Singapore – From exclusive gin with a local spin to craft breweries
Singapore’s no slouch when it comes to locally-made alcohol. From gin with a local spin to craft breweries whipping up their own pilsners, the Lion City has a host of fine establishments that’ll make alcohol aficionados merry. Check out what’s brewing below.
RedDot BrewHouse
While purists may find the notion of a green-tinted beer a little peculiar, RedDot BrewHouse has been churning out gallons of its signature lagers and ales for decades.
The aforementioned green-tinted beer—known as the Monster Green Lager—is made infused with spirulina, which is said to be nutrient-dense and have various health benefits. This beer is just one of more than a dozen different lagers, pilsners and seasonal flavours made at RedDot BrewHouse’s state-of-the-art facility at Dempsey Hill.
Housed in Tanglin Barracks, which was first built in 1860, RedDot BrewHouse also doubles up as a restaurant for visitors hankering to pair their beer with hearty Western fare. A word to the wise: If you’re hoping to try all the beer served here, we recommend pacing yourself over several sessions. You’ll not lack for entertainment on your return, as the bar hosts a range of bands playing acoustic pop and Top 40s covers, and a multitude of events ranging from book swaps to speed drinking competitions.
Tiger Brewery Tour
Quite arguably the granddaddy of locally-brewed alcohol, Tiger Beer is an internationally-acclaimed brand with over eight decades of history.
While the brand now has countless breweries in countries ranging from Vietnam to New Zealand, there’s nothing quite like getting a taste of this much-beloved beer in Singapore. Deepen your understanding of how beer is made on a massive scale, with the Tiger Brewery Tour.
This one-and-a-half-hour journey into the minds of beer makers will give you insights into the malts and hops that gives Tiger Beer its distinctive fruity notes and clean finish, as well as the fermentation, brewing and packing processes. You’ll also get the chance to sample this delightfully refreshing beverage at the brewery’s Tiger Tavern.
Brass Lion Distillery
Back in 2012, F&B veteran Jamie Koh had an ambition to set up Singapore’s first-ever standalone distillery, so that Singapore would have a spirit to call its own. You can see the fruits of her labour at Brass Lion Distillery, which proudly manufactures The Singapore Dry Gin.
This Singaporean spirit is made from locally-sourced fruits and botanicals—like kaffir lime leaves, chrysanthemum flowers and pomelo peel—and has a flavour profile that is meant to represent Singapore’s cultural melting pot.
To expand your knowledge of alcohol distillation, we recommend taking the 45-minute distillery tour. You’ll get to learn more about the distillery’s history, discover the ins-and-outs of making gin, and get to sample a tasting portion of the distillery’s various gins.
Compendium
A drink that’s certain to transport you back in time, mead is an alcoholic beverage most commonly associated with ancient history, Norse mythology and Greek legend. Known by various names all across the globe, this fermented honey alcohol has many variants due to the different additives used in its production.
If you’d like to get intoxicated on exotic flavours, you’ll be happy to know that Singapore boasts its very own version of mead. Compendium—originally known as Rachelle The Rabbit Meadery— is a brewery that offers several variants of mead, including creative varieties made with Osmanthus or lemon and ginger.
To discover how this ancient brew has been given local twists, check out their website, which also boasts a whole range of other alcohols, from gin and soju to vodka and arrack.
While Compendium doesn’t have a physical retail store, you can purchase this divine alcoholic beverage at bars like Native and Atlas, or bottle shops like Temple Cellars.
Tanglin Gin
With ingredients that include the orchid—our country’s national flower—Tanglin Gin is truly a bottled sample of the Singaporean experience. The label aptly takes its name from the Tanglin neighbourhood, once the home of nutmeg and pepper plantations.
The label’s signature drink—dubbed the Tanglin Orchid Gin—is made from 11 botanicals, including coriander seeds, juniper and dried dendrobium orchid stems. The latter is known in Chinese medicine as the immortality herb; while we can’t promise you’ll live forever after taking a swig, the drink’s sweet, floral aroma is certain to leave a long-lasting impression.
Cultivate your palette for fine alcohol by sampling this true-blue local brew at bars like The Spiffy Dapper. Alternatively, you can purchase a bottle or two for friends at The Standish, in the bohemian enclave of Holland Village.
Little Island Brewing Co
If the scenic parks and suburban neighbourhoods of Singapore’s east side are on your must-visit list, be sure to drop by Little Island Brewing Co for nosh and an artisanal pint of beer.
Located in the laidback neighbourhood of Changi Village, this 270-seat microbrewery serves up more than a dozen homemade pilsners, stouts and sour ales. Purists should partake in a pint of SPA Singapore Pale Ale, which possesses a woody aroma and a dry finish.
Besides great brews and a menu of delicious Western staples, the establishment also boasts live music from Wednesday to Sunday, with acoustic cover bands like 3 Left 1 Right and Strange Roots playing old school rock and retro hits.
