Category Archives: United States Brewpubs

RUSHING DUCK BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs

Image result for rushing duck brewing new building

CHESTER, NEW YORK

Making quite a splash since opening in autumn 2012, Hudson Valley’s second microbrewery (following eastbound Newburgh Brewery), RUSHING DUCK, is presently housed at an old tile factory just off Chester’s historic Main Street in the rustic rolling hills just off Route 17 West. Led by Dan Hitchcock (a proud Weyerbacher alumni) and companion Nikki Cavanaugh (part-time Copper Mine bartender), this inspiring independent business will undoubtedly grow way beyond its current parameters.

Upon my first visit with family dog, Roscoe, I got to taste five 5-ounce tapped samples at the small hardwood-floored tasting room during a sunny Saturday afternoon, August ’13. Already familiar with the award-winning stout, flagship pale ale and hop-headed double IPA (bought in growlers from Bardonia’s fabulous Cable Beverage), I also got to try a hybridized Brit-styled ale and brettanomyces-soured pale ale. Though all beers are draught-only at this time, bottling cannot be far off. And barrel aged beers are coming soon.

For starters, brisk year-round offering, Naysayer Pale Ale (a stylistically robust West Coast-styled beauty), brought grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and gin-soaked juniper hops to floral-nipped tropical fruit sweetness.

Pungent War Elephant Imperial IPA rampaged forward with deeper grapefruit peel bittering, brighter orange-pineapple juicing and resinous pine needling to contrast ‘subdued malt’ sugaring and tangy peach, melon, cantaloupe and tangerine wisps.

Then came two whimsical delights that will hopefully become permanent fixtures. An English strong ale with light brown ale nuttiness, Nimptopsical Ale relied on caramel-burnt toffee and brown chocolate sweetness, dried fig-date overtones, earthy caraway-fennel-carrot notions and banana-breaded chestnut-acorn nuances, finishing with a rye whiskey touch (derived from the five barley strands used).

Not to be outdone, soft-watered Panic On Funkatron used wild brettanomyces yeast to fortify the soured grapefruit, mango, guava and passion fruit illusions while pumping up the herbaceous lemon zesting.

As a treasured dessert, Beanhead Coffee Porter (Best of Show at Hudson Valley’s 2012 Brewfest) loaded bittersweet Guatemalan coffee beans atop bitter cocoa and dark-roasted chocolate, finishing with a totally satisfying espresso-fortified coffee nuttiness.

During springtime 2021 revisit, Rushing Duck had expanded its parameters to include a cement-floored barnhouse with covered outside deck, large serving station and decorative Edison lights. My wife and I enjoyed a few more deserving homemade brews at one of the picnic tables.

Amiable light lager, Courtyard Crusher, let pasty acidulated malts dot zesty lemon tartness and candied orange wisps over mineral grained caramelization.

Lemon-bruised cara cara orange rot scurried thru sweet banana-clove-coriander expectancy, mild grains of paradise peppering and herbal lemongrass tartness for mellow Witbier, a slightly sourer alternative.

Glowing red ‘fruited sour’ ale, Stab In The Dark, brought mild cherry tartness, cara cara navel orange tang and pink grapefruit sweetness to salty acidulated malting in distinct fashion.

Honeyed dried fruit spicing gained fungi earthiness to counter brown-sugared caramelization of Belgian Quad, leaving banana-chipped plum, fig, prune and raisin serenity.

Mild NEIPA, Casual Chaos, allowed spritzy lemony grapefruit zest and mild orange rind bittering to hover above dryly pined herbal hop astringency efficiently.

Dry dark-roast coffee nuttiness galvanized Imperial Beanhead Porter, a more complex and ultimately richer version of its original, adding cola, walnut and Brazil nut influence to maple oats-sugared java richness.

Bustling flesh-headed mahogany-bodied nightcap, Oatmeal Stout, plied maple-sugared oats, bourbon vanilla and cappuccino creaming to dark-roast mocha goodness.

During noon time stopover, April ’22, hail fell down as I consumed one previously untried lager and an updated milk stout.

Easygoing light lager, Duck Dry, let peppery-hopped lemon spritz settle into red-riced sourdough malting.

Lovely Chained To The Dead (2022) stayed robust as lactic milk-sugared medium coffee roast embraced dark chocolate-fudged cocoa powder, espresso, hazelnut paste, cola and pistachio illusions.

www.rushingduckbrewing.blogspot.com

 

GRANITE CITY FOOD & BREWERY – PEORIA

United States Brewpubs

 Granite City Food And Brewery, Peoria - Restaurant ReviewsPeoriaRestaurants.com - Peoria, Illinois restaurants

PEORIA, ILLINOIS

Though I’ve yet to experience Peoria’s GRANITE CITY FOOD & BREWERY, my friend Dennis has perused this trusty midwest chain brewery on several occasions during 2008-2013 stints at Caterpillar. In an exquisite brown and beige freestanding building along the Illinois River on the revitalized light industrial East Peoria section next to Logan’s Roadhouse, this spacious riverfront joint’s large back patio overlooks the westside’s cosmopolitan downtown area. Cultured stone and earthen wood tones give the homey interior a lodge-like ambiance.

A variegated food menu features steaks, burgers, pasta, sandwiches and salads while the beer menu offers familiar chain brews alongside a few seasonal or one-off libations. Brunch buffets are affordable and recommended to out-of-towners visiting this mid-sized midwest hub.

During August ’13, Dennis brought back to Jersey a growler of Granite City’s worthy Batch 1,000 Double IPA, an easygoing soft-watered turnabout less interested in monstrous stylistic bittering than affable fruited subtlety. Its creamy caramel malting contrasted grassy floral hops as mellow grapefruit, orange, red apple, Bartlett pear and white peach illusions began protruding above the earthen vegetal bottom.

After Labor Day ’13, Dennis came by Jersey pad with four more Granite pleasantries for Thursday eve Patriots-Jets football game.

Polite White Ale snuck sweet navel orange peel tartness into quaint coriander-clove-allspice seasoning and delicate white-breaded spine of easygoing summertime session beer. Lemon zest, orange pith and tangerine undertones wisp by.

Mild German-styled dark lager, The Bennie’s Bock, pushed soft coffee-roasted mochaccino alacrity across black-breaded pecan, walnut and hazelnut illusions, finishing with an unassumingly dry Baker’s chocolate whim. 

Dewy tea-like Oktoberfest retained reedy-hopped autumnal foliage above pumpernickel-honeyed Russian rye breading and mild orange-grapefruit-fig dessication, picking up distant cocoa bean influence at the earthen finish of highly sessionable seasonal.

Soft-toned Duke Of Wellington IPA brought English-styled resin-hopped dewy earthiness and musty cellared fungi waft to roasted hop char, leaving a tinge of grapefruit upon the centrist dry-bodied moderation.    

www.gcfb.net

RALEIGH BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs

    Drinks

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

At a light industrial section just north of downtown in a maroon brick building (with yellow insignia), RALEIGH BREWING COMPANY opened March 9, 2013. Run by married co-owners Kristie and Patrick Nystedt, the friendly noir-like beer joint served well-rounded American, British, Belgian, Scottish and Czech styled fare from its dank maroon-walled high-ceiling tasting room on my June ’13 summer sojourn.

Since future renovations seem imminent, its worth noting the spacious cement-floored pub area can easily be expanded to the gigantic back-spaced brewing room. For now, Atlantic Brewing Supply Company runs the left space while a narrow outdoor porch and parking lot benches provide extra drinking spots.

Settling at the trusty tasting room bar (featuring white bell-shaped light fixtures, exposed pipes, 10 bar stools, 10 tables and 4 dartboards), blonde bartender, Rachel, serves eight 6-ounce samplers as MGMT’s hook-filled “Kids” plays in the backround this sunny afternoon.

As a soft-toned sessionable opener, City Of Blokes English Bitter proves to be a durable English pub ale with its dry-honeyed toasted nuttiness, serene hop-spiced pale malting and earth-toned vegetal fungi snip.

Also light and crisp, Uncommon Curiosity Lager brought grassy-hopped cereal graining to dry citric-vegetal tones. Dryer still, Moravian Rhapsody Czech Pils gathered citric-hopped pale malts for vegetal squash, asparagus and celery pungency.

These easygoing libations led the way for more complex fare. Pilsner-malted Hell Yes Mam Belgian Golden offered honey-spiced Belgian candi-sugaring to ripe banana, apricot and pear fruiting. Scott’s Petit Saison plied black-peppered herbage to rotted orange juicing.

Arguably the best offering, House Of Clay Rye IPA saturated dry-hopped rye toasting with grapefruit-peeled dessicated orange bittering and dark floral-spiced pineapple, mango, kiwi and passion fruit tropicalia.

Seductive Blatherskite Scottish Ale may’ve topped all previous servings as well. Its caramel-honeyed toffee malts, cereal grained sugaring and ripe fruiting seemed sweeter and more enjoyable stylistically.

On the dark side, finely detailed Hidden Pipe Porter rounded up dark-roasted chocolate malts, coffee-roasted cappuccino creaminess and sugared molasses to elevate tertiary black cherry, blackberry and black grape notions.

An appealing freestyle microbrewery with rangy fare and ambitious determination, Raleigh Brewing represents the beer-centric North Carolina capitol quite well.

www.raleighbrewingcompany.com

 

TROPHY BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,
 Image result for trophy brewing
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
In a small red brick-topped shopping mall anchored by Food Mart (and just one-half mile from the center of town), Raleigh’s TROPHY BREWING COMPANY was established in 2012. Besides selling a terrific revolving varietal of brews crafted at its tiny backroom 3-barrel nano system, Trophy’s excellent pizzas have become locally renowned as well.
Visiting this small two-room pub with family in tow during June ’13, I get readied to try four worthy brews at the cramped 6-table patio space (with folding doors allowing for warm weather outside acess). An open kitchen keeps busy behind the small left side bar area that fills up with North Carolina State hipsters, local businessmen and families for dinnertime while a torrential storm hits town.
Efficiently run by owners Chris Powers and David Lockwood and head brewer Les Stewart, Trophy’s tap handles pour three Belgian styled offerings and one increasingly popular German knockoff this rainy evening.
Ultra dry Participant Berliner Weiss glazed its salty coriander spicing with light crystal malt creaming, making for a nifty sour wheat moderation.
Citric-dried Quiz Wiz Wit brought spritzy orange-peeled coriander spicing to white-peppered mandarin-clementine briskness and lemon-honeyed banana tartness.
Grassy perfumed hops and Belgian candi sugaring laced Best Of Show Citra Saison, a light citric-embittered medium body with lemon-pitted yellow grapefruit rind tang contrasting banana-bruised pineapple tartness.
Though lacking specific Belgian yeast influence, Biggest Flirt Belgian IPA let its dry resin-hopped floral spicing sedate soft-focus grapefruit, pineapple and peach tropicalia with impressive results.
Equally impressive were the gourmet pizzas, such as Most Outgoing (tomato-sauced arugula and mozzarella-cheesed caramelized onions, mushrooms and brie), The Daredevil (fire-roasted tomato-sauced jalapeno and caramelized onions and chili peppered salami), Farmers Market (basil, pesto, tomato, kale, spinach, squash, asparagus and red onions), Most Loyal (herb-roasted chicken with mozzarella, onion, basil and pesto) and Local Celebrity (mozzarella and ricotta-cheesed sopresseta, kale, mushroom and, asparagus).

BOYLAN BRIDGE BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs

  The Raleigh Connoisseur (June 1, 2009) - BeerCon: Boylan Bridge

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

The City of Oaks’ and its smaller neighboring industrial municipality, Durham, house North Carolina State and Duke, while the more affluent, less populated, Chapel Hill, is home to University of North Carolina. After visiting N.C. State campus and middling local brewpub GREENSHIELDS, July ‘03 (closed ’07), stopped by fabulous Super 7 Even, one of the finest beer stores in the country at that time (located in Exxon station at 6901 Louisburg Road), finding cornucopia of Highland, Carolina, Charleston, Cottonwood, Pipkin, and Dogwood brews. Soon after, North Carolina’s microbrew revolution happened.

Leading the way for Raleigh’s current brewpub explosion in 2008, BOYLAN BRIDGE BREWING COMPANY became popular a few years before hard-nosed competitors Lonerider, Trophy, Big Boss and Raleigh Brewing came to fruition. Up a hill across the railroad tracks overlooking Oak City’s skyline in a rustic beige brick building, this yellow wood furnished cafe-styled pub brings brusque blue collar fare to hard working locals.

Besides the hand crafted beer, perhaps the most outstanding feature of Boylan Bridge is the large side deck with red-white umbrellas – a comfortable outdoor station boasting the most picturesque view of downtown.

During the start of a June ’13 family trip, we ate Corn Tortilla Chipped Nachos while grabbing a few samplers from the glass-encased stainless steel brewtanks while sitting across from the cozy soffit-covered center bar next to framed poster art. Today’s blackboard beer list offers five in-house choices to go alongside Americana fare such as the Angus Burger, Philly Cheesesteak, BLT and Crab Cake Sandwich.

Sturdy flagship beer, Rail Pale Ale, gathered orange-peeled grapefruit bittering for prickly floral hop-spiced crisping, placing tangy peach-tangerine illusions down below.

Mild Endless Summer Ale brought corn syrupy lemon-grapefruit tartness to wood-dried hop spicing while maintaining a brisk carbolic spritz. Similarly pleasant, Autumn Amber Ale amplified its lemon-soured citric foundation with spicy perfume-hopped bittering.

On the dark side, caramel-malted Brown Ale left subtle coffee-oiled honey nut, butternut and praline illusions atop toffee candied soaping. A better bet, Pullman Porter, added molasses-smoked mocha malts and dried fruiting to coffee-roasted nuttiness, leaving a caramel-burnt sweetness on the back of the tongue.

Retaining stylistic integrity while expanding the loose guidelines on the bitter end just a tad, Boylan Bridge’s common fare makes fine crossover fodder for mainstream drinkers ready to take a bold step forward discovering the craft beer revolution.

www.boylanbridge.com

BIG BOSS BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs

Photo  Big Boss to increase production | Craft Beer Collective

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

Located three miles northeast from downtown just inside the Raleigh beltline at a white warehouse facility, BIG BOSS BREWING COMPANY is one of the city’s largest microbrew operations as of my June ’13 visit. Established in 2006 by University of North Carolina grad Geoff Lamb and brewmaster Brad Wynn, this plentiful brewhouse makes five year-round offerings (Bad Penny Brown/ High Roller IPA/ Angry Angel Kolsh/ Blanco Diablo Wit/ Hell’s Belle Belgian Ale) plus a long lineup of seasonals and one-offs (reviewed in the Beer Index).

At the English tavern-styled taproom above the brewery, patrons seem intrigued by the retro-styled arcade game dispensing beers to winners on my initial stopover. A large blackboard beer list, several flat-screen TV’s, high-shelved collectible beer bottles, pool tables, ping pong and darts dot the entirety. A bottling plant for 6-packs and serving tanks readying kegs reside downstairs on the expansive first floor.

Not afraid to bend stylistic boundaries, Big Boss beers tend to gleefully test the limits. D’Icer Dunkelweizen renders sourdough wheat malting for lemon-dried plantain, vinous green grape and oaken cherry, leaving behind any stylized banana-browned sweetness.

Surprisingly, thick molasses sweetness coats the front end of Bad Penny Brown Ale, a hop-oiled sidestep placing coffee-soured black chocolate over expectant walnut bittering.

www.bigbossbrewing.com

LONERIDER BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs
Surviving COVID-19: Lonerider Brewing Company — Triangle Around Town
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
More like a crazy-ass Confederate co-operative than a humble Carolina craft beer station, LONERIDER BREWING COMPANY make ‘Ales For Outlaws’ at its off-the-beaten-path Industrial outpost since January 23, 2009. In a chocolate brown aluminum warehouse with a glass-windowed tasting room sidling ‘The Hideout’ (a connected restaurant), Lonerider employs three owners, four brewers, two bottlers-keggers and at least three bartenders as of my June ’13 sojourn to Raleigh.
Utilizing the purest water source imaginable, this ever-expanding microbrewery delivers a wide range of crystalline ales for a thirsty local crowd that keeps ‘em busy. A few community tables and the 12-seat bar (with eight tap handles) gets crowded by the time I depart this Friday afternoon.
Betty the Bartender serves my wife and I the soft-focus German-styled summertime ale named after her first. Soothingly smoothShotgun Betty Hefeweizen lightened up the tongue with tangy hop-spiced lemon spritz, stylishly sweet banana-clove-bubblegum illusions and soda-breaded white wheat wisps.
Next up, wondrous Peacemaker Pale Ale brought caramelized apple, peach, pear, orange and pineapple fruiting to resinous floral-pined hop-spiced vegetal musk.
Sessionable True Britt English-style Pale Ale enhanced its light nuttiness and bready pale malting with subtle earthen hop bittering, retaining a mineral-grained dewiness to the finish.
Sweet Josie Brown Ale layered molasses-sapped toffee and dark-spiced black chocolate over walnut, hazelnut and Brazil nut in a truly definitive way.
White and black peppering spiced up The Preacher Saison, a fruity summer seasonal with lemon-dropped bruised orange, banana and tangerine tartness.
The darker offerings were just as fine. Mild dry-bodied dark lager, Mad Dock Weizenbock, married sweet cocoa malting to raisin-breaded fig, date and plum illusions, picking up cinnamon apple nuances along the way.
For dessert, tried the luscious Hangman Barleywine, a sugary caramel-chocolate malted full body withlingering Blackstrap molasses bittering, creamy vanilla sweetness and cherry-bruised candied apple tartness.

CAPE COD BEER

United States Brewpubs

 Cape Cod Chips and Cape Cod Beer | Talk-  Cape_Cod_Beer.png

HYANNIS, MASSACHUSETTS

Escaping to the Massachusetts shoreline for a long weekend in July ’13, stopped by reliable CAPE COD BEER for a few pints (picking up each flagship beer in bottled versions as well). Inside a white sheet metal industrial building just off the main drag in Hyannis, this multifaceted microbrewery (with cement-floored back tap room, beer shop, retail store and large silver brew tanks) opened in 2004 and has grown in size over the years.

A comfortable beach-styled front porch with eight patio tables fills up this afternoon as my beers get poured inside. Presently, Cape Cod’s suds are only sold in the eastern Massachusetts area, but slowly the brewery’s range has expanded. Going from lightest to darkest brews during my one-hour stint, each efficient offering proves to be not only stylistically forthright but also intriguingly original.

Crisply light-bodied Beach Blonde brought cereal-grained Vienna malting  and soft Cascade-hopped bittering to a refreshing sugared citric finish, gaining musky Czech pilsener-like lemon-rotted vegetal nuances along the way.

Medium-bodied signature beer, Red Right Return retained a toasted amber-grained hop spice reinforced by pallid crystal malt sweetness. Its centrist flavor will please pilsner, lager and pale ale imbibers.

Engaging hot weather moderation, Summer Hefeweizen, pleated its lovely banana-clove insistence with lemony Cascade hops and honeyed wheat.

Dry-bodied India Pale Ale loaded woody Chinook-hopped grapefruit rind bittering atop lightly smoked pale malts, picking up a sharp alcohol burn that nearly muted the ancillary peach-pineapple tang.

On the dark side, nutty mocha full body, Cape Cod Porter, worked its dark-roasted grain bill into Brazil nut, hazelnut and walnut illusions as well as molasses-sweet brown chocolate chalking and roasted coffee undertones.

Afterwards, spent two days at beautiful Orleans beach and windy Yarmouth inlet to try bottled versions (reviewed at Beer Index).

www.capecodbeer.com

SMARTMOUTH BREWERY

United States Brewpubs,
Smartmouth Brewing Co. :: McPherson Design Group  Smartmouth Brewing Co. - Virginia Is For Lovers
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
A diverse group of parents with children and post-collegiate hop-heads gather on blankets spread across the cement porch fronting SMARTMOUTH BREWERY’s inconspicuous gray brick warehouse to enjoy the sunny Saturday afternoon swelter on my initial July ’13 one-hour stopover. Set in a light industrial Norfolk hub, this spirited microbrewery has gained quite a substantial local following since opening for biz, November ’12.
Inside, the pristine white interior features eight back-walled metal stools, six community tables, four tap stations (with two handles each), black acoustic ceiling tiles, a huge blackboard beer list andglass-encased copper-kettled brew tanks. A beautiful beer-centric collage painting hangs from the front wall. Presently, Smartmouth only sells kegs and growlers to the general public, but imminent expansion will increase capacity and bottling seems likely in the future.
Flagship Alter Ego Saison spreads buttery caramel malting across Belgian candi-sugared sweetness, white-peppered grapefruit-orange-lemon bittering and soft hop-spiced prickles.
Lighty caramel creamed Murphy’s Law Amber Ale pleased moderate thirsts with its nutty toffee dalliance, mild perfume-hopped stone fruiting, minor wood char and toasted white bread base.
Extremely dry Bandwagon Citra Pale Ale plied hardwood lacquer to resinous hop-embittered orange rind and grapefruit illusions, picking up spritzy lemon zest along the way.
 
Sharp wood-dried hops also affected Rule G IPA, an orange-dessicated grapefruit peel-embittered medium body sweetened by creamy crystal-sugared malts.
Harsher wood tones embedded Notch 9 Double IPA, where creamier crystal malts contrast dry-hopped pine needling and livelier grapefruit-orange briskness.
Flaked corn malting gave grassy-hopped Inappropriate Cream Ale an approachable easygoing nature underlined by a subtle perfumed whiskey niche.

O’CONNOR BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,
O'Connor Brewing Co. | Norfolk, VA | Beers | BeerAdvocate
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
Just two miles east of Smartmouth Brewing on the other side of the railroad tracks in a tan industrial building lies O’CONNOR BREWING COMPANY. A glass-inlaid brown tree insignia welcomes patrons to the raw cement-floored warehouse space where entrepreneurial brewer Kevin O’Connor opened this increasingly popular Norfolk microbrewery July ’13.
Beforehand, the crafty zymurgist worked at Viriginia’s well regarded St. George Brewery. Gaining experience, he soon set up a basic garage operation and began brewing under his own name (receiving plaudits for O’Connor Red Nun Red Ale).
A few days after opening in its current space I got to visit and try a truly terrific tap-only Irish Stout while purchasing bottles of El Guapo Agave IPA, Great Dismal Black IPA and Norfolk Canyon Pale Ale (all listed in the Beer Index under O’Connor).
Atthe entrance, two guys are tossing back a few on the front deck. Inside, a few community tables sidle silver brew tanks and bottling equipment. A few batenders serve the late afternoon crowd from the right side serving area. Extra glass-encased brew tanks hold beer being readied for bottling or kegging.
Today’s worthiest brew may’ve been O’Connor IDry Irish Stout, an illustrious sedation layering molasses-sapped coffee, vanilla, cocoa and walnut pleasantries beneath creamy dark/ brown chocolate sugaring.

REAVER BEACH BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

Reaver Beach Brewing CompanyBeach Brewing Company - Virginia Is For Lovers

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA

Occupying an inconspicuous warehouse with green and white awnings and a hop-driven surfboard logo, BEACH BREWING COMPANY has gained a tremendous reputation since opening for business in October ’11 – becoming Reaver Beach Brewing along the way and expanding to a second location in Norfolk.

During a muggy July ’13 Saturday afternoon visitation, the front of the place was filled to the gills with young families, post-collegiate brewhounds and several thirsty out-of-town beachcombers enjoying well-rounded beers and BBQ pit food. My wife and kids enjoy barbecue chicken and pork while I go inside the tiny 4-stool tasting room to procure four previously untried brews.

Grabbing a seat along the right side nautical-postered wall at one of the front chairs, I place my sampler tray on the elbow-high shelving and begin to watch a ballgame on the left wall TV while reading beer descriptions from the blackboard Tap List.

A labor of love for married co-owners Justin and Kristin MacDonald, Beach Brewing’s libations are presently kegged for retail and served at several local restaurants. However, room for expansion behind the taproom is in the cards. Though flagship beers Hammerhead IPA and Hoptopus Double IPA are both out upon my initial sojourn, four other distinct offerings make the rounds.

Approachable summer session opener Sandshark Summer Ale brought soft-watered orange, grapefruit, apple and apricot fruiting to a mild hop-spiced slipstream.

Equally buoyant, Riptide Altbier left Noble-hopped wood dryness along its caramelized fig-sugared plum and date pathway. Perhaps a step removed from the specified German-styled realm, the pliable moderation nonetherless suits many occasions.

Better still, tropical The Kracken Triple IPA allowed subtle orange-peeled grapefruit bittering and perky lemon-seeded tartness to infiltrate juicy mango, kiwi, pineapple and passion fruit illusions as well as buttery caramel-malted red apple, grape and cherry undertones, leaving a lingered alcohol burn in its wake.

For dessert, brandy barrel-aged dark ale, Devil’s Take Imperial Stout, worked hop-charred dark chocolate, roasted coffee and cocoa into rye-malted toasted oats, picking up brandy-wined sherry and port boozing. By the mocha finish, Jameson dark whiskey snips reach the surface.

Just a few miles from the hotel-bound Virginia Beach boardwalk, Beach Brewing will impress a goodly number of respectable sun-tanned beer travelers.

As a pleasant sidebar, military-themed microbrewery Veterans Brewing was getting ready to open within walking distance.

www.beachbrewingcompany.com

TALL TALES BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs

See the source image

PARSONSBURG, MARYLAND

On my springtime 2013 Ocean City/ Salisbury brewpub tour, rural-bound treasure, TALL TALES BREWING COMPANY, was just getting going and got overlooked. But on my trip back from the Carolinas in July, a convivial two-hour family stopover proved completely worthwhile.

Situated in the rustic DelMarVa region of the Chesepeake Bay inlet at bucolic Parsonsburg, the picturesque tan lodge Tall Tales occupies complements the eclectic rural community abutting tiny trailer park homes next to tree-lined farmhouse manors. Open October ’12, the Victorian-like gastropub features two impressive marble columns, virgin white window sills and eye-grabbing landscape on the outside.
As my family enters the fray, a prestigious floor-to-ceiling water feature fountain with brass-inlaid Tall Tales insignia welcomes us. To the right, pristine wood decor graces a Classical dining space (with 3 TV’s) that fronts an exquisite couch-laden mahogany-furnished sitting room. Better still, an expansive tile-floored back deck with ten black metal tables and four patio tables offers a splendid outdoor dining and drinking experience as well.
On this July ’13 Sunday afternoon, we drift into the left side five-stooled bar and settle at one of the six tables (closest to the side window with empty growlers representing locals Burley Oak, Evolution and 16 Mile on the sill above). The wooden bar’s earth-toned slate foundation suits the sylvan atmosphere perfectly. A full bar and outdoor brick oven grill will soon grace the back deck while expansion for massive bottling is expected.
As we get served by house manager, Natalie, the Yankees and Orioles square off to play baseball on the right side TV. Glass-encased silver tanks hold six previously untried libations while I dig into a delicious hummus appetizer and Cheese-Meat platter (with Danish bleu-cheesed gouda, Monterey Jack cheddar and salami). My wife and kids share two of the excellent brick-oven pizzas.
Generally contrasting nearby Evolution’s sharp hop head fare with more malt-forward selections, Tall Tales debuted in September ’12 with Red Headed Step Child Irish Red, a marzen-like medium body that took third place at Salisbury’s Good Beer Festival. Its crisp barley-roasted caramel malting underscored sugared coffee, dried cocoa, brown chocolate and raisin bread tones.
Light, refreshing, yellow-fruited Sun Beach Kolsch brought lemon-seeded yellow grapefruit and mandarin orange to soft-hopped crystal malting for a light-bodied pleasantry.
Sharp hop-forward Paul Bunyan Pale Ale gained citric-spiced prominence from tangy grapefruit and orange juicing. On the other hand, the more stylistically approachable Excalibar IPA relied on soft hop-spiced crystal malts to rein in the orange-peeled grapefruit rind bittering.
The bitterest libation, Bonnie & Clyde Double IPA, brought sharp pine-needled grapefruit peel briskness, hemp-oiled musk and smoked mocha malting to mild spruce-toned orange, peach, pear, pineapple and mango sweetness.
For dessert, subtle John Henry Dry Stout tethered softly creamed chocolate, coffee and espresso tones to wispy roasted hops, perfectly re-creating the mellow mocha Irish styling.
Tall Tales is a no-brainer for anyone looking for great food and beer while perusing the wide open terrain of coastal Maryland.
________________________________________________________________________
On a steamy July ’20 Saturday afternoon, landed at Tall Tales once more after Outer Banx trip. My wife and I grabbed seats at the metal-chaired patio just beyond the covered deck (with wood-furnished secondary bar). The large outdoor area also featured a firepit and sandy-grounded back deck for cornhole.
First up, approachable moderation, 30 Days In The Holed Step Child Irish Red, a classic Vienna lager, let honey-roasted amber graining anchor spicy stone fruiting and crisp leafy hop astringency.
Aged on blackberry puree, enticing Berliner Weiss, Wildberry – Blackberry & Strawberry Sour, linked salted strawberry rhubarb and vinous white grape (plus ancillary peach, mandarin orange and rosé wine illusions) to tart blackberry piquancy for a sharply fruited summertime concoction.
Mouth-puckering lemon-dropped candied raspberry tartness rode above its sugared wheat base for Not Your Mother’s Cheesecake, a classic raspberry lemon cheesecake knockoff with subtle vinous wining.
Tart strawberry pureed Getting Caught In The Rain Strawberry Coconut Colada Gose brought limey sea salting to vanilla-creamed Graham Cracker sweetness.
Dewy peat moss saturated fudgy oats-sugared chocolate sweetness for Candy & Kitchen – Double Fudge Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, a trusty dessert treat.
Rich hazelnut-sweetened Hawaiian coffee deluged She’s A Nice Lei-dy, a heady Imperial Stout with black chocolate, cocoa nibs, fudged brownie and pale oats seduction.