Category: Reviews

Beer Review #19: Flying Dog Raging Bitch

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Wow! Just found a beer to add to my ever-changing Top 10 Beer List. Flying Dog Raging Bitch is a fantastic Belgian-style IPA; which means you get a little more sweetness from the malts to tone down the hops. However, the hops are still very evident in this beer and for me that is a good thing.  This isn’t a party beer with the 8% ABVso don’t pound a bunch of these and expect to see straight. A great beer to enjoy, a great mix of bitterness and sweetness. For hopheads and fans of IPAs you will love this beer.
RATING

Pour: A copper/amber pour with a nice white head.
Aroma: Smell of citrus, hops, and pine.
Taste: Fruit taste of peaches and citrus with hop bitterness at the end.
Overall: A very solid  A-

Eastern Iowa: I’ve spotted this beer at some Hy-Vees and John’s Grocery. I bought my first sixer or was it four pack? of this at Family Beer and Liquor in East Dubuque. If you try or have tried it, let me know what you think.

Restaurant Review #3: Patti’s Woodfire Grill; Solon, IA

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Patti’s Woodfire Grill in Solon is your standard barfare, but the Pot of Gold pork tenderloin sandwich was excellent and huge. The tap beer was very disappointing as it had every light beer known to man along with Boulevard Wheat and Blue Moon. I’m still trying to figure out why they wouldn’t try something else on tap because no matter what, if a customer wants Miller, Bud, or Coors, they are going to order it whether it is on tap or in a bottle so get some good stuff on tap. With a woodfire grill I was hoping for a better pizza option but settled for a Buffalo Chicken flatbread which was decent. The bar itself is very nice and staff was friendly. Overall, not bad, but not great either. I do recommend the Pot of Gold tenderloin.

Restaurant Review #3: Patti's Woodfire Grill; Solon, IA

1 Comment

Patti’s Woodfire Grill in Solon is your standard barfare, but the Pot of Gold pork tenderloin sandwich was excellent and huge. The tap beer was very disappointing as it had every light beer known to man along with Boulevard Wheat and Blue Moon. I’m still trying to figure out why they wouldn’t try something else on tap because no matter what, if a customer wants Miller, Bud, or Coors, they are going to order it whether it is on tap or in a bottle so get some good stuff on tap. With a woodfire grill I was hoping for a better pizza option but settled for a Buffalo Chicken flatbread which was decent. The bar itself is very nice and staff was friendly. Overall, not bad, but not great either. I do recommend the Pot of Gold tenderloin.

Beer Review #18: Big Sky Moose Drool Brown Ale

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A beer that is getting more popular in the midwest is from Big Sky brewing (www.bigskybrew.com) out of Montana. Moose Drool is a brown ale and, according to their website, is the most popular beer brewed in Montana. They claim it is the best brown ale on the market; it is good, but it is not as good as Rogue’s Hazelnut Brown Nectar. The good thing about this beer is that it is a more affordable brown ale than Rogue’s. Moose Drool is an excellent choice for a brown ale, malty, creamy, and just enough hops to make it so it’s not too sweet.
REVIEW
Pour:  Dark brown pour with a small off-white head.
Aroma: Malts, caramel, and hops.
Taste: Sweet caramel flavor with hop in the end. A really good brown ale.
Overall: A top of the line brown ale and the price ranges from $6.99-$8.99 for a six pack make it pretty affordable. Give it a try!
RATING: B

Eastern Iowa residents: Hy-Vee and John’s Grocery carry this beer year round.

Beer Review #17: New Belgium Fat Tire

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After work and am now enjoying a Fat Tire from New Belgium (http://www.newbelgium.com/). I remember when this beer first came out; everybody was going crazy for it. I tried and remember thinking it was overrated. I then went to a wedding in Iowa CIty with my wife where they had this on tap and was blown away by how good it was. It is now a “go-to” beer for me when I can’t figure out what I want. It is a very balanced beer with good flavor. If you are new to the craft beer world and looking to try something different, I think this would be a safe bet.
REVIEW
Pour:  Amber color pour with a thick off-white head.
Aroma: Malts, caramel, and hops.
Taste: Sweet caramel flavor with hop bitterness in the end. A really solid amber ale.
Overall: This is a very drinkable beer and for people who are looking for something different, a good start to micro-craft world. Like most beers for me, I think it is much better out of  fresh tap.
RATING: C+

Eastern Iowa residents: This beer is available just about anywhere beer is sold.

Beer Review #16: Bells Octoberfest

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A seasonal type of beer that I’ve come to appreciate more is Octobefest styles. Bells and Sam Adams are responsible for my transition into a fan of Octoberfest beers. Bells Octoberfest (www.bellsbeer.com) has a nice malty flavor with that hop bitterness in the end. It is perfect for a fall day. Although I would rather have a Sam Adams Octoberfest, Bells is still a close second.  Octoberfest beers pair excellent with a nice grilled bratwurst or any other type of sausage. 

REVIEW
Pour:  Copper/Amber pour with a thick white head.
Aroma: Roasted malts with caramel.
Taste: Sweet caramel flavor with hop bitterness in the end. Very smooth.
Overall: It is the time of year for us to be drinking Octoberfest beers. If you can’t find Bells, Sam Adams is widely available. A nice cool day and cold Octoberfest go great together. Cheers!
RATING: C

Eastern Iowa residents: This beer is/will be available at John’s Grocery in Iowa City. I’ve seen many Bells products at Hy-Vee but their selection does change. It should be available by the end of August until November.

Restaurant Review #2: Short's Burger and Shine; Iowa City, IA

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My second visit to Short’s Burger and SHine in Iowa City and once again it was a fantastic meal. 20 different options of burgers to choose from on the menu. Don’t like beef? They also have 10 chicken sandwiches to choose from. Vegetarian? They have black bean burgers. All the ingredients come locally, (the beef comes 26 miles away). The fries are fresh cut and best yet, the beer on tap is all Iowa brewed beer. Here’s a link to their menu. (http://www.urbanspoon.com/u/menu/1347969?p=1).
The beers that I tried were an IPA from Knoxville, IA and a stout from Courthouse Brewery in Des Moines. Both were great, tasted fresh, and went well with my burger. If you get to Iowa City often please check this place out. It is located in the Ped Mall right next to the Airliner and Milios. I highly recommend it!

Restaurant Review #2: Short’s Burger and Shine; Iowa City, IA

1 Comment

My second visit to Short’s Burger and SHine in Iowa City and once again it was a fantastic meal. 20 different options of burgers to choose from on the menu. Don’t like beef? They also have 10 chicken sandwiches to choose from. Vegetarian? They have black bean burgers. All the ingredients come locally, (the beef comes 26 miles away). The fries are fresh cut and best yet, the beer on tap is all Iowa brewed beer. Here’s a link to their menu. (http://www.urbanspoon.com/u/menu/1347969?p=1).
The beers that I tried were an IPA from Knoxville, IA and a stout from Courthouse Brewery in Des Moines. Both were great, tasted fresh, and went well with my burger. If you get to Iowa City often please check this place out. It is located in the Ped Mall right next to the Airliner and Milios. I highly recommend it!

Restaurant Review #2: Chameleon's Pub and Grub; Mount Vernon, IA

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When my wife and I moved to the area we immediately checked out Chameleon’s. Great food and a surprisingly very good selection of beer was available. A few months ago we found out the bar was put up for sale and tonight was the first night we stopped in to check out what the new owners were offering. The menu was small, which sometimes is a good thing. This was typical bar food with nothing mind-blowing, but we were both satisfied with our meals. A philly cheesesteak and a turkey club with a side a fried jalapenos. What was good for us is that they cater pretty well to kids and that seems to be the big difference between the ownership now and then. More kid friendly than before. I was happy to hear the new owner talking to a customer questioning the beer options. He was wondering what New Belgium Hoptober was and the owner said they get all the seasonal New Belgium products which made me as happy as a pig in shit.
They had New Belgium Hoptober on tap and its only the middle of August which was great. I love Octoberfest beers and this one went down smooth.
Eastern Iowa residents: If you are in the Mount Vernon, IA area and are in need of a cool, refreshing, fresh beer, some decent pub grub and cool, cozy, and comfortable atmosphere; check out Chameleon’s.

Restaurant Review #2: Chameleon’s Pub and Grub; Mount Vernon, IA

2 Comments

When my wife and I moved to the area we immediately checked out Chameleon’s. Great food and a surprisingly very good selection of beer was available. A few months ago we found out the bar was put up for sale and tonight was the first night we stopped in to check out what the new owners were offering. The menu was small, which sometimes is a good thing. This was typical bar food with nothing mind-blowing, but we were both satisfied with our meals. A philly cheesesteak and a turkey club with a side a fried jalapenos. What was good for us is that they cater pretty well to kids and that seems to be the big difference between the ownership now and then. More kid friendly than before. I was happy to hear the new owner talking to a customer questioning the beer options. He was wondering what New Belgium Hoptober was and the owner said they get all the seasonal New Belgium products which made me as happy as a pig in shit.
They had New Belgium Hoptober on tap and its only the middle of August which was great. I love Octoberfest beers and this one went down smooth.
Eastern Iowa residents: If you are in the Mount Vernon, IA area and are in need of a cool, refreshing, fresh beer, some decent pub grub and cool, cozy, and comfortable atmosphere; check out Chameleon’s.