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old the Taiwan Beer, give me Zhang Men Brewing’s Taiwan

Pepper Ale instead. My command of Mandarin might be

abysmal, but I’ve managed to impress the bartender at

RON Xinyi with my enthusiasm for a kaoliang (sorghum liquor) tonic.

When not slurping up basil-flecked beef noodles, I was sipping on a

gao tzan ta (Taiwanese basil)-infused Tyrant’s Blessing at Bar Mood.

Turns out, when you walk into any bar – be it a speakeasy or a

taproom – in Taipei, you’re not getting a classic Manhattan or lager;

you’re getting a heavy dose of local flavour.

Getting crafty

While indulging in SUNMAI’s Honey Lager (NT$220/SG$10) within

the sleek interiors of SUNMAI BAR (No. 55, Section 1, Anhe Road,

Da’an District. Tel: +886 2 2751 0055), I learned that Taiwan’s craft

beer scene only began in 2002. There is nothing amateur about the

floral, malty brew made with locally produced longan honey that

I’m drinking. One of the pioneering breweries, founder Quentin Yeh

bought over a failing brewery in 2004 and have expanded it into

a thriving restaurant empire, whose repertoire includes German-

Embark on an intoxicating tour of Taiwan’s capital, taking in some of

the city’s best pubs and bars that’s teeming with local flavour.

By Jessica Chan

TOAST TO

TAIPEI

TR AV EL FE AT U R E

Sunmai Bar

Landmark by Taiji Brewing

Le Ble d’Or