All posts by John Fortunato

HAM’S BREWHOUSE & RESTAURANT

United States Brewpubs,

GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Open since 1925 (and a brewpub since 1998), HAM’S BREWHOUSE & RESTAURANT served East Carolina University before economic hardships hit in 2009. Before closing, Ham’s was situated in a red brick factory building with green and white awnings. Its outdoor deck featured a replica of E.C.U.’s football field. Railroad signs lined the walls and a miniature choo choo train encircled the large left side eating space and right side bar area. Brew tanks were in back near secondary bar and upstairs cigar lounge pleased smokers.

July ’06, my family washed down ribs, burgers, and chicken dishes with pallid yellow-fruited peppery-hopped Helles-styled Sunset Lager, sweet Scotch-malted Charlie’s Barley Scotch Amber, soft lemony-hopped rye-breaded wheat-dried  Silver Lake Rye and fleeting hop-toasted fig-dabbed caramel-teased TR’s Vienna Lager.

Buttery caramel chocolate-y Mother’s Milk Cream Stout could’ve been heartier, but combustible dry-bodied Cascade-hopped Peg Leg Pale Ale proved indispensable with its floral red-fruited spicing, woody-bottomed brevity, and bitterly lemon rind finish.

NATTY GREENE’S PUB & BREW. CO.

United States Brewpubs,

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.

www.bigdraft.com

BREWZZI ITALIAN AMERICAN BISTRO – WEST PALM BEACH

United States Brewpubs,

GOLD COAST, FLORIDA

Twenty miles north of Boca on the second floor of West Palm Beach’s neuvo City Place emporium lies the second BREWZZI ITALIAN AMERICAN BISTRO, visited January ’08 (closed July ’14). Beautiful copper bar, open-fire kitchen, and glass-encased brew tanks serve wooden side pews and octagon-shaped open veranda.

Salad, pizza, and burger were enjoyed January ’08 alongside approachable standard fare such as soft French-breaded hop-fizzed straw-grassed grapefruit-tart peach-syrupy Boca Blonde Lager, polite cereal-grained peach-fuzzed raspberry-strawberry-tinged Bohemian Pilsner, and biscuit-y orange-fig-centered nut-backed medium-bodied City Fest.

These were mere lead-ins for barley-roasted coffee-grounded chocolate-malted fig-dried dunkelweiss-styled Black Duke Dark.

Topping that were two boozy concoctions: candy-glazed apple-apricot-pear-spiced guava-mango-salted Double English Pale Ale and syrupy alcohol-warmed cherry-bruised prune-stewed raisin-pureed Brewzzi Reserve Barleywine.

www.brewzzi.com

BREWZZI ITALIAN AMERICAN BISTRO – BOCA RATON

United States Brewpubs,

GOLD COAST, FLORIDA

Located near the famous Town Center Mall in a freestanding tan building with brick foundation and tropical veranda, Boca Raton’s BREWZZI ITALIAN AMERICAN BISTRO is the original of two same-named brewpubs (visited January ’08 and closed 2014). Established around ’99, its exquisite cherry-stained wood interior features barrel-bolted ceiling design (symbolizing the beer kegs), square center bar fronting glass-encased brew tanks, right hand booths, and open hearth.

Had delicious lunchtime Brewers Ranch Salad as wife and high school pal, Jerry Granato (who drank three Beck’s Non-Alcoholic beers in 10 minutes), joined me following short beach-pool stint.

Wood-dried grapefruit-soured juniper-embittered American Amber Ale had off-putting skunked waft, cardboard-y center and corn-oiled finish. Better blueberry-lacquered Tropical Madness had sweetly candied peach-pineapple-mango cache sidling grainy Boca Blonde Lager base.

Best bet: brown chocolate-fronted, cedar-burnt, prune-stewed, cherry-pureed, bourbon-nipped, crème brulee-dabbed Imperial Porter.

www.brewzzi.com

BIG BEAR BREWING

United States Brewpubs,

GOLD COAST, FLORIDA

25 miles northwest of Miami, Coral Springs’ upscale BIG BEAR BREWING is situated inside Stonegate mall on University Drive (visited January ’08). Left side green-maroon awning, right side red brick section, and front deck mark exterior while oblong center bar (with conveniently placed TV’s), large dining area, and entranceway brew tanks garnish brick-sided interior.

Brewer Matthew Cox crafted basic soft-hopped regulars such as mildly bitter lemony lightweight Polar Light Golden Ale, salty hop-sharp grapefruit-peeled apple-candied pear-ripened IPA-styled Hibernation Pale Ale and honey-dipped caramel-malted red-fruited Irish-styled Grizzly Red Ale.

Fruitier choices were banana-cherry-bruised honey-suckled Belgian Blonde and tart peach-lacquered wheat-cracked Peach Ale.

Better still were creamy plantain-fig-date-dried vanilla-backed Kodiac Belgian Dubbel, buttery tobacco-dried vanilla-malted fig-prune-pecan-hoisted Brown Bear Ale and veritable chocolate-spiced dessert treat, Bourbon Barrel Stout (a citric-peeled prune-pureed Kahlua-tinged bourbon whiskey-finishing elixir).

www.bigbearbrewingco.com

THE ABBEY

United States Brewpubs

GOLD COAST, FLORIDA

A few blocks beyond South Beach’s gaudily stylish trendiness lies inconspicuous closet-sized bar, THE ABBEY, established 1995. A tremendous Miami find, this cramped hole-in-the-wall has exclusive agreement with Melbourne-based Indian River Brewery to craft Raymond Rigazio’s excellent exclusive beers that compete favorably with 20-plus microbrews-imports available on tap. Two stain-glass Abbey mural insignias at right side bar oppose five pews filled with cigarette-smoking college age drinkers.

My wife quaffed Lost Coast Apricot Wheat as I sampled three house beers at cozy coffin corner near glass frontage during crowded Friday night, January ‘08.

Superbly rounded Immaculate IPA placed intricate red-orange fruiting across resinous floral-hopped grapefruit swell and wintry evergreen scour. Brother Aaron’s Quadrupel propelled lush rosé, brandy, and sherry notes atop creamily caramelized raisin-plum profundity.

Equally fine, Father Theodore’s Imperial Stout regaled black chocolate-y sweetness and dried red cherry radiance overriding tertiary port, molasses, toffee, anise, liqueur, and raisin serenity.

www.abbeybrewinginc.com

THE TITANIC

United States Brewpubs, ,

GOLD COAST, FLORIDA

PREFIX: Extending North from Miami Beach to Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, this Atlantic Ocean vacation haven offered no local brews after many annual trips in ‘70s and ‘80s. In February ’03, discovered Ybor Gold Lager in Fort Lauderdale, though respective Floridian brew originates from cross-coast Gulf of Mexico paradise, Tampa. Happily, a large selection of out-of-state/ international brews could be found at 153 family-owned ABC Fine Wine liquor stores throughout area.

Revisited flourishing Southern seaboard in sunny January ’08, discovering a few inspiring brewpubs that’d sprung up since ’99.

Opened since 1999 and serving Coral Gables’ University of Miami campus, THE TITANIC is a snug midsize pub with green-yellow exterior, maroon-walled interior, copper-wood furnishings, expansive Americana-cajun menu, and front-sided bar-backed glass-encased brew tanks.

Current brewer Steve Copeland joined me at left side bar as I got acquainted with his well-rounded fare, passing along a lovely Finnish bottled beer, Huvila Sahti (reviewed in Beer Index), as a splendid nicety.

Though German-styled spice-tingled citric-tart white-breaded light body Triple Screw Light Ale only satisfies amateurs, floral-fruited cedar-licked Britannic Best Bitter and biscuit-y cereal-grained dried-fruited Captain Smith’s Rye were smarter alternatives.

Better still were lemon-candied, citric-peeled, candi-sugared, corn-syrupy, curacao orange-tinged Triple Reserve Belgian Ale, mild pale-malted fig-spiced date-soured grapefruit-embittered Poinsettia Red Ale and resilient piney-hopped, orange-grapefruit-glistened, lemon rind-dried White Star India Pale Ale.

On the darker side, coffee-grounded walnut-charred tobacco-burnt fig-soured Boiler Room Nut Brown sufficed while sweet brown chocolate-y hazelnut-smoked hop-roasted Oatmeal Stout rocked like the Hurricanes.

For great bottled selection, try nearby Dixie Highway’s Crown Wine & Spirits, where purchaser Jeffrey Silva keeps shelves packed with sundry microbrews and imports.

www.titanicbrewery.com

GORE RANGE BREWERY

United States Brewpubs,

GLENWOOD SPRINGS / EDWARDS, COLORADO

Ten miles west of arresting Bavarian-styled mountainside resort, Vail, off Route 70 in a new mall zone, lies Edwards’ excellent GORE RANGE BREWERY. A freestanding ruddy brick building with stone backdrop and outdoor deck, Gore Range’s amenities included stone rotisserie at entrance, right side bar (with windowed brew tanks), left dining, oak furnishings, cornered TV’s, exposed ducts, and wood-fired pizzas. Adventurous brews were all over the proverbial map.

Alongside tuna melt, had risqué-named Great Sex Honey Ale, a honeyed wheat-informed barley-biscuit-y orange-ripened mainstay.

Afterwards, sampled cereal-grained cherry-dried tangerine-strawberry-sugared Fly Fisher Red Ale, lemony honeysuckle-endured corn-floured floral-softened King Schwing Pilsner and stimulating orange-lemon-spiced hop-fizzed White Water Wheat.

Though the latter truly sufficed, sweet honey-citric cherry-peach-juiced floral-spiced Powder Day Pale Ale and molasses-thick cantaloupe-apricot-fruited grapefruit-soured wood-dried IPA proudly held their own.

Nitro-injected black chocolate-chalked espresso-embittered cedar-burnt tobacco-roasted nut-charred Biker Stout impressed less.

www.gorerangebrewery.com

GLENWOOD CANYON BREWPUB

United States Brewpubs,

GLENWOOD SPRINGS / EDWARDS, COLORADO

Passing through scenic mountain peaks along Route 70 from Mount Evans to Georgetown to Dillon and onward to Edwards, then Glenwood Springs, during unimaginably panoramic August ’07 trek, found two commendable brewpubs west of Vail prior to soaking feet in renowned rotten egg-wafted hot springs.

Inside historic tan-bricked Denver Hotel across street from Colorado River, sprawling GLENWOOD CANYON BREWPUB, formerly a liquor bottling company, maintained loud family/ sports bar atmosphere. Left bar area had glass-encased brew kettles (across from copper kettle entrance tanks), oak furnishings, expansive TV’s and stool seating. Right side dining area fronting billiard room offered secondary bar while elegant downstairs couch-furnished waiting room featured rustic beer can collection and large television.

Had beef stroganoff with raw-honeyed wheat-dried corn-sugared Hanging Lake Honey Ale, tart raspberry-dominant cranberry-soured orange-tart Grizzly Creek Raspberry Wheat and lemony hop-fizzed wheat-husked Sunlight American Wheat.

Afterwards, tried nitro-injected fruit-enlightened rye-swayed fig-date-backed Red Mountain ESB, ripe red apple-pear-apricot-fruited pekoe-tea-finishing St. James Irish Red Ale and easygoing piney spruce-tipped, grapefruit-orange peel-embittered, spice-tingled Vapor Cave IPA.

Light dried chocolate entry begot black cherry, parched fig, macadamia, anise, and espresso tones consuming No Name Nut Brown Ale.

www.glenwoodcanyon.com

DAVIDSON BROTHERS RESTAURANT & BREWERY

United States Brewpubs,

GLENS FALLS, NEW YORK

Nestled in the heart of snug Upper New York town, Glens Falls, DAVIDSON BROTHERS RESTAURANT & BREWERY was the vicinity’s first brewpub. Old brewing gear, rustic mining gear and exposed ceiling pipes give the pub a Prohibition Era feel and the brick-kettled Peter Austin brewing system provides crisp, clean ales. Open since ’96, the intimate brick tavern served typical pub fare, seafood, and appetizers. Upstairs lounge had bar and dart games.

It had been eleven years since my wife and I initially perused Davidson Brothers. It was a more innocent time when the United States only had a few hundred brewpubs. Now, there’s a few thousand with three new-sprung pubs in Glens Falls alone – Common Roots; Coopers Cave Ale Company; Mean Max Brewworks.

On a zero-degree January ’16 late-night sojourn, tried eight tapped brews starting with lightly creamed floral-perfumed lemon-soured American Bright Pale Ale and sweet hazelnut-sugared cola-nutty Harvest Brown Ale.

Next, traditional English IPA (from a 19-year-old recipe), with its dewy earthiness and buckwheat-honeyed graining, contrasted Americanized I-87 IPA, an approachable phenol hop-embittered dry body pleating dewy crystal malts with grapefruit, mango, pineapple and orange tang.

Brit-styled Winter Ale brought rye-honeyed sweetness to dried fig and sugared spicing while 2015’s cask-conditioned Anniversary Ale retained a soft-toned caramelized buttering and dewy moss sweetness.

As for the mocha-bound dark ales, Throwback Porter plied cocoa-dried black chocolate to molasses-sapped fig sugaring and dark-roasted nut char while the richer Oatmeal Stout draped its walnut-seared hop char with soothing molasses-sapped oats, brown chocolate, roasted coffee and anise illusions.

During initial December ’04 trip, Davidson offered their own bottled beer selection (check Beer Index) and several commendable tap-only brews quaffed on a family visit on the way to wintry Adirondacks.

Beers tried on-site included wheat-sweet maize-dried German hybrid Cold Blooded Lager, resinous hop-spiced malt-toasted red-fruited tobacco-crisped Irish Red Ale; soft-toned mocha-creamed cigar-ashy Swimmin’ Cow Rye Cream Ale; buttery oats-fortified cherry-dabbed whiskey-toned Scotch Ale; prickly-hopped rye-backed tea-like Brewers Secret Copper Ale; and perfume-hopped espresso-centered dark chocolate-y dry-bodied Oatmeal Stout.

Uniquely distinct was coffee-fronted eggshell-creamed Band Aid-wafted meat-cured peat-malted carouser Smoked Porter.

www.davidsonbrothers.com

MARKET CROSS PUB & INN

United States Brewpubs,

CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA

Before reaching Gettysburg during terse April ’06 family trip, spent warm spring afternoon in Carlisle, thirty miles north, stopping by midtown staple, MARKET CROSS PUB & INN (established April Fools Day, 1994).

Located ground level inside an adorable red brick building housing second and third floor garden apartments, its quaintly provincial English-styled bar is front-center with TV’s on each side and dining sections to the right and left rear. Keg handles bedeck the walls alongside cool artifacts. A large mirrored Bass insignia at the bar, several Fullers banners above my table, olden wood furnishings and low ceilings provide the perfect English pub setting.

Well-respected British brews on tap included Boddington’s, John Courage, Guinness and several Young’s while sundry mixers worth trying were Lava Lamp (Framboise/ Stella Artois/ Guinness), Chocolate Covered Raspberry (Framboise with Young’s Chocolate Stout), Red Eye (Harp with tomato juice), and Smoothie (Guinness with cider). Large bottled selection featuring 100 Belgian, German, Scottish and Pennsylvania microbrews plus several phenomenal Unibroue’s from Canada impressed me even further.

A retired fellow at nearby table quaffed excellent Rogue Brutal Bitter while my family enjoyed English pub food and I munched Earl Of Stafford crab spread with Swiss cheese on sourdough roll. Back garage accommodated British hot water brew tanks plus wood and silver holding tanks containing fine beers and ales.

Basic soft-toned citric-spiced Market Cross Red merely set the stage for worthier hand-pumped cask-conditioned Excalibur Stout, a warm black cherry-fronted, raspberry puree-backed, black chocolate-y medium body gaining mocha-hazelnut illusions ‘til vanilla bean-embittered tar-like finish.

Better still: majestic Munich-fashioned Saaz-hopped Lion Heart Lager, a sharp red-fruited, cereal-grained, spice-tinged, vegetal-finishing, Helles-styled brew that tops nearly all in its class.

During September ’12 revisit, trivia night takes place while the first Monday Night Football game of the season is shown on both small TV’s at the cozy bar. My friend, Fred, and I munch on English cuisine such as fish and chips, bangers and mash, chicken pot pie and Shepherd’s pie after three orders of fabulous drunken clams.

Long-time brewmaster, Kevin Spicer, readied three previously untried beers (and one flagship standard) for tonight’s session. For a fruity appetizer, Midsummer Knight’s Wheat Apricot retained a soapy apricot-peach tartness saddled by soft-toned hops over a delicate honey wheat base. On reinspection, Market Cross Red balanced sweet and sour citric spicing with salt-watered brining, picking up a muted perfume hop waft over biscuit-y malts.

Along with dinner, Old Yeller IPA contrasted brisk grapefruit-peeled bittering with floral peach-apple-orange tang for an appealing medium body hopheads and regulars will enjoy.

Cask Conditioned Bessie’s Best Brown Ale stayed smooth, offering a well-watered butternut smidge to distant dried fig, toffee and vanilla flourishes as well as musty cellared fungi undertones.

www.marketcrosspub.com

APPALACHIAN BREWING

United States Brewpubs,

Appalachian Brewing Company close to replacing one of its Gettysburg brewpubs - pennlive.com
GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

Stayed at Gettysburg Hotel (established 1797) two blocks down from train station where Lincoln delivered Gettysburg Address, April ’06. Quaffed Guinness Stout at attached Mc Clellan’s Tavern, a gorgeously snug turn-of-the-century Van Tromp mahogany bar imported from England.

By nightfall, drove one mile towards historic Civil War Battlefield and nearby freestanding wood-pillared spire-roofed APPALACHIAN BREWING (thirty miles west of original Harrisburg brewery). Prominent midsize bar centered right-left side dining sections while banquet room and brew tanks bedecked downstairs area.

Classical tavern food was served alongside sharp, lemony grapefruit, floral-hopped, pepper-embittered Peregrine Pils, mild apple-orange-spiced, cereal-grained, honey-malted Zoigl Lager, orange peel/ grapefruit rind-embittered Hoppy Trails IPA and creamy fruited malt softie Celtic Knot Irish Red.

Heartier thirsts will gravitate towards black chocolate-dried, coffee-burnt, wood-chipped Chocolate Coffee Stout and sourer Susquehanna Stout (which tasted drier in bottled version).

Really enjoyed seasonal malt-sugared cherry-bruised banana-liqueur Broad Street Barleywine and Belgian-styled Abbey Roade, a candi-sugared dark ale with peppery spices and speckled pear-grape-plum notes. Bottled Appalachian selections listed in Beer Index.

www.abcbrew.com