A night at the BEEReaucracy

BEEReaucracy is located in a small nook along Palma Gil Street in Obrero, occupying a former photo studio. It is strategically located beside the popular Brewery Bar and adjacent to Bricklane Square, a strip of bars frequented by Dabawenyos during weekends.

Beereaucracy is a unique bar compared to its neighbors as it offers more than 70 brands of beers on its menu, including 62 craft beers not found in regular bars in the city.

Craft beers are made by small, independent brewers using traditional or innovative brewing techniques that produces a unique flavors not tasted in regular beers.

The bar owned by Nico Vincent Lopez and his fiancé Imma opened in June last year.

Nico says the idea of putting up a bar came from his other half who is into drinking and collecting different kinds of beers.

Nico was a drummer of the band group named 12monthstopay which later was renamed as Sidecrash. The band achieved fame thru its original songs such as "One Last Time", "Miss User Friendly" and "Crazy for Your Smile".

From Davao City the band decided to try out their luck in Manila. During their gigs in the different bars and nightspots, Nico would then try out all available beers in different bars.

He would bring bottles of these beers to Davao City and place it on the shelf of his room. His shelf could no longer accommodate all of his collection that he had decided to go for a bar.

According to Nico, Filipinos are more familiar with lagers. A kind of beer stored in low-temperature conditions and used of bottom fermenting yeast. Popular lagers are the San Miguel Pale Pilsens, the Red Horse and San Miguel Light, Beer na Beer, Gold Eagle, and etc.

Bar owner Nico Lopez

Beereaucracy apart from Lagers has a wide array of Ale another beer type known for its warm fermentation method and characterized for being fruity, sweet and full-bodied taste.

Popular beer styles in the bar include Indian Pale Ale which is characterized with a strong hoppy flavor. Nico says IPA originated in India when it was still colonized under the British colony.

Craft beer’s commitment to quality, consistency and uniqueness being strict to the integrity of its ingredients like wheat or barley, malts, hops and yeasts makes it the most expensive among mainstream beers.

The bar has 32 local craft beers mostly from Cebu and Luzon. Among the popular brand is the line of craft beer created by Josemari Cuervo, former vocalist of the metal band Razorback.

BEEReaucracy also offers the popular Turning Wheels craft beers from Cebu including the renowned Imperial Stout. Mindanao is represented by Fat Pauly craft beer from Iligan City.

Nico says his ultimate dream is to become a craft beer brewer, perhaps the first one in Davao City. However he says the cost of a micro-brewery with a 20 gallon capacity is about a million pesos. For now he goes on collecting new kinds of craft beer which he intends to introduce to the Davao market.

He says craft beer is for the beer drinker whose premium is on taste and quality, among his regular clients are expatriates who would go all the way from their homes in the suburbs to drink and buy a few bottles of their favorite craft beer.

If you want to try out a one-of-a-kind beer adventure head out to the BEEReaucracy in Obrero and explore their wide array of craft beers that you won’t find here in Davao City. (as published in Sunstar Davao)