With their hand carved antique wood furniture, custom-made leather burgundy booths and snazzy snooker tables, Brklyn, Taipei’s newest gastropub in Xinyi District (信義), will have you almost believing that you’re drinking in a Brooklyn neighborhood that’s become so gentrified by so-called hipsters that it’s more Manhattan than Brooklyn.
But really — if there’s any American city that’s capable of being classy, it’s New York (kind of). So, in the spirit of classy celebrations, Brklyn, whose concept is built around the New York-style gastropub serving finger food that pairs well with craft beer, will be throwing a Fourth of July party tomorrow night. Independence Day revelers can expect the mood to be chill but chic.
Brklyn co-founder and craft beer importer Shawn Kidd tells the Taipei Times that there will be a range of craft beers from Oregon and New York on tap from four different breweries. Among them are imperial stouts and maple-infused porters, as well as four types of artisanal cider. In order to encourage people to sample as many beers as possible, they’ve created an “Amazing Race” game where those who manage to down 15 tasters will win a free glass of a craft beer of their choice.
Warning: Excessive consumption of alcohol can damage your health.
Photo courtesy of Brklyn
“We are hoping this pushes people to try all of the amazing draft we imported for this event,” Kidd says.
If for some reason beers aren’t your cup of alcohol, Brklyn will also be unveiling new classic American cocktails, in addition to serving Coca-Cola marinated barbecue ribs and new flavors of wings with their classic red hot wing sauce.
To top it off, DJs — including Taipei Times contributor Marcus Aurelius — will be spinning Motown and Bruce Springsteen.
CRAFTING A NICHE FOR CRAFT BEER
After years of importing craft beers — and starting his own company, East Drinks West, which is focused on introducing North American brews to Taiwan — Kidd, who is originally from Canada, is glad to see the craft beer scene in Taiwan expanding.
“It’s really exciting watching all the new craft beer bars open,” he says. “And a lot of older, existing bars are now seeing the benefits of craft beer in their venues and switching to a more craft beer-centric menu.”
Citing the increase in sales of his company’s beverages to Taiwanese-owned venues in the last six months, Kidd adds that nowadays, it seems like the local market for craft beer is larger than the expat one. He’s also hoping that Brklyn’s location in the heart of Taipei’s shopping and nightlife district would drive more people to come and sample some delicious ales and hops.
“We are in a mall of massive clubs that play EDM, and we wanted to come out with more of an indie music edge,” Kidd says.
He adds that they are aiming to create “a space for people to move around and mingle in an upscale pub/bar setting that is slightly nicer than your neighborhood pub” — hence the aforementioned hand carved antique wood furniture and custom-made leather burgundy booths.
One way that Brklyn is spreading word of their drafts is through their recurring theme nights like Wicked Wednesdays when they serve wings and Throwback Thursdays where thirsty customers dress up in fedoras and feathered boas like it’s the Roaring Twenties.
“It was exciting to see so many local people embrace the idea,” Kidd adds.
Next month, Brklyn will also be throwing a Moulin Rouge night complete with live bands, absinthe cocktails and an accessorized photo booth.
But for tomorrow night, it’s all-American brews and beats, so remember to don red, white and blue and/or your drinking pants and saunter over to Brklyn.
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