9 women from across the beer industry collaborate with Heart of Darkness on 8 limited-edition beers for International Women's Week 2026
Heart of Darkness Brewery has launched its 3rd annual International Women's Week collaboration, bringing together 9 women from across the beer, cider, spirits, and brewing supply industries to create 8 limited-edition beers.
The project's ingredient and materials partner, Thai Tan Transport & Trading Co., Ltd, supplied the brewing resources to bring all eight recipes to life.
The 8 beers will be released one per day at the Heart of Darkness Saigon taproom from March 6–15, with all 8 beers back on tap for the weekend from March 13–15.
The initiative began in 2023 with 6 collaboration beers and expanded to 7 in 2025, growing into one of Vietnam's largest annual celebrations of women in the brewing industry.
This year's edition draws collaborators not only from Vietnam but also from Taiwan and India.
Nine women, spanning craft breweries, a cider house, a whisky distillery, and ingredient innovation companies, each partnered with Heart of Darkness to develop a beer reflecting their individual craft and perspectives.
Three sponsors helped to bring the activities to life:
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Ingredient and materials partner: Thai Tan Transport & Trading
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Hop innovation sponsor: Totally Natural Solutions (TNS)
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Yeast sponsor: Fermentis.
The result is one of the most diverse lineups the taproom has ever poured: from a pineapple pale ale by a cider maker brewing her first-ever beer, to a sour finished with corn whisky from a rickhouse in Hưng Yên Province, to a hazy IPA brewed entirely with hop oils instead of traditional hops.
The project was coordinated by Pham Duy An, QC Lead at Heart of Darkness and the programme's driving force since its inception.
"Women's Week is always such a fantastic time of the year. It's great to brew beer with my friends in the brewing industry. In Vietnam and Asia, I think women have really good representation in a community that people normally think about being mainly men — it's great to have an opportunity to celebrate that and showcase the talent we have,” shares An.
“This year, we are very happy to have partnered with Thai Tan, who have been so valuable in helping to create the craft beer scene in Vietnam. We have a really diverse collection of beers — I hope you can join us to try them!"
"Thai Tan is honoured to partner with Heart of Darkness for the Women's Week 2026 project. This special occasion is a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the creativity, passion, and dedication of women in the brewing industry,” shares Thu Vu Thi Anh, Deputy Sales Manager, Thai Tan.
“We truly admire the talent, resilience, and growing influence of women who continue to shape and inspire the craft beer community in Vietnam and across the region. Their perspective and creativity bring new energy and diversity to the industry. At Thai Tan, we are proud to support brewers with the ingredients and materials that help turn great ideas into memorable beers."
The Eight Beers
The Queen's Pineapple Pale Ale (5.7% ABV) - available for distribution
Hannah Jefferys (Saigon Cider) x Phạm Duy An (Heart of Darkness) x Thư Vũ (Thái Tân)
A pale ale brewed with Queen Victoria Pineapples from Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Fresh pineapple aromatics blend with tropical hops, delivering notes of ripe pineapple, citrus, and soft tropical fruit. Light-bodied with a crisp, juicy finish. This is Hannah's first-ever beer — she's normally a cider maker.
"As a cider maker, it was always going to be fruit-centric," she says. "I'm a big fan of HoD's pale ales, so it had to be this."
Hidden Garnet Irish Red Ale (5.3% ABV)
Vũ Mai Phương (AVA Craft Restaurant Brewing) x Phạm Duy An (Heart of Darkness)
A deep ruby Irish Red Ale brewed with beetroot powder for natural colour and subtle earthy complexity. Rich caramel and toasted malt form the backbone, layered with a gentle roasted edge and soft mineral earthiness. Medium-bodied, silky, and strikingly crimson in the glass — a classic Irish soul with a modern botanical twist.
"Don't be afraid to try," Phương says. "Brewing can look intimidating at first, especially because it's still a pretty male-dominated field, but if you're genuinely interested, that already matters a lot."
Secret Whispers Berry Cream Sour Ale (4.3% ABV)
Nguyễn Ngọc Phương Thảo (Pasteur Street Craft Brewing) x Phạm Duy An (Heart of Darkness) x Totally Natural Solutions (UK)
A cream sour brewed with raspberry juice, delivering bright berry aromatics and a gentle balance of sweet-tart fruit character, enhanced with hop oil from TNS for clean, natural berry aroma and depth. Soft lactic acidity, a rounded creamy mouthfeel, and a vibrant berry finish.
Thao, now in her third Women's Week collaboration with Heart of Darkness, says: "The first time trying a sour beer can be a bit of a shock, but once you get used to it, it's easy to get hooked."
Berry Has A Little Milkshake IPA (5.5% ABV)
Ming-Yi Wang (王明易) (formerly with Ugly Half Beer) x Phạm Duy An (Heart of Darkness)
A hop-forward Milkshake IPA featuring HBC 630, delivering bright berry aromatics with notes of strawberry, red berries, and stone fruit. Strawberry puree adds a natural layer, enhancing the hop-derived berry character. Lactose, wheat, and oats create a smooth, creamy mouthfeel reminiscent of a milkshake.
"My friendship with An and Heart of Darkness goes beyond breweries," she says, "and is deeply woven into the birth of this beer."
Krush On You Pale Ale (6.0% ABV)
Thư Vũ (Thái Tân) x Phạm Duy An (Heart of Darkness)
A single-hop pale ale brewed with Krush hops, highlighting vibrant citrus, tropical fruit, and subtle berry notes. Aromas of orange zest, mango, and guava lead, with a soft malt backbone and a crisp, refreshing finish that lets the pure character of Krush take centre stage. Thu came from a marketing background and learned the technical side of beer from the ground up.
"That learning journey has been incredibly rewarding," she says, "and has given me a deeper appreciation for the craft."
Northern Peaks Cold IPA (5.0% ABV)
Khánh Trang (Mia) (Fermentis) x Phạm Duy An (Heart of Darkness)
A modern Cold IPA brewed with black glutinous rice sourced from the northern mountainous regions of Vietnam, contributing a distinctive grain character while keeping the body light, dry, and highly drinkable. Fermented cold with a Fermentis lager yeast for a clean, smooth profile with sharp definition. Bright hop aromatics, balanced bitterness, and a dry, refreshing finish define this rice-forward Cold IPA. Trang returns after contributing a Chị Chị Em Em Elderflower Saison to the 2025 edition.
" Be strong, girls! If the guys can do it, we can totally do it too – especially when it comes to handling our beer. Cheers to that! 💪"
Magic Pop Hazy IPA (5.5% ABV)
Varsha Bhat (Mannheim Craft Brewery (India)) x Totally Natural Solutions (UK) x Phạm Duy An (Heart of Darkness)
A juicy, mango-forward Hazy IPA enhanced with hop oil from Totally Natural Solutions. Ripe mango, passionfruit, and citrus zest leap from the glass, layered over a soft, creamy body. Gentle bitterness keeps it bright, finishing smooth, tropical, and refreshingly clean. Varsha calls hop oils "the next big leap in the hop industry", allowing precise control of aroma even in the later stages of brewing.
"I like an IPA because it’s bold, bitter, and doesn’t care if you can’t handle it. Just Like me :)"
QL39 Rickhouse Sour (4.4% ABV)
Nguyễn Thị Lan Anh (Về Để Đi Distillery) x Phạm Duy An (Heart of Darkness)
A sour beer brewed with oak barrel-aged whisky from Về Để Đi Distillery, adding layered notes of vanilla, toasted oak, and gentle whisky warmth. Bright acidity is balanced with lemon oleo-saccharum, bringing expressive citrus oils and rounded lemon sweetness. Lan Anh, returning for her third Women's Week collaboration, grew up between her mother's rice wine operation and one of Vietnam's most well-known craft breweries.
"Growing up between those two worlds is one of the reasons I fell in love with beer — and later, with spirits."
Event Details
Collab Beer Release Period: March 6–15, 2026
Full Launch Party: March 13–15 (all 8 collaborative beers on tap!)
Location: Heart of Darkness Brewery Taproom - 31D Lý Tự Trọng, Sài Gòn, Hồ Chí Minh City
About Heart of Darkness Brewery
Founded in 2016 in Vietnam, we set out to become Asia's leading premium craft beer brand. Since then, we have released hundreds of beers and won prestigious awards from competitions around the world, including the Asia Beer Championships, the Tokyo International Beer Cup, AIBA Melbourne, and the Hong Kong IWCSC.