Your favourite bar’s favourite bar: Ren Min’s Manbeer Singh on Singapore’s best hawker centre bars

SINGAPORE – Most Singaporeans will agree that the Republic’s best food is found in its hawker centres, but where does one find the best beer?

While many of Singapore’s top bars are nestled in hotels, malls or popular shopping streets, some entrepreneurs are carving out a niche in more humble surroundings.

One member of this quiet revolution in Singapore’s drinks scene is former lawyer Manbeer Singh, 41, founder of Ren Min, a hawker stall and craft brewery. 

Ren Min was set up in 2016 at Maxwell Food Centre, and Mr Singh has since opened a second stall at Old Airport Road Food Centre. These stalls serve a rotating selection of Ren Min’s locally produced craft beers on tap.

The brewery’s beers won six awards from beer rating platform Untappd’s Community Awards in 2023. For example, its Pomelo Haze and Nelson Anthem were No. 1 and No. 3 respectively in the Pale Ale – New England/Hazy category. Less than 1.65 per cent of the 1.5 million rated beers that year received an award.

“The reason we started in a hawker centre was that we wanted our beers to be enjoyed with the best food in Singapore,” says Mr Singh. “Our hawker culture is such an integral part of our Singaporean identity. In that sense, making a local product was really important to us, and there’s no better setting than a hawker centre.”

There were also practical considerations behind the bar’s hawker centre setting. For instance, opening a stall requires a fraction of the capital needed for a stand-alone bar or restaurant.

However, running a bar out of a hawker stall comes with challenges, from having to make the most of a cramped space to dealing with the hustle and bustle of the hot environment.

“I thought, having gone through law school and been a lawyer, nothing could be harder,” Mr Singh jokes. “Then I started doing this and I thought to myself, this is way harder.”

Ren Min is part of Singapore’s

small but growing craft beer scene

, where home-grown breweries are finding an audience through establishments like Mr Singh’s, though cost remains an obstacle.

Craft beer’s artisanal and small-batch nature, as well as the high cost of production in Singapore, means local breweries struggle to compete with big commercial brands like Tiger.

“We’re not like France or Australia. We’re not an agricultural nation, we don’t have wineries and a tradition of making spirits.

“If you want to support something that is truly our own and has a Singaporean identity, it’s important that we support local brands even though they might be more expensive,” Mr Singh says.

These days, he favours understated flavours. While he understands why many prefer the familiarity of a typical lager like Tiger, he encourages exploring lagers and pilsners that offer subtle variations and more complex notes.

One of Ren Min’s signature offerings is Lo-Fi Pils, a West Coast Pilsner ($13 a pint). Referring to the style of beer, Mr Singh says: “It has a nice bitterness and smoothness. You’ve got your flavour, and that bitterness is thirst-quenching. On a hot day, there’s nothing better.”

Another of the bar’s popular offerings is the Jiayou Pale Lager ($12 a pint), a refreshing brew for those seeking a smoother drink.

Despite championing craft beer, Mr Singh is wary of the “craft” label. “Craft can be a bit of a gimmick. What you should look for is well-made beer that has a flavour profile you want,” he says.

With that in mind, The Straits Times asked Mr Singh to share his recommendations for places to enjoy a pint, as well as his favourite hawker centre establishments.

What’s the best place to get a pint in Singapore?

For local beers, I recommend Locality in Changi Road. It is run by a gentleman named Dennis, and is really accommodating, inclusive and comfortable. 

The vibe is like you are sitting in his home and everyone there is his neighbour or friend. Being a part of, or getting accepted by, that community feels very easy – they just absorb you in.

If you want a slice of Singapore, that is a great place to start.

What’s your favourite hawker centre bar?

The original guys in the business, the “OGs”, are Smith Street Taps at Chinatown Food Complex. They built the scene and grew the idea of what a good beer should be, so I definitely recommend them.

Another of my favourites is Danger Close Beverage at Alexandra Village Food Centre. The owner Calvin is a super nice guy, and I enjoy the artisanal teas which he makes personally. They’re tasty and one of a kind.

Alexandra Village is an underrated hawker centre. It is a bit out of the way, but has a great selection of food, and one of my favourite zi char places, Keng Eng Kee, is nearby.

What’s your go-to bar when you want something other than beer?

Jungle in Ann Siang Hill. After wrapping up at around 10.30 or 11pm, I’ll head there for a simple gin and tonic, and excellent Thai food.

These days, I prefer something simple. The duck laab is really tasty, and it is a great place to shoot the breeze with Ravin, the owner.

Where’s a good place to start if you’re unfamiliar with craft beer?

I recommend my neighbourhood bar, which is Orh Gao Taproom at Serene Centre. It is a kopitiam by day and a bar by night.

The service is phenomenal. The people who run that bar are knowledgeable about their beer. They are super friendly and love to have a good time. 

Orh Gao is a good place to start if you want to learn about different beers and have fun.

What is your favourite kind of beer and who makes it?

If it is a scorching hot day, which is what Singapore often brings, I usually have a pilsner – something smooth and a little bit dry.

Alternatively, a West Coast pale ale has a nice punchy bitterness to it, which many people do not realise is thirst-quenching.

If I am looking for a little more flavour, I have a New England hazy pale ale, which is very fruit-forward in terms of flavour.

Lion Brewery Co does a good range of pilsners and lagers, and it pitches these as something you can drink on any day of the week, especially when you go to its small pub in Club Street.

It is probably one of the best places to sit and chill at in very comfortable surroundings. If you enjoy sports, you can watch sports there and have beers at what I think is an affordable price.