Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Lynnwood Grill & Brewing Concern

The Lynnwood Grill & Brewing flies low on the radar as far as NC Breweries go but their beer flys high. The five I tried were for the most part exceptional sans one disappointment. The service was good and the waitress (Jessica) seemed to be knowledgeable. The food was good as well. In my normal fashion I first ordered a flight. The Lynnwood Light is a beer to move BMC drinkers to craft beer and its light, crisp and refreshing to drink and should convert all who try it. The Czech Yourself Pilsner was a total let down for me as there was very little aroma and the finish was harsh. I'm a Pilsner fan but this one rates low on my scale. The Bad Leroy Brown would impress any Britt to the point of feeling at home. My favorite (a GABF Silver Medal winner) was the Once You Go Black IPA. Full aroma not hop forward but a nice medium body with a strong but pleasant hop finish that doesn't linger to long. I decided to order a pint of this one and was disappointed to see the glass wasn't filled to the proper level. At $4.75 a pint one would expect a full pint. (See picture at the bottom of this post.) The Kick My Irish Stout is served on Nitrogen and one can understand why this one was voted one of the top 10 US brewed stouts after winning a Silver medal at the U.S. Beer Open Chamoionship. Overall I recommend a visit as this brewery fits what NC Beer is all about.  http://www.lynnwoodgrill.com 

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Small Batch Beer Co. Winston-Salem

Most breweries are kid friendly this one has been in the past but on our most recent visit...  Not so much. But hey they aren't in business to sell to kids so I'm not going to fault them. 

They brew on a 1 BBL system but have a very extensive craft and import bottle selection so they have something for everyone. They also have a nice wine selection a few specialty cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages as well.

Today I'm having their Limonhead Cutrus IPA and I'm not getting the smokey flavor and aroma that I got the first few times. This is a light bodied flavorful American IPA with a nice citrus aroma with low malt aroma. Flavor is very forward with a nice clean hop finish. A very dry citrus IPA but not bad. At 6.5% ABV this is one you need to be careful with as it could sneak up on you. 

My second one was the Downtown Abbey Ale. A smooth light bodied low hop malty beer that even a hop head like myself can enjoy. Still creamy as the style would suggest. Aromas are low and don't come out high but that's ok. Flavor is low on hop bitterness and hop flavor but the malt shines with a caramel undertone. Smooth mouth feel. 

They have a number of Saison styles available but my pallet is in no condition to tackle them on this visit. 

Small Batch is a place that invites you in with all it's southern charm for a totally different drinking experience.