St. Louis Beer Bears...

St. Louis was one of our greatest beer flops.  Country bears expect a lot from the big city, but we were sorely disappointed.  I don't want to hate too much, its not good for my beary complexion, but I just want to do a quick compare and contrast of Schlafly's and Widmer's Hefeweizens.

Schlafly
   - We declare it is no more than reconstituted PBR..!
   - Sour, spittle flavor
   - It came in a bottle AND WAS FIVE DOLLARS.  No prices on the menu, but what might you expect the charge for a bottled beer to be!?  There were a couple of sleep deprived and enraged bears carelessly mauling folks for a few hours there after that trip to the bar...
   - Also, just for an extra little dig, minus points for one of the most difficult brewery names ever

Widmer
   - Good on tap and in a bottle, but always on tap at the bar! Rawr
   - Comes with a slice of lemon or orange
   - I've never seen a pint for more than 4.50, but can usually get it for 3.50 or even 3 during happy hour.
  
And so, Widmer beats the hefe-snot out of Schlafly and we gladly ramble back to the west.

But, before we go, a few nice words...
   One good point of Missourian beer: Boulevard IPA.  Not too bitter and only a hint of hops (versus our liquified hops concentrate)
    "It's pretty great" said my IPA authority as he put his food/sugar deficient head in his hands... 

Bears at Big River

Walking down the boardwalk a bear eventually comes to realize that every restaurant is owned by a country or blues superstar and claims to serve the best BBQ or burgers in the state.  Combinations vary.  We however, were not interested in these claims.  Mostly we wandered in the stifling heat looking for the two things bears like best: deals on food and ice cold beer.  Yet, despite our efforts, prices refused to budge and the growing oppression of cowboy hats, fanny packs, and amateur street performers waiting for their big break made our heads spin until we stumbled into The Big River Brewing Company on the corner of Broadway and 2nd.

We ordered the usual of pizza and beer, but this time we wanted to really put on our professional-beer-tasting-bear faces, and so, we got a beer sampler.  Beer samplers come in a wide range and generally try to include the best and/or basics of a brewery's selection.  This sampler was, like most things in the south, one of the biggest I have ever seen.  It included 6 on tap regulars plus 2 seasonal specials.  A mouth-full, to say the least... ha ha, ugh.  Anyways, the beer.

This is the sampler.  Theoretically 8 of the finest beers Nashville has to offer.

There seems to be an inevitable problem which arises from trying more than about 4 beers at a time, and that is that, especially without an adequate pallet cleanser, the flavor tend to become muddled and flavorless after a bit.  But, I will try to do my best to give this quick synopsis.

     1) The Seasonal, Maibok?
"Whoa, I've never tasted anything like that..."
Sweet, kind of like bud, but with a strange, unidentifiable note.  I guess, rice?
     2) Southern Flyer Light Lager
Enjoyable.  Semi-sweet carbonated rice...
     3)16th Avenue Pilsner
An interesting kind of bitter.  Good and lightly hoppy.
     4) Nashville Steamer Golden Ale
Almost sour.  Lightly sweet, but inevitably nondescript.  "Extremely drinkable" is how it's described, and we agree.  "I'd order it" - BPB
     5) House Brand IPA
"Edgy but not full.  I like it though"
Hoppy like an IPA should do, but plain.
     6) Sweet Magnolia American Brown, "Award Winning" 1998
Full, good, mysterious... We had/have little experience with Browns.  They are not particularly popular, probably because they are completely unmemorable.
     7) Iron Horse Stout, "Award Winning"
"Bitter, but bitter with chocolate"
Chocolate is a common flavor in stouts because its complementary to a stouts robust design and bitter notes.  Stouts are generally very solid, cornerstone beers which are almost always good, as long as you like them.  This one is actually made with a British recipe, so their beer explanation describes, and thus, we take points for not being a Nashville original, but it was nevertheless still very good.
     8) Summer Wheat
Wheats are generally my favorite, this one however left something to be desired, however it was memorable.  It had a strange scent and reminded me of pickle brine... or capers?.. asparagus?.. the oregon coast?  I could never put my fuzzy claw on it, but it sticks in my memory like a rotten salmon.

Final thoughts:
"This brewery is wasting its time.  The stout is worthwhile, the IPA is actually good, but the rest aren't noteworthy" - BPB
They went for quantity over quality and the beer suffered... one big bear tear is shed.

Bear-Back Tracking

We return our tale to a day in Knoxville, Tennessee, home to the most amazing blonde and a curse that forces you to dance in the torrential rain.  It was our first experience with White Pizza and a new brewery on a classy urban street.  The noise was overwhelming, the postures erect, and the attire expensive.  However, the happy hour beer and a shared White pizza were perfection at half the cost. 

  It appears to be called Woodruff's, but it is, in fact, The Downtown Grill and Brewery, Knoxville TN.  I Don't have any photos of my own because this is at a date before I began thinking about doing the blog.  We did sit right there though ^_^

We were hungry and downtown are almost always expensive, comparatively, but, we decided to split a smallish pizza, since bears don't have refrigeration to store leftover's anyway, and enjoy two happy hour beers.  I wanted to share two to see what they had to offer, but, on that hot, muggy day, that would soon turn into the most amazing rain storm and the second greatest lightning storms I have ever seen, I wanted something that I found refreshing, which tend to be wheats or blondes.  Bi-Polar Bear does not generally enjoy these beers.  But, I got one anyway and hubby bear got his go-to, a stout.  The State Street Stout and Downtown Blonde Ale to be precise.  Not the most clever names, but to the point.


The State Street Stout, as I recall, didn't wow us.  We felt that it was a sturdy stout, but nothing to write home about.  But, the Downtown Blonde, o' the Downtown Blonde.  It knocked the socks off our un-socked paws.  In our reminiscing session trying to recall our experience, without trying to dredge up old bear's tales of heartache and dread, Bi-Polar Bear said, "Hey!  That’s the only blonde I’ve ever liked.”  As a brunette this was greatly appreciated... Sorry, bad pun.  Anyway, It did say something after all the beer we bears have enjoyed and with so few blondes ringing true to hubby bear, this blonde was genuinely fantastic with its lightly sweet maltiness yet crisp fruity finish without creating sour tones.  Easily two paws up for the Downtown Grill and Brewery's Downtown Blonde Ale.

East vs West, Porter Showdown

During the summer my beer of choice is generally a hefeweizen or if I'm lucky enough to hit up a McMenamins happy hour, their Ruby Ale (one of the best beers ever [made with 42 lbs. of Oregon raspberries]), however, for one of those cold winded evenings where the chill blows through the valley, or if I'm just feeling like being "one of the guys", I thoroughly enjoy a solid stout, or the stouts easy-going cousin, the porter.  My hubby-bear is all about the IPAs and stouts, but I often like to take a step back and only bring 3/4th of a loaf with my meal.  A porter is ideal for these occasions where you might want full flavor, but don't need it to overpower everything else you're putting in your mouth.

[side note] try your favorite porter with some chunky tomato bisque and salad or grilled cheese.  It's sing-along awesome!

So, as a fan of the porter, when a free Ninja Porter, brewed by the highly regarded Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company, was placed before two tipsy bears, my jealous bias was grateful for the opportunity to compare and contrast this unsuspecting challenger with the home-grown Porter from McMenamins Brew Pub and Restaurant. 

 I did not take either of these photos unfortunately but the one to the right is the Ninja Porter from the Asheville Brewing Company, while the one to the bottom/left is McMenamins' Porter

  Although later Bipolar Bear and I found out what an amazing Brewery the Asheville Pizza Co. is, this was our first introduction and I have to say, it fell short, especially after all the hype.  We found that the Ninja Porter's name is fairly apt as we never did encounter any real flavor.  For a dark beer it was surprisingly thin and empty yet with a bitter edge.  For me it was more of a chore than an experience to drink a full pint.  The McMenamins Porter, however, is creamy and toasty yet without undue bitterness or overwhelming bread-like qualities that many dark brews possess.

Without a doubt, although few beers are on par with the Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company's Fire Escape Ale (with real jalapenos!), their porter fall greatly short while the McMenamins' Porter soars among their other choice beers.  Today the West wins out, paws down.

Worth It

We roamed far and wide across the beautiful city of Asheville, NC in search of the infamous Ashville Pizza and Brewing Company.  At finally seeing its weather-worn sign our little beary hearts lept in our chests as we imagined the succulent nectars which would imminently touch our tongues.  We had been to one of their locations already but were turned away because their brewery was actually at their original location on Merrimon Ave, and bears only drink from the freshest streams (plus they lacked the jalapeno ale that I was really looking for).  Yet now, sitting under their canopy, watching puppies play, enjoying the laughter of people drinking and being merry, we knew that our efforts would soon be repaid.

Our wonderfully engaging waiter, not put off by our rough exteriors,  was mightily helpful in our selections.  "Jalapeno?" I murmured.
"Fire Escape Ale", he replied.  My growl confirmed the transaction and soon I had a cold, spicy beer sitting in front of me.  One sip and I proposed.  My favorite beer to date.  My heart aches when I think about it being all the way in North Carolina, but distance theoretically make the heart grow fonder and so, I wait.  Wait til the day when I can bring Fire Escape Ale to my lips once again.  It is a clean beer with strong flavors of real jalapeno.  Perfect for a summer afternoon and a bacon, bleu cheese salad.

At this time, Bipolar Bear had been wandering around searching for an individual from whom to buy a cigarette.  When he returned with a menthol the waiter came and took his order.  There were many beers to chose from and after we were told that they only brew their scout stout in the winter, he was at a loss of what to order.  But, then he spotted the Shiva IPA.  Pointing a clawy paw, the waiter nodded and brought out what would be a game changing IPA.  The Asheville Brewing Co. website claims that "Shiva will destroy all your preconceptions of an IPA", and its true.  It is the essential IPA.  Light citrus flavor without being sour, bitter but still clean, and pleasantly hopsy without being overwhelming.

These two brew took the cake, the title, and maybe even the kitchen sink.  But, I wouldn't count the chickens before hatch in this brewery just yet.  The East v. West, Clash of the Porters is up next.

Bears At Barley's

My scruffy friend and I left Tall Gary's Cantina with the recommendation of a local pizza and beer joint with a jalepeno ale.  Bears happen to be fans of all three of these factors: beer, pizza, jalepenos.  Naturally we took the bait and went on a hunt.  Unfortunately, the name of the place we were told was not the name which is present on their sign.  Also, after about an hour of searching for food that was around the corner, we discovered that this was only a branch of the brewery and did not have their jalepeno ale on tap.

Barley's Taproom and Pizzaria

photo from http://www.barleystaproom.com/asheville/

There we were, two bears with no beer and low blood sugar.  The evening was quickly becoming dangerous for humans and bears alike, yet, there was a light at the end of the desperate pizza tunnel which came as a lit sign at the end of Aston street.  As you can imagine, or have perhaps experienced, late in the evening, one beer in, no food, a hunger for both and being a bear, you may eat just about anything and pay exorbitant prices for the most pathetic or disgusting of foods.  In this instance, Bi-polar Bear and I lucked out beautifully.  Like a beacon calling us home, we found a beer and pizza heaven at Barley's Taproom and Pizzeria, Asheville, North Carolina.

The board of beers

types unknown

Originally put off by the brainmelting noise level, our stomachs quickly overrode our hesitations, and soon we were blankly starring a waitress in the face.  She understood our needs and brought us a seven dollar margarita pizza, the special that evening, and a board of beer samples.  It was perfect.  The board of bears gave the board of beers a solid 3 out of 4.

Unfortunately we forgot to take one of the menus with us as we left that blessed place, so I don't have any details to share.  All I can say is that I highly recommend this restaurant.  The beer we had was great and Barley's has over 80 different beers to offer with 15 on tap.  The food was fantastic and very reasonably price, at least the special was which we ordered.  The staff friendly and helpful, letting our little bear brain work as little as possible late in the evening to satisfy our hunger and thirst.  Two big bear hugs for Barley's, may I feast my beady eyes on your establishment again someday.