What’s new, serves brew, and is black all over? Goa’s newest taproom, Half Pint.
Half Pint’s story has to do with two friends and their desire to “something larger than life”. Nakul Bhonsle, Founder of Great State Aleworks (GSA) and Gaurav Sikka, Founder of Arbor Brewing Company India (ABC) were discussing collaborations. Together, they had already created collab brews, and shared brewing facilities but, they wanted to take the relationship a step further.
In Bhonsle’s mind were memories of visiting Copenhagen’s WarPigs Brewpub (a collab between American brewery 3 Floyds and Danish brewery Mikkeller) and being impressed by that partnership. “I thought, why not work on a collab taproom?”
Enter Half Pint, a taproom that’s half the size of most new Goan restaurants but, full of good food and good craft beer.
Of two friends and Goan dreams
Their inspiration was Goa’s legendary watering holes or tavernas, and bars they’ve visited and liked in the state (including the nearby Cajy Bar). “We wanted to recreate the experience we had: Connecting with people in an intimate space while enjoying good food and drink.”
Half Pint ticks off some of those boxes. It is certainly intimate, with just 22 covers spread over 1100 sq ft. It occupies the front of an old house, whose backyard is Rudy’s Bar.
There is outdoor seating in the garden, but the focus is inside, on three rooms that also contain the bar. The connecting doors have been broken down to create one big space. One corner houses the bar, showing off the bright shiny taps containing the 12 brews currently on tap. The interiors are designed by Leeann Periera and are all black, meant to indicate a black canvas on which the two brewers want to make their mark.
Image: Rebecca D’Costa.
The future may see some artwork (there are some framed photos occupying one corner). For now, the black walls lend a sombre tone to the interiors, slightly softened by warm lights hidden within upcycled growlers.
In some portions, especially around the door frames, the wall is exposed in a few places, which is a bold design statement. Immediately outside, a comfortable balcao is where people can gather to talk, exchange gossip or just relax — the Goan way, with the addition of craft beer.
When your glass is full in Goa…
Half Pint’s bar programme has been designed so it appeals to a craft beer geek, as well as a newbie. In fact, they welcome the challenge of changing people’s minds about craft beer. “You walk in, head to the bar, and taste what you want. We are very generous with our beer,” says Bhonsle.
They are launching with 12 beers on tap: Four from each brewery and four exclusive Half Pint creations. To ensure people taste a variety, they are serving beer in a half pint (250 ml for Rs 150). There are 12 beers on tap, which will keep changing, with the addition of new styles, seasonal flavours, and new collaborations with other breweries and brewers.
At the moment, they have one collab, with Susegado Brewing Company called Life of Poee. The amber ale is made using leftover, unsold poees. Life of Poee definitely catches attention, with the name and the story, but it lacks the character to make its mark amidst a stellar line-up.
There’s Persimmon Wheat whose star ingredient comes from the organic Ooty farm of Half Pint’s chef, Vishanth Kumar. The limited-edition brew is extremely light and fruity and offers a new flavour for those who may not have tried the fruit.
Another Half Pint special is the Tamarind Wheat, with its fruity aromas and light on the tangy notes. GSA’s Bright Side is a guava Gose, which brings the strong aroma of the fruit to the nose and has a pronounced flavour. The sourness gets enhanced with the addition of salt to the glass. It’s the ideal starter brew for those who are setting out on their craft brew journey. GSA’s New England IPA, a Sunny Afternoon, is juicy, fruity with the faintest bitter aftertaste.
Half pints, with a full plate
The founders of Half Pint have ensured that food doesn’t get left out of the conversation. The menu is compact, just 14 dishes (priced between Rs 300 and Rs 500), balanced with enough meat, seafood, and vegetarian options. “This is about sourcing good, fresh ingredients, simply cooked. The theme is Mediterranean and light,” says Kumar. He isn’t shy about admitting that they used the ‘poorer’ cuts of meat and cheaper fish, like the humble mackerel.
Here, Kumar turns it into a smooth, punchy pâté with just the right touch of citrus. It’s a pâté worth eating by the bowlful, even plain, though it works well with crusty, buttered poee slices. Elsewhere, mackerel is dusted with panko, pan-fried and served on a bed of confit tomatoes and salsa verde. The fish is well complimented by the subtle sweetness of the confit tomatoes.
Every ingredient in the Roasted Beetroot, Caramelised Onion, and Blue Cheese does its job, combining to form one delicious bite. A Red pepper and Almond Pâté is smooth, creamy with just a touch of smokiness. There’s poee with everything, and that Goan bread works best when soaking up the lightest, most fragrant, and soul-satisfying seafood stew.
Chicken and Leek Croquettes tick off everything good in a snack: Hot, crunchy, cheesy, and gooey. Kumar makes his own prawn head oil, an umami packed condiment that, when paired with crispy garlic, elevates a dish of fried prawns. The only dish to feature beer is the Slow Cooked Beef Stew in a Half Pint Ale. It’s more of a roast beef dish, tender and juicy, and good on its own without the need of vegetables, which are a mushy mess.
Half Pint opens this week, in time for Goa’s peak tourist season. It’s a space that could do well, offering something different amid the crowd of new restaurants vying for attention. In the future, they plan on doing a lot of community engagement, like a Meet the Brewer experience, or a tasting session.
Bhonsle believes that Goa is ready for a new taproom catering to those who want good beer but don’t have access to it. “When I started visiting Goa last year to explore it as a market for GSA, there wasn’t much happening on the beer front,” he says. “We want to bring beer back to the table.”
Address: House no. 639, Little Vagator, Vagator, Goa | Contact: +91-88372 48273 | Timings: 5.00 pm to 1.00 am, Wednesday to Monday (closed on Tuesdays).
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