. You can read our guide to a 300-litre brewing batch to understand how brewing day fits into a longer process.
For another look at the stages, explore our brewing process. Learning a little about malt, hops and fermentation can make the different craft beers more interesting, but you are equally welcome to begin with the flavour you like.
Plan your visit to Đông Ba Brewery
You will find us at 14 Nguyễn Sinh Cung, Huế City, Vietnam. We open daily from 17:00–23:50. Check the current beer collection before coming, especially if your visit is centred on a particular seasonal beer.
If you are arranging dinner with friends or bringing a group, you can reserve a table ahead of time. Tell the staff what flavours you enjoy when ordering craft beers. Whether you begin with Pale Ale, wheat beer, IPA or a local fruit-inspired beer, the aim is a glass that suits your evening.
Frequently asked questions
Which beer should a first-time visitor choose?
Hue City Pale Ale offers an approachable balance, while Hương River Sundowners is a softer wheat-beer option. Choose between these craft beers by your preference for gentle hop bitterness or citrus and spice.
Which beer has the lowest published IBU?
Tamarind Beer is listed at 5 IBU, followed by Salted Lime Beer at 8 IBU. Both can still have noticeable acidity, which is a different sensation from hop bitterness.
Is the dark wheat beer the strongest?
No. Hiển Nhơn Dunkel Weizen is listed at 5.0% ABV. Dong Ba Market IPA has the highest published ABV in this six-beer collection at 6.0%.
Are all six beers always available?
Availability can change with batches and the brewing schedule. Tamarind Beer and Salted Lime Beer are seasonal options. Consult the current collection and ask the staff what is being served.
