Cheers to Engkanto Brewery’s first tap room, now brewing in Laguna

MANILA, Philippines – Here’s a toast to another achievement of Engkanto Brewery — the homegrown brand’s first tap room!

The award-winning name just opened Engkanto Taps at Erhlind Square in Santa Rosa, Laguna. Tap rooms are communal spaces that serve alcoholic drinks by the bar, focusing mainly on crafted beers poured directly from the tap. This allows breweries to foster a more intimate set-up with customers while serving their beer at its freshest.

Cheers to these brews

Engkanto Taps offers a diverse selection of Engkanto’s fresh craft beers on tap, including the globally celebrated High Hive Honey Ale, alongside other signature brews like Nutty & Nice-presso, Sampa-Loca Highball, Green Lava Double IPA, and more, featuring a total of 12 beers. It’s a mix of the Engkanto core line-up and limited-release beers.

Nutty & Nice-presso is Engkanto’s unique twist on the classic espresso martini, blending the creaminess of the Nutty & Nice Choco-Nut Stout. Their Sampa-Loca Highball mixes the zesty, Filipino-inspired Green Lava Double IPA with agave syrup for a one-of-a-kind combination.

More than just quality local beer, Engkanto Taps will hold an “immersive experience for customers,” hosting “beer flights” and “guest taps” regularly. The “beer flight” lets guests sample four different beers in smaller portions, encouraging the exploration of various beer styles, while the “guest tap” will help promote other local breweries for customers to learn about.

Engkanto Taps also serves different dishes by Chef Luis de Terry that pair with the crafted beers, like bar chow for starters, barbecue skewers, artisanal sauces, and more.

“While the beers are the highlights of the taproom, we also want to demonstrate how well they pair with the different dishes on the curated menu,” shared Ian Paradies, founder of Engkanto. 

Engkanto highlights the Croqueta Gonzales — spicy chili-con-beef-filled creamy potato balls — and the Bacolod skewer, Yiken’ Inasal sa Gata, and Gambas Engkantadas, a shrimp dish made with its Live It Up Lager. What’s unique is that Engkanto’s signature beers are incorporated into the menu’s sauces and accompaniments, like the Engkanto Ale Mustard for the Sausage Party Platter.

 The brand is also looking at opening in Metro Manila “really soon.”

In August, Engkanto Brewery bagged the international honor of World’s Best Beer 2024 under the Flavor Honey and Maple Syrup Category.

Engkanto’s microbrewery started in 2017 with its original line-up of Lager, Blonde Ale, Pale Ale, IPA, and Double IPA. In 2021, Engkanto took its high-quality beer approach further by incorporating local homegrown ingredients like honey, mango, and ube. – Zach Dayrit/Rappler.com

Engkanto Taps is located at Erhlind Square, Santa Rosa, Laguna (across Paseo de Sta. Rosa Outlets). It iss open from 5 pm to 2 am.

Zach Dayrit is a Rappler intern studying BS Psychology at Ateneo De Manila University.