In Search of the Perfect Brewpub

I’ve been on quest to find the perfect brew pub. Not perfection on some magical scale, no, my quest is fueled by several things making a place perfect. The reality is that there might be, nope, definitely will be many by my standards. Amber, porter, stout, and an occasional fruity wheat ale if in California. Homemade pizza, fish and chips, spinach artichoke dip, fish and chips, a solid burger, fresh cut fries, fish and chips. Oh, did I mention fish and chips? Lol, there is something about entering a pub and knowing that fish and chips will be on the menu. It is a staple apparently, and I rely on it being that staple. Of course, atmosphere, staff, music, ambience, and camaraderie, and a good place always has to allow dogs.

Our most recent discovery was Rickety Crickets in Kingman AZ. Pulling up and seeing all the welded decorations, the outdoor seating, classic rock blaring and I hadn’t even got out of the car. One of the things that made this place cool was the lack of decoration inside and seating being at welded tables and chairs that were really pretty comfortable. Guys running around carrying forty-pound bags of beer making stuff, every age group represented, tattoos galore, everywhere! No fish and chips, an instant downer feeling came over me, but then I got a whiff of smoked meat and wood-fired pizza. We ordered a vegetarian pizza on rustic dough. I don’t know what that means exactly, but it was perfect crust. Not soggy, held up well to the bend and things staid in place when taking a bite. Nothing worse than biting into a soggy uncooked crust that wilts and drops all of the goodies. Anyway, we put sausage on it, which made it a carnivore pizza I guess. I had an Irish Red ale. The Irish Red (Bearded Bagpipe) is much more like a traditional amber, where the Scottish Red (Kilted Cricket) is more hoppy and with more bite. People were happy, conversing, singing, and petting the dog. Yep, there was a very happy dog and the singing, well that was mainly me. Might have been more a warble. Check out their website at www.ricketycricketbrewing.com and if in Kingman, AZ, do yourself a favor and go to old town Kingman and indulge yourself. Plus, you can enjoy all of the Route 66 stuff all over that area. When you go again, I think I’ll have to try the “Tits On A Goose” (cherry porter) with the ribs although the Crispy’s Toffee Pecan Porter sounds intriguing.

Some other mentions that we have enjoyed recently are Blue Palms Brew House in Reseda CA. Visit at www.bluepalmsbrewhouse.com . I was in California, so I had fish and chips. They were pretty good with a great crust and hand cut fries. I had my go to amber ale which is called “I Know, Huh!”. Very tasty and went well with the fish. But this night was made more special because we had all of the Cali kids and grandkids there. It set up a very nice sleep-in prep for the Hawaii flight the next day. This week we are in South Lake Tahoe and will surely visit the Cold-Water Brewery and Grill, www.tahoecoldwaterbrewery.com , where I’ll more than likely order the fish and chips again. But maybe, just maybe, I’ll be a little more adventuresome and get something else. For years I have eyeballed the Stillwater Stout Float, maybe this year will be the year. What I noticed at a glance upon arriving to South Lake, is that there are twice as many brew pubs now. I’ve been to Stateline Brewery with John Taylor, but it is more a traditional bar type pub with finger bowls on the table. Maybe we’ll squeeze in a couple more places and inspire another blog post.

I told Jen this may be a new series of writing. I love micro-breweries and I love the uniqueness of brew pub food. They always seem more edgy, and the beer is certainly more palatable than most of the mass-produced crap out there. Although some of my all-time favorites like O’Dell’s and New Belgium Brewing have lost some of their charm as they have reached out to other parts of the country and if I want a Ranger IPA or a Voodoo Ale, I only have to go to my local grocer and put together a mix and match six-pack. I love the nuance of the corner pub and the creativity of naming their brews and I certainly am convinced some of my favorite chefs must really be beer lovers and have taken up residency at many of these pubs. Let me know about brew pubs you feel worthy of description and let me know what was special to you. Who knows, maybe I’ll get a chance to visit and hopefully raise a glass with you!!