Steve Sykes

The Bangkok Beer Guru is Steve Sykes, an American who has lived in Bangkok since May of 2000. He runs a business services company that helps foreigners incorporate businesses in Thailand (see https://www.thaistartup.com), and has Permanent Residence status in Thailand. A graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, New York, he served for ten years as an active duty Infantry Officer in the US Army, with time spent in the Southeastern US, Panama, and Germany. After leaving active military service in 1988, he went into technical sales of high-purity chemicals, and later of chemical process equipment, mainly to manufacturers in the semiconductor and disk drive manufacturing sectors. In that sales role, he first visited Thailand in 1995. In the early 1990’s, Steve began home-brewing beer while living in New York State, some 60 km northwest of New York City. Serving at that time as a national sales manager, he also made a practice of visiting brewpubs and craft beer bars throughout the United States. Upon arriving in Thailand, he was dismayed at the meager alternatives available to anyone interested in anything other than German lager style beers. When Chris Foo eventually opened the first House of Beers on Thonglor Soi 16, and when Dana Caron brought the first craft beers into the Roadhouse on Surawong Road, things in Bangkok began to look up. Steve first became a regular consumer of O’Hara’s Irish Pale Ale – until the distributor discontinued importing that brew into Thailand. Then Steve discovered Brewdog Punk IPA – upon its appearance at the original Brew Beers & Ciders bar at Seenspace on Thionglor Soi 13 – and he was then once again a happy man. Now – the craft beer scene in Thailand is exploding. The choices available to an adventurous beer drinker are almost limitless. But – it has not been easy keeping up with all the new beers and venues. So – to make things easier for those following after him, The Bangkok Beer Guru decided to launch this directory. Hopefully, some folks will find it helpful. The Bangkok Beer Guru may be contacted at steve@bangkokbeerguru.com