Category Archives: BEER PUB

SEA DOG BREW PUB

BEER PUB,

Locally owned and operated SEA DOG BREW PUB gets supplied by Maine’s Sea Dog Brewing, but there’s so much more to enjoy. On a crowded Saturday night in Cape Cod in late September ’24, my wife and I perused the classy South Yarmouth pub for dinner and beer. A wide variety of upscale food was served alongside a few nifty Sea Dog draughts, ciders and seltzers. The revolving beer menu includes several respected, well-known local brews.

Inside the pale yellow sided, white windowed beer parlor, the rounded 20-seat right side wood bar services the four-chaired tables up front. The tap handles are located below one of the multiple TV’s strewn about and watched by curious college football fans this warm weekend.

My wife settled into one of her faves, Sea Dog Blueberry Ale, while I stepped into newly discovered Sea Dog Sunfish Wheat, a delightful peach and grapefruit variant (both reviewed in Beer Index).

CASUAL PINT – VIRGINIA BEACH

BEER PUB,

An enviably veritable family friendly ale haven on the outskirts of Virginia Beach in the upscale Princess Anne community, THE CASUAL PINT is buried inside an industrious modern mall. The ‘ultimate neighborhood gathering place,’ this tan columned, cafe-styled “beerstro” features a vast selection of local East Coast beers both on tap and in bottles and cans plus a worthy food, wine and cocktail menu.

A small black metal-fortified front patio welcomes patrons to the pristine epoxy-floored, high aluminum-ceilinged pub. There are 35 draught handles at the rear left bar (listed on the large blackboard) and TV’s all around for those sitting at the few high tables and four-seaters.

I slurped down nine fine brews on my late August ’24 journey before headin’ home to Jersey from the Carolina coastline – all reviewed in Beer Index. These included Delaware’s Dewey Secret Machine Pontoon Punch, New York’s KCBC Deadpoodle Hazy IPA, Hampton, Virginia’s Nost Lady Hefeweizen, Hampton, Virginia’s Capstan Solo Voyage Singel, Virginia Brewing’s Free Verse NEIPA and Elbow Patches Oatmeal Stout , Chantilly, Virginia’s Mustang Sally Paradise Stout and Chesapeake, Virginia’s Big Ugly Barrel Aged Rum Barleywine (plus the updated Elysian Punkuccino).        

OLNEY TAVERN

BEER PUB,

OLNEY, MARYLAND

Residing at a storied 1920’s era haunt in the Delmarva village of Olney, red brick-walled village-squared OLNEY TAVERN serves flatbread pizzas, soups, salads and entrees alongside sundry local beers.

A varnished wood-topped bar with twenty seats centers the quasi English-styled pub. There are stained pine-planked draught lines, several surrounding booths and tables and a white tile ceiling with four TV’s atop the bar.

My wife and I tried Tradition Willie Irish Red, Caiseal Treat Me Wrong Imperial IPA, Sycamore Mountain Candy IPA and Momac Craney Island Brown Ale (reviewed in Beer Index) during sunshiny dinnertime stopover on the way to the Carolina Coast.

HOP & VINE TAPROOM

BEER PUB,

Hop & Vine, A Self-Pour Taproom, Is ...

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT

Just past the center of town in Stamford, HOP & VINE TAPROOM began its journey in springtime 2024. A revolutionary self pour taproom featuring over 50 automatic draught taps on two floors, the roomy dark windowed gastropub also includes a couched front patio with firepit and benches.

At the marble-floored main space, there are cafe-styled four-seat tables and right side wall handles featuring draught beer as well as local wines and seltzers. The porcelain-tiled upstairs back bar offers liquor and to the right are more wall handles. Front windowed couches with pale blue hanging lights offer city views, a few community tables fill the middle and a beautiful green and blue hop vine mural lines the left side wall.

During my midday July ’24 perusal, discovered a few good local craft brews such as East Rock Rocaveza Mexican Lager, Jack’s Abby Banner City Light Lager, Back East Czech Mix Pilsner, Berlinetta Pilsner Velvet, Whalers Rise Pale Ale, Captain Zig’s Sound Summer Pale Ale, Captain Zig’s Goosecake IPA and Hanging Hills Open Container Irish Stout (all reviewed in Beer Index).

hopandvinect.com

 

STOSH’S

BEER PUB,

Opening Alert: Stosh's, Fair Lawn, NJ – Boozy Burbs

FAIR LAWN, NEW JERSEY

An inconspicuous hole in the wall serving the finest craft beer plus pizza and cocktails, cozy Fair Lawn, New Jersey tavern, STOSH’S, retains a friendly neighborhood atmosphere. A colorful hop design at the front door welcomes patrons to the blue collar establishment.

Stosh’s U-shaped wood lacquer-topped bar features fourteen tap handles plus top shelf liquor. Its bronze tin ceiling adds a cool prohibition feel to the one-room pub. There are several TV’s along the red brick walls and a few 2-seat tables plus a pinball machine at the diminutive hotspot.

As for the beers, Stosh’s takes pride serving mostly local microbrews. On my initial March ’24 trip after scoring at Paterson dispensary, Rise, my wife and I downed Wayne-based Seven Tribesman’s Chieftain Witbier and Clifton-based Ghost Hawk’s Sentience West Coast-styled pale ale (both reviewed in Beer Index).

THE HELM

BEER PUB,

649 Jersey Ave #4, Greenwood Lake, NY 10925 - MLS H6040448 - Coldwell Banker

GREENWOOD LAKE, NEW YORK

In the village of Greenwood Lake, cozy tavern-styled restaurant, THE HELM, came into existence in 2015. Serving upscale contemporary American cuisine alongside more than a dozen draught craft beers, fine wines and specialty cocktails, The Helm sits across the lake in a stark black haunt with painted cedar shanks and nautical designs.

The low-ceiling wood floored 20-seat rectangular bar and main dining area consist of reclaimed wood walls, old hardwood paneling and a small brick-encased fireplace, providing a homey English pub atmosphere.

There are several front porch seats with a beautiful river view.

On my initial April ’23 dinner visit, my wife and I gathered by the fireplace to munch on Tuscan Panzanella salad and Fish ‘n Chips and down a flight of four beers. Main course dinners, sandwiches, steak, salmon, salads and wings were also available.

As for the beers. Aslin Double Orange Starfish NEIPA retained a crisply clean sunshiny citrus vibrancy while District 96 Essential Juice with Coconut had a tropical cocktail splendor. Cinnamon toast crunch-like Burlington Dreameater Stout and coconut flaked, cacao-nibbed, vanilla-beaned Fiddlehead Hodad Porter were fabulous dark ales (reviewed in Beer Index).

NORTHERN BARRELL

BEER PUB,

Northern Barrell - Home

VOORHEESVILLE, NEW YORK

In the small suburban village of Voorheesville just outside of Albany, NORTHERN BARRELL was established in 2021.  A family-owned, family-friendly restaurant specializing in craft beer and cider, the amiable yellow vinyl-sided warehouse pub is situated right inside a residential neighborhood.

Northern Barrell’s bulbed front deck features rocking chairs plus general seating and its white overhead doors lead to the high ceiling interior where the right side concrete-topped 10-stool bar with plank wood siding offers twelve draughts and a rear stone hearth provides warmth. Several wood tables fill the left side and a small mezzanine sported an olden bicycle, milk jugs and antique chair. There are four TV’s above the bar for sports fans. A casual-to-upscale food menu betters most brewpub fare.

My wife and I spent an hour at Northern Barrell in January ’23 to consume three previously untried brews including Torch & Crown Tenant Pilsner, Modist Forbidden Canyons Imperial IPA and Prairie Seasick Crocoldile Sour (reviewed in Beer Index).

KIMBALL’S PUB

BEER PUB,

Kimball's Pub - Restaurant | 972 2nd St, Williamsport, PA 17701, USA

WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA

A glorified hole in the wall diner at an unassuming gray barn house just south of the heart of Williamsport, KIMBALL’S PUB proudly features 20-plus draughts and the finest top shelf liquor with fine light pub fare. Hanging fans at the high V-shaped ceiling light the 14-seat L-shaped aluminum-sided bar as well as four chopping block-topped wood tables, one community table, a front pew and a billiard table.

Offering wonderful local craft beer from its middle taps and the two sideling refrigerators, Kimball’s draws a colorful array of neighborhood denizens and traveling beer enthusiasts. A rear kitchen serves food.

During my one-hour stopover in May ’22, discovered two fabulously rich dark ales, Shiner Candied Pecan and Upstate Big Nerd’s Coffee Blueberry Stout.

SCHATZI’S PUB – POUGHKEEPSIE

BEER PUB,

Poughkeepie Schatzi's Vies For DVLicious 'Best Craft Beer Bar' Win | Southwest Dutchess Daily Voice

POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK

A nifty baby blue round signpost (with emblematic pint-guzzling skunk) welcomes patrons to SCHATZI’S PUB – POUGHKEEPSIE, the original storefront gastropub with second location ten miles west across the Hudson Bridge in New Paltz. Both ‘homey’ pubs offer a German beer hall experience serving top-notch local brews and international faves alongside tasty Anglo-Bavarian dishes.

Opened during autumn 2013, Schatzi’s lies right in the middle of downtown Main Street a few doors down from Zeus Brewing (which began operations ’round 2019). Its narrow interior features an elongated 20-seat, bronze-topped bar (with several tap stands holding 16 draughts), a blackboard beer list, top-shelf spirits and four TV’s. Antique wire-meshed lighting fixtures add a Speakeasy feel. There are four chaired tables towards the rear and a black metal-furnished backyard beirgarten.

While visiting November ’21, sunk four previously untried suds, including Hamburg Berry Berry Sneaky! Sour, Crown & Torch Breakshot India Pale Ale, Maine Wolfes Neck India Pale Ale and UFO Journey To Planet Pumpkin! (reviewed in Beer Index).

 

TAVERN 5

BEER PUB,

Tavern 5 Neighborhood Restaurant - Home - Pompton Plains, New Jersey - Menu, Prices, Restaurant Reviews | Facebook

POMPTON PLAINS, NEW JERSEY

An elegant brick-based tan-sided neighborhood pub and restaurant, TAVERN 5, entered the local bistro scene in August 2016. Perfect for serious brew hounds, local families and sports bar fanatics, there are plenty of TV’s surrounding the pristine cement-walled interior.

Its rustic railroad-tied block wood entrance leads to a marble-topped U-shape bar with beautiful black-gold tiled ceiling, twelve centralized tap handles and upscale booze. A large green-turfed back patio with hanging lights adds wood bench and table seating under a canopy.

Tavern 5’s kitchen serves fine gastropub fare such as the bacon potato clam chowder I tried on initial June ’21 afternoon sojourn. Interesting cocktail specials also captured my attention, including hybridized martinis and pina coladas.

I down lactose Beach Haus We Were Made For Peach Other IPA and Lakefront Hazy Rabbit IPA (reviewed in Beer Index) before heading home for Lightning-Canadiens Stanley Cup finals.

CAPITAL CRAFT – EAST HANOVER

BEER PUB,

Capital Craft Taphouse and Grill is coming to East Hanover - Morris Focus

EAST HANOVER, NEW JERSEY

At East Hanover Plaza since 2019, CAPITAL CRAFT TAPHOUSE & GRILL is a spacious mall-bound gastropub with a right side open kitchen serving fine appetizers, dinners and brick-oven pizzas alongside the finest draught fare (24 rotating taps), bottled craft beer and top-shelf spirits.

An upscale cafe-styled sportsbar venue, Capital Craft’s black marble-topped central bar station (with multiple TV’s) services surrounding four-seat tables as well as a separate front-windowed dining area. At the back left wall is an intriguing bulb-lit wood-trayed CRAFT sign. Several illuminating yellow green cushioned corner booths dot the main space and Hershey Kiss-like lighting shines thru the crystalline interior of this gray farmhouse-styled pub.

On my initial June ’20 trip, I discovered three previously untried Jersey-brewed suds (reviewed in Beer Index), including Cypress Pulled Back In Witbier, Ross Manasquan Witbier and Magnify Double Barrel Aged Point Of Divergence Imperial Stout. Also quaffed Springdale Not Stirred Paloma Sour Ale, a tequila-based wild ale from Jack’s Abby offshoot in Massachusetts.

 

KITCHEN AND BEER BAR

BEER PUB,

Kitchen and Beer Bar - Restaurant | 1093 Ringwood Ave, Haskell, NJ 07420, USA

HASKELL, NEW JERSEY

Inside a homey cafe-styled venue with flat earth-toned brick foundation, Haskell, New Jersey’s KITCHEN AND BEER BAR serves a myriad of upscale pub fare (Alligator Sausage/ Elk Burger) alongside a dozen-plus well chosen draught beers.

Its one main room features a tan hop-laden front wall with Hunter S. Thompson slogan, brick-based L-shape bar and salvaged wood side walls. Exposed bronze pipes crowd the low ceiling and hanging caged Edison lights also decorate the cozy six-tabled gastropub.

Residing in an unincorporated hamlet community within the town of Wanaque’s confines, Kitchen And Beer Bar will please all true craft beer brewhounds.

On my initial December ’20 journey, I discovered local Jersey faves such as Toms River At Wits End, Magnify Jelly and Jughandle Jug Of Joe and neighboring New York libations like Industrial Arts Lotus NEIPA, KCBC Reservoir Frogs DIPA and Nightmare Crucifixion Third Servile War Hazy IPA (all reviewed in Beer Index).