The American South is alive and well at The Beast, which brings doses of bourbon, mint juleps, deep-fried everything and plaidclad servers to the quiet Victoria Street flank of the Arab Quarter. As the second venture for young F&B entrepreneur Jamie Koh (after her shots bar Chupitos at Clarke Quay), The Beast boasts a truly impressive drinks list, but suffers from an inept staff – in their cutoff shorts, they’re easy on the eye, but have a shocking lack of knowledge about what the bar’s offering.
It’s a shame, given the drink selection. Whiskey’s American cousin, bourbon, dominates the drink menu here, with an impressive 30 varieties on offer, mostly all Kentucky-made. There are some particularly sweet ones – perfect for the unacquainted local drinker on the hunt for easy drinking – such as Jim Beam Honey ($13/shot) or cherry-laced Red Stag ($80/bottle). If you’re unsure of what to try, go for one of their five tasting flights ($34-$38), which give you a mix of three 22-ml shots. Do be warned, however, to take server recommendations with a grain of salt and watch the shot levels, which can be wildly inconsistent (though sometimes to our advantage).
Likewise, we don’t recommend getting anything on rocks, as they don’t use proper, slower-melting ice spheres. In one case, an under-poured serving of a smokey High West Campfire ($15/30ml) was rendered instantly watery by a standard ice cube – the staff just don’t seem to know any better.
Aside from the shots and standard greasy pub grub, there’s a selection of American craft beers ($14-$20; a bit pricier than normal) and barrel-aged whiskey cocktails ($18-$22), created with the help of 28HKS’ Michael Callahan. Ultimately, while all these elements might be a draw for serious drinkers and even curious customers, don’t go expecting a commensurate, thoughtful drinking experience.
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