Category Archives: United States Brewpubs

TRAP ROCK RESTAURANT & BREWERY

United States Brewpubs,

Trap Rock Restaurant & Brewery Brewpub - Beer Menu - Berkeley Heights, NJ

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY

A totally exquisite English-styled Country Inn with cozy cabin warmth and intimate refinement, Berkeley Heights’ TRAP ROCK RESTAURANT & BREWERY offers topnotch handcrafted beers alongside upscale cuisine. Its natural stone and red-bricked walls render intrinsic rusticity elevated by the sun-beamed fireplace lounge, formal L-shaped oak bar, attractive mahogany booths, exposed wood beams and windowed copper kettles. The debonair ambience also graces the beautifully landscaped outdoor back deck, suggesting the same sylvan countryside affluence high profile clientele expect.

Yet despite its beamingly elegant luxuriousness, the casual atmosphere and relaxing vibe attract the usual rhapsodic working class suspects such as curious beer geeks, smalltime businessmen and local families. And the tantalizingly variegated menu allows regulars to gain an appreciation for a host of freshly devised dishes and spirited elixirs.

“It’s not so easy keeping up,” head brewer Charles Schroeder explains while readying for his 10th anniversary at Trap Rock this May. “But it’s a good problem to have until New Jersey legislation changes and brewpubs are able to sell beer off-premise and expand business.”

After attending Chicago’s renowned Seibel Institute and apprenticing at Flying Fish, Schroeder worked part-time at Ramstein, then headed off on a six-month stint at Victory Brewery. All that experience gave the New York City-bred Jerseyite the chance to man the tanks at Trap Rock when Rob Mullin (now at Idaho’s fabulous Grand Teton Brewing) left to go west.

“I learned a lot about production and turning out a substantial amount of beer at Victory. They sold tons of Hop Devil India Pale Ale,” recalls Schroeder.

To commemorate his decade-long tenure at Trap Rock, the seasoned zymurgist will churn out a few specialty beers formerly relished. The blasts from the past might include a peculiar German weiss beer, Hefedinkel, made with spelt instead of wheat (if he could find the spelt).

As a teen, Schroeder enjoyed his father’s richer ales, such as Heineken Dark, Becks Dark, Michelob Dark and Lowenbrau Dark. He worked in the parts and service car industry for a number of years before turning attention to home brewing around 1993 – inspired by a sagacious Pennsylvania friend.

“My first job was to crack the grains by putting them in a ziplock bag and using a rolling pin for flattening,” he says as I sip Aegir’s Pride Quad, a Belgian-styled full body gathering cocoa-dried Belgian chocolate spicing and rich cola-hazelnut surety above dehydrated prune, fig and plum nuances.

Never afraid to better a foregoing recipe, he then serves up the revised version of best-selling Kestrel IPA, where Chinook hops replace the Northern Brewer variety for a drier wooded tone that crisply contrasts a lighter crystal malt setting. But consistency is just as important as tweaking and upgrading the recurring lineup.

Lighter thirsts invariably lean towards standardized Ghost Pony Helles Lager while heartier palates evidently crave sturdily coffee-roasted Capt. Carl’s Oatmeal Stout. Plus, there’s always something new and exciting to be explored.

On this chilly Wednesday, April, 2012, the previously untried Devin’s Devilish Double IPA gets me stimulated with its gooey pine-sapped grapefruit peel bittering, dark-roasted mocha malting and ancillary peach-pear-apple illusions riding atop a soft water base for an easygoing changeup to Kestrel’s orange rind-embittered revelry.

“We pride ourselves in having a well rounded selection. And I’m surprised how much dark beer we sell. People get upset if I don’t have one on tap,” Schroeder says as my meal arrives.

Described as New American cuisine with a Southern flare, Trap Rock’s heightened comfort food retains an approachable delectability suiting cultured connoisseurs as well as less discriminating tastes.

Tonight, I delve into the scrumptious Pecan & Maple Glazed Duck Breast with herb spaetzle and mustard that’s sweetened by cider braised red cabbage and complemented by the two aforementioned IPA’s. On previous trips, I sunk my teeth into the tender Tuna Tartara Tostadas (with chili, lime vinaigrette and cilantro slaw) and the smoked turkey sandwich. For a buttery noontime appetizer, the Maine Blue Bay Mussels with sausage, fennel and celery leaves piqued my interest on one occasion.

“People’s palates are constantly changing. I equate it to beer styles we’ve always known and making them better by altering the ingredients to adjust an individual’s expectations. American brewers like taking those ingredients you normally wouldn’t use and putting them in. There are a lot of regulars who’ve eaten everything on the menu ten or fifteen times over so we bring in different choices. Some Southern influences shine through the barbecued ribs, enchiladas and taco trio,” the tidy brewmeister insures as he pours a superfine Belgian-styled ale made with crystal malts and English hops called Abbey Du Roc (a spice-fruited dry body blending earthen grape esters, fig-juiced tartness and port musk above smoky peat).

Bringing upscale cuisine to a brewpub environment was quite unique when Trap Rock opened in ’97. The owners, Harvest Restaurant Group, who try to stay one step ahead off the curve, now run nine different Jersey eateries including two steakhouses, two Italian restaurants, a few taverns and a newly conceptualized high-end diner, Urban Table, which serves breakfast, alcoholic milkshakes and sundry craft beers. Local farms provide fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses to the growing minions. Furthermore, the wine assortment is outstanding.

While chowing down, the chatter of dinnertime patrons fills the barroom as the clock strikes 6 o’clock. A charming hostess seats supper guests at the left side booths. And the 15-seat bar reaches full capacity. It’s another busy night at one of the East Coast’s most rewarding brewpubs. Quite obviously, unacquainted outsiders ought to seriously consider this a ‘destination bar.’

Below is a survey of Trap Rock’s fine ales made during previous trips.

Opened in 1997 and initially visited April ’06 with family in tow, this quaint brown-toned slate-adorned pub offered elegant warmth from its cozy dual fireplaces to its woodsy back deck garden. Fabulous Single malt Scotch, bourbon, cognac, wine, and cocktail selections complemented breath-taking chow (calamari, ribs, hummus, pizza).

On tap were a wide variety of worthy suds. Though pungently grained, tartly lemony orange, wheat-hay-chaffed Ghost Pony Helles Lager and its softer diacetyl version, the sourly lemon-bruised, cereal-breaded Ghost Pony Lite, strictly appeased amateurs, the rest of the lineup really took off.

Much better were raspberry-soured lemon-tart Razzy Wheat, buttery apple-caramelized peach-dabbed Marzen-styled Hathor Red Lager, hop-pepped red-orange-fruited Fuggle Rock Ale, and spicy red-fruited floral-piney Cascade-hopped Kestrel’s Joy IPA.

Even more promising were zesty orange rind-softened, grapefruit peel-embittered, pine needled, cask-conditioned Tribute Pale Ale and dry black chocolate-y coffee-beaned espresso-finishing Thunder Storm Stout (a soft-bodied victor with ancillary smoked nut, cigar ash, and black cherry illusions).

After bringing parents to Newark Airport for Florida-Bahamas getaway, February ’09, ventured twenty miles west to revisit Trap Rock and imbibe brewer Charles Schroeder’s latest seasonals and new finds.

Dry green-hopped crystal-malted chamomile-tinged English Bitter-styled, Emily Rose Ale, and earthen barnyard-wafted grassy-hopped lemon-soured wheat-dried JP Pilsner were polite openers.

Tart candi-sugared, lemon-bruised, coriander-spiced, orange peel-embittered, green banana-soured Rockgaarden Wit, chocolate-dried fig-soured black tea-embittered Marcus Brown ESB, and extremely dry-hopped Chainsaw Double IPA (with its bark-bound grapefruit rind bittering offsetting fig-date-apple-apricot nuances) provided fruitful respite.

Burnt coffee and creamy espresso deluged black chocolate roast, pureed black cherry souring, and ashen cocoa-powdered charcoal bittering of dry-bodied digestif, Mac Clellan Stout.

During June ’11 layover with wife, reinvestigated standard fare and discovered a few previously untried brews. Light-bodied Ghost Pony Helles Lager placed lilting citric-floral nuances atop biscuit-y backend. JP Pilsner, a German-Czech-crossbred, had a lemon-bruised, sugar-spun, grassy-hopped spritz.

These were pleasant lead-ins for Hathor’s Amber Ale, a mild pale-malted, orange-dried, lemony-hopped freshener. Just as soothing, tart banana-cloved, lemon-limed summertime session beer, Schroeder Weiss, retained a bubble-gummy sweetness.

Hop-heads will lean towards dry grapefruit rind-embittered delight, Kestrel IPA, and sharp, nut-fruited, crystal-malted, English-styled charmer, Stealthy Mule Ale.

Low alcohol Belgian pale ale, Saison Du Roc, brought black-peppered lemon-peeled bittering, orange rind tartness, and coriander-ginger spicing to the fore.

Dark ale aficionados will enjoy coffee-roasted, chocolate-malted, peanut-shelled, oats-dried Capt. Carl’s Oatmeal Stout.

Upcoming summer ’11 fare will include a Bavarian Wheat, Blueberry Saison, and unspecified Rye Beer. A new fermenter and bottling line for point-of-purchase sales will be installed to handle increased volume.

www.traprockrestaurant.net

MAD FOX BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs, ,

FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA

In the bustling downtown area of Falls Church on Route 7 at Spectrum Mall’s corner lot lies MAD FOX BREWING, an upscale casual English-styled gastropub opened in 2009 (and closed June ’19) by seasoned mid-Atlantic brewer Bill Madden. Just a few miles down from Alexandria and the nation’s Capitol, this spacious restaurant-brewery is Madden’s latest creative venture and first as an owner.

A gold-lettered black awning (with several Mad Fox insignias) and outdoor patio welcome patrons to the maple-wooded space with green-walled left side dining countering the beige-walled saloon room. Across from the entrance are several copper kettle brew tanks. The centralized tin-tiled ceiling offers Neo-Classical splendor while the lantern-like pendant lighting (suspended by chains) and polished concrete floor recalls Olde Americana.

My wife and I sit at the commodious 63 foot bar (with two TV’s and prominent clock) to try an astonishing fourteen different brews in five-ounce tulip glasses on a Saturday in March ’12. Though it’s not yet lunchtime, the fine Americana pub fare includes brick-fired pizza, burgers, sandwiches and salads while the dinner menu offers steaks and salmon. Breads, pickles, and condiments are made in house.

The left side of the menu reflects Madden’s Long Island roots – pizza and sandwiches – while the right side is chef-inspired.

Emerson Lake & Palmer’s sensitive acoustical retreat “From The Beginning” plays in the backdrop as the lighter samples get tried.

Approachable moderate-bodied bohemian Czech beer, Braha Pilsner, placed citric zest across mild dry-wooded Saaz hop bittering and twiggy bark acridity.

Dry-hopped American Pale Ale spread grapefruit-peeled orange tang across resinous floral earthiness and mineral-grained breading.

An ‘English ordinary session ale,’ Fennec scattered light-bodied sugar caned crystal malting atop waxy fruit dollops and grassy clay hops.

Easygoing soft-watered Kolsch retained a citric-rotted souring that pleasingly scoured minor herbage, finishing with a grapefruit-juiced lemon spritz. Arguably better, the unfiltered version, Kellerbier Kolsch, had a more pronounced grapefruit bittering to combat its grout-y cellar-like musk and dankly dewy pilsner malting.

Cereal-grained Rock Star Irish Red Ale dispensed bread-crusted barley toasted crisping, caramel roasted sweetness and citric-sugared crystal malting in a straightforward manner.

Then it was on to Vienna-malted Defender American Pale Ale, a briskly tropical fruited medium body with dry Columbus hops and wildflower-honeyed candy tartness complementing grapefruit-peeled orange compote, white peach and pear nuances. The special cask version muted the pale-malted hop bitterness for wood-toned lemon rind, grapefruit, papaya, guava and pineapple juicing plus herbaceous raw-honeyed ginger rooting.

Mellow St. James Irish Dry Stout pleated oats-toasted pale, black and chocolate malts onto soft coffee-roasted walnut dryness. Its smoother cask version retained a dark chocolate nuttiness above espresso coffee beans.

The Who’s rapid fire anthem “Going Mobile” blazes forth as Mad Fox fills up for Saturday lunch. And that’s when I investigate the experimentally hopped Tinnerhill IPA, a clear-toned dry-wooded pleasantry culling lemonade, apple cider and grapefruit subtleties.

In collaboration with Bob and Ellie Tupper (creators of the fabulous Tuppers Hop Pocket Ale), Madden designed the rewarding India Ink Black Ale, where chalky chocolate malting gets back-ended by dried cherry, pineapple and grapefruit.

Traditional English-styled medium body, Geordie Brown Ale, stayed soft-toned as filmy mocha malting caressed minimal chestnut, praline and pecan notes.

Perhaps most worthy, Belgian-styled farmhouse ale, Saison, entwined bruised lemon bittering and leathery white-peppered hops with cotton-candied yellow fruiting for a sumptuous dessert treat.

As we finish up our samples, celebrated brewer-owner Madden stops by to say hi and share a bit of history.

“I started as a homebrewer while living in San Francisco with a buddy,” the Huntington, New York native recalls. “We’d checked out a newly opened homebrew shop, spent $100 each on credit cards and began brewing in a Mission District flat.”

Over the course of a few years, friends claimed his beers were “pretty good.” So Madden took out a personal loan and got accepted to University of California Davis’ famed brew school.

“I got into the Masters Brewers Program after applying in ’94. It was almost affordable back then,” he says with a laugh. “There’s a brewers conference we’re going to in a month. But that year it was in Austin, Texas. While you’re in the program, Davis puts together a bunch of resumes for distribution. Capitol City sought me because their contract brewer at Frederick Brewery was also a UC-Davis grad. I got about thirty offers. The industry was kicking. But I didn’t want to brew in Utah, Maine and a bunch of other places.”

Downtown DC was most attractive to Madden at the time. Plus, Capitol City was expanding. So he started at the first location on 11th and H during ’95. He also designed the Shirlington pub and now-defunct Bethesda and Baltimore pubs.

“When I was at Capitol City in the final years as executive brewer, we’d let each brewer do their own beers, but we had a core of four standards. So the brewers would express themselves and do whatever they wanted. But that was in the heyday with five locations. Now there’s two. And the downtown location doesn’t brew. It’s all done at Shirlington.”

After decommissioning the original brewery in 2001, Madden took it apart, hauled it out and sold it to Leesburg Brewery, which became Thoroughbred’s before changing over to Vintage 50. Madden worked at Vintage 50 for three years while developing and designing Mad Fox.

“We got lucky here,” he says before ducking out to eat a shrimp burger. “There was another tenant in here that never even got to construction. When things got interesting on Wall Street, financing was lost. The landlord remembered us and we worked on a letter of intent and by 2009 opened for business.”

www.madfoxbrewing.com

DISTRICT CHOPHOUSE

United States Brewpubs,

District ChopHouse

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Right along the historical downtown Washington DC area next to the Verizon Center in Penn Quarters, DISTRICT CHOPHOUSE opened May ’95 (closed March 2024) and grew to have affiliate brewpub-restaurants in Denver, Boulder and Cleveland. Though my wife and I only stopped in for a few mid-afternoon beers on our March ’12 Maryland-Virginia three-day journey, this upscale chain takes great pride in its seafood, steaks and sandwiches.

Since Bruce Springsteen’s in town tonight, parking’s at a minimum. But we find a free spot along the National Gallery of Art. Within minutes we’re at District Chophouse, a capacious 7th Street beer hall sporting a maroon awning, historic marble columns, exquisite mahogany interior, and basement banquet room. A right side dining area (with moonlit chandeliers), lofty mezzanine area and open kitchen (with hearth) complete the score.

We sit at a table next to the left side bar watching the Penguins and Flyers fight throughout a late-season hockey game while consuming some of the finest mid-Atlantic suds I’d come across. Brewer Barrett Lauer’s wide-ranging ales, crafted at the mezzanine brew kettles and listed on two blackboards, are all on the mark and usually one step beyond stylistic design.

Though the astringent Light Lager’s strictly for amateurs, its corn-oiled popcorn pungency and dried citrus snip bettered Bud-Coors-Miller ‘lite’ beer. And even if Amber Ale suited lighter thirsts, its bolder stylistic approach allowed styptic wood-toned Cascade-hopped spicing to deepen caramelized apple, lemony peach and marmalade undertones.

As smooth as its name, Velvet, defined as a ‘slow pour nut brown,’ pleated wispy charred nuttiness with dainty dark chocolate. Better was the similarly styled Nut Brown, a mildly creamed medium body receiving a sweet toffee, caramel, and chocolate boost above peanut-shelled hazelnut vestiges.

Moderate juniper hop bittering saddled lacquer-fruited IPA, leaving tangy pineapple, mango, peach, pear and apple notions all over its dried fig backend.

Breaking stylistic confines, Oatmeal Stout grazed its expectant milky dark chocolate repertoire with abrupt wood-burnt molasses flickers.

Saving the most exceptional fare for a mesmerized closing trifecta, I drifted off into three ‘big beers.’ Cherry Blossom Fest, an adventurous wheat ale boasting dark sweet cherries tucked candied stone fruits, tart cranberry and leafy dry hops inside whiskey-soaked malts.

Reaching complete euphoria, I sipped remarkable Belgian-styled pale ale hybrid, Brewers Marker, where aromatic French-roast coffee grounds seep into mild wood-singed dried fruits and contrast candied yeast spicing.

Best bet: Bourbon Stout aged in Woodford Reserve Barrels. This resolute oatmeal stout gained luscious bourbon tonicity above dark chocolate frothing, oaken vanilla mellowness and roasted caramel creaminess, finishing with a soothingly warm feel.

www.districtchophouse.com

PUB DOG PIZZA & DRAFTHOUSE

United States Brewpubs,

Pub Dog Pizza & Drafthouse - Columbia | Columbia, Maryland  Order Online! Pub Dog Pizza & Drafthouse - Columbia | Paytronix

COLUMBIA, MARYLAND

Since the original PUB DOG PIZZA & DRAFTHOUSE in Baltimore’s historic Federal Hill section (shown above) didn’t open ‘til 5 PM as of this March 2012 sojourn through Maryland-Virginia, my wife and I headed a few miles southwest to the industrial-bound Columbia-based franchise an hour earlier on the Sunday trip back to Jersey.

Situated at the right corner of the white-topped, red brick-bottomed Lakeside Retail Mall in quaint suburbia, Pub Dog may be considered a pizza joint by foremost designation, but one step inside proves it more closely resembles a commodious public house. Hundreds of Grand Marnier bottles decorate the walls alongside maps and charts of dogs, verifying the assumption.

Opened in September ’07, six years after the initial Baltimore location began operations (but didn’t sell ‘house’ beers until ’07), Pub Dog’s clean black interior leads directly to the right side sportsbar, where three TV’s show different basketball games and a shuffleboard table keeps kids entertained. A small outside deck allows dogs to roam while their owners ironically quaff a few canine-designated ales.

Sitting at one of the twelve booths in the elevated left side dining area watching hockey and downing suds, I chomped on the Big Dog Salad, a red-peppered romaine lettuce with grilled chicken, smoked gouda and gorgonzola vinaigrette. My wife enjoyed Mr. Green Jean’s Pizza (with olive-oiled mozzerella, feta, spinach, tomato, mushroom and basil) while downing Peach Dog, a tart peach ale with blanched peach lacquering, washed-out stone fruiting, astringent hop bittering and tannic grape souring.

I countered with Blueberry Dog, an easygoing lacquered blueberry tonic with subsidiary cranberry, mulberry and quince hints over white wheat.

More interesting was Belgian Blue Corn, a one-off hybrid tripel gathering lemony banana-clove tartness above sweet corn malts.

Before escaping the doghouse, velvety Irish Stout, Black Dog, hit the spot (along with a courtesy shot of Grand Marnier). The soft-toned dark ale brought mellow coffee-roasted bittering to espresso-milked dark chocolate and toasted walnut.

On February ’24 revisit while staying at nearby Columbia hotel, enjoyed creamily mocha-bound Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, combining toffee-sugared brown chocolate with nutty cocoa powdered bittering above casual molasses oats.

Reviews of the bottled versions of Raspberry Dog, Brown Dog and Hoppy Dog are listed in the Beer Index.

www.pubdog.net

PORT CITY BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

Brewery | Port City Brewing Company | Alexandria, Virginia

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

Off the beaten track in the Industrial section of Alexandria, PORT CITY BREWING COMPANY resides at a tan-bricked professional building. Opened January 2011 and visited in March 2012, this increasingly popular microbrewery’s tasting room was absolutely packed at 3 PM this Saturday. Hourly brew tours kept patrons busy when they weren’t sampling the four year-round ales (and one specialty beer).

Owner Bill Butcher and head brewer Jonathan Reeves craft amazingly consistent fare. Though tapped versions were sampled and reviewed herein, check the Beer Index for larger reviews of each bottled brew.

Fine Belgian-styled Port City Optimal Wit had a laid-back banana-clove serenity spread across subtle orange-peeled mildness and lemony Seltzer spritz to its honeyed wheat spine.

Essential Pale Ale layered citra-hopped briskness atop vodka-tinged mandarin orange, lemon, lime and peach illusions.

Despite its mighty moniker, Monumental IPA was stylistically easygoing and approachable. Its floral-hopped pine resin cloaked apple-skinned apricot, nectar, pear and grapefruit dalliances.

Coffee-roasted Porter settled into a fine medium-bodied dark ale, seeping brown chocolate-y vanilla sweetness into dark-fruited dried fig, stewed prune and date nut breading.

Also available at the tasting station was the cyclical Tartan 80 Shilling Scottish Ale, a dewy midrange libation gathering brown chocolate, vanilla and caramel sweetness atop spice-hopped fig sugaring.

Each beer was more than up to snuff and deserved recommendation.

www.portcitybrewing.com

TROEGS BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA

One of America’s largest and most successful microbreweries, TROEGS BREWING COMPANY began in ‘97 at Pennsylvania’s state capitol, Harrisburg. But increased demand for their malt-heavy beers became so overwhelming the brotherly operation run by Chris and John Trogner had to get bigger digs. As of 2012, their well-respected suds could be found in Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Virginia.

Now residing in a large freestanding warehouse (fourteen miles east of its initial location) just down the road from Hershey Park since the fall of 2011, Troegs new taupe-hued Derry Township home features a yellow-backed red-lettered Troegs-canopied insignia above brown aluminum siding and railroad-bound grain silo. Servicing the local community and curious out-of-state brew hounds, its ample front porch leads to a colossal indoor depot stationing a big 100-barrel production facility, enormous tasting room, glass-encased bottling plant, microbiology lab and shop.

After buying a Troegs T-shirt, my wife and I settle in the tasting room alongside dozens of cheerful customers this sunny Friday afternoon in late March 2012. A mini-brewhouse backs the prodigious bar where one lengthy community table and several booths lodge the primed weekend crowd. The high ceilings, exposed ducts and elongated steel fan allow for a haunting echo and The Clash’s vindictively apocalyptic “London Calling” plays loudly while I order up a beer and my wife’s $3 local roast coffee.

On tap today are Troegs’ Dreamweaver Wheat, HopBack Amber, Troegenator Double Bock and JavaHead Stout. The draught version of Dreamweaver seems to have a breadier wheat-cracked banana-clove resonance than the bottled versions I’d previously tried.

Also available this crisp spring day is the marvelous Chocolate Weizenbock, a heady elixir reminiscent of a chocolate-covered cherry dessert beer. Its raspberry pureed whiskeyed cherry frontage and fig-dried sugar plum midst saturate Belgian chocolate spicing. Peculiarly, the wafting Hershey’s chocolate kiss aroma makes this medium-to-full-bodied mocha-fruited brew seem stylishly analogous to the world famous chocolate factory down the street.

As we leave to head South towards Vintage 50 in Leesburg, Virginia, an hour away, dozens of new patrons join the throng of people still imbibing pre-dinnertime drinks. The times are certainly changing. And Troegs keeps getting better and more experimental, keeping the recipes consistent despite major expansion.

www.troegs.com

RUDDY DUCK BREWERY & GRILL

United States Brewpubs,

SOLOMONS ISLAND, MARYLAND

Tucked away on Chesapeake Bay’s marina-bound Back Creek in Solomons Island, Maryland, RUDDY DUCK BREWERY & GRILL opened July ’09. Argentinean co-owner Carlos Yanez and veteran restaurateur Michael Kelley (formerly Tavern On the Green GM) hooked up with brewer Matt Glass to create this bustling family-oriented sportsbar and restaurant. In a freestanding building next to Hilton Garden Inn, the spacious chalet-styled edifice with brown wood trimming and red brick foundation was packed on Saturday evening as the Final Four college basketball tournament played on one of the bar’s three TV’s this last day of March, 2012.

At the wood-furnished 15-seat bar area were several cocktail tables (with engraved golden duck insignias), inlayed Western-styled flat stone partitions, exposed ducts, nautical paraphernalia, beer-listed blackboards and a left side private lounge. Behind the glass-separated white-walled bar, a huge dining area with high ceilings stretched out far and wide. Opposing the bar near the entrance, the copper kettle tanks stored the house beers and an open kitchen served the food.

My wife and I sat in the bar section eating fish tacos and Mediterranean pizza while watching Kentucky down Louisville to advance into the college-basketball finals. The seared sesame crusted tuna and artichoke spinach dip also looked good. A wonderful bottled beer selection included favorites from Dupont, Ommegang, Aventinus and Corsendonk. But I was here to try Ruddy Duck’s offerings.

While astringent lo-cal Rudd Light (with its bland lemon-limed maize parch and popcorn reminder) and gluten-free Biere Nouveau (a light ale placing raw-honeyed sorghum across sourdough wheat acridity and sugar-free gum droplets) were humdrum, the rest of the lineup fared better.

Traditional autumnal choice, Festbier, brought leafy-hopped foliage and spoiled orange tartness to soft-honeyed Vienna malting, finishing with a sourdough splurge. Soft-tongued Helles Blonde Lager had a dry-honeyed citric blotch and wispy banana bubblegum notch.

More distinct were sweet-buttered Imperial Belgian Wit, a pleasing medium-bodied wheat ale affixing clove-coriander spicing to lemon meringue and mandarin orange subtleties. And juniper hop-embittered Imperial IPA, a briskly fruited winner with honey-malted peach, pear, tangerine, pineapple, grapefruit and honeydew sweetness.

Midlevel IPA ranked just below these with its dry resinous hop bittering and lemon-sugared grapefruit, mango, peach and melon tropicalia.

For dessert, I quaffed Ruddy Duck’s brown-chocolate-sweetened Oatmeal Stout, where fig-dried soy souring, coffee-roasted oats toasting and lactic alkaline acidity purged the expectant mocha malting.

www.ruddyduckbrewery.com

508 GASTROBREWERY

United States Brewpubs,

508 GASTROBREWERY - CLOSED - 34 Photos & 176 Reviews - 508 Greenwich St, New York, New York - American (New) - Restaurant Reviews - Phone Number - Menu - Yelp   Restaurants in NY offering Independence Day Specials

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

508 GASTRO RAISES NEW YORK CITY’S BEER PROFILE

There’ve finally been some steps taken to make Manhattan not only the cultural capitol of the world, but perhaps someday, the hottest brewing municipality on the planet. Granite City has dragged behind the rest of America’s incredible Craft Beer Renaissance due to ridiculous political animosity, nonsensical licensing regulations and the sheer amount of money needed to establish any restaurant or brewery on or off-Broadway. However, the landscape’s slowly changing.

Portland, San Diego, Denver, Philadelphia and many other lesser cities have more brewpubs than the largest Mecca on the universe so it stands to reason that taking a chance on going for broke would be ill-advised for now. Yet just a few blocks from lower Broadway, a well-educated entrepreneurial South American native that settled in the greatest city on earth decided against all odds to brew a few new recipes for the awaiting huddled masses.

Gaining immediate respect as both an exquisite artisanal restaurant and worthy small-batch brewery, 508 GASTROBREWERY is the brainchild of Brazilian-born Anderson Sant’anna De Lima and his Pittsburgh-raised wife, Jennifer Sant’anna Hill. Located at 508 Greenwich Street one block from the Holland Tunnel (and visited on a Saturday night in February), this Mediterannean-American hotspot opened in ’08 and by June ’11, received its license to brew on-premises (then closed January ’15). And now the usually tranquil Tribeca-bound neighborhood it services is a destination point for serious beer aficionados as well as sophisticated chowhounds.

A cozy downtown retreat, 508 GastroBrewery now joins upscale Italian-run midtown rooftop phenomenon, La Birreria, and spacious Chelsea Brewery (at West Side Highway’s Pier 23) as the only NYC brewpubs. (Heartland Brewery’s five fine restaurants strictly count as ‘beer pubs’ since brewing is done off-premises in Brooklyn.)

“We’re going to try to open a real full-scale brewery sometime,” Anderson explains as I dip into 508 Cream Ale, a sessionable saison-like hybrid contrasting a peculiarly engaging lemon-seeded orange rot tartness against honey-sugared caramel malts. “We’re not upscale. We just look good. There’s no white tablecloths.”

The San Paulo-bred gourmandizer graduated from Parsons School of Design after coming to New York in ’95. He worked for an ad agency, but became unhappy with corporate life. When he met Jennifer, the soon-to-be-married couple decided to open a restaurant in the Caribbean. Their affluent Virgin Gorda eatery was a success, but very soon into their one-year journey they yearned for the island of Manhattan.

In ’08, while chatting with friends at the restaurant, the subject of brewing came up. Jennifer heard Anderson say how much he’d love to become a brewer, so that very next month, she brought him a brew kit for Christmas.

“I remember making an Amber Ale,” Anderson recalls while I delve inside Citra Common, a crisply well-balanced ale with lightly spiced lemony orange bitterness usurping creamy crystal malts to its crackling citric-hopped finish.

He continues, “When I was younger, I drank German hefeweizens by Franziskaner and Ayinger. But my introduction to America’s craft beer movement came in ’97 when I discovered the (now-defunct) Tap Room Brewpub. It was expensive during college so I’d only go once a month. But it didn’t get the reputation it deserved.”

Though Anderson’s clearly an experienced brewer, he plans to attend Chicago’s famed Seibel Institute for a few concise courses that’ll broaden his scope.

“Education never ends,” he contends as I toss down Neves Winter Ale, a honey-spiced medium body with ancillary lemon custard, fennel and lavender notes. “I want a better understanding of nerdy stuff. I’ll spend a few weeks there and come back with an expanded level of knowledge.”

For the true beer-food connoisseur, 508 Gastro does pairings Sunday and Monday for two hours (5:30 PM until 7:30 PM) at $39. It includes three dishes and bottomless beer – so drink as much as you can.

As for the elegantly curtained interior design, a 12-seat right side bar with hanging pendant lights opposes six left dining booths. To the rear is a chef’s table snuggled next to two more 4-seat tables. Going through the busy sky-lighted kitchen down narrow stairs to the basement, there’s a private 12-seat dining room posing as a catacomb-like wine cellar. The small brew kettle setup (seven 55-gallon fermenters) recently hosted several beers not yet available at the upstairs taps or bottles.

“There’s a sour ale and gueuze readying alongside a Saison, Belgian Strong Ale, Smoked Rye IPA and Golden Strong Ale. We have to utilize space well. I also have a storage space two blocks away for bottles,” he assures me as I try the approachable tropical-fruited India Pale Ale, where sugary pineapple, mango, tangerine and melon counter midlevel piney grapefruit-peeled bittering.

Anderson admits, “Sometimes I run out of certain beer. But I never have an empty fermenter. People have really been coming for the beer. They also give feedback and know more about beer these days. There was a Northern California hop farmer in last week who gave me ten pounds of fresh hops.”

Arguably the best selling flagship beer of the week is the soft-toned Brazil Nut Brown, a moderately embittered invigoration placing peanut-shelled Brazil nut, toasted walnut and pine nut against caramelized hazelnut sweetness. And the response is likewise positive for mild Seltzer-fizzed Hefeweizen, where tranquil orange peel zest lingers above the expectant banana-clove conflux and creamy wheat-buttered malting.

MGMT’s hooky Farfisa anthem “Kids” plays in the background as I taste the marvelous Octopus with Garbanzos, a grilled seafood dish utilizing olive-oiled garbanzo beans, dried apricots, smoked paprika and pancetta. Next, the white-wined Steamed Mussels retained tender freshness.

My wife shared the pita-breaded Greek Mezze Platter, a nifty appetizer culling roasted garlic, hummus, babaganoush, olives and yogurt-like tzatziki. For dinner, she ordered the simply irresistible asiago-cheesed, balsamic-vinegared Artichoke Flatbread Pizza. My son, Christopher, enjoyed the Lobster Rock Shrimp, which gathered oyster mushrooms, pappardelle and tomato cream lobster sauce. Several homemade pastas went untried but looked fabulous, such as Truffled Mushrooms, Goat Ragu and Three Cheese & Chard Ravioli.

“The food recipes are my wife’s. She has complete freedom with her food and I have complete freedom with my beers,” Anderson points out as I dig into the fine cuisine.

At this point, he breaks out a bottled version of the truly amazing and rather unconventional Montezuma Imperial Stout, the perfect mocha-related dessert treat. Its robustly bitter coffee prominence and hop-charred black peppering (two stylistically offbeat leading flavors) overlay Mexican chocolate sweetness, creamy vanilla hazelnut swirls and espresso-milked cappuccino reminders.

The future’s bright for 508 Gastro as they’ve found the right combination of memorable edibles and impressive libations.

Anderson concludes, “I went on Beer Sessions Radio with Jimmy Carbone (owner of below-ground East Village joint, Jimmy’s No. 43) to talk about beer with Kelso Brewery’s Kelly Taylor (who concurrently crafts Heartland’s ever-increasing lineup). It’s pretty cool how Kelly handled the business end. With each Heartland location, they proved you could make craft beer in the city and still make money.”

www.508nyc.com

BOLERO SNORT BREWERY

United States Brewpubs,

RIDGEFIELD PARK, NEW JERSEY

Like some mad scientist concocting strange brews for some secret society of local hipster geeks, Jersey home brewer Robert Olson could be found boiling and toiling with experimental elixirs at his suburban Ridgefield Park domicile on any given day crafting BOLERO SNORT’S premier 2011/2012 suds. Presently employed as a consultant for a construction claims company, the hearty twenty-eight year old Bergen Catholic grad spends most of his ‘free time’ devising formulas for a diverse range of beers under bovine-sniffing moniker, Bolero Snort – one of New Jersey’s latest upstart breweries.

Working out of his modest garage, the wily wizard recently hooked up with fellow award winning zymurgist Andrew Maiorana on an adventurous journey through the wondrous world of brewing. Together, the now business partners produce a constant barrage of non-traditional, alternative-minded beer batches that take customary methodology to task, with the occasional stylistically brew tossed in.

Brew days didn’t always go as smoothly as they do now. “I made a mess of my parents kitchen with early batches,” Olson claims as he puts an India Pale Ale up for boil. “I had to bottle beers on my second date with my wife, Melanie. I had sanitized everything, but there was sweat running down my shirt. So the fact she stayed with me was impressive. She saw me at my worst.”

Unfortunately, when it came time to cap the beers, Melanie accidentally broke the capper. Now he had forty bottles of beer with no way to cap. So he simply hand-hammered on each top.

In April 2010, Olson began jotting down his own recipes. By May, he’d befriended Matt Steinberg of North Bergen’s New Jersey Beer Company. At the time, Matt was launching his brewery with a tasting at North Arlington’s prestigious beer joint, Copper Mine Pub.

“Matt was a celebrity to me and I was afraid to talk to him. What I think endeared him to me was I saved him from a conversation with some crazy chick,” Olson laughingly recalls. “Matt inspired me – and helped me realized that brewing beer could be more than just a hobby. I started building a brand instead of just winging it. Now I’m routine and practiced.”

As we settle in at the patio, Olson pours his initial flagship beer, There’s No Ryeing In Basebull (its wordy crybaby appellation stolen from Tom Hanks’ famous League Of Their Own character), one of Maiorana’s original creations. A summery soft-toned steppingstone for lighter thirsts, but yet still flavorable for the craft beer enthusiast. It’s a sessionable mainstreamer with a rye-spiced nicety, subtle orange-dried fig acridity, and earthen bottom Olson tagged “a casual sipper for boating or a day on the beach.”

Next up, the bustling brewer breaks out an abstruse peculiarity – a Mexican lager pairing mint and lime zest. Another keg-only pilot batch, we quaff the last remaining bottle he had saved of this capricious Fourth Of July celebrator labeled Cowabunga. Its fragrant cologne snip, setback lemony clove tingle and woody hop prickle dance on the tongue as Sambuca illusions reach fruition. Like all of Bolero Snort’s pilot batches, it’s not yet commercially available.

Then, there’s Apbul Cinnamon Amber, a draft-only aperitif made for the Clemson alumnus’ football tailgate party. A festive cool weather treat, its liqueur-doused stone fruiting drapes cinnamon-toasted apple sharpness, lacey cardamom-nutmeg spicing and honeyed wheat sweetness.

Better still, Wee Heifer Fruitcake (dubbed ‘the fruitcake you don’t want to re-gift’) places dried red cherry, spiced fig and golden raisin inside a citric-tinged dessert beer emulating Reisling, port and burgundy on the backend. Oak-soaked in Woodford Reserve small batch bourbon, its unassuming 9% alcohol volume provides elegant warmth.

As church bells ring out at the top of the hour and a train whistles by in the distance, Olson dips into his first true collaboration with Maiorana. “The first time we brewed together was in March of 2011 and we really wanted to create something unique to mark the occasion.” Emulating a PB & J sandwich, Brown Bag Lunch Brown Ale places Concord grape-jellied Muscat wining below an increasingly pervasive walnut-shelled peanut butter mouthfeel.

A trial batch that Olson hopes to move into a seasonal offering, Bananas Foster-style hefeweizen, Scotty Goes Bullnanas, furnishes fig-dried plantain souring to brown-sugared rum-soaked oak. He admits getting proper carbonation and residual sugaring for fruit beers becomes an obstacle for most brewers as he sour mashes an original IPA.

We then drift into his cask-like Black IPA, recently re-branded Blackhorn, where piney-sapped dried fruiting embraces dark chocolate-y caramel malts.

“The Black IPA was my first original recipe. We’ve pursued alternative ones to become our flagship beer, including today’s standard IPA, but we just kept coming back to it,” he claims as I relish in its amplified wood-charred grapefruit afterburner.

Maiorana decided early on to enroll in the American Brewer’s Guild program to provide Bolero Snort with the technical background needed to spread the upstart brewery into a full production microbrew facility. For now, Olson utilizes a plastic Gatorade cooler as a transition tank. But he also benefits from the backyard garden that provides hops, herbs and fruits for certain beers.

So far, Bolero Snort’s impressed many aficionados. Their Gingerbull Cookie won a local competition two days hence. Olson may mash it higher to add residual sugaring, but its brown-sugared gingerbread sweetness, black-breaded molasses nuttiness, and nutmeg-clove seasoning appear to be well placed.

Before leaving, Olson unleashes Cuadrilla Cocoa (Mexican Hot Chocolate Imperial Stout), a lactic-heavy intricacy plying gingerbread-cinnamon spicing to cocoa nibs, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, sarsaparilla, licorice root and most strikingly, chili peppered heat.

“A cuadrilla is a team of people helping the bullfighter. It’s sure to get people fired up,” the smiley-faced entrepreneur concludes.

For Groundhog Day 2012, I revisit Olson’s 100-year-old Victorian pad to see how the federal and state liquor licensing is going. Bolero Snort has been granted federal approval, the first step in marketing beer for sale, since outdated state laws forbid him from taking the beer off-premises even if he’s allowed to brew up to 200 gallons per year for personal consumption.

At 9 AM, Olson sets up the pilot rig while rolling the brewing equipment from inside the garage to the outside patio. He hopes to be selling beer commercially this Summer and may move his equipment to a local warehouse soon. Initially the beer will be contract brewed with Olson and Maiorana assisting on brew days and distributing Bolero Snort’s fare, but the goal is to maintain a self-run production facility by late 2013.

Today, Olson’s beginning the brewing process for Blackhorn Black IPA as well as an unnamed sessionable Extra Special Bitter – his 70th batch since April ’10. “I’m building an arsenal through creative engineering,” the finance major with a biosystems engineering background says laughingly.

“One of the best thing about the brewing industry is the sense of community among craft people leading to fulfilling collaborations. Anytime two brewers get together, different techniques are discussed.”

And great beer is usually the result. Take Bolero Snort and New Jersey Beer Co.’s world class Clarence Clemons pilot tributary, Big Man Imperial Black Rye India Pale Ale, a creamy mocha-bound full body placing maple-sapped rye graining and oats-sugared cookie dough opulence above less opulent IPA-like bruised fruiting.

At this point, Olson heads to the basement and breaks out a buddy’s newfangled homemade suds (contained in a Samuel Smith brown bottle). Brewed by North Brunswick-based Ben Bakelaar, the ‘historically accurate’ 1776 Porter brings peat-malted dried cocoa and black chocolate to hop-charred nuttiness. It’s simply delicious and always nutritious.

As I make my way out, the sun’s shining on Olson’s fairly large frame. The future looks bright for Bolero Snort. And there’s plenty of beer geek insiders who already know they’re on the loose.

WILLIMANTIC BREWING – 2012

United States Brewpubs,

WILLIMANTIC BREWING MAINTAINS WORLD CLASS STATUS

Connecticut may not get the same respect its New England neighbors receive, but there’s a few wonderful Constitution State breweries competing favorably against the best public houses dotting Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. Besides five decent Southport Brewing franchises, Granby’s upscale sportsbar, Cambridge House, New Haven’s fabulous pizza-brewpub, BruRm @ Bar and Hartford’s terrific City Steam deserve plaudits.

On my January ’12 trip, I reinvestigated one of the best Northeast brewpubs and another one just getting restarted under an Irish banner. The former, WILLIMANTIC BREWING COMPANY, serves a quickly rotating selection of finely detailed handcrafted beers alongside fine food. The latter, TULLYCROSS recently changed hands from John Harvard’s affiliation to craft its own likable libations.

Growing up in Bridgeport during the Seventies, entrepreneurial Willimantic brewmeister David Wollner discovered microbrews when visiting his older brother at New York University. There, he was introduced to Samuel Smith Taddy Porter and Aass Bock at nearby Bleecker Street’s Peculier Pub.

Afterwards, he entered UConn, became an early Sierra Nevada Pale Ale supporter and bought a homebrew kit. When a local general store started yearly amateur brewing competitions, Wollner tried his hand.

“The critics wrinkled their noses at what tasted like carbonated cider,” Wollner recalls as the Allman Brothers play in the background. “The judges said next time double the malts, cutback sugar and add fresh hops. The next few years I won with a stout, old ale and pale ale.”

In ’88, Wollner met his wife, Cindy, and by ’94 they’d open a full service restaurant and craft beer bar with 16 taps led by Shipyard, Samuel Adams and New England brews. Christened Main Street Cafe, the pair slowly convinced Bud-Coors-Miller drinkers to try microbrewed pale ales.

Then, he found the boarded-up, water-damaged post office that’d be a local sanctuary for hardened beer enthusiasts. By ’97, the spacious Willimantic Brewery would open and thrive, becoming a true destination point.

Though Wollner still enjoys a brisk pale ale or hoppy IPA, he’s currently enamored with saisons and funky sour ales. His assistant brewer, Ben Braddock, helped make the varietal Summer of Saison special. Six different summer beers came from one saison yeast strain, including a Belgian Double IPA and Saison Noir. The duo also did a delicious propagation batch with Saaz hops, Simon Saaz-On. Then came well-received Flower Infusion, utilizing hibiscus, rosebud, chamomile, galanga, and wildflower honey.

At age 50, the seasoned owner-operator realized the long hours were taking their toll. So he allowed Braddock to take the reins on a few recipes. A current Thomas Hooker associate with a production background, Braddock helps organize, take inventory and brew on-site.

“I was invited to go to Boston’s Extreme Beerfest, but failed to fill out the $200 Massachusetts license form. I’d donated beers for years and got invited as a guest but was left with a special beer from an old English homebrew recipe,” Wollner shares. “I boiled a chicken, soaked it in the driest country wine, put in a bag with raisins, mace and clove, stuck it in the beer and let it ferment. I had ten gallons of this Cock Ale for Weird Wednesday on cask eight months later. Needless to say, Cock Ale caused trouble. ‘Pump that cock!,’ customers groaned. Some said it came with a large head. It was spicy, like a winter warmer. The chicken added some body.”

Maintaining only one constant year-round draught from the beginning (approachable mainstream moderation, Certified Gold), I’d tried 25 diverse Willimantic beers before downing another four offerings post-haste.

As I dig into my wife’s LA Smog pizza (spinach, mushroom, onions and garlic atop mozzarella-cheesed wheat-floured dough), Wollner joins us as we break into Bohemian Hopsidy. Lively lemon-seeded and grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and woody hop dryness contrasted its creamy crystal malting.

Chill Pilz, a feisty schwarzbier, carried coffee-roasted dark chocolate and dry cocoa above bourbon, burgundy and black cherry illusions. Described as a ‘chocolate wheat malted and hop-forward pilsner with ale yeast,’ Wollner may give it permanent seasonal rotation.

Poor Richard’s Olde Ale retained a leathery cedar-burnt mocha fruiting, allowing black cherry, red grape, raisin and burgundy to infiltrate chocolate liqueur, Godiva chocolate, Begian chocolate, vanilla, Kahlua and cocoa passages.

When Wollner’s beverage manager passed away suddenly in 2011, he made a tributary Maibock, Marge’s Meisterbrau, a wonderful honey-dried, orange-fruited, peach-licked, Vienna-malted medium body that warmly concluded my latest Willimantic journey.

Don’t miss out on this extraordinary brewpub. There’s a certain antique grandeur Willimantic Brewing’s marble columns, gothic ceilings, capacious interior and wall-bound ephemera expressly capture.

TULLYCROSS TAVERN

United States Brewpubs,

MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT

Located inside a tan barn stable with green and brown trim in a freestanding mall-bound building, Manchester’s TULLYCROSS TAVERN took over the space previously occupied by John Harvard Brewpub and had its grand opening October 1st, 2011 (but closed down November ’13).

A hybrid sportsbar, mahogany furnishings bedecked the hunter green walled interior and a rectangular oak bar served the main area and outer perimeter dining space. A new patio to be constructed in spring would’ve provided outdoor dining. Plus, a newly designed menu featuring upscale pub fare with an Irish flare was just introduced.

Like Willimantic’s Wollner, Tullycross brewer Brian Flach grew up on Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Sam Adams Boston Lager, thereupon becoming a Dogfish ‘Head.’ After home brewing several IPA’s, an 18-month New England Brewing internship afforded the Worcester resident the chance to come aboard for Tullycross’ July ’11 soft opening. A 22-ounce ceramic mug club offered discounts and special happy hour pricing on Flach’s solid offerings crafted at the front side brew tanks.

On my January 2012 visit, it’s Tuesday Night Trivia, and following some chicken wings and quesadillas, a large crowd gathered for tonight’s 9 PM contest. While digging the scene, I tried four year-round libations, a nifty winter stout and a Belgian IPA.

Eric Burdon & War’s cryptic “Spill The Wine” played as I revisited Tullycross the following day to meet with Flach, who promised a cream ale, German altbier and sundry IPA’s in the near future.

As for today’s beers, I started off with Tavern Light, a Kolsch-styled sourdough softie with citric esters, rice niceties and popcorn buttering that’s just right for indiscriminate pilsner fans as well as bolder folk better suited for the next three ales.

Best selling Tully’s Irish Red retained a bigger body than most stylistic competitors, bringing amiable red-fruited spicing and caramelized wheat-honeyed cereal grains to a stable earthen bottom. Better yet, TCT Pale Ale had a heady IPA-like wood-toned grapefruit rind bittering and tangy peach-tangerine spicing.

“If you’re gonna drink a pale ale, why not go to an IPA,” Flach said. “It’s made hoppier for our customer base. But there’s not a lot of alcohol.”

Next up, Flux IPA #8 saddled subtle yellow fruiting with spiced hop bittering.

Flach contends, “All Fluxes have different hop profiles but the grain bill generally remains intact.”

Another Tullycross standard, Silk City Stout, maintained a soft cask-like chocolate creaminess, malt-smoked hop char, vanilla sweetness, dewy peat resonance and peanut-shelled cola-walnut conflux.

Likeminded Siberian Winter Imperial Stout doused Christmastime cinnamon-toasted gingerbread spicing atop oats-toasted dark chocolate, nutty coffee, black cherry and raisin notes.

Though not in regular rotation, mild Scottish 80 Shilling plied toasted cereal grains to peat-y earthiness in an approachable manner.

But the best bet may be hybrid Convergence Belgian IPA, where white-peppered basil, thyme and peppercorn regale lemon-dried orange rind bittering, snippy juniper piquancy, tangy peach-pineapple sweetness and buttery crystal malting.

“Convergence was a collaboration with New England Brewing, whom I’m still good friends with,” Flach affirms. “They were happy to oblige. They make 668 Neighbor Of The Beast. We borrowed their yeast strain and hopped it up.”

www.tullycrosstavern.com

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CAMBRIDGE HOUSE – GRANBY

United States Brewpubs,

Full Bar - Picture of Cambridge House Brew Pub, Granby - Tripadvisor

GRANBY, CONNECTICUT

In a freestanding gray colonial edifice in the rural northern Connecticut town of Granby lies a reliable upscale sportsbar with a fine rotating house beer selection and respectable pub fare. Opened in 2005, CAMBRIDGE HOUSE was originally journeyed by my wife and I in January 2012 during a two-hour afternoon lunch stint.

Entering the sylvan two-storied restaurant-brewery through the back deck rear entrance, a silver-clad painted stallion welcomes patrons to the mid-sized mahogany-furnished first floor space. A rectangular bar (fronting glass-encased brew kettles) serves left side and rear tables as well as the outer perimeter dining area of the attractive public house. Several TV’s surrounding the bar offer full-time sports coverage.

I munched on the Cobb salad with bleu cheese and my wife, Karen, chose the Tomato Florentine pizza. It’s worth noting that over 50 different house beers have been served since Cambridge House originated. And there were six available on my visit.

On the light side, Copper Hill Kolsch retained a crisply clean light-spiced yellow fruiting, straw maize dryness and carbolic Seltzer fizz. Though recommended to lite beer fanatics, all others should skip this and proceed directly to the better options.

A generous dried fruiting eased into the next four offerings.

Glass-sugared fig spicing and earthen gourd gripped trusty ESB.

Apple-spiced sugared fig overlaid the sour nuttiness sidling Pigskin Brown.

Stewed prune, dried cherry and sugar plum embossed Farmer’s Daughter, a fruit-wined Biere De Garde worth a second look.

Fig-soured green raisin and hop-roasted chocolate spicing enveloped Ominous Forecast, a veritable schwarzbier.

Another interesting libation, Stonehenge, an English strong ale, gathered peat moss, cola nut, red grape, sweet potato and smoked malt illusions.

www.cbhgranby.com