Reviews on PubCrawler from beav PubCrawler.com - International Travel Search Engine Find Bars, Brewpubs and Microbreweries, Restaurants, Hotels, Bed and Breakfasts and Historic Landmarks
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Reviews on PubCrawler from beav
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Stopped en route to Vermont on a recent beer trek. 5 brews on tap: Hefe, Kolsch, Pale, IPA and Stout. IPA nice, kind of a Brit/US hybrid, although US hops at finish carry the day. My pick, however was the stout. Dry, hints of licorice, good roastiness. Liked how when a sampler tray was ordered, register prints out the beers in order, with brief descriptions. Good idea.
Boston Beer Works brews at an old brewpub/brewery location (Concord?). Got a sampler of four that seemed interesting to me. British Ale--nice starter for the day, a little too hop forward for traditioal British style, Imperial Pils--fruity, good body, hops not too extreme; smooth and drinkable. IPA--bitter hops, good balance, tasty. Red Ale--slight caramel nose, pretty average overall. Buffalo shrimp--good portion, sauce a little too hot for my likes. Interesting way to approach their beer list. Beers posted with the general color of the beer--would be helpful for newbies.
Located near my hotel made a stop here a no-brainer. Double Black Coffee Stout had nice flavor, but not overdone. Would be a good first taste of coffee stout for a newbie. Longhammer Dry-Hopped IPA on cask was smooth and drinkable with a nice hop bite. Belgian Triple on cask just didn't make it. It definitely needs more carbonation than the cask allows for. Without that, it turned into a syrupy sweet mess. I enjoyed my mussels very much and would stop by again next time I'm in NH.
If there ever was a "go figure" place, this is it. Tucked next to a golf course way back in the country, Ebenezer's was just as cool as I imagined. It's small, with a small screened-in table area. But the beer? Big, big, big. In quality and quantity, it's big. Betsy, my server, was very helpful in pouring lots of samples so I could try as many of these brews as I wanted.
Here goes: Rogue Imperial Porter had good balance, but not too roasty. Brooklyn Intensified Coffee Stout was really nice--smooth and balanced, no off flavors--a winner. La Rulles Cuvee Meilleurs Voeux had a tartness in the nose, spicy and sweet, fruity (cherry/berry?); obviously a pretty interesting beer. And those were just the three I liked the best. Service was great, and my salad was good as well. If you're in Maine, and feel like exploring, wind your way to Ebenezer's.
Although I've been to Gritty's a few times, I'm just not a big fan of the brews. Tried the cask IPA this trip and it was OK, fruity with the hops slightly poking through. The burger special of the day was also OK, nothing special. I love Maine, but I guess I'll have to keep trying when it comes to Gritty's beers.
37 taps, lotsa bottles--a third or more of the taps were for Maine brews. Atlantic Coal Porter is a nice hearty and roasty beer--a favorite when I get to Maine.
I do need to know--when do the bars open here? The three guys next to me were definitely in the bag by 1 PM and I had nothing but empathy for the barmaid who had to listen to their tired act. She was obviously uncomfortable and intimidated by them. C'mon guys, get a grip, or stay at home!
Has it really been five years since I've been to the Bear? Wow! Maybe that's why I stopped twice on a recent trip. Sampled quite a few New England beers that were new to me. Geary Hampshire Special Oak cask was very woody and malty, slightly medicianal. Allagash Black cask almost reminded me of a dopplebock, especially at the finish. Allagash Confluence was very effervescent and fruity. It had nice body and seemed pretty substantial (dangerous?) overall. Marshall Wharf Big Twitch IPA was pretty big, slightly boozy at finish, aggressively hopped. The Bear is, of course, a Portland landmark.
I've always liked Sea Dog's beers. Not the fruity beers you even see here in PA, but things like ESB, IPA, stouts; you know--real beers. Was happy to see that they've climbed out of some of their financial difficulty (with the help of Shipyard, I hear) and have a new place in South Portland. Hazelnut Porter was my pick on this trip. It's just a nice mix of hazelnut and roasty. Gollywobbler Brown on cask was OK, but nothing really special. Eggs benedict (b-fast all day!) were great--a real treat. Welcome back Sea Dog!
Hadn't been to Maine in ages, so I was stoppping by all the places I could find. I'd had Sebago's beers in the past, but wanted to see what was new. Hefe was pretty typical, but not overstated, on the lighter side. Full Throttle IPA was a big double IPA with a citrusy nose. Full-bodied and well balanced made it smooth and really drinkable, even at 8.2%. Really nice beer.
Building was an old mill and a tannery. Basically went unused for years until it was salvaged for a brewpub. Was told that there's still lots of space on upper levels to expand. Got a sampler of their beers; here's what I thought.
Summer Wheat was unfiltered, kinda fruity, but not the banana/clove deal. Lager was malty and clean. Ale was described as English style, but had US hops, not too malty. Pale Ale amber in color, good bittering hops. Super Lager very malty, borderline sweet. Porter was way, way roasty with almost a burnt (rauch?) smokiness. A neat place, great way to recycle a building and location.
Very cool place, old storefront, exposed brick and dark wood interior. 20 or so drafts; they were featuring Boulder Brewing when I arrived. Boulder IBA was a decent enough brew--brown/amber ale, malt before hops, not bad. Founders Breakfast Stout is one of my favorite coffee beers and it certainly didn't disappoint this time either. Service was spot on, always attentive. Nice crowd, seemed pretty beer aware, everyone enjoying themselves.
Made a quick stop enroute to Maine to sample a few that were new to me. Acapulco Gold IPA was drinkable--not overdone. Cascade/N.Brewer?Amarillo hops gave it a good flavor. Baltic Porter weighed in at 9%+. It was just on the edge of booziness--could really see you getting carried away with this one. Dark Lager was just a nice schwarzbier, smooth and slightly roasty.
Needed a lunch/rest stop/place to watch the US Open on a recent trip, so I tried My Place. 5 taps. 25-30 bottles, nothing outrageous, but a good repreentation of styles. Kinda weird layout; bar is tucked in a corner as you enter, not big, but comfortable. Waitress was kind to let me hang out by the tube and she came and went as needed. Hooker IPA very malty but tasty. Cajun chicken salad huge and delicious. For me, a good visit.
24 taps, 100+ bottles. I tried a sampler (why don't more beer bars offer samplers?)of 5, 5-ounce pours for 10.95. Conciously tried to make it as wide-ranging (or maybe just bizarre) as possible. Bitburger Pils, Fullers Mr. Harry ESB, Maudite, Lagunitas Lil Sumpin, and Southern Tier Creme Brulee. I was really impressed with the Lagunitas; hoppy, hoppy, crisp and fruity. The Fullers was the best ESB I've had in a year or so, super malty with huge flavor. S. Tier is quirky good, but only in small doses, I couldn't drink a half-pint, let alone a pint. Couldn't get a handle on the decor or the vibe, but I did like the beer.
17 taps, 50-60 bottles, 10-seat bar. Racer 5 was my choice, always a good go-to beer. Quesadilla overpriced for what you get, both quality and quantity-wise. Bartender quite likely shaking one off, or maybe still loaded--threw back shot with buddies. Vibe not conducive to a return visit.
A first-time stop during a recent pub crawl. Not a fancy place, but very nice anyhow. 16 taps with a good variety of styles and flavors. Ballast Point Dopplebock was slightly sweet and syrupy, teetring on the edge of booziness. I really enjoyed and was surprised by Breckenridge 471 Imperial IPA. I picked it over one of my faves--Weyerbacher Double Simcoe so it had to be good! Citrus, almost pineapple in the nose, hops were excellent throughout. Balance nice as well. Service (Anna?) super, friendly and helpful.
Stopped by on a recent crawl to see how things were going. Seven on tap--quite a few that had blown recently. Grisette, spicy/sweet in a subtle way makes for a nice Belgian brew. Willamette Pale was smooth and drinkable, too bad it blew before I could have another. NOTE TO PROVIDERS EVERYWHERE: I never like to see the bar person who has to cover tables as well as the drinks for all. Especially in a place like this, as the area was very large. Barmaid handled it well, but that doesn't make it any less unfair.
I apologize for two reviews so close in time, but I had the opportunity to visit Rock Bottom soon after my last writings. Tried four that were new to me, and happily all were winners. American Dream IPA (7.9%) had a citrusy and Amarillo hop profile which was well in balance with the malt--really good with my meal. Saison D'Ete really emphasized the spiciness to the point that they dominate the flavor. Goat Toppler kept the caramel very prominent, not what I expect in a maibock, but good nonetheless. Dublin Dragon was a nice stout. Roasty, and tended toward dry. Jambalaya was very good and was a good deal pricewise. Bartender Dave did a great job in spite of a big lunch crowd which kept him hopping.
A very unique place. Stopped on my way into Pittsburgh during my last visit. Easy enough, if slow, to get to off 376 heading downtown. Great tap selection; I tried Founder's Double Trouble IPA--wow! Easily the biggest and best IPA I've had recently. Guilty as charged, I got a dog loaded with chili. Yum! Explored the beer cave and took away some beers I can't find at home. Even though it was pricey, they do discount a full six-pack, which helps. Definitely a stop for those of you who want to enjoy good beer, a dog, and maybe take a few brews with you for later.
I've been fortunate to get to Capone's for their special beer events and came away more than impressed. Outstanding selection of beers is an understatement. Of course, if you find a winner, it's only a short walk to the bottle shop to take some home (if it's in stock!). Mix in some good food, a very beer savvy clientele, and you've got a winner! You can also stay up to date by getting on the email list--then there's no way you can miss the next great beers he gets!
An update on the Brewhouse. Beer selection, while still good is nowhere at the level it was even a year ago. Draughts seem to lean toward one style (IPA, summer beers, etc.) at times, which is great if that's your "style". But if you like more variety... Not too many really new and exciting beers make it to the taps anymore. There seems to be a revolving door of employees which can do nothing to help the quality of service. Still a good place to stop--just not in the highest echelon like it used to be.
Had the chance to try out the Brass Rail a little while ago. Small, but strong draught selection. Extensive selection of bottles to have there or to take with. Beer distributor as well if you feel inclined to take home a case or two. A nice addition to Central PA's beer lineup!
If you haven't been to the "new" Victory--go now! Their renovation has opened up the pub and makes for a super pleasant beer tasting experience. I've been there several times and what can I say? There's never been less than 20 Victory beers on tap. And 4 of 'em on cask as well. Their series of Pils, which are hopped differently is a joy. Cask Hop Wallop and Storm King are almost TOO good. Stopped recently at noon on a Saturday and within 20 minutes the placed was packed. Where did they put everybody before the redo?
Gigantic props to Troegs and all they do! Year-round beers are super: Pale is a great "go-to", Hopback is nice for the hopsters out there, Sunshine is great when you want it on the lighter side. Seasonals are hard to beat: Nugget Nectar? You know how good it is. Porter, Mad Elf (dangerous!) more than make the grade as well. The Scratch Beer series is a stroke of genius; a constant flow of new, creative and exciting product. The new tasting room area is nice, and their festival can't be beat. Hmmm, what did I forget? Oh yeah, the bathrooms are clean too!
Got to try some Swashbuckler beer at their inaugural beer fest and at the Stoudt's fest recently. Most of the beers were pretty average, but clean and drinkable. Of the lot, I liked the barrel aged porter the best. Some nice flavors rolling around in that brew made it a pleasure to taste.
