Saturday, July 9, 2011
Gold Sovereign Ale (Summit Brewing, St. Paul, MN)
First heard of Gold Sovereign on the Summit tour, but it was sadly not on the tasting list. Out for a local sixpack. Very light straw gold color that is extremely reflective and pretty in the tulip glass I'm using. White head dissipated immediately leaving malt and spice in the nose. Clean, refreshing bite in the taste with a lingering spicy bite. While light and clearly not brash enough for some beer geeks, it had a solid yet ephemeral taste in the mouth with pleasant aftertaste with a lingering hop presence. I wouldn't eat or mix this with much else—might ruin it. Needs to sit in the mouth and allowed to assert itself. Glad I got the six pack to enjoy a few more.
Salem Beer Works (Salem, MA)
7/1/11
With the exception of once stopping at the OK Corral in Tombstone, AZ, or possibly a buffalo burger (pre-veggie) at Wall Drug in South Dakota, Salem is the biggest tourist trap I've ever visited. However, our quick stop for an eye roll at the witch museum and the confusing search for the "memorial" quickly led us to the Salem Beer Works for a quick and friendly lunch stop before getting back on the road.
Our made to order pizza was a pie of gouda over white sauce on a spent grain crust surprised our waitress--and then us as to how good it tasted. I also enjoyed some of the themed names for the beers like Black Bat and Witch City Red. But, good if not great beer finished off our trip to Salem. Like Beer Works on Canal Street, one beer stood out and here it was an interesting and funky leftover barrel aged Belgian Imperial Stout. If a stop to see the witchcraft kitsch of Salem is a must, including the Salem Beer Works is a decent plan to break the spell.
With the exception of once stopping at the OK Corral in Tombstone, AZ, or possibly a buffalo burger (pre-veggie) at Wall Drug in South Dakota, Salem is the biggest tourist trap I've ever visited. However, our quick stop for an eye roll at the witch museum and the confusing search for the "memorial" quickly led us to the Salem Beer Works for a quick and friendly lunch stop before getting back on the road.
Our made to order pizza was a pie of gouda over white sauce on a spent grain crust surprised our waitress--and then us as to how good it tasted. I also enjoyed some of the themed names for the beers like Black Bat and Witch City Red. But, good if not great beer finished off our trip to Salem. Like Beer Works on Canal Street, one beer stood out and here it was an interesting and funky leftover barrel aged Belgian Imperial Stout. If a stop to see the witchcraft kitsch of Salem is a must, including the Salem Beer Works is a decent plan to break the spell.
Bauer Wine & Spirits (Boston, MA)
7/4/11
Not far from the Hynes stop on the green line, Bauer Wine & Spirits is a great little bottle shop a couple of blocks from the Sheraton and several other hotels off Boylston St. Wished I would've hit it it earlier in the trip instead of the on the last day. Great range of beers and a large refrigerated section so it doesn't have to be chilled from room temperature in the hotel room. I went back to the hotel with BrewDog, Green Flash and Stone, including my first bottle of Old Guardian 2011 for the year. And, they have a friendly grey cat who came out to say hi during my purchase.
Not far from the Hynes stop on the green line, Bauer Wine & Spirits is a great little bottle shop a couple of blocks from the Sheraton and several other hotels off Boylston St. Wished I would've hit it it earlier in the trip instead of the on the last day. Great range of beers and a large refrigerated section so it doesn't have to be chilled from room temperature in the hotel room. I went back to the hotel with BrewDog, Green Flash and Stone, including my first bottle of Old Guardian 2011 for the year. And, they have a friendly grey cat who came out to say hi during my purchase.
Meadhall (Cambridge, MA)
7/4/11
I was able to stop twice at Meadhall; the first time because it was close to the subway on the way back and the second time because we knew it was close to the subway and would be a great place to get out of the heat. I'm always scared to go to a beer bar with such a large selection--something is generally old or bad. It was very fun to have every beer we ordered at Meadhall was fresh and well served in its own glass.
I was especially impressed by the tap organization--each brewery's beers side by side with each other. Neat and inspires ordering another. Makes it really easy to check what they have for a single brewery without needing the tap list. The paper list was out of date and rather useless. When you arrive, I suggest that you sit with a view of the chalk board.
First stop was after eating at CBC down the street, so didn't try the delicious looking french fries. Second stop was on the 4th of July, and no food until 2:30 pm; and then, it was only burgers, dogs and chips for a "4th" grill out in the bar. Being veggies, nothing but the chips worked for us--so we left to eat at CBC after a nice beer stop at Meadhall.
I would definitely recommend it for the beer and would stop again. Besides the odd food selection on the 4th, the service was slow sitting at the bar on both occasions, in spite of not really being very busy either time. Another caveat: Be careful believing the style listing on the beer board--one I had was clearly placed incorrectly and I would argue with the definition of a several others.
I was able to stop twice at Meadhall; the first time because it was close to the subway on the way back and the second time because we knew it was close to the subway and would be a great place to get out of the heat. I'm always scared to go to a beer bar with such a large selection--something is generally old or bad. It was very fun to have every beer we ordered at Meadhall was fresh and well served in its own glass.
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| Half of Meadhall's taps |
First stop was after eating at CBC down the street, so didn't try the delicious looking french fries. Second stop was on the 4th of July, and no food until 2:30 pm; and then, it was only burgers, dogs and chips for a "4th" grill out in the bar. Being veggies, nothing but the chips worked for us--so we left to eat at CBC after a nice beer stop at Meadhall.
I would definitely recommend it for the beer and would stop again. Besides the odd food selection on the 4th, the service was slow sitting at the bar on both occasions, in spite of not really being very busy either time. Another caveat: Be careful believing the style listing on the beer board--one I had was clearly placed incorrectly and I would argue with the definition of a several others.
Sea Dog Brewing (Bangor, ME)
6/28/11
Stopping in Bangor on the way to Bar Harbor, this was an easy stop after seeing Paul Bunyan and stalking Stephen King's house for a facebook pic. I've had a few bottles of Sea Dog before, so wasn't expecting a lot but hoped the food was good with the view on the patio.
The view of the river from the back patio was relaxing and nice. Our waitress was evidently having a very bad day because the service was awful and even the trainee following her sympathized for us. Everything was slow and took forever. The sampler tray was a bit warm and flat by the time it showed up, and the DYI pizza didn't turn out well either. Adequate at best.
We we drove by another Sea Dog later in trip--we kept on driving.
Stopping in Bangor on the way to Bar Harbor, this was an easy stop after seeing Paul Bunyan and stalking Stephen King's house for a facebook pic. I've had a few bottles of Sea Dog before, so wasn't expecting a lot but hoped the food was good with the view on the patio.
The view of the river from the back patio was relaxing and nice. Our waitress was evidently having a very bad day because the service was awful and even the trainee following her sympathized for us. Everything was slow and took forever. The sampler tray was a bit warm and flat by the time it showed up, and the DYI pizza didn't turn out well either. Adequate at best.
We we drove by another Sea Dog later in trip--we kept on driving.
Finback Alehouse (Bar Harbor, ME)
6/30/11
For being in the middle of the very touristy downtown Bar Harbor, Finback Alehouse does a pretty good job. Came here for three reasons: first, it was a very close blockish walk from the dock for the lighthouse boat tour; second, it had Black Bear Microbrewery and no one else seemed to carry them; and third, the multiple mac and cheese offerings fit well with our vegetarianism in a seafood rich area.
Because of extremely dense fog, we extended our stay in Bar Harbor by a full day--and consequently returned for the second shot at the mac n cheese. No website, so I can't look up what we exactly had, but both versions of the baked comfort food were great and one order is fine to share for lunch. I think it was gouda and brie in the first, but we took out the bacon for a pepperjack version on the second and liked it a bit better, each with bowtie pasta.
Over both visits, I tried all three Black Bear offerings--and all were adequate, middle of the road beers that won't scare the touristy types coming in there. Ended with a Long Trail Double Bag, confirming that while I think I should like this beer, it's only ok. All were well served, fresh and fast.
For being in the middle of the very touristy downtown Bar Harbor, Finback Alehouse does a pretty good job. Came here for three reasons: first, it was a very close blockish walk from the dock for the lighthouse boat tour; second, it had Black Bear Microbrewery and no one else seemed to carry them; and third, the multiple mac and cheese offerings fit well with our vegetarianism in a seafood rich area.
Because of extremely dense fog, we extended our stay in Bar Harbor by a full day--and consequently returned for the second shot at the mac n cheese. No website, so I can't look up what we exactly had, but both versions of the baked comfort food were great and one order is fine to share for lunch. I think it was gouda and brie in the first, but we took out the bacon for a pepperjack version on the second and liked it a bit better, each with bowtie pasta.
Over both visits, I tried all three Black Bear offerings--and all were adequate, middle of the road beers that won't scare the touristy types coming in there. Ended with a Long Trail Double Bag, confirming that while I think I should like this beer, it's only ok. All were well served, fresh and fast.
The Great Lost Bear (Portland, ME)
6/30/11
Was planning to spend the day in Portland drinking in several places, but due to unforeseen circumstances (fog in Bar Harbor postponing our tour boat a day), we didn't get to Portland until 9 pm instead of noon. Oops. With only enough energy for one place, we took a cab to The Great Lost Bear. Hard to compare without hitting other places, but we were very happy with the Bear as our only stop in Portland (and Becky's Diner for breakfast on the way out of town).
Well served and in the proper glasses, our waiter brought us each an Allagash beer from the extensive draft menu. Ended the night with Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet, which was a great Black IPA. For food, the waiter steered us toward a house made veggie dinner, the Fresh Grizzly Burritto with rice, beans, cheese and veggie chili. We had started with cup of veggie chili (something we found in several NE bars, which I would love to see in the midwest more). Both were really great and topped off the night after a long day being tourists and not having time to eat.
GLB clearly lives up to their reputation as a great beer bar. Our waiter was knowledgeable and helpful choosing the beers, and also talked us to a meal we enjoyed. After a week of travelling and eating out, we really appreciated a very honest, straight forward waiter who gave us a clear, informed opinion of beer and food when asked. Not shying away from making a statement instead of being a cheerleader for whatever a patron picks is a rare quality that we appreciate.
We liked Portland and plan to return to it and The Great Lost Bear.
Was planning to spend the day in Portland drinking in several places, but due to unforeseen circumstances (fog in Bar Harbor postponing our tour boat a day), we didn't get to Portland until 9 pm instead of noon. Oops. With only enough energy for one place, we took a cab to The Great Lost Bear. Hard to compare without hitting other places, but we were very happy with the Bear as our only stop in Portland (and Becky's Diner for breakfast on the way out of town).
Well served and in the proper glasses, our waiter brought us each an Allagash beer from the extensive draft menu. Ended the night with Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet, which was a great Black IPA. For food, the waiter steered us toward a house made veggie dinner, the Fresh Grizzly Burritto with rice, beans, cheese and veggie chili. We had started with cup of veggie chili (something we found in several NE bars, which I would love to see in the midwest more). Both were really great and topped off the night after a long day being tourists and not having time to eat.
GLB clearly lives up to their reputation as a great beer bar. Our waiter was knowledgeable and helpful choosing the beers, and also talked us to a meal we enjoyed. After a week of travelling and eating out, we really appreciated a very honest, straight forward waiter who gave us a clear, informed opinion of beer and food when asked. Not shying away from making a statement instead of being a cheerleader for whatever a patron picks is a rare quality that we appreciate.
We liked Portland and plan to return to it and The Great Lost Bear.
The Other Side Cafe (Boston, MA)
7/1/11
NOTE: According to BeerAdvocate, the Other Side Cafe has closed since we visited it.
Great little veggie/vegan bar around the corner from the Hynes stop on the green line. We tried it for dinner on a Friday night because it was close to our hotel, veggie and good beer friendly. Odd, we waited outside for a bit since they said they had reached their occupant capacity, but it seemed quite empty inside when we were seated. Too bad, but others had left because of the short wait and the full patio. Too bad they are losing business for a seemingly confusing rule.
Great atmosphere--for us--alternative, punk, divey-not sure what to call it. A relief since we were staying at the Sheraton down the street. Friendly and open atmosphere, though the service was a bit slow. They seem to have a wide range of clientele with the draft list ranging from PBR to Stone Ruination. Food was good, and, as always, it's refreshing to have choice between more than two items on a meat-centric menu. Reminds me a lot of Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis, another favorite of ours.
So, skip the touristy bars and restaurants on Boylston St, and give your business to a nice local bar.
Reviewed on: 07-09-2011 19:34:17
NOTE: According to BeerAdvocate, the Other Side Cafe has closed since we visited it.
Great little veggie/vegan bar around the corner from the Hynes stop on the green line. We tried it for dinner on a Friday night because it was close to our hotel, veggie and good beer friendly. Odd, we waited outside for a bit since they said they had reached their occupant capacity, but it seemed quite empty inside when we were seated. Too bad, but others had left because of the short wait and the full patio. Too bad they are losing business for a seemingly confusing rule.
Great atmosphere--for us--alternative, punk, divey-not sure what to call it. A relief since we were staying at the Sheraton down the street. Friendly and open atmosphere, though the service was a bit slow. They seem to have a wide range of clientele with the draft list ranging from PBR to Stone Ruination. Food was good, and, as always, it's refreshing to have choice between more than two items on a meat-centric menu. Reminds me a lot of Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis, another favorite of ours.
So, skip the touristy bars and restaurants on Boylston St, and give your business to a nice local bar.
Reviewed on: 07-09-2011 19:34:17
Beer Works-Canal Street (Boston, MA)
7/2/11
After a day on the Freedom Trail, we headed to Boston Beer Works for a beer break before walking over the bridge to Bunker Hill. We tried only a couple of beers because of time and that we had sampled several of the standard beers of the chain at Salem Beer Works a few days earlier. All were adequate brews with the India Pale Porter as the stand out beer on Canal Street.
Similar to Salem, each place had ok beer with a single beer that was just a bit better than the rest. Nachos were too big and ok as well. A welcomed break just off the Freedom Trail, but a bit pricey. Best feature was that for some reason there was a very cooling breeze down the street that made the patio very nice, in spite of it being fairly warm walking in other parts of the city that day. So, great patio dining if that's something you enjoy.
After a day on the Freedom Trail, we headed to Boston Beer Works for a beer break before walking over the bridge to Bunker Hill. We tried only a couple of beers because of time and that we had sampled several of the standard beers of the chain at Salem Beer Works a few days earlier. All were adequate brews with the India Pale Porter as the stand out beer on Canal Street.
Similar to Salem, each place had ok beer with a single beer that was just a bit better than the rest. Nachos were too big and ok as well. A welcomed break just off the Freedom Trail, but a bit pricey. Best feature was that for some reason there was a very cooling breeze down the street that made the patio very nice, in spite of it being fairly warm walking in other parts of the city that day. So, great patio dining if that's something you enjoy.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Spiral Jetty (Epic Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT)
A light, golden colored IPA that didn't hit me in the face enough that I really understood it was an IPA until looking at the label. Even though hints of amber give it a fairly nice color, the mouthfeel is light and disappoints right away. The alcohol level is fairly high for the lightness—6.6%. A part of the Classic series of Epic's brews, it is understated to say the least. The earthy hops are nice, but not enough to excite the nose. Nice peppery, almost saison-like yeast characteristics. Interesting, but compared to their Hopulent IPA, just not in the same league. And not just because of the hop levels; simply not as strong of a beer. Maybe a nice transition for someone getting used to hops to say he or she is drinking an IPA. Not bad, but I won't be seeking it out again.
Bru Rm @ BAR (New Haven, CT)
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.
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.
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.
Hyde Park Brewing (Hyde Park, NY)
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| Val Kill, home of Eleanor Roosevelt |
When asked how I have tried a large variety of beer, I joke that beer just magically "appears" on trips (usually after researching several websites). In this case, Hyde Park Brewing did simply appear across the street from the home of FDR. After a morning of tours and contemplation of the New Deal, we headed to Hyde Park Brewing for lunch before heading to Val Kill down the road.
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| Home of FDR |
Not sure how far out of my way I'd go for Hyde Park Brewing, but it was a great no-brainer stop while visiting a very beautiful, historic area.
Three Penny Taproom (Montpelier, Vermont)
6/26/11
This stop was one of my best missteps ever. After doing the very touristy but interesting tour of Ben and Jerry's down the road in Waterbury, we tried to hit the Alchemist in town--not open until 3 or 4 pm. Without daylight burning we continued down the road and I used BA to find the next closest pub or bar for lunch; Three Penny Taproom sounded familiar (could be the monthly ad in BA mag, I guess), so we stopped.
Started with a DFH Burton Baton, and then went local with Hill Farmstead's Everett and Double Galaxy. Not bad for a lunch stop (thanks to my wife driving instead of drinking). Really would've been nice had our hotel been here overnight instead of the next stop. Oh well. Next time.
For lunch, we had a simple but amazing cheddar cheese sandwich, which may be the best cheese sandwich I've ever had. Just a spectacular fresh taste and done perfectly. Spent the rest of the trip lusting over local cheddar and never matched it.
If near (or not so near), stop. Next time I'm in Vermont, this is home base. And, all of this goodness is in spite of suffering a recent flood and rebuilding their bottle stock and business. Good luck to a truly great place in recovering from this set back.
This stop was one of my best missteps ever. After doing the very touristy but interesting tour of Ben and Jerry's down the road in Waterbury, we tried to hit the Alchemist in town--not open until 3 or 4 pm. Without daylight burning we continued down the road and I used BA to find the next closest pub or bar for lunch; Three Penny Taproom sounded familiar (could be the monthly ad in BA mag, I guess), so we stopped.
Started with a DFH Burton Baton, and then went local with Hill Farmstead's Everett and Double Galaxy. Not bad for a lunch stop (thanks to my wife driving instead of drinking). Really would've been nice had our hotel been here overnight instead of the next stop. Oh well. Next time.
For lunch, we had a simple but amazing cheddar cheese sandwich, which may be the best cheese sandwich I've ever had. Just a spectacular fresh taste and done perfectly. Spent the rest of the trip lusting over local cheddar and never matched it.
If near (or not so near), stop. Next time I'm in Vermont, this is home base. And, all of this goodness is in spite of suffering a recent flood and rebuilding their bottle stock and business. Good luck to a truly great place in recovering from this set back.
Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing (North Conway, NH)
6/27/11
Finding a hotel in a brewpub is too good to resist, so we didn't. Took a while (a lot of phone call tag), but eventually reserved a room in the upstairs above the bar. When the reservation was made, we were told to talk to the bartender when we arrived. Paid the bartender like a tab and we had a room, which was cozy, clean and was a great location.
After settling in, we headed to the bar for the night, which started really strong. Hoffman Weiss was good and my wife liked it right away, and the appetizers were fantastic. Vegetarian chili with Thai peanut sauce--unusual, but really fun. And the NE Hushpuppies with maple syrup were the best food of the entire trip. Very cool. Nachos looked really good from a far, but were only mediocre up close and personal.
From a sampler, the remaining beers were all good but nothing really stood out, even the barleywine. Not many places will have a barleywine this time of year, so we were excited at first. It seemed under attenuated or something similar. Just a bit off. Decided to try a local brewery Tuckerman's Headwall Alt and couldn't finish the beer because it was so bad--so switched to Smuttynose IPA to finish the night. Not sure if the Tuckerman's was the beer itself, or if the line had gone bad--the beer has slightly better reviews online, so maybe it was my experience.
So, overall, a good stop but very mixed. In part, the start was very strong, and above expectations, and then it went downhill quickly. Not a place I would go out of my way to repeat, but if your heading up to the White Mountains, it's a reasonable room in a good place. Also, since we're vegetarians, we might not have taken advantage of the "smoke house" enough to rate the food properly. The staff was friendly and gave a great recom for breakfast at a restaurant named Peaches down the street on our way out of town.
Finding a hotel in a brewpub is too good to resist, so we didn't. Took a while (a lot of phone call tag), but eventually reserved a room in the upstairs above the bar. When the reservation was made, we were told to talk to the bartender when we arrived. Paid the bartender like a tab and we had a room, which was cozy, clean and was a great location.
After settling in, we headed to the bar for the night, which started really strong. Hoffman Weiss was good and my wife liked it right away, and the appetizers were fantastic. Vegetarian chili with Thai peanut sauce--unusual, but really fun. And the NE Hushpuppies with maple syrup were the best food of the entire trip. Very cool. Nachos looked really good from a far, but were only mediocre up close and personal.
From a sampler, the remaining beers were all good but nothing really stood out, even the barleywine. Not many places will have a barleywine this time of year, so we were excited at first. It seemed under attenuated or something similar. Just a bit off. Decided to try a local brewery Tuckerman's Headwall Alt and couldn't finish the beer because it was so bad--so switched to Smuttynose IPA to finish the night. Not sure if the Tuckerman's was the beer itself, or if the line had gone bad--the beer has slightly better reviews online, so maybe it was my experience.
So, overall, a good stop but very mixed. In part, the start was very strong, and above expectations, and then it went downhill quickly. Not a place I would go out of my way to repeat, but if your heading up to the White Mountains, it's a reasonable room in a good place. Also, since we're vegetarians, we might not have taken advantage of the "smoke house" enough to rate the food properly. The staff was friendly and gave a great recom for breakfast at a restaurant named Peaches down the street on our way out of town.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Cambridge Brewing (Cambridge, MA)
6/24/11
In simple terms, Cambridge Brewing Co was the gem of our trip to Boston and New England. Referred to locally as CBC, it is one of the few brewpubs I've even come across that competes with my beloved Town Hall Brewery.
There's a wide range of styles with ten beers on tap, and all were solid to very good. In the top of the line up, exceptional beers. On my first visit, the Double Entendre, a barrel aged Belgian Strong Brown Ale, first enticed me to get a draft after the samples. And, then the Arquebus, described as a summer barleywine, was mind blowing. My wife and I returned to CBC twice to drink the Arquebus, which I alternated with The Audacity of Hops DIPA that replaced Double Entendre in the week between stops. Arquebus was a truly magnificent beer--matching its description to a tee. Light and drinkable at 14%, it was refreshing and challenging in spite of the 80+ degree heat on the walk from the subway.
Beyond the beer, the food was excellent and offered several choices for vegetarians. I had the homemade veggie burger twice, and the middle trip was the Sunday brunch and I devoured one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. If I lived locally, I would lean towards hitting the brunch--it was my favorite. All of the food was pub grub in style, but clearly a notch of above in presentation and quality.
If you're Boston, Cambridge brewing needs to be at the top of your beer hit list.
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| Arquebus summer barleywine |
There's a wide range of styles with ten beers on tap, and all were solid to very good. In the top of the line up, exceptional beers. On my first visit, the Double Entendre, a barrel aged Belgian Strong Brown Ale, first enticed me to get a draft after the samples. And, then the Arquebus, described as a summer barleywine, was mind blowing. My wife and I returned to CBC twice to drink the Arquebus, which I alternated with The Audacity of Hops DIPA that replaced Double Entendre in the week between stops. Arquebus was a truly magnificent beer--matching its description to a tee. Light and drinkable at 14%, it was refreshing and challenging in spite of the 80+ degree heat on the walk from the subway.
Beyond the beer, the food was excellent and offered several choices for vegetarians. I had the homemade veggie burger twice, and the middle trip was the Sunday brunch and I devoured one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. If I lived locally, I would lean towards hitting the brunch--it was my favorite. All of the food was pub grub in style, but clearly a notch of above in presentation and quality.
If you're Boston, Cambridge brewing needs to be at the top of your beer hit list.
Pour Judgement (Newport, RI)
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| Castle Hill Lighthouse, Newport, RI |
We hit Pour Judgement because it was the best beer place on our Rhode Island route heading out to the Castle Hill lighthouse. What started out as a stop of necessity turned in a pleasant trip through some local beers.
Nothing terribly crazy but it was all well served, including Coastal Extreme's Summer Ale and RI Blueberry and Heavy Seas Loose Cannon, an IPA from Clipper City. All complimented very well by the black bean burger with fries. Eighteen 8 taps to choose from should make for some hoppy Newport residents. Not a mind blowing bar, but a great local stop in a very touristy area.
Note: Clipper City Brewing has been re-branded as Heavy Seas Brewing.
Rock Bottom (Boston, MA)
6/23/11
Stopped here for lunch in between the Sam Adams tour and my stroll to Harpoon for their afternoon tasting room hours. Perfectly adequate lunch: a veggie patty melt with onion rings, a more unique veggie burger offering than most pubs. Beer flight was fine and the Saison the best of the lot; however, unfortunately, that's not a high compliment. My biggest disappointment was that this Rock Bottom doesn't actually brew itself, so the range was basic and unexciting. According to the bartender, it's the only Rock Bottom that doesn't brew on site. Sigh. Not bad, just not interesting. If you are starving and standing in front of Rock Bottom Boston--it's fine; but, don't go out of the way for this one.
Stopped here for lunch in between the Sam Adams tour and my stroll to Harpoon for their afternoon tasting room hours. Perfectly adequate lunch: a veggie patty melt with onion rings, a more unique veggie burger offering than most pubs. Beer flight was fine and the Saison the best of the lot; however, unfortunately, that's not a high compliment. My biggest disappointment was that this Rock Bottom doesn't actually brew itself, so the range was basic and unexciting. According to the bartender, it's the only Rock Bottom that doesn't brew on site. Sigh. Not bad, just not interesting. If you are starving and standing in front of Rock Bottom Boston--it's fine; but, don't go out of the way for this one.
John Harvard Brew House (Cambridge, MA)
6/24/11
I've been to the JHBH in DC and wasn't very impressed, but the location right by the mythic Harvard is a much better pub. Showed up right when they opened after touring (lurking about, actually) the campus. The bartender was chatty and beer knowledgable, providing great conversation to go along with the samples.
The Demon DPA (Double Pale Ale) was a very well brewed pale ale--clean and hoppy with a resiny spine to hold it together--to compliment the rest of the line up, including one cask. Surprisingly, the Harvard Square Helles was my next favorite, in spite of not being fan of the style in general. Very clean and balanced beer that I'm sure is popular with students; however, it's nothing to shy away from as a beer geek. Always a good sign when a pub can do a light beer so clean. I didn't check out the eats in order to save room for a more vegetarian friendly restaurant later in the day.
Overall, a surprisingly pleasant stop.
I've been to the JHBH in DC and wasn't very impressed, but the location right by the mythic Harvard is a much better pub. Showed up right when they opened after touring (lurking about, actually) the campus. The bartender was chatty and beer knowledgable, providing great conversation to go along with the samples.
The Demon DPA (Double Pale Ale) was a very well brewed pale ale--clean and hoppy with a resiny spine to hold it together--to compliment the rest of the line up, including one cask. Surprisingly, the Harvard Square Helles was my next favorite, in spite of not being fan of the style in general. Very clean and balanced beer that I'm sure is popular with students; however, it's nothing to shy away from as a beer geek. Always a good sign when a pub can do a light beer so clean. I didn't check out the eats in order to save room for a more vegetarian friendly restaurant later in the day.
Overall, a surprisingly pleasant stop.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Bukowski's Tavern (Boston, MA)
7/2/11
I was able to hit Bukowski's twice in my trip to Boston. Staying down the block at the Sheraton, Bukowski's was my plan for a fast start in the city. First draft, I went for "The Buk," a house pale ale made in collaboration by their staff and Wormtown Brewing, according to the bartender. After that, pints of Oscar Blues' G'Night Imperial Red Ale and Lagunitas Olde GnarleyWine insured that I got out of the beer blocks quickly. Both very good. Bukowski's has an impressive offering for the relatively small number of taps.
Ordered dinner--mac and cheese--which looked awesome on the list and was mediocre at best. Mac and cheese seems to be a east coast staple, which I tried at several pubs during the course of this vacation. This was the worst by far but the competition was a very high standard of cheesiness. A week later when we returned to Boston from road tripping New England, we were tired in the hotel, so I ordered the vegetarian meatball sub to go, which was much better. While waiting for the sub, I had a Cisco The Grey Lady witbier that was well served and refreshing. However, I noticed that the overall tap offering was much lighter and not as much fun as the weekend before.
Overall, Bukowksi's is a great local pub and a place that I enjoyed a lot for an initial stop. When I asked the bartender for a local place to drink some more, he seemed to prevaricate and gave no recommendations. Maybe he was unaware of the perfectly fun The Other Side that I later found less than two blocks away or other Boston beer stops. In the end, every beer was well served and they do a good job of presentation and handling, which is the most important thing.
I was able to hit Bukowski's twice in my trip to Boston. Staying down the block at the Sheraton, Bukowski's was my plan for a fast start in the city. First draft, I went for "The Buk," a house pale ale made in collaboration by their staff and Wormtown Brewing, according to the bartender. After that, pints of Oscar Blues' G'Night Imperial Red Ale and Lagunitas Olde GnarleyWine insured that I got out of the beer blocks quickly. Both very good. Bukowski's has an impressive offering for the relatively small number of taps.
Ordered dinner--mac and cheese--which looked awesome on the list and was mediocre at best. Mac and cheese seems to be a east coast staple, which I tried at several pubs during the course of this vacation. This was the worst by far but the competition was a very high standard of cheesiness. A week later when we returned to Boston from road tripping New England, we were tired in the hotel, so I ordered the vegetarian meatball sub to go, which was much better. While waiting for the sub, I had a Cisco The Grey Lady witbier that was well served and refreshing. However, I noticed that the overall tap offering was much lighter and not as much fun as the weekend before.
Overall, Bukowksi's is a great local pub and a place that I enjoyed a lot for an initial stop. When I asked the bartender for a local place to drink some more, he seemed to prevaricate and gave no recommendations. Maybe he was unaware of the perfectly fun The Other Side that I later found less than two blocks away or other Boston beer stops. In the end, every beer was well served and they do a good job of presentation and handling, which is the most important thing.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Blue Mountain Lodge (Orange City, IA)
11/6/10
My wife and I went to the Blue Mountain Lodge with our nephew, who is a student at Northwestern in Orange City. Locally, the restaurant has a very good reputation, and we went on that alone.
The craft beer list was extensive--for NW Iowa anyway. Possibly two dozen bottles of fine beers, including at least four I hadn't had before: a pleasant surprise. I ended up getting the Sprecher Russian Imperial Stout, good but a bit light for the style--still enjoyable to drink. The remaining menu beers were a combination of Belgians and regional favorites.
For dinner, my nephew had the pulled pork sandwich, which he pronounced excellent, while we had the pizza special that was adequate but I would try something else next time I visit. Great place to eat for beery parents visiting their kids at the college.
My wife and I went to the Blue Mountain Lodge with our nephew, who is a student at Northwestern in Orange City. Locally, the restaurant has a very good reputation, and we went on that alone.
The craft beer list was extensive--for NW Iowa anyway. Possibly two dozen bottles of fine beers, including at least four I hadn't had before: a pleasant surprise. I ended up getting the Sprecher Russian Imperial Stout, good but a bit light for the style--still enjoyable to drink. The remaining menu beers were a combination of Belgians and regional favorites.
For dinner, my nephew had the pulled pork sandwich, which he pronounced excellent, while we had the pizza special that was adequate but I would try something else next time I visit. Great place to eat for beery parents visiting their kids at the college.
The Parrot's Cay Tavern & Grill (Grand Forks, ND)
11/26/10
Parrot's Cay is a very interesting little place that my nephew and I stopped at after a UND hockey game. Not the standard beer bar that I visit while travelling--very much a local joint that has a mixed bag of clientele.
Evidently, they have very good wings--pictures all over the wall. Didn't investigate--being a vegetarian. Beer battered onion rings we had were good. Pull tabs in the corner weren't too weird, but the blackjack table beside the pull tabs was a new feature for me in a pub. Whole place has a grungy bowling alley feel--but no alley.
For the beers that were there--30 or 40 taps--they were very well served. I had a New Belgium Skinny Dip on draft special, which was good. For a committed beer geek, odds are low that you'll find something new here since the range is on the lighter, low key end of the beer spectrum. Service was by whichever bartender/waitress was available, so fast and friendly.
Checking out the facebook page, evidently they do Firkin Fridays. Perusing deeper, there seems to be a pretty rabid wing following and a Wingfest. A pretty cool--if odd--local place for a well served craft beer.
Parrot's Cay is a very interesting little place that my nephew and I stopped at after a UND hockey game. Not the standard beer bar that I visit while travelling--very much a local joint that has a mixed bag of clientele.
Evidently, they have very good wings--pictures all over the wall. Didn't investigate--being a vegetarian. Beer battered onion rings we had were good. Pull tabs in the corner weren't too weird, but the blackjack table beside the pull tabs was a new feature for me in a pub. Whole place has a grungy bowling alley feel--but no alley.
For the beers that were there--30 or 40 taps--they were very well served. I had a New Belgium Skinny Dip on draft special, which was good. For a committed beer geek, odds are low that you'll find something new here since the range is on the lighter, low key end of the beer spectrum. Service was by whichever bartender/waitress was available, so fast and friendly.
Checking out the facebook page, evidently they do Firkin Fridays. Perusing deeper, there seems to be a pretty rabid wing following and a Wingfest. A pretty cool--if odd--local place for a well served craft beer.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Four Peaks Brewing Co (Tempe, AZ)
10/18/09
Spent a Sunday morning with a bar full of rabid Minnesota Vikings fans, rooting for the last minute Raven field goal to miss and it did. If in Minneapolis--no big deal. Doing it in Phoenix before flying back to the Twin Cities chill--a unique drinking and eating experience.
Besides being a Vikings bar, Four Peaks beer is quite good. Several of the beers have changed since I was here six years ago, but most match my rates and memory. The standard beers seemed to have improved a bit, according to my notes, and the new beers are good additions. HopKnot, an American IPA, was very tasty, especially you like big American hops and don't mind a bit of grassiness. The seasonal was a Pumpkin Porter, which my wife drank for the rest of the game. Mostly allspice for the pumpkin part, but blended well into the porter for a very pleasant beer.
Food was hot, fast and good. Surprisingly fast since the place was pack with purple clad fanatics that I've never seen anywhere short of the Metrodome. And, while not as creative of a brewpub as others, the base beers are well brewed. Drinking in the heat (100 degrees in October!), a lighter interpretation of each style can be forgiven--and even encouraged.
Love this bar--maybe it will be my retirement pub. On my first visit, I bought a bucket hat that I wore when my wife and I rim-to-rim hiked the Grand Canyon. Old and battered now, I replaced the original with may have been the last one in existence. At least it was the last one in the bar--they sold me the one in the display case. Whenever I head into nature, I bring Four Peaks with me.
Sadly, I've only made it to Four Peaks twice, but these visits epitomize the very heart of why I beer hunt.
Spent a Sunday morning with a bar full of rabid Minnesota Vikings fans, rooting for the last minute Raven field goal to miss and it did. If in Minneapolis--no big deal. Doing it in Phoenix before flying back to the Twin Cities chill--a unique drinking and eating experience.
Besides being a Vikings bar, Four Peaks beer is quite good. Several of the beers have changed since I was here six years ago, but most match my rates and memory. The standard beers seemed to have improved a bit, according to my notes, and the new beers are good additions. HopKnot, an American IPA, was very tasty, especially you like big American hops and don't mind a bit of grassiness. The seasonal was a Pumpkin Porter, which my wife drank for the rest of the game. Mostly allspice for the pumpkin part, but blended well into the porter for a very pleasant beer.
Food was hot, fast and good. Surprisingly fast since the place was pack with purple clad fanatics that I've never seen anywhere short of the Metrodome. And, while not as creative of a brewpub as others, the base beers are well brewed. Drinking in the heat (100 degrees in October!), a lighter interpretation of each style can be forgiven--and even encouraged.
Love this bar--maybe it will be my retirement pub. On my first visit, I bought a bucket hat that I wore when my wife and I rim-to-rim hiked the Grand Canyon. Old and battered now, I replaced the original with may have been the last one in existence. At least it was the last one in the bar--they sold me the one in the display case. Whenever I head into nature, I bring Four Peaks with me.
Sadly, I've only made it to Four Peaks twice, but these visits epitomize the very heart of why I beer hunt.
Oak Creek Brewery and Grill (Sedona, AZ)
10/15/09
While some of the beers were of a passable quality, this brewpub suffers from the same problem as many tourist trap restaurants: there's no real incentive to be good when tourists are going to eat and leave. The Micro Light lager was the best beer, which I mistook for a positive sign at first. Then it went down hill at a break neck pace.
Our food, beer battered onions rings, were bland and the dipping sauce runny. Service was fine, but slow--even though we were sitting at the bar. While watching a baseball game, we noticed a pile of shavings from the ceiling, seemingly when the TVs were installed or dust, on top of the medal display. In the bathroom, the layer of dust on the towel dispenser was thick and seemingly undisturbed.
Easily one of the most disappointing beer stops in a long time. If you truly must hit a pub while in Sedona, it's better than wine, and maybe no worse than other tourist spots. Or, go to Prescott.
While some of the beers were of a passable quality, this brewpub suffers from the same problem as many tourist trap restaurants: there's no real incentive to be good when tourists are going to eat and leave. The Micro Light lager was the best beer, which I mistook for a positive sign at first. Then it went down hill at a break neck pace.
Our food, beer battered onions rings, were bland and the dipping sauce runny. Service was fine, but slow--even though we were sitting at the bar. While watching a baseball game, we noticed a pile of shavings from the ceiling, seemingly when the TVs were installed or dust, on top of the medal display. In the bathroom, the layer of dust on the towel dispenser was thick and seemingly undisturbed.
Easily one of the most disappointing beer stops in a long time. If you truly must hit a pub while in Sedona, it's better than wine, and maybe no worse than other tourist spots. Or, go to Prescott.
Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co (Scottsdale, AZ)
10/16/09
Because Papago's couldn't let in our underage niece from ASU, we headed to Oggi's, which was fortunate. Most of the beers were repeats of the same names from the San Clemente Oggi's we visited on our previous California trip, but were well brewed and enjoyable. The Black Magic Stout was especially good, and a fine dessert after pizza.
The five cheese pizza was fantastic, and possibly one of the best cheese pizzas we've ever had. With multiple TVs around the bar, it was a nice place to catch up on baseball and football games while travelling while not being distracting to our conversation. A highly enjoyable stop that I would gladly repeat.
Note on 11/8/12: Sadly, between the writing of this post and today, Oggi's in Scottsdale is reported as closed on BeerAdvocate. Beer and pizza were good, but the odd, strip mall location might have had something to do with the closing, but just speculation.
Because Papago's couldn't let in our underage niece from ASU, we headed to Oggi's, which was fortunate. Most of the beers were repeats of the same names from the San Clemente Oggi's we visited on our previous California trip, but were well brewed and enjoyable. The Black Magic Stout was especially good, and a fine dessert after pizza.
The five cheese pizza was fantastic, and possibly one of the best cheese pizzas we've ever had. With multiple TVs around the bar, it was a nice place to catch up on baseball and football games while travelling while not being distracting to our conversation. A highly enjoyable stop that I would gladly repeat.
Note on 11/8/12: Sadly, between the writing of this post and today, Oggi's in Scottsdale is reported as closed on BeerAdvocate. Beer and pizza were good, but the odd, strip mall location might have had something to do with the closing, but just speculation.
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