GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
In the center of town in red brick building with black frontage lies NATTY GREENE’S PUB & BREW. CO., visited July ’06. Upon entering wood-floored corner tavern, ductwork-exposed dining section leads to liquor-lined mahogany-mantled bar (with eight stools plus Newcastle, Spaten, and Stella Artois on tap). Upstairs loft offered billiard tables and right side deck provided nice village view.
Brewer Scott Christoffel crafted a fine array of libations in rear brewtanks to go with excellent sandwiches, wraps, burgers, and salads. Sharp red-fruited, piney hop-embittered, floral-dabbed, charcoal-singed Natty’s Pale Ale, bitter hop-roasted, dark-fruited, raw-honeyed, wood-toned Buckshot Amber Ale, and soft candy-spiced, lemon rind/orange pith-embittered, unripe banana-tinged Belgian-styled Wildflower Witbier were well-rounded.
Phenol wheat-chaffed maize-dried baked-bready Guilford Golden only suited blue-collar thirsts.
Though General Stout and Old Town Brown were unavailable, excellent Cannonball Double IPA brought bright orange-tangerine tang and bruised cherry depth to delicate buckwheat-backed hop sass. From rival Greensboro brewpub, Red Oak Amber had cheap wheat-pleated fizz, blush corn-husked center, and sour diacetyl finish.
