Category Archives: United States Brewpubs

ATLAS BREWING COMPANY

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Along Chicago’s youthful northwest Lincoln Park section, brown-wood-paneled gastropub, ATLAS BREWING COMPANY, opened in June 2012 (then closed in 2018). Brotherly brewers’ John and Ben Saller took the Atlas moniker from a pre-prohibition brewery specializing in diverse ales.

Competing with established local competitors such as Revolution and Piece, this laid-back modern Industrial lounge features one large community table, several booths, overhead Edison bulb lighting and black tin tiling. Glass-encased stainless steel brew tanks at the rear hold the soft-toned liquid gold soon to be consumed. And at the 15-stool right side bar, glass mosaic-tiled tap handles serve the nine hand-crafted brews to be had on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, July ’14.

Since the eight-tabled front deck is completely full, my small coterie decides to sit inside at a booth to quaff a few five-ounce samplers. Alongside the lightest fare, I munched on the outstanding cheese-sauced mussels and duck confit. Though diacetyl buttering disrupted corn-malted perfume-hopped Prager Pilsner, moderate flagship offering, Diversey Pale Ale brought decisive IPA-like fruiting (yellow grapefruit, orange rind, pineapple and mango) plus floral-perfumed hop bittering to bark-dried wood tones.

Belgian saison yeast spiced up yellow-fruited Farmhouse Wheat Ale, a light-bodied nicety gathering lemony Bartlett pear, banana, plantain, grapefruit and pineapple briskness for its sweet lychee-spiked wheat base. In a similar vein, mild tropical-fruited Two-Headed Boy Belgian Pale Wheat covered its sugary bubblegum yeast with dry-hopped grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering.

A limited edition collaboration with nearby Une Annee Brewery, Raspberry Brown Saison, brought sweet ‘n sour raspberry tartness to zesty lemon, oaken cherry and vinous grape notions, finishing dry (with a nutty quirk).

More adventurous fare included Americanized Belgian pale ale, Archaeopteryx Dreamcoat, a ‘juicy citra-hopped’ moderation with yellow and pink grapefruit tartness, lemon rot souring, green apple pucker and advertised orange-blossomed blueberry subtleties. Just as pleasurably hybridized, floral-bound Rookery Rye IPA used grapefruit and gooseberry flavors to advance its rye-dried multi-grain breaded appeal.

On the dark side, chocolate-sugared Invincible Armor Robust Porter possessed a smooth dark-roasted mocha malting and dried cherry tang while lightly creamed Freight Handler Milk Stout plied smoked black chocolate to lactic cocoa-dried Baker’s chocolate and cacao nibs snips.

www.atlasbeercompany.com

 

SOLEMN OATH BREWERY

NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS

The undisputed crown jewel of conservative suburb, Naperville, SOLEMN OATH BREWERY began crafting interesting Belgo-American-styled ales in 2012, developing a distinct flare for remarkably adventurous and original fare along the way. Located in a light industrial park warehouse, this daring no-frills brewhouse has built quite a sturdy reputation among local beer geeks and fanatical brewpub travelers. Brewing an endless assortment of stylishly diverse ales from large stainless steel vessels and massive fermentation tanks, Solemn Oath has expanded exponentially since opening. As of my July 2014 jaunt, the dedicated staff now bottles, kegs and taps its highly respected product for Chicagoland consumption.

Upon entering the left side door of this off-white cement-floored edifice, an L-shaped serving station accommodates a packed late afternoon crowd. Nirvana’s raucous anthem, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” blares in the background as my friend, Scott, and I sample eight endlessly rewarding and stylishly hybridized libations. Many of these selections, plus a few others bought in bottle, are reviewed more fully in the Beer Index.

Light-bodied farmhouse ale, Hexafoos, began our session. Its fruity saison yeast ‘zang’ retained a white-peppered lemon pit sourness and mild herbal bittering, allowing mandarin orange, blood orange and tangerine illusions to flutter past whimsical chamomile snips.

Bettering most casual pale ales, the santiam-hopped version of Skinny Jeans Are Ridiculous possessed an herbal fruited pleasantry layered above dry pale malts. Its sweet citric zest and lemon-dropped grapefruit tartness contrasted hop-oiled hemp notions, picking up a broadened juniper bittering by the bold finish.

Boasting large amounts of grapefruit, pineapple and mango, tropical-fruited pale ale, Snaggletooth Bandana, brought buttery malt creaming to floral-hopped phenolic astringency.

A neat collaboration with Stone, ‘red’ farmhouse ale, Pyrros,  seemed reminiscent of a Flanders Red with its tannic red cherry tartness, vinous green grape esters  and light Sherry illusions downplaying unanticipated pepper-spiced herbage.

Effervescent Belgian IPA, Butterfly Flashmob, offered dry tropical fruiting to floral-bound herbage and salty hop-oiled spicing. White-peppered yellow grapefruit rind, sweet orange peel, sweet banana and pineapple coast alongside crystal malts.

Approachable saison moderation, Whisper Kisses,  softened its white-wined Chardonnay buttering with light grapefruit-orange tartness, lilting lemongrass liming and floral-hopped pleasantries (layered above a biscuity malt base).

Black kolsch-styled Eigengrau stayed subtle as light-roasted black patent malts skewered its coffee-burnt hop char and smoked chocolate subtleties. Powdered cocoa and Baker’s chocolate whims skim the surface.

Perhaps the best offering, Foux Du Fafa, a floral-fruited Imperial farmhouse IPA (with well-hidden 10% ABV), balanced crystal malt sweetness with delicate citric-hopped bittering. Lemon zest, orange blossom, vinous grape and yellow grapefruit illusions abound over earthen minerality.        

www.solemnoathbrewery.com

TWO BROTHERS BREWING CO.

Two Brothers Brewing Company - Absolute Beer

WARRENVILLE, ILLINOIS

Situated at Warrenville’s industrial park just north of Interstate 88, TWO BROTHERS BREWING was founded by brothers Jim and Jason Ebel during 1996. Previously, the duo sold beer and wine equipment in nearby Naperville and traveled Europe to discover the possibilities of brewing craft beer in the burgeoning US market. By time of this July ’14 sojourn, Two Brothers had already begun bottling its excellent fare for national distribution starting circa 2000.

In a freestanding off-white warehouse, this organic restaurant-brewpub draws serious beer geeks and local families alike. And the front door blackboard firmly insists ‘Uncle Sam Wants You To Drink Local.’ Besides its own savory fare, guest bottled selections from Belgium, Germany, England and United States are also worth checking out.

Serving well-prepped salads, sandwiches and pizza alongside 12-plus tapped selections, its super-clean maroon-walled interior features an L-shaped bar with gold hanging lamps, right side booths, windowed chairs, high ceilings and black exposed pipes. Glass-encased brewtanks behind the serving station hold the soon-to-be bottled and tapped offerings.

Though I’d already quaffed every beer on Two Brothers regular tap menu in bottles (check out Beer Index), there were two previously untried one-off libations available on tap during my mid-afternoon summertime perusal. Both showed off the wide spectrum of styles these experienced zymurgists create.

Wonderful Belgian-American hybrid, Cabinet of Curiousities White IPA, brought brisk orange-peeled coriander spicing to floral citra-hopped bittering, tossing white-peppered lemon zest, grapefruit, mango, tangerine, navel orange and pineapple illusions at its light doughy malting.

Just as fabulous, Irritated Koala Black IPA loaded smoked black tea into its mocha-fruited midst. Much like a beechwood-smoked German rauchbier, this unique hybrid maintained a barbecued campfire char that saturated sweet chocolate-cocoa malts, subtle grapefruit fondue illusions and peaty umami soy saucing.

www.twobrothersbrewing.com

 

IECHYD DA BREWING COMPANY

ELKHART, INDIANA

Opened in 2011 by hometown married couple, Chip and Summer Lewis, Elkhart-based IECHYD DA BREWING COMPANY (its name is Welch for Cheers!) has become a popular Main Street bistro in this small northern Indiana metropolis. Visited July ’14, the caliginous freestanding pub was packed on a Friday evening. Settling in at the long right side granite bar (with hanging tiki lamps), I ordered up some hummus from the respectable light menu (pizza/ sandwiches/ snacks) and prepare to consume all eight currently available house brews.

Iechyd Da’s dark gray and maroon interior and scenic Welch decor match the dusky twilight setting of its external design. Shelved ceramic mugs, two TV’s and a back-walled blackboard beer list inundate the bar while an open kitchen, one community table, several tables, exposed pipes and black ceiling fill out the midsize room. A side patio is also available for dining and the brew tanks are stationed in the rear.

First up, light-bodied session ale, Local Blonde, offered buttery corn malts and light rice niceties to softly perfume-hopped grapefruit-juiced navel orange tartness. Sour lactic acidity imbibed Tata Rosa Razz Berliner Weisse, a tart raspberry-laden summertime treat with lemon-dropped cranberry, green apple, mandarin orange and white grape souring over a soft salty-bottomed white wheat base.

Just as smooth, Cantankerous Irish Red brought toasted caramel spicing to tropical orange, pineapple, mango and peach fruiting as well as tobacco-leafed crisping and wispy nuttiness. Approachable Two Mile Pale Ale let IPA-like lemon-seeded grapefruit and orange fruiting and oily pine-hopped perfuming deepen its juniper bittering above moderate pale malting. A bit bitterer, floral-perfumed hops engaged Revolution American IPA, a wood-dried medium body gathering orange-peeled grapefruit, pineapple and pear illusions.

Each fine dark ale had a similar mocha profile. 13 American Black Ale layered sweet dark-roasted malts above hop-charred dark fruiting while Fearless King Rye Smoked Porter dealt smoked chocolate malts to dry-spiced rye breading, cocoa powdered chalking, cookie dough yeast and black cherry tartness.

For dessert, dry English-styled Cannonball Rye Stout plied sweet milk chocolate creaming to its toasted rye-pumpernickel base.

www.iechyddabrewingcompany.com

GALVESTON ISLAND BREWING

 

GALVESTON, TEXAS

In a freestanding garage-like edifice near the beach, GALVESTON ISLAND BREWING got off to a good start with its June ’14 Grand Opening. Featuring outback ‘Sunset Bleachers’ that overlook the island, this concrete-floored brewpub (with epoxied bottle caps) promises a huge amount of future expansion. A 12-seat yellow wood bar with six-plus taps distributes homemade beers emulating from rear brew tanks. Its sportsbar atmosphere gets reinforced by the 10 TV’s showing baseball, basketball and hockey games.

On tap are four diverse offerings and the small cask room readies barrel-aged ‘big beers’ aged in Four Roses whiskey and Makers Mark bourbon. On the light side, sessionable soft-toned pilsner-like Ze German Ale brought bread-crusted cereal graining to yellow-fruited niceties, picking up a dankly dewy  rye malt splurge.

Piney Simcoe-hopped acridity seeps into citric-spiced Excelsior IPA, a wood-lacquered medium body offering clean-watered briskness to dry grapefruit, pineapple, navel orange, tangerine and lemon zest as well as minor floral-wafted white peppering.

Dewy earthen peat drapes The Scotsman Scottish Ale, a caramel-malted moderation allowing a dash of Scotch, a hint of caraway-seeded pumpernickel, and a daub of dark nuttiness to outdo its desiccated orange fruiting.

Like an instant brown coffee, Predido Porter placed smoky mocha malts in a cocoa-beaned dark chocolate setting with hazelnut, walnut and peanut illusions.

www.galvestonislandbrewing.com

BEER FOOT BREWERY

Beerfoot Brewery on Galveston Island | CRISP Marketing Agency

GALVESTON, TEXAS

Open for business in springtime 2014, Galveston-based BEERFOOT BREWERY, plans expansion beyond its one flagship offering. Right near the pier ‘looking out at Seawall Boulevard,’ this beachfront sportsbar/ taproom not only crafts its own brews but also provides 100-plus selections in a large cooler. At its L-shaped and V-shaped bars, several worthy Texas brews get served alongside Beerfoot’s own homemade offerings.

My friend Dennis was kind enough to bring back to New York a half-gallon sample of the soft-toned Beerfoot Island Kolsch. A sessionable moderation, its lemon-soured grapefruit, navel orange and lime tartness received a dry grassy-hopped mildness.

FYI: Grocery store chain H.E.B., with many Texas locations, features goodly Build-A-Six-Pack deals and high-profile bombers.

www.galveston.com/beerfoot/

SKEWED BREWING

  

WATERTOWN, NEW YORK

Opened during autumn 2013, Watertown’s SKEWED BREWING is located in the rear of Salmon Run Mall next door to Regal Cinema. An upscale gastropub with sportsbar leanings, Skewed’s the first brewpub in this remote rural village 90 miles north of Syracuse and 20 miles south of Thousand Islands.

Techno-industrial brushed aluminum, dark wood and high ceilings fill the interior while one dining section faces the mall’s food court. An elongated wood-lacquered bar features 24 taps on each side and multiple TV’s crowd the ample space. Behind plexiglass are several brew tanks holding Skewed’s proprietary brews. Also available on draught are several Stone, Left Hand, Brooklyn, Great Lakes and Lost Coast fare. Light Americana food fills the menu.

My pal, Dennis Flubacher, brought back three flagship offerings during a May ’14 excursion. The lightest, Hop ‘N Mad Pale Ale, brought red, orange and yellow fruiting to musty peat-moistened compost earthiness and leafy hop astringency, picking up wispy  dried plum-fig notions.

Dry coffee-soured Breaking Out Stout gained soy-milked dark chocolate and cocoa powder illusions above its oily hop char, but may’ve been too moderate for its dark ale styling.

Best bet: busy chartreuse-hazed Skewed Wit wondrously contrasted orange-peeled pineapple, melon, banana and peach ripeness as well as wheat-honeyed butterscotch malt sweetness against lemony hop bittering and white-peppered Belgian yeast fungi.

‘Get Skewed,’ indeed.

www.skewedbrew.com

 

 

CHARLESTON BREWING COMPANY

 

CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA

Located a few blocks from West Virginia’s Elk and Kanawka Rivers, CHARLESTON BREWING COMPANY merged with Black Sheep Burrito & Brews to form a uniquely rural beer and burrito pub in springtime 2013. Visited by my pal, Dennis Flubacher, April ’14, this corner-blocked concrete-floored downtown watering hole maintains a yuppie sportsbar atmosphere. Its back bar (with 2 TV’s) saddles glass-enclosed brew tanks while windowed seats crowd the side walls.

Bought in half-growlers for consumption back in Jersey, the best bet had to be compellingly complex Mr. Malum Tripel, a hybridized off-dry saison with sugary cherry-raspberry bubblegum alacrity serenading tart lemon-candied orange, apple and pear nuances alongside contrasted black-peppered fungi must as well as minty herbage.

Another hybrid, Unsteady, combined the brewers’ English-styled bitter (a.k.a. Wobbly) with fungi-like Belgian yeast for a mildly peat-soiled moderation that’s softly dry-hopped to its salty dried fruited finish.

Crisply easygoing H-Hop IPA scattered lemon rind bittering across desiccated navel orange and yellow grapefruit tartness as well as piney spruced herbs, leaving a floral-daubed vegetal smidge in the mildly dry-hopped malt-smoked backdrop.

Similarly styled piney-fruited IPA, The Raj, placed orange-peeled grapefruit briskness atop earthen mineral graining.

On the dark side, a mildly astringent dark chocolate roast inundated Mark 1 Oatmeal Stout, leaving coffee-soured toffee, soy and raisin illusions in its watery midstream.

www.charlestonbrewingcompany.com

DETROIT BEER CO.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN

In the historic Hartz Building, mainstream downtown venue, DETROIT BEER CO. opened September ’03 and has ties to equally centrist Royal Oak Brewery and Rochester Mills Beer Co. Serving decent Americana cuisine alongside predictable, yet well-rounded, hand-crafted libations, this spacious two-floored space with high tin-tiled ceilings, exposed pipes and prominent brass brewtanks sits across Comerica Ballpark and Detroit Opera House.

A veritable sportsbar with multiple TV’s, Detroit Beer  Co. benefits greatly from its accessible central locale. A front porch area gets set up when weather warms up and a relaxed ambiance suits local businessmen.

Though stylistically underwhelming, each on-site beer had its moments. Farmhouse Pale Ale brought hoppy lemongrass herbage to sweet Belgian yeast sugaring undone by phenol astringency. Local 1529  IPA provided refreshingly clean floral-bound grapefruit and navel orange zest. Detroit Dwarf Altbier maintained a red ale-like citric spicing and caramelized nuttiness over toasted hop bittering. Semi-sweet brown chocolate malting and roasted hazelnut consumed Brokedown Brown.

Belgian yeast affected best offering, Dark Strong Ale, a Belgian-styled strong ale bending grape-soured stewed prune, raisin and black cherry fruiting into coffee-stained burgundy wining.

For dessert, citra-hopped Yeti Barleywine suited stronger tastes with its candi-sugared fruit zest and fusel alcohol burn.

www.detroitbeerco.com  

GUVNOR’S BREWERY

  

NORWALK, CONNECTICUT

In downtown Norwalk across the street from another beer-centric gastropub, Ginger Man, elegantly detailed GUVNOR’S BREWERY is the brainchild of owner Tony Aulakh, a former basement-bound home brewer with an eye towards well-prepared standard pub fare and high-end cocktails.

Open September 2013, my wife and I sojourned to this quaint glass-fronted, wood-designed, red-bricked saloon during March ’14 for Sunday lunch. Formerly a candy store, Guvnor’s charming interior includes a 12-stooled bar with three beautiful gycol-cooled Italian-styled Perlick tap stations serving Aulakh’s eclectic in-house ales (plus 2 TV’s, fine wines, upscale liquor and beer grafitti). The sterling glass-encased copper brewtanks behind the bar contain today’s six choices listed in erasable chalk.

Seated at one of the 12 right side tables, we enjoy award-winning clam chowder, fresh fried mozzarella sticks and meaty Guvnor’s Burger alongside the three lightest brews.

Lightly creamed Skinny Jeans Light Pale Lager delicately placed grassy hops next to honeyed cereal grains. Dryer Iron Curtain Pils seemed daintier than most stylistized Czech pilsners, gently flowing forh with honeyed malts and light earthen hops. Served with an orange peel, easygoing Summer Chill Wheat plied coriander-spiced citric niceties to its fragile white wheat spine.

Approachable Guts & Glory American IPA maintained a moderate grapefruit-peeled bittering to contrast its orange-candied peach-apple-pear spicing and sugary caramel malting.

For dessert, two inspiring dark ales took center stage. Intensely roasted Choc-A-Block Porter brought creamy vanilla-beaned cocoa nibs to the fore, leaving Baker’s chocolate, chocolate liqueur and chocolate eclair undertones in its wake.

Even better, subtle nitro-like Black Magic Stout spread heavenly mocha creaminess across ancillary dark cherry-pureed black grape and blackberry fruiting. Mild black coffee, dark chocolate and dark cocoa illusions simmered soothingly.

www.guvnorsbrewery.com

FALLING DOWN BEER CO.

WARREN, MICHIGAN

Perhaps less eccentric, over-the-top and wide-ranging as Warren’s two magnificent brewpub staples (Kuhnhenn and Dragonmead), FALLING DOWN BEER CO. nevertheless has a fine lineup of craft brews. Located inside a converted diner and open for biz, March 29, 2013, this blue-topped red-bricked pub maintains a charmingly blue collar appeal serving light Americana food with its approachable liquid fare.

Visited by friend, Dennis Flubacher (who brought back samples to Jersey), Falling Down never tries to be too fancy or audacious, settling for a quaint suburban atmosphere approved by many locals. During his two-hour dinner stay, Dennis imbibed  six ample samples, starting with easygoing light body, Chiller’s Revenge Amber Ale. Its clean-watered caramel toasting and phenol hop bite may’ve been unremarkable, but it’d suit amateur thirsts.

Next up, Rye My Donkey Rye Saison brought a large yellow-pink grapefruit contingent to Russian rye-breaded pumpernickel flouring and sweet banana-clove undertones. Perhaps even better, Ninja Chicken American Pale Ale got elevated by an aggressive India Pale Ale-like hop bittering that amplified piney tropical fruiting and zesty orange-peeled grapefruit rind tang.

Royal sour cherry-candied sidestep, Vampire Bunnies Cherry Blonde, offered a tart cherry pucker to crisp crescent-watered freshness.

On the dark side, Cascadian Dark Ale, Black IPA kept its dark-roasted black chocolate malting ahead of mild charcoal hop bittering.

Similar in style, dry Irish-styled FnA Stout worked cocoa-powdered Baker’s chocolate and mild black coffee into clean-watered hop briskness.

www.fallingdownbeer.com

TOP SHELF BREWING COMPANY

 

MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT

Located at historic Hilliard Mills in the rustic eastern Hartford suburb of Manchester, TOP SHELF BREWING COMPANY opened its doors during August 2013 – right in the midst of Connecticut’s booming microbrew renaissance. Distributing product all over the state from a 2,000 square foot warehouse, the three-barrel nanaobrewery has room for expansion.

Taking up the space Onyx moonshine distillery once occupied (and picking up the slack left by the closing of Tullycross Brewery), Top Shelf came into existence when three nearby UConn alumni (home brewer Mike Boney and fellow co-owners TJ Lavery and Joe Frost) gained inspiration from local New England and Back East breweries and decided “it was time to get involved” with brewing on a professional scale.

On my initial one-hour February ’14 Saturday afternoon exploit, the inconspicuous cement-floored tasting room featured samples of various limited edition ales and one winter seasonal as well as three flagship beers (bought for home consumption). Behind the tap room in a seperate space, the immaculate brewhouse puts out the well-rounded selection of generically-named American, Belgian and Irish styled ales.

I reach for Smoked Belgian Ale , an alternate to the regular Belgian, upon entering. Its lightly smoked peat malting, toasted caramel spicing and earthen musk pick up meager orange fruiting. But a lack of true Belgian yeast character hurts.

Three more limited edition brews hit my lips thereafter. Snowed In Imperial Stout brought chocolate-chipped molasses malting to caramel-burnt toffee-cocoa-coconut restraint, creme brulee sweetness and compost-wafted winter spicing.

Village Charm IPA gained floral-perfumed citric hop prominence as lemony grapefruit rind and Chinook-hopped resin subtly embittered creamy crystal malts.

Interestingly experimental hybrid, You Be The Judge, an unclassified one-off (?) offered raw-honeyed cider souring to saison-like lemony orange tartness, vinous green grape esters, kiwi-mango-guava tropicalia, fig-dried acridity and sourdough wheat (retaining a crisp watered freshness).

My only problem was that Top Shelf’s Belgian- Style Ale surprisingly had a similar pungent yeast profile as their Irish Style Ale.

For the former, an astringent cider solvency seems to outdo the apple-soured green grape tartness and herbal-peppered guava-kiwi-pitaya tropicalia. As for the latter, a blatantly acrid cider souring overruns the peated molasses malting.    

Bottled versions are listed in Beer Index.

www.topshelfbrewery.com