Cocktails and Drinking in Singapore

Cuisine-wise, Singapore has one of the best quality and variety in the world, often ranking among the top three in major international competitions. This is especially true in restaurant-fare, though when it comes to hawker-fare, it’s a whole different picture. Though the quality of the latter is there, the number of operators of such quality are relatively few. One had to know, either through the countless culinary guides/programs or word of mouth, where to go for any particular dish.

When one compares the bar culture, the picture can be quite wanting. For most people, most of the time when one goes to a bar, even if it’s a regular establishment of choice, the common thought is, “What should I drink this time?” Often, for lack of a better choice, the selection are the “safer” ones, such as beer, the house-pouring wines, bourbon coke, vodka lime, etc.

As for cocktails, the more common choice would usually be the martinis (especially lychee and apple martini’s and cosmopolitans), and the fruit margaritas. On the other end of the spectrum, the choice of cocktails are based on their abilities to deliver the alcoholic ‘high’, such as the “heavy duty” concoctions Flaming Lamborghini, Long Island Iced Tea, etc.

As the general quality is relatively mediocre on both ends of the spectrum for these choices of cocktails, taste can often be quite bad. There are several factors that have contributed to this. For one thing, the craft of bartending and mixology is very basic (or even rare for the latter), with no quality standards or professional certification required in the industry. And most of the barmen are more interested in the flairing part of the profession, to become the popular and cool barman.

However, one would easily discover when conversing with them that most of them are quite bad in their basic bar knowledge (eg, proper techniques, and even understanding of the common spirits). This is exasperated by the fact that this profession is viewed often as a holiday job, or when one has not much career options. This results in little respect, both for the profession, by the barmen themselves, and by the establishment owners who offer little or often no proper training program and expect little quality in this area.

Another unfortunate development in the bar industry here have been that most bar operators focus mainly on cost-cutting measures in the bar to stay competitive. Perhaps for lack of the right bar expertise, this undifferentiated direction is the dominant path taken, resulting in similar, and boring, promotions and under-cutting strategies.

The dire consequence of this is that the quality of the drinks offered by bars are further diminished. It is the simple principle so apparent and recognized in food, especially the simplest dishes, where the quality of the ingredients are of the utmost importance. But, this does not seem so apparent in the bar industry here.

The bar culture is growing as a reflection of a more affluent lifestyle, especially when one considers the significant costs of alcohol in Singapore. Though, beer and wine dominate alcoholic consumption here, consumers are often looking for good cocktails, perhaps as a better lifestyle choice that represents their individuality.

Hopefully, in time, the industry (in both Singapore and most of Asia) would evolve, such as learning from the past wisdoms of fresh juice cocktail bars, and from the current environment of culinary quality, or even the ‘future’ such as molecular gastronomy & mixology. Provocachic would even suggest explorations into specific cultivars for the choice of produce for every recipe.