JERRY HENDRICKS
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Top Ten Brew Pubs | |
1. |
Iron Hill Brewery - Newark and Wilmington,DE (plus other locations) |
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Even if it wasn't my hometown brewery, it would still be my favorite. Good standard lineup, with Pig Iron Porter as my favorite, joined by consistently good seasonals, (Wee Heavy, Oatmeal Stout), plus always a Belgian Ale offering (Abbey Dubbel being the best). What really sits Iron Hill above the rest though is the food. Unlike most brew pubs, they are a restaurant that also makes beer. |
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2. |
Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats - Rehoboth Beach, DE |
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Another local choice that makes the most creative concoctions imaginable. They don't always hit the mark, but the adventure is part of the fun. The regular offerings are great as well with Raison D'Etre topping my list. Other highlights are Immort Ale and Midas Touch. I'm not a big fan of IPA's but their's are among the best. Unfortunately, one only goes to Dogfish Head for the beer. The food is inconsistent, and occasionally bad. |
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3. |
Bethlehem Brew Works - Bethlehem, PA | Website |
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A required visit during our annual pilgrimage to Musikfest. Not a large selection of seasonals, but their Steelworkers' Oatmeal Stout , Steelgaarden Wit and Belgian Trippel are very good. | |
4. |
McGuire's Irish Pub and Brewery - Destin, FL | Website |
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Always an enjoyable visit when in Destin visiting my father. The beer is safe, nothing unusual, but the Irish Red and Porter are both good. More of a draw for the atmosphere, the corned beef and cabbage, and the Senate Bean Soup for 18 cents! | |
5. |
Southampton Publick House - Southampton, NY | Website |
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Have visited a number of times while working at Brookhaven National Lab. Like Iron Hill, it is both a good restaurant and a good brewery. Never had a bad meal, nor a bad beer. Southampton Cream Stout is always my first choice if available. | |
6. |
Pyramid Ale House - Berkeley, CA | Website |
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Also an occasional visitor thanks to work related trips to Berkeley. Haywire is one of the best Hefeweizens and, if available, Live Wire bumps it up a notch. Also worth a try is Juggernaut Red Ale. Huge dining room and good pizza. | |
7. |
Capitol City Brewing Company - Washington, D.C. | Website |
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When visiting the National Mall, there are very few dining options other that the cafeteria in The American Indian Museum. A few blocks away though, one can find decent food and pretty good beer. | |
8. |
Stoudt's Black Angus Restaurant & Pub - Adamstown, PA | Website |
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The food is nothing special, but they crank out some very creative brews such as PA Dutch Dunkel Weizen, Belgian Quad and Robust Porter. Worth a stop while antiquing. | |
9. |
Southend Brewery and Smokehouse - Charleston, SC | Website |
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Visited in 1998 and I can't remember what I drank, but I do remember waiting a long time for food and not caring because the beer was so good. Barbara was having an extreme case of mistaken identity which it made it even more memorable. (Also visited a Southend in Charlotte) | |
10. |
Wasatch Brew Pub & Brewery- Park City, UT | Website |
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How can you not love a brewery in Utah with beers such as Evolution Amber Ale and Polygamy Porter? Only have been there once in 1995, but I think it was my first visit to a brew pub, so I can thank them for introducing me to real beer. | |