Do we have other options than Taiwan Beer?

Even though Taiwan Beer (台灣啤酒, Táiwān Píjiǔ) is the most famous beer brand in Taiwan, some beer lovers, including me, are not a big fan of it. The classical one tastes nothing special; their fruit beers are just like juice. A Czech friend told me that he always had a headache after having Taiwan Beer.

Therefore, I’d like to review a few Taiwanese beer brands based on my trip around this beautiful island in 2025. In this article, I’ll give you information about:

• The name of the brand
• The flavor description
• Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
• Location where I found the beer
• My rating score from 1 to 5 stars

The rating is going to be subjective. I personally like light, sweet beers with a floral flavor. Maybe the one I like is not your cup of tea. The purpose of this article is to get people to know other Taiwanese beer brands and to invite people to try different Taiwanese beers, but not to debate which brand is the best.

Sunmai (金色三麥, Jīnsè Sān Mài)

Leopard Cat Friendly Citrus Beer

Sunmai is a Taiwanese beer brand that you can find at convenience stores or PX Mart in Taiwan. I recommend their honey beer; it’s sweet and aromatic.

One time I went to Yuanshan Station in Taipei. There was a special market on that day. I was attracted by the cute package of their Leopard Cat Friendly Citrus Beer.

Leopard cat (石虎, shíhǔ) is a kind of endemic species of Taiwan and protected by the government. This product is a cooperation program between the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency of Taichung and Sunmai to promote the protection of leopard cats.

I bought one can out of curiosity (and then I regretted not buying more). The next day I went hiking at Mountain Yangming (陽明山, Yángmíng Shān) with a Japanese family and an American friend. We shared this beer when we finished the hike. Both of us were amazed by the flavor. It’s very easy to drink, a perfect choice after our walk.

I went to Yuanshan again to buy another Leopard Cat Friendly Citrus Beer and the clerk told me it was sold out. It seems it’s a limited version. I don’t know if they will continue selling it, but don’t hesitate to try other types of beers produced by this brewery.

There’s a Sunmai bar at the riverside of Dadaocheng (大稻埕, Dàdàochéng) in Taipei (address: Water Gate No. 5, Minsheng West Road, Taipei). With the breeze at night, it’s an agreeable area to have a drink.

Taihu (臺虎, Táihǔ)

Meyer Lemon Formosawa

Taiwan Beer, Sunmai, and Taihu might be the top three beer brands in Taiwan, but they do not produce only beers. You can also find cocktails at 7-Eleven or PX Mart.

What’s good about this brand is that there are several bars in Taipei, two in Taichung, one in Tainan, and there’s even one Taihu bar in Tokyo. You can check their website for more information.

According to my Japanese student, Meyer Lemon Formosawa by Taihu is the best drink during the summer. He’d buy a pack of it and stock them in the refrigerator.

So, how does it taste?

If you look at the name carefully, “Formosawa” is a mixture of “Formosa” and “sawa.” “Sawa” (サワー) is the Japanese pronunciation of “sour,” which reveals the tone of this cocktail: sour, refreshing, and lemony.

The Green Farm (綠點酒莊, Lǜ Diǎn Jiǔzhuāng)

Daylily Beer

If you travel in East Taiwan between April and October, you may consider putting Mountain Chike (赤柯山, Chìkē Shān) on your list. During this time, the mountain is dotted with daylilies (金針花, jīnzhēn huā), a kind of yellow/orange flower.

The two elegant daylilies printed on the can are secret ingredients of this beer. It is floral and light.

Interestingly, the owner of The Green Farm is from Germany, but he likes to use Taiwanese local ingredients in his products. From their website, you can find honey scented black tea dry gin, pineapple liqueur, etc. It can be a good gift for friends who like alcohol.

DB Brewery (鄧爸麥酒, Dèng Bà Màijiǔ)

Hualien Millet

Millet (小米, xiǎomǐ) or foxtail millet is cultivated in the mountain area in Taiwan. You can find food made of millet when you go to some Aboriginal tribes in Taiwan, such as millet ice cream, millet rice cakes (小米麻糬, xiǎomǐ máshǔ), millet wine (小米酒, xiǎomǐ jiǔ), and so on.

When I went to a bar at Jiangjunfu 1936 (the bar was called “Atoyama Nomiya,” but it is now no longer at Jiangjunfu 1936), again, my attention was attracted by the cute dolphin printed on the bottle, so I decided to try this beer.

To be honest, I don’t particularly like the flavor. I had tried millet wine a long time ago in Taitung. I remember that I liked the drink quite a lot. It’s sweet and easy to drink. But this time, neither millet ice cream nor millet beer impressed me.

However, I still recommend people to try it as an experience. It might also be a way to get to know Aboriginal culture.

In Short

If you travel in Taiwan and would like to try some Taiwanese beers, the easiest way is to go to convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life) or supermarkets (PX Mart, PROSPERiTY PLAZA, Uni-PROSPERiTY).

You can usually find Taiwan Beer, Sunmai, and Taihu. Usually, when you go to one shop, you don’t necessarily find the same beers as another shop, so it’s fun to make a comparison.

Sometimes it’s easier to see Taiwan Beer or other imported brands on the shelf. You need some patience and need to keep your eyes open to spot Sunmai and Taihu.

To try smaller brands or have a wider collection, you may consider going to bars. For example, there are several Taihu bars in several cities in Taiwan.

In Taipei, the riverside of Dadaocheng (大稻埕, Dàdàochéng) is a perfect place for drinking. There is a well-known craft beer shop at Maji Square (near Yuanshan Station), where you will have a lot of options based on your preference.

Cheers!

Angela Tsai

Mandarin teacher from Taiwan, based in France. I like to have a croissant as breakfast, but rice for lunch. Ending a supper with a soup is not negotiable.

Instagram