A Quick Visit to Some Indianapolis Breweries (with a bonus Savoy, Illinois Brewery)

Frontier was having a sale on some cheap flights between Atlanta and Indianapolis, so we decided to fly up for a quick weekend to visit some friends in Illinois.  While we were up there, we took some time to visit a few breweries in Indianapolis.  (We also had the opportunity to wait for an hour and a half for our bags in Atlanta...thanks Frontier...but that's another story.)

Overall, I'd say that Indianapolis is a good, but not great, beer city.  There is a decent number of breweries, but not a huge number.  For the most part, it was quality beer, but I don't think I had anything exceptional.  (Of course, in our limited time there, we were only able to stop at a few of the breweries.  There are MANY other options.  Since originally posting this, I have received suggestions that we should have tried Flat 12 Bierworks and Bier Brewery and Taproom.)

Black Acre Brewing Company (5632 E Washington St., Indianapolis)

Our first stop was Black Acre Brewing.  This small brewery sits in a strip of stores and restaurants on in the Irvington neighborhood of Indianapolis.  There are a few tables available on the front patio, along with the relatively small bar and around 15 tables available inside.    Reclaimed wood running up the wall and across the ceiling to the bar warms up the interior.  Parking is conveniently available in a small lot behind the brewery.

Situated in the middle of a neighborhood, I could see myself spending a lot of time here if I lived nearby.  This seems like the comfortable kind of place that I'd like to walk to, enjoy a beer on the patio, and just watch the world go by.

While we were there, they had 6 of their own beers available, along with around 10 guest taps of other beers, ciders and a mead.  The drinks are reasonably priced, and I was able to get a flight of 4 samples for $8.   
  
  Fair Wind Porter (7.5/10) 

• Has a fair chocolate bitterness up front, but the finish is a little weak.

  Bear Witness Oatmeal Stout (7/10) 

• This is a little light at first, but then the dark chocolate flavor builds.  Medium-bitterness

  Saucy Intruder Rye IPA (7.5/10) 

• This medium-hoppy beer has an almost "punch"-like fragrance.  It has a floral upfront flavor, but is light at the end.

  Dagger Punch! ESB (4/10)

• Drinks like a brown, but much more intense.  This has a deep flavor that stays with you, but I wasn't a big fan.

  Like a lot of small breweries, they have a number of seasonals available throughout the year.  I really wish we could have been there when the Carver's Army (Peanut Butter Porter) or Late Christmas (Gingerbread Porter) was available.

New Day Craft Mead & Hard Cider  (1102 Prospect St., Indianapolis)

It was then time to move onto the Fountain Square area so that the Mrs. could try out what ciders Indianapolis has to offer.  New Day has a bright tasting room on the corner of Prospect and East Shelby Streets.

I'd say this tasting room knows it's target audience, and knows that a good portion of those people are women.  Weekly events include a yoga night and a massage night, but anyone can be comfortable sitting around and playing their available board games while enjoying New Day's cider.

When we were there, they had 3 ciders and 2 meads available. The favorite was their South Cider, which had a nice balance between tartness and sweetness.

It was nice to see that New Day's offerings are also available at the other breweries we visited.  The Mrs. was able to get a mead at Black Acre and a cider at Fountain Square.

Fountain Square Brewery (1301 Barth Ave, Indianapolis)

Leaving New Day, it was a short walk to Fountain Square Brewery.

They have a relatively large tasting room, with a couple of old-school video games sitting around.  A deck attached next to the entrance provides a great place to spend a sunny afternoon.  

We visited on a Sunday afternoon, and the growler line was crazy.  They offer growler fills for $5.50 on Sundays, and I don't think I ever saw the line with fewer than 10 people in it during the hour or so that we were there.  Compared to the idiotic Georgia no-sale laws, it almost brought a tear to my eye...and certainly made it obvious why Georgia breweries would like to be able to sell their own beers.

And now, the beer...

After scoring a couple of seats at the bar, I ordered a flight ($5 for 6 - 3oz pours), and the Mrs. was able to enjoy a New Day Johnny Chapman cider.

Workingman Pilsner (3/10)

• Ok, to be fair, I don't go to a craft brewery for a pilsner.  I'm sure it was fine, but it just didn't do anything for me.

Preachers Daughter Amber (8/10)

• This may be the first time I've picked an amber as my favorite beer from a brewery; but it may just be because it's different.  It drinks like a dark pale ale, with a slight hoppiness.  I actually ended up ordering a pint of this after going through the flight.

Backyard Porter (7/10)

• This had a medium-deep flavor, with just a bit of smokiness. Very drinkable.  When we were there, one of the locals was telling us about how much he likes to take this beer home and enjoy it while barbecuing due to the way the smoke in the beer worked with the smoke from the grill.  I can understand that completely.

Craic Oatmeal Stout (5/10)

• The Craic had a pretty light flavor, with just a little maltiness coming through.

Hop For Teacher Pale Ale (4.5/10)

• The pale ale had a slight floral and fragrance and taste, but really not a lot of flavor.  A slight bitterness at the end made it more interesting.

Soul Ride IPA (6.5/10)

• A floral fragrance and taste accompanies a slight bitterness at the end.  I would say this was pretty lightly-hopped for an IPA.

This seems to be a popular location among the locals.  The bartenders seemed to know half of the people that wandered up to them to get beers.  They also welcome dogs inside, which means this is a great place to walk to and spend a couple of hours on an evening or weekend day.

Tow Yard Brewing (501 S. Madison, Indianapolis) 

At this point, we thought we were done visiting breweries for the day, because most closed fairly early on a Sunday, but we happened to drive past Tow Yard, so decided to check to see if it was still open. Happily, it was!

Tow Yard has a large dining area, along with a small outdoor seating area that overlooks the downtown skyline.  We decided to sit at the bar, overlooking the brewing equipment.



We had been busy checking out breweries, so decided it was time for a snack.  We just got an order of the pretzel bites, since we were planning on dinner later.  They were very good, and came with two dipping sauces.  The honey mustard sauce was some of the best I've ever had, but I didn't really spend much time on that, because the other sauce was a beer-cheese dip that was simply amazing. They have their own deli area, with a number of sandwiches available.  After trying the pretzel bites, I'd really like to try a meal here.




Overall the beer was good, but nothing exceptional.  As is normal, I had a flight. Unfortunately, they had very limited options for someone who didn't want beer.  They had a few wines, but no ciders...so the Mrs. had to go without.  (I never understand why more places don't have cider available, especially if they have other drinks available.)

Hook Up Shandy (6/10)

• A little lemon/orange flavor, with a slight wheat taste.  Some sips seemed to come through with a cheap lager flavor at the end.

Golden Hops (4/10)

• Not much flavor with this one...slight lager taste.

Horse Power Double IPA (6/10)

• Slight floral and hops flavors.  Very drinkable.

Who's That? Brown (7/10)

• This is better than the average brown, and has much more chocolate/coffee flavors than you would usually find.

All Along the Scotch Tower (4/10)

• This is ok, but there's really no scotch flavor at all.  Overall, it's pretty much...eh.

I could see coming here for a couple of beers and to have some appetizers or dinner, but probably wouldn't seek it out especially for the beer.  The food quality seems to out-pace the quality of the beer.

Black Swan Brewpub (2067 E. Hadley Rd, Plainfield)

Our hotel was near the airport, so we decided to head to the Black Swan Brewpub for dinner.  When we were at  Fountain Square, one of the other customers suggested trying it out.

Black Swan is more of a restaurant than the breweries that we had visited earlier.  There were only around 8 seats at the bar, but it was fairly late, so we were able to grab a couple.

We ended up ordering the reuben and the stack (a sandwich of 2 stacked pork tenderloins), because they were recommended by the guy we talked to at Fountain Square.  They were both good, but not great.  I wouldn't go out of my way to get them again.  One highlight is their fries.  They will toss them in a seasoning (mixed herb, truffle oil & parmesan, sea salt & vinegar, salt & pepper), and they come with one of five dips (bacon aioli, sundried tomato aioli, pineaple aioli, chipotle aioli, habenero ketchup).

They have 16 drafts, mostly devoted to their own beers, but they do also have a cider and some other Indiana beers on tap.  As always, I got a flight while the Mrs. went for the cider.

Rye IPA (4/10)

• Mild upfront flavor, but way too much bitterness at the end for me.  That's a bitterness that sticks with you.

Nelson Sauvin IPA (4/10)

• Slight sweetness, but very bitter at the end.

Chile Porter (8/10)

• This may be the favorite/most interesting beer that I had in Indy.  It has a nice porter depth, with sweetness from the chile peppers.  The heat is somewhat subtle, but builds in the back of the throat with each taste.  I'm not sure that I would want a pint, but an 8 ounce pour would be great.

Scottish (6.5/10)

• There's a scotch sweetness, but not much else memorable to this beer.  I'd expect a stronger flavor in a scotch ale.

Cream Stout (8.5/10)

• This was very drinkable, with a slight coffee bitterness at front, but that really smoothed out at the end.  Another favorite of the trip.  I finished the night with a pint of this one.

If you have to stay the night anywhere near the airport, I'd recommend going to Black Swan to try out the beers.  The food was solid, but we weren't overwhelmed with anything we had.  I'd like to give it a try again.  If you happen to be around on Friday...even better; fill up your growler for $6.50.

Sun King (135 N. College, Indianapolis)

We decided to make one more brewery stop on Monday before flying out, but the options were really limited.  Normally I wouldn't bother with a larger production brewery, but we decided to stop at Sun King.  Honestly, it really wasn't worth the stop.  

  For $8, you get 6 small tastes.  The Fistful of Hops was a decent IPA.  The others were just disappointing, and not really worth writing about.  Most were lacking in flavor.

• Sun Light Cream Ale
• Wee Mac Scottish Ale
• Osiris Pale Ale
• Indians Lager
• Bitter Druid ESB

 A non-brewery recommedation - Goose the Market (2503 N Delaware St, Indianapolis)
We knew we were going to have limited time before our flight, so we decided to grab a couple of sandwiches to eat at the airport.  We had seen some recommendations for Goose the Market, so decided to give it a try.  Wow...great place.  

We ordered a couple of their sandwiches/subs, the Nimoy and the Batali.  Ok, the Nimoy was great, but the Batali was phenomental.  The Batali is a sandwich filled with italian meats, provolone, tomato preserves, red onion, giardinara and mayo...yum.  Plus, all the meats and cheeses are freshly cut from their deli case.

This just seems a like a great place, and I wish it was in my neighborhood.  Upstairs is full of freshly baked breads, deli items, and gelati.  the basement is full of beers and wines, along with a tasting bar where you can get a glass of wine and try some of their small plates (olives, cheese, etc.).

I'd love to stop back in at Goose the Market for some picnic items, and then go for a nice walk by the canal.  (Of course, I might have to check to see if it's legal to bring some beers down there too.)

  If you're visiting Indianapolis, check out some of these breweries or any of the others.  Check their schedule before visiting, though.  Most have limited hours, and many are not open at all during the beginning of the week.

BONUS - Triptych Brewing (Savoy, Illinois)

The friends who we were visiting live in Champaign, Illinois, so we made visit to their local brewery: Triptych.

Triptych is a great small brewery that anyone should be happy to have in their neighborhood.  They usually have around ten of their own beers on tap.  

We tried a few of their tasters (available for around $1.25-$2.00 per 4 oz pour), and then each followed it up with our own glass.  A couple of our favorites were:

Because, Coffee (Coffee Stout)

• A stout with heavy coffee flavors,  The coffee was almost too much, but it had a nice balance.

Hoppy Birthday, Boneyard Union of Zymurgical Zealots (American Barleywine)

• This had nice a nice subtle sweetness to pair with the 10% ABV & 103 IBUs.  This is a nice beer to sit around and enjoy over the course of a half hour or so.  This is one of the best barleywines that I've had.

Smoke Me Out (Smoked Porter)

• I can take or leave smoked beers.  Sometimes it's like you are drinking it out of an ashtray.  Some people like that...I don't understand it, but then again, I don't understand sours either, and those are all the rage right now.  That's not this beer. This has a nice deep porter flavor with a smooth smoked taste that works really well with the porter.

RedX (Red IPA)

• This was the favorite that they had on tap while we were there.  This has a nice balance of hops and malts.  There is a hoppiness that I didn't find in any of the Indianapolis, without being overpowering.

Triptych is a brewery with a tasting room. It's not a restaurant, and doesn't have anything available to drink other than their beers. But, you can bring food in to enjoy with their beers.

And, this is the first time that I ever saw a brewery where you could get 32oz cans poured right from the tap and sealed in front of you.  Maybe I'm a little too impressed by this, but it was a nice find (especially since I don't need yet another glass growler).

There are lots of great beers available in the Midwest.  Hopefully this will get you started on your search.

A few beers in Flagstaff, Arizona

In January, we were visiting with some friends in Phoenix, and decided to make a trip up to the Grand Canyon.  Originally we were planning on staying overnight somewhere near the Grand Canyon Park, but then realized that there really wasn't much to do around there in the evening.  So, after looking around a bit, we decided to stay in Flagstaff and then drive the hour and a half to the Grand Canyon in the morning.

Flagstaff is a great little city to spend an evening and try out some beers.  There are four breweries easily within walking distance of each other in the downtown area, along with a couple of others that are within a mile or so.  

Hops on Birch (22 East Birch Avenue #2, Flagstaff, AZ)

After checking into our hotel, we were still trying to get our bearings, and happened across Hops on Birch.  Since this was one of the places we wanted to check out anyway, it seemed like we might as well go in and have a beer.

Hops on Birch is the place that you want to be your neighborhood bar. There are about 25 taps of GOOD beer, and they change frequently.  The bartenders are friendly, and so are the rest of the patrons, including the pups that are welcome to join their owners inside.  They have live music four nights a week, along with darts and other games.  There's no food, but there is $1 off all beers during happy hour (3-6pm).


This is a place that was built by people who like beer, and who wanted to be a part of the community.  I wish we had this bar in my neighborhood.  Unfortunately, after only one beer, it was time to move on; we had lots of places to check out, and only one evening to do so.

Mother Road Brewing (7 South Mikes Pike, Flagstaff, AZ)

After leaving Hops on Birch, we walked a few blocks to our first brewery stop: Mother Road Brewing.  This was our favorite of the three breweries that we visited; not only did we feel that the beer was the best, we also enjoyed the environment the most.

There is a small bar, that would seat around a dozen, and a number of high-tops for additional seating.  The bar area sits right in the middle of the brewery, with the fermentation tanks looming over you, reminding you at all times that the beer came from right over there.

When we were there, they had seven beers on tap, along with a cask of their pale ale which they had added citra hops to.  Along with being able to get a pint, you can also get 4-5 ounce tastes of whichever beers you want for $1 each.  

All of there beers were very good; I would rate most as 7 or 8 out of 10.  Even though I'm not a big fan of fruit beers, I was really impressed with the Cherry Red Pale Ale.  It had just a hint of cherry sweetness, and was really nicely balanced.  The Lost Highway Black IPA was nice, but I thought it could use both more hops and more malt, considering it was a black IPA.  The Stranded Spiced Porter was nice; on first taste, I didn't really recognize much spiced flavor, but it built after a few sips and turned into a really nicely balanced spiced porter.

We really enjoyed our time here.  Since it was a Monday night, it was relatively slow, but we had a nice time chatting with the couple next to us (who thoughtfully reminded us that we were at an elevation of over 7000 feet, and that the alcohol would hit us harder than at sea level).  The bartender, Cedar, was great as well.  We had a great time talking to him.

Since it was the middle of January, we didn't have a chance to enjoy their patio,but it looked like a great place to hang out on a nice afternoon or evening.

They don't have food for purchase, but you can bring in food from one of the nearby restaurants.

Beaver Street Brewery (11 South Beaver St #1, Flagstaff, AZ)
When we left Mother Road, it was a short walk to Beaver Street Brewery.  They had beer, they had food, so we decided to have dinner here.

Have you ever been to one of those brewpubs that can't decide if the beer or the food is more important...so they both suffer?  Welcome to Beaver Street.  Nothing was bad here, but there really wasn't much to say great things about either.

They had around 8 beers on tap, and they were ok, but nothing great.  I guess one of their big sellers is their Beaver Street Red Raspberry.  If you like fruit beers, you

may like this, but I thought it was a really light beer with an overpowering raspberry flavor.  The oatmeal stout and ESB were pretty solid, but I wouldn't rush back to get them.

Since they have woodfired pizzas, we decided to get a couple of those for dinner.  Again, they were ok, but nothing outstanding.  Actually, the crust had the texture and flavor of a frozen pizza; that was a big disappointment.

Overall, I wish we had stayed at Mother Road, and ordered a pizza from the place around the corner from them.

Flagstaff Brewing Company (16 East Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ)
Now it was time to walk back across the train tracks, and head to the Flagstaff Brewing Company. 

As it was getting later on Monday night, things were pretty quiet at the brewery.  There were only a couple of other patrons in the bar when we got there.  

Flagstaff Brewing's pub is a pretty big establishment, with a long bar and quite a few tables.  There are also ping pong tables in the back.

When we were there, they had 6 of their own beers on tap, along with other beers available.  Their 4-5 ounce samples were $1 each, and I had four.  

• Bitterroot ESB - This had a pretty decent flavor, and not too much bitterness.  
• Agassiz Amber - This amber just seemed off; it had a sweetness and a bitterness that were odd together.  
• Blackbird Porter - This one was really quite good; it actually had a bit more flavor than many porters. That may be because they didn't actually have a stout on tap, so there porter was a little deeper than many others would be.  
• Three Pin Pale Ale - Ok, but the flavor just seemed a little off with this one too.

Overall, the bar was ok, but it wasn't a favorite.

The State Bar (10 E Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ)
Our last stop of the evening was at The State Bar, just a couple of doors down from Flagstaff Brewing.   This is a great place to go, especially if your an Arizona tourist.  All 36 or their taps, along with all their wines, come from Arizona.  I've never been at a bar where EVERYTHING is local (or at least comes from the local state).  What a great idea.

Even at the late hour, there were a few people hanging around the bar.  Strangely, throughout the night we had seen a British guy who was doing the same thing as we were...bouncing from bar to bar to see what Flagstaff had to offer; it was a perfect way to end the evening to see him here as well.

I ended up doing a tasting of four non-Flagstaff beers to end the night.  The flight was $6, which seemed reasonable.

• Sonoran White Chocolate - This was the first time that I've ever had a 'light' colored chocolate beer.  It was really interesting.  It had a slight bitterness, but mostly it just had a nice chocolate flavor.
• San Tan Sex Panther  - There wasn't a ton of chocolate flavor in this one.  It was very drinkable, and not heavy at all.
• Creamy Demon Nitro - This had a little bitterness, but overall a nice chocolate flavor.  The flavor was a little light, as are many nitrogenated beers.
• Grand Canyon Winter Bourbon Barrel - This was ok, but it was a little bland for either a winter beer or for a bourbon barrel.

We also picked up a couple of Arizona beers to enjoy while sitting at the Grand Canyon the following day.

• Borderlands Noche Dulce Moonlight Vanilla Porter - 9/10 This was yummy.  It had a nice balance, and was both chocolate-y and vanilla-y.  This one was a little expensive, but it was really tasty.  Actually, it was one of the best beers I had in Arizona, even if it came out of a can instead of from a tap.

• College Street Sweet Devil Stout - 6/10 This was ok, but not stellar.  It didn't really read like a stout...more like a dark porter.  It was sweet, but not really chocolately.

If you are in Arizona, and happen to be somewhere around Flagstaff, plan on spending an afternoon or an evening to try out all the options in this great little city.








 

Northeast Beer Tour - Part 2 (New Hampshire)

After visiting some beer establishments in Upstate New York (discussed in Part 1), we headed over to New Hampshire to visit the Humans' friends and see what the state had to offer for beers.

Portsmouth
Portsmouth is a great New England waterfront town.  And, one of the things that makes it a great drinking town is that it's very "walkable".  We parked the car when we arrived, and didn't get back in until we left.

A morning drive across parts of New York and Massachusetts, and into New Hampshire meant that we needed a little solid sustenance before continuing on with our drinking adventures.  And, when on the New Hampshire coast, that meant we were going to get a lobster roll.


River House (53 Bow Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire)

With nothing but Tripadvisor reviews to go by, we ended up at the River House.  We were able to get a table outside, overlooking the harbor and the lift bridge that allows US1 to continue into Maine.

The River House has a small, but decent, draft list.  Most drafts are from the New Hampshire/Maine area.  They also have a good bottle list; it's not huge, but I expect anyone could find something that they would like to try.

The lobster roll was good.  There was lots of large chunks of lobster, with just enough of a mayonnaise mixture to hold things together.  The lobster roll plate ($17.95 for a 4 inch roll, or $24.95 for a 6 inch roll) also comes with a cup of seafood chowder and hand cut chips.  Overall, we weren't blown away by our lunch, but it was solid.

Earth Eagle Brewings (165 High Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire)
We decided to walk around Portsmouth for a while to try to work off lunch, and stopped into one of the shops. (Important note:  There are shops...oh, are there shops...beware.  If you have a "shopper" with you, just let her...or him...enjoy and plant yourself on a barstool in one of the places mentioned in this post.)  A shopkeeper noticed that we were looking at some beer-related items, and suggested that we go to Earth Eagle.

Earth Eagle is hard to find.  It's on High Street, near the Hilton Garden Inn, and tucked behind A&G Homebrew Supply.

This is a tiny brewery that makes tiny batches of beer.  And you need to stop in here just to give your palate something to think about.  They have 6 taps, and often half of them are pouring gruits.   (I'm usually surprised to find one gruit on tap, so this was just crazy to me.)  By making such small batches, they are free to play and make some really interesting beers and gruits.  But, if you find something you like, you better get a growler because it probably won't be there next time you visit.

When we were there, they mostly had IPAs and gruits on tap, but the menu varies with the season (and the brewer's attitude).  The bartender was great, and tried to find something that non-beer-drinking Mrs. Human would like.  (Everyone seems to do this.  "Oh, you don't like beer?  Here, try this.")  This had the expected result..."Still too beer-y", but we appreciated the effort.

I'd like to go back sometime when they are brewing darker beers.  I bet they have some great winter recipes.

Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire)
Home!  This is where the humans' friends originally found me, and it was nice to get back for a visit.

The Portsmouth Brewery has a typical brewpub feel.  They have around 15 beers on tap; most are their own beers, but they have guest taps as well.  The pub has a full menu, but we didn't eat here.

We bought a taster paddle here, that included the Oatmeal Raisin Brown, Grizzly Pale Ale, Black Cat Stout.  Overall the beers were good, but not great.  I did like the Black Cat Stout quite a bit.  They also often have a "Project X" beer that is a special one-batch beer, if you'd like to try what the brewers are currently trying out.

And, after having a couple of beers, you can wander into the gift shop and get your very own Yeast Spore!


Ri Ra Irish Pub (22 Market Square, Portsmouth, NH)
If you're in the need for an Irish pub to watch soccer, rugby, or even some of those "American" games, then there are a lot worse places to go than Ri Ra.

They have about 17 beers and ciders on draft, and to no surprise...about half of them are European beers.  But, they also keep local beers on tap.  When were were there, there were 4 or 5 beers from New Hampshire and Vermont.







This was a fine place to go, but there was really one main reason that I wanted to check it out.  I love going to buildings that had a different origin, and have been turned into a bar.  (My inner-heathen is quite amused when that building is a church...which I've seen in Pittsburgh and Dublin.)  In Ri Ra's case, the interior of an actual Irish pub was shipped to New Hampshire and placed in what was originally the New Hampshire Bank building.  You can still see the original safe doors in the dining room, and the Georgian dome covers the dining area.  It's a great environment to have a beer.

Thirsty Moose (21 Congress St., Portsmouth, NH)
If you haven't had enough variety while stopping at the other places mentioned in this post, then it's time to go to the Thirsty Moose.  With 116 beers on tap at 2 different bar areas, you'll definitely find something to try.

One of the great things about this bar is that you can build your own sampler of up to 6 beers, with each sample costing between $2 and $4.

If you're in Portsmouth, you should also think about going to one of the "large" breweries in the area. But, since their beers are available in other parts of the country, I was more concerned about trying other things on this trip.

Smuttynose Brewing (105 Towle Farm Rd., Hampton, NH)
Redhook  Brewery (1 Redhook Way, Portsmouth, NH)

Manchester
After our time in Portsmouth, it was time to go visit some friends in Manchester.  And, they were nice enough to take us around to find some beers that we wouldn't find in Atlanta.

White Birch Brewing  (1339 Hooksett Rd., Hooksett, NH)
Our first stop was actually in Hooksett.  We stopped in at the White Birch Brewing store.  This is a  small storefront where you can get bottles and growler fills.  But, they do offer samples there.

White Birch is a small brewery that creates the normal styles of beers over the course of the year (IPA, pale ale, porter, etc.), but when we were there almost all of the beers that they had available on draft were sours.  Unfortunately, that's just not a style that I like, and each one was just a little more mouth-puckering than the one before.

I wish I had been there in the winter to try out some of their other styles, but I'd recommend stopping in just to see if they'll have something you like.  And, if you like sours, definitely go there.

New England's Tap House Grill (1292 Hooksett Rd., Hooksett, NH)
Just down the road from White Birch, is the Tap House Grill.  This was our next stop.

With 48 beers on tap, you definitely should be able to find something new to try.  I was pretty excited because it happened to be New Hampshire Craft Beer Week while we were there, and most of their taps were turned over to New Hampshire beers.  I was able to get a tasting paddle of lots of beers that I wouldn't have been able to try elsewhere.

Milly's Tavern (500 Commercial St., Manchester, NH)
Milly's is Manchester's only microbrewery, and they have 19 of their own beers on tap, across all styles.

This is a bit of a local hangout; the bartenders seemed to know everyone in the place, and many of the crowd were drinking out of their own "mug club" mugs.  The decor's nothing special, but everyone is friendly, and it's a great place to try a few beers.  I had a sampler of 6 beers...they varied from "really good" to "ok" to "one of those rare beers that I can't finish".

We had a great time in New Hampshire.  There are a lot of other places we would have liked to try around the state, but we just didn't have the time on this trip.  Maybe next time.

Atlanta Craft Beer Week Events (October 18-25, 2014)

This year, Atlanta Craft Beer Week runs from October 18 to October 25.  Surprisingly, it seems that few breweries or bars are holding events during this time.  Here are some of the "official" events, along with some other beer events that are going on during this week.

Decatur Craft Beer Festival (Decatur - October 18, Noon-5pm)
Held on the square in downtown Decatur, the festival will have over 100 craft beers, food and music.  Along with many Atlanta beers, a number of breweries from around the country will be represented, including many that are not normally found at Atlanta-area festivals.  General admission tickets are sold out, but at the time of this writing, VIP tickets were still available.

Burnt Hickory Open House (Kennesaw - October 18, Noon-5pm)
This is the first open house at the brewery since their new brewing equipment has been arriving.  Check out the new brewhouse while enjoying:
  POURING ALL DAY.
     1. "We're Desperate: An Ale for X" Harvest Wet hopped IPA.
     2. "Die Kreuzen" Imperial Pumpkin Porter.
     3. Ezekiel's Wheel Pale Ale.
     4. The Fighting Bishop Green Peppercorn Tripel.
  SPECIAL POURS.
     1. Charred Walls of the Damned. 13 % Double Barrel Aged Quad.
     2. Gourd Knocker. Egg Nog Stout Non-Barrel aged dosed with pumpkin spice.
     3. The Bloody Bishop. Tripel infused with cranberries.

The Wing Cafe and Taphouse Atlanta Craft Beer Week Tap Takeover (Marietta, October 20-26)
This is the event that I have been looking forward to.  All week, The Wing will put Georgia based breweries on all 42 taps, representing 23 different breweries.  This is a great chance to try some local beers in a casual setting, without having to go to a beer festival.

Taco Mac Southern Tier Zero Mile (All GA Locations - October 20)
All Georgia Taco Mac locations will be tapping one keg of Southern Tier Zero Mile, a schwarzbier brewed especially for Atlanta Craft Beer Week.

Leon's Full Service "Nose to Jail" Beer Dinner (Decatur - October 20)
Leon's will have a 6 course pork-inspired dinner, paired with Jailhouse Brewing Beers.  Tickets are $65.

Argosy Beer Camp Flight Night (East Atlanta Village - October 20, Starting at 5pm)
Flight will be available of the following Sierra Nevada Collaboration beers:

• Tater Ridge (Asheville Brewers Alliance Scottish Ale)
• CANfusion (Oskar Blues Rye Bock)
• Double Latte (Ninkasi Coffee Milk Stout)
• Yonder Bock (Cigar City Tropical Maibock)
• Myron's Walk (Allagash Belgian-Style Pale Ale)

The Porter Beer Bar Victory Beer Tap Takeover (Little 5 Points - October 21)

Taco Mac - Reformation Brewing (Canton, Woodstock - October 21, starting at 5pm)
Reformation's Cadence, Atlas and Providence will be tapped at 5pm at the Canton and Woodstock Taco Mac locations.

Brick Store Pub Allagash Tap Takeover (Decatur - October 21)
Allagash's owner, Rob Tod will be on hand as every tap will be pouring Allagash's beers.

Argosy Westbrook Night Night (East Atlanta Village - October 21, Starting at 5pm)
On Tap: Mexican Cake, Aged 13 Months on Tequila Barrels
Cellar Pours: Funky Old Time, Grumpy Old Time, Brandy Old Time, Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Tripel, Mr. Chipper

The Porter Beer Bar United 5 Brewery Takeover (Little 5 Points - October 22)
Tap takeover will feature the beers of Boulevard, Orpheus, Second Self, Sierra Nevada and Terrapin.

Taco Mac - Southern Tier Blackwater Series (Duluth - October 22, starting at 6pm)
Starting at 6pm, Taco Mac's Duluth location will be tapping 5 beers from Southern Tier's Blackwater Series (Oatmeal Stout, Choklat Stout, Creme Brulee Stout, Plum Noir, Mokah Stout).  Flights will be available.

Taco Mac - Death by Pumpkin (Perimeter - October 22, 5pm)
The Georgia Chapter Room at the Taco Mac Prado location will have pumpkin beers/ciders from Starr Hill, RJ Rockers & Woodchuck, starting at 5pm.  Flights will be available.  A representative from each brewery will be present with trivia and giveaways.

Argosy Evil Twin: Wall of 12 Evils (East Atlanta Village - October 22, Starting at 5pm)
Beers Pouring: Even Less Jesus, Even More Denmark, Femme Fatale Blanc, Femme Fatale Sudachi, Femme Fatale Kabosu, Aun Mas Cafe Jesus, Lil' B, I Love You With My Stout, Imperial Doughnut Break 2013, Imperial Biscotti Break 2013, Classique Imperiale

The Georgia Pine Atlanta Beer Dinner (Lawrenceville - October 23, 6:30-9:00 pm)
The Georgia Pine will be hosting a five course dinner, including beers and brewers from Orpheus Brewing, Second Self Beer Company, Terrapin Beer Company, Sweetwater Brewing, Eventide Brewing and Savannah Bourbon Company.  Tickets are $45, and reservations are required.

Red Hare Sticky Stout Release (Decatur - October 23, 5pm & Marietta - October 25, 2-4pm)
Red Hare will be releasing its winter seasonal Sticky Stout during Atlanta Craft Beer Week.  There will be an early release on October 23 at the Marlay House in Decatur.  Then, the "normal" release will occur at the Marietta brewery during the regular Saturday open house.

Taco Mac - Terrapin Takeover (Perimeter - October 23, 5pm)
The Georgia Chapter Room at the Taco Mac Prado location will have a Terrapin takeover, starting at 5pm.  The featured beers will be Mosaic on Rye, Hopzilla on Bourbon, Midnight Monk, Moo-Hoo and Guano Loco.  Flights will be available.

Argosy New Holland Special Reserve (East Atlanta Village - October 23, Starting at 5pm)
Pouring: Dragon's Milk Special Reserve, Oak Barrel Aged Incorrigible, Pilgrim's Dole 2013

Brick Store Pub - Eight Red Brick Barrel-Aged Beers on tap (Decatur - October 23, starting at 5pm)
Pouring: Red Brick 21st Anniversary, 3 Bagger, Barrel Aged A-Town Brown, Barrel Aged Porter, Beard Envy, Single Barrel 20th Anniversary, Single Barrel Lost Years, The Beast

Taco Mac - Jekyll Special Tapping (Mall of Georgia - October 24, 6pm)
A special Jekyll beer was made for Taco Mac.  They started with Jekyll's 'Merican Amber Ale, and then added vanilla, bourbon and cedar.  The keg will be tapped at 6pm.

Argosy Prairie Artisan Ales Georgia Debut (East Atlanta Village - October 24, Starting at 5pm)
Pouring: Bomb!, Bierra, Prairie Ale

Georgia Craft Beer Festival (Candler Park - October 25, 1pm-6pm)
Held in Candler Park, this festival will include beers from over 30 local bars and brewpubs, food, crafts and entertainment.

The Wing Cafe and Taphouse Rare & Vintage Beer Fest (Marietta - October 25, 1:30-4:30pm)
The Wing will have 19 rare beers available for tasting.  Your ticket includes 12 - 3 ounce tastes, along with food and swag.  Advance Purchase Tickets are available for $55.

Argosy Bell's Barrel Aged Features (East Atlanta Village - October 25, Starting at 1pm)
Pouring: Quince Third Coast Old Ale, Cinnamon Sunrise Stout, Black Note, Bourbon Barrel Aged Kalamazoo Stout

If you happen to know of other local beer events (other than just the normal weekly beer tastings), leave a note in the comments.

Red Brick's 21st Anniversary

During the week of September 21st, Red Brick Brewing (formerly Atlanta Brewing Company) celebrated it's 21st anniversary.  Yes, the Spore was there to help them celebrate.

Red Brick has always been a bit of a puzzle to me.  They might not make the best beers in Atlanta, but their beers have always been solid, and they've been around a lot longer than some of the others.  Now, more and more new breweries are popping up and taking the taps and refrigerator space that Red Brick never was able to claim anyway.  This seems to be a combination of Georgia's ridiculous alcohol distribution laws and some past quality issues, as discussed in an interesting Creative Loafing article which reviewed Red Brick's history.  However, we were surprised to stop at a store in Florida and see seven different Red Brick offerings, more than you would find in most stores in Atlanta.

At Red Brick, you can get a pint glass, six "decent" tasting-room pours and a tour for $10.  You should also try looking at sites such as Groupon and Living Social, since they often have specials.  For instance, we were able to get 2 tastings + koozies for $15 via Living Social; I've seen better deals where you can also get t-shirts for just a little bit more.  Although, no matter what you pay, you should be sure to tip your bartenders...you just might get a little better pour that way.  I can't speak about the quality of the tour.  Every brewery has a similar tour; some are better than others, but I'm the Spore...what could they teach me?

To celebrate their anniversary, Red Brick included a line-up of special beers, along with their usual options.  On Friday night, they had about a dozen beers, including their 20th Anniversary Imperial Stout and 21st Anniversary Dark Saison.  Some of the options were better than others.  The 20th Anniversary Imperial Stout definitely had the alcohol, but the flavor seemed a little off.  The A-Town Brown really wasn't much to talk about; it had very little flavor, even for a brown.  On the other hand, the Matcha Super Green Yuzu IPA was a very nicely balanced and hoppy IPA.  The Nitro Thick Silky Double Chocolate Porter was creamy (as you'd expect from a nitrogenated beer) and chocolaty, although I could have use a little more chocolate and bitterness.  We were disappointed because we really wanted to try the Cherry Bourbon Aged Laughing Skull that was supposed to be on Friday night, but they must have changed the menu as it never appeared.  Also, we missed out on the Vanilla Gorilla (my favorite Red Brick beer, a vanilla imperial porter), because they ran out while we were trying to go through some of the "one-time" beers.  Overall, we were happy to try the offerings, but were a little disappointed in the "special" beers.

If you're in Atlanta and haven't visited Red Brick yet, I would make sure to stop in on one of the evenings that they have tastings.  They have tours & tastings Wednesday-Sunday (see their website for times & details).  Special events include team trivia on Thursdays, and live music on Fridays.  They get quite a crowd for trivia, even though the prizes aren't that great.  (Gee, do you think it could be the beer?)  They don't serve food, but often will have a food truck outside.