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Duneland has been closed for awhile.
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David A Kaplan,
Cedar Rapids, IA
(06/10/2006) |
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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Great
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Awesome!
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Philip,
Highland, IN
(03/07/2005) |
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Based on information from the head brewer, the Duneland Brewhouse closed as of October 1, 2004.
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Bill Pierce,
Burlington, ON
(11/07/2004) |
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Lousy
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So So
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Lousy
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Lousy
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Duneland is closing it's doors as a brewpub. I have linked a copy of the email I received from Bruce Kehe, husband of the head brewer, Barb Kehe, responding to my review, along with my reply to them. Another south shore brewery bites the dust -- adding to the beer desert in this region of Indiana/Michigan. Very Sad. Read the emails at http://www.zamites.net/kehe.html
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Rob Zamites,
Chesterton, IN
(09/10/2004) |
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Good
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Awesome!
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Good
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I have to give this establishment a little more credit than my previous reviewers. After reading the reviews below I was very werry of making time to stop at this brewpub while in town however I am now glad I had. The outside of the building was creative, but you can tell that they took over a box restaurant's building, so be it. They had the brewery right along side the parking lot so you can see it when you pulled in. The food was excellant and the portions were very generious. The beer was good, not great, but I have had worse. The decor on the inside of the biulding was deffinantly very bland. The gift shop was out of alot of the brewery specific souveniers as well as the brewery printed growlers (that was disappointing). The bar tender was very nice however and gave me a label to each of the standard brews. They do some bottling as I was able to buy a bottle of two of their beers on top of taking home my plane growler. I would stop by again and support my local brewer if I where in town however I don't feel as if I would make a specific trip. Good overall.
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Lucas Goucher,
Elburn, IL
(08/17/2004) |
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Lousy
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So So
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N/A
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Lousy
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Lousy
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I really would like to give a local brewpub a good review, but.....
I went there today and I really have no idea how they even stay in business.
First... There were literally a swarm of fruit flys flying around the bar. The barkeeper said it was because of the yeast they use. Bleck.
I had a stout and while drinking, the sun came out and I could see through all of their sampler glasses. Lipstick, crud, fingerprints, you name it, it was on the glasses. All this just eats away at the foam and the head of the beer, not to mention it is just unappetizing.
My stout was served in a frozen glass; not exactly what you are supposed to do with this style. I doesn't matter anyway, all of their styles are served in the same frozen glass.
I mean come on guys, at least make an effort.
I received my beer and that was the last I talked to the bartender until it was time to pay.
The bartender actually was spraying bug spray behind the bar. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.
Never again.
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David,
La Porte, IN
(07/09/2004) |
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Lousy
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So So
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Lousy
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Okay, finally went back to have a round of tasters - since I did such an in-depth critique I have posted it at http://zamites.net/duneland.html. A succinct review would be this: I would rather drink Budweiser.
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Rob Zamites,
Chesterton, IN
(05/06/2004) |
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Lousy
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Lousy
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Sat there for 15 minutes (it was Karaoke night), no service whatsoever. The DJ shouted over his mic that there were patrons, but that didn't even rouse any activity -- not even a "We'll be with you soon as we can.." from the bartender. Noticed all pours appeared to be in 12 oz. pilsner glasses, not pints, as is typical in a brewpub. Will try again next week, but for a brewpub with the sketchy reviews I've seen so far, they already have a strike against them in my book.
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Rob Zamites,
Converse, TX
(04/29/2004) |
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Lousy
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So So
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Lousy
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I was skeptical after reading some of the reviews, but decided to try Duneland anyway..... a mistake. A brewpub should have great beer and atmosphere. I found the beer to be lacking in character, and flavor. And if you think that the beer is bland, check out the inside of the restaurant. It reminds me of an abandoned Waffle House. I love brewpubs and travel the country searching for great beers, so with that in mind, I want nothing but success for Duneland; but they really need to make a lot of changes to improve the experience.
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Chad The Brewery Guy,
Houston, TX
(02/16/2004) |
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So So
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The quality of the beer has improved since they hired a new brewer a little over a year ago. The Winter Warmer ale was very good and their light pilsner is one of the few light beers I can handle, more like a mild kolsh. I've eaten many great meals there. Be forewarned, while the food is always good, the beer selection and quality can still vary alot. The waitstaff are friendly, but have no knowledge (or interest) in their own beer.
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John Feeney,
Chesterton, IN
(07/07/2003) |
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So So
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Lousy
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N/A
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Awesome!
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So So
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The beer was the worst I have ever tasted. I had the sampler and could not drink any of them.
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DDD,
Rosebush, MI
(03/06/2003) |
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Good
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Good
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I agree with Donna's review below about being scizophrenic. The amber and brown were wonderful examples. Everything about these two beers showed tremendous character and knowledge of beer. Unfortunately it was hidden under a watery flavor. Less water and this could have been two of the Midwest's better beers. Then there is the good and the ugly. The Pale Ale was badly infected - really bad diacetyl and undrinkable. The IPA was outstanding (and this after being in the Pacific NW all week before Duneland - so my tastebuds would have rejected weak IPA) and just rocked my world. They had a Winter Warmer coming out, and that sounded like it was going to be excellent too. Service by the bartenders was rather erratic too - one who had worked over 13 hours was very attentive and helpful. The other was out smoking and chatting with the clientele, and didn't give a hoot if you ever got a beer. My measure for brewpubs is a.) don't bother b.) worth a stop if it is nearby and c.) by all means go out of our way to get there. This rates somewhere between a. and b. If you are on I-94 in NW Indiana, it might be worth a stop. With the new lady brewer, the beer is better than stated below, but it is not yet stellar.
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Tim Tomlinson,
Hoffman Estates, IL
(09/25/2002) |
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So So
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So So
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This place is schitzophrenic. It doesn't know if it wants to be a somewhat upscale brew pub or a diner where the waitresses call you "honey". We were there for an early weekend lunch and one of the 2 beer samplers. The wheat tasted just like vinegar. Even after squeezing the lemon in it tasted like lemon-flavored vinegar. The brown and the amber were both ok, on the weak side but drinkable. All the beers had a funny "greasy" taste. At first we thought it might be the local water but that tasted fine. Maybe it is a dishwashing problem. Also beer is served in chilled frosty 12 and 23 oz glasses, not really the best for flavor.
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Donna,
Detroit, MI
(08/18/2002) |
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Lousy
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So So
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So So
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Every beer had basically the same flavor profile- kind of a cabbage/fruity taste. I could've swore the Oatmeal Stout had raspberry in it. The servers were clueless- this place should stick to serving food and give up on the brewing part.
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Jason Rich,
Warsaw, IN
(05/18/2002) |
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Lousy
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So So
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So So
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As shown by the date of my original review below, I had written Duneland off. I decided to try it again based on the note below that they hired a new brewer in 2000. Well, I hate to say it, but I think the beer is worse. Had a Salmon Tail Pale Ale that was like any average bottled beer. Then tried an amber-yuck! Tasted like pesticide (don't ask me how I know) which I took to mean that it was infected. Based on the sparse "crowd" on a Wednesday night, not sure how much longer the doors will be open. Don't ever take someone here for their first taste of microbrewed beer, they might be put off for life.
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Moondoggie,
Ogden Dunes, IN
(04/17/2002) |
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Good
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They have had a new brewer since the summer of 2000 and the beer has improved. Try the rich, dark brown ale, almost a porter, with good flavor. Kind of a suburban neighborhood feel to the place, with a standard American menu and good pizza. The location is right off I-94, so it is also convenient for travelers to/from Michigan and Chicago.
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On the road, IL
(12/04/2000) |
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So So
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Good
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Good
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So So
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So So
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First of all, I agree with many of the comments on the beer. I had all of the beers while there and thought the IPA was'nt hopped enough and had no resemblence to an IPA...no oaky taste! The pale tasted like canned beer. Bubba Brown was too thin. The stout had taste but not enough for my liking. The wheat smelled worse than it tasted! I did enjoy the ribs and shrimp but stay away from the steaks, they are kind of fatty and grizzlely. Being that the pub was walking distance to my hotel was the only reason to go there. When I got smashed I didn't have to drive.
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Bob Brandenburg,
Buffalo Grove, IL
(11/23/1999) |
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So So
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Good
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Good
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So So
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Nothing exceptional about this place. We had to high-tail it back to Mishawaka before they closed to get real beer! I'll give them a few more months to see if they can get their act together.
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Pat Cornils,
Dexter, MI
(08/27/1999) |
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So So
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Great
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Lousy
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So So
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With all that great equipment that the brewer has...I refuse to think of him as more than just a brewer...and he lets it go to waste by NOT knowing how to brew a decent beer. Doesn't even know what the style is for a beer...the Salmon Tail Pale was lighter than lite. Not one of the eight brews we tried were anywhere near to what the style should be...the stout was just dark red and I could see thru it. This is one that I will NOT give another try
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Mike,
Janesville, WI
(08/24/1999) |
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So So
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This place has a lot of potential. I found the food and the atmosphere to be quite good and the service was excellent. However, the reason that most of us go to these places is, of course, for the beer. Unfortunately, that's where Duneland's falls short. I tried eight different ones that were available when I was there. I was particularly disappointed in the IPA. The Shoreline Stout and Bubba's Brown Ale both were well below average. The wheat beer was OK, but certainly nothing spectacular. Too bad, with some decent beer this could be a very fine establishment.
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Doug Kath,
Livonia, MI
(07/30/1999) |
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So So
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Good
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Good
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So So
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I didn't find Duneland nearly as bad as all of the other reviewers. Maybe it was because I was expecting the worst. The Pale Ale was more like a generic gold ale that other brewpubs serve. The IPA and the german wheat were both less flavorful than they should have been, but by no means offensive tasting. I didn't get food, but my wife liked her philly chicken sandwhich and fries. Only a handful of people were there on a Sunday afternoon, so the service was ok. Duneland is the 120th brewpub I've been to...Believe me, there are worse ones out there.
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Stevan,
Elkhart, IN
(03/16/1999) |
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Lousy
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Lousy
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Lousy
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Lousy
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Lousy
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Maybe the worst I have ever been to
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Chief,
Madison, WI
(03/03/1999) |
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So So
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So So
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N/A
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So So
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Most of the comments in the other reviews are dead on. However, in this densely populated area, this is the only brewpub for sixty miles in any direction. In addition, most local bars can't keep anything with the slightest hint of flavor (e.g., Killian's Red) on tap, and the local TGI Fridays couldn't even sell enough Three Floyds Alpha King Ale (try it if you can find it -- one of the best strong ales I've ever had) to keep it on tap. My point is, nothing sells in this god-for-saken northwest Indiana region unless it has no taste! So maybe Leonard the braumeister is providing what he thinks will please his audience.
Hopefully things will improve as local palates become educated (or as Leonard learns how to brew). In the meantime, they really need to add a guest beer.
Finally, most of the service staff are pretty nice. Leonard is a good guy, and the owner is a good guy named Greg Pluta, not the guy described in one of the reviews as a syncophant. On that note, however, the guy described as a syncophant is a real jacka**.
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Ogden Dunes, IN
(08/13/1998) |
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Lousy
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So So
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N/A
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So So
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I got the opportunity to try a couple of Duneland's beers at the "Brew-n-Tunes" held in Valparaiso on 6/20. They offered their Salmon Tail Ale and their Open Hearth Amber Ale. The pale ale was a bit thin on both the malt and the hops but was somewhat better than the big three swills. His amber ale was thinner than Coors light, if that is possible! It tasted like carbonated water with some food coloring. The owner/brewer was on hand for the event and he couldn't give very many answers to his brewing process. It was obvious to me that the rest of the brews are probably just like these two that I sampled and that I have no reason to go to the brewpub and try the others. If you never had a brewpub beer, homebrewed or small micro-brewed beer don't let this one influence your decision on the rest of the field.
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Jerry Hays,
Hebron, IN
(06/21/1998) |
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Lousy
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So So
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So So
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So So
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So So
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I could not believe it, after a long wait to try their beer it was a major disapointment. All the beers tasted and smelled the same. But, boy what a great brewhouse, too bad no one there knows how to brew a good beer. My first homebrew tasted better than anything they had on tap. He will only be able to fool the beer drinking public for a short time before the equipment goes up for sale.
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Harry Bielawski,
Lansing, IL
(02/14/1998) |
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