Mumbai Food: Try unusual brews at this tap station in Bandra

Kokum cider being poured

Beer tap stations are like rappers, in the sense that they have a unique wardrobe representing the different types of beer they pour. Drifters Tap Station at BKC, for instance, has 24 hand-crafted Eastern European brews, made using Czech malts.

It started after Sheetal and Nayan Shah found inspiration while wandering the streets of Prague - where they met the Czech brew master Honza Kocka - and decided to open a brewery on the outskirts of Pune. The tap station in Mumbai is an extension of that very idea.

Bacon wrapped chicken nibbles. Pics/Asish Raje

The space is vast, and the brown and green colours are inviting and refreshing. The interiors are divided into different seating sections with regular tables, community spaces, high chairs and booths.

Most of the beers have an ingredient with a twist, and we order a flight of three varieties. The first sip is of kiki punch ('295 for 330 ml), a kokum cider that's smartly executed to balance the sweet and sour flavours.

Stuffed kulcha balls

Kokum sherbet, you have a spirited competition. Next up is lavender brew with a dry IPA-finish, called free diving, and it's a dip we are ready to take again and again. It's floral and hoppy, and retains a clean bitter finish. We love the plain saison pale ale, too, for its mix of fruity and spicy flavours. The unicorn spiced saison also gets it right with a punch of melon and peppery notes.

Between sips, we bite into stuffed kulcha balls ('335) that involve a well-marinated stuffing of mushroom, cheese and cottage cheese cooked in a tandoor for a charcoal finish. It is a vegetarian's delight and we are happy to see our staunch non veg-loving friends take a second helping. The bacon wrapped chicken nibble ('395) is prepared in a classic way, with the meat remaining juicy and tender. The Sichuan chilly prawns ('395) are a bit too spicy and leave our mouths too singed to taste any other flavour.

(Left to right) Spiced saison, kokum cider and lavender white IPA beer

Spaghetti with bacon and fried eggs ('425) is a let-down as it is dry and lacks seasoning. But the pork frankfurter sausages with grilled veggies and well-executed creamy mashed potatoes ('465) save the day.

Drifters Tap Station is a fun and frothy take on beer drinking executed skilfully. It is likely to tempt non-beer drinkers to take a sip or two of the unusual pairings. We'll have one more of that kokum cider, please.

On 12 pm to 1 am
At Drifters Tap Station, ground floor, Unit 3, Adani Inspire BKC, G block, Bandra Kurla Complex.
Call 33956184

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