Bumthang Brewery
Bumthang Brewery
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4.0
30 reviews
Excellent
14
Very good
9
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The Travelling Buddha
India169 contributions
Mar 2014 • Friends
Owned by swiss national Mr. Maurer, this micro brewery makes excellent unfiltered, weiss beer. I heard that the owner also helped set up the cheese factory nearby and owns Swiss Guest House, an excellent stay option in Bumthang not far from the brewery. At the brewery the tour starts with a walk thru of the plant and ends with the sampling of freshly brewed beer, which I think is top standard. There is an entry fee of $5 and visits are best arranged by calling Mr. Maurer on mobile No. 17115216. (closed for visits 2nd half Saturday & all of Sunday and during brewing & bottling)
Written 13 April 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cathy Cooper
London, UK431 contributions
Nov 2014 • Friends
I had already tasted Red Panda weiss or wheat beer in my guest house in the Gangtey Valley. I do like to try local beers when I travel so the opportunity to visit the Red Panda Brewery was high on my list after days visiting Dzongs. There is a local brewery where I live so I have seen the procedure before but this was an experience to savour. The man who showed us around was very very funny as he pointed out all the hoses and taps and fermenting vats - a great character. I think I was more spellbound by his quirky delivery than the science of brewing beer. He took us into the labelling office where two young men sat sticking the labels onto the bottles. They seemed equally amused by the guide. We were given some spare labels as souvenirs and then proceeded out of the brewery to the nearby restaurant to sample the famous beer. If you are in Jakar, it is well worth a visit and just down the road is the cheese shop. Good if you want normal cheese without chilli in it!
Written 30 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HelsBels
Queensland, Australia1 contribution
Oct 2014 • Solo
Visited the Bumthang Brewery on whim at the suggestion of my guide.
We visited after a day seeing some of the amazing cultural sites in the Bumthang area, and it proved to be a relaxed yet interesting end to the day. It's a small factory but the worker who showed us around and talked us through the process, was very passionate and clearly a very dedicated worker. I imagine a brewery isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it was a perfect end to a long day of site seeing, particularly as you get to sample the Red Panda beer at the end of the tour. I was also lucky enough to talk to the owner who came down to say hello.
The appeal of this place isn't so much the 'brewery' as the experience of talking to the local workers, seeing something a bit different to other Bhutan sites and chilling out at the end of the day.
I think it said on the wall that the tour costs 270n/per person, but we stayed a little longer and had a second bottle beer (700ml). I think I ended up handing over 500n (about $8 US) which I think is good value.
We visited after a day seeing some of the amazing cultural sites in the Bumthang area, and it proved to be a relaxed yet interesting end to the day. It's a small factory but the worker who showed us around and talked us through the process, was very passionate and clearly a very dedicated worker. I imagine a brewery isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it was a perfect end to a long day of site seeing, particularly as you get to sample the Red Panda beer at the end of the tour. I was also lucky enough to talk to the owner who came down to say hello.
The appeal of this place isn't so much the 'brewery' as the experience of talking to the local workers, seeing something a bit different to other Bhutan sites and chilling out at the end of the day.
I think it said on the wall that the tour costs 270n/per person, but we stayed a little longer and had a second bottle beer (700ml). I think I ended up handing over 500n (about $8 US) which I think is good value.
Written 21 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Biswa Mukherjee
India905 contributions
Aug 2023 • Solo
Amidst the fortresses, monasteries and temples in Bumthang 'the culture capital of Bhutan', there is one attraction that stands out - a brewery!
One of only 2 microbreweries in the country, the Red Panda Brewery has an interesting story. In the 1960s, a young Swiss man named Fritz Maurer visited Bumthang, married a local girl and settled down. He then established a small cheese factory, producing Emmental and Gouda cheese using state-of-the-art machines. Next door he set up a brewery, the Red Panda, which produces pale straw-colored Hefeweizen beer for the last few decades. The whole operation is still run by the Maurer family, with Namgyal (the grandson) taking up the reins of the business. I went in early August when the brewery was closed for renovation and maintenance, but Namgyal was kind enough to open the shop and give me a tour of the place himself. The tour started with a walk through the plant and ended with a sampling of freshly brewed Hefeweizen-style beer. The 'Red Panda' is made in small batches, with aromas of bananas, clove and a hint of lemon. Perfect to taste with the locally made cheese at the cheese factory next door. The brewery tour price of 400 INR includes one bottle of Red Panda beer.
One of only 2 microbreweries in the country, the Red Panda Brewery has an interesting story. In the 1960s, a young Swiss man named Fritz Maurer visited Bumthang, married a local girl and settled down. He then established a small cheese factory, producing Emmental and Gouda cheese using state-of-the-art machines. Next door he set up a brewery, the Red Panda, which produces pale straw-colored Hefeweizen beer for the last few decades. The whole operation is still run by the Maurer family, with Namgyal (the grandson) taking up the reins of the business. I went in early August when the brewery was closed for renovation and maintenance, but Namgyal was kind enough to open the shop and give me a tour of the place himself. The tour started with a walk through the plant and ended with a sampling of freshly brewed Hefeweizen-style beer. The 'Red Panda' is made in small batches, with aromas of bananas, clove and a hint of lemon. Perfect to taste with the locally made cheese at the cheese factory next door. The brewery tour price of 400 INR includes one bottle of Red Panda beer.
Written 9 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Namgyel Maurer
Bumthang, Bhutan9 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
If you have nothing to do or After side seeing come and enjoy the best cool beer and Test the europen food ( swiss) in Red Panda Beer Garden.
Written 4 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eyedoc88
Portland, OR59 contributions
Nov 2018
The brewery tour was brief but on point. The Swiss man who started it has had a big influence on Bumthang commerce by introducing good beer, good cheese, wood stoves, and honey production. They offer fondue and raclette parties with advance planning. Oh, and the beer is really good
Written 17 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bhutan
Thimphu District, Bhutan86 contributions
May 2017 • Business
It's a small one. It's located at a beautiful location.The staff is very friendly. He explains everything in detail. After seeing through the brewery, you get the chance to taste the local beer red panda. It's worth the place to visit.
Written 7 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
11wendy
121 contributions
Nov 2016 • Friends
Our tour guide took us there after we attended the Tshechu. We got to try the local weissbier and also the locally brewed apple cider. They're both delicious! We even had a tour in the brewery where their beer was brewed. It was both a fun and educational experience!
Written 19 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sbquayle
87 contributions
Nov 2014
Read about Red Panda beer on Lonely Planet but the brewery was closed the day we hiked down to visit. The beer however was on tap at our hotel & we really liked it. We did explore the brewery & met people behind the brewery washing various kinds of beer bottles which they re use thru a stong Butanese recycling effort. It all looked attractive & inviting. Their clean unlocked bathrooms were great in a country where " bush breaks " are the norm...
Written 7 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SACHU R
Kollam, India6 contributions
Sept 2019 • Couples
I visited a brewery for the first time. I expected that they would be showing the process rather they explained it. I was bit disappointed with it. They charge Rs350 per person. But, they offer one beer bottle as complimentary. Red panda is one of the best beer I ever had. If you visit this place, do have the beer in the cafe itself. We had the carrot cake too. It was also good. We got the opportunity to talk to the owner Alex. We had a great talk with him. He is such a cool guy and the history of Red Panda is very interesting. The brewery was started by his father for his self consumption. Now, they produce around 1500litres per week. They don't look for large scale production as they don't want to compromise the quality. But, I wish they do and sell it in Indian market.
Written 9 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
When I arrive by train from Tokyo how can I find your shuttle bus? Shall I call te reception? Where is the pick-up point located?
Written 10 August 2015
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