Hommel Beer Factory
BIA HOI CULTURE'S ORIGIN: FROM A COLONICAL DRINKING TO A CULTURE OF URBAN DWELLERS
Introduction
Before the French colonization, Vietnam had a long history of rice alcohol production. The beer industry was created in 1892 by Alfred Hommel, founder of Hommel Brewery (Brasserie Hommel) in Hanoi. Along with the Larue Brewery (Brasserie Larue) in Saigon, the Hommel Brewery was one of the two biggest breweries in Indochina.
Beer was the drink that seemed most suitable in the Indochina climate. At first, beer was mainly consumed by the French, then it became more and more popular with local Vietnamese people.
Besides water, the ingredients used by the Hommel Brewery were malted barley and hops imported from Europe and a proportion of rice (preferably denitrogenated). The difficulty was not in the purchase of ingredients of first quality, but in purifying water used, acquiring expensive brewing equipment, and adapting it to the hot and humid climate of Hanoi. Another challenge for the production of bottled beer was transportation. The brewery came up with the idea of producing a draft beer called bia hoi sold in kegs instead of bottles. Over time, bia hoi became a staple of Vietnamese culture and it remains so to this day.
Name: Brasserie Hommel / Société de la Brasserie Hommel / Société des Brasseries et Glacières de l'Indochine / Hanoi Brewery / Hanoi Brewery Company / Hanoi Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (Habeco)
Location: 183 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ha Noi
1.0
Chronological timeline
2.0
Agents
3.0
Investigations
4.0
Architectural and Urban preliminary assessment
5.0
Perspective / Thematic / Narrative point of view
6.0
Bibliography
Gia Lam Train Factory: Ideology on Rail
Considered by historian Tim Doling as one of the three great colonial railway works built during the early 20th century, Gia Lam Train Factory was initially built as a mechanical depot where train locomotives underwent maintenance and repair (Doling). Positioned strategically at the junction of four prominent rail lines, during its lifespan, the factory stood as a material witness of Vietnamese history, from the French colonial period, Japanese occupation, and American bombing to the present day of the free market and social changes. Not only the factory serve the movement of goods, with an extended network of agents, but it also cultivated the mobility of cultures and ideologies that shape Vietnamese subjectivity. Currently being scheduled to relocate away from its current site, the factory’s future and historical legacy are uncertain and at risk of being eroded under the pressure of urban redevelopment.