The Fine Art Of Alcohol Appreciation

Don’t be afraid of the dark, this stout is easy on the belly but goes hard on flavour. Coffee dominates the palate with a smoothly lingering dark chocolate finish. Match its robustness with the smoky greasiness of char kway teow or the richness of pork satay from Chinatown Complex Food Centre.

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Probably the smallest craft beer place in town, Mikeller takes over the premises of what used to be Good Beer Company.

Their refined and balanced yet extremely flavourful beers are a perfect match for the plethora of great hawker food its neighbours are known for.

The Vesterbro Wit, a refreshing wheat beer with splashes of cinnamon, allspice and banana, is not the first beer that comes to mind when you think of tze char, but here complements the sweet and sour pork beautifully, the inherent notes of tropical sweetness in both food and drink the common thread that ties everything together.

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Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Banana is that its flavour is derived not from the fruit but from the peels. This is part of Laut’s philosophy on sustainability and minimising waste, in addition to their focus on using hyperlocal ingredients. Aged Malaysian molasses, candlenut and coconut palm sugar combine with rum to create a rich, full-bodied cocktail driven by the sweet and robust taste of banana with a hint of smoky nuttiness. To me, this is a natural accompaniment to the restaurant's local desserts.

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Taste: 4/5

Compendium’s (@compendium.sg) signature chendol gin is probably the least exotic ingredient on the list, where pandan, chocolate mint, soursop, cacao husk vinegar and goji berries all vie for your tastebuds’ attention, but ultimately, this adult version of the After Eight Mint Chocolate Thins is harmoniously greater than the sum of its parts.

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Taste: 3/5

An ebullient elixir that’s refreshingly tart, where the acidity of kaffir lime and kedongdong plums masks the potency of the underlying gin. Like an ivory island in the middle of a silver lake sits a quenelle of hawthorn sorbet, a clever companion which you can mix in to add sweetness according to your tastes.

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Taste: 3/5

Locally brewed especially for Laut, this proved to be a crisp, easy-drinking lager with undertones of salted plum. Refreshing to drink and east to knock back, pair it or any of the beers here with the restaurant’s deep-fried sharing plates.

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Taste: 3.5/5

There’s a restrained sensibility behind this cocktail, yet head bartender @leontbk somehow simultaneously manages to make the melting pot of culturally diverse ingredients in this libation sing. With gula melaka arrack at its core, the Soy derives it name from the use of clarified soy milk in the process of making the cocktail, through which most of the color and cloudiness of the cocktail is removed, resulting in a crystal clear drink that's smooth, mellow and touched with floral notes of chrysanthemum, the tart sweetness of tamarind and just the faintest hint of spiced mango.

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Taste: 4/5

With a pedigree such as Native Bar behind him, you can be assured owner/head bartender Leon's local-centric cocktail programme is built on the shoulders of giants. One of the first cocktails I tried at Laut and probably my favourite, the Pineapple evokes echoes of the bar that made this style all the rage nowadays, but now more than ever with Leon's own ethos and personality stamped on it.

Sweetly tropical on first sip, but with layers of complex flavour unravelling upon your tongue, the base of dark rum and fermented Sarawak pineapples gives way to the subtle smokiness of aged Malaysian molasses and the delightful tingle of Borneo peppers.

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Taste: 4/5

The modern classic gets an update at No Sleep Club, with the punchy tropical vibrancy of passionfruit spiced up with tart verjus and counterpointed by the delicate sweetness of orange blossom. Take alternate sips of the side of champagne as a palate cleanser between your drink and the restaurant's very snackable small plates.

Taste: 3.5/5

Heart Of Darkness is of course an excellent brewery, but don't overlook their underrated cocktail programme, which sees highly unique creations mixed seamlessly with their beers.

Bordering on saccharine sweet, the base of this cocktail is made from a marriage of strawberries and cherries cooked sous vide with Oregon Pinot Noir, resulting in potent yet smooth elixir buoyed by a deep, fruity flavour. Thankfully, said sweetness is reigned in by the effervescence of cola, and tempered by the subtle chocolatey-ness of a dash of their superb Director’s Cacao Nib Porter.
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Pro-tip: Alongside a selection of beers and one main dish, this was one of two cocktails available on Heart Of Darkness’s $88++ 2-hour brunch free flow. Magnificent value if you ask me.

Taste: 3.5/5

Resistance is futile - a splendidly refreshing mix of quinine-infused Hendricks Orbium(essentially making this a gin tonic sans the tonic), fresh lemon juice, home-made mint syrup and Heart Of Darkness's very own Futile Purpose Pilsner - a surprisingly sour and unique cucumber beer, makes for a bright and summer-y easy drinking cocktail you could quaff all brunch long. Of course, any Hendricks gin would be remiss without a slice of cucumber, and here the garnish of sesame and salt crusted cucumber lends an additional dimension of flavour and crunch to go with your tipple.

Taste: 3/5

A Singapore Sling by way of an Old Fashioned, expect the spirit-forward potency of the latter, blended with the sweetness and medicinal undertones of the former. For lovers of strong and bitter aperitifs.

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Taste: 3/5