Supping Suds with Philosofiers

Homecoming at Gainesville House of Beer, (Don’t forget the Hop Top, BrassTap, Winghouse, Daylight Donuts and the Blue Gill), Come Join the Tradition!

Our little group of Beer Bacchanalians has started a tradition to coincide with the Annual Gator Homecoming Parade. Actually, the Maestro started it a couple of years ago. Last year he and I rekindled it and did so again this year. I don’t know how often something needs to be repeated before you can officially call it a tradition but we’re going to go with three and call this official. (If someone out there disagrees with that, it’s my blog… Get your own!!)

Now the Homecoming Parade in Gainesville is not a new tradition. It has gone on for many years and will continue to do so. And many people have been coming to the parade for years; some even bring their folding chairs to the exact same spot and have been doing so for so long the other folks around them all expect to see each other annually. I have been in the parade myself more than a few times with a float that my employer used to sponsor (Rowdy got me into to working on those). So I have been tied to the parade tradition on and off for over 10 years now.

For the last few years (at least) the Blarneyman and his Blushing Bride have made it a point to visit Gainesville during Homecoming to see both the parade and the game on the next day. This year was no exception and we decided (those of us who could) to meet up the night before the parade start celebrating early. So the Maestro suggested meeting at the Hop Top (see last blog) which isn’t far from his home.

I arrived first and decided to order one I hadn’t had before. It came from Terrapin Brewing and was the Vapricot, a very smooth tasting Double IPA with nice apricot notes. Not long after that the Maestro arrived and we were both conversing with Tyler, the barman at Hop Top. Not too long after that the Deck-orator arrived and we pretty much had the bar to ourselves though on a Thursday I can see how that would happen, especially since it is still a fairly new establishment.

After a bit I was ready for a second and ordered the Sam Adams Octoberfest since I like Octoberfest beers and they still had it one tap. It wasn’t too long after that beer arrived that the Blarneyman and his Blushing Bride arrived and the Philosophying began in earnest. We all began catching up with each and discussing those of our friends who couldn’t make it out that night and how they were doing.

After a while I felt another brew was in order so I ordered an old standby from Swamp Head brewery, Wild Night. I was trying to stick to the lighter craft beers so I could hang out longer as I would need to. We continued on with Philosophying and eventually decided to move on. The Deck-Orator was heading home and the rest of us decided to drive over to the Maestro’s house and see if his wife, the Muse, was going to join us for dinner.

Muse wasn’t home yet so we were waiting for a bit to see if she showed and had a beverage while we waited. After a bit she joined us and we decided to head over to Winghouse for some grub. I had kind of influenced that decision because I had told the Maestro earlier on that I figured I would head over there for dinner as he, Blarneyman and Blushing Bride were tentatively going to watch Gator Basketball Exhibition game. I thought that while they were doing that I would get some wings, then walk on over to BrassTap where they were featuring 16 different taps of Stouts, in honor of International Stout Day, and wait for them to join me after the game. Instead, we all went to Winghouse for an evening meal. The Maestro, Blarneyman and I each decided on Swamp Head’s Stumpknocker to accompany our meals, though we all had different items off of the menu.

When our meal was finished we decided to walk on over from the Winghouse to BrassTap, where we could partake of the afore mentioned Stouts and also participate in trivia night. They were pretty packed but we were able to snag a table as someone was leaving. One of the bartenders walked over to the table and took our order and in honor of International Stout Day I ordered a Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout. The flavor was definitely coffee based and I was quite pleased with it.

We sat around for a bit and listened to the last two trivia questions (By the way – the answer to the last movie sound bite was “Speed, Keanu Reeves and Jeff Daniels); and Philosophied some more. We also discussed plans for the next day’s parade. After that round of beers we all decided to call it an evening and parted ways until the morning.

The next morning I woke up with the sunrise (thanks to my dog Tucker) and began getting ready for the day. A slice of toast and a couple of cups of coffee is a little spare for my breakfast but I knew the rest of the day would probably be laden with calories. And I was providing some of those calories myself.

About 9:30 that morning I headed away from the house toward downtown Gainesville. Coming into town on University Avenue, I noticed traffic was heavier than usual, but that was not unexpected as I figured a lot of folks would be coming in to claim their spots for watching the parade. When I got to the intersection of University and Main, I turned north and headed to a little known shop across from the Publix Plaza on Main Street, called Daylight Donuts.

If you have never sampled any of the pastries from Daylight Donuts, then I feel sorry for your palate and your belly, as they are probably the best I have had in quite a long time. The donuts, the cinnamon rolls, the breakfast pastries and especially the apple fritters are all exceptionally good. You owe to yourself to stop by this little shop with a lot of flavor when you get the chance.

I figured since Gainesville House of Beer was accommodating enough to open up for us early, the least I could do was bring some donuts for the staff and the other patrons to share. So I picked a dozen donuts for my friends and another dozen donuts and a box of apple fritters for whomever else was going to be there. Then I headed off to HOB.

I got to HOB about 5 minutes after 10 and saw that they already had a couple other patrons there. I greeted Greg, the barman on duty that morning, and placed the donuts on the counter and explained what they were for. He smiled and agreed with me about the quality of the donuts that Daylight produces. I took a couple of fritters and added them to my box for my friends and went out to the patio and staked out some seats for the parade.

Then I went back inside and ordered as close as I could find to a breakfast stout, which was Duck Rabbit Brewery’s Milk Stout, and in case you wondered, it is a really good Stout. Not long after that the Maestro and the Blarneyman showed up and the earnest Philosphying commenced.

Over the next couple of hours we sat and discussed various things and greeted passersby on the street, a few other folks joined us on the patio. After a bit the other members of our party began strolling in. Muse, Rowdy, Blushing Bride and a few others joined us after the finished the Gallop (a charity walk). Deck-Orator showed up but the Chemist was not with her as he was working. The parade usually starts around Noon down by the College in front of the Stadium on University Avenue, but by the time it gets to HOB, which is at the tail end of the route its usually about 45 minutes later.

So the next couple of hours was spent watching and cheering the different parade entrants, and sampling beers and donuts. The Doctor was on call and working but was able to drop by and say hi to everyone though he didn’t partake in the beers. Some of the excerpts are pictured below.

And speaking of cheering, no one was quite as upbeat and vocal of their admiration for the parade participants as was Blushing Bride. So much so that from now on when she is mentioned in this blog she will be known as the Cheerleader.

After the parade was over we all went our ways but some of us decided to get together for dinner that night. After a few back and forth calls throughout the day we ended getting reservations for dinner at the Blue Gill, a newer restaurant on SW 13^th Street not far from Shands. I had heard good things about it but hadn’t been there before.

They have a very nice atmosphere there and a wide ranging menu. They have daily specials and regularly featured food items on their menu. Since I hadn’t been there before I thought I would start with one of their staples and see how well they do that before I venture into their specials. I ordered their Brisket plate which came accompanied with steamed vegetables and garlic potatoes, all covered with a creamy poblano cheese sauce. I also ordered the Caesar salad for an appetizer and their Moonlight Lemonade for a beverage, all of which were very tasty.

All in all the day was well spent with friends, a tradition well worth repeating next year with the same folks and with new ones as well. If you’re interested then mark your calendar and make sure to show up at HOB the morning of the parade for a donut and a beer.

Papabear

Happy Hour in Gainesville at the Hop Top Lounge and La Tienda Restaurant

Last weekend the Maestro called me on my cell phone and told me about a new bar that had opened very near to his home, called the Hop Top Lounge. I think he was mainly excited because he finally had a neighborhood bar, but he did praise the craft beer selection they had available. He knew that several of our fellow Beer Bacchanalians, including himself, had plans for traveling that weekend so he suggested that we meet there for Happy Hour on this Friday (which was yesterday). And sure enough, the following Thursday he sent out a text message to everyone suggesting just that. I said I would be there. We didn’t hear from anyone else.

When Friday afternoon rolled around, the Maestro sent out another text reminding everyone of our destination. Again I was the only who replied. Now one of things I thought I remembered Maestro saying was that there was plenty of parking. But that wasn’t the case when I showed up. In fact, I got the last available spot when I arrived. The Hop Top is located in a little strip plaza on the corner of SW 16^th Ave. & SW 13^th Str., behind the CVS. This plaza also houses Sai Kwik Stop, Gator Liquor, La Familia Cuban Sandwich Shop and a laundromat. If you are unfamiliar with Gainesville, then you may not realize that this area is packed with student apartment and house rentals, as well as several restaurants and motels. And it is only a stone’s throw from UF Shand’s Hospital, Shand’s Trauma Center, the VA Hospital, etc. So as for location this is a really good spot.

Rowdy replied to the group text that she was on her way. I let her know that parking was a premium. I entered the lounge and saw the Maestro at the bar and greeted him. The place had at least a dozen or more other patrons, all of whom were at the bar. There was additional seating at tables along the outer walls. It was not a large place, but it was decent in size for a neighborhood bar. Along the center of the back of the bar were at least 20 different taps, flanked on each side with coolers of bottled beverages. I looked over the tap menu (see picture below) and saw that the Maestro wasn’t lying about the beer selection, most of the taps had craft beers that I had sampled before and were pretty good selections.

Being in a college town they will of course have some cheaper selections for the uncivilized beer palate (Bud and Miller) but they also had a lot of Florida brews and about a half dozen from local breweries Swamp Head and First Magnitude. As I looked over the list I spotted a beer I hadn’t had before and ordered the Sixpoint Brewing Sensi (2015), which is a Harvest Ale, wet hopped with Cascade and Amarillo Hops. It had a very nice hoppy flavor to it. Hop lovers will rate it higher than me, but I still gave it a good rating on Untappd.

The Maestro and I caught up a bit and he pointed out some of the features of the bar to me, including a food warmer on the one end featuring foods from La Familia Cuban Sandwich Shop from the same plaza. Any time good food like that is available in a bar that is a big plus. I suggested we move from the bar to a table for when Rowdy showed up. Sitting at a bar for two people is fine, but when it’s three or more and you’re Supping Suds & Philosophying (Conversing with beer for the uninitiated) then a table works out much better.

While we were waiting for Rowdy to show, the owner and his son both made an appearance and came over and greeted us. The Maestro was gushing with gratitude at the fact that a beer establishment was now available so close to home. We also asked why there was so little parking available and the answer was obvious once the owner pointed it out. The Gator Bowl is this weekend and they had many customers stopping on the way to Jacksonville at both the convenience store and the liquor store in the same plaza. We gave them our thoughts about the bar, wished them well in their venture and they walked on to talk to other customers.

A short while later Rowdy arrived, and we began catching up with each and Philosophying in earnest. While we were doing so the Deck-orator texted that she couldn’t make as she was doing something with one of her daughters. The Chemist was working, the Cooler was off on his hunting weekend, and the Doctor had a long day and was not up to joining others.

Shortly after Rowdy ordered her first, I ordered my second, one of my fave’s , the Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier. I wanted something not quite as Hoppy as the last beer and this fit the bill. The Maestro also ordered another and we began some more Philosophying.

After a while Rowdy ordered a second and I was ready for my third and final for the night, so I ordered the Cigar City Vanilla Maduro. I think this brown ale is one of the best out there and one of Cigar City’s best beers, which says a lot as they have a lot of good beers.

The Philosophying continued for a while. The Maestro finished his second offering first and we continued Philosophying while Rowdy and I worked on our suds. Eventually we finished as well and we all agreed without even saying the name on where we wanted to go for dinner. One of the advantages of that bar location is its proximity to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in Gainesville, La Tienda.

When I say Mexican, I should say Authentic Mexican, as they serve their food the same way you would get it if you went south of the border. There are other Mexican restaurants in town that serve really good food but their style is more of a Tex Mex or Southern California Mexcian which are really Americanized versions of Mexican food. Rowdy lived in Mexico for a while and always comments how La Tienda serves their food just like they do in Mexico. At any rate it’s really good food.

When we arrived we couldn’t find a parking spot for one car much less for three separate cars so we ended up driving to the maestro’s place and walking back. When we got there we were told there was about a 45 minute wait for food to come out. We discussed that for a couple of moments but ended up staying and ordering food. Rowdy ordered a serving of chips, salsa and queso which was a godsend because I don’t think I would have lasted 45 minutes without it. And the 45 minute estimate was not a wild guess, as it was almost to the minute when our main dishes came out.

None of us had ever seen the restaurant that busy before and we had all been there often and at various times. This could have been related to the Gator Bowl as well I guess or it could just be that the restaurant has gotten so popular that it’s just doing that much business.

My eyes must have been bigger than my appetite because I ordered a beef burrito and two chicken soft tacos. The tacos were perfectly seasoned with cilantro and lime and I only added a little green salsa to them. But after sharing the chips and salsa with Rowdy and the Maestro I couldn’t eat more than the two tacos. Which was ok with me as that meant the burrito is what I will be eating for lunch today.

If you are in that part of town and want good craft beer, drop in to the Hop Top Lounge, they have good beer at good prices. And for some of the best Authentic Mexican cuisine anywhere make sure to go to La Tienda.

Enjoy,

Papabear

Art of Beer Pt 2 – Drinking Beer

With a nod to the structure of the ancient text “The Art of War” and its author, the strategist Sun Tzu, we continue with the drinking aspect of the Art of Beer.

BeerDrinkingBear-01 — Me in my youth while serving in what was then West Germany

Beer has been consumed for thousands of years and has been generally considered a drink of the common folk.
Because drinking water quality has always been questionable from one place to another until the rise of public water systems in the last two centuries, drinking local beers has always been preferable for weary travelers. Since water is boiled to make beer, the water quality is usually much better in the beer than in the water itself. And the adding of ingredients, like hops, can help mask any unpleasant tastes the water may bring.

It was not uncommon for beers to be served with most foods at inns and taverns along travel ways. These could have been served in tankards, mugs, goblets or even flagons.
During the industrial revolution it was not uncommon for companies to serve beer in their lunchrooms instead of water for their workers to wash their lunches down with. The cooler temperatures of a beer would have been preferred over a wine for folks working hot factories not to mention that beer being more inexpensive to produce would be able to be stretched over a larger work force much easier.

Beer can be enjoyed in private but is usually enjoyed more in the company of others. The others can be family and friends, or even perfect strangers.
1. In Germany, it is common in Bavaria for perfect strangers to sit at large tables in Gasthauses and enjoy food and beer with each other.
2. Public Drinking Houses (or Pubs) are common in Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Denmark. These businesses are often community focal points and often feature their own brewings of beer.
3. Bars, Taverns, Cafes, Saloons are all variations of different types of drinking establishments. Some will be strictly beverages, some will serve snacks and some will have full menus for food available.
4. Craft Beer Tap Rooms in America are a recent phenomenon which consists of a large and ever changing variety of draft and bottled beers from Craft Breweries. Tap Rooms are also being featured at Craft Breweries featuring the brewer’s own creations as well as guest taps for other craft breweries.

Since it is considered a common (or even a lowly beverage by some) there has been no formal declaration of beer drinking etiquette. Yet, an informal etiquette has arisen all of its own volition.
Toasting is one of the most common denominators among the various cultures today. Though the minor details will vary the general practice is still carried on from ancient times. There are different theories and folk-tales about where toasting originated from. The most likely source is that it was derived from ancient times when a goblet of a prepared drink was held up ceremoniously as an offering to the Gods. It then morphed into a salute or honor for a visitor or guest. The raising of the glass is usually accompanied by a word or phrase meaning “to life” or “to your good health”.
1. Toasting is also used to honor those who are no longer with us and honor their memory.

If a friend or stranger offers to buy you a beverage it is considered gracious to accept, then later return the favor.

Sipping, supping, gulping, guzzling and throwing-it-back are all terms that can be associated with drinking beer. They are various forms of consuming the beverage.
1. Gulping, guzzling and throwing-it-back are all related to drinking large quantities in a short time frame. This is done mostly by younger adults who are of college age or serving in the military. This is normally the result of playing beer drinking games, losing bets, accepting dares or simply just trying to prove “you’re a real man”. It is best done with cheaper mass produced beers where the taste matches the price. There is no sense is paying for good craft beer to play these games as some of it will be wasted by spilling, some by people getting too drunk to finish, and by others getting so drunk they can no longer contain the beer in their bodies. This is the most infantile form of beer drinking.
2. Sipping and supping are basically a spelling variation of the same method. This is meant for slow drinking, enjoying the flavors and aromas of the beer. More mature beer drinkers know that good beer doesn’t need to be rushed and like many things in life is better savored slowly.

Drinking Craft Beer is very similar to drinking wine in more than a few aspects. In fact, many craft Beer aficionados also are wine drinkers.
1. Begin by looking at the glass and studying the color of the brew. Is it the style you ordered? Does the color look right? If you ordered a Pale Ale and the beer in front of you is Amber in color then check with bartender to make sure you got the correct glass. Unless it is a special variant or style then the color should be pretty much the same from one brewer to the next within the same style.
2. Next, look at the head. There should always be a head of foam at the top of the glass. It will settle as the beer sits but if there isn’t one when you first get your glass then either the beer is flat or the glass has been sitting way too long.
3. Also look at the effervescent bubbles of the beer. If the beer is a nitrogen-infused beer then you will see a lot of activity for quite a while and the head of foam will be larger. But if it is not nitrogen infused and you are seeing a lot of activity then chances are that the brewer added too much sugar in the bottling process. This will probably mean the beer will taste sweeter than it should. But it may still taste good enough to drink.
4. Now you should bring the glass up to your nose to smell the aromas being released by the effervescence of the beer. Depending on the style and ingredients you should be able to pick notes of citrus or other fruits, pine, chocolate, coffee, nuts, wheat or other flavors. Smelling the aromas of the beer helps your palate to prepare for the flavor. The same is true of drinking wine or eating some foods. Odors can be very important in the tasty process. This is why when you have a stuffy nose that some foods just don’t taste right.
5. Next, just after you have taken a good smell of the odors, move the glass to your lips, open them and slowly pour the beer into your mouth or sip it, both are acceptable. Pouring a little into your mouth for a taste lets the beer slowly cover all the taste buds of your tongue so that all of your flavor centers are equally activated. Sipping the beer also bring in a little bit of air with the liquid usually odors of the beer that are sitting on the surface. This is also activating your taste buds. In the end you will still want to try to distribute all of the liquid throughout your mouth so that all of the tastes buds are activated. Once you have done so then slowly swallow the beer.
6. After you have swallowed then you will want to take in some air through your mouth. This will allow the air too react with the liquid still on your taste buds to give you the aftertaste. This can result in a smooth or creamy texture to a bitter sharp sting or anywhere in between.
7. If you are planning on sampling different beers throughout the evening then you may want to start with lighter tasting beers and work your way toward the heavier ones.
8. Don’t mistake the color of the beer for the heaviness of it. Some Stouts (which are usually the darkest of beers) can be very light and have a creamy texture to them while all pale ales are definitely lighter in color than a stout but a few may have so much hop flavor to them that the bitterness can change the flavors of any beers sampled after them.

drink_beer — Flight of beers arranged from lighter to darker

Everyone has different types of taste buds and while they can be trained over time, even people of equal tasting skills can taste different notes and flavors in the same beer. In the end, only you can decide if you like the flavor or not. If someone tells you that this is one of the most excellent examples of this style of beer and you find that you don’t like it, there is nothing wrong with that. Not everyone will like the same style of beer.
A noted wine sommelier and wine tasting teacher, George Sternfels, often told the classes he would teach, “If you like the wine, drink the wine.” Meaning that it doesn’t matter what others think of the liquid you’re imbibing. If you enjoy it then what others may think about it doesn’t matter. Enjoy it. The same is true of beer.
However, enjoying too much is a burden that all of have had to bear at one time or another. When we are young the goal when enjoying an evening almost seems to be to drink until we are too sick to drink anymore. And in truth, that is probably the learning process we all go through to find out our own limitations. Not the best way to go about it, perhaps, but a definite tried and true method.
The importance is in knowing when enough is enough. And what is expected of you in the near future. Are you expected to get up early or go to work the next day? Do you have lower alcohol tolerances than others? Are you a designated driver? Are you bar hopping or staying in one spot? Is it a party where you have others you can help you get home or where you can stay as long as you need? Are you ill? All of these can factor into your evening.
Whatever your decision, take care to make sure you make good decisions for the evening or that you are with people who can help you do that. Enjoy drinking the beer but don’t set yourself up for a bad experience.

Papabear

The Art of Beer – Pt. 1 (Know your Beer)

With a nod to the structure of the ancient text “The Art of War” and its author, the strategist Sun Tzu, I now present…

The Art of Beer – Pt. 1 (Know your Beer)

The Art of Beer can be traced back thousands of years to the ancient Egyptians (or the Sumerians, or the Babylonians, or all of them). It makes it first appearance not long after mankind began to learn to farm and grow grains.
Beer has been used to provide sustenance to laborers and provide a means of hydration when clean water supplies were low or non-existent.
It is the oldest and most popular fermented drink in the world. It is the third highest consumed beverage (behind water and tea) in the world

4. All beers are constructed of four main ingredients:

Grains – Barley, Wheat, Rice and various breads and other starchy foods have been used for making beer over time. The starches are converted to sugars, which will later be converted to alcohol.
Flavors – Various herbs, spices and sugars have been added to beers over time. These, like all of the ingredients affect the flavor of the beer as well as help to preserve that flavor.
Yeast – The yeast is what converts the sugars in the wort to alcohol. The yeast also determines what type of beer it will become.
Water – On average 95% of beer is water. It is the main source of the beer’s flavor and a large quantity is used during the brewing process. Good quality water is needed to make good quality beer.

The ancients believed the universe to be made up of four elements: Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. While we know the universe is constructed of many more elements than those, those same four elements are all necessary to make beer.
Earth is represented by the roasted grains, the flavors and the yeast. All of these are cultivated in the Earth itself and impart the characteristics of the regions they come from.
Water is obviously represented by water. It is used in the boiling of the grains to release the sugars, in the sparging to gather even more sugars into the wort, and in the brewing when the hops are added.
Fire is represented by the fermentation process. Fire has been used throughout history by metal workers in forging steel, by chemists in creating new compounds and by cooks in creating delicious foods. If there is a chemical reaction present it is usually accompanied by fire. In the case of fermentation that fire is represented by the roiling action that the yeast creates when it is mixed into the wort.
Wind, the last of the ancient four elements is represented by two important aspects in brewing; the cooling process where the brewed beer is cooled down prior to the yeast being added for fermentation; and patience which is needed to allow time for both the fermentation process to complete and to wait for the bottling process to mature.
All of these elements are needed to create beer. The combinations can create various styles but in reality these styles can be broken down into two basic types of beers. Beer is either a lager or an ale. The difference is mainly in the type of yeast used for fermentation.
From those two basic types of beers, the various grains and flavors added as well as the brewing style will determine what style of beer is created.

We will discuss the various types and styles of beers later. In Pt 2 we will discuss drinking beer. Until then… enjoy.

Papabear

Wholly BBQ Batman!! – Where do we go after Gainesville House of Beer??!!

After work ended Friday, I sent out a text message to our group of Beer Bacchanalians asking for suggestions for Happy Hour. After a bit the Maestro replied “Downtown – Imposters performing for Free Fridays”. That sounded like a good idea to me so I suggested 5 PM and we agreed.

If you have not heard of the Imposters they are a local Beatles tribute band and they also play music from other artists of that era (Jimi Hendrix, etc.). They have a local following in Gainesville and you can be pretty sure when they play there will be a large crowd. Especially when they are at the Free Music Fridays concerts sponsored by the city. Usually these concerts are held at the Bo Diddley Plaza but since that is under renovation right now they are using lot #10 in downtown Gainesville which is currently empty.

We agreed to start at House of Beer around 5-ish and would decide what to do from there. I arrived first, sat at the bar and greeted Alex, the manager, then looked over the menu and decided on a pale ale I hadn’t seen before. Infinite Ale Works Aperion is a very nice American IPA with notes of citrus in the aroma and flavor and a really smooth finish. It was so good I recommended to the Maestro when he arrived shortly afterward.

So far, it was just the Maestro and I. Rowdy and the Cooler were doing something derby related. The Doctor was home with a nasty cold. And we hadn’t heard from anyone else yet.

At any rate we began catching up with the doings from the past week. After a bit I was ready for another an ordered a Celebrator, a Doppelbock from Brauerei Aying. I loved the lager I had from them last week and wanted to try another from them. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a full beer as that was the end of the keg. At least it was free, as is the custom when the keg blows out on you. I let what did get into the glass settle for a bit and while there wasn’t much there what was there was a really good doppelbock.

The Maestro and I continued Philosophying some more and soon heard from the Deck-orator asking if we were still at HOB. I said to “Cmon” and in the interim of her journey I was ready for another so I ordered a Paletas Tamarindo from 5 Rabbit Cerveceria. This was a good American Pale Wheat Ale with strong citrus aftertaste. I thought it hit the spot for me.

The Maestro and I continued Philosophying and it wasn’t too long before the Deck-orator showed. We moved from the bar to a table so it would be easier to converse. She told us that the Chemist was still working so it looked like it was just us three. The Deck-orator ordered herself a pint and soon we all began philosophying together.

After a bit I felt like one more pint so I ordered a Wynwood Brewing’s Pop’s Porter. This had a nice coffee flavor and a smooth finish, a nice way to end a session of beer supping. After a bit we all finished our pints and I felt like getting a bite to eat. I think Deck-orator suggested Wholly BBQ because Maestro had mentioned it to us before. So we all three agreed that it sounded like a good idea and settled our tabs.

We walked out the door and around the corner down South 1^st Street, turned right onto West 1^st Avenue, and at the corner of South 2^nd Street you could see Wholly BBQ across from lot #10, next to Whiskey House.

It’s a small rectangular building with a covered patio and outdoor seating running along 2^nd Street. The order window is on the north end of the building, the pick-up window around the corner facing 2^nd Street under the patio, and a little further down along that side is small bar where draft beers are poured. Between the pation and the street is a beer garden with tables for seating. At the southern end of the patio is a large smoker (see picture below) that the owner told me he constructed out of an old water tank.

I let Maestro and Deck-orator order first to give me a bit longer to look over longer the menu, which had quite a few choices but so many that you would get lost. When I got to the window I asked what the Wholly Buns were, as there were more than a few signs mentioning. The woman at the window explained they were yeast rolls stuffed with your choice of meat and served with a dipping sauce. That sounded good to me so I ordered those and an order of Loaded Fries. And a First Magnitude 72 for a draft.

The three of us walked around the corner and got our pints at the bar, then made our way to a table near the street. Just across the street from us was lot #10, where the Free Music Fridays concert would be held. We could see the stage from the side and could hear the musicians starting to warm up.

Our food orders came out in their respective orders and they would call our names out from the pick-up window. I went and picked mine up and good smell the aromas rising up. The Loaded Fries were covered in shredded pork , cheese and hot sauce. The Wholly Buns were aptly named as they were light, buttery and stuffed also with pork. I asked for the hot sauce with them as well.

I have to say that these dished were exactly what I needed. Hey were great tasting and delicious and I would highly recommend them to anyone. While we ate our food the Imposters began playing on stage. The air was nice and temperate out that night. With the food, the beer and music playing in the background it was a perfect way to end the work week and start the weekend. I highly recommend it to anyone.

Papabear

Welcoming Fall with Craft Beer…. Gainesville Style (AKA – The Blarneyman Returns)

The last day of summer and the first day of fall have recently passed and we are now in the beginning of my favorite season of the year… Fall. The scorching heat of summer is gone and the cool breezes of the fall are here. Football season, both college and pro, are in full swing. Gainesville is hopping with the students back to school and the weekends with Gator home games are jam packed. This also is the time of year that begins a lot of traditional beerfests (Oktoberfest, etc.) as well as Tap Takeovers.

My beer sampling this last weekend actually started on Thursday after I finished work. I stopped at Lucky’s Market and found out they were having a beer sampling featuring Oskar Blues Brewing (Longmont, CO). I didn’t know that at first and followed my normal routine of stopping at the draft counter and supping a pint before I go grocery shopping.

After I finished my pint of Oskar Blues Pinner Throwback IPA (a nice hoppy beer) I wandered back toward the beer and wine section and was informed about the beer samples being offered. There were two young ladies there pouring free samples of the beers being featured at Lucky’s by Oskar Blues. I will tell you now that I have already had Dale’s Pale Ale and Little Yella Pils by them before and found them both enjoyable. So with the nice IPA I had sampled at the beer counter I was looking forward to the others.

I asked for the G’Knight, an Imperial Red IPA first. Wow!!… This was a very good IPA. Nice and smooth with a hoppy flavor it is probably one of the best Imperial Red’s I have had to date. The next sample was Old Chub, a scotch ale. It was good but not as good as the G’Knight. I followed that up with the Ten FIDY, an American Imperial Stout, which was really smooth tasting. I liked it almost as much as the Imperial Red. To drive home the point of much I liked these, I grabbed a 4 pack of the Imperial Red and a mixed 12 containing the Pinner Throwback, Dale’s Pale Ale, Little Yella Pils and Old Chub. The young ladies serving samples tried talking me into wearing some swag they were giving away. It was basically an empty Pinner can fastened to a necklace of shiny plastic beads. I’m a 50 years old (+) man! Why would I wear such a ridiculous thing?!

Because two pretty young ladies serving beer samples asked me to.

I continued my shopping for groceries and eventually made my way home as I knew the next day our brave band of beer bacchanalians were having a special visitor come into town…

The Blarneyman was returning!!!

Some of us had already discussed a general plan for the evening. We knew that both Gainesville House of Beer and BrassTap of Gainesville were having events we wanted to attend. So we decided to meet at House of Beer first and begin our Friday Happy Hour there. Why not start from a familiar launch pad. If you’ve been reading this blog then you know that I go there frequently. If you haven’t then shame on you, and get yourself down there.

By the time I got home from work, changed the dog and walked my clothes, cleaned up and made my way to HOB it was approaching 5PM. Everyone else coming that night was already there so I had some catching up to do. Rowdy and the Cooler made it. The Doctor was probably the first to arrive as he usually is, and Maestro had brought the Blarneyman with him. I said my howdy-do’s and decided to get my first beer of the evening. I wanted to start slow so I went with a very nice German lager, Ayinger Brauweisse.

I also bought a pint for the Blarneyman (I don’t remember what he was drinking) as I had said I would before he came (Rule #67 of the Art of Beer (an upcoming series of Blogs) – “Never promise a pint to a man and leave him unfulfilled, as you create a thirsty enemy and create bad beer karma for yourself.”) Besides, the Blarneyman was kind enough to bring me a gift so I had to reciprocate.

The back of a Guinness Tee that Blarneyman gave me.

I also went outside to the truck real quick and retrieved the swag the girls at Lucky’s asked to wear the day before and brought it in for Rowdy as she loves that stuff.

And so as the Philosphying began, we began talking with and amongst ourselves, you would here an occasional one liner that has background to it but the innuendo is much more interesting. For instance… “If you want to get a hotel and do something on Sunday…”, or there’s “We can do something Saturday too…” and of course there was “And the Doctor will be available…” and of course the infamous “…and he likes it sticky.” Have fun filling in the blanks yourself.

The Blarneyman took the time to introduce himself and the rest of us to a fixture at HOB, known simply among our group as Da Fadder. From what I know of him, this priestly fellow works at one of the local hospitals. Haven’t taken much time to do more than say hello to him occasionally but I have wanted to drag him into some conversations for no other reason than to get his take on different topics depending on the subject matter at hand.

After a couple of rounds we decided to go refuel with solid fuel at Winghouse, then we would continue on to BrassTap. Rowdy and the Cooler headed home as they were leaving early for an out of town trip. I followed the Maestro to his house where he dropped his car off and he, the Blarneyman and I continued on and met the Doctor at the parking lot near BrassTap. From there we walked just down the street to Winghouse. The Blarneyman hadn’t been there before and the Doctor and I were old hats at the place so we were happy to introduce him to it. If you read this blog then you’ve read my previous review of it. If you haven’t read it then do so, or better yet head there yourself. The beer is good the wings are hot and the girls are both. 😉 One of my former Air Force buddies asked if this was Hooters South, which is funny because Hooters started in Florida in Clearwater and you can’t get a whole lot further south than that.

We ordered the Swamp Head Stump Knocker for drinking and I ordered the Sampler platter for my meal. This has two thin hamburger sliders, five wings and five boneless wings with whatever sauces you like (for me that is the Garlic Parmesan and Extreme mixed). We enjoyed the meal, the scenery and the sports on the various TVs. And when we finished we walked down the street to BrassTap.

If you’ve been reading this blog, you should have also seen one or two reviews involving the BrassTap. If you haven’t read them, again… SHAME ON YOU! …and get yourself down there! I can tell you honestly that it was SRO that evening (for you younger kids out there SRO is old guy talk for Standing Room Only). Luckily the folks there know us pretty well and the Doctor was able to find a spot at the bar where we could put our orders in. Did I mention that this was a Swamp Head Tap Takeover that night? No, I guess I didn’t. Of the 60 taps they have, 35 of them were all different Swamp Head brews. And they had a great selection to choose from. Allen and Brad and the rest of the folks there had their hands full but they were getting it done.

My first beer there was also my first Pumpkin beer of the year, Swamp Head’s Pumpkin Spice Latte, which I thought was pretty good and reminded me of pumpkin pie. After a bit I switched to a Swamp Head Strawberry Vanilla Cream Ale.

While we were supping our first round of suds, I saw the band starting to set up. I remember seeing something about an Irish band playing, and I didn’t recognize one of the instruments so I walked up and asked what it was.

The red-haired lass who responded, who I would later find out was named Victoria Van Arnam, told me it was a dulcimer, which I then recognized as I was close enough to see it better. What I had never seen before were the tiny and delicate hammers she would later use to play the instrument. The gent who played with her, Jason Catron, played a variety of instruments and provided the vocals. They played a variety of classic Irish folk tunes and it wasn’t long before a lot of patrons were joining them. The name of their duo is Jig to a Milestone and if you ever have the opportunity to see them I highly recommend doing so.

Shortly after I finished talking to the musicians, one our merry band spotted an open table which we quickly snagged. We ordered another round of beers and began Philosophying in earnest. This was also refered to throughout the evening as” networking” and “building bridges”. I prefer “Philosophying” but to each his or her own. I also know that it wasn’t long before we were joining in with the musicians depending on the Irish tune they were playing.

I finished the evening with a nice smooth stout that I let the bartender pick out for me. Luckily he knows what he is doing.

All in all it was an excellent way to ring in the fall and start a weekend. I highly recommend it.

Papabear

A Friday at the Top Restaurant in Gainesville FL – A Happy Hour Review

I am typing this now that we have finally had a cool weekend in Florida. You may or may not have noticed but my proliferation of Blog articles has waned over the last couple of months. This due in no small part to the heat we have been experiencing here in Florida and my lack of air-conditioning. My AC will be repaired shortly and the cooler weather has finally broached the borders of Florida so I am inspired to begin my writing anew.

A couple of weeks ago our regular Friday flurry of texts began as usual. We ended up deciding on visiting the Top for Happy Hour and to meet there at 5, which was when they opened. The Chemist and the Deck-orator were busy and the Cooler was at hunting camp so they wouldn’t be joining us. The Doctor started his happy hour earlier in the day since he had finished a long, hot work week the day before so he wasn’t going to travel across town to join us. So that left the Maestro, Rowdy and yours truly.

If you are new to Gainesville and have never heard of the Top Restaurant then you are missing out on not only a local legend but a great place for food and beverages. The Top recently celebrated their 15^th Anniversary. If you know anything about the restaurant business, or even business in general, then you know just the fact that they have been around so long speaks volumes.

I arrived at the corner of Main Street and University Avenue just as the Top, located just up the block on Main, was opening. I saw a crowd waiting for the opening as I approached but by the time I made it to the door I walked right in. Most folks were getting a table for their dinner, but a few were doing the same as me and making their way to the bar. I went to the far side and snagged a couple of seats. The bartender on that section of the bar, a young man named Brian, asked if I cared for a drink. I asked for the beer menu which he obliged me with. I think he may have waited on me the last time I visited the Top and as I remember he was someone who knew his beers pretty well.

I had been feeling rather parched and hot earlier in the day so a lighter beer sounded perfect to me. I saw a Czech Pilsner on the menu and thought that might do the job so I ordered it. And that was a good call. It was a Praga Pils brewed by Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar in the Czech Republic. It not only hit the spot but was a very smooth tasting pilsner, so good that I recommended it to the Maestro when he arrived shortly after. He ordered a different beer for his first but chose that for his second and agreed with me about the quality.

We started catching up and Philosophying for a bit then I ordered my second draft, a Hoppy Bunny ABA from Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery. This was a Black IPA style and lived up to the name Hoppy, which shouldn’t have surprised me. It tasted good but the hop level was a little too much for me that soon in the beer sampling process. I noticed the time and saw that Rowdy hadn’t show yet. I was starting to feel a bit peckish but didn’t want to order dinner before she showed up so I ordered an appetizer instead. Luckily the Maestro helped me with it otherwise I wouldn’t have eaten dinner.

After a bit I was ready for another craft beer but wanted something to chase out the hoppiness of the Hop Bunny. So I went with one of the fruit beer releases that Funky Buddha Brewing has recently released, a More Moro which had very fruity aromas and flavor. Around about then Rowdy showed up and the three of us continued Philosophying. Rowdy looked over the draft menu and ordered her first ale. Then she and I both ordered some dinner. She ordered a special they going which was a tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich. And I ordered a burger and fries.

Rowdy’s soup looked more like bisque than a normal tomato soup and Rowdy confirmed the texture was similar but she also said it was very delicious. I can’t recall the paring of cheeses for her grilled cheese but she liked that as well.

I can’t remember the name of the burger I ordered but it had roasted red peppers, pesto, tomato, sweet onions and pickles on it and was delicious. The fries at the Top are really great too if you’re a French fries aficionado then I think you’ll enjoy them.

When my burger was done I was ready for another beer, so I ordered a Fuchschen Alt, a German Altbeer, which was very tasty. It was actually the perfect topper for a good meal and a nice way to finish this session of Philosphying.

If you’ve never been to the top then go! The food is fantastic! The drink selection (beers, wines and mixed drinks) is changing depending on the seasons but always has a wide variety and great choices. The décor has a kitschy Floridian feel to it. The staff is made up of a great bunch of folks! And I have to admit the other patrons are usually easy to look at. I’ve never not enjoyed a visit there. The Top has definitely been aptly named.

Papabear

Happy Hour with a Southern Charm ;)

Happy Hour this last Friday started as usual with a text coming from the ether suggesting we start by meeting at Tall Paul’s downtown. It was Maestro who sent it and he suggested meeting around 4:30. You may have seen me mention Tall Paul’s before in another blog post. Their micro-brewery (Alligator Brewing) is one of the first micro-breweries in Gainesville and is located in the center of downtown. Tall Paul’s is the bar where the micro-brewery is located and is a hot spot for a lot of folks who visit downtown at night. They will frequently feature live local bands on the weekends.

I didn’t get there until closer to 5. The Maestro already had a draft sitting in front of him and greeted me as I approached the bar. He was working on a Lagunitas Brewing “A Little Sumpin’ Extra Ale”. I looked over the list of available drafts and decided to go with one of their own microbrews, “Cantaloupe Smoke Habanero”. I could smell the habanero in the odor and there was a definite bite in the aftertaste. And the smoke flavor came through as well but the heat stood out for me. I liked this beer but it would not be for everyone… a point that was driven home later.

The Maestro and I caught up some. Then we heard from Rowdy and the Cooler saying they would join us in a bit. In the interim we finished the brews in front of us and ordered two others. Maestro ordered a Sixpoint Brewing “Jammer” and I ordered an Angry Chair Brewing “Silver Alert”. Maestro was pleased with the Jammer. I was a little hesitant with the Silver Alert at first as the hops flavor was strong in both the tastes and smell, but after a bit it began to grow on me.

It wasn’t long before Rowdy and the Cooler showed up. I recommended the Cantaloupe Smoke Habanero to Rowdy because I knew she liked the pepper brewed beers we had at the Tampa beer fest. The Cooler either had a coke or a cider, I don’t remember. Mostly I don’t remember it because of the reaction that Rowdy had to the Habanero. This is a perfect example of how two separate sets of taste buds can taste the same thing in two different ways.

Rowdy took a sip, then made a face like she had swallowed an ashtray, and said something along the lines of “All I taste is smoke!”

“You don’t taste any of the habanero?” I asked.

“No all I taste is smoke!” she replied. For me the smoke flavor was subtle and the heat from the habanero stood, which I really enjoyed. For her the smoke was the main flavor and she didn’t like it. Rowdy is also not a big fan of stouts. Too many of them taste like coffee and nothing else to her. Whereas I enjoy stouts immensely and love working paste the coffee flavor to pick out the other subtler hints.

After a bit we all agreed that the bar was really too loud for us to easily philosophy with one another, so we decided to close our tabs and head over to House of Beer. Tall Paul’s is a great place for beers, they have some games you can enjoy and feature some good bands occasionally. But a great place for conversing it is not, especially as the night goes on.

When we got to HOB Rowdy had a Green Flash West Coast IPA, which she really likes, Maestro had a Green Flash Jibe Session IPA, which I think he thought was okay, and I had the 5 Lizard Latin Style Witbier by 5 Rabbit Cerveceria, which I had before but decided to rate higher in my Untappd app this time. We gather our brews, staked out a table and began our Philosophying in earnest now without distractions.

After a while we realized that between breaths of discussion we had supped our suds fairly dry and it was time to either retrieve more or move on. Someone suggested eating and I was in a mood to agree with that, as were the others. Maestro had an invite from some friends to join them at Wholly BBQ Café, just down the street. I was feelin’ like BBQ and Rowdy and the Cooler agreed. Maestro was open to suggestion and said if he didn’t like the suggestion he would join his friends for BBQ. I think the Cooler suggested Southern Charm (but it could have been Rowdy) and I said that I had never been there, which was true and kind of strange since I lived near there. So we decided on that. The Maestro passed but suggested the Pentecostal Chicken, then he left to join his friends at Wholly BBQ and the three of us made our way to Southern Charm.

I arrived first, and found a spot in the parking lot next to the building on Hawthorne Road. If you have ever driven by Southern Charm, like I do almost every day, then you have probably thought the building looks kind of small. It truth it doesn’t look much bigger when you pull into the parking lot and the limited spaces kind of cement that. But I looked around the building a bit before I went and saw that there was enough street parking as well to accommodate most of the patrons they could probably hold.

The building is basically rectangular in nature running parallel with Hawthorne Road, The parking lot in on the southeast end of the site and the entrance in on the northeast end. They have plenty of outdoor seating as well though no one was sitting outdoors that night. When you walk in the Cashier/Hostess/Wait Station is immediately on the left and the right wall (which is closest to Hawthorne Road) is lined with small four seater wooden tables. The whole dining area is maybe twenty feet by forty feet, with the entrance to the kitchen behind the cashier. There are more four seater tables along the back wall and a larger eight seater in the middle (or maybe that was two four seaters pushed together – didn’t look that close) and another round top table in the back (parking lot end) in front of where the restrooms are located. The décor is soft tones and comforting with a little tip of the hat to diner kitsch as well.

One of the staff members greeted me with a big smile and said she would seat me in a minute. I said that was fine as I was waiting for two more to join me. In about the time I said that she was walking around with a few menus and walking me toward a four-seater along the windows, which is actually where I would have picked to sit. She laid out three place settings and menus and a server would be with me shortly. While I waited I looked over the menu. It was a simple double-sided paper menu folded over as a handout, but it hand a nice front design and a lot to read (see pictures below).

A small group at a table left as I sat down, and it looked like a larger group had just sat at the table in the middle. Another group of four walked in after me and sat a table down from me along the windows. Finally, Rowdy and the Cooler walked in and sat down at our table. It was a few minutes later when the waitress came over and got a our drink order. When she brought those she got our food order. Rowdy went with the meatloaf and a couple of sides (I can’t remember which) and the Cooler went with the catfish and a couple sides. I had heard different recommendations from folks since this place had opened, but I have been wanting to try their Chicken and Waffles.

I know some folks think that is a weird combination but I can remember a visit to my grandma’s sister’s house when we were kids in Pennsylvania and served homemade chicken and waffles and it was one of the best meals I can remember ever having. I have been thinking about trying to remake it myself but just haven’t done it yet. The menu here described their Chicken and Waffles as their Pentecostal Chicken served over a buttered Belgian waffle with natural maple syrup. And since Maestro has suggested the Pentecostal Chicken it sounded like and even better idea. We put our order in and waited…

And waited…

If anyone has been around Rowdy when she gets hungry you know that’s not a good idea. The Cooler lived up to his nickname and cooled her off a bit. He pointed out that an 8 top and another 4 top put their order in front of us. And too his point the kitchen didn’t look to be that big so I could see a bottle neck occurring if they got a lot of orders at once.

The food did arrive and the waitress apologized for the wait before it did get there. I didn’t really ask Rowdy and Cooler how their meals were as I was completely enraptured with mine (see pic below). The Pentecostal Chicken is similar to Pentecostal Chicken I have had before but with a little more zest in it. And it was served with a little bit of gravy on it. The waffle was perfect and went really well with the chicken especially with the syrup. Now a traditional Chicken and Waffles up north of the Mason Dixon line is pretty much fried chicken served on a waffle and dusted with powdered sugar.

My great-aunt’s, on the other hand, was a homemade waffle served with chicken in a white gravy poured over it. When I tell some folks about it they kind make a funny face, but the combination was delicious. Southern Charm’s version was almost the best of both worlds. It is definitely one of the tastiest dishes I have had in a while. I was definitely a member of the Clean Plate Club that evening. So was the Cooler. Rowdy ended up taking a to-go box because she couldn’t eat anymore.

We got our check and settled up. Other than the waiting period for our food to come out, I don’t have a complaint at all about Southern Charm. In fact I can’t wait to go back and try a different dish.

A little word of caution, the Chicken and Waffles may be a Yankee dish but the Sweet tea is definitely southern… sweet being the key word.

Papabear

GHOB Tap Takeover; and Public & General: A Happy Hour Review

My weekend started a bit early last week. Not in the sense that I didn’t work on Friday, but in the sense that I went out for a beer on Thursday evening. I don’t often go out on a work night, but I happened to be out at a Meet-up Group when I got a text from the Maestro. He was also out at a gathering and wanted to stop at the Green Flash/Alpine Takeover being held at Gainesville House of Beer.

Since it was on the way home from my location and since my head was swimming with all of the information I had received at the meeting I decided a beer was not only in order but would help me to sort out some of the afore mentioned information. That’s as good an excuse as any to sample new beers. Besides, one of the things that Gainesville House of Beer does very well is a Tap Takeover. There is always a good variety of the beers that a particular brewery has and they always have some nice swag to give away.

By the time I had arrived the Maestro already had a beer in front of him, Alpine Brewing’s Duet, which he was rather satisfied with. I was also glad to see one of my favorite Beer Servers on hand, Kat. If you haven’t see any of my other comments about Kat then you should know that she is one of the most knowledgeable beer aficionados around, as well as a very charming young lady.

The Maestro had already had an Alpine Brewing’s Hoppy Birthday, which he was also very fond of. But I started out with the Duet instead. It had a hoppy aroma and flavor with a slightly sweet after taste. While we worked on these beers, Maestro and I caught up with each other.

After a bit we were ready for another. Maestro selected a Green Flash Soul Style IPA and I had an Alpine Brewing’s Captain Stout. I liked it, it had hints of coffee and chocolate, but had an aftertaste that I couldn’t identify. It wasn’t as creamy as most stouts are. It was good, but probably not the best stout I had ever had. The Maestro had realized he had sampled the Soul Style IPA before but increased his rating this time from 3 to 3 ½ stars (out of 5) on the Untappd app.

We talked some more then decided to end our night with that round. We stuck around long enough for Maestro to win some swag. I mentioned to Maestro that I had read about a new local place in the paper that was where the “Brew Spot” used to be. He agreed that it sounded like a good idea for a Friday Happy Hour and left it to me to pass word on to the group. We said our goodnights and headed out.

At Mid-day the next day I sent out a text to our band of beer connoisseurs to meet at Public & General around 5 PM. Maestro replied that he was trying to get rid of a cold, which I had noticed him coming down with the previous night, so he would have to pass. Rowdy wasn’t sure she could make it as she was taking Abuelita to see the doctor, (Note – this is not our beer swilling friend “The Doctor”). I knew the Doctor was working this weekend, and that the Chemist and the Deck-orator were on a beach weekend. I did not hear from the Cooler and Rowdy didn’t know yet if he was coming or not.

By the time 5 PM had arrived I was pulling into the parking lot at 1000 NE 16^th AVE. The last time I had been at this location it was called the Brew Spot and it was a little different. As I recall, the idea for that business was a local café that served tea, coffee, craft beer and wine. And it served food as well. The food was okay and the service the same. The layout was kind of a hodgepodge of a reading lounge, a small restaurant and a back dance hall. The hall was also used as a little community center where the owner tutored young folks in math. While the concept had a very altruistic intent behind it, from a business stand point it is very difficult to run a business that way without a very strict business plan. I don’t know that is the reason that Brew Spot closed, that is just a supposition based on limited observation and rumors.

Now that it has re-opened as Public & General I saw differences as soon as I walked in the door. The front portion, which was formally the lounge/bar/café/restaurant/kitchen, has been transformed into a little market/bistro. On the right are some racks with various wines and beers available for purchase, as well as some coolers with more variety of both. On the left is a refrigerated case with cheeses and a counter with a register. Behind the counter is the kitchen, which is the same location it was when it was the Brew Spot.

The big room in the back which I referred to earlier as the ballroom (for lack of a better description) has been transformed into a large bar room with a large “L” shaped bar and a few tables for dining. Behind the bar are shadow boxes displaying various bottle of wines and beers. Off to the right as you walk into the bar is a little cubby/sitting area with a settee and a couple chairs. That seemed a little out of place to me but if you decided to have a band or DJ set-up these items could more easily be moved out of the way to allow that.

I had read in the paper that Public & General had a wide selection of wines and that they featured European brand brews. This was true and I sat at the bar and ordered a Veltins Pilsner, which was on tap. Veltins is a German Brewery, and while I had this one before I thought it tasted better this time than the last. But I selected it because the other beers on tap (there are only 5 taps) were just a bit heavier in flavor and I wanted to start lighter. The other beers on tap were Doc’s Cider, Tucher Franconian Dark Lager, Unibroue Le Fin du Monde, and Unibroue Raftman Pale Ale. They also had over 20 other bottled beers listed on the menu, many of which were European or a European style of beer.

While I was supping this cold brew down I started talking with another patron who sat at the bar. He was a local resident from the neighborhood and seemed very glad that they had opened the place back up and was pleased with the changes.

Rowdy called me and said she was coming and bringing Abuelita with her. They had spent some time at the doctor’s office and were both hungry. She asked me what they had for food so I read the menu to her. She told me she would be there soon. After I hung up I informed the lady behind the bar that I would be joined by others and asked if it would be a problem for me to move to a table. She said it wouldn’t be and that when we were ready to order we could just come up to the bar to order. So I sat at a table and checked my phone for the usual social interaction while I waited.

Rowdy soon showed up with Abuelita in tow and they sat at the table with me. I explained that food and drinks were ordered at the bar and they would hold your credit card for the tab. Rowdy went to the bar and ordered a water for Abuelita and a Southern Star Brewing’s Bombshell Blonde for herself. I had finished the Pilsner by the time they sat down so I ordered the Tucher Franconian Dark Lager.

After we got our drinks we went back to the table to look over the menu (see picture below). They had three sandwiches, three salads and half a dozen sides to choose from. Abuelita wanted a sandwich so she ordered a brisket sandwich. Rowdy ordered a pasta salad, and I went for the hamburger and a side of house fries. Rowdy and I went back up to the bar and placed our food order. Then we went back to the table and caught up with each other. Abuelita filled me in on her doctor visit and how she was doing. After a little bit of catching up with all three of us the food arrived.

Abuelita was surprised at the size of the sandwich and said she would not be able to eat the whole thing. And it was a sizeable sandwich coming served on a hoagie roll. Rowdy’s pasta salad came out in a large stainless steel bowl. She asked for another bowl so she and Abuelita could share their dishes. My burger and house fries came out just after their dishes. All three of us enjoyed the food. I particularly liked the combination of toppings on my burger. And I really liked that the fries came with a side of mayo for dipping, German style.

Over all I was very pleased with our visit to Public & General. And I think Rowdy and Abuelita would agree with me. I sent a text to Maestro telling him to inform his wife, Muse, that they had a large wine selection so she could join us there some time. Abuelita asked about their hours because she wanted to bring her friends for lunch sometime. I would have liked to talk to the owner and find out if they were going to rotate taps or just use the beers on tap all the time but he was busy with customers and I didn’t want to interfere.

We browsed around the market a little before we left and when Rowdy saw the cheese plate on the chalkboard menu she said “Oh cool! That will be great for a to-go box.”

On of the folks behind the counter replied that the owner was really good and paring wines with different cheeses and could make recommendations for those kinds of things.

Overall this was a good experience. The staff was friendly, the food was delicious and the wine and beer selection was really good. The layout when compared to the previous business is much better. I got the feeling that the owner knows his wine and beers pretty well, but I couldn’t tell you how knowedgable the rest of the staff is on them. It wasn’t a large menu but what they did do they seemed to do pretty well, which is more important than having a larger selection. I recommend stopping by if you get the chance. I know I will go back again.

Papabear

Craft Beer Enthusiasts – Creatures of Habit?

How many of you remember back in the “Good Ole Days” when you had your “Go-to-beer”. I’m talking back when craft beer was the crazy uncle trying to brew something in his garage and it ended up tasting like someone cleaned their socks in the water first. My dad was a PBR man so that was what I had for my first sips of beer as a young lad. Back then American Beer Drinkers were pretty much at the mercy of the big breweries advertising departments. Miller Brewing, Anheuser-Busch, Coors and Pabst were the big guys and they battled it out with each other using sports figures, sex appeal and comedy in their commercials, vying for our dollars anyway they could.

That was how “Light Beer” came about by the way. Two factors helped the rise of the vile drink: America and beer drinkers as a whole were becoming a wee bit more health “aware”; and more and more women started becoming income generators. These two groups fell victim to the myth that light beer is better for you. While truthfully is does have less calories per serving, if you’re drinking a six pack at a time it’s still putting the calories on you…. And you give up so much flavor!

This segues back to my original thought, which is that for years Americans were subjected to American Style lagers and a few Pilsners to sustain our beer needs. Ever since the repeal of Prohibition we have been subjected to the whims of government sticking their fingers in the beer barrel and limiting the alcohol and flavor of beer. It was only after Jimmy Carter signed H.R. 1337, which went into effect on February 1^st, 1979, and legalizing home brewing at a Federal level that we began to see higher alcohol content and more flavors in our beers. But this was a very slow moving growth at first.

In 1981, an 18 year old version of me, left the US for the first time and traveled to his first military station in what was then West Germany. Up to that date my limited exposure to beer had been the more commonly known American brands. On Christmas Eve of 1981, I arrived at Hahn AB and after recovering from jet lag, I was invited to a small Christmas dinner with my sponsor, Waldo, his then girlfriend and his roommate, Ray. I have to admit I don’t remember the girlfriend’s name because Waldo didn’t date her for much longer after I had arrived. But I do remember that night. It was at the girlfriend’s apartment in the little town of Lautzenhausen outside the base. Waldo, Ray and I walked there. And I was introduced to both German wines (a topic for another day) and German beer. I can’t tell you what I had for dinner but I do remember enjoying the evening and when dinner was over Ray and I walked back through the town toward the base… But not without stopping at a Gasthaus or two… or three on the way. I became immersed in the German beer drinking culture that evening and spent the next two years learning more about German beers as well as those of other European countries.

I had lagers and pilsners that were better tasting and much stronger than I had ever had in the US. I drank from a glass boot (after learning the proper way to do so) and a Yard glass. I had Hefeweizens and Bocks and Dunkels. I discovered Belgians and Eise beers and that the French aren’t just good at making wines. I sampled beers from Denmark, Holland (the home grown Heineken is much better than what we get here), Sweden, Switzerland, and Italy. I found out that there many more beers to try than I could find and some beers could only be had at certain times of the year or in certain restaurants because they made their own. I discovered the best pretzels ever (as well as the chicken dance) and that ladies carrying several liters of beer in each hand was commonplace in the Hofbrauhaus in Munich. And that beer was an excellent ingredient in cooking and not just in beer-batter fish. I didn’t know it then but those two years laid the groundwork for my Craft Beer Enthusiasm many years later.

When I came back to the States beer was never the same. All the guys I was serving with at the base in North Carolina were drinking Budweiser, Busch, Miller or their light versions. I settled for Michelob as it was the only popular brew I could tolerate. Whenever I ran into other servicemen who had served overseas we would invariably talk to each other about the beers we could get overseas. One of my friends served in England and talked about the ales, porters and stouts he had. Another served in the Philippines and talked about a lot of different Asian beers. The one thing we agreed on was that most American beers left us wanting something else.

The truth is what we wanted was variety. Sometimes we would talk about local beers, beers that you could only get where you grew up. Little known breweries to the rest of the U.S. were local legends to us. One weekend two friends and I drove up to Maryland so we could by 2 cases each of Genessee Cream Ale and 12 Horse Ale. Why…. because we couldn’t get it where we were. And if we couldn’t get it then some of us tried to make it. My generation was the first to be able to do home-brewing since before prohibition.

That same desire is what drove home brewing to become the Craft Beer “Phenomena” of today. Variety is the spice of life. That isn’t just an old saying to get kids to eat all of the food on their plates instead of the just the one item they like. It is a veritable truth.

Most beer drinkers are creatures of habit. They want their “Go-to-beer” and nothing else. That’s what they like and that’s all they want. And you know what… there’s nothing wrong with. If you like a particular beer, then drink that beer. Sometimes the certainty and comfort we get from little things like a favorite beer or food or tv show can help us get through the difficult things that life throws at us.

Most craft beer drinkers are also creatures of habit. But it’s not the “Go-to-beer” they gain comfort from… it’s the experience of a new flavor or style of beer. If you polled craft beer enthusiasts I’m sure you would find they share some of the following traits:

They don’t repeat a craft beer if one that they haven’t had is available, unless it’s a style they don’t care for.
They like to travel. It may be to different fests, or breweries, or bier-gardens or simply a different place to try craft beer, but it still gets them out of the house.
They do have their “Go-to-tap-locations”, places with rotating tap lists and other craft beer enthusiasts who share their zest for flavorful beer.

There may be other traits shared among them but I think these three are the biggies. But those three are also why Craft Beer is not a fad or “Phenomena” but is here to stay. If you closed all the craft breweries down, we would still make our own. So find a beer you haven’t had and enjoy the change of taste. Even if you have to have it out your favorite glass at home it’s still better than settling for the same ol’ same ol’!

Papabear