Taproom – St. John

As the only brewery on this island, Taproom seems to be St. John’s quiet answer to Northside’s pageantry. Despite its location in Mongoose junction, Taproom offers a reprieve from a complex of tired, tried-and-true tourist-traps offering everything from bikinis to beads and bling. Taproom may be a small, keep-it-simple setting, but unlike Northside’s three little microbrews, this one carries an almost-daunting number of beers on tap, including all the creations of St. John Brewers.

Despite being on the Virgin Islands, Taproom’s 16-ounce mixed drinks are as far from virgin as a drink can be. These generous concoctions are plenty strong so stick to your liquor-then-beer rule because no one can be exempt. I tried almost all the island brews before deciding on the smooth-with-character Liquid Sunshine, but you really can’t go wrong. The Tropical Mango is a fruit falling off a tree…and landing directly into a bottle of IPA. The Island Hoppin’ IPA has a finish that will blow you back to St. Thomas, and the Coffee Stout is a bitter brew of meal-in-a-glass.

The Hummus Plate was heavenly, but the credit for its creation goes to Sam & Jack’s Deli at the marketplace. This mix of ground chickpeas was smooth perfection, and if this hummus is any indication of Sam & Jack’s cooking prowess, I just might cry for missing a chance to dally at their deli.

The Mexican Pizza was as perfectly mediocre as the hummus was perfectly perfect. Between this black-bean-salsa-and-cheddar-cheese pizza and my beer, I got a swig of the southwest and a slice of nachos with a little extra crust.

The Pulled Pork Sandwich is what I expected from bar food but just a little bit better. The pork was tender, and the BBQ sauce was just enough. Being braised in Mango Pale Ale added a little jolt to the tried-and-true and makes this heavy hunk of the south really “stick to yer ribs”. That means it’s filling you damn Yankee.

It’s a pity the hummus doesn’t also come on tap. But even without the hummus, I do declare Taproom to be home of the perfect island pint. And whether you’re too tired to tango with tourists, in need of a siesta-beer after so many souvenirs, or just plain thirsty after a long day of diving, tap your feet up the stairs toward the many taps of Taproom and have fun finding yourself a beer!