6/25/11
For some reason, based on press, I had a better opinion of Bru Rm @ BAR than I should have. I didn't look at my database carefully, so didn't notice that I was unimpressed with Bru samples at GABF. Live and learn--use the list.
To my surprise, the height of the evening was the Watermelon ale that we picked as a first draft. Nothing was any better, and one beer--AmBARale--was so seriously flawed that it was amazing that it was even being served. I couldn't even finish the beer. The Chinook Pale Ale redeemed them a bit, but was little more than adequate.
Pizza looked great coming in the door--seemingly their specialty. It was good, but the the burning of the bottom was intense even for the type of oven used. Don't get me wrong; I like wood and coal fired pizza, and understand some high heat scorching will occur. It seemed to be an assumption that a portion of the pizza will be lost and that we should eat around it--according to the evidence of tables around us.
Disappointing.
Showing posts with label connecticut. Show all posts
Showing posts with label connecticut. Show all posts
Friday, July 8, 2011
The Cask Republic (New Haven, CT)
6/25/11
After a disappointing stop at Bru Room @ BAR down the street, we headed to The Cask Republic to hopefully improve on the evening beer hunt. We found some pretty good beer--and couldn't stand to stay there.
My wife and I spent the day being touristy while driving from Boston, so ended up in New Haven rather late on a Saturday. By the time we got to TCR, it was closer to 10 pm and the volume of the bar was unbearable. We drank in spite of the noise. In an earlier life, I was a bouncer in a college bar and understand why the level of noise increases as the night goes at a dance club. But this is a beautiful, dark wood bar with great beer--and no dance floor. No reason to be that loud. My wife went outside to answer a phone call--and two college students just opened the door, listened, and turned around immediately, saying that it was way too loud. Wish I had been that smart--but I didn't go to Yale. It took the entire next day for the ringing in my ears to go down.
As for the beer, excellent selection and well served. Very impressive and fun. Thus, my extremely mixed feeling about The Cask Republic. Had we gotten into New Haven in the afternoon and hit TCR earlier, we might have liked it a lot. As is, it's a painful memory that I suffered for too long for the sake of a good beer.
7/19/11
I received a very nice note from the owner of The Cask Republic, addressing my concerns. I both respect and appreciate his concern and effort to improve, so I'm adding it to the review. While the gist of my review stands, TCR is a place that I would most definitely return to drink, given the opportunity, especially if it was at a quieter time of day. Maybe not as clear as I would have liked in my initial review, the beer quality at TCR is excellent and is well served--a much harder and important factor than the cosmetic issues of volume and service.
After a disappointing stop at Bru Room @ BAR down the street, we headed to The Cask Republic to hopefully improve on the evening beer hunt. We found some pretty good beer--and couldn't stand to stay there.
My wife and I spent the day being touristy while driving from Boston, so ended up in New Haven rather late on a Saturday. By the time we got to TCR, it was closer to 10 pm and the volume of the bar was unbearable. We drank in spite of the noise. In an earlier life, I was a bouncer in a college bar and understand why the level of noise increases as the night goes at a dance club. But this is a beautiful, dark wood bar with great beer--and no dance floor. No reason to be that loud. My wife went outside to answer a phone call--and two college students just opened the door, listened, and turned around immediately, saying that it was way too loud. Wish I had been that smart--but I didn't go to Yale. It took the entire next day for the ringing in my ears to go down.
As for the beer, excellent selection and well served. Very impressive and fun. Thus, my extremely mixed feeling about The Cask Republic. Had we gotten into New Haven in the afternoon and hit TCR earlier, we might have liked it a lot. As is, it's a painful memory that I suffered for too long for the sake of a good beer.
7/19/11
I received a very nice note from the owner of The Cask Republic, addressing my concerns. I both respect and appreciate his concern and effort to improve, so I'm adding it to the review. While the gist of my review stands, TCR is a place that I would most definitely return to drink, given the opportunity, especially if it was at a quieter time of day. Maybe not as clear as I would have liked in my initial review, the beer quality at TCR is excellent and is well served--a much harder and important factor than the cosmetic issues of volume and service.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)