[Straits Times] Best eats of 2024: Best heartland watering hole – Get Some

Where: 133 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3; 727 Clementi West Street 2; and 100 Guillemard Road
Open: Ang Mo Kio: 5am to 10pm daily; Clementi: 5pm to midnight (Mondays), 10.30am to midnight (Tuesdays to Sundays); Guillemard: 10.30am to midnight (Tuesdays to Saturdays), 10.30am to 10.30pm (Sundays), closed on Mondays
Info: getsome.sg

Beer lovers, rejoice. One no longer needs to venture out of the heartland for a taste of craft beer.

Local bar-cafe chain Get Some opened its first outlet in Clementi in 2022, and a second one in Ang Mo Kio in 2023. Its third branch opened in Guillemard Road in 2024. At all three spots, a rotating selection of craft beers – the majority of which is locally brewed – flows on tap.

The establishment is part of a growing number of heartland businesses that make it unnecessary to venture into the city centre for a fun and relaxed evening with friends.

Craft beer is often seen as pricey due to its small-batch, artisanal nature, but the establishment keeps costs low – a pint starts at $12.

Get Some builds on the small but growing craft brewing scene here, offering a rare opportunity to pair local cuisine with made-in-Singapore beer.

At its Guillemard branch, har cheong gai (prawn paste chicken wings, $13) is a perfect match with a wintermelon oolong wheat ale from home-grown brewery 1925 Brewing Co, which brings back memories of the ubiquitous Yeo’s green packet drink.

Alternatively, Alive Brewing’s Trusty Logic New England IPA, a hazy ale with sweet and tropical fruit notes, is a good complement to the cafe’s wood-smoked rendang brisket ($34).

“We do offer free tastes before they make a purchase, so this definitely encourages our consumers to try different varieties a bit more,” says Get Some co-owner Hendrik Kiew. “Discovering your taste profile is what makes the experience fun. People often say they didn’t know there were so many flavours from Singapore.”

Mr Kiew sees his business as part of the burgeoning #supportlocal movement, since many local breweries lack point of sales and manpower to champion their craft.

“Singapore’s market was, and is still, dominated by the big commercial brands, so we’re doing our part to showcase these local talents,” he says.

Coffee shops have long served as the de facto neighbourhood bars for heartlanders, but places like Get Some prove that beyond people’s dense urban core – and the familiar comfort of Tiger – there is fertile ground for new ideas and flavours to flourish.

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/life/best-eats-of-2024-best-heartland-watering-hole-get-some