What's on tap at Taipei bars is no longer limited to Taiwan beer, Heineken and a few Belgian imports. A number of bars serving home-grown microbrews have sprung up, and the latest of these is Biermeister.
Like similar establishments, Biermeister does not brew its own beer on the premises -- that's illegal inside city limits. It gets its three varieties -- a pale ale, a wheat beer and a stout -- from breweries in Southern Taiwan, all of which use German brewing techniques and imported equipment.
"Our brews are different than draft beers or canned beers because they are the most premium beers containing fresh yeast, which is killed during the brewing process for draft and canned beers," said Hiro Cheng (
PHOTO: HO YI, TAIPEI TIMES
Cheng launched the Biermeister beer brand in spring, and quickly made a name on the local dance-party scene with his business partners by offering their distinct brews at parties and musical events such as this year's Spring Scream.
The idea behind Biermeister was to create an outdoor lounge, Cheng said, explaining that he and his partners all spent time in Canada or the US and enjoyed sitting outside a bar on a nice day with friends.
The bar-cum-restaurant, which is located near Taipei 101 on Songshou Road, also serves a decent array of American and Mexican-style appetizers and entrees to go with its rich-tasting, aromatic brews.
The menu lists the usual snacks, including onion rings, chicken nuggets, cheese sticks and buffalo wings. Another popular Biermeister specialty is its Mexican chili, which tastes great on its hotdogs, french fries and nachos.
The German sausage plate (NT$300) and crispy pork knuckle (NT$350) are two European dishes altered to suit local palettes. The sausages are not as salty and heavy as the authentic kind, while the pork knuckle makes for a filling dinner on its own with a huge pile of fries on the side.
Another must-try is the chili sausage rice (NT$220), which brings out the tangy aroma of chili with fried rice.
Although Biermeister's trademark is its beers, the restaurant takes its food seriously and each dish is prepared fresh.
Like many patrons, the staff tend to be of the hipster persuasion. But they're friendly, attentive and speak fluent English, as one-third of the clientele are foreigners.
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