THE ingredients list reads like a recipe for tom yum soup or a herbal tonic: ginseng, tamarind, lemongrass and Goji berries(a Tibetan fruit that closely resembles wolfberries or cranberries).

But wait, it's actually for beer.

That regular can of cold fermented barley, malt, hops and yeast is now sharing its bubble space with Asian ingredients normally marketed to the health-conscious generation.

The latest brewery to jump on the healthy beer bandwagon with ABC Ginseng stout is local giant Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (APBS), the makers of Tiger Beer.

Released last December for the Christmas and Chinese New Year crowd, the company's brew masters infused their ABC Extra Stout - popular with the older generation - with Korean ginseng.

It has an 8 per cent alcohol content.

Other beers like lagers and pilsners have between 3 and 5 per cent alcohol content.

APBS' brewing manager Tai Seng Kong told The New Paper that the beer was targeted at ABC Extra Stout drinkers as well as beer lovers 'looking for a different type of tipple'.

Mr Tai, who has been in the beer industry for 28 years, said: 'We felt that adding ginseng, a traditional Chinese herbal root known for its medicinal properties, would give a refreshing twist to the original version of the stout.'

They had even considered using pineapple and ginger, but decided to go along with ginseng since 'everyone knows about the health and medicinal properties' of the herb, making it easier to market to drinkers.

His team started developing the drink in 2005 and had consulted traditional Chinese medicine practitioners on how to use the root accurately and effectively.

'We were afraid that ginseng's bitter aftertaste would overwhelm the stout flavour.

'That's why we tried many different types of ginseng until we had one that didn't have that sharp aftertaste,' said Mr Tai.

The ginseng beer variety is not unusual.

Carlsberg launched its own version of ginseng stout, Danish Royal Stout Ginseng, last year. Before that, microbrewery Brewerkz introduced a ginseng brew, called the Dragon's Tail Ale, for a limited period several years ago.

EXPENSIVE INGREDIENT

While APBS declined to reveal how much it cost to produce the beer since ginseng is a very costly herb, the ABC Ginseng retails for $14.20 for a 4-can pack while the ABC Extra Stout costs $18.65 for a 6-can pack.

Brewers say it is too early to gauge the response to their ginseng beer.

Mr Fal Allen, a master brewer at APBS' subsidiary business Archipelago Brewery, said all this is hardly new to the beer brewing industry.

The 46-year-old Hawaiian-born beer maker, who has been creating different varieties of the foamy tipple for more than 20 years, said American beer brewers have been experimenting with exotic flavours for a long time.

Mr Allen, who has been in Singapore for the last two years, has chilli and garlic beers in his portfolio.

For APBS' two retail outlets, the Archipelago Flagship Outlet and The Straits, he created several beers that included Asian spices and herbs.

The Traveller's Wheat has tamarind, orange peel, ginger and lemongrass, and the Archipelago Ming is made with Goji berries.

Said Mr Allen: 'Don't think I am creating some amazing new drink.

'It is a combination of using traditional Asian spices, which is found in local food, and European style brewing.'

The brews at the Archipelago's pubs retail at $9 during happy hour and $12after 8pm. A pint is between $14 and $16.

Beer drinkers Dennis Cheng and Eddie Tay, both 31 and working in the financial sector, say they don't mind paying a little extra for their boutique brews.

Both of them were drinking the Traveller's Wheat beer when The New Paper met them at The Straits in Far East Square.

Mr Cheng, whose favourite tipple is Heineken, said of the boutique beer: 'It is smooth and refreshing.

'I am not a beer connoisseur, so I can't even tell there is lemongrass or ginger in it.'

Mr Tay said he was trying the beer out of curiosity.

He said: 'Eventually, we will go back to drinking our usual brands.'

Brewerkz master brewer, Scott Robinson, 43, agreed. He said that while drinkers like the novelty of the exotic drinks, most often go back to the more conventional beers.

Mr Robinson said: 'After all, the brewers of Europe spent many hundreds of years developing these styles and in my opinion, it would be very difficult to improve on them.'

And whether these ginseng/lemongrass infused beers actually have any health

At a beer and health symposium in Brussels last year, the medical and scientific community claimed research had shown that beer, when taken in moderation, has several benefits, reported UK newspaper The Journal.

These include lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of strokes and decreasing the risk of dementia. The silicon in beer is also said to help strengthen bones.

Research from The Edmonton Journal also said that moderate beer drinkers were less likely to develop coronary heart disease.

And interestingly, unlike conventional wisdom, the report said that beer is not fattening. Instead, researchers blame unhealthy eating habits and a lack of exercise for the proverbial beer belly, not beer.

WATCH YOUR DRINK

Brewers say the general rule of thumb is one drink a day for women and people over 60, and two drinks a day for men (no more than one an hour) to experience beer's reported health benefits.

Said Mr Allen: 'Anything over that defeats the health purpose.'