Mike Chin, Co-owner of House of Hops, PJ

Mike Chin

In this interview, Mike Chin, co-owner of House of Hops, a craft beer bar in Taman Megah, shares some truths about the industry.

What do you do?

I am a businessman and co-owner of House of Hops, a craft beer bar and importer in Petaling Jaya.

How did you get into the industry?

Passion.

Share with us a story from behind the scenes.

My first love for craft beer began as my alcoholic beverage of choice nine years ago. I decided to turn my passion into a business.

What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?

Vitamin C tablets.

What’s the best/ worst part of your job?

The best part is operating a company that sells cool products. The worst part is the responsibilities and financial constraints that go with it.

What’s one of your favourite food and beverage pairings?

Sashimi and beer.

What’s one of the craziest things you’ve seen behind the scenes?

Bringing in beers by air rather than shipping by sea to introduce them to the market. As you can imagine, it’s quite costly.

The scariest moments are making mistakes that can cost the whole business.

The perfect day off would be…

Middle of the week when I can rest.

What does Mike Chin do for fun?

Watch good movies and talk to new and interesting people.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about House of Hops?

We are direct importers of craft beers and pass the reduced cost of cutting out the middle person to you! Also, we could talk for hours about craft beer. Pull up a stool and we’ll share our stories with you.

How has the pandemic changed your perspective or the way you operate?

We discovered that offering the opportunity to work from home is a way to attract employees.

What do you want people to know about being a businessman as a profession?

It’s not as fun as you think.

What’s your view on the craft beer scene in KL?

It’s small but fun.

What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future?

We like to hire people in need.

What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months?

Interesting live performances, an evolving food menu, and always the introduction of new craft beers.

Find more interviews similar to this one with Mike Chin here, and stay up to date with the latest food and beverage happenings in KL here.