Abu Dhabi’s First Craft Brewery Shows Signs of Easing Alcohol Restrictions and ‘Change in The Region’
Abu Dhabi got its first brewery, Craft by Side Hustle Spirits, marking a major milestone for the city. (Photo: Craft Pub/Facebook)
Inquirer.net reported on Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates was hitting a boozy milestone and getting its first craft brewery. Chad McGehee, an American ex-patriate, founded Craft Pub in Abu Dhabi and claimed he wanted to make the country with notoriously strict liquor laws a beer destination like San Diego or Germany.
“We want to be a part of that,” he explained.
McGhee launched Side Hustle Brews and Spirits in 2019 and began importing the UAE’s first “home-branded” beer. Abu Dhabi loosened its strict liquor laws to allow brewing, and he co-founded Craft.
The beers are often flavored with local ingredients.
“Whatever we find at the local souq (market) we try to make something out of it,” the brewer said according to Inquirer.net. “We have used local honey, local dates, and coffee… we have another (beer) that uses black tea and saffron and cardamom.”
In January 2023, Dubai ended its 30% alcohol tax and made liquor licenses free to obtain. The country’s ruling Al Maktoum family chose to make the move to make Dubai a more travel-friendly destination.
Travel and Leisure reported in September about the fascinating paradox of liquor culture within Dubai. The city’s main religion is Islam, and alcohol consumption is strictly prohibited under Sharia Law. In Dubai, alcohol consumption is illegal outside of specifically licensed bars and restaurants — yet the city has a thriving craft cocktail scene with top bartending talent.
“We can get anything imported,” award-winning Canadian chef Kelvin Cheung said according to Travel and Leisure. “Literally anything we want. And it’s not crazy expensive. The rate of consumption is so high we can have premium products at a good price.”
The outlet additionally reported that despite the country’s strict legislation on alcohol, the World Health Organization reported that UAE drinkers drink two times the amount of alcohol each year, thus beating out drinkers in the U.S. and U.K.
Craft Pub Founder Chad McGhee claimed there’s a “competition” within the UAE between cities to become the next “party hub,” and Inquirer.net reported that Abu Dhabi intends to open its arms to almost 40 million tourists in 2030.
British ex-pat Andrew Burgess is a customer who frequents Craft and has lived in the UAE for almost two decades. He declared to the outlet that the UAE has changed drastically since he moved.
“To come to a bar, you had to go at night-time after everything was covered,” Burgess explained.
In January, Saudi Arabia opened a liquor shop in Riyadh selling alcohol to expats after a 70-year liquor ban. The BBC reported that “Diplomatic staff” who did not practice Islam were allowed to purchase after registering beforehand. The shop additionally enforced monthly allotments limiting the amount of alcohol that could be purchased.
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