Tag: Bosco’s

Splashdance: Announcing the Winners of the Flyer’s Beer Bracket Challenge

Post author By Toby Sells
Post date March 7, 2019

Meddlesome Brewing Co.’s 201 Hoplar is (once again!) the best beer in Memphis, according to the 1,634 voters in the 2019 Memphis Flyer Beer Bracket Challenge, graciously sponsored by all of the great folks at Aldo’s Pizza Pies.

The Dirty ‘Dova dudes were just getting off the ground when they took home the coveted VanWyngarden Cup last year. They brought the cup back to us during our Match-Up Monday event at Aldo’s at the beginning of this year’s challenge. After a quick trip to C & J Trophy and Engraving, we gave the cup right back to Meddlesome last week during a Facebook Live event. By now, they’ve surely returned the cup to its spot in the Meddlesome taproom, where it will reside for another year.

Meddlesome brewer Ben Pugh

“We’re still blown away,” says Meddlesome co-founder and brewer, Ben Pugh. “It’s crazy. We didn’t expect it the first year. We definitely didn’t expect it in the second year. It’s been wild and humbling.”

Says co-founder and brewer Richie EsQuivel: “Last year was, like, ‘what the hell?’ I was hoping we could get into the last four this year, but definitely did not think it’d be 201 [Hoplar] again.”

EsQuivel calls 201 a West Coast-style American IPA, “straight up and through and through.” He says new IPAs are “soft and fruity,” while 201 Hoplar meddles with that. (Don’t worry. You’ll see that pun again later on.)

Chris Hamlett and Skyler Windsor-Cummings of Meddlesome with Flyer writer Toby Sells.

“This beer is intended to be kind of aggressive and bitter,” says EsQuivel. “It’s super-pineappley with citrus fruits.”

We changed up the Beer Bracket Challenge this year. We did away with the four categories — light beer, dark beer, IPAs, and seasonals — and let the breweries choose any four beers they wanted to compete, regardless of style. This made for some interesting matchups. Ghost River’s Grindhouse vs. Crosstown’s Margarita Gose, for example.

In the first round, 624 people cast 3,416 votes. Most of these voters were in Midtown, but there were a surprising number from New York and Massachusetts. Somebody voted in Spain. In round two, 571 voters cast 2,911 votes from as far away as Miami to Bellingham, Washington, a town just outside Vancouver.

Meddlesome dominated our Final Four with Broad Hammer, 201 Hoplar, and Brass Bellows all taking slots. Memphis Made’s Fireside was the fourth member of the dance.

“Fireside is easy-drinking,” says Memphis Made co-founder Andy Ashby. “It’s super-laid-back, just like Memphis. It’s accessible and easy to fall in love with.”

But it was Meddlesome’s Broad Hammer brown ale and that aggressive 201 Hoplar IPA that went to the title fight. It was a close battle; 201 Hoplar won by only five votes.

Water. Malt. Yeast. Hops.

I’ve made beer for years now. Here’s my latest recipe.

• Walk into Sweet Grass Next Door.

• Find Bailey (or Dougan, if you must).

• Say, “Bailey, may I have a” and then say the name of a beer they have.

This produces optimal results every time. I get that perfect blend of roast-i-ness, bread-i-ness, hop-i-ness, with a perfect mouth feel and a cold, clean finish. Every. Single. Time.

Listen, I don’t know shit about beer. I can confidently say that after spending a week visiting the crazy-smart, hardworking brewers at Ghost River, Meddlesome, Memphis Made, High Cotton, Wiseacre, and Crosstown. Those folks know a LOT about beer.

They can trace a beer style back in time and across a world map, like a genealogist with a family tree. They can trace the ingredients they use back to their literal roots. They can talk about beer and sound like a fanatical foodie and a chemical engineer in the same sentence.

On the Facebook Live stream for our Match-Up Monday event, I said some of the best beer in America is made right here in Memphis. I stand by that. I drink local beer wherever I go, and I always compare it to stuff back home, asking myself, “Is it as good as Traffic IPA, or Tiny Bomb, or Mexican Lager, or Fireside, or Brass Bellows, or Grindhouse?” And no matter what I think, I’m always glad to come home to my Memphis favorites.

I decided to fix some of my beer ignorance. I talked with brewers about their processes and their ingredients. I broke it down to beer’s four basic elements — water, malt, yeast, and hops. I learned a lot and have a new appreciation for brewers and the beer they make. But I’m not quite smart enough to change up my recipe anytime soon.

Water

The skies above Meddlesome Brewing are a dark battleship gray. Inside, a heavy quiet lays upon the bar. But through a door and around tall, silver tanks, a gleaming white light exposes a scene that could be a laboratory, a laboratory that smells of bread and plays Alice In Chains over a noisy din of equipment whirring.

It’s a brew day, and the brewhouse is busy. Guys in rubber boots climb steel ladders to open steaming lids on massive silver tanks and check the couplings on long black hoses that snake across the ground, round as a python and tough as a snow tire. After the work of the day and a few weeks to ferment, they’ll have Broad Hammer and McRoy’s Irish Stout.

“Our [Memphis] water is a fantastic vehicle for our beers,” says EsQuivel. “Beers are 90 percent water. So, it’s obviously super important.” Meddlesome’s Pugh says it takes about eight gallons of that famous Memphis water to make one gallon of beer. But Meddlesome reclaims and reuses much of that water.

EsQuivel says they may adjust the pH of the water and add some salts or acids to it sometimes. But mostly they don’t “meddle” with it, he says in a self-aware, corny dad joke.

Soft rain beats against High Cotton’s taproom windows. The room’s big “BEER!” sign bathes upturned barstools in a soft, yellow glow.

Through two enormous doors, bright lights fall on brick walls above a concrete floor and massive copper-colored tanks. It’s a brew day, and the brewhouse is busy. Guys in rubber boots check gauges and climb steel ladders to open steaming lids on those massive, copper-colored tanks. They’re making a batch of High Cotton’s new Thai IPA and a batch of Scottish Ale.

“As Memphis brewers, we really don’t have to do anything to the water to make good beer,” says High Cotton co-founder and brewer Ryan Staggs. “We also don’t have to install a super-expensive, water filtration system. Out west, water is super-expensive, but it’s also terrible. A lot of places in California will even have to use reverse osmosis just to get that blank slate that we get right out of the tap at a great price.”

Water is also the most local ingredient source Memphis brewers can use in their beers. The rest of the main ingredients have to be shipped from specialty sources (for now, anyway).

Malt

Crosstown Brewing’s massive, yellow logo pops off the side of its massive, gray building. Inside, huge silver tanks sit in neat rows under high ceilings. Those tire-tough and python-thick hoses snake along the floor.

The place is nearly deserted, until two brewers come along, each with a French Truck Coffee in one hand and a pastry in the other. Soon they are busy, making a double batch of Traffic IPA.

I point to a large bag of something with the word “Canada” written across it. Clark Ortkiese, Crosstown Brewing co-founder and brewer, says it’s their base malt.

The very patient brewers of Memphis explained to me that malt is malted barley, the same grain as in a beef and barley soup. Ortkiese says maybe 90 percent of every beer made in the world is made with a base of malted barley. If you ever see a plant that looks like wheat on a brewery logo, it’s probably barley.

Brewers will use malt and some other grains for different kinds of beer. The list of all grains used in a beer is referred to as the beer’s “grain bill.”

Barley is grown and harvested and then sent over to a malter. There, the grain is soaked for a time, dried, and roasted. That roast time will determine much about the beer. Lightly roasted malt will give you lighter beers, a pale ale or a pilsner, maybe. A golden-roasted malt will give you a Scottish ale or an Oktoberfest. A dark roast, of course, will give you darker beers, like a Guinness.

Ortkiese explains that the big Canada bag contains “just plain malt. You can call it two-row or pale malt. It’s a base malt. It’s all that goes into Traffic.”

Steve Winwood’s “Roll With It” blares over the darkened taproom at Memphis Made. A pallet jack, tools, and sacks of grain spread across the floor where typically sit neat rows of tables and benches.

By the late afternoon, the brewers are working on their second batch of the day. Back in the lighted brewhouse, they gang around a silver tank, opened at the top and just bigger and taller than a pool table. It’s filled to the brim with what looks like oatmeal. It’s not, of course. It’s that famous Memphis water and that malted barley combined to make a sugary water. One day, that hot, sweet-smelling oatmeal-looking stuff (called a mash) will somehow become an ice-cold Fireside amber ale.

Memphis Made co-founder and brewer Drew Barton says a lot of his company’s grain comes from Germany, but they get some speciality stuff from the U.S., Canada, and England. Outside of water and know-how, you can’t really source a lot of beer ingredients locally, he said.

“We don’t grow hops around here,” Barton says. “We don’t grow barley around here. There’s no yeast labs around here. At this point, it’s more of the skill set … of the brewer and the equipment you use that’s more important than if you got the ingredients right down the street. The source is important but not the locality of it.”

Yeast

Barton says much can be done along the brewing process to change the flavor components of beer. Yeast, he says, is one the biggest contributors to flavors “that people don’t realize.” And it’s not just the casual beer drinker who doesn’t get it.

“The most important ingredient in brewing was the last one discovered, because yeast is a single-celled organism that is invisible to the naked eye,” according to All About Beer magazine. “Still, brewers have long known that some unseen agent turned a sweet liquid into beer. Long ago, the action of yeast was such a blessing, yet so mysterious, that English brewers [in the Dark Ages] called it ‘Godisgood.'”

Barton says yeast is vitally important to flavors. “We can have 500 gallons of wort [beer before yeast and fermentation] and split it up into five 100-gallon tanks with five different kinds of yeast in them,” Barton says, “Even though everything started out the same, you’d get five very different beers.”

Ortkiese rattles off the name of the yeast used at Crosstown — US-05 California Ale yeast — quickly, from the top of his head. But then, his eyes light up as he courses through the history of that yeast strain from a now-defunct California brewery to its rediscovery and “rescue” by Ken Grossman, billionaire founder of Sierra Nevada.

“I’m guessing here, but I’ll bet half the beers in the United States are fermented with that yeast; it’s just a workhorse,” Ortkiese says. “It’s very neutral. So, it lets all the hop flavors come forward.”

Yeast also gets you drunk.

Those little fungi eat all that sugar we made with the water and malted barley, remember? It chews it up somehow and poops out — you guessed it — alcohol. Thanks, yeast. You really are the best.

Hops

But for the gentle hum of some equipment and a hiss of running water somewhere, things are quiet at Wiseacre, relative to the size of its big brewhouse. The brewers are busy, but they’re spread out, working somewhere amid silver tanks that seem two stories tall. Somewhere in here, I think to myself, is an Ananda that I will drink sometime in the future. Weird.

Inside a walk-in cooler, brewer Sam Tomaszczuk pours bright green pellets from a futuristic, metallic-silver pouch. While you might not recognize them in their pelletized form, you’ve seen hops before. Have another look at a brewery logo. You might find a small, green plant the same shape as strawberry. Heck, a hop plant is the central feature of Meddlesome’s logo.

Hops are little green flowers, cousins to marijuana. Brewers primarily use hops to bitter beer, to balance out that sweetness from that sugary barley water.

“There are a lot of beers that are quite hoppy out there that aren’t bitter at all,” Tomaszczuk says. “We have people who say they don’t like a hoppy beer and then we have them try something like Adjective Animal. It’s 8.6 percent alcohol … so it has a lot of sugars to it. It’s actually kind of sweet, compared to some of our other beers. So, when people try that, they tend to like it, even thought that’s a ‘hoppy beer.'”

Tomaszczuk pours those green, pelletized hops into a the steaming hole of a massive silver tank. In a few weeks, it’ll be a Hefeweizen, a light wheat beer, just in time for spring.

Chunky, heavy-metal guitar riffs blend somehow over the hiss, clatter, and conversation spilling out of the open bay door of Ghost River. It’s a canning day, and the brewers are canners for the day.

A pallet of naked, empty, silver cans glide from their stacks in satisfying single file through a machine that would make Willy Wonka smile. The cans are filled four at a time, sealed with a lid, twirled with a label, and six-packed by hand. It’s the very first time Ghost River has canned its new Grind-N-Shine, a light cream ale with coffee and vanilla. The beer is cold, and the freshly filled cans sweat in the tropical brewhouse environs.

Back in the quiet of the taproom, Ghost River head brewer Jimmy Randall explains that it was “time to move forward.” Ghost River replaced its 1887 IPA with Zippin Pippin, and hops were a big reason why.

“We really wanted something … that would reflect those flavors that you get in IPAs and the hop profile was a big one,” Randall says. “We wanted to give it those big, up-front hops, the aroma, the flavor of them. So, we changed the way we hopped the beer completely.”

Add hops to the end of the boil, Randall explains, the more aroma you’ll get. Boil them longer, you’ll get a more bitter beer. Add hops at the end, you’ll get different flavors. And the types of hops you use will change everything.

“So, take your Centennial hops, for example, which are kind of your classic, American IPA hops,” Randall says. “Bells Two Hearted IPA? That is 100 percent Centennial hops.”

Mosaic hops will give you juicy, tropical-fruit flavors, he says. Citra will give you citrus flavors.

Get Crafty

There are about 100 craft breweries in Tennessee. About two dozen of those are in Nashville. Knoxville has 15 along its “Ale Trail.”

The craft beer scene is still fairly new in Memphis. Boscos was Tennessee’s first brewpub, opening in 1992. Ghost River opened here in 2007. We’re now about five years from the Great Craft Awakening of 2013, the year that saw High Cotton, Wiseacre, and Memphis Made open. Since then, the city has added Meddlesome and Crosstown, each of which has been open for just more than a year.

The Memphis scene isn’t small. It’s right-sized, and more is on the way. We’ll hopefully see Grind City Brewing in next year’s Beer Bracket Challenge. They’re planning to open in July. Plans to open Soul & Spirits Brewing in Uptown were revealed last week. There are more breweries coming, I’m told, but nothing we can report just yet.

Until then, support your local craft brewers. Go drink a beer. And feel free to use my recipe.

Tags Bosco's, Crosstown Brewing, Ghost River Brewing, High Cotton Brewing, Meddlesome Brewing, Memphis craft beer, Memphis Flyer Beer Bracket Challenge, Memphis Made Brewing, VanWyngarden Cup, Wiseacre Brewing

Cover Feature News

The King of (Memphis) Beer!

Post author By Toby Sells
Post date March 8, 2018

Meddlesome Brewing’s 201 Hoplar is the best beer in Memphis, according to the 2,344 voters in The Memphis Flyer & Aldo’s Pizza Pies’ 2018 Beer Bracket Challenge.

Meddlesome is a relative newcomer to the Memphis brewing scene, a plucky upstart from the Dirty ‘Dova. Oh, wait, Dirty Dova is another Meddlesome IPA. We are here to talk about 201 Hoplar, the IPA that won Memphis hearts — and the 2018 trophy.

The 201 Hoplar IPA is “everything Memphis is,” according to Meddlesome. It’s “strong, flavorful, and an unforgettable experience.” Dosed with chinook and Columbus hops, the beer is “oozing with resin, pine, grapefruit, and ripe pineapple.”

Meddlesome owners Richie EsQuivel and Ben Pugh created 201 Hoplar to “be exactly what a West Coast IPA should be.” It’s not “over-the-top bitter” on the front end, and the slightly fruity flavors roll in right after that for an accessible, easy-drinking IPA.

The kings of Memphis beer are Meddlesome Brewing Co.

Meddlesome opened last year in Cordova, just a stone’s throw from the Shelby Farms dog park. But their fans hit our poll with enthusiasm and pushed 201 Hoplar past many Memphis craft beer powerhouses.

The brewery is a dream project for EsQuivel, a former brewer at Boscos Brewing, and Pugh, a former brewer at Rock’n Dough Pizza & Brew Co. Rising to the top of the bracket so fast was surprising to Pugh, but a welcomed surprise.

“It’s taken us aback, honestly,” Pugh said. “We’ve only been open about eight months, and we did not expect it. Once we saw we’d made it to the finals, we were pumped that we’d even made it that far.”

Our trophy — the VanWyngarden Cup (so named because it’s an old ice bucket that the Flyer editor donated) — has rested in a place of honor for the last year. Wreathed in a crown of hops, the cup sat high above the beautiful taproom bar at Ghost River Brewing Co. That company’s classic golden ale, simply called Gold, won our inaugural challenge last year.

“We had a great year, showing off the trophy and being the King of Memphis Beer,” said Suzanne Williamson, Ghost River’s vice president of marketing, giving a nod to the headline of our cover story last year.

Williamson said Ghost River had fun with the bracket again this year and plans to bring the trophy back to “its true and rightful home,” next year.

The Flyer‘s Beer Bracket Challenge was broken up into four categories — light beer, dark beer, IPAs, and seasonals. We asked our breweries to submit their beers in those categories. Beer lovers know the bracket categories are broad. Dozens of different beer styles reside in each one. We wanted to meet Memphis beer drinkers where they were. Our beer scene is growing and so are the palates of Memphis beer drinkers. (See our story.) As our scene changes, so, too, may our bracket.

In the meantime, we knew, for example, that a Kölsch couldn’t (and shouldn’t) compete head to head with a different style, like a pilsner. So, to ensure some kind of objectivity, I pulled an Aldo’s Pizza Pies staff hat over my eyes and blindly picked the match-ups out of a cup. And I did it on Facebook Live. Drinking beer, talking beer, and looking silly on the internet? It was a dream job no one ever told me existed.

With the bracket set, our voters did the rest. Hundreds of votes were cast during each round, for a final total of 12,837 individual votes (with about 1,000 more voters than last year).

On its way to the top, 201 Hoplar defeated Boscos Restaurant & Brewing Co.’s legendary Hop God in the first round of IPA voting. Voters floated it through two more rounds, besting High Cotton’s amazing IPA and Wiseacre’s heavyweight Ananda.

In the Final Four, 201 Hoplar faced Wiseacre’s Tiny Bomb, which might be considered the Michael Jordan of the Memphis beer market, but they pulled off the upset of the tournament. In the end, 201 Hoplar faced Wiseacre’s Astronaut Status, a barrel-aged Imperial stout out of the seasonal category.

Except for the IPA category, Wiseacre dominated this year, winning the other three categories: Tiny Bomb in light, Gotta Get Up to Get Down in dark, and, of course, Astronaut Status in seasonal.

It should also be noted that newcomers Crosstown Brewing fielded a team of four beers at the same time they were opening their brand-new brewery close to (you guessed it) Crosstown Concourse.

Owners Will Goodwin and Clark Ortkiese joined us for a brief talk during our Facebook Live event at Aldo’s. The guys are passionate. The brewery is massive, and the beers are good. Look for Crosstown to show up bigly on next year’s bracket.

Yes, we know we’re not the first to “bracket-ize” beers. The idea has been used in other alt-weeklies around the country. Heck, the Memphis Craft Beer blog ran Malt Madness in 2015. Consider our hats tipped all around. Job One with this bracket was to have fun. Beer is fun, and we wanted to have fun with beer. Basketball fans get a bracket every year. Beer drinkers should have one, too.

What we never want to do with this bracket is to make it seem like Memphis breweries are seriously pitted against each other. Sure, they compete, but from the stories I’ve heard, brewers and breweries in Memphis help each other out, trading knowledge and equipment and drinking each others’ brews. We are not creating some fictional friction. Again, we’re just having fun.

Whether you like bracket contests or not, remember: The best beer in Memphis will always be your favorite.

The Memphis Beer Scene

The Memphis brewing scene is continuing to grow and change. Two new breweries have recently opened — Meddlesome and Crosstown Brewing. Other new beers enter the Memphis market all the time from regional craft breweries like Devil’s Backbone Brewing and Green Flash Brewing (both from Virginia) or Perennial Artisan Ales out of St. Louis.

Consider this a sort of “State of Memphis Beer” story. I talked with folks at the city’s big draft houses — the Flying Saucer, Young Avenue Deli, and Hammer and Ale — beer people who have been watching the scene here for years. I also got some insights from two people who helped shape the Memphis craft scene and have started new careers as sales reps for out-of-state, regional brands.

There is now a “great flood of folks thirsty for craft beer” pouring into the downtown and Cordova locations of the Flying Saucer, says co-founder and beer expert Keith Schlabs. While the Saucer concept was embraced when it opened in May 1997, craft beer wasn’t an easy sell.

“We had 80 taps full of offerings, many of which were available to the people of Memphis for the first time,” says Schlabs. “However, we were battling the ‘bitter beer face’ campaign, where anything that wasn’t a mass-produced adjunct lager or a light lager was ridiculously painted as ‘bad beer.'”

Bitterness wasn’t understood, making it hard to sell hop-forward styles like pale ales and IPAs, Schlabs says. Even filling the Saucer’s massive tap wall was a challenge. Rogue, Anchor, and Breckenridge dominated its 80 taps, and the rest were sourced by Gene and Steve Barzizza and the Memphis team at Southwestern Distributing.

But the Saucer persisted and “we saw rocket growth once the craft beer movement kicked into high gear,” Schlabs says. “Some thought this was a fad, but we knew it was not. Small brewery tap rooms are growing and this could impact our growth.”

When Tessa Pascover, general manager of the Young Avenue Deli, started as a waitress in 2010, Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob, and Killians still had spots on its draft wall. Craft beer now dominates its 35 taps with one exception, Pabst Blue Ribbon.

“Nowadays, after what I call the ‘hand-crafted beer revolution,’ there’s a new brewery that comes to town and new breweries [at the Deli] all the time,” Pascover says. “There are a ton of new options, and it’s just a really exciting time.”

In 2013, local brewers High Cotton, Memphis Made, and Wiseacre opened within six months of each other. It was a sort of explosion for Memphis beer, first ignited by here by Boscos and Ghost River. That new growth was an inspiration for Kevin Eble and David Smith, who opened what was then called The Growler in Cooper-Young. At the time, most Memphians didn’t really know what a growler was. The name was changed to Hammer & Ale, but the core mission — a focus on craft beer — remained the same.

Kevin Eble hefts a giant mallet and a hand-crafted pint at Hammer and Ale.

“Our whole thing is that you can come in and get everybody’s stuff,” Eble says. “The breweries, obviously, are limited [to their own beers] but we’re lucky enough to sell everybody’s beer. People started grabbing onto it pretty quickly and accepting craft beer as something important.”

When Memphis offerings changed, so did its beer drinkers. Civic pride in local brews swelled. You can drink Memphis beer in Memphis like never before. With brewery taprooms, you can consume a local brew steps away from where it was born. It doesn’t get more local than that.

Taylor James helped found and form the Madison Growler (the growler station inside the Madison Cash Saver) and make the grocery store a craft beer destination. He’s seen first-hand how Memphis beer drinkers’ tastes have become more sophisticated.

“Sour beers were something that, four or five years ago, you would have put in the Memphis market, and it would have just sat there,” James says. “People would have been like, ‘You’re trying to sell me something that’s sour?’ Then I would’ve explained that it’s not like sour candy but it’s because brewers put bacteria in the [beer]. Then they’re down the aisle running away from you and looking for something else.”

But if you were drinking beer last spring and summer, you know that sours were “the thing.”

So, how did Memphis beer drinkers evolve from “Lite” drinkers to appreciators of, say, a bacteria-borne sour beer? For Cory York, formerly with Ghost River, it comes down to education.

“People in Memphis are figuring out what craft beer is,” York says. “It’s mainly word of mouth. It’s that tried and true story … ‘I had a buddy pressure me and here I am.'”

“The local breweries had a big impact,” Pascover says. “The college crowd were always the domestic beer drinkers, and they didn’t really know about [craft beer]. Now, they come in and they want a Wiseacre or a Ghost River. The local breweries have definitely developed the local market.”

“Memphians realized they didn’t have to be pigeon-holed into a pilsner,” Eble says. “You can move into a pale ale with some hops in it or a stout or something dark or barrel-aged. It’s a progression of taste. You start seeing funky things like sours staying on the market because people’s tastes have changed.”

But Schlabs says beer drinkers here (like drinkers in most markets) still want session beers. “People want that yellow, fizzy pint at the end of a long day of work,” he says. “It’s our mission and duty to make sure that that yellow, fizzy pint is something that’s consistently well-made by someone who has worked their butt off for craft beer, someone who needs our business and someone we want to support.”

Memphis has seven independent companies brewing beer: Boscos, Ghost River, High Cotton, Wiseacre, Memphis Made, Meddlesome, and Crosstown. Nashville has about 20. Little Rock has seven or so, and the state of Mississippi has about 18, according to Beer Advocate. But do numbers like that really matter?

Not according to Taylor James, who became a sales rep for San Diego-based Ballast Point Brewing last year. “San Diego,” he says, “has about 150 breweries, and all of them are good. Memphis has come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.”

At the Saucer, Schlabs says his crew is still pushing beer drinkers to discover new tastes — to attract new craft fans and keep the old ones interested. “The onset of fruited, tropical IPAs is a good example of the industry making efforts to appeal to an extended range of palates,” Schlabs says.

Pascover says the Deli is riding the craft beer trend and is constantly looking for the next great beer. She remembers when IPAs where the thing, then it was sour beers, and “last year it was fruit in beer, like watermelon-lime pilsner, or raspberry truffle stout, or a pineapple passion fruit IPA. This year its going to be hazy, juicy IPAs, filled with fruit.”

Eble believes the Memphis craft beer scene still has a lot more room to grow. “Consumers have been exposed to craft’s panoply of flavors and nobody is going to say, ‘Well, I’m going to start drinking Bud again.'”

But the “craft beer” scene of the past changed significantly when macro breweries (like those who make Bud, Miller, and Coors) started snapping up smaller breweries, scaling up their production, and shipping those “craft” brands into markets like Memphis. Crafty-looking brands like Goose Island, Elysian Brewing, or Lagunitas may look like they were made at the cool brewery down the road, but their owners are likely jet-setting hedge fund managers.

“This [craft beer] heritage we’ve spent so many years to build is being threatened,” Greg Koch, co-founder of craft beer stalwart Stone Brewing, said in a recent video. “Big beer [sales have] been flat or declining and they’ve gone out in the craft world and made acquisitions.” So now, “craft” breweries is the preferred nomenclature for locally owned, hands-on companies like High Cotton or Wiseacre, and independents are opening like crazy.

“I believe the number I heard was a new brewery opens in America every 11 hours now,” says Schlabs. “When we started Flying Saucer in 1995, there were 2,000 or so, and now there are over 7,000. Too much of a good thing can start to be bad.” But that’s not a concern in Memphis, yet.

“I don’t think we’ve plateaued in Memphis by any means,” says York, now a sales rep with Hattiesburg-based Southern Prohibition. “The more breweries that pop up, there is going to be more competition. You’re going to start to see breweries realize the other steps they need to take to compete.”

James says education will continue to be the key. But craft breweries like Ballast Point are also beginning to make beers that meet entry-level consumers at, well, the entry levels — with light pilsners and lagers.

The best ingredient for Memphis beer is always going to be Memphis, says Eble. “The local stuff is better because you know the people who made it, and you know where it was made. That’s better than some guy at Budweiser just following a recipe.”

Tags Bosco's, Crosstown Brewing, Flyer Beer Bracket Challenge, Flying Saucer, Ghost River, High Cotton, history of beer in Memphis, Meddlesome, Memphis craft breweries, Memphis Made, Wiseacre

Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Beer Bracket 2/22-3/1

Post author By Susan Ellis
Post date February 21, 2018

Last year’s bracket, round 2

Around this time last year, a name was engraved on an old gray ice bucket and presented to the winner. This year, the same thing will happen, another (same?) name on the same ice bucket. It’s like the Stanley Cup.

The Flyer’s annual Beer Bracket Challenge launches tomorrow. 28 beers going for glory.

Last year’s winner was Ghost River’s classic Gold, the old reliable of Memphis Beers.

This year, three new breweries are heading into the fray: Meddlesome, Crosstown, Brewing, and Boscos. Toby Sells explains that Boscos, while not new, wasn’t included last year because he featured only breweries with beers readily available in stores and bars/restaurants. But this year he figured, “You like beer, you need to have Boscos.”

Round One is tomorrow, February 22nd, with the Final Two starting Wednesday at 8 a.m. and running through March 1st, midnight. The winner will be announced in the Flyer’s March 8th issue.

Sells says he has plenty of favorites among the 28, though he’s not rooting for one beer over the other. “There’s so much good stuff out there. We’ll see how it goes.”

In addition to revealing the winner, the March 8th beer-iffic cover will examine the state of the Memphis beer scene. Can Memphis accommodate more breweries and beers from outside the area? Have Memphis beer-drinkers changed since the scene exploded in 2013?

Check it out and stay tuned for Beer Bracket-related events.

Tags Bosco's, Crosstown Brewing, Ghost River, Gold, High Cotton, Meddlesome, Memphis Beer Bracket Challenge, Memphis Made, Wiseacre

Cover Feature News

Beer Run!

Post author By Toby Sells
Post date March 17, 2016

Patios are blossoming all over town. It’s a sure sign that Memphians are tired of winter’s cooped-up spaces, heavy clothes, not to mention those sturdy, stout, comforting winter beers.

Okay, so maybe your first spring thought isn’t: “What new beers are out there?” But it’s one of mine. Beer changes with the seasons, and Memphis has five solid craft breweries — Boscos, Wiseacre, High Cotton, Memphis Made, and Ghost River. That means there’s now an ocean of new, locally made beer out there. Ever heard someone argue about the best local barbecue? Of course you have. If you haven’t heard someone argue best local brewery yet, you will soon.

I gathered The Memphis Flyer staff Friday to sample this spring’s offerings of (mostly) local beers. This year’s crew included editor Bruce VanWyngarden (BV), Justin Rushing (JR), Chris McCoy (CM), Eileen Townsend (ET), Joshua Cannon (JC), Jackson Baker (JB), Shara Clark (SC), Bianca Phillips (BP), Chris Shaw (CS), Chris Davis (CD), managing editor Susan Ellis (SE), and Kendrea Collins (KC).

Professional tasters, (from left) Adam Steele, Dr. Richard Heath, and Nick Vincent

I also brought together three expert beer tasters: Richard Heath (RH), president of Bluff City Brewers & Connoisseurs (BCBC), and BCBC members Adam Steele (AS), a certified beer judge, and award-winning home brewer Nick Vincent (NV).

Wiseacre founders Kellan and Davin Bartosch expertly guided us in our tasting journey. Kellan urged us to appreciate (rather than judge) beers, even if it’s a style we don’t like. “There are no bad beers,” he said.

Big thanks to the owners and staff at Celtic Crossing for letting us take over their killer patio, and protecting us from the pattering rain. Sláinte, and may the road rise to meet you all this St. Patrick’s Day. — Toby Sells

Drew Barton, co-owner and brewer at Memphis Made Brewing

MEMPHIS MADE

Greenswarden Saison — Here’s what they say: At first glance, the hazy golden copper of this ale makes it appear calm and reserved. But the citrus punch will make you want to get up and yell, GET OFF OUR LAWN!!!

Here’s what we say:

This citrusy beer packs a flavorful first punch but mellows out after a few sips. Drink one (or three), then hitch a ride to the Greensward and park your butt (definitely not your car) there for a spring picnic. — SC

If a beer can be “refreshing,” this is it. Smooth but sprightly. — BV

Wait for the citrus to sneak in — it’ll knock you on your ass. Memphis Made concocted the perfect beverage to share with friends while you protest parking in the Greensward. — JC

This brew has a rich, golden hue that promises a richer flavor than it delivers. At least this version lacks the aggressive aromatics that some saisons offer. — CM

This is a hoppy, full-bodied saison, but it doesn’t leave that bitter floral aftertaste. It’d be the perfect beer to pack for a picnic on the Greensward. Oh wait? Nevermind, there are cars parked on the Greensward! Lucky for you, this beer would taste just as good on your front porch. — BP

Smooth and savory with a nice citrus flavor. No bite or bitter aftertaste. — JR

Light and fruity, with a healthy serving of that saison yeast character, with just a hint of citrus hop flavor behind it. — NV

An aggressive, “Americanized” version of the Belgian classic. Spicy and peppery yeast phenolics make way for a slight toasted note, followed by a bitter, citrusy finish. — AS

RockBone IPA — What they say: A heavy hand of Herkules hops gives this IPA a real bang, while the Mosaic hops do the dirty work and ooze out flavors of passion fruit and berries.

What we say:

Ok, this one really smells like urine. Thank you for everything you do, precious RockBone. Store up your treasures in heaven. — CS

This IPA stands tall in a flaccid field. Where some IPAs stuff the hops to create a bulging taste profile, RockBone goes deep, hitting the pleasure centers with practiced stimulation. — CM

Tastes like good porn. Hoppy but well-balanced, and you don’t get that overpowering floral aftertaste. – BP

A healthy dose of hops keeps this stiff IPA bitter yet deliciously fruity, and will stimulate even the most flaccid of taste buds. —NV

Compared to my last RockBone experience, this iteration has a sharper, more well-defined hop flavor, reminiscent of citrus and cherries.The finish is dry, and the bitterness doesn’t linger; an exceptionally drinkable IPA. — AS

HIGH COTTON

ESB — What they say: Medium-high to medium bitterness with supporting malt flavors evident. Normally has a moderately low to somewhat strong caramelly malt sweetness. Hop flavor moderate.

What we say:

The “ESB” (Extra Special Bitter) in the name may fool you: This beer isn’t really bitter at all, though perhaps it is “extra special.” Smooth and light and would be a great go-to for less adventurous drinkers. — SC

A light but satisfying ESB, not much going on here in terms of hops. I always thought ESB stood for Extremely Shitty Beer. I now realize I’ve been living a lie. — CS

Hoppy but calm. A journeyman taste (and that’s no insult). — JB
It tastes like biscuits. It’s totally acceptable to drink this for breakfast, right? — BP

Light, with hints of biscuit malts and a lingering sweetness that’s pleasant. Sure to appeal to many palates with its conservative flavor. — NV

A balancing act of floral, earthy English hops, fruity yeast, and nutty malt character. Ever-so-slightly buttery, which is common in English-style beers. Thinking of introducing your Michelob Ultra-drinking dad to craft beer? Start here. — AS

Red Ale — What they say: The unique grain bill lends the beer to an easy-drinking malty body, with no lack of Perle hops to provide earthiness and subtle spice.

What we say:

I call this one “Old Reliable” because it’s always on target. A good drinking beer for any occasion. — BV

High Cotton has another hit on its hands, starting with the substantial mouth feel, enabled by the relatively low carbonation. The sign of careful craftsmanship that is not chasing trends. — CM

Very light and refreshing. Mild flavor. Good beer! — JR

Dark copper in color, this beer is rich with malty and sweet flavors, low in hops, and is a tasty alternative to yeasty/hoppy spring offerings. —NV

Slight caramel sweetness up front, but finishes dry and clean. This one would serve well as an inoffensive introduction to craft beer that you could drink a whole bunch of. — AS

Kellan Bartosch (upper), owners of Wiseacre Brewing

WISEACRE

Adjective Animal Double IPA — What they say: This is as hop-forward as it gets. Sticky, resinous, orange peel, pine, and grapefruit aromas shall waft forth.

What we say:

Surprisingly, this double IPA isn’t as hoppy as one might expect. It’s fruity, floral, and way easier to drink than other hop-forward beers. 10 out of 10. — SC

A big, bouncy, perky brew that packs an 8.6 alcohol punch. Careful with this one, cowboy. — BV

Apparently a hop called Nugzilla is used in making this beer. I feel like Muck Sticky is super bummed he can’t name his next album that now. Or maybe he can? — CS

Wiseacre’s Adjective Animal Double IPA made me take back every comparison to pissed-on lemons I’ve made about IPAs. This beer is hoppy as hell, but it rubs you the right way. — JC

It has a complex flavor profile, balancing all of the elements perfectly. There are hoppy notes you expect, but it’s not trying to slap you in the face with it. — CM

Smooth with delicate hints of floral hops and citrus, and spiciness adds balance. Also, the name is the buzzy bee’s knee. Or maybe it’s the grumpy cat’s pajamas. (You see what I did there? Don’t even get me started with dreaming up adjectives for animals. I could go all day.) — BP

Good sipping beer, great taste. Nice change-up from your typical domestic or import. — JR

What can I say — hops, hops, hops! Full of aroma, flavor, and bitterness, wreaking havoc on your palate with a piercing yet smooth hop bitterness that easily masks its hefty alcohol content. — NV

Huge resinous pine, citrus, and tropical notes with a slightly sweet malt undertone that’s hard to describe. Smooth, clean, yet intense bitterness. Enough to keep you interested until the last sip. — AS

Familie Freund: Dusseldorf Altbier — What they say: German, copper-colored ale with rich, toasty malts (smells like really toasted bread with a touch of honey on it) balanced with a firm bitter backbone.

What we say:
Lots of pop. Lots of flavor. Like that crazy uncle who shows up for Thanksgiving every couple years. — BV

Bitter and malty at the same time, kind of tastes like those Haribo candy Coke bottle things. — CS

It starts sharp on the tongue, defined by its Champagne-like effervescence, but the flavor opens up quickly, revealing a pleasing hoppy note. — CM

Wiseacre is known for upping the hops in just about every style, and this bitter, malty brew is, indeed, hoppy. But I don’t find the hops as off-putting as I do in some of their beers. It seems more balanced, and has a nice mouthfeel. (Did I seriously just say “mouthfeel”?) — BP

Rich with malty, yeasty lager character, this copper-colored beer is a refreshing choice for a those who want a richer, fuller spring beer experience. — NV

Malty aroma and flavor reminiscent of bread dough, grapes, toast, and caramel. Not sweet, though — the finish is nice and dry. Assertively bittered to provide balance and drinkability. Damn near perfect. — AS

Quiet Man Irish Stout — What they say: The beer packs a roasty punch yet remains light on its feet. A carbonated version of the classic Irish style will leave you wanting to go back in the ring for another round.

What we say:

The wise guys from Wiseacre told us that comparing different beers is a bit like comparing burgers to tacos. My question is: Why is this cheeseburger not a taco? Just kidding. This is a great cheeseburger. — SC

Surprisingly flat and watery despite its heavy look. A late, somewhat bitter aftertaste . — JB

Perhaps the only remnant of my Irish heritage is that I love stouts. Also, I’m stubborn and often belligerent. But back to the stouts. This is a very good one, even if it doesn’t have the giant head you might be used to from pulling Guinness taps. — CM

Much hoppier than I’d expect from an Irish stout, but it’s drinkable. It has that nice soy sauce aftertaste that I love in a good stout, but the heavy hops would mean I’d probably just drink one and switch to a more classic stout. — BP

This beer is light and drinkable, yet still hits the mark with its subtle roasted flavors. A great example of the style. — NV

A pleasant, roasted, coffee-like aroma with some mild fruity yeast character. Prickly carbonation and thin-bodied. Think Guinness, except fresher and more flavorful. — AS

Flyer staff drinking, er, “working” hard so you don’t have to!

BOSCOS

Hop God — What they say: In this version of it, the more hops the better. We took fresh hops and some new varieties we’ve never used in here before — Summit and Horizon. It’s actually going to have the hop profile behind it and is not as malty.

What we say:
Praise the Lord and pass the beer. And hop to it. — BV

Smells like pee, but tastes way better, I guess. I’m not saying I’ve ever drank pee. I’ve never drank pee. Damn. This isn’t going well. Amazing beer. — CS

Smooth, mellow, vaguely sweet, large in its suggestions. — JB

Least favorite beer of the tasting. Overly flavorful to the point where it’s sour. Like drinking a beer out of a marathon runner’s tube sock. — JR

I was not a fan of this beer and have tasted better versions of it in the past. — NV

Hello, grapefruit! Moderately bitter with a clean-ish finish and just enough malt backbone for balance. — AS

Oatmeal Stout — What they say: Obviously, we brewed this for St. Patrick’s Day. Pretty Dry. Easy to drink.

What we say:

Some may argue that darker beers are better for colder months, but this one’s good year ’round. A roasted malt aroma and flavor makes way for coffee and bittersweet chocolate notes. — SC

Dry enough to slow you down and make you thoughtful. — JB

The beer that eats like a meal! Bosco’s has been brewing some variation on this beer since the brewpub was in Saddle Creek, and they’ve got it dialed in. — CM

Too sweet! I want a beer, not a cupcake! I love oatmeal stouts but not this one. — BP

Full body of roasted and chocolate flavors, but I don’t detect any mint flavors. Overall still very good, but falls a tad short of its description. — NV

A little sweet up front; full-bodied, with a bit of a slick mouthfeel from the oats. The roast malt character is pretty restrained. — AS

Wee Heavy — What they say: This is a maltier amber ale, a stronger amber ale. It’s a darker seasonal. Try to get it on tap when it’s colder outside.

What we say:

This slightly sweet and caramelly brew has a nutty flavor with a hint of smoke. Easier to drink and not as heavy as its dark beer brethren, but rather a wee bit heavy, as the name suggests. — SC

More like “wee disappointing.” I was expecting something more along the lines of a stout, but on first taste, I’m hit by an overpowering sweetness. — BP

Good flavor, but the texture was very filmy and wheaty. — JR

This beer is smells strongly of caramel sweet malts, but has a strange taste to it I’ve never gotten from the style. I’m not a big fan of it. — NV

A full-bodied malt bomb. Tastes of caramel and prunes with some slight roasty notes. This is the right beer to have next to a fire with a steak and some blue cheese. — AS

GHOST RIVER

Barrel-Aged (Midnight) Magic — What they say: We let it spend four months in some oak barrels which had recently been emptied. Along with the dark malty flavors already present in the beer, the months spent in the barrels added some smooth oak and a hint of bourbon aroma we were able to unlock from the wood.

What we say:

I’m a huge fan of the Midnight Magic. Sadly, I’m not a huge fan of bourbon. The barrel aging added such a pungent bourbon aroma and flavor. — SC

A bridge beer — hard and heavy, a prelude to going home or going on to drinking harder stuff. — JB

What normally is a highly drinkable light stout, this version of MM is overpowered heavily by the barrel aging. — NV

Holy bourbon, Batman. Boozy with some vanilla and oak notes from the barrel. This might work if the base beer had been a fuller-bodied, higher-ABV offering. — AS

What’s Good IPA — What they say: The brewhouse staff have created a solid foundation of golden malt flavors upon which they built a glorious monument to the hops.

What we say:

You know the rare occasions when you see beams of sunlight bursting out between cracks in clouds? They’re called crepuscular rays. If those had a flavor, this would be it. — SC

I really liked this one. Drink it if you know What’s Good for ya. — BV

What’s good is this here beer. This has my favorite elements of an IPA. Super bitter with a fruity aftertaste. Definitely getting some of this for the fridge. My favorite so far. — CS

Full of fruity, citrusy aroma, this beer smells as if it’s got actual fruit in it, and its flavor matches that theme. A good choice for those new to IPA. — NV

Tags Adjective Animal, Bosco's, Familie Freund, Ghost River, High Cotton, High Cotton ESB, High Cotton Red Ale, Hop God, Memphis craft beers, Memphis Made, Midnight Magic, Oatmeal Stout, Wee Heavy, What's Good IPA, Wiseacre

Opinion The Last Word

Wuz That … ?

Post author By Susan Wilson
Post date December 3, 2015

CREDIT: GilbertC | Dreamstime.com

When my brother was a little guy, he’d look through the new Sears Wish Book and make his Christmas list. He didn’t write it down, it went more like, “I want everything on these two pages except that. That’s for girls.” As an adult, my list is just as easily made. I’d like to have the freedom of a toddler to run around and look adorable without pants as opposed to being asked to “leave quietly” because I’m “disturbing the other customers in the cheese shop.”

But I am nothing if not a giver, so as I begin making a list of presents I will not buy my family and friends this holiday and instead order something at the last minute from Amazon Prime because, hey, free shipping and no pants, I have also made a list of things I want to give my beloved Memphis. Understand, I’m not offering what you fancy types call “solutions.” This is pure slacktivism. I’m just saying what I want and leaving it up to people who actually know about stuff and how to do it. I’m a facilitator. The ideas guy, if you will.

GilbertC | Dreamstime.com

My first wish is that we find another name for the flyover. That’s what it is, not what it is to us. Your old beater in high school had a name, right? Mine was the Blue Booger. I have proposed to several people that we start calling it the Grinder. We’re the home of the Grindhouse, right? And don’t you grind your teeth into meal when you’re stuck at the junction? I got those sort of blank, polite looks like when a kid in church tells the nice lady next to him that morning his daddy stubbed his toe and screamed, “JESUS HORATIO CHRIST ON A RAFT!” Then, once I drove up it, I decided on the Tower of Terror. Y’all ridden that thing yet? It’s cool as all get out. Just don’t look down. But last night I decided that Memphis should never be without the Zippin Pippin, so we could call it that.

When driving along Winchester, my husband and I play a game I call Wuz That. Wuz that a Circuit City? Wuz that a grocery store? Thousands upon thousands of square feet of empty buildings just sit there. Meanwhile, a show called Memphis Beat was filmed in Louisiana. Work with me here. I’ll tie these things together. I think Memphis should be Movie City. I don’t pretend to understand the problem with giving the film industry the kind of breaks Georgia and Louisiana do, especially since we threw so much cash at another industry that upper management dances around with their tax credits making it rain in the boardroom. Those buildings could be soundstages, post-production, animation, craft services (we are a food city, after all), whatever. Memphis has a few tall buildings to be leapt in single bounds, swampy areas for battle, Rhodes College — especially in fall — looks like the perfect New England school where two awkward nerds can fall in love. Then there are those production facilities I was talking about where giant purple horses can battle blue lizards to colonize Des Moines and turn Americans into Ood-like creatures who wail to communicate. But I don’t want to give too much of my screenplay away.

Cars are on my list, too. Get off the pot and build a damn parking garage for the zoo. At least allow me a bus route there that doesn’t take me to Collierville first. My husband, being a budget- and environmentally-conscious fellow, wanted to commute by bus to work. The commute involves starting in East Memphis, making three turns, and going straight down Getwell a few miles. Most of his commute is a straight shot. Right past a bus terminal. The 8-mile commute takes about 15-20 minutes in the car. By bus? TWO HOURS AND TWO MINUTES. In fairness, there is another route to get him to work by 7:30 a.m. that only takes an hour and 52 minutes. I understand that a public transportation system won’t expand and improve if people don’t use it. I also understand that if it doesn’t expand and improve, people won’t use it. If the Greenline has taught us anything, it’s that if you build it, they will come. And please, for the love of Pete, hurry up and make those trolley tracks of use for something other than getting your bike tire stuck in them and breaking a collarbone. Unless a secret cabal of Memphis’ world-class orthopedic professionals are in cahoots with MATA to shift business their way. I’m all for revenue, and I like secret plans.

Also: Boscos must never ever never take the black bean and goat cheese tamale off the menu. I’m willing to trade renaming the flyover for that one.

Susan Wilson also writes for yeahandanotherthing.com and likethedew.com.

Tags Amazon, Bosco's, Christmas Gift list 2015, Greenline, I-240 'Flyover', MATA, Sear Wish Book, Wuz that ... ?

Letter From The Editor Opinion

The Heart and Soul of Memphis

Post author By Bruce VanWyngarden
Post date March 19, 2015

Portland, Brooklyn, Nashville, and Memphis. Those aren’t four cities you typically see referenced in the same sentence, but last week a Wall Street Journal story cited a Cushman & Wakefield national real estate report that lumped Memphis in with those three hipster-friendly cities as one of the country’s top four markets offering “the right live/work/play environment for millennials.”

It was a pleasant surprise to see it in print, but the WSJ story just validates what anyone who’s been living in Midtown or downtown in the past few years has seen firsthand: Craft beer breweries popping up like March daffodils, bike paths proliferating, residential and retail developments in Overton Square, Crosstown, South Main, downtown, the Edge District, Cooper-Young, and on Broad Avenue — all signaling a serious revitalization of the city’s core.

Last Sunday dawned bright and clear. The incessant rain had moved out and spring arrived, seemingly overnight, with temperatures in the 70s and a sky of porcelain blue. My daughter and her boyfriend and I decided to ride our bikes in search of a friendly patio for brunch. It proved to be a struggle.

We rolled down Peabody Avenue to the Slider Inn. Nope. Patio full. Sorry. So we pedaled our way north on Cooper to the Second Line. The front porch was full, meaning there would be a wait. So on we went to Overton Square, home to at least 10 patios. It was the same story there. Patio-mania had set in. Not a seat to be had outside. So we went to Boscos and resigned ourselves to sitting inside.

And it was a good thing. A great thing, actually.

For many years, Joyce Cobb and a crew of local musicians have played at Boscos’ Sunday brunch. It’s a wonderful gathering, where mimosas flow and you get to hear one of the city’s best singers doing jazz standards while you munch on your eggs Benedict. But this week, Joyce was singing while sitting down. Her voice was strong, but she is not these days, having gone through a number of chemo treatments in recent weeks.

The place was packed — with families, couples, black and white — all united in support of Joyce. When she sang “Danny Boy,” there were more than a few tears shed, despite the seeming incongruity of an African-American woman singing a sad Irish standard.

My daughter, who recently moved here from Austin, was impressed. “Look at this place,” she said. “In Austin, this room would be filled with hipsters. I love this town.” So do I.

After all, it’s one thing to have hipster cred. It’s quite another to have heart and soul.

Tags bicycling around Memphis, Bosco's, Boscos Squared, Brooklyn, Portland, Nashville, Memphis, Joyce Cobb, Millennials' favorite cities, Second Line, Slider Inn

Cover Feature News

Mmmm, Beer!

Post author By Toby Sells
Post date March 6, 2014

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Warmer days are ahead and that can only mean one thing: Beers will turn from dark and hearty to light and clean. Winter months belong to the dark beers, like rich and roasty stouts and porters. Spring and summer are for crisp and refreshing ales, and blondes, and more.

Brewers have been planning for and working on their spring and summer beers for months now. It takes a while to brew a beer, and they want to make sure that when the temperature rises and tastes change, you’ll have a beer to match the weather.

In no previous spring in Memphis history have beer drinkers had it so good. Last year was a watershed year for beer here, with three new local breweries and two growler shops opening their doors. So now five local breweries will have brand new beers in bottles, cans, bars, and restaurants all over town: Ghost River, Memphis Made, Wiseacre, High Cotton, and Bosco’s.

For some, this is a patch of untrampled snow, but for others, the volume of new options can be intimidating, especially if they’re new to beer or looking for something beyond the Bud Light rut.

That’s where we come in. Part of the Memphis Flyer’s mission is to educate. So, here we are. There’s a flood of new craft beers out there, all unique and delicious in their own way, and we want to introduce you to many of them. We hope our Spring Beer Guide will help you find a beer you like and that you’ll give it a try the next time you’re out.

There was really only one way to approach this task and we did it so you didn’t have to: We drank them all. The massive beer run required for this project made a frat party look like a temperance rally. The run led to nearly every craft beer hotspot in Memphis — Ghost River Brewing, Madison Growler Shop, Bosco’s, Memphis Made Brewing, The Growler, and Wiseacre Brewing.

J.C. Youngblood and the good people at Central BBQ allowed us to set up our haul in the back room of the their new downtown location. We unloaded our trunk and lined up some of the nearly dozen growlers, showing off the orange and amber and yellow beers inside. We ate good, hearty, salty foods, which is crucial to this kind of work. We drank (some) water, another crucial trade secret. But mostly, we drank beers.

Justin Fox Burks

“Flyer” Staff at central BBQ enjoying the awesome job of sampling beers

The “we” being Flyer staff writers Toby Sells, Alexandra Pusateri, and Chris Shaw, Music Editor Joe Boone, Associate Editor Bianca Phillips, Film and Television Editor Greg Akers, and Flyer Editor Bruce VanWyngarden. In all, we sampled 16 beers. Most of them are local, but we threw in a few national seasonals to present a more-complete picture of the beers you can find in Memphis at the moment.

The caveat here is that no one on the Flyer staff is a beer expert. Beer fans and beer drinkers, of course, but none of us is anywhere close to being a cicerone. So, our descriptions don’t always follow the lingo. (For example, you probably know what a hot dog tastes like but can you describe the flavors that comprise that taste?)

Taylor James (l) and Jimmy Randall (r)

But we weren’t flying blind. We had help from two key players in the Memphis beer scene. Big-bearded Taylor James, beer manager for Cash Saver and its Madison Growler Shop, and medium-bearded Jimmy Randall, Ghost River’s head brewer, served as our guides, as we charted the waters of some of the coming season’s new beers. — Toby Sells

Ghost River Golden Ale, Ghost River

This is a perfect of example of a good, hearty beer that I could sit and drink until my wife made me stop. Ghost River’s Golden is not as chunky as their Red. You would rather have this beer with food: It has lower carbonation and less enthusiastic hops content, all for good. I may have tried this beer once at Park Pizza Café, which is why they pour one when I walk in the door. — JB

This Bluff City standby never disappoints and is a great place to start for any beer drinker looking to tap into the local craft market. Ghost River Golden Ale would go great with grilling food in the middle of the day, and the light mix of flavors suggests you could get away with drinking a few in the afternoon without spoiling dinner. — CS

Justin Fox Burks

Ghost River Riverbank Red, Ghost River

I love the balance of this beer. It has a medium body to it, but the tangy hops flavor is not overwhelming. For some reason, people like to make beer that tastes like syrup. This beer counters that aggressive tendency and inhabits a Goldilocks Zone of floral hops and lively carbonation. I could live here. — JB

Kind of Fat-Tire-like. A little hoppy but not IPA hoppy. Seems a little heavy for spring but carbonation makes it taste very fresh. — BP

The full mouth feel and big citrus and roasted flavor lets you know you’re drinking a beer, by god. Not one of those watery, yellow deals from the major brewers. — TS

Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Oskar Blues

Super light. It’s like sunlight in a glass. — GA

Crisp, light, very drinkable. A good beer with which to introduce someone to craft beer. Grassy notes, tastes like summertime — and tastes like a beer I’d drink after mowing the lawn. — BV

Very light, very drinkable pilsner, perfect for those who prefer quantity over quality. Slightly sour and slightly sweet, this is one you could drink four or five of, and the aluminum-can packaging suggests that it can (and probably should) be shot-gunned. My favorite today. — CS

Bent Note IPA (India Pale Ale), Memphis Made

Sweet, perky IPA with a nice nose. Slightly bitter but pleasant, backofthetongue aftertaste. Makes me want to eat some ribs. — BV

Justin Fox Burks

This amounts to a softer approach. Some beer company that sells vile swill used the word “drinkability” in their advertising. I think that’s what Memphis Made was going for here with this good, aromatic beer that’s lighter on the palette and belly. More please. — JB

Malty up front. A little bitter in the back. Perfect for spring drinking and a good introduction to craft beer for anyone looking for one. — TS

Redheaded Alt, Memphis Made

Darker than a spring beer. It’s closer in color to the Ghost River Riverbank Red, but it tastes lighter and has a less aggressive taste. The Redheaded Alt could accompany a meal at an upscale restaurant. — AP

Five stars! It was my favorite beer of the day. It tastes coffee-like from the chicory but no hoppy taste, very smooth and creamy, but it smells like a wet dog, which is okay because I love all things dog. I would drink this beer all night long. — BP

The Readheaded Alt has an interesting smell, and an amazing taste of complex roasted coffee flavors. A remarkably light-tasting beer, considering all of the flavors involved. Extremely smooth tasting, this beer is a testament to the skill of the brewers at Memphis Made. — CS

Belgian IPA, High Cotton

Did I set out to fall in love with a beer that tastes like grapefruit? No, I did not. It just happened. It’s like I woke up in a flower garden with a delicious, lively beer on my palette. Good morning. Between now and July, I expect to down a flat-bed’s worth of this stuff. Don’t touch it. It’s mine. — JB

These guys are known for experimentation. Last summer’s oolong tea saison is an example of this and it was delicious. Belgian IPA isn’t even a category of beer, according to the High Cotton website. But theirs is bold, crisp, and oh, so drinkable. — TS

A very fruity and floral tasting beer that is similar to grapefruit juice in both taste and bitterness. A good beer to drink before your morning jog. — CS

Lightning Rod, Wiseacre

Very low alcohol? What’s the point? Guess it’s good for camping or something. — BP

Super clear. Little kick at the end. Immensely light, in a good way. Sweat it out and keep drinking and working in the yard. — GA

Session beers don’t get enough respect! This beer is 3.5 percent alcohol by volume. That means you can drink a ton of it without getting completely faced. Lightning Rod’s got that “biscuity” flavor that beer nerds cherish. Perfect for spring and summer. — TS

Azazel Belgian Golden Ale, Wiseacre

Fantastically flavorful. Its light appearance is deceptive, because it packs a punch on taste. Outstanding. A high-gravity beer that I’m compelled to try to make into a session beer. (Don’t try this at home.) — GA

This is a bigboy beer at 10 percent alcohol content. Blood-orange color, powerful thick, rich, sweet flavor. Great beer to drink on your porch if you don’t plan to leave your porch. — BV

That’s how I say “ale” when I’ve had enough of it. This has blood orange in it. I didn’t want to drink beer with the word “blood” in its name, but I’m glad I did. This has the balance of carbonation and aromatics that incite my beer hoarding tendencies. — JB

Kind of like the high-alcohol brew La Fin Du Monde, this beer isn’t for the faint of heart. Full bodied, full taste, and full-alcohol, the Azazel could get you into trouble if you drink more than a few. The blood orange taste is subtle and refined, making for one hell of a tasty beer. — CS

Shaft on Draft, Boscos

Familiar tasting. Brought back memories of high school. Not complicated or particularly memorable — like my sophomore year. — BV

This fun, Staxtacular-themed beer from Boscos has nailed malt liquor. The flavor isn’t sharp, and this beer could even be somewhere like Alex’s Tavern during a late night. — AP

Sweet! Love this high-class version of malt liquor. Reminds me of my early 20s. I’d brown bag the shit out of this. — BP

Shaft on Draft tastes a lot like Colt-45, which might be a novel throwback for some, but for those of us who spent our college years playing Edward 40-hands, this Boscos brew might recall memories that were better off forgotten. — CS

10-Year IPA, Yazoo

If you drink enough Nashville beer, the pink elephants start reciting Bible verses. I wish I hadn’t done the spit-take when they said it was from Nashville, because that was some pretty delicious beer that I aerosolized. It also has that grapefruit-hops thing going on. The low carbonation kept it from being my favorite. Thank the Lord. — JB

Justin Fox Burks

I’m a hop head. The bitterer the betterer. This stuff has been out for a few months now and is on a limited-edition run. So, I’m drinking it like it won’t be here tomorrow. It’s bitter but it doesn’t turn your mouth inside out. It’s clean and smooth and I can (and will) drink it all day. — TS

Citrus leaps out of the glass. I do like it. It’s from Nashville, so of course it’s a “White” IPA. — GA

Strawberry Harvest Lager, Abita

A breakfast beer. This beer signals springtime like a hipster version of the return of the swallows of San Juan Capistrano. — GA

The Abita Strawberry Harvest lives up to its name, with real Louisiana strawberries used during the brewing process. I usually file things like these under “beer for people who don’t drink beer,” but Abita may have finally persuaded me to try more fruit-infused brews. — CS

Abita Strawberry arrives just before the trees and flowers bud. I drink exactly one of these every year. If that helps spring get here just a little quicker, I do what I can to help. — TS

Restoration Pale Ale, Abita

Brewed to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, this ale benefits an amazing cause, and tastes pretty amazing, too. This golden ale has a rich body and mild bitterness, meaning it can be drunk pretty much anytime — which it should be, as each six-pack sold helps the Katrina Relief Effort. — CS

Same beer as the one Huey’s serves as Gold Nugget. An accessible beer for the cautious. — GA

I am an Abita fan. This is a great cause (for what remains a great need) and a great beer. It’s not plowing any new ground, but you could do much worse than sipping this slightly hoppy, totally accessible beer in your backyard. — TS

Berry Mardi Gras, Madison Growler Shop

This concoction from the Madison Growler Shop is my favorite in this bunch — three-fourths Abita Purple Haze, one-fourth Lindemans Raspberry Lambic, four-fourths amazing. Berry-smelling and sweet-tasting — could be a party favorite for Mardi Gras, satisfying even those who have sworn off beer. — AP

Excellent flavor. Like a rich man’s Boone’s Farm. — GA

Sweet, tangy, rose-colored Great mouth feel. Goes down easy. Probably too easy. — BV

Pistil, Magic Hat

Much better than some of the other hoppy IPA-like beers we tasted. This has the right balance of hops and maltiness. — BP

The packaging might make it seem fruity, but the Pistil is a serious beer with a light but complex taste. Seems ideal for drinking outdoors. – CS.

Spring Blonde, New Belgium

Has a hint of sweetness, enough that it could be the beer of choice at a garden or spring party. — AP

Brings to mind the great Belgium blonde beers, with lemon peel and pepper to keep things interesting. It’s not too malty or too sweet, as many Blonde ales can be. A great beer to hit the trails with this spring. — CS

Tags Bosco's, Central Barbecue, Ghost River, High Cotton, Memphis beer breweries, Memphis Made, Spring beer guide for Memphis, Wiseacre

Best of Memphis Special Sections

Best of Food & Drink

Post author By Flyer Staff
Post date September 25, 2008

CREDIT: Alex Harrison

Memphians are becoming more discerning diners. How do we know? In the past decade or so, as the number of ethnic-cuisine categories has grown, the number of readers who write in “gross” or “don’t eat that” has shrunk.

One other aspect of the voting worth mentioning: “Best Barbecue” received the most votes of any category on this year’s ballot. Priorities (and wet naps), right?

Best Chef

READERS’ CHOICE

John Bragg, Circa

Jose Gutierrez, Encore

Erling Jensen, Erling Jensen,
the Restaurant

It’s true: Good things do come in threes. This trio of popular restaurateurs — two downtown and one in East Memphis — divvied up the ballots for “Best Chef,” with no one winning a clear majority. Which, when you think about it, means three times as much prize-winning food for Memphis diners.

Best Burger

BOM 1. Huey’s

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. Big Foot Lodge

Hey, guess what? Huey’s won “Best Burger.” Again. The late Thomas Boggs’ culinary and civic legacy exemplifies the very Best of Memphis and always will.

Best Breakfast

by Justin Fox Burks

Owen Brennan’s Restaurant, 1st place: Best Sunday Brunch

1. Brother Juniper’s

2. Blue Plate Café

3. Cracker Barrel

Brother Juniper’s isn’t a big place. It’s tucked away near the Highland Strip, where no chain restaurant could survive. And it’s not easy to get a table on weekend mornings. That’s because Brother Juniper’s offers delicious homemade breads, breakfasts your mother never had the nerve to make, and a unique yet familiar charm.

Best Romantic
Restaurant

1. Paulette’s

2. The Melting Pot

3. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro

Feel like makin’ whoopee? Well, don’t try it at Paulette’s. The other diners will get upset. But as a romantic prelude to makin’ whoopee? Flyer readers say you can’t go wrong at the little white restaurant on Madison. And don’t forget dessert.

Best Sunday Brunch

Alex Harrison

Flyer readers say Hueys is the best place to go for lunch. And who can blame them? Seven locations scattered all over the metro area offer great burgers, fries, chicken fingers, salads, po boys, and more. And most important, you can still shoot toothpicks at the ceiling tiles. Just remember to act innocent if one of yours falls into somebodys food at the next table.

1. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

2. Boscos Squared

3. Peabody Skyway

Owen Brennan’s Sunday brunch offers six serving stations — one each for salad, seafood, bread, prepared entrées, cooked-to-order entrées, and dessert. Most brunch customers don’t eat again until Tuesday.

Best Wine List

1. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro

2. Texas de Brazil

3. Ronnie Grisanti & Sons

Le Chardonnay crossed Madison Avenue this year, taking up larger quarters in the former Square Foods building. But they kept the great wine list and added a big fireplace. Don’t worry. It’s still dark as heck, perfect for a quiet rendezvous.

Best Steak

by Justin Fox Burks

Gus’s Fried Chicken, 1st Place: Best Fried Chicken

1. Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House

2. Ruth’s Chris Steak House

3. The Butcher Shop

Flyer readers are nothing if not loyal, and Folk’s Folly not winning “Best Steak” would be rare to medium-rare. It doesn’t take a medium to predict another meal well done by this East Memphis institution.

Best Barbecue

1. Central BBQ

2. Corky’s

3. Germantown Commissary — tie — The Bar-B-Q Shop

Central BBQ has elbowed its way into the upper tier of Memphis barbecue joints. And that’s fast company, indeed.

Best Ribs

1. Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous

2. Corky’s

3. Central BBQ

Rendezvous takes the top prize for ribs again. After 60 years of luring diners down the best-smelling alley in the world to savor the ultimate Memphis dining experience, what else would you expect?

Best Hot Wings

1. Buffalo Wild Wings

2. D’Bo’s Buffalo Wings-N-Things

3. Central BBQ

Buffaloes are to wings what Chicken of the Sea is to tuna. Or something. We know buffaloes don’t have wings, but Buffalo Wild Wings does, and they’re really good.

Best Fried Chicken

by Justin Fox Burks

Brother Juniper’s, 1st place: Best Breakfast

BOM 1. Gus’s Fried Chicken

2. Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits

3. KFC

Smoky, crispy, explode-in-your-mouth fried chicken is the trademark of this Memphis-area restaurant. Well, that, and red-check tablecloths, cold iced tea, friendly help, and big lunch crowds.

Best Cajun/Creole

1. Bayou Bar & Grill

2. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

3. Pearl’s Oyster House

Bayou Bar & Grill may have moved to a new location on Madison Avenue, but this popular Midtown eatery and watering hole hasn’t budged from its number-one position in the mouths and minds of Flyer readers. You can still waste a beautiful day on the patio sipping beer (or café au lait) while nibbling at a perfect po’ boy sandwich or scarfing down a bowl of alligator chili. Just don’t forget the beignets.

Best Mediterranean

1. Yia Yia’s

2. Casablanca

3. Bari

At first glance, one might wonder why Memphians picked Yia Yia’s as their favorite Mediterranean restaurant. The menu boasts dishes like Idaho rainbow trout and fresh Atlantic salmon, which are, by definition, not Mediterranean. But despite some American main courses, Yia Yia’s menu is inspired by the cuisines of Italy, Spain, Greece, and France. It’s a place where you can have perfect gnocchi with your Cobb salad or nosh on duck confit with polenta while waiting for your flank steak.

Best Dessert

1. Paulette’s

2. Beauty Shop

3. Big Foot Lodge

The crème brûlée is fine, the Bavarian apple strudel is special, and the hot-chocolate crepe is wicked. But the K-Pie (aka Kahlúa-Mocha Parfait Pie), a gigantic wedge of coffee ice cream in a coconut-pecan crust topped with fresh whipped cream and Kahlúa, is a rite of passage. by Justin Fox Burks

Fino’s from the Hill, 1st place: Best Deli

Best Italian

1. Ronnie Grisanti & Sons

2. Pete and Sam’s Restaurant

3. Bari

What’s so great about Ronnie Grisanti & Sons? Imagine a grilled Bartlett pear drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette and topped with toasted walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese. Follow that salad with a potato-crusted salmon in cipollini-onion butter. Wash it all down with an Italian red as dark and chewy as licorice raisins. That’s what’s special.

Best Mexican

1. El Porton Mexican Restaurant

2. Taqueria La Guadalupana

3. Molly Gonzales’ La Casita

Mexican Restaurant

El Porton is like the Mexican Huey’s. It’s fast, affordable, and consistently delicious — and with enough locations to ensure that no matter where you are, there’s always a margarita close by.

Best Chinese

1. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro

2. Wang’s Mandarin House

3. A-Tan

Monolithic horse sculptures, expertly mixed martinis, and Chengdu spiced lamb tossed with cumin and mint. What else do you want?

Best Thai

by Justin Fox Burks

Folk’s Folly, 1st place: Best Steak

1. Bhan Thai

2. Bangkok Alley

3. Sawaddii

Bhan Thai is coziness personified. The curries are exquisite, and the Singha is always ice-cold. Bhan Thai is veggie-friendly too.

Best Vietnamese

1. Pho Saigon

2. Saigon Le

3. Pho Hoa Binh

The spring rolls are nine-months pregnant with basil-wrapped shrimp. The flavorful noodle soups are as delicious as they are enormous. Pho Saigon is a no-frills operation with a vast, reasonably priced menu. The emphasis here is entirely on the food.

Best Japanese/Sushi

1. Sekisui

2. Bluefin

3. Sekisui Pacific Rim

Whimsy, flavor, and lots of locations make Sekisui Memphis’ favorite sushi bar. The eel-stuffed, mango-topped Pikachu roll is appropriately cute — and it kicks tail.

Best Indian

1. India Palace

2. Golden India

3. Bombay House

Two words: gulab jamun. After gorging on a lunch buffet of tandoori chicken, lamb korma, and a half-dozen samosas, there is always room for gulab jamun, those juicy syrup-soaked balls.

Best Home Cooking/Soul Food

1. The Cupboard

2. Soul Fish

3. Blue Plate Café

The fried green tomatoes and the divine cheese- and cracker-crumb-laden eggplant casserole at the Cupboard are truly good for your soul.

Best Vegetarian

1. Wild Oats Market

2. Jasmine

3. The Cupboard

Is it really fair to let Wild Oats, soon to be finally renamed Whole Foods, compete in this category? It’s the definitive whole-foods megastore for Memphis, and everywhere else, for that matter.

Best Tapas

BOM 1. Dish

2. Mollie Fontaine Lounge

3. The Brushmark

Sometimes it’s better to graze than to eat a huge meal. At Dish, the tapas menu features all sorts of yumminess, such as a Japanese pickle assortment with seasonal cheeses, wild mushrooms and goat-cheese wontons, and broiled scallops over edamame hummus.

Best Seafood

1. Tsunami

2. Bonefish Grill

3. Blue Fish Restaurant and Oyster Bar

With a menu featuring delightful dishes such as seared sea scallops with grilled pineapple salsa and cornmeal-crusted halibut with gazpacho vinaigrette, Tsunami once again placed first for “Best Seafood.” It looks like Flyer readers love sake-steamed mussels in Thai red-curry sauce, crispy calamari with chipotle aïoli, and … uh, we’ll be back … it’s time to eat.

Best Pizza

BOM 1. Memphis Pizza Café

2. Garibaldi’s Pizza

3. Coletta’s

Once again, readers say the best place for a mouthwatering slice is Memphis Pizza Café. Offering more than your typical slice of pepperoni with cheese, it’s the place to go for an out-of-the-ordinary and out-of-this-world pizza pie.

Best Deli

by Justin Fox Burks

Bhan Thai, 1st place: Best Thai

1. Fino’s from the Hill

2. Bogie’s Delicatessen

3. Young Avenue Deli

In a repeat win, the deli to take the cake in ’08 is Fino’s. Offering soups, cannoli, and tasty vegetarian and meaty subs in the heart of Midtown, there’s something delicious for everyone.

Best Bargain Dining

READERS’ CHOICE

Big Foot Lodge

Huey’s

Kwik Check

Pho Hoa Binh

Taco Bell

Everyone enjoys great meals on the cheap — especially when gas and groceries have reached their highest prices in years. Though voting was too close to call on this one, apparently Flyer readers like huge burgers and bar food, quick deli sandwiches, thrifty Vietnamese meals, and 79-cent tacos.

Best Service

1. Chick-Fil-A

2. Texas de Brazil

3. Houston’s Restaurant

Maybe it’s because they have Sundays off. But there’s always a smiling face behind the register at Chick-Fil-A when you want one of those tasty chicken sandwiches. And their drive-thru is pretty fast and efficient too.

Best Waiter/
Waitress

READERS’ CHOICE

Michele Fields, Calhoun’s Sports Bar

Jeffrey Frisby, Restaurant Iris

Tyler Lloyd, Mollie Fontaine Lounge

Chris Owens, Café Society

Everyone appreciates great service. Though voting in this category was too close to call, these people obviously do a great job serving up tasty food and drinks to their customers.

Best Kid-Friendly
Restaurant

1. Chuck E. Cheese

2. Chick-Fil-A

3. Huey’s

Think about it: Kids love Chuck E. Cheese. Whether they are afraid of the giant man-mouse or not, kids run wild playing games like Whac-a-Mole and Skee-Ball, and they love to bury themselves in the big ball pit after eating pizza.

Best Late-Night
Dining

READERS’ CHOICE

Alex’s

Earnestine & Hazel’s

CK’s Coffee Shop

Huey’s

Krystal

It looks like Flyer readers are satisfying late-night munchies with burgers, bar food, and breakfast. Whether it is fresh, hot, small, and square or covered with caramelized onions, burgers can generally kick a late-night craving. And who doesn’t love waffles, bacon, and eggs after a few too many beers or a long night of studying?

Best Place for
People-Watching

1. Flying Saucer

2. Beale Street

3. Young Avenue Deli — tie — The Peabody

Maybe it’s the hot girls in plaid skirts or the huge selection of beer. Or maybe it’s the prime location in Peabody Place one block over from Beale, where a constant stream of tourists wanders to and fro. Whatever the case, the Flying Saucer downtown is the best place to sit back and people-watch.

Best Patio

1. Celtic Crossing

2. Boscos Squared

3. Café Ole

Located in the heart of Cooper-Young, Celtic Crossing’s patio always has been a popular outdoor spot. With a newly revamped enclosed patio, the comfort level for dining and drinking was taken up a few notches, and Memphis likes the change.

Best Place That
Delivers

1. Young Avenue Deli

2. Garibaldi’s Pizza

3. Camy’s

Some days you don’t want to leave your couch. When hunger strikes, Memphians love a tasty “Sam I Am,” a hot roast-beef sandwich, or a California pita delivered right to their door. Oh, and don’t forget a side of Young Avenue Deli’s famous fries. It’s quick and easy, and there aren’t any pots and pans to wash.

Best Bakery

1. La Baguette

2. Atlanta Bread Company

3. Fresh Market — tie — Brother Juniper’s

Take a handful of local food lovers, add a dash of entrepreneurship, et voila! C’est magnifique! C’est délicieux! C’est La Baguette. High school French aside, readers love the traditional French pastries, breads, and croissants available near the main library on Poplar. After 25 years of bringing Continental confections to Memphis, La Baguette is still a favorite.

Best Local
Coffeehouse

1. High Point Coffee

2. Otherlands

3. Java Cabana

The aptly named High Point Coffee gives Flyer readers a nice alternative to that big, corporate coffee shop which shall remain nameless. With a wide selection of coffees, teas, and eats, High Point also has the environment of a warm, neighborhood coffee shop. Local art, Wi-Fi, and comfy chairs add to the ambience.

Best Restaurant

READERS’ CHOICE

Circa

Erling Jensen, the Restaurant

Majestic Grille

McEwen’s on Monroe

Tsunami

From the regional fusion food at McEwen’s and the Majestic to the Continental flair of Erling Jensen and Circa to the fantastic seafood at Tsunami, our readers like to keep their options — and mouths — open.

Best New
Restaurant

1. Restaurant Iris

2. Café Eclectic

3. Elfo’s — tie — Muddy’s Bake Shop

With a chef who hails from southern Louisiana, the authentic Creole cuisine at Restaurant Iris makes our readers’ mouths water. It could be chef Kelly English’s experience at the Culinary Institute of America and cooking in Spain and France. It could be the design of the restaurant by Memphis native Jackie Glisson, winner of HGTV’s Designers’ Challenge. Or maybe it’s that the restaurant serves the tastiest “knuckle sandwich” you’ll ever eat.

Best of Nightlife

Best of Arts & Entertainment

Best of Media

Best of Goods & Services

& The Rest

Staff Picks

Tags Bardog Tavern, Bari Ristorante Enoteca, Beauty Shop, Bosco's, Boscos Squared, Bryant's Breakfast, Buffalo Wild Wings, Celtic Crossing, Earnestine & Hazel's, Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, Happy Mexican, Young Avenue Deli

Food & Wine Food & Drink

The Beer Flows

Post author By Simone Wilson
Post date August 7, 2008

CREDIT: by Simone Wilson

Chuck Skypeck, co-founder of Boscos and its master brewer with 18 years in the business, feels strongly that locally made beer should be available in area bars and restaurants. He says he finds it hard to believe that Memphis, a city of more than half a million people, has only two breweries — the small-batch operation inside Boscos’ Overton Square restaurant and Boscos’ main brewery on South Main.

That’s why Skypeck started Ghost River Brewing, a subsidiary of Boscos Brewing Company.

The Ghost River beers — Ghost River Golden, Glacial Pale Ale, Brown Ale, as well as seasonal beers, such as a German-style Hefeweizen and a Scottish ale — are draft-only beers and are currently being marketed to local restaurants and bars by Southwestern Distributing.

Ghost River’s beers are brewed with water from the Memphis Sands Aquifer, source for the area’s drinking water.

“Water is the main ingredient in beer,” Skypeck says. “Its quality has a big influence on how the beer tastes, and we have some of the best water available right here.”

The aquifer is a deep segment of saturated sand and gravel, which acts as a natural filter, making the water that trickles through it extremely pure.

“The great thing about Memphis water is its low mineral content,” Skypeck says. “We believe this is ideal water for brewing beer. If you want to change the beer’s character, you can add certain minerals to affect the taste.”

Beers brewed from soft water with a low-mineral content tend to have a milder flavor than those made from hard, mineral-rich water. In Europe, breweries were historically located on sites with consistent water supplies and a characteristic mineral makeup. This explains the many regional beers, and the tradition of adapting the recipes to the shortcomings of the brewing water. Acidic dark malts, for example, were used to neutralize the high alkaline levels of carbonate waters.

Today, the mineral composition of “brewing water” can be controlled scientifically to create a larger variety of beers. Craft breweries, such as Ghost River Brewing, however, treat the brewing water only minimally, if it all.

Ghost River beer is brewed at Boscos’ main brewery downtown. The brewery was inaugurated on New Year’s Eve 2007, when it turned out its first batch of beer, with kegs headed to the Boscos locations that don’t have a brewery on-site.

If you expect bottles rattling past on a conveyor belt, the earthy smell of beer, and foaming brews bubbling in a kettle, you won’t see that here. In fact, the brewery is reminiscent of a milking parlor, minus the cows (although a local farmer does pick up the spent brewer’s grain to use as animal feed). The brewery’s centerpieces are three stainless-steel tanks in which the beer ages for about three weeks. Each tank holds 50 kegs of beer, each a different variety, rotating between the Boscos signature beers and the Ghost River varieties.

“Beer is food, and as the focus shifts more and more to what’s available locally, we are thrilled to contribute a beer that is made in Memphis,” Skypeck says. “Many restaurants and bars that we talked to were excited about the prospect of being able to offer a local beer to their customers, and we hope Memphians will see Ghost River beer on tap at their favorite places soon.”

Although the beer will only be available in restaurant and bars, individual kegs for private parties can be purchased through Southwestern.

And while Skypeck is tapping the aquifer for water, he’s giving back, too. Ghost River Brewing donates a portion of the proceeds of every barrel of beer sold to the Wolf River Conservancy.

ghostriverbrewing.com

Mark your calendar and grab your steins for two upcoming beer events.

The Memphis Zoo is holding its second Zoo Brew on August 29th, from 6 to 9 p.m. Anyone who’s 21 and older can sample beers from around the world on the grounds of the zoo. The event includes appetizers, an exclusive pottery show by Hayden Hall, and live entertainment.

Price for the event is $10 for zoo members and $15 for nonmembers. For more information, visit memphiszoo.org.

Tickets for this year’s Art on Tap at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens will go on sale on August 18th. The event is on September 5th, from 6 to 9 p.m., and advance tickets are $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers.

All guests must be 21 or older to attend. Visit dixon.org. for more information.

Tags Art on Tap, beer, Bosco's, Chuck Skypeck, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Ghost River Brewing, Memphis Zoo, zoo brew