Welcome to Apolong Brewery
You must be of legal drinking age to enter this site.
You must be of legal drinking age to enter this site.
Seattle roots. Philippine soul. A father and son brewing without compromise.
John didn't plan to start a brewery. He just refused to be bored. Already living in the Philippines, retirement turned out to be the most boring thing he'd ever done — so he started brewing all-grain craft beer with his buddy Ed, purely for the fun of it.
After a few years of brewing together, John and his wife Babsie opened Apolong Brewery in March 2022 — a mountain taproom and restaurant in Valencia, Negros Oriental, with two beers on tap and no shortage of good vibes. Then Phil came on board late 2022, saw the potential, and pushed the business forward.
The rest grew organically. The lineup expanded from 2 to 14. Cans started reaching across the Philippines. And in 2025, Dragon's Blood Sour was named Champion Beer of the Philippines at the Philippine Craft Brewers Association Awards.
Every batch is still brewed by hand, with the same obsessive attention to quality that started it all. What once kept the old folks busy has become something none of them expected.
Negros Oriental
Already living in the Philippines, John and his buddy Ed start brewing all-grain craft beer — purely for the love of it. No business plan, no grand vision. Just two guys making good beer to keep retirement from getting dull. They brewed together for a few years, honing their recipes one batch at a time.
March 2022
John and his wife Babsie open Apolong Brewery in Valencia, Negros Oriental — a mountain taproom and restaurant serving their own craft beer alongside Mexican-inspired food. Two beers on tap to start. The Farmhouse Ale becomes an instant crowd-pleaser.
Late 2022
Phil joins the operation and decides to push the business. What was a beloved local hangout starts growing with intent — more beers, more reach, a sharper brand. The lineup expands and cans start moving beyond Valencia.
Growth
The brewery expands organically from 2 beers to 14 on a rotating schedule. West Coast IPA becomes the best-seller. Dragon's Blood Sour — brewed with locally grown Negros Oriental dragon fruit — begins turning heads across the Philippines.
PCBA 2025
Dragon's Blood Sour wins the Gold Medal and overall Champion Beer at the Philippine Craft Brewers Association Awards. Daywalker NEIPA takes Silver. A few years on from two retirees brewing for fun, Apolong is nationally — and internationally — recognized.
Now
The Tap Room by Apolong Brewery is coming to Dumaguete City in Summer 2026. Nationwide shipping launches. The mission remains the same: world-class craft beer, brewed without compromise, from the heart of Negros Oriental.
We source local ingredients wherever possible — dragon fruit from Negros Oriental, local aromatics, regional produce. Our best beers are the ones that could only come from here.
Every batch is brewed by hand. We don't cut corners on ingredients, process, or time. If a beer isn't right, it doesn't leave the brewery. Our awards are proof that the standard works.
We brew for people who want to actually taste their beer. From crushable lagers to 9.5% imperial stouts, every beer in the lineup is designed to be memorable, not just drinkable.
The Philippine Craft Brewers Association annual competition is the most prestigious recognition in Philippine craft brewing.
Dragon's Blood Sour
Overall Champion — PCBA 2025
Dragon's Blood Sour
Sour/Wild Ale Category — PCBA 2025
Daywalker NEIPA
Hazy/New England IPA Category — PCBA 2025
The best way to understand Apolong is to sit in our taproom, look out over the mountains, and drink a cold one.