Bartender, distiller, whisky bottler – women in Asia changing the face of drinks industry
- Renu Sinpho at Aqua in Bangkok was fascinated by the artistry of cocktails; Eint Thiri Thu had a drink at a bar in Yangon, and was invited to become a partner
- Whether through chance or driven by personal interest, these four Asian women entered the drinks industry and have forged their own paths
Across Asia, alcoholic drinks are taking on some very different flavours as women uncork new ideas and add a new spirit to bar menus.
Female distillers, bottlers, bar owners and bartenders are helping change the fortunes of an industry that once frowned on women drinking in public, let alone making drinks.
“It’s not so much a sudden change, as a light being shone on women’s role in the industry as people become more aware,” says Holly Graham, former food and drink editor of Time Out Hong Kong and Asia Ambassador for lifestyle brand Earn Your Booze.
“Women are innately good at tending bar and add some much-needed diversity right the way through the industry, which is all the better for it.”
A prime example of the new wave, Renu Sinpho runs Aqua (temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic) at the Anantara Siam Hotel in central Bangkok, and has her eyes trained firmly on the future.
“When I started at the age of 20, there weren’t so many female mixologists around in Thailand,” she says. “We’re seeing more nowadays, in local watering holes, in fancy speakeasies, and in some of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, but there are still not enough if you ask me.”
