EuroCham Cambodia
As Hops approaches its 10-year anniversary, we spoke with Daniel Marchette, CCO of Bash Brewing, the signature craft beer behind Hops Craft Beer Garden & Restaurants and EuroCham Annual Partner.
From his background in media and strategic partnerships, to what sets Bash Brewing apart in Phnom Penh’s growing craft beer scene, Daniel reflects on how the industry has evolved since Hops first opened in 2016, the value of EuroCham’s partnership, and what’s in store for Hops’ month of anniversary celebrations and Oktoberfest promotions throughout October.
You’ve built a career across media, publishing, and strategic partnerships before stepping into your role as CCO of Bash Brewing. Could you tell us a bit about your journey, and what drew you from the media world into craft brewing and hospitality?
Most of my professional career has been centred around business development, partnerships and strategy, and that’s been the case here in Cambodia throughout my time working in the media, marketing and digital sectors. I first worked with Bash Brewing and our restaurants under the Hops umbrella while leading the team at Globe Media Asia.
During that time, we collaborated on some events and marketing initiatives, and that group also organized the annual Oktoberfest on behalf of the GBC (German Business Cambodia). I decided to join the team at Bash Brewing in 2025 to help lead commercial operations and spearhead our growth strategy.
Bash Brewing is the signature craft brewery alongside Hops Craft Beer Garden & Restaurants. Could you share a bit more about Bash Brewing’s story, and what sets it apart within Phnom Penh’s craft beer scene?
Bash Brewing is indeed the signature beer born out of Hops Craft Beer Garden & Restaurants. That fact alone sets us apart from many of the other craft breweries in Cambodia as we have established, popular F&B businesses where we are able to sell our beer and directly connect to our customers. There are now four Hops locations throughout Phnom Penh, as well as our other restaurant brand Chew & Bash – Phnom Penh Island Club on Koh Pich. All these locations sell Bash Brewing craft beer, and another outlet will be opening before the end of the year.
Beyond this, I think something that really sets us apart at Bash Brewing is the consistency of our product and service. Our German Brewmaster is highly experienced, certified and has trained over many years. For all our beer recipes, aside from some experimental products, we brew following the more than 500-year-old German Purity Law using only malt, hops, water and yeast, creating a unique all-natural beer.
We also have a robust team, equipment and experience with catering and events, where we can bring Bash Brewing beer to our customers. From company parties to conferences and weddings and birthday parties we can fully cater and provide draft beer for groups ranging from 20 to 500 plus people. And importantly, last year we started working with other bars, restaurants and hotels here in Cambodia to also offer our beer. Our team’s ability to consistently maintain high quality and standards, stock, fill deliveries and provide professional maintenance and support to our clients really distinguishes us in the market.
Cambodia’s F&B and hospitality sector has grown significantly in recent years. How have you seen the craft beer and brewing industry evolve here, and what opportunities and challenges do you see for the sector going forward?
When we were established 10 years ago in 2016, you could count all of the craft breweries in Cambodia on one hand. Today there are more than 20. Hops and Bash Brewing helped to lay much of the groundwork for the market, and we are really seeing those early efforts and investments pay off. We see more and more Cambodians with a strong interest in and growing taste for our craft beers, and amongst our clientele the span of tastes broadens from classic lagers to less traditional and more complex flavours like IPAs and other hoppy ales.
We’ve been fortunate to see steady growth since coming out of the Covid years, but of course there are always headwinds. Disruptions to the supply chain, rising fuel prices, the lagging tourism sector, lower consumer spending and regulatory complexities all present unique challenges we are working to navigate, but overall, we are optimistic about Cambodia’s future and the future of our businesses and are looking to continue growing them.
Bash Brewing / Hops is one of EuroCham’s Annual Partners. Could you tell us more about the value of this partnership, both for your business and for the broader EuroCham community?
Our collaboration with EuroCham has always been important for us and is a fantastic gateway to the broader business community here in Cambodia. It’s led to some incredibly valuable partnerships and business relationships. We’ve also worked with EuroCham, the GBC and other chamber members on events like the Great Cambodian Craft Beer Festival, which is returning in January 2027. The support and visibility provided by EuroCham has really contributed to these events and whenever we can engage with the broader community we know they will be successful. The GBC as a chapter of EuroCham today has 3 craft breweries as members, and we cooperate to bring fun and meaningful experiences to everyone.
Looking ahead, Hops is approaching its 10-year anniversary, a big milestone. What has this journey meant to you and the team, and are there any celebrations that our members should keep an eye out for?
The 10-year milestone is really a testament to the consistency and the quality of what we deliver across the Hops group and Bash Brewing. We’re really excited to mark this anniversary with our customers and community and will be having a number of great events and promotions throughout the month of October to celebrate, starting with a big party on Saturday, October 3 at Hops Central in BKK. There will be three live bands and free flow Bash Brewing beer from 7pm to 9pm.
From there we’ll be doing a special Grand Opening of our newest location Hops Taproom at the Raintree offices on Thursday, October 8, followed by a final celebration on Saturday, October 24 at our Hops Toul Kork location. All these events will include live bands, DJs and specials on Bash Brewing beer.
Also, we’re working with German Business Cambodia and its members to run a number of Oktoberfest promotions throughout the month of October. We’re one of several German businesses participating in the Oktoberfest campaign as there is no main Oktoberfest event this year. Throughout the month customers can expect special deals on our craft beer, buy-1-get-1-free weekend brunch packages and German style rotisserie pig every Friday at Hops Central and Toul Kork. We hope many of the EuroCham community will join us!
Get all the info on Hops’ 10 Year Anniversary Celebration and a month of Oktoberfest festivities!
