Adventures in Beer

I figured to take a detour and write (or rant) about another favorite topic: beer. I have been accused of becoming a bit of a beer snob over the last couple years, and not without reason. I used to be mostly a lager drinker but moved into mostly stouts or porters.

But what prompted this admission is another part of my visit to the Carolinas. I hail from Massachusetts, home of Sam Adams and Harpoon. (if you are fans of these beers, you’re welcome) Although Boston does host many craft and a couple bigger named beers, Raleigh NC was a pleasant place for a beer connoisseur to get away.


When me and the misses landed, got the rental and checked into our hotel, we met up with a gentleman named Chuck. He is a network contact of the misses, and showed us a couple of good places. First stop was an Irish Pub named Hiberian Pub on Glenwood Ave. Chuck was once part owner of the pub but recently retired. His partner Nial, an actual Irishman who lived in Boston for a few years, runs the establishment.

Grabbing a plate of Irish fare seemed like a must. I got a plate of Bangers and Mash that was not only delicious but was enough for two people. The beer to wash my plate down? Duck Rabbit Stout! I have found that I am partial to milk stouts and this beer, although bottled, was smooth and satisfying, with a touch of sweetness.

Next up, Chuck was gracious to show us what could be described as a near Mecca of Beer in Raleigh. The Beer Garden in Raleigh serves over 300 beers, including over 200 local draughts. Yes. 300 plus beers. I don' usually say this but I can’t even….

The establishment had a layout of 3 floors to grab a seat at the bar or a table with friends. The 1st floor had the local brews with a glass door to sneak a peak of the kegs and hoses for the taps. Floor 2 had a selection of macro brews while the 3rd floor only had a handful of national beers and more limited seating. We decided to hang out on the first floor and sample the local. I thought out loud that with such a selection, a flight of beers would be a smart way to try different beers. I was not disappointed and had a fine mix of porters and a local stout, which was not bad.

Chuck had to take off. The misses and I headed back to the hotel but found a neat little find. We came across The State of Beer, a craft beer store with a few beers on tap. I confess the place had a hipster vibe, but I figure check it out before deciding if it was cool. To add atmosphere, they were playing some alternative, on vinyl of course. We browsed and decided to have a round. I got Kalamazoo stout by Bell's Brewery, a licorice flavored stout. It was actually quite good. I know some of you who maybe reading this might be turned off by bad experiences of Jägermeister in days gone by but I assure you it was worth a try.

But one thing did blow my mind. While we drank and listened to some Modest Mouse, we witness another patron grab a beer, purchase it and consume it in one sitting. Now, mind you the concept of having a beer store with beers to purchase on tap is cool as is. But the idea of “Hey I want a bottle of this or that” and just buying it and drinking there and then was awesome. Mind you, I haven’t seen anything like this in Massachusetts so the idea was something to get used to.

We didn’t stay for much longer in Raleigh since we were heading to South Carolina to visit friends. On our way, we visited the town of Apex, North Carolina. One place to note was another craft beer shop of The Beer Dispensary! Similar to The State of Beer, it had a selection of great craft beers and a place you could grab a draft or bottle to drink right there. The selection had not only a good selection of local brews but even had a few familiars including Arrogant Bastard Ale and others.

For lunch, we grabbed lunch at the Salem Street Pub, where we shared a flight and a bite.
The food was good and a good selection of beers to choose from. The service was uneven since the waitress seemed very distracted while one of the managers was helping out with drinks and questions. One drink that was a pleasant surprise was The Sweet Baby Jesus chocolate and peanut butter porter. Yes, that is a real beer! I am a sucker for a crazy sounding beer but the taste was in fact a blend of chocolate and peanut butter and tasty.

The trip was by far not long enough but I am looking forward to visiting once more!