
BOULDER, COLORADO
B.J.’S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE may be the country’s best chain brewpub, commencing operation as a deepdish pizza parlor in Santa Ana, California, during the nineties. Boulder’s green-exteriored version at Pearl Street Mall had small outdoor patio, front dining space, back area bar (with several beer banners and rear kettle tanks), exposed ducts, and loft dining, August ‘07. Upper tier had more kettles plus wood barrels for casking.
Drank sourly citric lemongrass-parched Kolsch-styled
BJ’s Brewhouse Blonde, tangy apple-pear-grapefruit-spiced wood-dried Cascade-hopped IPA-like
Piranha Pale Ale, biscuit-y caramel-malted Irish-styled
Jeremiah Red Ale and rancid lemon-soured veggie-rotted cocoa-powdered honey-dripped
Drop Light Pilsner with wife and long-time pal, Phil Calitre.
Better were sweet ‘n sour candied cantaloupe-blueberry-peach-ripened cherry-cranberry-tart
Berries & Cream and lactic milk chocolate-y malt-sugared black cherry-pureed
Tatonka Imperial Stout.
Dry cocoa-soured tar-tobacco-backed
PM Porter retained easy crossover appeal.
www.bjsbrewhouse.com