Any freshly roasted coffee? Any good US beer?

[izn_ljca]

Hi y'all,

Just landed here, sniffing the air, discovering things, stepping on all the wrong toes. Ah, well...

I would very much appreciate a bit of advice in locating two essential products that I haven't encountered here yet. One is good freshly roasted coffee beans. I am not after the Blue Mountain kind or what not, just good solid beans, similar to Whole Foods stuff. The other is decent American beer, again nothing too crazy, more along the lines of Sierra Nevada Torpedo (Extra IPA). Any suggestions?

Many thanks!
Wesley

[Jeffa]

Brewerkz is microbrewery and restaurant with good beer and decent pricing (depending on the time of day).

I am still looking for the good cup of joe myself.

[pharmMD]

I go to Loysel's Toy, Oriole, and Maison Ikkoku for good coffee.

[zzm9980]

Oriole Coffee Roasters gets my whole-hearted endorsement. Oriole Cafe & Bar is the same guy, but I've never been there. I've conversed with (someone at least claiming to be) his niece online, and it sounds like the coffee shop (near Chinatown/Tng Pagar) is better anyway.


I have a few others bookmarked that I haven't tried, I'll post them tomorrow.

[izn_ljca]

Oriole Coffee Roasters gets my whole-hearted endorsement

Thank you! I got some coffee from their Somerset location last night and tried it today. I feel the Yellow blend (or whatever they call it) is too light and acidic, and the Raven is better. However, the grind was a complete nonsense. I told the gentleman behind the counter that I needed moka pot grind, and obtained verbal confirmation from him. Regretfully, when I opened the bag this morning, I encountered material of confectioners' sugar structure. Consequently, the brew was badly overextracted.

Granted, they don't roast coffee on site, and the roast date on the package was February 28. But grinding is really not rocket science

Will try their Chinatown location this weekend.

Any opinions on Nylon roasters, Papa Pahleta, 40 Hands, Graffeo or Yahava?

Thank you!

[zzm9980]

Ugh I forgot about this thread! Sorry, I promise to update it tomorrow.

I've only ever had coffee at the Chinatown location, and I drink it there. I don't buy their beans and brew at home at all. My coworkers that do brew have our coworkers in California regularly ship beans from a place called Blue Bottle in San Francisco, if that gives you an idea on the local quality (Which is funny, since all of the coffee is from this region anyway!)

40 Hands is definitely on my list of "recommended" places I mean to try soon.

[JR8]

The other is decent American beer

Hard enough to find in America, don't be surprised if you can't at all in Singapore

I'd suggest looking in Cold Storage at Ngee Ann City (Orchard Road), and a high-end grocery shop called (IIRC) '360' on an upper floor at Ion (Orchard Road), or Jasons in the basement at Ion.

Or contact the American Club, or embassy and ask them. Or Google it.

Or find an alternative. You can get good some truly world class beer in SG, such as Duvel, Chimay (both from Belgium), so there is a market for premium stuff, but phoo you're going to pay for it.

Or e-mail Sierra Nevada and ask them if they have an importer in SG... and if so then contact them ...

[izn_ljca]

The other is decent American beer

Mission #2 accomplished: "Thirsty Beer Bar and Store".

[JR8]

The other is decent American beer

Mission #2 accomplished: [edit].

Their cheapest beer line is S$8 a bottle, but then that's what Clarke Quay rents do I suppose.

But you asked re: Sierra Nevada PA, and as I suggested I have bought that from Cold Storage or Jasons or 360. It wasn't/isn't cheap, but it wasn't S$8++ a bottle, no way, it would have been max S$25 for a 6-pack of 330's.

p.s
I read an article on the mentioned/edited beer shop (I shan't link it, as this topic has a slight whiff about it IMVHO), and in I see it stocks Hitachino Nest (trans: 'Owls Nest'), a storming Japanese craft beer, that I came upon and have only ever had in New York, and Brewdog, a storming English brewery that I bought a few bottles of, in a Beirut convenience store, of all places. I have never seen either beer on sale anywhere else in the world, including their home countries!?

Anyway the mentioned shop certainly stocks an impressive range of craft and boutique beers, but man you have to pay for it.

If you're ok with the likes of the glorious Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada etc., then I expect Cold Storage (etc) is going to work out waaaaaay cheaper.

[chuckd]

Brewdog, a storming English brewery that I bought a few bottles of

Not sure if I'm just misinterpreting your punctuation but Brewdog is from Scotland. Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire to more precise. Damn good stuff and available throughout Scotland and increasingly England too. I believe two of the brewery's production are available on draft in about 3 places in Singapore....brightened up my day when I discovered that.

[JR8]

Brewdog, a storming English brewery that I bought a few bottles of

Not sure if I'm just misinterpreting your punctuation but Brewdog is from Scotland. Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire to more precise. Damn good stuff and available throughout Scotland and increasingly England too. I believe two of the brewery's production are available on draft in about 3 places in Singapore....brightened up my day when I discovered that.

Well fair enough, but actually I don't mentally make a differentiation between the English and Scottish - it just doesn't figure or matter to me - unless it concerns rugby I hail from the Borders... being born 20 miles one side or another of a political boundary is not going to define how I identify myself, so how?

[izn_ljca]

Their cheapest beer line is S$8 a bottle

True, but I didn't really expect to see S$10 six-packs of properly good microbrewery products here since the market is small, shipping expensive and importation even more so. Moreover, in this sort of sauna climate an impact of a 0.33 is similar to that of a 0.75 back home. So nope, not complaining.

They also said they might be able to bring in some Dogfish Head in April. Now that would be a hoot and a half!..

Re: Hitachino & BrewDog. I tried a few different owls at JiBiru last weekend. Seemed to go well with a Formula One race ("Come on Seb, this is silly") and them lil' fried munchies, but too malty and not nearly hoppy enough in my book, even the IPA varieties. The Dog was a huge hit stateside a few years ago, but lost market almost immediately due to increased competition. They were... kinda nothing special. Need to give them another try I guess.

The quest for coffee continues.

[chuckd]

The Dog was a huge hit stateside a few years ago, but lost market almost immediately due to increased competition. They were... kinda nothing special. Need to give them another try I guess.

If you're feeling a bit extravagant you should check out the Brewdog Abstrakt range, http://www.abstrakt.com/. They had a selection in The Old Empire Gastrobar at Valley Point Mall a few months back. $50 for a bottle, bit steep but nice for an occasional treat.

[izn_ljca]

Brewdog Abstrakt range

AB:12 - Black Belgian IPA, Scottish Berries Aged in Oak Casks
Yep. Sold. Thanks!

[Travailes]

They are now selling also Brewdog at The Old Brown Shoe on Bukit Timah. They announced it last week at the quiz and I think it is on promotion.
If you check the Brewdog website - this is the importer here (no connection) in Singaporehttp://shop.tsawines.com.sg/index.php?route=product/category&path=39_64&page=1

Re the coffee thread - I am probably not a connoiseur like some on here but I buy all my coffee (beans but they grind them if you want) from a little importer who moved from the Wholesale Market near Rocher to 135 Sims Av.
Again no connection but it is called Lee Khong Lam Trading Co. I but the arabica at $25 a kilo. I think it is delicious. Tel is 6297 4765.