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HamFon's BrewPub Ratings
The purpose if this page is to keep track of brewpubs that I've visited. If you are interested in brewpubs or
microbreweries in many other locations, check out some of the links on my
Other Info tab.
If you're looking at this page without frames around it, try the main Build A Beer page.
I rate brewpubs since I am a home brewer, and I like many
styles of beer. Also, it seems that most brewpubs have exceptionally
good food, since most of it is made-from-scratch (often with left-over
brewing grain, etc.).
Arizona - Phoenix:
Bermuda:
California - San Francisco:
California - San Jose:
Colorado - Denver/Boulder/Fort Collins:
Florida - The Keys:
Florida - Central:
Florida - West Coast (except Tampa/Clearwater area):
Florida - East Coast:
Florida - Tampa / Clearwater and surrounding areas:
Grand Cayman Island:
Hawaii - big island:
Illinois - Chicago:
Kansas / Missouri - Kansas City area:
Kansas - Lawrence:
Kansas - Manhattan:
Louisiana - New Orleans:
Nevada - Las Vegas:
New York:
Pennsylvania:
Washington DC:
Barley's Brewhaus
119th and Quivira, Overland Park, KS
Turns out that this isn't really a brewpub. They don't make their own beers.
However, they have a large selection of locally brewed beers, including from
Barley's Brewhaus in Topeka which IS a brewpub. The sampler of beers below
is from Barley's in Topeka. Local brewery products are from Boulevard, River
Market, Pony Express, 75th Street, and Flying Monkey. They also have (from
the menu) 33 bottled American beers, 18 bottled international beers, 13 draft
international beers, 35 draft American beers, and 22 local brewery products.
We visited on Friday August 26, 1996, at 8PM. There was no wait, but it was
pretty busy. Food seemed a bit pricey, but portions were large. Red Hot Wings
were in a Tabasco-type sauce with roast garlic and sesame - VG - dipping sauce
was garlic and slightly sweet. Big Barley Burger (with provolone) - VG - tasty
traditional burger - fries were plain but fresh and hot - G. Smoked Clubhaus
was slightly smoky - E - came with pasta salad which was light and not too oily
or creamy - E. Smoked Sharp Cheddar and Ale Soup was slightly spicy - E - not
overly creamy. Overall impression of visit was quite good.
BEERS (4 oz samples at $1.00 each)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| BilliardBerry | G | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | fizzy | fruity |
| Chief Burnetts IPA | VG | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | | slightly bitter |
| Heartland Wheat | G | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | smooth | |
| Ray's Red | VG | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | smooth | slightly bitter |
| Shunganunga Stout | VG | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | creamy | |
Zymer's Grill and Brewery
5005 W. 117th, Leawood, KS (451-2525)
Under new ownership YET AGAIN.. (was Bayou State Brewery before) - and with a
"real" brewmaster this time. Visited Friday 6 Nov 1998 with wife and friend, at
about 7PM. Busy, but not full. Still somewhat upscale prices - $7 for burger -
Black and Bleu burger was VG and fries VG. Cheese and Broccoli soup was VG.
Baked potato overcooked, and salmon was only G+.
The notes below were done before BSB went belly up and reopened. Visited again
on 5 Sept 1997. BSB is NOT a brewpub anymore - just a restaurant with some brewing
vats for display. Food was mostly Cajun, up scale prices, and not particularly
special. Lunch half-sandwiches were served alone on a small plate (terrible
presentation). Day soup (tomato-y and spicy) was good, but very different. Most
people at the table did not finish their meals (they did not like them). Oh, well.
******* OLD NOTES: ********
This is an upscale brewpub that focuses on New Orleans style cuisine. I could
not get a hamburger or chicken wings (two of my staples for food comparisons).
The parking lot was full of BMWs, Mercedes', and Acuras. We visited Bayou at
10:15 P.M., Saturday, September 21, 1996. Fairly busy, but no wait. Live Jazz
music. Food had a nice presentation. Appetizers priced reasonably, but some
dinners were pricey. Large selection of pepper sauces. Server seemed to be
in a hurry (impatient), although not particularly busy.
We had Cheddar Fondue
for an appetizer - $5.95, VG+, served with garlic toast (had tomatoes and onions(?)
in the cheese). I had Sausage and Cheese Appetizer for dinner - $6.25, VG+,
including tasty sausage pieces, 3 cheeses (pepper jack, smoked gouda, and baby
swiss), with a mild spiced mustard. Caroline had Chicken Fingers Appetizer for
dinner - $6.95, F, batter was too light (would have been better for fish) -
should have been more hearty, served with BBQ sauce and honey mustard, chicken
was OK, but one piece was tough (overcooked?). We had White Chocolate Bread
Pudding for desert - $3.95, E, outside like a cinnamon roll, inside with golden
raisins and bread pudding - very tasty.
BEERS (sampler of six 4-oz beers was $4.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Peters Porter Stout | G | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | | Coffee |
| Scottish Heavy | VG | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | |
| Ambrosian Ale | VG | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | Fizzy | |
| St. James Pale Ale | VG | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | Tannin |
| Mad Dog's Red | VG | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | Tart | |
| KristallKleer WeizenBier | VG | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | Woody | Cloves/yeasty |
Brown Bear Brewing Co.
729 Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS (913) 331-4338
Visited with brother-in-law Richard 9 Oct 1997 at 12:45 pm. Not busy. Presentation
of sampler on wait tray - not very elegant. Chips and guacamole - fresh, average guac,
with pimento, lemon, and garlic. Needs more onions! Small bowl of guac. Chips were
fresh and good (including tomato chips). Portabella soup - mushrooms, potatoes, carrots,
onions, green beans, tomatoes, rosemary - VG. Cheeseburger and fries - VG - heavy
bread (good but different), fries were homemade and E. Fish and chips - catfish with
red pepper mayonnaise sauce - G+ - large serving of 4 fish fillets. Good light batter.
BEERS (4 oz samplers 80 cents each)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Unfiltered Wheat | E | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | fizzy | fresh |
| IPA | VG | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | | |
| Red | G | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | |
| Stout | G | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | smoky,coffee |
| Peach Wheat | VG | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | fruity | heavy peach |
2501 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, MO 816-474-7095
This is actually a locally brewery, with no attached brewpub. Of course, that means
that I had to search ALL over town to find JUST what I wanted to taste ;-) There's
a porter and a stout and maybe a bitter still waiting to be tasted... I'm on a mission... *smile*
BEERS
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Nutcracker Ale (bottle) | 3+ | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | Unfiltered Spiced IPA | Nutmeg, Juniper, Allspice Christmas Ale |
| Pale Ale (draft) | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | Light fruit | Light yeast |
| Unfiltered Wheat (draft) | 3+ | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | Smooth but unremarkable | |
| | | | | | | | | |
I found a brewery restaurant at the Kansas City Airport on 12 August 2008 (Tuesday) which serves Boulevard beers.
They had just closed, but they let me in to do a quick series of tasters. Here's what I had:
BEERS (sampler of 4-6 oz beers for $7)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Dry Stout - on nitrogen | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | roasty; smooth | Dry stout | black | 3 | |
| Lunar Ale | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | caramel; coriander | Dunkelweizen | clear copper | 3 | |
| Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | slight citrus; resin | American Pale Ale | clear amber | 3 | |
| Unfiltered Wheat | 4- | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | slight citrus | American wheat | hazy straw | 3 | |
10635 Floyd, Overland Park, KS
Strictly a place for regulars. Nachos and home-made salsa were
simple and average. Kamikaze wings were not particularly hot, more
like BBQ than spicy (they were "G"). Honey glazed wings were
different - sweet and smoky - VG. On Friday, at 6PM, there was no
crowd, and by 6:30PM, Dave's was only about 1/4 full - mostly
regulars. Dave said that he makes the beer in small batches -
sometimes as small as three barrels. All of the beers tasted
dishwatery. We hope that this was from dirty glasses and not the
quality of the beer. However, the beer was fairly unpleasant because
of this. We may go back some other time to see if it's any better.
The beer ratings reflect this taste.
BEERS (Sampler of 10 4?oz beers was $3.00)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Red Lite | F | | | 3 | | 2 | smooth | |
| Honey Wheat Lager | P | | | 5 | | | fizzy | bitter |
| Cattle Drive English Bitter Ale | P | | | | 5 | | | sulphite |
| Flint Hills Lager | F | | | 3 | 3 | 3 | | |
| Tornado Belgian Trappist Ale | P | 5 | | 5 | | 3 | | heavy sulphite |
| Buffalo Brown Ale | G | 4 | | 4 | 1 | 3 | | |
| Dave's Vienna Red Lager | F | 2 | | 3 | 5+ | 2 | | |
| Fred's Habanero | G | 2 | | | 2 | 2 | | spicy hot |
| Maibock | G | 3 | | 4 | 3 | | | malty and sweet |
| Mother Earth Stout | G | 3 | | 3 | 1 | 2 | smooth | |
6th & Massachusetts, Lawrence, KS
Visited 9 Oct 1997 2:00 pm - almost full restaurant. EXCELLENT customer service,
staff was very knowledgable about beer (both their own and beer in general). A
very professional but down-to-earth atmosphere. Free State was the first brewpub
in the KC area, and continues to set the standard for the others. The Reisling/beer
was an experiment by the brewmasters, which they shared with us - Hogue Johannesberg
Reisling (just a tablespoon or so) in Wheat State Golden. It was interesting.
BEERS (5oz samplers 85 cents each)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Wheat State Golden | VG | 3 | 2 (20 ibu) | 3 | 3 | 3 | | |
| Lemon Grass Rye | VG | 2 | 2 (18 ibu) | 3 | 2 | 2 | smooth | lemony |
| Ad Astra Ale | VG | 3 | 3 (27 ibu) | 2 | 4 | 2 | | caramel |
| Octoberfest | E | 4 | 3 (21 ibu) | 4 | 2 | 3+ | smooth | winey |
| Copperhead Pale Ale (IPA) | VG | 2 | 4 (48.5 ibu) | 1 | 4 | 3 | | hoppy |
| Bison Dark Ale | E | 4 | 5 (69.5 ibu) | 3+ | 3 | 4 | smooth | hoppy |
| Oatmeal Stout | VG | 4 | 4 (42 ibu) | 3 | 3 | 4 | balanced | hoppy |
| Reisling/Wheat State Golden | VG | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | champagne | |
| Ironman Stout | E | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | | |
8461 Northwest Prairie View Road, Kansas City, MO, 64153 816-587-3838
This is actually a chain of brewpubs that started in St. Cloud, MN (the Granite City). I was on a trip to Kansas City, and saw it
while driving by from the airport. I stopped in for a beer sampler, but only had about 15 minutes before I had to catch my plane. Nice
neighborhood type atmosphere in the bar, food looked and sounded good, so I'll need to try it out when I have more time.
BEERS (sampler of 6-4oz for $3.75)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | notes | color | carbonation | specs |
|---|
| Northern Light Lager | 4+ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | bready | clear straw | 2 | 1.040 OG; 18 IBU; 4.5% abv |
| Brother Benedict's Bock | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | caramel; flowery; toasty | clear copper | 2 | 1.052 OG; 20 IBU; 5.5% abv |
| Duke Of Wellington Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | lemon; grapefruit | clear deep amber | 3 | 1.056 OG; 56 IBU; 5.2% abv |
| Broad Axe Stout | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | coffee; flowery | black | 3 | 1.052 OG; 37 IBU; 5.5% abv |
| Burning Barn Irish Red | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | caramel; buttery; flowery | clear copper | 2 | |
| Two Pull | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | malty | clear light amber | 2 | Blend of light lager and bock |
4057 Pennsylvania, Westport, MO, (816) 960-0866
Visited at 3:00PM on Thursday (3Sep1998), with brother-in-law Richard - sat at the bar.
1997: reviewed with visiting brother-in-law Richard. Nice atmosphere, live music
at night (jazz, etc.). Had a smoking (cigar) room with board games and books.
Knife And Fork Philly ($7.95) was a Philly Cheesesteak with a single slab of
sirloin (not sliced), white cheddar, sauteed onions and mushrooms, and spicing
(tasted like rosemary), on a potato-onion hoagie bun, with a tasty brandy au jus.
Sandwich was filling, and rates Excellent. Accompanying fries were below average -
a bit soggy. Also got Buffalo Chicken Wings (1 lb. for $5.95). Wings rate VG -
medium hot Durkee-type sauce, with bleu cheese. Richard and I each finished our
sandwiches, but were unable to finish all of the wings (a LOT of food!).
Overall feeling for the place was comfortable and laid-back, but that quality
and presentation were important (food presentation was very artistic, original,
functional, and clever) - a classy (and slightly up-scale) brewpub. They also have a
Dead-Tuesday night, and several employees noticed and commented on Richard's
Grateful Dead shirt. There were ten house rules, including #1, "No one leaves our house
without finishing their beer," and #9, "Save room for desert." Rule #1 makes
sense - rule # 9 ... NOT. Visited Thursday,
17 July 1997, both in the afternoon, and at night (for the live music). Service
was above average, and it was not very crowded. They served beer brewed on-site,
as well as "imports" from 75th Street Brewery, and from Pony Express Brewing Co.
The beer sampler was served on a placemat with spots for each beer, and with small
stories about the beer, it's name, and why it's name was selected.
BEERS (Sampler of 8-5oz beers was $4.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Landing Light | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | dry | pleasant |
| Newcomb's IPA | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | flowery | bite |
| Mild Specialty | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | | malty |
| Amber Specialty | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | | |
| Black Rye | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | | chewy smoke,chocolate |
| Stout | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | creamy | very smooth |
| 75th Street Royal Raspberry | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | no edge | good berry |
| Peach | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | very peachy | sickly sweet |
| Hog Pound Brown | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | smooth | |
| Pony Express Nut Brown | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | smoky |
Revisited McCoys on 1 May 2004 with Caroline, Maritza, Joe. Very Good salsa (4+). Reevaluated beers:
BEERS (Sampler of 6-5oz beers was $4.50 - plus two complimentary samples)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | Alcohol% | IBU |
|---|
| Landing Light | 4+ | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | malty | banana | American lager | light straw | 3 | 5 | 11 |
| Hog Pound Brown Ale | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | | brown ale | copper | 3 | 5.7 | |
| Newcomb's IPA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | | juniper | India pale ale | dark straw | 3 | 6.4 | 45 |
| Hellesbock | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | slight drymouth | | Hellesbock (Maibock) | light copper | 4 | 7 | |
| Red Light Raspberry | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | | fruit | fruit | light straw | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| Thompson's Dry Stout | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | | | stout | black | 2 | 3.9 | 40 |
| Belgian Dubbel Trappist Ale | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | fruity | apricot | Belgian Trappist ale | amber | 2 | 7 | 20 |
| Bohemian Pilsner | 3+ | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | | | Pilsner | straw | 3 | | |
4050 Pennsylvania, Westport, MO, (816) 931-4499
Visited at 2:00PM on Thursday (3Sep1998), with brother-in-law Richard - sat at the bar.
Much more satisfying experience this time - chatted with the brewmaster - very personable,
and seemed very knowledgable. The Pilsner is award winning class. Excellent!
1997: reviewed with visiting brother-in-law Richard. Three of the four beers available
were exceptional. The fourth beer (Pilsener) tasted to us like it had come from
a sour keg, or possibly had picked up some bacteria in the beer lines. We spoke
with the brewmaster as well as the bartender, and they said it was supposed to
taste that way. We suspect that they had a bad keg, and had not yet tried a
taste from it. Still overly stuffed, foodwise (from McCoys), we did not try any
food or appetizers. They serve good wines by the glass (e.g., Franciscan). They
also have a hand-crafted root beer which was VG+, sweet and creamy, similar to
A&W draft. Attention to quality and presentation was average (no coasters, for
example - they used bevnaps). Atmosphere was average - it was slow when we visited
in the afternoon of Thursday, 17 July 1997. Brewmaster seemed to be quite
knowledgable about beer making and components, and about other microbreweries.
He should have offered to taste the Pilsener, though... Sampler presentation
was average - a row of samplers on bevnaps, with verbal identification by the
bartender. The Forty Acre Wheat beer had a solid body (for a wheat), but tasted fresh and was
not yeasty like most wheats. The Tinker's Irish Stout was almost excellent - it
just did not quite have the depth of complexity of a Guinness or Watney's Cream Stout.
BEERS (Sampler of 4-3oz beers was $3.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Forty Acre Wheat | G+ | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | spritzy | fruity |
| Real McCoy Amber | VG | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | smooth | light |
| Prospector Pilsener | E | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | smooth | fresh |
| Tinker's Irish Stout | VG | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | fizzy | not chocolate |
Overland Brewing Co.
9083 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS
**** Changed to Sports Page ****
Visited on 14 June 1996 at 1705. Not busy (but it got full by the
time we left). Good background blues music. Jamaica Jerked Wings
($5.95) were very tender, slightly spicy (appeared to be a sauce made
of Worstershire sauce, black pepper, and beef boullion), marinated.
Greasy, but good flavor - G+. Bacon Cheeseburger ($5.55) with poppy
seed kaiser and spiced meat - G+. Chicken Finger appetizer was four
large pieces of white meat in a fish-and-chips type of batter. Crispy
and flaky, but the batter is too light for the chicken flavor -
better suited for light fish. Served with BBQ sauce (sweet, not
particularly good) and honey-mustard. Chicken rating G-. Even
though business was pretty slow when we were there, service was
mediocre to poor.
BEERS (Sampler of 5 3?oz beers was $3.75)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Ruby Red ESB | E | 2 | | 1 | 5 | | | bitter |
| Sunflower Gold Ale | G+ | 2 | | 3 | 2 | 3 | smooth | flowery |
| Tornado Path Porter | E- | 3+ | | 4 | | | creamy | smoky |
| Overland Raspberry Wheat | G | 2 | | 1 | 1 | 3 | smooth | |
| Sunflower Gold Light | G+ | 2 | | 3 | 3 | 4 | smooth | flowery |
Power Plant Restaurant and Brewery
2 Main Street, Parkville, MO (816) 746-5051
Visited on Thursday, 5 October, 2000, with brother-in-law Richard.
Wings mildly spicy, very good flavor. Burger average, VG fries.
80 year old building
with very comfortable bar-type atmosphere - also the roof is covered with tables. Service
at the bar was VG+.
BEERS (Sampler of 6 4oz beers was $6)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Walnut Creek Wheat | VG | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2+ | smooth | lingering malt |
| Colonel Park's Pale Ale | G+ | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | hoppy | bitter but smooth |
| Seasonal - Oktoberfest | G | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | allspice |
| Seasonal - Harvest Rye | G | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2+ | | |
| Southbound Nut Brown | VG+ | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | very smooth | walnuts, long linger |
| Steamboat Stout | G | 5 | 4 | 4+ | 3+ | 4+ | | coffee |
| Specialty - Belgian Ale | E- | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | fizzy | cloves |
River Market Brewing Co.
500 Walnut (Downtown by City Market)
Visited on 5 October 2000 at 2:00 pm with brother-in-law Richard for beer tasting.
On the previous visit (1998?):
Excellent burger (the Oregon Tillamook - the grilled onions on it
were great). Excellent french fries. Chicken wings were quite good,
pretty spicy, and had a different flavor from "most" wings
(oregano?). Also, the wing dip was a unique cucumber/dill sauce
(quite good). The Fish (and chips) was light a fluffy - very tasty.
We went Fri PM at about 6:15 and had a 25 minute wait. Good music-
50's and 60's. Service was excellent - attentive, not oppressive.
BEERS (sampler of 5-3oz beers was $5)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Bomber Blonde Ale | G | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1+ | light flavor | hoppy |
| Sodbuster Pale Ale | VG+ | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2+ | smooth | |
| River Market Red Ale | G- | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | smooth | lemony |
| Flying Crow Porter | G+ | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4- | | coffee |
| Seasonal - Alt | G+ | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | hoppy nose | Alt is a German beer style |
Rock Bottom Brewery
11721 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS
Burger good (not special). Fries were very good - ask for Maker's
Mark Gourmet Sauce for dipping - it's a light, medium sweet BBQ sauce
from the folks who brought you great whiskey. Wings were crispy,
with a mildly spicy pepper sauce. Complementary beer bread was thick
and heavy, with carrots and zucchini (?), and was fresh and warm and
moist - very good. Dinner salad had very good house vinegarette
dressing. Hazelnut chicken was excellent - melts in your mouth -
vegetables were flavorful with just enough pepper, and crunchy, yet
tender - chicken was very nutty, with the nuts overpowering the other
flavors. We arrived at 7pm on Friday, and waited for 50 minutes
(estimate was 40-45). Service was very good.
BEERS (sampler of 7 3?oz beers was $4.80)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Palomino Pale Ale | G | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | | | |
| White Tail Wheat | G | | | 2 | 2 | 2 | | |
| Falcon Red Ale | VG+ | 4 | | | | 4 | smooth | pleasant |
| Riverboat Brown | G | 5 | | 4 | | | smooth | winey |
| Schooner Stout | E- | 4 | | 4 | | 4 | smooth | luscious |
| Prairie Rock Amber | G | | | 3 | 2 | | | |
| Bitter Cold | G | | 5 | | 3 | | | |
520 W. 75th, Kansas City, MO (523-4677)
Visited at 3:00PM on Thursday (5Oct2000), with brother-in-law Richard - sat at the bar -
tried out "new" California Common, which is an Anchor Steam style beer.
Visited at 4:00PM on Thursday (3Sep1998), with brother-in-law Richard - sat at the bar.
Visited at 9:15PM on Saturday (23Nov1996), 30 minute wait.
Bagpipes and drums entertainment -
St. Andrews Club was meeting there. Prominent brewing vats and equipment -
more a bar than a restaurant. Service was fair (but the waiter was busy).
Complimentary bread with honey butter (G+). Chicken wing appetizer (VG+) was
spicy hot, but very flavorful and meaty - not your average Durkee's flavoring
like lots of restaurants use, and with a garlic-y ranch dressing. Homemade
potato chips (with garlic-y ranch) were tasty, fresh and crisp, slightly
overcooked (VG). Stockyard Cheeseburger ($6.50) with large ranch fries -
fries were fresh and hot (VG), burger was average (G) and overcooked (was Well,
wanted Medium Rare). Club sandwich ($6.95) with black beans - beans had a
spicy afterteste and came with cheese (VG), club was huge (E), good flavor,
with the flavors complementing each other perfectly (so you didn't taste
distinct cheese or meat flavors).
BEERS (sampler of 7-4oz beers was $1.75)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Cow Town Wheat | G | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | smooth | malty |
| Yardbird's Golden Ale | G | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | smooth | sweet |
| Royal Raspberry Wheat | VG | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | no edge | good fruit |
| Belgian Wheat Christmas Style | VG | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | | clove/cinnamon |
| Cask Conditioned Golden Ale | VG | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | smooth | Distinct hops |
| Possum Trot Brown Ale | G+ | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1+ | 3 | fizzy | |
| Muddy Mo's Stout | G+ | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | creamy | coffee |
| English Pale Ale | G | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | smooth | |
| Russian Imperial Stout | VG | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | honey | very smoky |
| California Common | VG+ | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3+ | | Very good copy of Anchor Steam |
Sports Page
23rd & Kasold, Lawrence, KS
Visited 9 Oct 1997 3pm with brother-in-law Richard. Lots of money went into building
and decorating this place - solid doors, etc. Service was average, even though business
was very slow. Bartender was trying to impress us with his beer pouring skills (we
weren't). Chips and salsa was G+ - picante was spicy.
BEERS (sampler of 6-3oz beers was $3.75)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Unfiltered Honey Wheat | G | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | smooth | |
| Crimson Ale | G | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | |
| Golden Glove Ale | G | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | |
| Pigskin Porter | VG | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | smoky |
| Real Raspberry Wheat | VG | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | | |
| Brown Ball Bitter | G | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | | |
Sports Page - KC
9083 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS (913) 385-2739
Visited 13 Mar 1998 (Friday) 19:30 with Caroline. Very slow service (same as when
this place was the Overland brewery). Philly Cheesesteak was VG ($7), fries were G,
Caroline had a veggie burger ($5) - rating G.
BEERS (sampler of 7-3oz beers was $3.75)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Unfiltered Honey Wheat | VG | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | smooth | citrus |
| Crimson Ale | G | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | crisp | hoppy |
| Golden Glove Ale | G | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | | metallic |
| Pigskin Porter | G | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | | light smoky |
| Real Raspberry Wheat | VG | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | | light fruit |
| India Pale Ale | VG | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | | bitter |
| Black Diamond Stout | G | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | fizzy | |
Little Apple Brewing Company
1110 Westloop, Manhattan, KS (913) 539-5500
Visited 15 Feb 1998 Noon with Caroline. Large, lots of wood decor. Service
was G. Started to get crowded with church letting out.
Tex Burger (G) with ranch fries (VG) was $5.95.
Portabella Mushroom sandwich (G) with onion rings (VG)was $6.25.
BEERS (sampler of 6-5oz beers was $3.60)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Wildcat Wheat (K-State) | G | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | | slight bitter |
| Wheat bock | G | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | |
| McApple Scottish ale | F | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | watery |
| Prairie pale ale (IPA) | VG | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | fizzy | |
| Pony Express porter | G | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | | smoky |
| Black Angus stout | F | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | watery |
Brewpubs in other cities
Millrose Brewing Co.
South Barrington, IL (15 miles W of Chicago)
Visited Monday at 8:00PM (18 Nov 1996) - 45 minute wait, but got a bar table
immediately and ate there. Huge old-west atmosphere barn setting (made from
six 125 year old barns, supposedly) with high rough-wood ceilings, etc. Service
was EXCELLENT! They have a wide menu selection from sandwiches to higher
priced steaks and seafood. I went with a plan of getting the biggest baddest
steak that I could but the appetizer sampler platter looked like something I
should report on. The "Taste Of Millrose" appetizer included: Brew Battered
Shrimp (2 large, very meaty, light batter - E), Rose's Italian Sausage (spicy,
anise - VG), Potato Skins (2 - cheddar, scallions, ham - G), Fried Jalepenos
(2 - stuff with cheese and breaded - E), Wings (spicy - Durkee's type sauce - G),
Onion Straws (light and thin - G), Rib Sampler (sweet, mild - VG), and
Cucumber (who cares...). Also, a complementary bread basket was served with
plain white (medium heavy - G), a Raisin Rye (medium heavy, very flavorful - VG),
and a Tomato Bread (G).
BEERS (sampler of 4-4oz was $5.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Panther Ale | VG | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | | |
| Prairie Pilsner | VG | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | | |
| Country Inn Ale | G | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | |
| Dark Star Lager | G | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | | |
| Harvest Weiss | G | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | | coriander |
| Raspberry Wheat | VG | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | | |
| Wheat N' Honey | G | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | | |
Tied House
San Jose, CA
Visited Tuesday at 9:00PM (18 Feb 1997) - No wait, sat at the bar. Bar service
was good. Didn't try any food.
BEERS (sampler of 8-5oz was $5.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Alpine Gold | VG | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | Tart | |
| New World Wheat | VG | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | Smooth | Fruity |
| Passion Fruit/Spice | G | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | Slight Bitter | Fruity |
| Wheat Bock | VG | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | Smooth | Fruity |
| Cascade Amber | E | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | Winey | |
| India Pale Ale | G | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | | |
| Iron Wood Dark | E | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | Smooth | Winey |
| Oatmeal Stout | VG | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | Smooth | Smoky |
33 E. San Fernando, San Jose, CA (408) 294-6785
Visited Wednesday at 9:00PM (19 Feb 1997) - No wait. Service was very good.
I had Satays (shish-k-bob's) (2 sticks per order, about $2 each):
Lamb (E), Chicken/Potato (E), Scallops/Mushroom (G),
Shrimp (E). Also Ginger sweet bread (G). Glazed baby back ribs with baby bok
choy (soy sauce/honey glaze?) was VG. Walnut salad (lettuce/oil-vinegar/walnuts/
sauteed onions/bleu cheese) was $6 and VG.
BEERS (sampler of 4-3oz was !!FREE!!)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Pilsner | G | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | smooth | |
| Marzen Oktoberfest | G | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | | |
| Dunkles | VG | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | | |
| Unfiltered Blond Bock | G | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | fizzy | |
5763 Arapahoe #E, Boulder, CO 440-4324
This is a small microbrewery, no sampling room, no pub/restaurant. The two
guys working there (bottling/washing) were kind enough to give me a tour, and
then provide me with a taster's selection of their current beers (in bottles).
BEERS (6 12-oz bottles - $6.00)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| 14'er ESB Ale | VG | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | | |
| Out Of Bounds Stout | VG | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | creamy | smoky |
| Redpoint Ale | VG | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | | tart |
| Ellie's Brown Ale | VG | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | fizzy | winey |
1125 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 303-402-9294
Visited 2 Jan 1998, at 15:00, with brother-in-law Richard. This is a chain.
Chicken wings - VG, but typical hot "tabasco" style wings., Fries and ranch -
VG.
BEERS (6 5-oz tasters was $4.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| BJ's Blonde | G | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | | fizzy |
| Harvest Hefeweisen | G | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | wheat | |
| Piranha Pale Ale | VG | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | citrus | peach/apricot |
| Jerimiah Red | G | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | clean |
| PM Porter | G | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | | |
| Tatonka Stout | G+ | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | light smoke/coffee | |
2220 Blake Street, Denver, CO 303-297-3644
Visited during GABF with Richard on 10/9/08. Nice atmosphere, excellent service at the bar. One of
their beers was soured, and they stopped serving it (as they should!).
BEERS (6 4-oz samples for $8)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | notes | style | color | carbonation |
|---|
| Agave Wheat | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | clean; malty | American Wheat | cloudy light gold | 3 |
| Avalanche Ale | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | caramel | American Amber Ale | cloudy copper | 3 |
| Ballpark Brown | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel | American Brown Ale | clear mahogany | 3 |
| Red Ale | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | bready | American Amber Ale | clear deep copper | 3 |
| Autumn | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | molasses; brown sugar | American Brown Ale | clear deep brown | 2 |
| Trademark Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | pine; some grapefruit | American Pale Ale | clear light amber | 3 |
| Extra ESB | 5- | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | | ESB | clear copper | 3 |
| 471 IPA Double Hopped | 4+ | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | grapefruit | American IPA | clear gold | 3 |
| Vanilla Porter | 5- | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | big vanilla; slight toasty | Vegetable | clear deep brown | 3 |
| Oatmeal Stout | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | oily; coffee | Oatmeal Stout | clear deep brown | 2 |
| Thunderhead Stout | 5- | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | smooth; served on Nitro | Oatmeal Stout | clear deep brown | 2 |
Bull And Bush Pub and Brewery
4700 cherry Creek Drive South, Glendale, CO
Visited during GABF with Richard on 10/9/08. Nice atmosphere, excellent service at the bar. Brewing since 1996.
Guacamole excellent (5-) - best in restaurant in recent memory. Salsa also very good (4+) and wings also (4+).
BEERS (6oz samples)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | style | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Happy Hop Pilsner | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Bohemian Pilsner | 2 | slightly slick |
| Hail Brau Hefeweizen | 4+ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Hefeweizen | 3 | big banana |
| Allgood Amber | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | American Amber | 2 | caramel |
| The Tower ESB | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ESB | 2 | bubble gum |
| Saison D'Suitcase | 4+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Saison | 2 | horse blanket, hay, slight sour |
| Marriage Golden | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | Belgian Pale Ale | 2 | alcohol, flowery, slight citrus |
| Man Beer | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | American IPA | 3 | caramel, floral, slight lemon |
| No Coast IPA | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | American IPA | 2 | butterscotch |
| Bull Wink Ale | 4+ | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | Belgian Brown | 2 | dates, fig, very slight funk |
| Stonehenge Stout | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | Oatmeal Stout | 2 | roast, burnt, oatmeal, coffee, toffee |
| Legend Of The Liquid Brain | 4+ | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | Imperial Stout | 2 | plums, raisins |
| Pimp My Rye | 5- | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | American Rye | 2 | peppery, lemon |
| Gus | 5- | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | Wood Aged Beer | 2 | vanilla, whiskey, ruby port, brown ale and imperial stout aged in Wild Turkey and Rip Van Winkle barrels |
Denver ChopHouse and Brewery
Denver, CO
Visited during GABF with Caroline and family on 10/10/08. Peppercorn steak 5-, sirloin 4- (overcooked), fries 4+.
BEERS (9 4-oz samples for $7)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | style | color | carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| Pilsner Lager | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | flowery | German Pilsner | clear deep straw | 2 |
| Dortmunder Lager | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | toasty; floral | kolsch | clear gold | 2 | Dortmunder Blonde Lager |
| Dark Munich Lager | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | toast; roast | Vienna lager | clear copper | 2 |
| Wheat Ale | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | orange peel; slight coriander | Belgian Wit | clear straw | 2 |
| Brewers Marker Belgian Simple Ale | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | orange peel; citrus | Belgian pale ale | clear deep gold | 2 |
| Red Ale | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | caramel; toffee | Irish Red Ale | clear copper | 2 |
| Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | light grapefruit; flowery | American Pale Ale | clear amber | 2 |
| Dry Stout | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | roasty; creamy; coffee; chocolate | Oatmeal Stout | clear deep brown | 2 |
| Wild Turkey Barrel Conditioned Stout | 4+ | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | vanilla; coconut; whiskey | Wood aged beer | clear deep mahogany | 2 |
Dry Dock Brewery
Aurora, CO
Visited 15 April 2008 with sister and dad. Small location with attached homebrew shop. They are moving to another location in the same
building that is much larger. Knowledgable and friendly staff.
BEERS (4 oz samplers were complimentary)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | notes | style | color | carbonation |
|---|
| Blonde Ale | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | Blonde Ale | clear straw | 2 |
| Breakwater Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | American Pale Ale | clear amber | 2 |
| Nut Brown Ale | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | toasty; chocolate | American Brown Ale | clear copper | 2 |
| HMS Victory ESB | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | | ESB | clear amber | 2 |
| HMS Bounty Old Ale | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | | English Old Ale | clear amber | 2 |
| Irish Red Ale | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | roasty | Irish Red Ale | clear amber | 2 |
| Irish Dry Stout | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | roasty | Dry Stout | clear deep mahogany | 2 |
| USS Enterprise IPA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | green citrus hops; grapefruit | American IPA | clear amber | 2 |
| Urca Vanilla Porter | 3+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | vanilla; slightly soapy | Vegetable Porter | clear mahogany | 2 |
Denver, CO
Visited during GABF with Caroline on 10/10/08. Guacamole and chips 4+ and spicy. Spicy salsa.
BEERS (6 4-oz samples for $9)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | style | color | carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| Doggie Style Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel | American Pale Ale | clear deep amber | 3 | 5.5% abv; 35 IBU |
| In Heat Wheat | 3+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | slight banana; bubblegum | Weissbier | cloudy deep straw | 3 | 4.7% abv; 12 IBU |
| Old Scratch Amber Lager | 4- | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel; slight toasty | American Amber Ale | clear light copper | 2 | 5.5% abv; 19.5 IBU |
| Snake Dog Indian Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | grapefruit | American IPA | clear gold | 2 | 7.1% abv; 60 IBU |
| Tire Bite Golden Ale | 4- | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | slight butterscotch | Blonde ale | clear amber | 2 | 5.0% abv; 16.5 IBU |
| K-9 Cruiser Winter Seasonal Ale | 4- | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | toasty; bready; caramel; tart | winter beer | clear copper | 2 | 6.4% abv; 30 IBU |
Great Divide Brewery
Denver, CO
Visited during GABF with Caroline on 10/9/08. Lots of people there because of GABF, and they were pouring
several test beers in the back of the brewery.
BEERS (6 4-oz samples for $8)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | notes | style | color | carbonation |
|---|
| Wild Raspberry Ale | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | tart | Fruit Beer | clear red copper | 2 |
|---|
| Baumer | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | slight lactic; oak; sour; slight fruit | Belgian Specialty Ale | hazy pink amber | 3 |
|---|
| Fence Hop | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | | Imperial IPA | cloudy light copper | 3 |
|---|
| Espresso Yeti | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | coffee; creamy | Imperial Stout | clear yellow deep brown | 4 |
|---|
Longmont, CO
Brewery for Left Hand beer as well as Tabernash and also contract brewing.
Visited with brother-in-law Richard on 28 Dec 1999. We got an exceptional tour - not rushed - very personal.
We also tasted before and after (small taster cups). The ratings below are from bottles
of beer sold at the tasting area.
BEERS
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Tabernash Golden Pilsener Lager | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | creamy | |
| Tabernash Amber Colorado Lager | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | smooth | |
| Tabernash Munich Colorado Dark Lager | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | very smooth | nice malt aftertaste |
| Left Hand XXXmas Ale | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | light | cardamon, maybe cloves? |
| Left Hand JuJu Ginger | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | refreshing | lingering ginger |
| Left Hand Sawtooth Ale | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | |
| Left Hand Imperial Stout | 4+ | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | creamy | |
| Left Hand Jackman's American Pale Ale | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | | refreshing |
| Left Hand Blackjack Porter | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | | smoky |
Left Hand Tap House
Longmont, CO 772-0258
Outlet for the Left Hand brewery - they don't brew on site. Left Hand brewery does Left Hand
beers and Tabernash beers. Dale's Pale Ale is from Oskar Blues in Lyons (Dale runs the Tap House).
Chili con queso is tasty - spiced ground beef in it. Visited with brother-in-law Richard on
28 Dec 1999 - and we'll probably also tour the brewery itself.
BEERS
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| One Nut Brown Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | | |
| Black Jack Porter | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | Light | |
| Dale's Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | | Bitter -IPA style |
| Tabernash Weiss | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | Cloves |
Revisited again during GABF 2008 with Richard.
BEERS (6-4oz samples for $7.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| 400 lb Monkey IPA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | grapefruit; caramel | American IPA | very slight hazy amber | 3 | |
| Blackjack Porter | 4- | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | roast; coffee | Brown porter | clear deep brown | 2 | 27 IBU; 5.8% abv; 15.75°P; 40 SRM - on cask |
| Blackjack Porter | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | butterscotch; coffee | Brown porter | clear deep brown | 2 | |
| Chainsaw Double Sawtooth Ale 2008 | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | caramel | Specialty | clear copper | 2 | 300 SRM; 20.50°P; 55 IBU; 9.0% abv |
| Deep Cover Brown Ale | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | slight roast | Northern English brown ale | clear deep amber | 3 | 11.5°P; 20 IBU; 4.4% abv; 25 SRM |
| Haystack Wheat | 3+ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | butterscotch; banana; slight clove | Weissbier | cloudy light gold | 2 | 12.5°P; 10 SRM; 14 IBU; 5.0% abv |
| Imperial Stout | 5- | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | alcohol warmth; roasty; creamy | Imperial Stout | clear deep brown | 3 | 55 SRM; 22°P; 65 IBU; 10.4% abv |
| Jackman's American Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel | American Pale Ale | clear amber | 2 | On cask |
| JuJu Ginger | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | ginger | vegetable beer | clear gold | 3 | 10°P; 10 SRM; 17 IBU; 4.0% abv |
| Milk Stout | 5- | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | >chocolate; creamy; roast | Sweet stout | clear deep mahogany | 3 | 47 SRM; 15.5°P; 22 IBU; 5.2% abv - on Nitrogen |
| Oktoberfest 2008 | 3+ | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | toasty; buttery | Oktoberfest | clear light copper | 3 | 16°P; 25 IBU; 27 SRM; 6.0% |
| Polestar Pilsner | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | butterscotch; flowery; lemongrass | German pilsner | clear gold | 3 | 8 SRM; 11.8%deg;P; 33 IBU; 5.0% abv |
| Sawtooth Ale | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel | ESB | clear amber | 3 | 16 SRM; 12°P; 27 IBU; 4.8% abv |
| Terra Ry'zed | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | peppery | American Wheat/Rye | clear deep mahogany | 3 | |
| Twin Sisters Double IPA | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | resiny; flowery | Imperial IPA | clear deep amber | 3 | 150 SRM; 20.50°P; 87 IBU; 9.6% abv |
Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery
1535 Pearl, Boulder, CO 546-0886
Visited 2 Jan 1997 at 3PM - no wait, good service. Very Boulder - Grateful
Dead for music, and foods from burgers to sprouts. I placed an order for
small fries ($0.90) - a pretty large basket of hot and fresh fries with skin -
VG.
BEERS (7-6oz beers for $5)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Fest | G | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | smooth | |
| XXX Pale | G | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | | flowery |
| Java Porter | VG | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | smooth | coffee |
| Raspberry Wheat | VG | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | fruity | light fruity |
| Colorado Kind Ale | VG | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | | hops |
| Thunderhead Stout | VG | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | smooth | |
| Belgian Ale | VG | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | fruity | orange bitters,honey,coriander,ginger |
Revisited with Richard 30 Sep 2005 (GABF trip), got a 20-taster sampler! Organic burger 4+, $8.50.
BEERS (20-2oz beers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | carbonation |
|---|
| Annapurna Amber | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | amber ale | hazy amber | 3 |
| Colorado Kind Ale | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | IPA | hazy amber | 3 |
| FYIPA | 4+ | 4 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | IPA | hazy amber | 3 |
| Hogback | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | | | doppelbock | hazy amber | 3 |
| Hollers Haze Porter | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | porter | hazy amber | 3 |
| Illusion Dweller | 4- | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | | IPA | hazy amber | 3 |
| Java Porter | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | smoked; coffee | porter | hazy amber | 3 |
| Korova Cream Stout | 4- | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | cream stout | hazy amber | 3 |
| Nitro Java Porter | 5- | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | creamy | porter | hazy amber | 3 |
| Nitro Kind | 4- | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | smooth; creamy | IPA | hazy amber | 3 |
| Pachamana Pils | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | pilsener | hazy amber | 3 |
| Pearl Street Porter | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | porter | hazy amber | 3 |
| Quinns Golden Ale | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | | golden ale | hazy amber | 3 |
| Raspberry Wheat | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | fruit ale | hazy amber | 3 |
| Rice Beer | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | light lager | hazy amber | 3 |
| Scotch Ale | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | | | Scottish Ale | hazy amber | 3 |
| Super Kind | 4- | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | double malt; slight winey | double IPA | hazy amber | 3 |
| Swan Song | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | dry hopped | IPA | hazy amber | 3 |
| Thunderhead Stout | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | stout | hazy amber | 3 |
| XXX Pale | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | double IPA | hazy amber | 3 |
Revisited with Richard 24 Sep 2009 (GABF trip), food and service was great!
BEERS
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Hop Vivant | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | balanced; no burn; nice balance of hops; nothing sticks out | Imperial IPA | clear gold | 3 | 9.5% abv; 1.083 OG; cascade+amarillo+simcoe+chinook; 102 IBU |
| Temperance | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | floral | Belgian Pale Ale | hazy gold | 3 | 5.6% abv; 1.056 OG |
| Fortitude | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | candi sugar; banana; fruity; apple; peppery | Belgian Tripel | cloudy gold | 3 | 9.3% abv; 1.080 OG |
| Nihilist | 7 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | plums; some alcohol | Imperial Stout | clear mahogany | 3 | 10% abv; 1.095 OG; orange blossom honey added |
| Cabernet barrel-aged Nihilist | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | plums; wine barrel; roast | Wood Aged Beer | clear mahogany | 3 | 10% abv; 1.095 OG |
| Saint Amos Wit | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | coriander; orange | Belgian Wit | cloudy straw | 3 | 5.2% abv; 1.050 OG |
| Retro Pale Ale | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | bready; light lemon | American Pale Ale | clear gold | 3 | 5.2% abv; 1.050 OG |
Fort Collins, CO
Visited 1 Oct with brother-in-law Richard.
BEERS (2oz samplers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | carbonation |
|---|
| 1554 | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | | roasted | black ale | dark brown | 3 |
| 2° Below | 3+ | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | winter beer | amber | 3 |
| Abbey | 5- | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | | banana; coffee; clove; slight smoky | Belgian brown ale | mahogany | 3 |
| Frambozen | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | | fruity | fruit ale | mahogany | 3 |
| La Folie | 5- | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | | | sour brown | copper | 3 |
| Le Terroir | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | | sour brown | gold | 3 |
| Loft | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | Belgian ale | gold | 3 |
| Saison | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | fruity citrus | Belgian saison | straw | 3 |
| Test Brew JR0805 | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | | pale ale | cloudy straw | 3 |
| Tripel | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | | | Belgian tripel | gold | 3 |
1095 Canyon, Boulder, CO 303-449-0363 (also 3201 Walnut Street)
Visited the downtown one (3201 only open from 4 to 8 and no kitchen - only finger
snacks) on 2 Jan 1998, 11:30, Friday, with brother-in-law Richard. Only one
other customer at that time, but got busier after noon. Marty is the GM. Had
Green Chili Stout Stew - EXCELLENT! Lots of meat - large chunks of sirloin.
Also vegetables - potatoes, carrots, celery, onion; very
spicy, but all the flavors mixed well - the gravy/sauce was very tasty ($5.95).
BEERS ($3.50 for all - 3oz beers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Scarab Red | G | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | Fizzy | |
| Tut Brown Ale | E | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | Well Balanced | Nutty |
| Oasis Pale Ale | VG | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | | Bitter |
| Zoser Oatmeal Stout | VG+ | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | Creamy | Malty |
| Capstone ESB | VG | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | | Bitter |
| Snoasis (seasonal) | E | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Cinnamon/Clove | Nutmeg |
| Kolsch Pilsner | E | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | Smooth | Nutty |
| Porter | VG | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | | Smoky |
| Cider (apple) | VG | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | | Fruity Apple |
Odell Brewing Company
Fort Collins, CO
Visited 1 Oct with brother-in-law Richard.
BEERS (2oz samplers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| 5 Barrel Pale Ale | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | Pale Ale | gold | 3 | 5.2% abv |
| 5 Barrel Pale Ale | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | | Pale Ale | gold | 3 | 5.2% abv; nitrogen pushed |
| 90 Shilling Ale | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | | Scottish Ale | amber | 3 | 5.3% abv |
| Cutthroat Porter | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | coffee; roasted; slight smoky | porter | dark mahogany | 3 | 4.8% abv |
| Dortmunder Lager | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | lager | amber | 3 | |
| Easystreet Wheat | 4- | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | slight citrus; low banana; low clove | wheat | hazy straw | 3 | 4.6% abv |
| Levity Amber | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | amber ale | gold | 3 | 5.1% abv |
| Levity Amber | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | nice balance | amber ale | gold | 3 | 5.1% abv cask conditioned |
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
Lyons, CO
Visited with brother-in-law Richard after dinner at Torguga's (in Longmont) on 29 Dec 1999.
Young crowd, live blues - one main performer, and others joining and jamming - VERY
enjoyable :-)
BEERS
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Lucky's Lager | 3+ | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2+ | | Koolaid |
| Dale's Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | | Bitter -IPA style |
| One Nut Brown Ale | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | | |
| Reverend Sandi's Sinful Stout | 3+ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | Watery |
| Dubbel Trouble Stout | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | | |
| Guest Tap Stout | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | |
Redfish New Orleans Brewhouse
2027 13th Street, Boulder, CO 303-440-5858
Visited 2 Jan 1998 at 13:30 with brother-in-law Richard. Brewmaster Brian was
very knowledgable, and also very happy to talk about his work and his beers.
Menu was Cajun, but didn't eat.
BEERS (5 oz samplers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Wild Magnolia Pale Ale | G+ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | | bitter |
| Angry Monk Belgian Ale | VG | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | lambic | |
| Gaston's Swollen Delta Stout | VG | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | smooth | |
| Pelican Smoked Porter | VG | 3+ | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | | smoky |
| Ragtime ESB | VG | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | smooth | fizzy |
| Santa's Big Helper Scotch Ale (9.3%) | VG | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | sugar | caramel |
Denver, CO
Visited during GABF with Caroline on 10/10/08. Didn't try the food.
BEERS (6 4-oz samples for $4.79)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | style | color | carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| Uberwit | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | coriander; lemony | Belgian Wit | cloudy white straw | 3 | 4.7% abv; 12 IBU; 10.9° OG |
| Bottoms Up Kolsch | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | strawberries | Kolsch | clear straw | 3 | 4.7% abv; 20 IBU; 10.8° OG |
| Buffalo Gold | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | light berry | Blonde ale | clear light amber | 3 | 4.7% abv; 28 IBU; 11° OG |
| 16th Street Wheat | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | bready | American Wheat/Rye | cloudy amber | 3 | 4.9% abv; 21 IBU; 11.6° OG |
| Falcon Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | clean; pine; orange | American IPA | clear amber | 3 | 6.9% abv; 70 IBU; 16° OG |
| Red Rocks Red | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel | Irish Red Ale | clear light copper | 3 | 5.4% abv; 34 IBU; 13.2° OG |
| Molly's Titanic Brown Ale | 4- | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | caramel; toasty | Brown porter | clear deep mahogany | 3 | 5.5% abv; 29 IBU; 13.3° OG |
| Batch 3000 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | whiskey; coconut; vanilla | Wood aged | cloudy amber | 2 | IPA in Stranahans whiskey barrel |
| Milk Stout | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | roast; creamy | Sweet stout | clear deep brown | 3 | 5.2% abv; 20 IBU; 13° OG; served on Nitrogen draft |
| Happy Pils | 4+ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | flowery; peppery | Bohemian Pilsner | clear light gold | 2 | 4.8% abv; 38 IBU; 11.6° OG |
| Red Rocks Red | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | flowery hops | Irish Red Ale | slight hazy reddish copper | 2 | Served on Cask |
| 5' 10" | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | strawberry | Fruit beer | hazy straw | 2 | 5.2% abv; 20 IBU; 11.9° OG; Blond Ale with strawberries |
Rock Bottom Brewery
Denver International Airport, Denver, CO
Visited 15 April 2008. Actually is a taproom pouring beers from Rock Bottom in Westminster, except the 16th Street Wheat which comes
from the downtown Denver Rock Bottom.
BEERS (4 oz samplers - $5(?) )
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | notes | style | color | carbonation |
|---|
| Falcon Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | citrus; grapefruit | American Pale Ale | cloudy gold | 3 |
| 16th Street Wheat | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | peppery; slight banana; clove | Belgian Wit | cloudy amber | 2 |
| Red Rocks Red | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | caramel; slight orange | Irish Red Ale | clear copper | 2 |
| Molly's Titanic Brown Ale | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | roasted malt; slight chocolate | American Brown Ale | clear deep mahogany | 2 |
Sandlot Brewery
Coors Field, Denver, CO
Visited 1 Oct 2005 with brother-in-law Richard. Menu was bar snacks, but didn't eat.
BEERS (2 oz samplers were free)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | carbonation |
|---|
| Arbitrator German Dopplebock | 4- | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | | | doppelbock lager | copper | 3 |
| Barman Pilsner | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3- | | | pilsener | amber | 3 |
| Blue Moon Belgian White | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | fizzy; slight banana; coriander; orange peel | Belgian wit | cloudy straw | 3 |
| Goat Rancher Pale Bock | 4- | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | fizzy | bock lager | gold | 3 |
| Hefeweizen | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | big banana; big clove finish | wheat | cloudy straw | 3 |
| Helles of a Play | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | lemony; fizzy | helles | straw | 3 |
| Pinch Hit Pils | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3- | | citrus | pilsener | straw | 3 |
| Sandlot Stout | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | lactose | Irish Stout | dark mahogany | 3 |
| Second Hand Smoked Beer | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | very smoky | rauch lager | amber | 3 |
Overland Stage Stop Brewery
Longmont, CO
Small brewpub, pool table, friendly atmosphere. Chips and Salsa - corn chips
were blue, yellow, and tomato. Salsa was mild and fresh, with cilantro and
with large chunks of tomato. Good, but not spicy enough. Thursday 2 Jan 1997
at 11PM.
BEERS ($6.00 for 6-5oz beers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Red Coach Amber | G | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | |
| Li'l Bear Brown | G | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | | |
| Whales Pale Ale | G | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | | |
| Tamarack IPA | VG | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | |
| Jingle Ale | VG | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | cinnamon/cloves/cardamon |
| Old Man Winter Stout | G | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | |
Pints Pub Brewery and Free House
Denver, CO
Friday, 29 September 2006 - in town for GABF with Richard, and stopped at Pints for lunch before the
afternoon session. They have a 3-barrel system. Through a clear tile in the floor of the bar, you can look
into the cellar which has 30-40? kegs in it. Pints brews their own beer, and also serves some of it on
hand pump. Food was above average, and a particularly interesting item was the homemade potato chips (very
thin) with dried malt sprinkled on them. Pints other claim to fame is that they have the largest selection
of single malt Scotches (in the world?) "on tap". They currently have 260 different single malts, and they
are all lined up around the bar in upside-down shot pourer contraptions. Very comfortable atmosphere -
all wood, but lighter than a typical pub. Definitely worth the walk from the convention center (5-10 minutes).
BEERS (no "taster" set, but they gave us a couple of individual samples)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | comments |
|---|
| Dark Star Ale | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | cask conditioned |
| Lancer IPA | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | cask conditioned; slight sour |
| Alchemy ESB | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | nitrous draft; light on hops |
| Gael Force Ale | 3+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | slight sour; caramel |
| Airedale Pale Ale | 4- | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Phone Box Amber | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
Pump House
Longmont, CO
NTN trivia. 11PM Thursday 2 Jan 1997. No food or snacks - kitchen closed.
BEERS (5-3 oz beers in snifters $2.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Fire Pail Ale | VG | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | smooth | |
| Red Alert Ale | VG | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | winey |
| Wildfire Wheat | VG | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | | |
| Pumper Porter | VG | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | | smoky |
| English Brown Ale | G | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | syrupy | |
Twisted Pine/Peak To Peak Brewing Co.
Twisted Pine and Peak To Peak merged on 1 Jan 1997. Also, according to Gordon
Knight (the Twisted Pine owner), they absorbed Timberline Brewing Co. This is
a microbrewery only, no food or tasting facilities. I brought home a sample
of each of their beers for tasting.
BEERS (3-22oz for $7.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Raspberry Wheat Ale | E | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | smooth | fruity |
| Twisted Amber Ale | E | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | creamy | winey |
| Twisted Brown Ale | E | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | creamy | smoky |
1123 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80302 (303)-447-1345
Visited with Richard on 9/24/2009.
BEERS (11-4oz)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Seasonal Wheat | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Hefeweizen | cloudy straw | 3 | banana; light clove |
| Buffalo Gold | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Blonde ale | clear gold | 2 | light biscuit |
| Indian Peaks Pale Ale | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | American pale ale | clear gold | 2 | citrus |
| St. James Irish Ale | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Irish red ale | clear amber | 2 | floral; light caramel |
| Bighorn Bitter | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ESB | clear amber | 2 | spicy; floral |
| Old Elk Brown Ale | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Northern English brown ale | clear light copper | 2 | caramel |
| Devils Thumb Stout | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Dry stout | clear deep mahogany | 2 | roasty; floral; served on Nitro |
| Indian Peaks Pale Ale | 4- | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | American pale ale | clear gold | 2 | citrus; stale; served on Nitro |
| Oktoberfest | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Oktoberfest | clear copper | 2 | bready; caramel; floral |
| Devils Thumb Stout | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Dry stout | clear mahogany | 2 | roasty; floral; served on cask |
| Bighorn Bitter | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ESB | cloudy deep amber | 2 | pepper; floral; served on cask |
Wild Mountain Smokehouse&Brewery
70 E. First Street, Nederland, CO 80466 (303)-258-WILD
Elevation 8236 feet. Visited with Richard on 10/8/08. Sampler served on a ski with holes. Excellent (5) smoked wings.
Excellent (5) green chili. 3 barrel system - Tom Boogaard is owner and brewmaster. Beautiful view of mountains from
the back deck. Wonderful ambiance.
BEERS (4-4oz for $6.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Mountain Mama Cherry Wheat | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Fruit hefeweizen | hazy pink amber | 3 | 4.2%abv, cherries |
| Alternative Universe | 5- | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Alt | hazy deep copper | 3 | 6.8% abv, big malt, caramel |
| Hop Diggity | 4+ | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 | American IPA | cloudy copper | 3 | 6.4% abv, grapefruit, resiny |
| Rederation | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Dry stout | clear deep brown | 3 | 5.5% abv, roasty, smooth, dery finish |
2880 Wilderness Pl, Boulder, CO 444-3402
This used to be the Boulder Brewery, started in Niwot in 1979 or 1980. They moved to
the current location in Boulder in 1984. They make the excellent
Boulder beers available around the country. Visited Thursday 2 Jan 1997 at
noon - full but no wait. I sat at the bar. Service was excellent (Tony).
David Zuckerman is the brewmaster. Wilderness Pub is the brewpub, while the
brewery is called the Rockies Brewery. Seasonal beers are: Igloo (winter),
Cliffhanger (winter/spring), Single Track (late spring), Extra Special Bitter
(summer), and Fall Fest (fall). Clapton on CD - can't lose with that, eh?
Hot Cajun Wings were VG - $5.50 - dry spice, medium hot, flavorful, with chili
pepper and oregano and fresh (crunchy) carrots and with (who cares...) celery.
Visited again 2 Jan 1998 16:45 with brother-in-law Richard - was busy. Mostly
the same beers, added Single Track and Unfiltered Porter.
BEERS (11-4oz for $5)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Rockies Premium Ale | G | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | fizzy | |
| Buffalo Gold Premium Ale | G | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | smooth | |
| Boulder Extra Pale Ale | VG+ | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | smooth | winey |
| Boulder Amber Ale | G+ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | dry | |
| Unfiltered Amber Wheat Ale | VG | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | served with lemon |
| Igloo Seasonal | VG | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | spices | cloves |
| Wrigley Red | VG | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | | smoky |
| Boulder Brown Ale | VG | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | smooth | winey |
| Boulder Porter | E | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | smooth | smoky |
| Boulder Stout | E | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | smooth | chocolate |
| Cliffhanger Seasonal | E | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | dry | hoppy |
| Cask Conditioned Brown | E | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | smooth | fresh |
| Single Track Copper Ale | G | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | fizzy | |
| Unfiltered Porter | VG | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | smooth | coffee |
7803 Ralston Road, Arvada, CO 80002 (303)-431-9000
I visited the Cheshire Cat Brewpub (Arvada CO) with Richard during GABF 2008, and found out that several months ago
it became Yake And Yeti ("cuisine from India, Nepal, Tibet"). They still serve brewpub beers. They didn't know how
to run the handpumps - we got two of the four handpumps to produce just enough for a taster. Also, I couldn't pin
them down on when they last brewed ("every now and then"). They had a wide tub open fermenter (5 barrel-ish? -
they didn't know), and a bunch of Cornelius kegs that were all filled and open (probably filled with cleaner or
sterilizer). Their beers were "OK", but not special - not worth the trip. From my impression there, I wouldn't be
surprised if those beers had been around several months - from when the ownership changed. The beers have new names
from what they were when it was Cheshire Cat.
BEERS (free samplers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Abomin Ale | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel; creamy | ESB | clear amber | 3 | 5.79% abv |
| Coffee Porter | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | big coffee; warm | Brown porter | hazy deep brown | 1 | On cask |
| Himalayan IPA | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | resiny; pine | American IPA | clear light amber | 3 | 7.5% abv |
| Makalu Brown | 4- | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | roasty; coffee; thin | English mild | clear mahogany | 2 | 3.67% abv |
| Sherpa Porter | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | very slight sour | Brown porter | clear deep brown | 2 | |
| Willamette ESP | 3+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | soapy | ESB | cloudy amber | 1 | On cask |
Stingray Brewery
Grand Cayman Island, British West Indies
This is Grand Cayman's only native beer - the brewery is a micro, with a reception
area for purchase of souvenirs, and for small tastings. Visited on 31 July 1997.
No food or snacks.
BEERS (2-4 oz beers in plastic cup - free)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Stingray Premium Wheat | G+ | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | |
| Stingray Light | G | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | |
Big Dog's Brewing Company
Las Vegas, Nevada
Brewpub several miles north and west of downtown. Got there via public transportation bus.
Visited 21 October 2007 while on trip to celebrate Farrah's 21st birthday. Burger 4- and
crispy fries 4+. 15 barrel system. Excellent service. Yummy brewed Root Beer.
BEERS (2 oz samplers - $0 ("taken care of"))
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | Style | Color | Carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| Big Dog's 38 Special | 4- | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | nice combo | Blend | clear amber | 3 | 5.3% abv; blend of Pale Ale and Red |
| Big Dog's Small Beer | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | North German Alt | brilliant copper | 3 | 4.5% abv; second runnings of Moondog Barleywine |
| Bitches Brew Pumpkin Ale | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | mace; brown sugar | Vegetable | clear amber | 3 | 5.0% abv |
| Black Lab Stout | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | | complex layers; coffee; chocolate | Sweet stout | clear deep mahogany | 3 | 5.5% abv; nine malts |
| Dirty Dog IPA | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | | | American IPA | hazy light gold | 3 | 6.5% abv; dry hopped Summit |
| Fur Hound Peach Lager | 4- | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | very peachy - almost syrupy | Fruit beer | brilliant amber | 3 | 5.0% abv |
| Holy Cow Original Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | American Pale Ale | clear amber | 3 | 5.3% abv |
| K-9 Kolsch | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | Kolsch | clear straw | 3 | 5.0% abv |
| Leglifter Light | 4+ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | light lager | clear straw | 2 | 4.0% abv |
| Red Hydrant Ale | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | red ale | clear deep copper | 3 | 5.3% abv |
| Tailwagger Wheat | 4+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | banana; big cloves | Weissbier | cloudy milky white straw | 4 | 4.8% abv |
| Traditional Oktoberfest Lager | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | nice lace | Oktoberfest | clear deep amber | 3 | 6.0% abv |
| Wardog Imperial IPA | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | | smooth; alcohol warmth | Imperial IPA | cloudy amber | 3 | 8.3% abv; Warrior/Simcoe/Galena |
Chicago Brewing Company
Las Vegas, Nevada
Serving room is in Four Queens in downtown. Did not visit the actual brewery which is west
of the Strip.
Visited 19 October 2007 while on trip to celebrate Farrah's 21st birthday.
Tasty brewed root beer. Growlers for $7.
BEERS (4 oz samplers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | Style | Color | Carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| All Nighter | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | Blonde ale | clear straw | 2 | 4.6% abv |
| Black Star | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | | roasty; creamy | Dry stout | clear black brown | 2 | Nitrogen 4.5% abv |
| Blueberry Vanilla Hefeweizen | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | very berry; moderate woody | fruit beer | cloudy gold | 2 | |
| Hardway IPA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3 | | resiny; cascade; centennial; grapefruit | American IPA | very slight hazy gold | 2 | 6.2% abv; unfiltered |
| Old Town Brown | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | Northern English brown ale | clear deep gold | 3 | 4.6% abv; "German-style brown" |
| Ramblin' Reck | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | American Amber Ale | clear amber | 3 | 4.5% abv |
| Sin City Brown - Riviera Casino | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | American Amber Ale | clear copper | 3 | Riviera casino contract brewed |
| Weizenheimer | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | banana | Weissbier | hazy gold | 2 | 4.6% abv; unfiltered |
Ellis Island Casino and Brewery
Las Vegas, Nevada
Brewpub just off the Strip.
Visited 21 October 2007 while on trip to celebrate Farrah's 21st birthday.
Yummy full flavored complex brewed Root Beer. They don't have "samplers" but they did them
for me anyway. $1 pints of their beer.
BEERS (3 oz samplers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | Style | Color | Carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| Amber Ale | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | toasted malt | American Amber Ale | brilliant amber | 2 | |
| Dark Lager | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | roasty | Schwarzbier | clear deep mahogany | 2 | |
| Gold | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | DMS; corn | Blonde ale | brilliant gold | 2 | |
| Hefeweiss | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | banana | Weissbier | cloudy white straw | 3 | |
| Light Lager | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | Light Lager | clear straw | 2 | |
Gordon Biersch Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Brewpub off the strip in Las Vegas. Visited 20 October 2007 while on trip to celebrate
Farrah's 21st birthday.
BEERS
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | Style | Color | Carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| Blonde Bock | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | | Maibock | clear gold | 2 | 7.0% abv |
| Golden Export | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | Helles | clear straw | 2 | 5.0% abv |
| Hefe Weizen | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | banana; cloves | Weissbier | cloudy light copper | 3 | 5.5% abv |
| Marzen | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | Oktoberfest | clear amber | 2 | 5.7% abv |
| Octoberfest | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | Oktoberfest | slight hazy gold | 2 | |
| Schwarzbier | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | roasty | Schwarzbier | hazy mahogany | 2 | 4.29% abv |
Monte Carlo Resort and Casino Pub and Brewery **CLOSED**
Las Vegas, Nevada
Brewpub in the base of the Monte Carlo hotel/casino. Didn't try the food. Visited on 23 July 1998,
during the Active Worlds Reunion.
BEERS (6-5oz beers for $6)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Las Vegas Lites | VG | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | fizzy | |
| Jackpot Pale | G | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | | |
| Winners Wheat | G | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | |
| Orange Wheat Special | G | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | lemon,oranges |
| High Roller Red | VG | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | | |
| Silver State Stout | VG+ | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | smooth | |
Tenaya Creek Restaurant and Brewery
Las Vegas, Nevada
Brewpub several miles north and west of downtown. Got there via public transportation bus.
Visited 21 October 2007 while on trip to celebrate Farrah's 21st birthday.
15 barrel system.
BEERS (8 - 2 oz samplers - $5)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | Style | Color | Carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| Belgian Tripel | 4- | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | | fruity; slight tart | Belgian Tripel | brilliant light gold | 2 | 8.6% abv |
| Belgian Wit | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | orange peel | Belgian wit | brilliant light gold | 2 | 5.2% abv; 18 IBU |
| ESP Pale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | American Pale Ale | brilliant light gold | 3 | 5.5% abv; 38 IBU |
| Gold Medal Pilsner | 5- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | Bohemian Pilsner | brilliant light gold | 2 | 5.4% abv; 19 IBU |
| Hefeweizen | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | banana; slight cloves | Weissbier | brilliant light gold | 2 | 5.0% abv; 11 IBU |
| Nut Brown Ale | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | walnuts | Northern English brown ale | brilliant light gold | 2 | 5.5% abv; 28 IBU |
| Oktoberfest | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | Oktoberfest | brilliant light gold | 2 | 5.9% abv; 22 IBU |
| Ringtail IPA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | slight citrus; grapefruit | American IPA | brilliant light gold | 2 | 6.5% abv; 49 IBU |
Triple 7 Brewpub - Main Street Station
Las Vegas, Nevada
Brewpub in downtown Las Vegas, in the Main Street Station casino. Barbecue bacon/cheese
chicken sandwich was G. Food nothing special. Visited 25 March 1999 at 13:15 with Caroline.
BEERS (5-5oz beers for $5)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| High Roller Gold | G+ | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | clean | crisp hops |
| Hefeweisen Special | G+ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | light | mild yeast |
| Marker Pale Ale | G | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | strong hops |
| Royal Red Lager | G+ | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | clean | |
| Black Chip Porter | G | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | watery | slightly smoky |
Revisited 20 October 2007 while on trip to celebrate Farrah's 21st birthday.
BEERS (5 - 5 oz samplers - $4.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | Style | Color | Carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| Black Cherry Stout Brewmasters Special | 4- | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | | very cherry; slight metallic | Fruit beer | clear black brown | 2 | 5.2% abv |
| Blackchip Porter | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | | roasty | Brown porter | clear dark brown | 2 | 4.3% abv |
| High Roller Gold | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | American wheat | clear light gold | 2 | 5.0% abv |
| Marker Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | citrus | American Pale Ale | hazy gold | 2 | 5.6% abv |
| Royal Red Lager | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | vienna lager | brilliant copper | 2 | 4.5% abv |
Hops! Bistro and Brewery
Scottsdale, Arizona
Brewpub at Scottsdale Fashion Square (mall) and 8668 E Shea Blvd (602) 998-7777.
Chips were fresh and hot (E), salsa were homemade (E), guacamole was VG.
Visited on 23 Jan 1999.
BEERS (6-5oz beers for $8)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Brewers Blonde Ale | VG+ | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | crisp | |
| Sunset Red | G | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | |
| Grand Slam Golden Ale | VG | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | hoppy |
| Three Peat Wheat | VG | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | | banana/clove |
| Raspberry Royale | VG | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | not tart | fruity |
| Paradise Porter | G | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | smoky |
| IPA Cask Conditioned | G | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | smooth | |
Kona, Hawaii
Brewpub visited 16 June 1999 with Caroline. Excellent Vegetarian Wild Mushroom Pizza.
BEERS (4-6oz beers for $6)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Pacific Golden Ale | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3+ | 2 | full body | slight bitter |
| Longboard Lager | 3 | 2 | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 2 | | |
| Duke's Draft Golden Ale | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2+ | 2 | light body | slightly dry |
| Awa Awa IPA | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | |
| Fire Rock Pale Ale | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4+ | 2 | | |
| Lavaman Red Ale | 3 | 3+ | 2 | 3+ | 2 | 2 | slight roast | |
| Pahoehoe Porter | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | smoky | |
| Golder Bear (guest - Golden Pacific Brewery - CA) | 3+ | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | bite on presentation | |
Mehana Brewing Company
Hilo, Hawaii
Tasting room visited 14 June 1999 with Caroline. 275 E. Kawili Street, (808) 934-8211.
BEERS (2oz beers for free)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Mehana Beer (Ale) | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | fresh | slight yeast |
| Mehana Red Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | fizzy | slight yeast |
| Tsunami Lager | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | fresh | |
| Tsunami Light Lager | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | |
| Roy's Private Reserve Lager (for local restaurant) | 4+ | 3+ | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | | |
Bermuda Triangle Brewing Company
Bermuda, middle of the Atlantic Ocean
Planned to visit on 24 Dec 1999, but it turns out that the brewery had JUST gone out of
business. I was able to get bottles of three of their beers at a local store - they are
rated below. On Bermuda, there was also North Rock Brewing Company - a brewpub - but we
got there 30 minutes after they had closed for the rest of the holidays, and missed it :-(
BEERS (bottles $1.60 US each)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Spinnaker Kolsch | 3+ | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | | Limes |
| Full Moon Pale Ale | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | Syrupy | |
| Wilde Hogge Amber Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | | Hoppy - IPA style |
Big River Grille and Brewing Works
Orlando, Florida
Visited 11 April 2003 with family. 2101 N Epcot Resort Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, FL, on Disney's Boardwalk,
(407) 560-0253. Homemade salsa 4, Beer Cheese Soup 3+.
BEERS (sampler of 6-4 oz beers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Southern Flyer Light Lager | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | | |
| Tilt Pale Ale | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | | |
| Magnolia American Brown Ale | 4+ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | coffee |
| Wowzer's Wheat | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | banana |
| Rocket Red Ale | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | | |
| Irish Red Lager | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | | |
Revisited Sat, 26 Feb 2005 at 5pm. Had customers but not jam-packed like last time. Caroline says the
blackened salmon was "yummy" - rated 5. Chicken cashew salad 4. They have a 10-barrel brewing system.
BEERS (sampler of 5-4 oz beers for $4.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizz | notes |
|---|
| Southern Flyer Light Lager | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2- | | | light lager | straw | 4 | 2.92% abw; OG 8.5°; Liberty hops |
| Gadzooks Pilsner | 4+ | 3 | 3/td> | 1 | 2 | 2+ | | | pilsener | straw | 3 | 4.00% abw; OB 12.0°; Hallertauer hops |
| Sweet Magnolia Brown Ale | 3+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | slightly sour (ok) | American brown ale | copper | 3 | 4.13% abw; OG 12.5°; 1998 GABF gold winner |
| Rocket Red Ale | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3+ | | citrus | red ale | copper | 3 | 4.25% abw; OG 13.5°; cascade hops; 2003 GABF gold winner |
| Tilt Pale Ale | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | pale ale | cloudy amber | 3 | 4.18% abw; OG 13.0°; perle hops |
Revisited Sat, 20 September 2008 since we were spending the day at DisneyWorld. It turns out that this was the tapping day for their
Oktoberfest, so they had a Fest party going on outside, along with some slider burgers and Cordon-bleu chicken bites - both of which
were somewhat oily, but very tasty. Spoke to head brewer Evan Carroll for a few minutes. This is also Big River's 15th anniversary!
BEERS
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Oktoberfest | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | slight smoky; toasty | Oktoberfest | clear copper | 3 | |
Double Eagle Brewery and Eatery
Kissimmee, Florida
Visited January 2009 with Caroline. Didn't try food. Owned and operated by one of the old time members of Central Florida Homebrewers club.
Good bar service. Beers are contract brewed by Dunedin Brewery in Dunedin Florida.
BEERS (sampler of 4-4 oz beers was $4)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | carbonation |
|---|
| Pale Ale | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel | American Pale Ale | clear amber | 2 |
| Amber Ale | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | flowery; slight citrus | American Amber Ale | clear amber | 2 |
| Golden Ale | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | flowery; biscuit; slight fruity; brown sugar | Blond Ale | clear deep gold | 2 |
11448 University Blvd, Orlando FL, 407-381-9109
Visited Sat, 26 Feb 2005 at 2:30pm. Beers consistently above average - one of the best Hops, beer-wise.
Sampler served in chilled rocks glasses. This works well for Light and Gold, but others get more
flavor as they warm up a little. Restaurant about half full - seems to be good business for
the middle of the afternoon. 7-barrel brewing system, fermented in 14 days. Manager gave me a
tour. Briess malt purchased pre-crushed.
BEERS (sampler of 6-4 oz beers for $3.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| Clearwater Light | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2- | | refreshing | light lager | light straw | 3 |
| Lightning Bold Gold | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2+ | | | golden ale | gold | 3 |
| Hammerhead Red | 4 | 3+ | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | | amber ale | amber | 3+ |
| Alligator Ale | 4- | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3+ | | | porter | mahogany | 3 |
| Oatmeal Stout | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | roasted malt | oatmeal stout | black brown | 3 |
| Scottish Ale | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | | nice malty; not cloying; fizzy | Scottish ale | dark copper | 4 | |
Spanish Springs Brewing Co
1105 Main Street, Lady Lake FL, 352-750-4466
Visited Sat, 26 Feb 2005 at 11:30am. Part of a Main Street in a cool retro 1700s Spanish style town.
DME Brewing Services 10-barrel system. Salad very crispy 5-, Steak soup 4. Nice long chat with
assistant brewmaster Doyle. Business good, got busier continuously.
BEERS (sampler of 8-4 oz beers for $3.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hops | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizz | notes |
|---|
| Spanish Springs Light | 3+ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | slight tart | light lager | light straw | 3 | 4.2% alc |
| Sebald's Select | 3+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | Munich lager style | lager | gold | 3+ | 4.8% alc |
| Hefe Weizen | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | clove; banana | unfiltered wheat | slight hazy gold | 3 | |
| Father Rollando's Righteous Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | American pale ale | amber | 3 | 5.0% alc |
| Wilhem Sebald's Oktoberfest Bier | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | | malty | Oktoberfest | copper | 3 | 5.8% alc |
| Cherry Berry Lambic | 4- | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | | raspberry; cherry | fruit lambic | hazy garnet red | 3 | 8.0% alc; made with fruit puree |
| Seymour's Southern Stout | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | | smoky roasted malt | stout | black | 3 | |
| Scottish Ale | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | | fizzy; roasted malt | Scottish ale | mahogany | 3+ | |
Ragtime Tavern and Grill
Atlantic Beach, Florida
Visited 4 December 2004 with Caroline. 207 Atlantic Blvd, Atlantic Beach, FL. Hopping on Saturday night at 10 PM,
live (single-performer) music, wall-to-wall people.
BEERS (sampler of 5-2 oz beers for $3)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Dolphins Breath Lager | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | | lager | straw | 3 | OG 8.5° Plato, 3.0% abw |
| Red Brick Ale | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | red ale | cloudy copper | 3 | OG 13.0° Plato, 4.18% abw |
| Sweet Magnolia American Brown Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | | brown ale | cloudy mahogany | 3 | OG 12.5° Plato, 4.13% abw |
| Holiday Porter | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | cinnamon?, allspice? | winter ale | cloudy copper | 3 | |
| A Strange Stout | 4- | 4+ | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | | chocolate | stout | black | 3 | OG 14.5° Plato, 4.5% abw |
Seven Bridges Grille and Brewery
Jacksonville, Florida
Visited 29 August 2008 at 10PM with Caroline. We had just finished judging a few flights of the First Coast Cup homebrew competition. I judged
a couple of these flights with Seven Bridges brewer, Eric. We sat at the bar and did a beer sampler as well as dinner. The burger and
fries was very good (4). The grouper was a 4+. They also had two beers on hand pulled cask which they added to my sampler. Service
was very good.
BEERS (sampler of 8-3 oz beers for $4.68)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| American Red | 4+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | citrus | American Amber Ale | clear copper | 3 | |
| Bad Ass Stout - on cask | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | | roasty | Sweet stout | clear deep brown | 2 | 14.5°P OG; 5.65% abv; added Bad Add coffee |
| Iron Horse Stout | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | roasty | Sweet stout | clear deep brown | 3 | 14.4°P OG; 5.65% abv |
| Southern Flyer Light Lager | 4+ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | Light Lager | clear deep straw | 3 | 8.5°P OG; 3.61% abv |
| Southside Pilsner | 4+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | German pilsner | clear gold | 3 | 12.0°P OG; 5.02% abv |
| Sweet Magnolia Brown Ale | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | caramel; smooth | Northern English brown ale | clear deep copper | 3 | 12.5°P OG; 5.18% abv |
| Sweet Magnolia Brown Ale - on cask | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | | Northern English brown ale | clear copper | 2 | 12.5°P OG; 5.18% abv; dry hopped Cascade |
| Toll Tender IPA | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | grapefruit | American IPA | clear copper | 3 | 14.4°P OG; 5.97% abv |
Monkey King
Stuart, Florida
Visited 20 May 2007 with Caroline. Bar was busy, bartender didn't have much time to spend talking beer with me.
The Berry Wheat is the wame as the Honey Orange Wit, but they added some of the Berry Salmon Glaze from the
kitchen.
BEERS (sampler of 3?oz beers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | notes | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| Berry Wheat | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | raspberry | Fruit beer | clear straw | 3 |
| German Pils | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | German pilsner | clear gold | 3 |
| Hear No Evil Honey Orange Wit | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4.4% abv | Belgian Wit | clear straw | 3 |
| Oatmeal Stout | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | coffee | Oatmeal Stout | clear mahogany | 2 |
| See No Evil Light | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3.5% abv | lager | clear light straw | 3 |
| Speak No Evil Amber | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5.9% abv | American Amber Ale | clear copper | 3 |
Palm Harbor, Florida
Visited 1 November 2002 with Caroline. 36221 East Lake Road, (727) 786-2966. Burger excellent, fries
good, Caroline's shrimp fajita very good.
BEERS (sampler of 8-4 oz beers plus a root beer for $9.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Royal Bohemian Pilsner | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | fizzy | |
| Tampa Red | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | smooth | |
| Old Porch Dog (brown) | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | fizzy | |
| Fischer Hefe Weizen | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | wheat | yeasty |
| Wild Berry Lambic | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | fruity, too sweet | strawberry |
| Cattail Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | | |
| Flying Gator Ale | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | | |
| Amarillo Light Pilsner | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | smooth | banana |
| Helm's Dunkler Bock | 4+ | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | creamy | coffee |
Revisited 14 March 2005 with Caroline. Franz (the brewmaster) has a Monday night get-together. He's a very passionate
brewmaster - and very inventive too. His family has been brewing for Austrian royalty for 500 years. Root beer 4+.
He also noticed that the Amarillo Light was cloudy and immediately 86'd it.
BEERS (sampler of 12-4 oz beers plus a root beer for $10)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Amarillo Light Pilsner | 3- | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2- | | slightly sour | light pilsener | cloudy straw | 3 | 3.9%; almost a Belgian Wit |
| Royal Bohemian Pilsner | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | pilsener | gold | 3 | 5.0% |
| Cattail Pale Ale | 4- | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | pale ale | amber | 3 | 6.4% |
| Tampa Red | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | red ale | copper | 3 | 4.8% |
| Fischer Hefe Weizen | 3+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2- | | light banana | unfiltered wheat | hazy light straw | 3 | 5.4% |
| Erics Dusseldorf Alt | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | coffee aftertaste | alt | dark copper | 3 | 5.8% |
| Wild Berry Lambic | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | | | fruit lambic | garnet red | 3 | 10% |
| Gueze | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | lemony sour | sour brown | amber | 3 | 6% |
| Piña Colada Lambic | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | | | fruit lambic | hazy straw | 3 | 10% |
| Blitzen | 4- | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | | slight winey | barleywine | copper | 3 | 9% |
| Bourbon Blitzen | 4+ | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | | mild mellow bourbon | barleywine | copper | 3 | 13.5% |
| Rootent Berry | 4- | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | | root beer | barleywine | copper | 3 | blend of Cattail and 3 other beers plus sarsparilla; aged 2 years |
Trinity, Florida
Visited 20 June 2004 with family (father's day!). 8817 Mitchell Blvd, 34655, (727) 375-2667. Burger excellent, fries
good, Caroline's salmon average (chewy).
BEERS (sampler of 10-4 oz beers for $7)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | %Alcohol |
|---|
| Helms Dunkler Bock | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | | chocolate and coffee | bock lager | chocolate brown | 2 | 6.6 |
| Fischer's Hefe Weizen | 4- | 2 | 2 | 3+ | 1 | 2 | | banana and cloves | Weizen | cloudy dark straw | 1 | 5.4 |
| Fischer's Hefe Weizen Bock | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | | Weizen bock | cloudy copper | 1 | 8.2 |
| Royal Bohemian Pilsner | 5- | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | smooth | malty | Bohemian Pilsner | light straw | 3 | 5.0 |
| Bohemian Swinger | 3+ | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | | bitter (almost pale ale) | Saax dry hopped Bohemian | straw | 3 | 5.0 |
| Wild Berry Lambic | 4+ | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | | raspberries, blueberries, and notably blackberries | fruit lambic | cloudy cherry | 3 | 11.0 |
| Hammel Burger Maerzen | 3+ | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | | | Maerzen | copper | 2 | 5.7 |
| Amarillo Light Pilsner | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | | Pilsner | straw | 4 | 3.9 |
| Cattail Pale Ale | 4- | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | dry mouth | | American Pale Ale | light copper | 2 | 6.4 |
| Tampa Red | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | Irish Red Ale | copper | 2 | 4.8 |
Revisited Feb 2005 - note that they have changed their beer selection quite a bit, some of them
now matching the Tampa Hoppers.
BEERS (sampler of 11-4 oz beers for $9)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | %Alcohol |
|---|
| Amarillo Light | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2- | | | light pilsener | gold | 3 | 3.9 |
| Eric's Dusseldorf Alt | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | fresh hops and malt | alt | copper | 3 | 6.2 |
| La Duchess de Bourgogne | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | | winey, nicely balanced | Belgian sour brown barleywine | mahogany | 4 | 9.2 |
| Wild Berry Lambic | 4+ | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | | raspberry, blackberry | fruit lambic | red gold | 4 | 11.0 |
| Hefe Weizen | 4- | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | banana | wheat | cloudy straw | 3 | 5.4 |
| Royal Bohemian | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3- | | | pilsener | gold | 3 | 5.0 |
| Tampa Red | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2+ | | slight sour and yeastiness | red ale | slight reddish gold | 3 | 4.8 |
| Blitzen Ale | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3+ | | nice balance, not overly alcoholic | barleywine | copper | 3 | 11.7 |
| Cattail Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 4+ | 2 | 3 | 3 | | malty | pale ale | copper | 3 | 6.4 |
| Old Porch Dog | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | green hops | English brown ale | copper | 3 | 6.8 |
| Piña Colada Lambic | 4+ | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | | pineapple | fruit lambic | cloudy straw | 4 | 10.0 |
Tampa, Florida
12227 West Linebaugh Road, Tampa, 33626, 813-814-7748. Visited 30 October 2004 with Caroline. Innovative and good selection
of beers. The only bad note is that their Helms Dunkler Bock had gone bad (soured). The problem is that they knew
it, and were still serving it. Bartender said that they planned to take it offline in a few days. I don't have a problem
with the beer going bad - but it seems like a bad plan to keep serving the beer even when you know it's bad!.
BEERS (sampler of 10-4 oz beers for $9.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | %Alcohol |
|---|
| Royal Bohemian Swinger | 4- | 3 | 2 | 2+ | 2 | 2+ | | | pilsener | light straw | 3 | 5.0 |
| Helms Dunkler Bock | 2+ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | sour | dark lager | dark brown | 3 | 6.6 |
| Wild Berry Lambic | 4- | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2+ | | cherry, blackberry | lambic | red copper | 3 | 11.0 |
| Cattail Pale Ale | 5- | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3+ | | | American pale ale | copper | 3 | 6.4 |
| Fischers Hefe Weizen | 4- | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | strong banana, cloves | unfiltered wheat | cloudy straw | 3+ | 5.4 |
| Oktoberfest | 5- | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | malt | Oktoberfest | amber | 3+ | 5.2 |
| Duchesse De Bourgogne | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | | alcohol | barleywine | cloudy brown | 3 | 9.2 |
| Summer Mango Tango | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 4+ | 1 | 3 | | alcohol | lambic | cloudy amber | 3+ | 11.5 |
| Old Porch Dog | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | brown ale | black | 3 | 6.9 |
| Tampa Red | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | yeast | red ale | copper | 3+ | 4.8 |
Tampa Bay Brewing Company
Tampa, Florida
Visited 9 August 2002 with Caroline. 1812 N. 15th Street, (813) 247-1422. Caroline says salmon was
excellent. Burger very tasty, with spiced fries. Sampler presented on a wood tray with labels for all
the standard beers - very professional looking - and it looks like they are serious about it :)
BEERS (sampler of 12-2 oz beers plus a root beer for $8.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste |
|---|
| Redeye Ale | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | Amber ale | juniper |
| Jack the Quaffer London Porter | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | | chocolate |
| Old Elephant Foot IPA | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | | |
| Iron Rat Stout | 3+ | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | | |
| Moosekiller Barley-Wine Ale | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | | This is SamiKlaus |
| Wild Warthog Weizen | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | | banana, clove |
| TBBC's True Blonde Ale | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | silky | Kolsch style |
| One Night Stand Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 4+ | 2 | 3 | 3 | smooth with hoppy nose | |
| Mad Bavarian cask-conditioned | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | fizzy but smooth | |
| Mad Hopper cask-conditioned | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | Juniper - American Pale Ale |
| Belgian Double cask-conditioned | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | flowery | |
| Ault cask-conditioned | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | | creamy |
Visited again 30 May 2004 with family and friends. Again an excellent experience, food was popular (although
Caroline's salmon was just average).
BEERS (sampler of 9-2 oz beers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | %Alcohol |
|---|
| Redeye Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | | American amber ale | light copper | 3 | 5.5 |
| Jack the Quaffer Porter | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | smoky | | porter | black | 3 | 5 |
| Old Elephant Foot IPA | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | | | India pale ale | light amber | 3 | 6.8 |
| Iron Rat Stout | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | | oatmeal stout | black | 3 | 5.3 |
| True Blonde Lager | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | | kolsch | dark straw | 3 | 5.3 |
| One Night Stand Pale Ale | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | | | American pale ale | straw | 3 | 5.2 |
| Moosekiller Barley Wine | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | | cloves | barley wine | cloudy copper | 3 | 9.8 |
| McBrews Scotch Ale | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | | Scotch ale | copper | 3 | 7 |
| Maibock | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | | maibock | light copper | 3 | 6.5 |
Visited again 17 June 2007 (Father's Day) with family. Food service was slow and there were
several errors in the food delivery. Went there to try out "Mr. Ed's Baltic Porter"
which was created by Ed Measom (Best of Show prize winner, to be brewed by TBBC), but they were
out (one more keg available - for the future). They have a new location in the main center of
Ybor City by the movie theatres. Very nice location, nicely set up. Brew system appears to be
the same (or mostly) - but there is quite a bit more space in the cooler for the kegs and the
serving tanks - which feed the main bar, a satellite bar inside, and also a beer garden outside.
The beers, in general, have improved in quality from the last tasting.
BEERS (sampler of 10-4 oz beers for $12.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | %Alcohol |
|---|
| Redeye Ale | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | American amber ale | clear amber | 2 | 5.5 |
| Jack the Quaffer Porter | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | smoky | roasty; burnt | Brown Porter | clear deep mahogany | 2 | 5.0 |
| Old Elephant Foot IPA | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | resiny | India pale ale | very slight hazy light amber | 2 | 6.8 |
| Iron Rat Stout | 4+ | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 5 | | smoky | Oatmeal stout | clear mahogany black | 2 | 6.4 |
| True Blonde Ale | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | tart | Kolsch | clear light gold | 2 | 5.2 |
| One Night Stand Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | American pale ale | clear gold | 2 | 6.0 |
| Moosekiller Barley Wine | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | | bubblegum | American Barleywine | brilliant deep amber | 2 | 10.4 |
| Maibock | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | Maibock | clear light copper | 2 | 6.0 |
| Wild Warthog Weizen | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | banana; big cloves | American wheat | hazy straw | 2 | 5.5 |
| ESB | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | ESB | clear light copper | 2 | 5.6 |
Visited again 19 September 2008. The Best Of Show winner from Best Florida Beer (homebrew) Competition 2008 (Jeff Gladish) had brewed
a 10 barrel batch of his Smoked Oktoberfest beer as a TBBC commercial beer as a prize for winning BOS, and this was keg-tapping day.
Sat at the bar. Service was a bit slow, but good. Jeff's homebrew beer used a decoction mash, which was not directly transferrable to
the TBBC system so Jeff says that the commercial beer is more of a Vienna Lager than an Oktoberfest. Also tried other new beers.
BEERS
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | carbonation | Notes |
|---|
| Smoked Oktoberfest | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | smoky; ham; cheese | Oktoberfest | clear amber | 3 | 5.1% abv |
| Two Red Eyes | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | creamy; malty; caramel | Imperial Red Ale | clear deep copper | 4 | 8.1% abv |
| German Pilsner | 4+ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | slight grassy; slight metallic; resiny | German Pilsner | clear straw | 3 | 5.0% abv |
New Orleans, Louisiana
Visited 28 September 2003 with Caroline. 527 Decatur Street 70130, (504) 522-0571. Food: Burger/fries $8:
burger hand pattied, 4, spiced fries, 4. Caroline had shrimp salad $13 excellent 4+ - good combination of flavors.
BEERS (sampler of 5-5 oz beers for $7)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style |
|---|
| Pilsner | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | | | |
| Red Stallion | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | | | Vienna |
| Black Forest | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | | Cherry | Munich |
| Weiss | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | | |
| Raspberry Wheat | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | smooth | fruity | |
Kelly's Caribbean Bar, Grill and Brewery
Key West, Florida
Visited 22 December 2003 with family. Food 4-, upscale.
BEERS (sampler of 4-4 oz beers for $2.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| Kelly's PanAm Pilsner | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | | banana | pilsener | straw | 4 |
| Southern Clipper Wheat | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | lemon | light ale, not wheatish | dark straw | 3 |
| Key West Golden Ale | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | | | english ale | dark amber | 4 |
| Havana Red Ale | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | malty | | brown ale | dark red brown | 3 |
E&O Trading Company
San Francisco, CA 415-693-0307
Visited 17 Jan 2004 with Caroline. A unique brewpub with southeast Asian (Indonedia, Viet Nam, Bali, Thai, etc.)
theme and food. Food was $12-20 range, above average (4). All beers were brewed at Pyramid in Berkeley CA,
except the Stout which was brewed on-site.
BEERS (sampler of 5-3 oz beers for $3.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| Pyramid Pilsner | 3+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | malty | juniper | pilsner | light straw | 3 |
| Pyramid Hefeweisen | 4- | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | not yeasty like most wheats | banana | unfiltered wheat | cloudy light straw | 3 |
| Pyramid Seasonal | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | | cloves | winter ale | cloudy amber | 2 |
| Pyramid IPA | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 | | hops | IPA | amber | 3 |
| King's Stout | 3+ | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4- | light hops | burnt caramel | stout | black but can see through | 3 |
San Francisco, CA 415-243-8246
Visited 16 January 2004 with Caroline.
BEERS (sampler of 4-2 oz beers for free(!))
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | Alcohol by volume | Original gravity Plato |
|---|
| Pilsner | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | smooth | banana, malt | pilsner | straw | 3 | 12 | 5.3 |
| Marzen | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3+ | 2 | 3 | | | marzen | amber | 2 | 13.5 | 5.7 |
| Dunkles | 3+ | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | unfiltered | caramel | dark ale | dark amber | 3 | 13 | 5.13 |
| Winter Seasonal | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | coffee | winter seasonal | very dark amber | 2 | | |
155 Columbus, San Francisco, CA 415-434-3344
Visited 17 Jan 2004 with Caroline. Celebrating 18th year anniversary of the brewpub. Food was bar snacks with
a salsa verde, edemame (3).
BEERS (sampler of 8-2 oz beers for $8)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| Albatross lager | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | | lager | light straw | 2 |
| Emperor Norton lager | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | | lager | dark straw | 3 |
| Pony Express ale | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | | | red ale | dark straw | 2 |
| Shanghai IPA | 4- | 4 | 4 | 3+ | 3 | 3 | | banana | IPA | amber | 2 |
| 18th Anniversary ale | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | | malt | ESB | brown | 2 |
| Billy Goat bock | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 3+ | 3 | 4 | winey (9% alcohol) | caramel | doppelbock | dark copper | 2 |
| Christmas Cheer | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | sweet winey | molasses,coriander | doppelbock | dark copper | 2 |
| Gripman's Porter | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | watery | | light porter | dark brown | 2 |
1320 Commercial Way (US 19), Spring Hill, FL 34606 352-666-2141, Fax 352-666-2161
"Brewers since 1731". Visited with Cindy, Richard, Maggie on my birthday 2004. In general, the food was imaginative,
unique, nicely presented, and very good (4) - with excellent service. Burger was 4+ (appeared to be handmade).
Second Beer Sampler was 99 cents! Beers were consistently high quality Belgian style (with minimal hops).
BEERS (sampler of 4-4 oz beers for $4.50, 2nd round was $0.99)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| The Novice Light | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | lime | | light pilsner | very light straw | 2 |
| Spring Hill Blond | 4+ | 3 | 2- | 3 | 1 | 2 | lemon | yeast | Belgian Blond | light straw | 2 |
| 1731 Dark | 5- | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | banana | smoky | Belgian Dark Ale | reddish dark amber | 2 |
| Holiday | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | cloves | 7.9%, made with beet root and port wine | Specialty | dark red brown | 2 |
| Golden Oldies Ale | 4+ | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | banana | Specialty Ale | straw | 4 |
Revisited 8 September 2004
BEERS (sampler of 4-4 oz beers for $4.99)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| The Novice Light | 3+ | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | | pineapple | light pilsner | light watery yellow | 2 |
| Spring Hill Blond | 4- | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2- | | yeasty | Belgian Blond | straw | 2 |
| 1731 Dark | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | | | Belgian Dark Ale | copper brown | 2 |
| Indian Sunset IPA | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | | | IPA | copper | 2 |
Revisited 26 August 2005. Salmon Dijonaise was quite tasty with light mustard sauce, sauteed vegetables were
crisp and fresh, potatoes good flavor - meal had a fair amount of butter/oil. Salmon was undercooked
(intentionally?) but manager fixed it quickly. For a low-fat alternative, I had the Saint Sebastiaan Salad,
which was a mix of greens with coleslaw and beer dressing (yummy!), with apple, pineapple, and orange slices.
The turkey on the SS Salad was very tasty (deep fried, maybe?) - and the whole salad was a very nice and
healthy meal. Our server presented my beer taster, but she didn't know which beers were which, and didn't offer
to find out. The Novice Light and 1731 Dark were easy to identify, but I had to check with the bartender to make sure that I
had correctly identified the Wit and the Blond. This particular batch of beers seem to have improved since
the previous visit.
BEERS (sampler of 4-4 oz beers for $4.99, includes a beer-of-choice after sampler)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| The Novice Light | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | | light pilsner | straw | 3 |
| Spring Hill Blond | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | clean; balanced | Belgian Blond | gold | 3 |
| 1731 Dark | 5- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | roasted malt; slight coffee | Belgian Dark Ale | copper | 3 |
| Belgian Wit | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | very estery - banana; cloves | Belgian Wit | hazy gold | 3 |
33086 US Hwy 19, Palm Harbor, FL, 727-789-5678
Visited 2 September 2004
BEERS (sampler of 6-4 oz beers for $3.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| Clearwater Light | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | | pineapple | light pilsner | straw | 3 | |
| Lightning Bolt Gold | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | | lager | golden | 3 | |
| Hammerhead Red | 4+ | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | | | red ale | copper | 3 | |
| Alligator Ale | 4- | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | | chocolate | brown ale | dark copper | 3 | |
| Love Handles Low Carb Ale | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | smooth | banana | light lager | light straw | 3 | |
| Hang Ten Honey Wheat | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | | wheat | straw | 3 | |
10042 US Highway 19, Port Richey, FL, 727-862-5913
Visited 31 July 2004
BEERS (sampler of 6-4 oz beers for $3.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Clearwater Light | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | malt | light pilsner | light straw | 2 | Color 3.4 SRM, IBU 17, 3.6% abv |
| Lightning Bolt Gold | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | | lager | straw | 2 | Color 5.1 SRM, IBU 18.5, 4.3% abv |
| Hammerhead Red | 4- | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | hops | red ale | copper | 2 | Color 18.1 SRM, IBU 33, 5.1% abv |
| Alligator Ale | 4- | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | | brown ale | mahogany | 2 | Color 38.9 SRM, IBU 24.5, 5.3% abv |
| Love Handles Low Carb Ale | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | light lager | very light straw | 1 | watery |
| Hang Ten Honey Wheat | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | | | wheat | straw | 2 | |
327 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33670, 813-871-3600
Visited 9 Dec 2004 at 6:30 PM. Manager Chris was knowledgable about the brewing process and gave
me a private tour. Very informative and interesting. Spiced home-made potato chips were crisp
and hot, nice flavor (rated 4). Got a 10% discount as an
American Homebrewers Association member! Beers were not remarkable. One was soured to the
point of being unacceptable. Two others were slightly soured. I think there is a bacterial
contamination problem that needs to be addressed. I mentioned the soured beer (which I didn't
finish) to the bartender, but she said that the brewmaster had been there earlier in the day
and checked everything out.
BEERS (sampler of 5-2 oz beers for $3.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Clearwater Light | 2+ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | soured | light lager | very light straw | 3 | Color 3.4 SRM, IBU 17, 3.6% abv |
| Lightning Bolt Gold | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | | | lager | light straw | 3 | Color 5.1 SRM, IBU 18.5, 4.3% abv |
| Hammerhead Red | 3- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | slightly soured | red ale | reddish light copper | 3 | Color 18.1 SRM, IBU 33, 5.1% |
| Alligator Ale | 3- | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3+ | | slightly soured | brown ale | dark brown | 2+ | Color 38.9 SRM, IBU 24.5, 5.3% |
| Fun Zen Bock | 3+ | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | | chewy malt, slight winey | bock | mahogany | 3 | 7.0% abv |
3438 East Lake Business, Palm Harbor, FL 34685, 727-216-9682
Visited 25 January 2010 at 7 PM. Jamaican Jerk Wings were lightly spiced, deep fried, and very greasy, sitting in a puddle of oil.
Good service at the bar.
BEERS (sampler of 7-5 oz beers for $9.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Fischer Hefeweizen | 4- | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | bready; big fluffy head; whiff of sour but not in taste; low banana; low clove | Hefeweizen | cloudy light gold | 4 | 5.4% |
| Schlossbrau Weizenbock | 3+ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | big banana; black pepper; slight tart | Weizenbock | cloudy deep gold | 3 | 7.2% |
| Fat Cat Triple IPA | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | tobacco; pine; resiny | American IPA | clear amber | 3 | 9.0% |
| Cherry Hefeweizen | 3+ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | cherry | Fruit beer | cloudy light garnet | 3 | 5.6% |
| Wild Berry Lambic | 4- | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | raspberry; some tart; white sugar | Fruit lambic | cloudy garnet | 3 | 12%; with raspberry blueberry marionberry boysenberry |
| Sint Niklaas | 4- | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | mace; cinnamon; brown sugar | Winter beer | cloudy copper | 3 | 8.6% 'Belgian Spiced Ale' |
| Madame Pompadour | 4- | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | slight sour | Flanders Brown | clear copper | 2 | 8% |
Clearwater, FL
Visited in March 2007 for preopening (and back a couple of other times in 2007) kickoff. Beers are microbrew, but they are brewed at a
BJ's in Texas, and shipped. Clearwater BJ's has the brewing equipment, I think, but currently importing from the other BJ's.
BJ's also opened another store in Citrus Park Shopping Mall which does not have the room for brewing.
BEERS
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Brewhouse Blonde | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | Kolsch | clear straw | 3 | 4.7% abv; 15 IBU |
| Harvest Hefeweisen | 4- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | banana | Weissbier | cloudy straw | 3 | 4.9% abv; 15 IBU |
| Jerimiah Red | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | bready | red ale | brilliant deep amber | 3 | 7.3% abv; 25 IBU |
| Nutty Brunette | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | American Brown Ale | clear copper | 3 | 5.9% abv; 35 IBU |
| Piranha Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | cascades - lemony | American Pale Ale | clear light amber | 3 | 5.7% abv; 45 IBU |
| PM Porter | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | roasty; creamy | Robust porter | clear mahogany | 3 | Nitrogen draft; 6.4% abv; 30 IBU |
| Pooks Pilsner | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | German Pilsner | brilliant straw | 2 | |
| Tatonka Stout | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | | roasty; slight alcohol; toasted | Imperial Stout | clear deep mahogany | 3 | Nitrogen draft; 9.7% abv; 60 IBU |
| The Bock | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | | alcohol warmth; fruity; nutty | Traditional bock | brilliant light copper | 2 | |
937 Douglas Ave, Dunedin, FL, 727-736-0606
Visited 19 October 2004. I met Michael Bryant (brewmaster) on the way back from the GABF, and learned about the "Snug Pub".
This is a small pub with live music most days, and finger-food snacks. Service was excellent, bartender was very knowledgable
about beers. Well Cabernet Sauvignon was better than average (for Caroline). Overall, very enjoyable experience, but
also probably best for regular "members".
BEERS (sampler of 9-4 oz beers for $9.00 (?))
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
|---|
| Lowland Wheat Ale | 3+ | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2- | | banana | wheat | straw | 3 |
| Razzbeery Wheat Ale | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | raspberry seeds | fruit wheat | light copper | 3 |
| Apricot Wheat Ale | 4- | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | | apricot | fruit wheat | hazy straw | 3 |
| Red Head Red Ale | 4- | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | | red ale | copper | 3 |
| Celtic Gold Ale | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | astringent | | ale | straw | 3 |
| Beach Tale Brown Ale | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3+ | | chocolate | brown ale | dark brown | 3 |
| Piper's Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 4+ | 2 | 3 | 3+ | | | pale ale | light copper | 3 |
| Summer Buzzz Seasonal | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | | honey | summer ale | light copper | 3 |
| Oktoberfest | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | just a tad watery | | Oktoberfest | copper | 3 |
5043 S Cleveland Ave, Fort Myers, FL, 941-418-0190
Visited 20 February 2005 at 4:30 PM (Sunday), Two beers tasted soapy - but both showed lace on the sides
of the glass and kept their head - so maybe there was some other problem? Nice presentation
with placemat listing beers - most other Hops don't do this.
Revisited 21 August 2005 - the Clearwater Light, Lightning Bolt Gold and Hammerhead Red were all slightly
soured. The Alligator Ale also had some off-flavors - stale/cardboardy. However, there were two seasonals
that I had not had before - the Honey Bock, and the Star Spangled Ale - rated below.
BEERS (sampler of 6-4 oz beers for $3.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Clearwater Light | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1+ | | butterscotch | light lager | light straw | 4 | |
| Lightning Bolt Gold | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2- | | | lager | straw | 4 | |
| Hammerhead Red | 3- | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2+ | | soapy | red ale | amber | 3 | |
| Alligator Ale | 4- | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | roasted malt | porter | dark mahogany | 3 | |
| Scottish Ale | 4- | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | | | Scottish ale | light copper | 3 | |
| Oatmeal Stout | 3- | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3+ | | smooth, smoky, soapy | oatmeal stout | dark mahogany | 3 | |
| Honey Bock | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | | slight honey; slight citrus | bock lager | gold | 3 | |
| Star Spangled Ale | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | Kolsch | straw | 3 | |
33 Highway 98, Destin, FL, 850-654-0567
Visited 28 March 2009 at 1PM (Saturday). Bleu cheese potato chips were very good and huge ($7.95). No brewery tour
available. I did the sampler, and was suspicious that the "Porter" was the wrong beer. The bartender insisted that
it was the porter (he "proved" it by going back to the tap and repouring it - "See - it's the porter"). The porter,
although slightly roasty, was very light in body and color - so I suspect that they either had the wrong keg on, or
that they were trying to foist a defective brewing session on the public. A regular customer was sitting next to me,
and he tried the porter and definitely agreed that this was NOT the porter. In comparison to the Pensacola
porter (tried earlier in the day), it was a completely different beer. Also, the hops level was much lower than the
porter from Pensacola - both in bittering and in hops flavor/aroma. I was not happy with the flippant and
distainful attitude of the bartender. If this is what the brewer really intended, that's fine - but it should
not be sold as a porter - and if there was a brewing problem, that's fine too - still - it should be sold as what
it is. The quality of the beers that I tasted at Destin seemed to be quite a bit lower than those from Pensacola.
BEERS (sampler of 6-2 oz beers for $4.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Old Fashioned Ale | 3+ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | Cream Ale | clear light straw | 2 | 4.2% |
| Irish Red | 4- | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | flowery | Red Ale | clear amber | 2 | 5.0% |
| Raspberry Wheat | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | raspberry | Fruit Beer | clear amber | 2 | 4.8% |
| Porter | 3+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | roasty; watery | Brown Porter | clear blackish light amber | 2 | 5.3% |
| Cream Stout | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | smoky; roasty | Milk Stout | clear deep brown | 3 | 5.2%; nitrogen draft |
| Irish Pale Ale | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | grapefruit | American IPA | clear gold | 2 | 6.1% |
600 E. Gregory Street, Pensacola, FL, 850-433-6789
Visited 28 March 2009 at 11AM (Saturday). Nice tour by assistant brewer Jeff. 6.5 barrel system. Ordered the Irish
Lamb Stew ($13.99) - was huge, and excellent - lots of big meat chunks with tasty sauce and potatoes and carrots -
Yummy!
BEERS (sampler of 7-2 oz beers for $3.73)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Old Fashioned Ale | 4- | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | slight fruity; watery | Cream Ale | clear light straw | 2 | 4.2% |
| Irish Red | 5- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | Red Ale | clear amber | 3 | 5.0% |
| Raspberry Wheat | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | bready; tart; berries | Fruit Beer | clear reddish amber | 2 | 4.8% |
| Porter | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | roasty; creamy; dry finish | Brown Porter | clear reddish mahogany | 2 | 5.3% |
| Cream Stout | 5- | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | roast; toast; bready; creamy | Milk Stout | clear deep brown | 3 | 5.2%; nitrogen draft |
| Irish Pale Ale | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | resiny; grapefruit | American IPA | clear deep gold | 3 | 6.1% |
| Black Cherry Doppelbock | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | cherry; tart; slight roast | Fruit beer | clear mahogany | 2 | |
6607 Gateway Ave, Sarasota, FL, 941-925-2337
Visited 17 February 2005 at 2 PM (Thursday), fairly busy. Excellent service by bartender James,
who was also handling bar tables. Salad was crisp, tasty soup, food rated 4, Caroline liked
the vegetarian burger.
BEERS (sampler of 5-3 oz beers for $3.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Cobra Light | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2- | malt finish | slight green hops | light lager | dark straw | 3 | 5.0% abv, 12 IBU |
| Golden Wheat | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | lemony citrus, coriander | wheat | not hazy straw | 3 | 4.5% abv, 13 IBU |
| Sequoia Amber Lager | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2+ | | caramel, hops | amber lager | amber | 3 | 5.0% abv, 13 IBU |
| English Special | 3+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3- | bitterness into finish | caramel, hops | IPA | amber | 3 | 6.5% abv, 42 IBU |
| Milk Stout | 4+ | 5 | 4+ | 3 | 3+ | 4 | | coffee, roasted malt, full bodied mouthfeel | milk stout | very dark mahogany | 3 | 6.5% abv, 45 IBU |
1115 16th Street, Miami Beach, FL, 305-538-8110
Visited 19 February 2005 (Saturday) at 4 PM. Parking very hard to find. One other customer.
Small bar, but excellent selection of premium Belgian and other specialty beers. Bartender
very knowledgable about beers and history. Beer is brewed off-site (in Melbourne FL). No
"official" samplers, but bartender provided free samplers of their own beers, and then I
had a pint of the stout.
BEERS (sampler of 4-2 oz beers for free)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| IPA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | | IPA | amber | 3 | 6.2% abv |
| 12° Dubbel | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | | banana | Belgian dubbel | copper | 3 | 10.5% abv |
| Imperial Stout | 4+ | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4+ | | slight winey, chocolate | imperial stout | black | 3 | 9.2% abv |
| Bock | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | | | bock lager | light copper | 3 | 10.0% abv |
1800 N University Drive, Coral Springs, FL, 954-341-5545
Visited 20 February 2005 (Sunday) at 1 PM. Friendly and knowledgable bartender Mike. Burger
rated 4+, shoestring fries 4+, Caroline's veggie burger (with zucchini and carrots) she rated 5-.
Excellent service, excellent selection of beer, extensive menu. Caroline says "best brewpub
I've ever been to". 10 barrel brewing capacity. My only complaint - they ONLY had extra-large
t-shirts, and I wanted one for the Belgian Dubbel.
BEERS (sampler of 9-4 oz beers for $5.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Polar Light | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2- | | fruity | light ale | light straw | 3 | 4.9% abv, 10 IBU |
| Hibernation Pale Ale | 4- | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | | hops flavor, aroma, bitter | American pale ale | amber | 3 | 6.5% abv, 55 IBU, Cascade hops |
| Grizzly Red Ale | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2+ | | | Irish red ale | amber | 3+ | 5.8% abv, 18 IBU |
| Brown Bear Ale | 3+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | slightly soured | English brown ale | copper | 3 | 6.0% abv, 13 IBU |
| Kodiac Belgian Dubbel | 5- | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | | banana, plums, raisins | Belgian dubbel | copper | 3 | 2002 GABF gold medal, 7.5% abv, 9 IBU |
| Belgian Blonde | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3- | | cloves, strong banana, fruity | Belgian blonde | amber | 3+ | |
| Blueberry Ale | 4- | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1+ | | blueberry, nice balance - not syrupy | fruit ale | light straw | 3 | served with a blueberry |
| Black Bear Stout | 4- | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | roasted malt, chocolate, coffee | stout | black | 3 | |
| Espresso Stout | 4- | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | | strong coffee | stout | black | 3 | espresso is "dry hopped" in keg |
2670-7 Rossell Street, Jacksonville, FL, 904-379-6551
Visited 24 October 2009 (Saturday). Very family run - Mom was bartending, brother was filling growlers, got a nice tour from brewer.
BEERS (sampler of 9-2oz beers for free if you buy a pint)
| Name | rating | malt | hops | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Killer Whale Cream Ale | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | nice malt; overstated as a cream ale; floral; bready | Cream Ale | cloudy straw | 2 | 12.5°P |
| Fritzs Hefeweizen | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | big banana; bubblegum; light clove | Hefeweizen | cloudy light gold | 3 | 13°P |
| E-Street Ale | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | bready; crackers; floral | American Amber | hazy gold | 2 | 15°P |
| Dukes Cold Nose Brown Ale | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | bready; grainy; hazelnut; roast | American Brown Ale | cloudy amber | 2 | 14°P |
| Olde English | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | slight tart; nutty; caramel; light raisins | Old Ale | clear light copper | 2 | 15°P |
| Mad Manatee IPA | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | lemon; resiny; pine | American IPA | hazy amber | 3 | 15.5°P |
| Chinook IPA | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | floral; pine; light resiny | American IPA | clear light copper | 3 | 15°P |
| 1901 Red Ale | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | roasty; burnt; slight floral | American Amber Ale | clear light mahogany | 3 | 16°P; more like a porter |
| O - Pumpkin Spiced Coffee Stout | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | coffee; vanilla; cinnamon; mace | Vegetable beer | clear mahogany | 3 | 14°P; infused with Bold Bean Coffee (from Jax); 2nd in series of four: B/O/L/D |
2222 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 561-392-2739
Visited 18 February 2005 (Friday) at 5 PM. Busy, dim lighting (for beer color determination).
Angus burger $9.50, rated 4, fries 4+ (reminds me of Round The Corner fries from Boulder, CO).
Porter was exceptional - Kona coffee infused in secondary fermentation - assistant brewmaster
from Hawaii.
BEERS (sampler of 6-6 oz beers for $5.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Boca Blonde | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | citrus | lager | dark straw | 3 | 3.5% abv |
| Black Duke Dark | 4+ | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | | dunkel lager | dark amber | 3 | 4.0% abv |
| Boca Fest | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | | Oktoberfest | amber | 3 | 4.0% abv |
| Tropical Madness | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | | syrupy raspberry | fruit lager | dark straw | 3 | 3.5% abv |
| Red Reef Amber | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | American pale ale | gold | 3 | 4.0% abv |
| Porter | 5- | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | roasted malt | porter | ruby black | 3 | Kona coffee |
Revisited July 2009 with Caroline and Erica, and had dinner. Dinner was better than average.
BEERS (sampler of 6-6 oz beers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Black Duke Dark | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | dunkel lager | clear blackish amber | 2 | 4.0% abv |
| Boca Blonde | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | bready; slight floral; slight buttery | Blond | brilliant straw | 2 | 3.5% abv |
| Boca Fest | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | bready; toasty | Oktoberfest | clear amber | 2 | 4.0% abv |
| German Alt | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | | German Alt | clear amber | 2 | |
| German Pilsner | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | smooth; peppery and floral hops | German Pilsner | clear straw | 2 | |
| Tropical Raspberry | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | raspberry syrup | fruit beer | clear straw | 2 | |
700 S Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach, FL, 561-366-9753
Visited 18 February 2005 (Friday) at 1 PM. Was hard to find from mapquest directions - but
I called and they talked me in. Fran is the brewmaster (for both Brewzzis) - very friendly, excellent impromptu
tour, very knowledgable. They specialize in lagers. The Red Reef Amber was not quite finished,
but Fran sampled it for me from the tun in the brewery (not yet carbonated). Also, he sampled me the barleywine, from
a tun in the brewery - been aging - and will be sold only in bottles. Chili in bread bowl
was ok - 3+ - some spiciness, but nothing special. Very enjoyable experience from my
homebrewer's viewpoint - talking "shop" with Fran.
BEERS (sampler of 5-6 oz beers for $6.95 (plus 2 brewmaster samples)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Boca Blonde | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | finishes balanced bitter | hoppy nose | lager | light gold | 3 | 3.5% abv |
| Black Duke Dark | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | roasted malt, slight chocolate | dunkel lager | dark amber | 3 | 4.0% abv |
| City Fest | 4- | 3 | 4+ | 3 | 3+ | 3 | | Munich malt, bready, fizzy mouthfeel | Oktoberfest | amber | 3 | 4.0% abv |
| Tropical Madness | 4- | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | | big raspberry taste | fruit lager | straw | 2+ | 3.5% abv, syrupy raspberry |
| Belgian Dubbel | 3+ | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | slight sour (good!), citrusy, coriander, wheat? | Belgian dubbel | copper | 3 | 5.8% abv, Brewmasters special |
| Red Reef Amber | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | | | American pale ale | copper | 1 | 4.0% abv |
| Barleywine | 4+ | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4+ | | huge malt, sweet like Samiclaus | barleywine | mahogany | 3 | 27° Plato, beautiful creamy head |
6300 N. Wickham Road #137, Melbourne, FL, 321-752-7675
Visited 23 September 2007 (Sunday) with Caroline after Commander SAAZ weekend. Bartender not very knowledgable about beers or
the brewing process. Food was OK. Beers were average to very good. The maibock was cloudy, for example.
BEERS (sampler of 5 beers)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| A1A IPA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | English IPA | clear amber | 2 |
| Brown Bottom Ale | 3+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | roasty; nutty | Northern English brown ale | clear mahogany | 2 |
| Harbor City Gold | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | Saaz hops; corn | American Pilsner | clear deep gold | 2 |
| Mathers Maibock | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | sweet; fruity | Maibock | cloudy copper | 2 |
| Wickham Wheat | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | American wheat | cloudy light gold | 2 |
1201 Brickell Ave, Miami, FL, 786-425-1130
Visited 19 February 2005 (Saturday) at noon. Mapquest directions were bad, talked in by the
staff, but still ended up on the wrong end of town. Finally made it! Huge 10-oz burger $8 was
juicy and tasty, rated 4. Garlic fries had good flavor (and chunks of fresh garlic) but were
not crispy, not very hot: 3+. Restaurant got quite busy with a wait at 12:30 PM. Manager was
very knowledgable about beers and also helped me with directions to Abbey and recommended Titanic.
BEERS (sampler of 6-2 oz beers for free)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Premium Light Lager | 3+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1+ | | corn, butterscotch | light lager | light straw | 3 | 4.54% abv, 8.5° OG, 106 calories, 8.2g carbs |
| Golden Export Lager | 3+ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1+ | | green hops | lager | straw | 3 | |
| Czech Lager | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2+ | | nice balance | pilsener | amber | 3 | |
| Märzen | 4- | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | | | Oktoberfest | amber | 3 | 5.72% abv, 13.5° OG |
| Blonde Bock | 4- | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | | | bock lager | gold | 3 | 7.22% abv, 16.5° OG |
| Dunkles | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | | roasted malt, caramel | dunkel lager | copper | 3 | unfiltered but not hazy |
4576 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL, 561-616-5074
Visited 18 February 2005 (Friday) at 3:30 PM. Business fairly slow, good bar service,
beers better than other Hops - it seems like east coast Florida Hops are a notch up in beer
quality from those on the west coast of Florida. One beer was soured.
BEERS (sampler of 5-4 oz beers for $3.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Clearwater Light | 3- | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1+ | | soured | light lager | light straw | 3 | |
| Lightning Bolt Gold | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | lager | gold | 3 | |
| Hammerhead Red | 4- | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | red ale | copper | 3 | |
| Alligator Ale | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4- | | roast malt, coffee | porter | very dark mahogany | 3 | |
| Scottish Ale | 4- | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | | | Scottish ale | copper | 3 | |
11555 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL, 954-441-4599
Visited 19 February 2005 (Saturday) at 6 PM. Busy with a wait. Nice presentation with a
placemat listing beers - most Hops don't do this. Free salsa/chips at bar - a nice touch,
salsa 4+ was fresh and flavorful. Manager checked on me. Generally, I think this is the best
run Hops I've been to, and the beer quality reflects that - a step up from the beer and
restaurant quality of the Hops in the Tampa/Clearwater area.
BEERS (sampler of 6-4 oz beers for $3.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Clearwater Light | 4- | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | light lager | light straw | 4 | |
| Lightning Bolt Gold | 3+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | ale | straw | 3 | |
| Hammerhead Red | 4- | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | pale ale | copper | 4 | |
| Alligator Ale | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | porter | black | 3+ | |
| Scottish Ale | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | Scottish ale | copper | 3 | |
| Hoptoberfest | 3+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | Oktoberfest | amber | 3 | |
545 N Congress Ave, Boynton Beach, FL, 407-731-3313
Visited 18 February 2005 (Friday) at 4:30 PM. Beer sampler served in frosted rocks glasses.
Comparing to other Hops, these beers are the most well made - the best quality.
BEERS (sampler of 5-4 oz beers for $3.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Clearwater Light | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1+ | | | light lager | straw | 3 | |
| Lightning Bolt Gold | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | lager | gold | 4 | |
| Hammerhead Red | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3- | | | amber ale | amber | 3+ | |
| Alligator Ale | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | porter | dark copper | 3 | |
| Scottish Ale | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | Scottish ale | copper | 3 | |
3571 N Federal Hwy, Pompano Beach, FL, 954-941-7787
Visited 18 February 2005 (Friday) at 7:30 PM. Very busy.
BEERS (sampler of 6-4 oz beers for $3.25)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Clearwater Light | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1+ | | | light lager | light straw | 3 | |
| Lightning Bolt Gold | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | lager | gold | 3 | |
| Hammerhead Red | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | | amber ale | reddish amber | 3 | |
| Alligator Ale | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | porter | dark brown | 3 | |
| Scottish Ale | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | Scottish ale | copper | 3 | |
| Golden Hammer | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | blended beer | amber | 3 | Half Red, half Gold |
835 Museum Circle, Jacksonville, FL, 32207, 904-399-5684
Visited 24 October 2009 (Saturday). Nice view of river. Burger VG, fries G. Bartender gave me a brewery tour. 4 barrel system, 10 barrel
batch size, six 10-barrel bright tanks, Bob the brewer worked at Anheuser Busch for 25 years.
BEERS (sampler of 5-2oz beers for free, served in plastic disposable cups)
| Name | rating | malt | hops | sweet | bitter | body | tasting notes | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Jag Light Ale | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | grainy; slight astringent; slight tart; light floral | Blonde Ale | clear straw | 3 | 5.1% abv; touch of wheat |
| Red Rooster | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | toffee; slight nutty; caramel | American Amber | clear amber | 3 | 5.2% abv |
| Jackson Pale Ale | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | slight sour | American Pale Ale | clear copper | 2 | 5.2% abv |
| Riptide Porter | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | coffee; slight sour; slight black pepper | Brown Porter | clear amber | 3 | 5.5% abv |
| Octoberfest | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | caramel; toffee; slight vegetal; slight sour; light floral | Oktoberfest | clear amber | 3 | |
5813 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL, 305-667-2537
Visited 19 February 2005 (Saturday) at 2:30 PM. Small but nicely (and efficiently) set up brewery.
Batch size is 5 barrels.
BEERS (sampler of 7-5 oz beers for $4.50 (two half-size samples of brewmaster specials)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy | notes |
|---|
| Triple Screw Light Ale | 4- | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | ale | straw | 3 | 4+% abv |
| Captain Smith's Rye | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | spicy, pepper | rye ale | copper | 3 | 6+% abv |
| Slipknot Saison Ale | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | fruity, slight sour | Belgian saison | copper | 3 | |
| Brittanic Best Bitter | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | | fruity | ESB | dark amber | 3 | 5.5+% abv |
| Boiler Room Nut Brown | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | | complex, strong walnuts followed by fruit | nut brown ale | copper | 3 | 5+% abv |
| White Star IPA | 4+ | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | | big hops flavor | IPA | amber | 3 | 7+% abv |
| Shipbuilders Oatmeal Stout | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | hops, fruit, smooth, roasty | oatmeal stout | black | 3 | 6+% abv |
| Gale Force Ale | 3+ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | | | honey blonde ale | light straw | 3 | |
Chelsea Piers - Pier 59, New York, NY 10011, 212-336-6440
Visited 5 August 2008 (Tuesday) at 1PM. 30 barrel brewing system. Excellent service at the bar. French onion soup
was good (but onions not carmelized enough). Beers were above average, with the Pale Ale and the Wheat standing out
at very good.
BEERS (sampler of 6-3 oz beers for $12)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| CBC Standard Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | flowery; smooth | ESB | clear gold | 3 | 5.9% abv |
| Checker Cab Blonde Ale | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | flowery aroma; slight tangy | Blonde ale | clear straw | 3 | 5% abv |
| Hop Angel IPA | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | resiny hops; lemon peel | American IPA | clear gold | 3 | 6.6% abv |
| Porter Of Authority | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | roasty; citrus | Brown porter | clear deep mahogany | 3 | 5.4% abv |
| Summer Solstice Wheat Ale | 4+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | bready; spicy; wheat; spritzy | American wheat | cloudy light amber | 4 | 5.8% abv; 55% wheat |
| Sunset Red Ale | 4+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel; grapefruit | American Amber Ale | hazy amber | 2 | 5% abv; forced carbonation-natural carbonation was not ready |
Westside Brewing Co
340 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10024, 212-721-2161
Visited 5 August 2008 (Tuesday) at 4PM. Although this sounds like a brewery, it's not. It stopped being a brewpub
about 9 years ago, according to the bartender. However, they did have a good selection of tap beers as well as some
bottles. I was able to find five beers on tap that I had not had before. The bartender was very knowledgable about beer
and was very accomodating in supplying tasters, even though they generally don't do tasters. Thanks Kirk! See ya
at GABF! Definitely a good place to visit for a selection of interesting beers.
350 5th Ave. (Empire State Building), New York, NY 10118, 212-563-3433
Visited 6 August 2008 (Wednesday) at 6PM. Large restaurant and bar area, beer is not brewed here, but there are still
some tanks and fermenters on display for show. Vegetarian nachos were very good +. Wings also VG+. Bar service was
excellent. Herb spiced chicken tenders also VG+. Beers typically above average, with two (Indie 500 Pale Ale on
nitrogen, and Empire Premium Beer) standing out as very good.
BEERS (sampler of 8-4 oz beers for $16.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Cornhusker Lager | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | corn; biscuit | Amer Pilsner | clear amber | 2 | |
| Empire Premium Beer | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | balanced; smooth | Bohemian Pilsner | clear straw | 3 | 5.5% abv |
| Farmer Jon's Oatmeal Stout | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | roasty; chocolate; oily; slick | Oatmeal Stout | clear deep brown | 3 | |
| Harvest Wheat Beer | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | slight metallic | American Wheat | cloudy light gold | 4 | |
| Indian River Light Ale | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | slight citrus; coriander | American Pale Ale | clear straw | 2 | |
| Indiana Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | grapefruit | American IPA | clear amber | 3 | |
| Indie 500 Pale Ale - on Nitrogen | 4+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | flowery hops | English IPA | clear gold | 3 | 5.75% abv; Double dry hopped |
| Red Rooster Ale | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel; slight roast | American Amber Ale | clear deep copper | 3 | |
| Summer Vice Heffeweizen | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | big banana; clove; nice balance | Weissbier | cloudy light gold | 3 | 5.25% abv; keg conditioned |
| Summertime Apricot Ale | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | light apricot | fruit beer | clear amber | 3 | 5.5% abv |
3525 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15201, 412-688-8200
Visited 31 July 2008 (Thursday) at 11AM. Beautiful church tastefully refitted with the brewery. Six 15-barrel
serving tanks (42°-44° serving temperature, individually controlled). Two 15-barrel and two 30-barrel
fermenters. Free WiFi. Chicken rice soup was excellent. Most beers were above average, with the Celestial Gold
pilsner standing out as excellent. The Pious Monk Dunkel, Pipe Organ Pale Ale, Referendum Ale, and Belgian Black
Ale were also very good. Service by bartender was excellent, and she was quite knowledgable about their beer.
BEERS (sampler of 7-5 oz beers for $9)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Belgian Black Ale | 4+ | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | blackberries; plums; slight funk | Belgian dark strong ale | clear deep brown | 2 | 8.0% abv; 1.080 OG; 25 IBU |
| Blast Furnace Oatmeal Stout | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | roasty; slight oatmeal oily | Oatmeal Stout | clear deep brown | 2 | 4.8% abv; 1.054 OG; 30 IBU |
| Blueberry Ale | 3+ | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | very late finish blueberries | Fruit beer | brilliant gold | 2 | 4.8% abv; 1.050 OG; 25 IBU |
| Celestial Gold | 5- | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | flowery | German Pilsner | clear straw | 2 | 4.1% abv; 1.042 OG; 18 IBU |
| Pios Monk Dunkel | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | toasty; biscuit | Dunkelweizen | clear copper | 2 | 4.3% abv; 1.052 OG; 20 IBU |
| Pipe Organ Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | caramel; fresh hops | ESB | brilliant amber | 2 | 4.3% abv; 1.052 OG; 30 IBU |
| Referendum Ale | 4+ | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | grapefruit; caramel | American Pale Ale | brilliant amber | 2 | 6.0% abv |
800 Vinial St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212, 412-237-9402
Visited 31 July 2008 (Thursday) at 2PM. Very German style beer and food. Restaurant was a series of benches with
tables. German sausage/cheese/pickles/vegetables/bread appetizer platter is huge! Good service from the bartender.
Restaurant was pretty much empty at this time of day. Beers were generally above average, with the Kaiser Pils
and Penndemonium standing out as very good.
BEERS (sampler of 6-4 oz beers for $4)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Kaiser Pils | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | | German pilsner | clear gold | 3 | |
| Penn Dark | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | roasty | Dunkel Lager | clear mahogany | 3 | |
| Penn Gold | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | lager | clear straw | 2 | |
| Penn Pilsner | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | caramel | German pilsner | brilliant amber | 2 | |
| Penn Weizen | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | banana; cloves | Weissbier | cloudy straw | 2 | |
| Penndemonium | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | fruity-caramel; slight strawberry | Maibock | brilliant gold | 3 | |
2105 North Atherton St., State College, PA 16803, 814-867-6886
Visited 1 August 2008 (Friday) at 1PM. Very "green" conscious, and several vegetarian dishes. Some food is made
with their beer. Grass fed beef burger was excellent. "Buy fresh buy local". Lucked into "Firkin Friday" where they
tap a half barrel metal firkin at 5PM. I was sitting directly in front of where they tapped it at the bar (tapping
with a wooden mallet), and I got the first pint
from the firkin (which was dry hopped). Great bar service, very knowledgable bartender. However, when my ride came
to pick me up, the hostess was VERY rude to her, and moved her several times from seats. The whole hostess thing
soured the overall experience - so hopefully they will figure out that their host staff really sucks - it's not
appropriate to be rude to patrons. Fortunately,
I remember the bar staff too - and they were particularly good -
so it somewhat balances. Beers were all over the board from "just OK" to excellent. The barleywine was particularly
good - nice complexity. Four other beers (Bitter, Pale Ale, Pilsener, and Lager, as well as the beer on Firken) were
very good.
BEERS (sampler of 6-4 oz beers for $4)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Arthur's Best Bitter | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | floral; caramel | Special Bitter | clear mahogany | 2 | 5.3% abv |
| Black Mo Stout | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | slight citrus; not much roast | Dry stout | clear dark brown | 3 | 5.1% abv |
| Double D IPA | 4+ | 4 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | hops dominate; nice malt backbone | Imperial IPA | clear amber | 2 | 8.2% abv; nugget-palisade-amarillo hops |
| Mt. Nittany Pale Ale | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | grapefruit; nutty | American Pale Ale | clear amber | 2 | 5.0% abv |
| Old Fugget Barleywine | 5- | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | blackberry; brandy; sherry; plums | English Barleywine | clear amber | 2 | 11.8% abv |
| Pilsener Lager | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | peppery; Saaz | Bohemian Pilsner | clear gold | 3 | 5.6% abv |
| Red Mo Ale - on firkin | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | very smooth; green hops | American Amber Ale | cloudy copper | 2 | 5.0% abv; dry hopped |
| Red Mo Ale | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | caramel; slight nutty | American Amber Ale | clear copper | 3 | 5.0% abv |
| Saison | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | blackberry; pineapple; peppery; slight funk; tart | Belgian saison | hazy amber | 3 | 6.7% abv |
| Spruce Creek Lager | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | lager | clear gold | 3 | 4.8% abv |
| Wit Bier | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | orange; big peppery; coriander | Belgian wit | hazy gold | 3 | `5.7% abv |
Appalachian Brewing Co
401 Buford Ave., Gettysburg, PA 17325, 717-334-2200
Visited 2 August 2008 (Saturday) at 4PM. Very knowledgable and helpful bartender. Excellent fresh homemade flavorful
root beer. Above average food. Beer statistics on a flip menu at the table - catering to beer geeks. Beers were
all above average (except the Pilsner - which had soured and should not have been served), most were very good,
particularly the barleywine, the Scottish ale, and the Rye.
BEERS (sampler of 8-5 oz beers for $8)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| American Amber Ale | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | American Amber Ale | clear amber | 2 | |
| Broadstreet Barleywine | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | nice balance | American Barleywine | clear deep mahogany | 2 | 12.8% abv; 50.4 IBU; 29.0°P OG; 4.2°P FG |
| Dom Blonde | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | Kolsch | clear gold | 2 | |
| Hoppy Trails IPA | 4+ | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | grapefruit | American IPA | slight hazy amber | 2 | 6.31% abv; 45.33 IBU; 15.0°P OG; 2.6°P FG |
| Jolly Scot Scottish Ale | 4+ | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | caramel | Scottish 80/- | clear copper | 2 | 5.32% abv; 18.2 IBU; 13.9°P OG; 4.0°P FG |
| Kipona Fest | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel | Oktoberfest | clear copper | 2 | 5.06% abv; 19.8 IBU; 13.8°P OG; 4.0°P FG |
| Major Hopes Olde Ale | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | Old Ale | clear amber | 2 | |
| Major Hopes Olde Ale - on cask | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | Old Ale | clear amber | 2 | |
| Mountain Lager | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | | German Pilsner | clear gold | 2 | 4.92% abv; 12.3 IBU; 11.2°P OG; 2.6°P FG |
| Peregrine Pilsner | 3- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | soured; fruity | German Pilsner | clear amber | 2 | 4.72% abv; 32.6 IBU; 12.0°P OG; 2.7°P FG |
| Purist Pale Ale | 4+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | light grapefruit | ESB | clear amber | 2 | 5.1% abv; 22.34 IBU; 13.0°P OG; 3.6°P FG |
| Rockville Rye | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Fruity; pineapple; grapefruit | American Wheat/Rye | clear amber | 2 | 5.21% abv; 8.3 IBU; 13.1°P OG; 3.0°P FG |
| Susquehanna Stout | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | roasty | Dry stout | clear deep brown | 2 | 4.59% abv; 13.2 IBU; 13.5°P OG; 4.5°P FG |
| Water Gap Wheat Ale | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | citrus | American Wheat | hazy straw | 2 | 4.72% abv; 8.2 IBU; 10.8°P OG; 2.7°P FG; served with lemon |
117 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106, 215-625-0855
Visited 3 August 2008 (Sunday) at 6PM. Nice atmosphere, good service at the bar. Bartender was aware of RateBeer and Beer
Advocate. Better than average calamari. Beers were average to good - nothing bad - but nothing that stands out.
BEERS (sampler of 7-4 oz beers for $8)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Belgian Golden Ale | 4- | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | coriander; yeast | Belgian Blond | clear straw | 3 | |
| Bengal Gold IPA | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | | American IPA | clear amber | 3 | |
| Coffee & Cream Stout | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | coffee; roast | Sweet stout | clear deep brown | 3 | |
| Helles Lager | 4- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | nice balance; slight tart | Helles | clear straw | 3 | |
| Irish Red Ale | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | Red Ale | clear copper | 3 | |
| Saison | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | Belgian Saison | cloudy amber | 3 | |
| Vienna Lager | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | pineapple | Vienna Lager | clear amber | 3 | |
1516 Sansom St., Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215-569-9525
Visited 3 August 2008 (Sunday) at 9PM. Bar was packed - and they were running a trivia competition (which they
apparently do every Sunday). No traditional "sampler", but they sold me 7oz "samples" of each of their beers for
$2 each. Beers were all better than average, with the Alt and BPA Pale Ale standing out.
BEERS (sampler of 7-7 oz beers for $14)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| 60 Shilling | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | dry finish | Scottish 60/- | clear amber | 3 | 4.75% abv |
| BPA - Bill Payer Ale | 4+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | grapefruit | American IPA | clear amber | 2 | 5% abv |
| Gordo's Oatmeal Stout | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | slight roast; nutty | Oatmeal Stout | clear mahogany | 2 | 4.5% abv |
| Ich Bin Ein Berliner Weisse | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | slight sour; tart | Berliner Weisse | clear straw | 2 | 3.5% abv; dash of woodruff syrup |
| Monkey Knife Fight | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | big ginger; citrus | Vegetable Beer | brilliant gold | 2 | 4.75% abv; blonde lager; lemongrass; ginger |
| Prudence Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | fruity | American Pale Ale | clear copper | 3 | 3.75% abv |
| Zephyr | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | Dusseldorf Alt | clear copper | 3 | 5% abv |
2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington DC 20212, 202-842-2337
Visited 8 August 2008 (Friday) at 6PM. Nice bar very near the Capitol and other DC monuments. Beers were above
average with the Imperial Stout and Pale Ale as very good. Good food too.
BEERS (sampler of 7-4 oz beers for $7.50)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Amber Waves Ale | 4- | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | caramel; slight fusal | American Amber Ale | clear light copper | 3 | |
| Belgian Gold | 4- | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | | Belgian Golden Strong Ale | cloudy deep straw | 3 | 7.5% abv |
| Capitol Kolsch | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | sulfur | kolsch | clear straw | 3 | |
| Hefeweizen | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | banana; clove; slight peppery | Weissbier | hazy light gold | 3 | |
| Imperial Stout | 4+ | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | roasty | Imperial Stout | clear deep brown | 3 | 9% abv |
| Pale Rider Ale | 4+ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | grapefruit | American Pale Ale | clear amber | 3 | |
| Prohibition Porter | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | roasty | Brown porter | clear deep brown | 3 | |
1219 9th St NW, Washington DC 20001, 202-289-8198
Visited 9 August 2008 (Saturday) at 4PM. Connected to a Mongolian barbecue for food. Neither the waiter nor the
bartender spoke English well, and neither knew anything about the beer or food that they were serving. 32 taps.
Food was pretty decent (although the Mongolian barbecue was ordered rather than assembled by the customer as
other Mongolian barbecue restaurants usually do), but having the servers ignorant about the beer was definitely disappointing. The beers
were all above average, with both of the ambers as well as the barleywine standing out as very good. It was
necessary to buy two samplers and a pint to sample all of their beer.
BEERS (sampler of 4-6 oz beers for $7.95)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish + aftertaste | style | color | carbonation | notes |
|---|
| Dominion Ale | 4- | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | American Pale Ale | brilliant amber | 3 | |
| Dominion Aviator Amber | 4+ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | caramel | Vienna lager | clear amber | 3 | |
| Dominion Beach House | 4- | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | | Bohemian Pilsner | slight hazy straw | 3 | |
| Dominion Lager | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | corn | lager | brilliant gold | 3 | |
| Dominion Light | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | light lager | brilliant gold | 3 | |
| Dominion Millennium | 4+ | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | | English Barleywine | clear deep amber | 3 | |
| Dominion Oak Barrel Stout | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | caramel; wood; vanilla | Wood aged stout | clear deep brown | 3 | made with vanilla and wood chips |
| Dominion Pale Ale | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | American IPA | brilliant amber | 3 | |
| Dominion Victory Amber | 4+ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | | Vienna lager | clear amber | 3 | |
name
location
Notes - date, food, atmosphere, etc.
BEERS (sampler of x-x oz beers for $x)
| Name | rating | malty | hoppy | sweet | bitter | body | finish | aftertaste | style | color | fizzy |
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