Hop Around Bistro @ Bras Basah Complex Review: Beers from Around the World!

Hop Around Bistro @ Bras Basah Complex was a surprising find as we strolled around the old 书城 (Books City) in search of a cute notebook for our personal journal. Bras Basah Complex earned its nick-name because of the many bookstores that lined this mixed-use HDB development in the past. Today, you can still traces of its past with old bookstores selling past year assessment books as well as the trendy Popular (aka POP@Central) as the anchoring tenant. It is such a backdrop that intrigued us to find a craft beer bistro such as Hop Around to be opened in Bras Basah Complex. This, we’ve got to find out…

Hop Around Singapore, is a craft beer shop that started in the heartlands of Bedok. Their mission? To bring great tasting craft beers from around the beer to every corner in Singapore! This is also why inside Hop Around Bistro @ Bras Basah Complex, you’ll be able to find a row of refrigerators that are lined with various craft beers from around the world!

Here, you’ll be able to find beers from Heretic Brewery in California to Pomona Island Brewery beers from the UK. Of course, if you’re looking for draft beers, they have locally Brewerkz craft beers on tap as well!

Inside, the atmosphere was rather casual. The walls are lined with wooden cork boards with wooden bistro chairs and tables that seemed to be bought over from another pub that probably didn’t make it during the pandemic (we’re thinking of Starker – missing the woody flavours from their Dunkel beers 😋). They also serve Illy’s coffee as well as bar food and snacks such as burgers, fries, fish and chips. This time, we went straight for the draft beers! #supportlocal

As it was a quick hop-in to check out the premise, we went with the Oktoberfest beer as well as the Yellow Submarine, each at half a pint…

The half pints from Hop Around Singapore were served in Brewerkz glasses. Complete with Brewerkz coasters as well!

Both beers tasted great! Although it is now past the Oktoberfest period, the malty hazelnut overtones of Oktoberfest brings out the distinctive Oktoberfest feel with a slight bitter aftertaste. Prost! The Yellow Submarine on the other hand was fruity with hints of pineapples that reminded us of the refreshing Pineapple IPA that we had from Kona Brewery on the Big Island, Hawaii! At $6++ per half pint, they were reasonably priced and we think that there would definitely be crowds looking for a different hang-out, albeit from an area that is not known for drinks – especially not craft beers.

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Time flew by and from the time we ordered our drinks to the time we left, we actually sat down and had great conversations in the half hour that we were there. Definitely would recommend it as an “off the beaten path” bistro for great tasting craft beers at pretty reasonable prices. Cheers!