Sylvester Fedor is relatively new to Bangkok and he’s already helping to lead the charge in the craft beer revolution in Southeast Asia. As the General Manager of Mikkeller in Bangkok, he’s on the front lines and is the gatekeeper for many of the specialty brews being imported into Thailand. I caught up with Sylvestor just after the conclusion SEA Brew, an annual craft beer conference for industry professionals that takes place in Bangkok. Brewing regulations in Thailand are quite complex and archaic, and introducing beer like Mikkeller or Grimm to the market requires a lot of maneuvering.

As we sat in a small beer bar during this recording, I met two small brewers in Thailand that refused to have their photos taken for fear of being shut down. These were elegant beers with professional packaging that were built to appease even the most skeptical of craft beer geeks. And yet, it was illegal to have them on the menu. The bar owner and the brewer both could face heavy fines if the police so choose. And yet, the scene is thriving. Listen in to hear what’s going on in the world of legal and illegal brewing in Southeast Asia.