Where I Like to Drink in Singapore: Druggists

Druggists Singapore

Whether by lucky chance or by clever game plan–or a little of both–this much is obvious: Druggists has completely f-ing nailed it. Though the range of beers poured from the bar’s 23 taps leans “extreme” for Singapore’s newborn craft-beer market, and though wallets will be dead on arrival for those sipping nothing but high-ABV pints, there’s a certain magic to the place that helps it transcend traditional demarcation lines and pull off the practically impossible here: appeal equally, and greatly, to all demographics of drinkers.

The bearded, hardcore beer dudes; the pretty twentysomething cafeistas and their boyfriends styled like J-pop heartthrobs; the grizzled, middle-aged western expats; the LGBT community; from the day it opened in February 2015, Druggists has consistently drawn what might be the most mixed bag of patrons I’ve seen at any bar in Singapore, which is not only a beautiful, much-welcomed thing but a shocking thing. Where many craft bars here scuffle figuring out how to attract more everyday beer drinkers, Druggists seems to have done so by simply opening its doors.

That’s not entirely true, of course, for though the bar does have location working in its favor, staff is also doing some things extremely well.

As much as I like drinking at The Great Beer Experiment, the first retail venture from Druggists’ owners, The Drinking Partners, the shop suffers greatly from its remoteness at PasarBella, an ace concept handicapped by outrageous prices on so-so food options, as well as a somewhat inconvenient location, especially for those without a car. I don’t mind going to PasarBella, but at this point I’d rather not–flagging crowds and disappearing vendors confirm I’m not the only one souring on this once-promising market.

There’s no such problem in Jalan Besar, the hottest ‘hood in Singapore by a landslide over Joo Chiat and frankly overrated Tiong Bahru (love the retro buildings, hard to care about anything else beyond the food centre). A short walk from neighboring Little India and its scores of Indian restaurants, Jalan Besar has just the right mix of vintage architecture, boisterous eating houses, seedy KTV bars, and trendy bars, bakeries, and restaurants. It’s a buzzy and unpretentious vibe here, and, at least for now, the area is blessedly free of the corporate, family-friendly maculations plaguing so many parts of Singapore.

The Druggists team didn’t just choose an ideal neighborhood: they also found a perfect space when, through black magic, bribery, or, most likely, friendly negotiation, the Singapore Chinese Druggists Association agreed to lease the ground floor of its 80-year-old shophouse, right behind Jalan Besar Stadium. (The SCDA still operates upstairs; you can sometimes hear their karaoke sessions on Sundays.)

Druggists Singapore

Druggists Singapore

With the exception of a retrofitted cold room and kitchen, and its slick 23-tap wall inspired by Torst in Brooklyn, Druggists hasn’t done much to the place beyond giving it a paint job, because it didn’t need much. Decor is understated and classy, from antique coach lamps and soft-white walls, to white-marble tables and colorful, original tiled flooring reminiscent of a Q*bert board. SCDA plaques splashed with Chinese-language characters remain undisturbed above the front door and in a back seating area furnished with couches.

The soundtrack is best when set to freewheeling jazz, as it most often is; staff needs to trash for good the drab, downbeat singer-songwriter sets I’ve heard on occasion.

Overall it’s a cozy, welcoming place exuding charm and Singaporean heritage, none of it forced or manufactured or in your face–this, perhaps more than anything, is what’s behind Druggists’ remarkable crossover success. I think the bar would do just as well with a more mainstream beer list and fewer taps.

We’ll fortunately never know if that’s true.

Though more and more bars are, finally, joining the great JiBiru Japanese Craft Beer Bar and Smith Street Taps in pouring craft on tap, you won’t find a bigger or better draft menu than the one curated by Druggists. Prairie Artisan Ales, Mikkeller, Brouwerij de Molen, Birra del Borgo, Amager Bryghus, and To Øl are just a few of the breweries commonly tapped here: that’s the type of selection I’d expect at, say, favorite Brooklyn watering holes like Torst or Beer Street. Singapore has, indeed, come a long way in a short time.

As I mentioned, however, be ready to pony up for pints with an ABV north of around eight-percent. For example, pints of Brouwerij de Molen’s Bommen & Granaten barley wine (a preposterous 15.2%) recently sold for SGD$31 (US$23); Rooie Dop’s Back to Black imperial stout, at a comparatively modest 8.6%, was $21 ($15.50). Though these and other strong brews are pricey, especially for those not accustomed to good beer prices in Singapore, most pints run $15 – $19 ($11 – $14), which is on par with other leading craft bars–and actually cheaper than some, too.

Of course, with so many luscious beers on tap it’s worth skipping full pints until the end of the night, anyway, in lieu of 250ml glasses weighing in at a palatable $9 ($6.50) or so. This way you can taste twice as many, and, ahem, more closely monitor and maintain your buzz. Keep in mind, too, that these prices are inclusive of taxes, and unlike in the States nobody expects a $1 or $2 tip per beer (though there is a tip jar).

Mmhmm… live in Singapore long enough and you learn how to justify your beer expenditures. At Druggists, however, there’s really no need to do such a thing–here it’s all money well spent.

Druggists is located at 119 Tyrwhitt Rd. +65 6341-5967. Open Tuesday to Friday 4pm – 12am, Saturday 2pm – 12am, Sunday 2pm – 11pm. Closed Monday.

More Places I Like to Drink in Singapore:

+ Alt. Pizza (California craft brews and delish 11-inch pizzas from an American chef)
+ Smith Street Taps (Serving craft beers on draft at a Chinatown hawker centre)
+ JiBiru Japanese Craft Beer Bar (Japanese microbrews in an open-air courtyard)
+ Mohican Pub (An Indian-themed Indian bar in Little India — but not that kind of Indian)
+ Brewerkz Taphouse (The pleasant Dempsey Hill outpost of local microbrewery Brewerkz)
+ The Great Beer Experiment (Off-the-beaten-path craft beer shop/bar at PasarBella Market)
+ LeVeL33 (The highest urban craft brewery in the world)

Lead photo courtesy of Dave Hackett; second photo courtesy of Druggists; third photo taken by author.

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One Response

  1. Nicko January 19, 2016

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