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hours of operation |
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closed
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03:00PM
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12:00AM
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| Tue |
03:00PM
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12:00AM
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| Wed |
03:00PM
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12:00AM
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03:00PM
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12:00AM
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03:00PM
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02:00AM
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| Sat |
12:00PM
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02:00AM
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Octoberfest, which has the proper sort of nutty taste and mouthfeel, good not great (I wouldn't turn one down!). Their seasonal Old Ale was hoppier than in other years, quite excellent. Stout was...perfect! An amazing dark-roasted malty smell never, ever faded even with only 1 oz left. Bit of a hops taste on the tongue, a great semi-burned chocolate/coffee taste (really roasted malt), and an excellent persistent finish in the throat/nose. Not thick or dry, just phenomenal flavors...Porter-ish actually. Sandwiches are getting better, locally made chips were fine. Bar customers always friendly. Hey, didn't PubCrawler used to have an "atmosphere" section? Carlyle would rate high on Atmosphere. One of the finest two hours of my vacation.
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daviid keller,
bellevue, NE
(10/19/2008) |
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Awesome!
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An IPA here to die for. While I go here mainly for the inimitable beer, the 7" and 12" and 16" tortilla crust (great for the low-carb fanatics) brick oven pizzas are outstanding. Great European style atmosphere (no TVs!), albeit the the seating is a little uncomfortable if you like to sit and drink beer for hours at a time, which I do. Smoke Free! Expansion is currently underway, which will include an outdoor beer garden.
"To go" beer is also available--bring your own growler, or you may purchase a new growler at the brewery for 5 bucks.
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Bruce Spence,
Rockford, IL
(04/22/2007) |
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If your a hop lover like myself, You've got to try their Humuls Lupulus, or more commonly known as I.P.A.. This is arguably the best I.P.A. I have ever consumed, and that covers a lot of beer consumption. All of Don's beer's are excellent, but I'm and I.P.A. man, and his is outstanding! Limited menu selection, but a very good thin crust pizza. Don just bought the building next door, so I'm anticipating the food menu to expand after the remodeling is complete. Well worth a visit!
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Ron Carr,
Rockford, IL
(11/28/2006) |
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This place is so great it should be subsidised by the City Council! In a short amount of time it's become a Rockford landmark and ought to be in the tourism brochures. Imagine. A bar without a sporting event on television. Who knows, you may even decide to have actual conversations. Oh yes, the beer is excellent and the servers all rate a 30% tip. Oh no, I don't own this place or work here. I would be quite proud if I did.
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john,
rockford, IL
(10/04/2006) |
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Great place to kick back with friends. The atmosphere is soothing, the staff is great. Good pizza!
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Karen Hammarberg,
Rockford, IL
(07/06/2006) |
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The beer is great and so is the atmosphere. They could do a little better with the food. But if you are looking for great beer, then this is it!
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Nikki,
Loves Park, IL
(07/04/2006) |
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N/A
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Carlyle's is THE place to stop for a great beer in Rockford. It's worth going out of your way for. On business in Rockford, I stopped there late on an uncrowded weekday evening and had a smooth-as-silk stout that's better than 90% of the stouts I've had in many a brewpub. The atmosphere and decor are very simple. Come for the beer and the conversation. I'll definitely be back! Will Carlyle's be served at Rockford's new Frontier League ballpark? I sure hope so.
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Paul,
Chicago, IL
(04/29/2006) |
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It's all about the beer...as many of the other reviews have noted, but Carlyles now has added pizza to the menu.
This is a place for beer and conversation. The lack of neon, TV's, video games, dartboards provides a real pub-like atmosphere.
Don Carlyle took a major risk by establishing his place in a struggling downtown area, but it appears to be paying off.
I visit Rockford on business almost weekly, and try to get into Carlyles on every trip. The beer selection is constantly changing, but you can always find the classics like APA or IPA, a stout or porter (or both), innovative seasonals and unique experimentals (they don't always score with my taste buds, but some have been killers!)
It's a small place, and worth seeking out.
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Craig,
Chicago, IL
(02/26/2006) |
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hey guys i been there with a awesome beer making at rockford i took a break and went to carlyle brewing company with my good slection of this beer was bardon barrel beer it wonderfull beer i never had it so i suggestion that i recommand to let u guys come over for good time the food are ok but those super beer that u can think of there is no bitter in it my taste on my mouth is great mmmmm but just have fun those people are great and invite ur friends and your people who travel any where stop in for carlyle brewery co. have a nice day...!!!
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jonathan rockwood,
rockford, IL
(01/03/2006) |
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If Rockford is The Rough (which it is), then Carlyle is The Diamond within. They had several varieties and all were excellent, including a vanilla cream ale, a great hefe-weizen, a delicious brown ale with a hint of raspberry, a hoppy solid pale ale, a kolsch, an oak barrel stout, and a light beer with more flavor than an average brewpub's standard ale, thanks to the use of coriander and rose hips. When Carlyle does traditional styles, they are spot-on. When they wander off the traditional path into experimentation, the results are imaginative, flavorful and delicious. The food, on the other hand... as other reviewers have already noted, food is a last-minute add-on. They want you to come here for beer, not for food. Eat elsewhere. Please don't be fooled into thinking that Carlyle must be a medicocre brewpub because it's in a mediocre town. This place is the real deal. Stop in and see for yourself!
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Chicago, IL
(06/19/2005) |
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N/A
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The stout is very good. Imperial stout is up to par with most great imperial stouts. the american pale is quite good, with the cascade(?) hops adding a nice touch. 7 beers overall, with 5 very good beers. the service was quite good even though they had a crowd for a hockey game. No real food to speak over just very good beer!
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Alan,
Davenport, IA
(02/09/2005) |
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Both beers I tried were top notch, especially the American Old Ale. The IPA was also very good. I'd come back, and can recommend to anyone who happens to be in the area.
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Gargantua,
Madison, WI
(11/29/2004) |
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The great thing about brewpub hopping is that you never know when you will go into a place, even after looking at all the recent Pubcrawler reviews, and find Nectar Of The Gods. At the Carlisle, it was called "American Strong Ale". Whatever, it makes no sense to me. It was apple cider brown in color. Upon first swallow, it seemed as if there were really some kind of pulp in it. Upon swallowing, the hops nature screams at you, insisting that it is a hop-head beer. There is a terrific, long-lasting aftertaste. I wanted to stick my finger in it and scrape out whatever was making it so good. As I drink more of it, I sense the exotic spices and/or possible fruits that are in it. However, it is NOT citrusy at all. This beer is just to unique, too unusual, and too complex for me to get a total grip on. Medium mouth-feel, for whatever that is worth, and it is pretty light, not heavy feeling at all. As I poured some out of my growler tonight, I could smell it easily from several feet away. If I seem to be way to emotional about this, I don't care. I would be keeping this beer secret, except that I already have my growler, I'm drinking it now, and I won't be in Rockford for quite some time. So buy the rest of it, I don't care, I have mine. // This place is more unique than the reviews have indicated. There is nothing here but house-brewed beer, and the Easy-To-Prepare-Food items: the Italian Beef is the only substantial food, also braunschweiger and onion sandwich, cheese platter, brats (which I was afraid to try). So the only thing they have is "Snob Beers", and basically forget the food. I cannot see how the place stays open without any catering whatsoever to the lowest common denominator. The bartender, Steve, stayed with customers for several minutes each, explaining each beer that they asked about. Beer menu was on the bar already, very neat. // By the way, a very darn good Octoberfest, moderate bite, great German type of Octoberfest flavor, medium body, only "terrific" compared to Nectar Of The Gods (Strong Ale). Food, service here really don't matter at this establishment, except get the Italian Beef sandwich as a foundation to the alcohol. Stay away from the pretzels. They were doughy out of the microwave, but again, nothing could detract from the fine beer. RUN, DON'T WALK TO THIS PLACE. Damn nice atmosphere...extremely comfortable. I've just finished my third 1/2 liter glass from the growler...I don't know how a beer can feel so light and be so tasty.
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david keller,
bellevue, NE
(11/15/2004) |
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Just north of the river. Downtown but lots of near-by parking. Very limited food but a good selection of beer. We always try all the beers and they were good. Italian beef sandwich was great but no sides. Empty place which deserves more business. Good experience.
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Seven Nike,
St. Louis, MO
(09/26/2004) |
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This Carlyle place has balls. For starters, it takes balls to open a place like this in what is -- all prior reviewers’ tactful descriptions notwithstanding -- a decaying crater of a blue-collar city. It takes balls to make something as audacious as their raspberry wheat, which is FAR more bold than one would expect from such a typically frilly beer style. You'll have to try it to know what I mean; there's just no describing it. And there is virtually nothing in this place but the beer. No televisions. No dart boards. No pool table. No pinball machine or Golden Tee. No gimmicks. And almost no food. Carlyle says to its customers, "When you walk in our door, your focus will be on our product and little else." That's balls -- and it works. That they can pull it off says a lot about the quality of their product. I'll definitely be back again and again, growler in hand for refill, and each 110-mile round trip will be worth it. P.S., Rockfordians can spare me their inevitable complaints about my description of your city. Face facts – it is dying a slow, agonizing death. Thankfully for you, Carlyle is around to cushion the fall a little bit.
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Larry P,
Geneva, IL
(08/26/2004) |
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This is an unusual brewpub in that it is more like a neighborhood bar than the usual brewpub/restaurant type. The beers are very good. I especially liked the APA and Hefeweizen. I liked the bar feel of the place compared to the many upscale or Bennigans type brewpubs. But the menu is very limited. Go for the beers and the atmosphere not the food. Another drawback is that Rockford is a town of 150,000 and there is no interstate to downtown. So, it takes awhile to get to the brewpub, which is just east of the river downtown
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Greg Jenson,
Chicago, IL
(08/23/2004) |
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Great
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I can't say much more than what "The Enemy" just below me has already posted. This is the closest brewpub to where I grew up (Clinton, WI, about 25 miles away), so I looked forward to it with longing and trepidation...I expected little, and it delivered far more than I'd believed it could. First, they didn't have a "light" though I suppose the honey beer was close enough...second it was dark and corner-bar-like, very inviting I thought...third the service was great, very friendly, informative and involved...and fourth the beer overall was above average and well-made. Nothing amazing, mind you, though the stout was worth making a trip for; they need to have more food, and get the word out! I hope this place is the start of a downtown Rockford renaissance! A man can dream.
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muzzlehatch,
Burlington, VT
(07/22/2004) |
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Awesome!
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N/A
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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Geo. Miller,
Plymouth, CT
(06/30/2004) |
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Finally, a reason to actually stop in Rockford on my way up to Wisconsin rather than zip right through it as quickly as possible. Given the type of market Carlyle is in -- namely, a city not exactly renown as beer-savvy -- I figured the product would be "dumbed down" to "one-step-above Budweiser." I guess you can say Carlyle underpromises and overdelivers, because this place makes some solid beers. The hefeweizen was particularly well-crafted and the stout was nice and chewy.
One gets the impression that food is served here only to satisfay legal mandate. This place obviously opened to serve beer, not meals. While I can respect the desire to keep the focus on the beer, brewpub patrons these days have come to expect full menus. Carlyle seems reluctant to adjust. Here's a tip, guys: If you serve actual meals, people stay longer, buy more beer, and spend more money. And you know what? It's still about the beer.
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The Enemy,
Chicago, IL
(06/21/2004) |
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Great
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Definitely a strong focus on the beer. The food items were as previously commented upon, strictly pub food. The hefeweizen was true to style and an excellent finish to a hot day. Staff knew the beers, just too few of them on a Saturday night.
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Paul Spyhalski,
Austin, MN
(06/14/2004) |
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I gave a so-so for food, but that is not a fair tale. Carlyle is not supposed to be a resturant, it is a pub and serves pub type food, not sit down dinners!! A great place to have a home brewed beer and visit with friends!! Try the stuffed preztels, can't find them anywhere else!!!
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Ted,
Rockford, IL
(02/24/2004) |
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Awesome!
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If you are going there fo the beer it is an awesome place but not for people who may be looking for a place to eat. They need more of a food menu. Maybe Burgers? They have a great Vanilla Cream Ale!
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Kevin Bickley,
DeKalb, IL
(02/16/2004) |
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Awesome!
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There is easy parking and access to an architectural pleasing building and a beer for everyone’s style from pale to stout. Styles available during my visit included pale, vanilla, winter warmer, stout, Scottish ale, and IPA. Wanting them all I tried the sampler. They were all good but my preference was the Scottish ale and the IPA. The stout was on nitro which I don’t care for, but I understand that many do.
There is a great view of the brewing area from the bar. I did not eat here but it looked like there was a limited kitchen with a few munchies.
Service was excellent and the bartender put me onto a local brew supply shop. The brewmaster stepped in for a chat and was easy to talk to and knowledgeable.
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Bloomington, IL
(11/23/2003) |
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Great
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Great
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We went up there for a ceremonial tapping of a special brew, Waterfront Brew, for Rockford's On-the Waterfront Music Festival held every Labor Day weekend. It was a very good Belgian wit beer. We tried the sampler and especially liked the vanilla cream ale and hefe weizens (regular and dunkel). The food menu is limited to snacks (pretzels, nachos)and a few sandwiches. What we had was good and reasonably priced, but it is very limited. (By choice of the owner we hear). It's a small location and we met some nice people to talk to.
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Dave & Diana Deutsch,
Utica, IL
(08/20/2003) |
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A beautiful pub, traditional layout, with nice dark wood decor. Brew tanks visible behind glass. Very helpful, friendly, staff who know the beer they serve. Service was prompt and attentive, even though (on Friday) there were many patrons. Limited food. The beer is some of the best I've encountered. The Heffe and English Ale were excellent. The selection of beer changes from week to week, but there are usually 5 or 6 selections. One or two ales are kept under nitrogen pressure which results in a tastey, creamy head. This pub is definitely the first choice in Rockford for a beer lover.
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Bradley Kjell,
Newington, CT
(08/06/2003) |
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