Best beer bars in KL

If there’s a place you can get a crash course on beer styles and learn terms like ‘IPA’, ‘APA’, ‘pilsners’ and ‘porters’, it’s Taps. This bar only stocks up on craft beers, sourcing from independent breweries around the world. Yeastie Boys (New Zealand), Lefebvre (Belgium), BrewDog (Scotland) and Hitachino Nest Beer (Japan) aren’t exactly household names, but Taps’s extensive selection of craft beers have drinkers filling its watering hole in a steady flow. And Taps’s latest trio – ‘The Sloth’ barley wine, ‘Craftsman’ chocolate oatmeal stout, and single hops ‘Amarillo IIPA’ – definitely warrant a taste.

Unlike Alice in the story, we choose to tumble down the burrow into this nighttime wonderland. Surprises abound for newbies and returning patrons alike: Did you know that the bookshelf in Arthur’s Lounge doubles as a door to a secret den? Plus, the warren is about to go deeper – Reserved (a Roman-themed private club) and Santorini rooftop (complete with a floating DJ deck) are in the works.

The happy hour offer will have you guzzling pints of beer over porky grub such as the Huge Pork Platter, English Roast Pork and Barbecue Pork Ribs. This younger sibling to the founding Ipoh outlet is a fond host of themed parties like St Patrick’s Day, Football Club matches and the recent World Cup 2014, decked out in its spacious outdoor section.

Both classy and rowdy crowds frequent this chic industrial-themed bar for a swig of cheap cold beer, whether they’re thirsting for the usual brews like Tiger, Heineken and Kilkenny or the less common Erdinger Weissbier, Leffe Blond and Fuller’s London Pride Ale. Check out the booze pipelines across the length of the wall behind the bar.

Barfly takes the crown for the cheapest beers in town. How does RM12 nett for a pint of Tiger and RM14 nett for Guinness sound? Like a party. The crowd of happy faces range from regulars to nearby office workers to college kids, all eager for the low-priced booze. People don’t usually order the cocktails here, but when they do, it’s to take up the ‘Barfly Monsta’ challenge – a drinking game where you knock off a glass of strong concoction as fast as you can. Break the outlet’s current record and you get any one drink on the house.

The fresh draught beers served here have been creating a buzz amongst the folks in PJ. SSTwo Mall is not known for jostling shoppers or pressing crowds during the day, but at night, BeerHive can bump up the noise level. When there are no ongoing football matches, BeerHive keeps its patrons cheering with friendly dart games.