Draft beer lovers swear by the drink’s freshness and flavor. Served straight from the keg, brewing is done within the last few days, unlike bottled beer, which may have been on the shelves for weeks.
The flavorful draft beer at Blackwood Bar has developed a loyal following, which began more than 10 years ago when the bar first opened in Taguig. Back then, serving beer on tap versus its bottled version seemed like a practical choice.
Chef JunJun de Ocampo shares, “The bar was small, and we didn’t have enough space to store beer bottles.”
Besides, the chef enjoys a cold mug of draft beer after a long day in the kitchen and happily shares the good vibes with his bar guests.
Determined to spice up the nightly happy hour with draft beer, Chef JunJun made sure that every mug came from a freshly opened keg, which is stored at the proper temperature to maintain freshness. “Fortunately, Blackwood never had leftovers; kegs are always empty, which guarantees that a fresh one is opened the following day.”
When Blackwood moved to Greenfield District in Mandaluyong after a couple of years, draft beer lovers happily followed and continued to enjoy their San Miguel Pale Pilsen draft and San Miguel Light draft. Just recently, Blackwood started serving the San Miguel Blanca and Cerveza Negra also in draft.
While it may seem like the bar is fully supported by the top beer company, Chef Jun quickly joked, “We just take our beer seriously,” he said.
To complement the much-loved drink, Blackwood offers a mix of bar favorites and comfort food on their menu.
“Most of our dishes go well with beer,” he said. Their version of the popular “sisig” uses goat meat instead of pork, which started as a “request” from a guest from the province. “It became a staple since beer lovers also enjoy eating goat dishes.”
Guests also ask for their freshly popped chicharon. Be prepared to see it served straight from the stove, complete with bursts of umami. This popular chichirya is cooked upon order.
Another interesting chow is Blackwood’s “Streetcart Special,” which includes treats like homemade pork longanisa, squid balls, fish balls, and kropek.
Those who prefer pizza and pasta can try the Spaghetti and meatballs and the flakey-crusted pizza (bacon and truffle, four cheese, jamon serrano with arugula). The chef said that while pizza is a hands-down favorite, it’s very filling, hence the light, flakey crust.
If you think you’ve reached your limit, slow down and ask for a bowl of Sisig batchoy to keep the tummy warm.
Moreover, to avoid a possible hangover, ask the bartender for Blackwood’s Citrus Cooler. The fruity spritzer eases intoxication with its refreshing taste – a nice mix of lemon, lime, and orange muddled with tartar and mint and topped with cucumber.
