On the first week of April 2024, 7 Bridges Brewing Company had its golden birthday turning 7 at its newest Saigon flagship taproom (38 Đông Du Street, Bến Nghé Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), which opened a few months prior.
The award-winning craft brewery’s name was inspired by 7 different bridges that connected both sides of Đà Nẵng’s Hàn and Cẩm Lệ rivers when the brewery was incorporated in early 2017. There are more than 7 bridges now apparently!
7 Bridges is well known for its seasonal and experimental beers. The brewer’s Yuzu Wheat beer garnered 7 Bridges a champion gold medal at Brew Asia last year for the category of Fruit Beer of Asia.
Taking the spot of a Starbucks many assumed was already an institution
7 Bridges Brewing Company’s new flagship taproom sits at Hai Bà Trưng–Đông Du junction in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1. The former site of a Starbucks, the brewery is an amalgamation of the local craft beer giant’s dedication to environmental sustainability, community, innovation, and “beers made for beer drinkers and not just brewers,” said Founder–Chairman Stanley Boots.
Upon entering the gently alfresco-style tap zone on the ground floor, you’ll notice a staggering array of 40 taps, half of which are community taps dedicated to other Vietnamese craft breweries and cider makers.
Terrazzo is the most noticeable design cue at this 7 Bridges taproom. Handles for all 40 taps were fabricated by local recycled plastic decor maker Tiệm Nửa Thước (Half a Meter Crafthouse). The recycled plastic comes from PLASTICPeople, a Saigon-based recycled plastic product maker with a mission to “transform all types of plastic waste into useful, safe, and beautiful materials.”
PLASTICPeople survived a tragic fire late last year, so be sure to help them help make the world a better place if you can.
“All our taprooms are standalone and [each of them] has a unique character,” Travis Hodges, Creative Director of 7 Bridges Brewing Company, explained that the new 7 Bridges location in Ho Chi Minh City is styled in a New York City, vintage industrial look with an emphasis on black & white tones.
“We wanted a place that’s bright, airy and welcoming. Not your typical dark and dim craft beer bar-type of venue,” Travis added.
50 centimeter New York Style pizzas meets sustainability at 7 Bridges
But whether it’s the Đông Du taproom, their Japantown spot, Hà Nội Westlake Taproom, or 7 Bridges in Hội An converted from the ruins of a temple, the spirit of NYC is alive at every 7 Bridges location thanks to its ever-popular 50 cm New York-style pizza. Zero waste is part of the brewery’s mission, and unused pizza dough is converted into UPcycle, a Juicy Pale Ale, and spent grain from 7 Bridges beer-making process is used to make its Dragon Chili Sauce.
To complete the circle of life, this chili sauce is flavored with beer vinegar made from unfinished 7 Bridges beer and happens to be best paired with a slice of New York-style pizza — an impressive cycle of sustainability!
