From tasting rice whiskey to discussing cutting-edge stills, distillAsia 2025 — the region’s first dedicated distilling conference — is looking to shake things up in the Asian craft spirits scene.
What happens when you gather some of Asia’s distilling pioneers, put them in a room with master blenders, equipment makers, and add a whisky legend or two, for a conference? You get distillAsia 2025: the region’s first standalone craft distilling symposium designed to support, connect, and inspire the continent’s distillers, both emerging and established.
Happening 3 April 2025 at the Berkeley Hotel Pratunam in Bangkok, this one-day conference will bring together some of the best minds in the business for a knowledge-packed programme of technical talks, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops. Organised by the Asia Brewers Network — the same people behind Brew Asia and the Asia Beer Championship — the event marks a natural next step in the evolution of the region’s craft alcoholic beverage community.
With Asia’s appetite for premium craft spirits is growing fast — with the region projected to hit USD 53.2 billion by 2029 — the time is right for a dedicated trade event like distillAsia 2025.
“Craft distilling has been growing across Asia, but there hasn’t been a dedicated platform for distillers to meet, share knowledge, and level up — until now,” says Charles Guerrier, distillAsia founder and veteran conference organiser. “We’ve seen what Brew Asia did for brewers. It’s time to give distillers the same opportunity.”
Distilling Success In The Asian Craft Spirits Industry
The lineup of speakers at distillAsia 2025 reads like a who’s who of regional distilling talent. Leading the charge is keynote speaker James Young (pictured above), founder of Old Young’s Distillery in Western Australia’s Swan Valley — best known for its inventive spirits and no-nonsense branding. His keynote, “Opportunity. Challenge. Spirit.”, promises a candid take on building a world-class distillery from the ground up. With recent accolades like ‘Brand Innovator of the Year’ and ‘Craft Producer of the Year’ from the 2023 Icons of Gin Awards, Old Young’s Distillery is proof that small operations can punch far above their weight.
Joining him on the programme is a diverse slate of speakers, each bringing a unique regional perspective:
- Ed Tiedge, Master Distiller of Về Để Đi Distillery in Vietnam, who has the distinction of helping launch the country’s first dedicated whisky distillery — a bold bet on a spirit still finding its footing in Southeast Asia.
- Jaruwan (Jah) Kongbantad, founder of Kaori Craftroom in Thailand and a rare double-threat as both distiller and educator, known for her work demystifying gin recipe development in a market that often overlooks the spirit’s creative potential.
- Alexander Plank, Director of Operations at Carl GmbH, a renowned German still manufacturer with over 150 years of heritage. He’ll be unpacking how evolving pot still technology is shaping flavour profiles and production methods across spirit categories.
- Krishna Rajiv, APAC Technical Sales Manager for Fermentis, who brings a yeast biochemist’s lens to an age-old problem: how to maximise fermentation performance even when your molasses isn’t exactly textbook quality.
- Oliver Woods, branding expert and founder of Beer Asia, whose background in digital marketing and craft culture makes him an ideal guide for distillers trying to turn great liquid into compelling brands.
- Gordon White, Master Brewer and Distiller at Indonesia’s Lovina Industri Sukses, who will explore the unique challenges — and surprising advantages — of producing whisky in tropical climates.
Alongside the technical sessions, distillAsia 2025 will also tackle the big questions facing the region’s spirit makers. Two flagship panel discussions headline the afternoon:
- “Tradition v Innovation: Which Way Forward for Asian Spirits?” takes a hard look at how distillers can strike a balance between heritage and experimentation—especially as Asian spirits begin to define themselves on the global stage.
- “Accelerating Growth in the Craft Spirits Market” explores the power of collective initiatives, shared infrastructure, and peer-led collaboration in pushing the industry forward faster.
Together, they promise to generate the kind of open dialogue that’s been sorely missing in this nascent sector.
Another highlight of the day will be a guided workshop led by Hưng Hồ Việt, founder of Hanoi’s Herevia Distillery, who’ll walk attendees through his Heritage Rice Spirit — a liquid love letter to Vietnamese tradition with a modern distiller’s touch.
So whether you’re a seasoned distiller, a curious newcomer to the distilling scene, or somewhere in between, you’ll want to mark distillAsia 2025 down on your calendar.
To sign up or learn more about distillAsia 2025, visit: distillasia.com.
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