Interview with Patrick Davenport and Jeffrey Olson from Fuzzy Logic Brewing

Fuzzy Logic Logo



If you have visited Embargo you won’t find it a surprise that we are big fans of Fuzzy Logic Brewing from Vietnam. We first got their beers in bottles and thought they were pretty good, but it wasn’t until we got their Thunderslap IPA and Pale Ale on draught that we really fell in love. Recently we have also had their Hop Baby DIPA on tap, which has also gone down well with our customers.

It’s just a few months ago since Fuzzy Logic entered the Cambodian craft beer market but their beers can already be found all over Phnom Penh. What you might not know is that they’re actually setting up a brewery in Siem Reap so we will definitely see more of them in the future. We met up with the founder Patrick Davenport to ask him about his vision and what he thinks about the craft beer scene in Cambodia.

We’ve seen your beers around Phnom Penh the past few months, how has entering the Cambodian craft beer scene started?

I personally have been doing business in Cambodia for over 12 years now so perhaps I look at things a little differently. I was, for example, one of the two founders of Kingdom. I love Cambodia and I am excited about where the Cambodian craft beer scene is going.

You are planning a new brewery up in Siem Reap, any more news about that?

We have located and leased a production site. Construction is ongoing and our German equipment should arrive at the end of the month. Very exciting times ahead.

What do you think are the prospects of the Cambodian scene? The market is smaller than both Vietnam and Thailand, but can you see it has a good future ahead?

Definitely. Cambodia is up and coming. All of my Cambodian friends are trying new restaurants and new drinks. I also find Cambodians have an appreciation of quality.

Do you think Cambodia has any advantages compared to other Southeast Asian countries when it comes to craft beer?

Cambodia has amazing agriculture. Ramdoul rice was rated the best rice in the world 4 years in a row by the World Rice Congress. Kampot Pepper has worldwide fame. Honey from Mondulkiri, according to Gordon Ramsay, is some of the best in the world. Organic cashews are amazing. So many great products. We have a farm in Kampong Thom where we plan on growing some of the ingredients for our beer.

Fuzzy Logic Brewing Hop Baby
Fuzzy Logic’s Hop Baby DIPA

At the same time we also asked Jeffrey Charles, the head brewer of Fuzzy Logic, a few questions about their newest beer “Hop Baby”. The Hop Baby is a Double IPA with an ABV of 7.5% and an IBU of 80. According to Jeffrey, the beer is based upon a recipe he first made about 12 years ago. It’s a recipe that has stayed with him since that. Jeffrey has been homebrewing since 2005 and professionally for the past 5 years. He says he has had a lot of time throughout these years to learn from his mistakes.

So Jeffrey, where do you get the inspiration for your beers from?

When I make a new beer I research the style diligently and try to draw from my experience with using different ingredients.

What is your favourite beer style?

I’m not making any for Fuzzy but I really like the English styles of beer and their sessionability. So even when I brew a big IPA I want it to be something that you can have more than one of. That’s kind of my philosophy of brewing and drinkability is one of the most important things for me.

Anything else you want to add about the Cambodian Craft Beer scene and the new project in Siem Reap?

Just excited to see it growing and happy to be a part of it.

We look forward to seeing more great beers from Fuzzy Logic and wish them all the best. For more information and updates you can always visit the Fuzzy Logic Brewing Facebook page.