The Tap Room, St. John

The home of St. John Brewers, among the leaders of the recent craft-beer revolution in the Caribbean, is a must-stop for all beer lovers visiting St. John. At the Tap Room, you can sample the brewery’s very latest beers, sometimes even while they’re in mid-development. Look for a plain black tap among the lineup of more colorfully ornate ones behind the bar. New beers in development are often available there. Feedback from customers goes into finalizing the brews.

The guys at St. John Brewers have been leading the craft beer revolution in the Caribbean for years, producing a line of island-inspired brews – Mango Pale Ale, Island Hoppin’ IPA, Liquid Sunshine Ale, Pale Tourist, and more – in St. John. You may know the St. John Brewers brand from your local liquor store as a few of their brews are available stateside. Trekking to The Tap Room, their HQ in Cruz Bay, is still worth the effort, though, as most of the St. John Brewers beer available in the States is actually brewed in Maine, while 90% of what’s poured here is actually produced in St. John, affording you a more local drinking experience. Even better, you might get the chance to preview new St. John Brewers creations long before anyone else. Tucked neatly among the various, ornately adorned beer taps behind the bar is one with just a small, plain black pull. When the guys at St. John Brewers come up with a new beer, they often test it among friends and regular Tap Room patrons by dishing out draughts from this unmarked tap. On your next visit to the Tap Room, ask for a mug of whatever they’ve got pouring out of that unmarked tap. If you’re lucky, you just may be one of the first people to try one of their newest brews!