Beary Classy

This post used to have some wonderful imagery and pleasant lyricism, but it has all unfortunately been lost due to my ineptitude with the internet.  I am especially sorry about how this now affect the light which I wanted to shine on McCoy's Public House in Kansas City, MO.  It is a very classy place with good drinks, pizza, art, and, a very important concern for broke bears, prices.  Bear welcome, to a shining star of relief amidst the midday sun of the south.

The bartender was helpful as BPB order his usual of a local IPA and I tried my tongue at something new, but which sounded refreshing, a ginger shandy.


Ginger Shandy left, Newcomb IPA right

The IPA was light tasting without too much of the hoppy or bitter tastes which generally accompany this style of beer.  I declared it enjoyable and easy on the tongue.

Now the shandy.  Oh, what a shandy.  Or, what is a shandy?  According to Wikipedia "a shandy, or shandygaff, is beer mixed with citrus-flavored soda, carbonated lemonade, ginger beer, ginger ale, or cider. The proportions of the two ingredients are adjusted to taste, normally half-and-half. There are also non-alcoholic shandies known as 'rock shandies'".  This is not the definition I was expecting, although after having the Ginger Shandy from McCoy's, I'm not surprised.  I had just assumed that a Shandy was a type of beer in and of itself, from how I'd seen it presented in stores and even on this bar's menu.  Although I suppose I didn't look too closely, I don't remember any indicators that a shady was not just another style of beer.  But, now I know and my notes from this occasion make a bit more sense.

Straight from the notebook:  The Ginger Shandy of McCoy's, very good.  Made with ginger and lemonade.  Tastes like light, watery, carbonated lemonade.  A dangerously deceptive drink; if it had been handed to me without a back story I would probably never have guessed that it was beer.  Delicious all the same.

Overall, McCoy's was a wonderful place to relax, grab a pint, and enjoy a decent slice of pizza.

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.

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.