It’s long past Beerfest, and Oktoberfest will be over soon too; but is there really a stipulated time or reason to be enjoying good craft beer? By now you’ve heard of local stalwart Archipelago, possibly even dipped into Brewlander’s range of boundary-pushing beers—but the world of (good) craft beers is vast and scary, and usually hidden in far-flung bars. Let us hold your hand and guide you towards a few worth finding.
Devil’s Peak
Try the: Toast Ale
Photo credit: Toast Ale SA Facebook
South African craft brewery Devil’s Peak Brewing Co. deserves far more recognition than they currently receive here. Currently located in Cape Town, the six-year-old award-winning brewery doesn’t discriminate in brewing both typical lagers and non-typical craft beer. A tasty one to try is the Toast Ale, created at the brewery by a smaller brand Toast Ale SA. Not just a winning wheat beer made for smooth chugging, the pale ale was made with discarded or surplus bread crusts for a social cause—all profits go towards feeding local charities.
Where to find: Freehouse, RedMart
Meantime
Try the: Yakima Red
London-based Meantime Brewery was so named for the fact that it’s located right on the Greenwich Meantime; fun stuff. The Yakima Red ale uses special hops sourced from Washington State’s Yakima Valley—the result is an American-style red with fruity, citrus flavors that aren’t too bitter for the average beer drinker.
Where to find: Bread Street Kitchen, Breko
O’Hara’s
Try the: Nitro Irish Stout
Here’s one for the stout drinkers. O’Hara’s, or the Carlow Brewing Company, craft brews traditional Irish beers—along with ales, wheat beers and lagers—using just water, malts, hops and yeast. If you’re ever lucky to stumble into a bar tapping these rich brews, order the Nitro Irish Stout, a clean, smooth dark red stout poured with the crowd favorite, borderline-gimmicky, nitrogen-infused preparation.
Where to find: District 20, Fyr, The Hideout
Rocky Ridge
Try the: Peach Invasion IPA
Photo credit: Rocky Ridge Brewing Co. Facebook
First exhibited at Beerfest Asia 2018, this fruity New England-style IPA comes from Western Australia’s Rocky Ridge Brewing Company craft brewery. Loaded with peach and other tropical flavors, it’s light and sweet on the palate—a girly beer, if you will. But don’t underestimate it, this refreshing brew has 6.3% alcohol content.
Where to find: Smith Street Taps
Japanese craft beers
Try: Swanlake or Tazawako
Too often sake steals the limelight when it comes to Japanese craft beverages, but for anyone who’s hankering after a taste of yeast-powered alcohol, Japanese craft beers don’t disappoint. From Swanlake, try the #B-IPA, a spice-driven pale ale with citrus notes and Belgian yeast; or the Tazawako Sakura Komachi, an earthy ale using yeast from the sakura flower. Brought in by Epicurean Nomads, both labels can only be found in Singapore if you’re looking outside Japan, available at a selection of reputable Japanese restaurants.
Where to find: Bincho, Ginza Sushi, Love Binchotan, Sushi Ayumu
