55 taps of beer on the wall

Probably the only place in Jerusalem with
55 taps of cold, fresh beer. 

As far as names of bars go, this one says exactly what it wants to say: 55.  That's it: 55.  What it means is that there are 55 taps of beer right there behind the bar.

55 Beers, Food and Beers is a chain of three restaurants -- in Rishon LeZion, Kfar Saba and Jerusalem -- and they all have 55 beers on tap.  That was the only reason I wanted to learn more about them, and since the Jerusalem branch was relatively new, I went.  With friends.  Twice.

55 is located on the second floor of the Yes Planet movie complex on Naomi Street just off of Hebron Road.  This makes the entrance very pleasant, passing through the spacious mall, with silent "coming attractions" flashing on all sides.

We were welcomed by a friendly host and hostess, and by Leane Rowe, the very young shift manager.

For beer lovers, the lineup of 55 sparkling taps is most impressive, as is the well-stocked bar.  Leane explained that the tap openings are much wider than average, enabling the beer to get from pipeline to glass faster.  "This means that you get beer that is colder and more carbonated than if it had to squeeze through a narrower nozzle," she said.  I'm not completely convinced that most human beings would be able to tell the difference, but it's nice to make the effort.

Leane also showed me the refrigeration room behind the taps where all the kegs are kept.  Fifty-five separate and criss-crossing tubes all bringing beer to its proper tap.  Before the glasses are filled, they are rinsed with chilled water -- another small step that tries to do right by the beer.

All of the 55 beers on tap are printed on a really big menu, along with photos of glasses of the beer so you can see the color.  Twelve of these are Israeli craft beers from the following brewers: Dancing Camel, Shapiro, Malka, Negev, Golan (Bazelet), and Alexander.  Quite a nice selection.  The 43 imported beers are listed according to types: Ales, Lagers, Wheats.  Most of them of course are European, but the U.S. and Japan are also represented.

The friendly staff at 55 Beers, Food and Beers
in Jerusalem:  Shift manager Leane Rowe
is to the left of the old blogger.

The food menu is really heavily meat, but there are also salads, veggie sandwiches, and a vegan hamburger that's excellent.  Like many other Israeli bars and restaurants that stay open on Shabbat (Saturday), 55 in Jerusalem does not have kashrut certification, but there are no non-kosher meats on the menu, and dairy products are only used in certain desserts.

Drinkers and diners can choose to sit at the beautiful bar, at comfortable inside tables, or out on a porch overlooking one of the most fantastic views of the earthly Jerusalem.  My companions and I enjoyed our visits to 55 immensely.  Taking advantage of the 1+1 Happy Hour (which is Sunday to Thursday between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m.), I had one Israeli craft beer and one import -- although maybe I shouldn't be writing this!