pale ale

The Perch Pub and Brewery, Chandler, AZ

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I had heard that The Perch Pub and Brewery in Chandler, Arizona was different.  Well, that’s an understatement.  I’m not sure where to begin.  The rescued wild birds are fabulous to watch!  That alone in itself is worth the trip.  It’s like an exotic bird zoo.  Then there’s the food.  The fish tacos were the best I’ve ever had.  Then there’s the bartender.  E is the best bartender ever.  He’s awesome.  And the whole reason I stopped is the beer.  I had a flight: Paleyeah! is a solid pale ale / Desert Blossom Saison is very tasty – one of the best saisons I’ve had and possibly my favorite / Rosemary IPA – if you like rosemary – YES – if not – NO / Belgian Peach – delicious – sweet – peachy goodness / Velocirazter Gose – tart, salty, raspberry refreshing goodness / Stirabout Oatmeal Stout – a happy ending.  Very few flights are all good – this one was.  Excellent.

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River Rat Brewery, Columbia, SC

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I stopped in at River Rat Brewery in Columbia, South Carolina and tasted several beers.  Their American Kolsch Story was a very easy beer to drink and enjoy.  The Metal Man Pale Ale reminded me of other hoppy pale ales I have enjoyed – like Sierra Nevada.  The …And I Shut My Mouth Sweet Potato Imperial Stout collaboration with Cigar City Brewing was also a winner.  The others were tasty, just not as noteworthy to my palate.  I’m glad I stopped.

Goodwood Brewing Company, Louisville, KY

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I stopped in at Goodwood Brewing Company in Louisville, Kentucky. Several industry friends and I stopped in after dinner to try their beers.  With the current construction in Louisville, getting there was a bit tricky, and we may have used a slightly illegal maneuver to park down the block.  The area the brewery is located in felt a bit sketchy, but that’s not always uncommon for breweries.  Fortunately we got there safely.  When we arrived it was close to last call so we quickly put in our flight orders.  There was only one other small group in the tap room at the time.  The atmosphere was rustic – very enjoyable.  Having tried several of their beers, here are some thoughts.  The Cinnamon Stout was new for me.  It tasted like a mix of Red Hots and stout at the same time.  Tasty for what it was.  I think my favorite brew was the Bourbon Barrel Ale – an ale smoothed out with the flavor of bourbon – sweet and tasty.  The Pale Ale was crisp and hoppy.  The Bourbon Barrel Stout was smooth and flavorful.  I hope I have another time to stop in here before this trip ends.

7 Locks Brewing, Rockville, MD

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I stopped in at 7 Locks Brewing in Rockville, Maryland.  My daughter recently moved in to a condo within a couple of blocks from this great brewery.  We stopped in so we could try their beers and so I could buy a couple of growlers for my daughter.  We had a great time.  The beers were tasty.  My wife even liked the Honey Ale and she doesn’t like beer.  My daughter and her boyfriend liked the IPA.  I really liked the Farmhouse Ale.  I also really liked the Coffee Stout.  The other brews were tasty as well, but these were our favorites.  We bought growlers of IPA and Farmhouse Ale.  The growler beers wend well with some Chinese takeout we brought back to her new place for dinner.  7 Locks Brewing has a great vibe – warehouse feel – and my wife, who isn’t as in to  breweries really liked it.  With our daughter now living close by we are looking forward to stopping in often.  A few other details.  The bartender that served us was really nice and really patient.  The brewery also had a feed truck outside – we didn’t try any of the food but it looked good.

Green Room Brewing, Jacksonville Beach, FL

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I stopped in at Green Room Brewing in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.  Each beer in the flight I enjoyed was delicious.  I enjoyed Double Dry Hopped Pablo Beach which sounds like a hop-bomb but is actually a very nicely balanced pale ale with hop character; also Tsunami which is a very nice saison with peppercorn accents; and Barista Volcanista a stout with many complex flavors going on; and my clear favorite was Key Lime Berliner, a sour Weiss beer which tasted like a slice of key lime pie – delicious.  The Key Lime Berliner alone is worth stopping for.

Dewey Beer Company, Dewey Beach, DE

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I stopped in at Dewey Beer Company in Dewey Beach, Delaware.  Dinner was great – a delicious local crab cake sandwich.  The plaintain nachos were also delicious with chorizo as an appetizer.  When I asked for a flight little did I know that I was getting EIGHT beers.  Wow.  I couldn’t begin to comment on them all.  Let me start by saying the Summer Ale was absolutely delicious – a light grapefruity summer beer.  The pale ale and IPA were also very good.  The saison was wonderful.  and after that I think I lost track of my tastebuds, memory and other senses.  In all I had a great meal and experience at the Dewey Beer Company.  Stop in if you have a chance.

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Blue Collar Brewery, Poughkeepsie, NY

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I stopped in at Blue Collar Brewery in Poughkeepsie, New York for a beer.  The Rye Pale Ale was what caught my attention.  It was spicy – as influenced by the rye – especially in the beginning of a sip.  Toward the end of the sip it became malty and buttery – the spice dissipated into a delicious flavor, almost sweet.  This beer had a great deal of character and I’d enjoy it again given the opportunity and I’d recommend it to anyone.

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Birdsong Brewing Company, Charlotte, NC

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I stopped in at the Birdsong Brewing Company in Charlotte, North Carolina and experienced the Jalapeno Pale Ale which was unique, spicy, and refreshing.  I would highly recommend this beer to anyone who enjoys jalapeno flavor.  And, it’s not hot!  I also enjoyed the ample supply of peanuts in the shell to enjoy with the beer.  I highly recommend Birdsong for a beer when in Charlotte, NC.

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