Now with most of the Covid-19 restrictions lifted, clubs are making their great return, and bars are extending their opening hours till the wee hours to give imbibers more excuse to paint the town red. To reintroduce you to Singapore’s nightlife, here are four new (or returning) players to the bar scene, in order of your alcohol preference.
Thirty Six Brewlab & Smokehouse 36 Club Street | Tel: 6239 0350
Those with a penchant for ice-cold beer will love the large selection of housemade beers at Thirty Six Brewlab & Smokehouse by local craft brewery Lion Brewery Co.
A warm and welcoming microbrewery-cum-restaurant that celebrates craftsmanship in all forms — food, art, music and of course beer — Thirty Six features a state-of-the-art on-site 500-litre microbrewery with 23 taps pouring a selection of the finest craft beer. Fresh on draught are Lion Brewery Co’s flagship and seasonal brews, rotating guest brews from other local and international craft breweries, and a constantly changing lineup of beers brewed right on site at the microbrewery. We hear that beer tastings, workshops and tours of the brewery can also be arranged.
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Thirty Six focuses on researching, studying and experimenting with styles, techniques, ingredients and flavours to bring customers a truly exciting selection of beers on rotation. Some must-tries include the Raspberry Beeret (ABV 4.6%), a Berliner Weisse bursting with bright raspberry flavours and a refreshing finish; Something Something (ABV 5.5%, American Pale Ale), bursting with Citra, Simcoe and Cascade hops giving a ripe, citrus fiesta to balances the bitterness; Lion Brewery Co’s Island Lager (ABV 4.7%, Lager), a refreshing German-style pilsner; and Lion Brewery Co’s Straits Pale Ale (ABV 4.5%, Pale Ale), a crisp, signature pale ale featuring notes of lychee and citrus fruits with a clean, dry finish. Beer aficionados will be thrilled to hear that Thirty Six also has 3 Cask Ale Taps – making it one of the only bars in Singapore that serves quintessentially British-style cask-conditioned Ales using a traditional Angram (long-handle) pump.
Following in the footsteps of parent company Lion Brewery Co’s long-standing partnership with Green Steps Group, Thirty Six takes steps to ensure that its practices are as eco-responsible as possible from reducing waste to using plastic-free recycled delivery packaging. It is also involved in a programme that plants one tree for every keg of Lion Brewery Co beer sold, equating to significant amounts of carbon-negative draught beer.
Nestled inside this lovingly restored heritage building on Club Street is a 120-seater restaurant featuring a hedge-lined outdoor beer garden and a tantalising menu, centred around open-flame grilling on a custom-built brick hearth. Dishes focus on bold, local flavours and a smoky umami that pair extremely well with your icy pints.
Club Street Wine Room 87 Club Street | Tel: 6970 0190
Brought to you by the people behind Cure Concept’s Catfish, Cure and Butcher Boy, Club Street Wine Room offers an exciting repertoire of drinks and posh bites, with a progressive wine curation catering to both purists and naturalists.
Moving away from traditionally formal wine bars, Club Street Wine Room has been designed as an inviting space, beckoning imbibers and diners alike to drop in any time for a glass of wine and a hearty meal. The chic 45-seater is an airy communal area — with a large skylight — that sets the mood for a laid-back loungey vibe that encourages lingering and conviviality, transforming the space seamlessly from day to night.
Led by head sommelier and operations director Amir Solay, the wine programme presents a progressive and ever-evolving menu of vino that is kept accessible yet exciting and offers something for every palate. Some highlights include Crusoe’s Treasure’s Sea Soul No. 4, a Spanish sea-aged wine – part of an emerging trend which sees bottles submerged underwater for months at a time to aid fermentation and enhance taste. There are also amphorae-aged wines — such as Chateau Kefraya Collection Amphora 2018 from Lebanon — which are fermented, stored, and transported in vessels made of terracotta clay following an ancient practice of winemaking. The wine room will be the first in Asia to offer wine served in this style, presented in customised amphorae vessels for the full experience. Another unusual label is the Movia Puro, a Slovenian wine that will be opened in a water tank directly in front of guests. Teetotallers can also have a swirling good time with non-alcoholic wines such as Pierre Chavin’s Pierre Zero Merlot and Pierre Zero Chardonnay which has a rich aroma of tropical fruit, peaches, lychee, and flowers.
Rest assured, the food here promises to be just as extraordinary as its sister brands with an elevated menu of gourmand delights such as the Guinea Fowl Confit, Oysters Grilled With Bacon Jam, Steak Au Poivre and Truffle Potato Cheese Fries. There is also a Sunday Brunch menu with free-flowing Pét-Nat natural sparkling wines which use an ancient fermentation technique within the bottle itself.
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Sugarhall 19 Cecil Street Level 2 | Tel: 9815 0246
Recognised at the inaugural Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2016 (#48) and #38 in 2017, Sugarhall makes its big return to the bar scene after a four-year hiatus with posh new digs above Rosemead (both owned by Jigger & Pony Group) at the epicentre of Raffles Place. Sister brand to Singapore’s best bar Jigger & Pony, Sugarhall maintains its DNA by focussing on rum-based libations with a beverage programme that rediscovers classics using homemade ingredients plus a wide repertoire of over 100 rum labels.
The other draw of the bar is it is dark and sexy interiors — illuminated by fairy lights — with a 70-seater open hall reminiscent of bustling English-style neighbourhood pubs. To give that grunge, underground feel the existing pillars are left exposed for a distressed look that pays tribute to the building’s heritage. Together with a backdrop of upbeat music (ranging from funk to reggae and ska) all elements converge for a cosy spot conducive for rousing post-work drinks or get-togethers.
The cocktails, curated by operations manager Davide Boncimino and principal bartender Sam Loh, are extremely smashable. Some returning favourites include the Dark & Stormy (available in two sizes) based on Hampden 8 year aged overproof Jamaican rum that poses an intense estery fruitiness. The highball-style classic is finished with fresh lime and Sugarhall’s brand new “I Shot the Ginger’’ ginger beer. Brewed at The 1925 Brewing Co., the ginger beer ferments young, old and galangal ginger with lager yeast and a secret blend of spices.
Other must-tries include the Daiquiri with two types of rums, Bacardi Superior 1909 and Veritas; PornStar Martini a vodka and passionfruit classic infused with pandan; H&M Sour, a gin sour accentuated with green tea and hazelnut. Another iconic Sugarhall experience is the punchbowl such as the One Punch Rum presented with a whole bottle of Havana Club 7 Year Old Rum that you can self-pour into a mix of Gosling’s 151 proof rum, passionfruit, coconut water, lime, and cinnamon.
Tipplers can also enjoy Sugarhall’s Rum of the Month flavours (which can be enjoyed in your choice of cocktail, straight up as a dram or in a flight) or partake in some Happy Hour madness where cocktails go for only $14 each, and wines at $12 from 4pm-6pm daily. You can also pair your booze with a fine selection of edible delights prepared by the culinary team from Rosemead, led by executive chef David Tang.
Campari Singapore 152 Beach Road #28-05/08 Gateway East Tel: 6805 9600
Campari Group, the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry, shifts its Singapore office to a larger unit next door boasting four times the spatial capacity. With this generous play on floor space, an exclusive bar area can finally be realised so that invited guests, trade partners and top clients can sample its portfolio of beverage brands including its high-end range of rarer spirits.
Offering 270-degree views of Singapore’s magnificent Eastern and Southern skyline, Rare Attico offers a sleek and open space for private events where an appointed host will introduce Campari’s portfolio of spirit labels like Aperol, Appleton Estate, Campari, SKYY, Wild Turkey, Grand Marnier and Glen Grant. Invited guests can expect handcrafted display cabinets and vitrines showcasing the limited releases alongside rare artefacts elevating brand experience by storytelling and curating richer and memorable experiences. We hear there are plans for workshops and themed events further down the road.
The inviting space comes alive with modern contemporary furniture and sleek cabinetry to house its Rare Opulent collection – a curation of the most exceptional and rarest liquids housed in Asia-Pacific. The collection entails an ensemble of brands across categories including Champagne, Cognac, rum, bourbon, single malt whiskey, and white spirits, all in the super-premium price tier ranging from over 200 USD (approximately 270 SGD) up to 30,000 USD (more than 41,000 SGD) and beyond for its highest expressions.
Later this year, Rare Attico will be launching a private cask program for Scotch label, The Glen Grant, with unique casks personalised for each buyer. This is the first program of its kind for the distillery, and a unique opportunity for discerning single malt connoisseurs in Asia Pacific to enjoy some of the finest dram produced at this iconic Speyside distillery in Scotland.
Each cask in The Glen Grant Private Cask series has been handpicked by master distiller Dennis Malcolm OBE — currently the longest serving distiller in Scotland — ensuring the whisk delivers the layered complexity achieved through careful maturation in first-fill Bourbon casks.
The release in the series represents some of the first casks filled by Dennis Malcolm and team following The Glen Grant’s acquisition by the Campari Group.
