Modern Madness Beer

Everyone knows there aren't any new beers produced in Malaysia, right? What's that? There are? 2019 just got weird! Or should that be "Mad"? 

I’ve spoken of the strange beast that is the Malaysian beer industry in the past. It’s an industry that has for decades been heavily controlled and micromanaged by the powers that be, to the point that only two commercial brewing licences exist. Those licences currently reside with global brewing behemoths Carlsberg and Heineken (along with their partners in Malaysia, Guinness).

In addition there is a mythical “Third Licence”, which has been in the hands of the same group for many years now under varying guises. Not that you’d know it as they very rarely actually produce any beer. Their current brew, Legend Pilsner, can only be purchased on the 7th Sunday of the New Year if (and only if) their head brewer stands at the junction next to the brewery and sees a water buffalo wink coquettishly at a passing monkey.

Every now and then rumours do waft through the jungle of a group who claim to have some sort of licence to be able to brew and have big ideas to blow the market apart. Whatever truth there is behind such rumours is never really known and as yet, none have actually produced something to drink.

It’s extremely pleasing then when a new beer produced in Malaysia pops up out of nowhere.

Modern Madness beers appeared at the turn of the year and have taken up residency at craft beer

hangouts Ales & Lagers and The Great Beer Bar. They haven’t (as yet) claimed to be that mythical creature the “first Malaysian craft brewery”, as others have done in the past (before disappearing). They don’t even claim to be craft brewers at all, merely stating that they are “crafting” new beers.

But if “how” they have managed this is still somewhat of a mystery to most, “why” they have appeared is more obvious. Apparently the aim is to put some fun back into a local scene which has become increasingly po-faced over the past few years as the government continues to hit the craft beer importers with ever-increasing taxes and duties, whilst Carlsberg and Heineken, who should be revelling in their continued monopoly status, seem to be increasingly uninterested in enjoying it.

With a love of experimentation and a desire to surprise, Modern Madness are producing small batch beers with a quick turnover. A number of differently hopped session IPAs have been tapped, while other ales with more local flavours like lemongrass, chrysanthemum and even bah kut teh, have proven popular. Their Chinese New Year inspired Prosperity Ale should be available any time now.

Whether this is the start of something new and exciting for the local scene or merely the flash and bang of a beer firecracker; lots of excitement but gone too soon, who knows? But for the time being it’s an interesting and most welcome addition.

You can try the ever changing roster of Modern Madness beers at Ales & Lagers at Publika and The Great Beer Bar in Uptown. They’re currently an extremely reasonable RM10 per glass.

2022 UPDATE: Modern Madness are still going strong after an eventful few years since their inception. They left their residency at The Great Beer Bar when it changed hands, but made a new home at the refurbished Rex Theatre in Chinatown, where they had a huge space all to themselves while other vendors were still waiting to set up shop. They used the space well by installing 15 taps! So at any given moment there were 10 or so different styles of Modern Madness beer available and weird beers like the infamous Bah Kut Teh ale would bring people in from miles around to have an Instagram moment.

But creating that much beer was a huge jump in production for such a small team, so Modern Madness have since retreated to their spiritual home at Ales and Lagers where they have a more manageable 5 taps. They have a rotating core range of beers served on tap at the bar, or in very affordable one litre bottles for take-away or delivery. You can even refill your own growlers and mini kegs.