J's Pub & Grill ~ Casper, Wyoming

First visit: Sep 2022

I haven't been to Casper since 1994, a trip that wasn't accompanied by many memories. It was a couple of years before Mrs. RJG had entered the picture and I was in my first residence with Colorado Springs. For whatever reason, I hopped into my Mitsubishi Eclipse with a handful of CDs, and headed north to Wyoming for the weekend. Honestly just to get away. Get away from what? Nothing in particular. Just the oppressive work conditions I was dealing with at MCI (what a terrible place to work) and other things that trouble a single man's mind at age 29. Besides I'm sure I'll find a lot of records while there. Not one. Not then... and not now. Casper is still record less. Not really - actually head to the antique mall and there's some decent vendors selling records. I just didn't find anything this time. Better than having nothing to look at as was the case 28 years ago. The drive from Laramie is almost surreal. Yellow fields of grass and enormous windmills dot the alien landscape. This was my first time to take this route. Mrs. RJG fell asleep half way through.

If Cheyenne is Wyoming's capital and frontier town - and Laramie is the beat cowboy poet college center - then Casper is its cosmopolitan city. If it were 1965 that is. Casper could be considered the Pompeii of mid century architecture. Completely frozen in time. I'm actually surprised that when I googled the topic, Casper didn't come up. Mrs. RJG is a huge fan of the style, so she enjoyed the cityscape.

Another throwback is that I don't think Casper realizes that Sunday is a regular commerce day in modern America. You would think that the Blue Laws were still in effect here. At least 75% of stores and restaurants were closed. Most places I wanted to try were to reopen on Monday or Tuesday. After a lot of research, we decided on J's Pub & Grill. It's your classic just-outside-of-town, near the highway, kind of American eatery that took the 1980s by storm. Just now getting to Casper apparently. Reminded me of Bennigan's. Remember them? Well look at that, Bennigan's has 11 locations in America. Still a thing in Iowa it appears. Well that's about right.

J's is your classic darkened restaurant that the locals love (line out the door when we left) with a large menu, TV's with football games, the whole package. I'm starting to think these restaurants might need to come back actually. The time is right.

I zoomed in on the Spaghetti and Meatballs with a Caesar salad. Mrs. got the Jambalaya and added a creamy jalapeno cheese soup with hamburger. I also ordered a local craft beer (and had a second later) and she had a glass of the house chardonnay. To which they poured her a Moscato. Really guys? Yea, it's the same...  My Caesar was fantastic, just the way I like it. Not too creamy or anchovy like. Cold crisp fresh lettuce, and a slightly spicy and tart dressing. Her jalapeno cheese soup was delicious and she ate every bite. But... wait for it... it wasn't very hot. What's wrong with these kitchens? Or in this case, I think the waiter wasn't on top of his game and waited too long. My spaghetti was cooked perfectly al dente, and I really enjoyed the red sauce. The homemade meatballs were pretty good actually. Much better than usual, but not what I keep hoping for. And... wasn't hot enough. Jambalaya was a big hit with Mrs. RJG except the shrimp which was undercooked, and she left them behind. And... not hot enough.

This should have been a great meal. It was close, but improvements are needed. Not sure we'll be in Casper again, but if so, I probably won't make a beeline here anyway. Unless it's Sunday.

9/25/22 (new entry)

The Crowbar & Grill ~ Laramie, Wyoming

First visit: Sep 2022

Now it's Sunday around lunchtime. After some thrifting, we wanted to grab a lunch before heading out of town. Mrs. RJG wasn't excited about a brewpub and not everything was open since it was Sunday. After some deliberation we settled on The Crowbar & Grill which looked like a place I could get at least one local beer, watch a little NFL, and we'd both find something good to eat. Well forget the sports - no TV's here. That's weird, the place just screams macho. Not a big deal, we just like it as background noise since it recalls the crisp Fall air of the season that we enjoy. It appears that their beer menu is fixed but they did have one Wyoming beer I hadn't tried before (from Black Tooth), though I'm sure it's ubiquitous there. As for the food, I went for the Crowburger, which promises a ground beef and Italian sausage blend with mozzarella and basil. And she went with the Sparrow, a traditional cheeseburger. We both enjoyed the burger flavors - mine was slightly spicy and the sausage flavor did come out. A really inventive burger I'd like to see elsewhere. We each got fries, and they were good for sure. But... not hot enough! These restaurants just aren't on top of their game yet. Return visit? Maybe. Definitely would if we were here more, but so many places to try. It wasn't exceptional, let's put it that way.

9/25/22 (new entry)

Bond's Brewing ~ Laramie, Wyoming

First visit: Sep 2022

Still walking upright, I wanted to squeeze in one more brewery for this visit, especially since we were shutout for dinner. Bond's has a completely different feel than Coal Creek TAP even though it's only a whopping two blocks away. This brewery appears to appeal more to the middle aged local set, who enjoy watching sports or large social get togethers. Or maybe this is where mom and dad go after the game with their kids in college. It's a large space, with decent lighting - except the brew tanks have super bright lights that carry over into the taproom. Beers are very good, but are more typical offerings. Well worth a stop, but on the next visit, I'll insist on appending another place to the mandatory Coal Creek TAP stop.

9/25/22 (new entry)

Coal Creek TAP ~ Laramie, Wyoming

Location: Grand @ 1st (downtown)

Last visit: Sep 2022

First visit: Mar 2020

In a repeat of our first visit, we walked over to Coal Creek TAP to have a couple of beers. Though in this case we showed up completely sober and thirsty. Next door is Coal Creek Coffee and they also have a little restaurant as well. I'd like to try it sometime. When talking breweries it's hard to avoid the term "vibe". Some breweries just have that perfect vibe, and Coal Creek is one of them. I would love to come here some freezing January evening. With the mood lighting and atmosphere of college. It seems each time we go, I'm reminded of my own college days discussing epistemology and the reality of artificial intelligence (true experience actually - in the middle 80s no less). And they always have a great selection of beers. I'm at the point where I rate a brewery at the highest when they offer an ESB. I don't know why every brewer decided to stop making classic beers and only offer a 100 variations of IPA's. All they do is change one hop, and come up with a clever cultural name. But Coal Creek offers a delicious biscuity ESB. Ah yes. Then we can have an imperial IPA...

I don't see a visit to Laramie without at least one stop at Coal Creek TAP.

9/25/22 (new entry)

Thai Spice ~ Laramie, Wyoming

Last visit: Sep 2022

First visit: Mar 2020

Based on our last visit, we were most anxious to retry one of the last restaurants we visited before the pandemic wiped our lives away for a year plus. Right away, things went south when we learned they no longer serve alcohol. Why the heck would they do that? Well you know how we are with our white wine and Thai Food. OK, we'll tough it out with water I guess. We already knew we were going to hit a couple of breweries afterwards. On this visit I tried their Pad Kee Mao with chicken. Again, it's more of a western interpretation. The noodles were excellent and hot temperature. The sauce has a very similar flavor to Pad Thai. The chicken breast had a nice flavor. Not a favorite but enjoyable. Speaking of Pad Thai that's what the Mrs. had. She said it's a good variation. We didn't go with appetizers this time, and I don't remember seeing the Shrimp Blanket either. This will likely be our last visit. There's another Thai restaurant in Laramie with great reviews (and has wine), plus the Italian restaurant across the street looks great.

--- 3/7/20 review

It was a cold night in early March (probably a warm night for them). Lockdowns were in the air and they seemed right around the corner. But on this particular Saturday night, Thai Spice was a bustling restaurant just as the world once was (and hopes to be). It was primarily a college crowd, including professors, one of which we befriended that evening. We started off with the delicious Blanket Shrimp, fried to perfection and tasty as any Southern restaurant could be. Oh we ordered a couple of glasses on white wine which goes so well with Thai food. For entrees Mrs. RJG zoomed right into the Mixed Vegetables which she lapped up with glee. I went for the Thai Fried Rice (Thai Hot of course), with big chunks of white meat chicken and egg. Heat level was perfect. This isn't really what I'd call a traditional Thai restaurant but it was very good and clearly appealed to the local audience. Will need to visit again and pay attention more to the details, but wanted to get this on your radar if ever in the Laramie area. We will be back for sure. 

After that, we walked across the street and enjoyed the brewery known as Coal Creek TAP (covered in the Bier Reise blog)

3/7/20 (new entry); 9/25/22

Ocean Prime ~ national chain : Denver, Colorado

Latest visit: Sep 2022 (Denver - Larimer Sq.)

First visit: Sep 2021 (Denver - Larimer Sq.)

Well here's a place I didn't expect to revisit. But now it's brother-in-law's 50th birthday as noted below. And he too wanted to go here. So I called my banker to see if we had the funds... Of course it's only gotten more expensive. This time we were missing a nephew-in-law who had family business to attend to in Alabama. So instead of 8 of us, it was 7. And the bill was the same, and we all more or less got the same thing. On this visit, I tried the 14oz New York Strip. Like last year, I ordered it medium, and it came out medium rare. Fine with me - I expected it. Overall the food here is very good, but not exceptional - and it needs to be just that. Primary service wasn't as tight as last time. We had to beg for the bread again. The bathrooms were missing soap and the trash bin was filled with paper towels to the top. These little details should never happen at a fancy steakhouse. It's really a shame how little care these places show their customers. Just eat, pay, and shut up seems to be their motto. I really hope we don't go back here again. Fine if someone else is paying for it, but otherwise they act like I'm lucky to be there. Not a Regular Joe's Guide kinda place, that's for sure.

--- 9/20/21 review

Fancy schmantzy. It was time to celebrate my official sister-in-law's 50th birthday, and that means the Mrs. RJG brood is heading to dinner. And while most of us are modest about our birthdays, and we like to keep it low key, said SisIL's boyfriend likes to live it up. Well, to his credit, it is a special occasion, so what choice do we have? So we take the hour plus drive north to downtown Denver, grab valet parking (recommend you do this as well, not too expensive and much easier), and do the LoDo thing. While we wait for the rest of the horde to show, oh look - there's a record store across the street. Cool. It's called Garage Sale and they have vintage clothing, a bar, and real old school used vinyl. OK, it's Hipster 101, but consider where we are. And of course the vinyl was overpriced, but really not too bad considering. Did I tell you the RJG runs a record business as a hobby? Yes, and I've really picked that business up in the last 2 years. Anyway, I digress...

In comes the other 6 family members (of the niece and nephew variety), and into the building we go. It becomes apparent that Ocean Prime is dedicated to recreating fine dining of the past. If you're old enough to remember what that looked like before the 1970s, then Ocean Prime will bring back that glamour. Everything about it screams mid century class. As for me, my parents sometimes went to places like this on business or a special occasion in the early 70s, and they were always run down. Faded glory. So it's fun to see what it might have looked like in prime time.

Onto to the meal at hand. Recapping the drinks, I had a couple of craft beers (poured from the can) while most of the others had signature cocktails or just plain old water. We were wise to layoff the wine list*. For appetizers we got 2 orders of calamari. Excellent seasoning and perfectly cooked, though the portions were a little small. We had to ask for bread. Be sure to do this, as you will get high quality artisan breads. I think they should bring it out without asking, but now you know. For the main course, I had the 10 oz filet. I haven't had a filet in probably 3 years if not more. I ordered it medium, and of course it came out medium rare. They always undercook it so as to not have to recook it if not correct. Fine with me, I grew up eating meat rarer than I do today. No surprise, everything about it was excellent. As for a side, I went with tater tots with a gruyere cheese dip. Great choice. We were 4 ladies and 4 men, and the guys mostly stuck with steaks, which they gleefully devoured as well. And the girls stuck with variations of fish. Mrs. RJG and her sister had the blackened red snapper, which they both loved. Mac n' cheese, baked potato, truffle fries, and asparagus were also ordered. Since 3 of us were celebrating birthdays in September (including moi), the restaurant comped us 3 desserts. That was a very nice thing to do, and we had the creme brulee, peanut butter mousse cake (my choice), and warm butter cake. And, of course, they were excellent too.

Our primary server was superb. She was (well, presumably is)... normal. I know, what a strange thing to say, but it seems that variety of lady no longer exists. For the others hovering over our table, they were all a bit too fastidious. Removing plates while you're still eating off of them, that sort of thing. So stay alert!

*OK, time for the bill. I don't want to say it was expensive, but I had my banker on the line negotiating a loan. You can buy office buildings for less. OK, I exaggerate, but said boyfriend and I split the bill, and it's eye popping, even with the free desserts. But this was hardly a surprise. Sure, it's high end dining. Sure it was excellent. Worth the splurge? That's a hard one to answer. Ocean Prime does everything right, and the food is excellent. But even considering all of that, it's not really good value. This is a business expense account restaurant. If you do want to go here on your own dime to celebrate something, then by all means you should. Save up.

9/20/21 (new entry); 9/25/22

Brews ~ Granville, Ohio ***CLOSED***

Closed 2014 - 116 E Broadway, Granville, OH 43023. 

My elder daughter was a student at Denison when I saw Brews listed among the top 50 beer bars in the world while sitting at Moeder Lambic (another entry on the same Ratebeers list). For those who have not been to Granville, this is a little bitty town in Central Ohio. My visits to Brews were few but fruitful, and it was a pleasure to discover they also had carry-out beers. Great variety of beers from across the globe, food also quite good, and great character to the place. If memory serves, Brews closed down after an incident with a student who had substance abuse issues over-imbibing at Brews (and other places). Parents came after the bar rather than taking ownership for their parenting, etc... – same old story, very sad.

- Rude Dante review

Ephemeral Taproom ~ Denver, Colorado

This looks like my kind of place! Still no one here to compete with Max's Taphouse in Baltimore though (100+ rotating beers...)

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A new opening summer 2022, this neighborhood gathering spot has a nice selection – 20+ brews – and includes some options for the slightly finicky palate or tummy (ciders & gluten-free options). Situated in a renovated neighborhood grocery story called Ben’s, the owners have maintained some local flavor, including the sign from Ben’s and a small selection of groceries (Kraft Mac & Cheese, Campbell’s soup, etc). Owner’s Shannon & Weston were present and fun to chat with, while barmaid Tracee provided attentive but not oppressive service. Will look for opportunities to expand on their offerings as they are stumble distance from Rude Dante’s current home.

- Rude Dante review

ViewHouse ~ Colorado chain

I've been to the Colorado Springs location once, but never put notes down for the RJG. The Tampa Pound was kind enough to take me here after I was out of work (but on severance) last summer (2021). It's name comes from the fact that they have large expansive windows and rooftop seating to see the mountains. In Colorado Springs, all one has to do is go outside to see Pikes Peak, so it's fairly redundant. In Denver, the mountains are much further off, so it benefits from the layout. It's a gimmick that comes with a hefty price tag. I found their food better than average for this kind of setup. And they do feature local craft beers including their own. Technically it's a brewpub. They currently have 3 locations in Denver and 1 here in the Springs. If I go again, I'll format differently.

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ViewHouse provides a good selection of beers, a fairly broad and diverse menu – generally pretty good quality – and a catering staff that focuses on special & corporate events (one of which hosted my younger daughter’s rehearsal dinner). My first 2-3 visits were corporate events for then employer Newmont Mining. They also maintain a full bar of spirits & wine, so not necessarily a taproom in the classic sense. Better than a TGI Fridays or Chili’s, though, and a much more local / less national chain presence than Yardhouse.

- Rude Dante review

Moeder Lambic ~ Brussels, Belgium

Pl. Fontainas 8, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium Tel +32 2 503 60 68. 

Yet another recommendation from my man in Luxembourg Denis Goffinet, this proved one of those amazing places to try beer from a variety of sources – but all (or most) were Lambics. My recollection on which I tasted are fuzzy – this visit was in 2011 – but I avoided flavored lambics and went for the pure form. Pretty amazing place!

- Rude Dante review

The Rake ~ London, England

Borough Market, 14A Winchester Walk, London SE1 9AG, UK 

Recommended by knowledgeable beer guys in Luxembourg as a fave beer bar when traveling to London, I gave it a try while on a long weekend in the UK. The place is a short walk from London Bridge. The guy pouring my first beer was coming off shift when I sat down, so I bought him a couple beers and picked his brain. My 4 beers – only remember 3 of them – were a German smoked lager, plus 2 different beers from a local London brewery (The Kernel). By far my favorite was the Kernel Pale – far better than the IPA from the same brewery. Crisp, a bit hoppy but not over the top, this was my favorite beer in a weekend spent in the UK. 

The other funny about this place: very high ceilings, maybe 12 foot. In a corner on the top of the wall near said ceiling, someone had signed the wall and placed a sticker from Left Hand. On a fundraiser bike tour a few years later, was riding with Left Hand co-founder Eric Wallace, a lanky fella and solid rider. Over a beer at the Left Hand tent I got to talking beer joints around the world with Eric, and the Rake came up. I mentioned the high wall signing and raised an eyebrow at this 6’ 6” guy with the ask, “Was that you?” He answered with a grin, “Maybe…”.

- Rude Dante review

credit to Visit London for photo.

Perrin Brewery ~ Comstock Park, Michigan

How interesting, I just had one of their beers last week. They're not regularly distributed to Colorado, just via the Canarchy group, as RD mentions below. Though the beers I've found were different than his.

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5910 Comstock Park Dr NW, Comstock Park, MI 49321

Before I discuss the beers – and they are some pretty amazing beers – that come out of this Grand Rapids-area brewery, a note about ownership as they are part of an interesting group. Just after my first – and only – visit to the brewery in 2015, I discovered that Perrin had been ‘acquired’ by Oscar Blues. In later poking around, I discovered that such ‘acquisitions’ are really more like joining a coop, in this case one known as CANarchy, itself a subsidiary of Monster Beverage. CANarchy should be an entry of its own, but suffice to say that Oscar Blues, Deep Ellum, Cigar City and Wasatch are some of its other brands. Enough on ownership, on to the beer.

Perrin shares most letters with the surname of Rude Dante, so he was naturally curious about their beer. After a quick taste at my hotel in Grand Rapids, I decided to take some time and check out the brewery. What I found was a brewer who loves and features barrel-aged stouts and porters. In short, my kind of place! Only one of their beers has shown up in my home geography (Colorado) – and that is the No Rules Vietnamese Porter – but I also drew a couple of their big meaty taps (names, unfortunately, have been forgotten) and took some bottles of their more commercial beers with me to share with family (blonde and IPA) at a reunion. All of these are now packaged in cans – as the parent org name would imply. Will return soon!

- Rude Dante review

AC Golden ~ Golden, Colorado

Agree with RD here, AC Golden are serious brewers. Their mainstream brands are awful, but that's where the revenue lies. But give their craft beers a chance.

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A craft brewer within a great big macro-brewery, AC Golden has some commercially-known brands along with a broad array of mostly unknown, but often quite excellent – even award-winning - beers & ales. My familiarity with the beers predates any knowledge of the brewery itself: I’ve been drinking Barmen, their Czech-style pilsner, for at least 20 years (and loving it!). But one of my first days working at the Golden brewery for the organization then known as MillerCoors, I joined some of my colleagues for a beer at the employee pub. Expecting limited variety that included Coors and Coors Light, I was set straight by one of my old friends with a beer called Ctayt, a barrel-aged strong stout that had recently won the gold medal at Great American Beer Festival (this was late 2015). It was remarkable – easily one of my 5 favorite stouts of all time. He also introduced me to their barrel-aged porter – possibly even better than the stout! Other better-known labels include Batch 19, Native and Herman Joseph – all good, but none as remarkable as Barmen or the 2 aged dark beers.

- Rude Dante review

Wit's End ~ Denver, Colorado ***CLOSED***

Originally brewed in an industrial strip mall near 2nd and Bryant, then later brewed within the confines of Strange, I first enjoyed these guys sometime in 2012 or so, then last had them probably 2020 or 2021 (or whenever they stopped brewing with Strange). Great small brewery, with awards for Jean-Claude Von Blonde and Lindauer Lager. My faves also included Green Man American IPA and Super Fly Black IPA. For a short-lived brewery, they struck me as small but mighty. 2 of these were among the Colorado beers I brought to my friends in Cali after having a bit of Pliny in the fall of 2018.

- Rude Dante review

Strange Craft Beer Company ~ Denver, Colorado

Only had one beer from this brewery, and it's been 6 years since then. Never seen here in Colorado Springs. Haven't even found them recently in the liquor stores in Denver either to be honest.

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1330 Zuni St Unit M, Denver, CO 80204

For many years when I lived a mile or so away, Strange was my go-to on a Friday night. Some of my favorite beers ever come out of this brewery, including a fabulous recurring collaboration with Epic dubbed “Strangely Epic” – a blend of Strange’s slightly sour Cherry Kriek and Epic’s Big Bad Baptist, a monster stout. Other stars include 1000 Barrel (ed: and this is the one I had!) and Heathers, a couple IPAs with excellent seasonal fresh-hopped variations. I’ve also been a fan of a couple of their seasonal offerings: a green chile / sweet potato beer that is a perennial Thanksgiving feature, and a February Valentine’s Day Raspberry Chocolate Love Stout. But my growler generally leaves with a fill of Breakfast Grapefruit IPA, which is in my opinion the best beer to accompany a homemade green chile huevos ranchero. This is the only brewery where I’ve maintained a mug club membership.

- Rude Dante review

Renegade Brewery ~ Denver, Colorado

Yep - had a few beers from this brewery before, but not been to the taprooms.

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925 W 9th Ave, Denver, CO 80204

Will keep this one short and sweet. My initial interest in Renegade was geographic: their second location (see Renegade Public House below) was stumble-distance from my place near University of Denver 2012-2014. As result, I had the opportunity to have a number of their beers. Noteworthy in this list were Beetnik Beet Saison, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Stout, Redacted Rye IPA (formerly had a different name) (ed: had this one) and a triple IPA that was forced by copyright issues to change names 2-3 times during this period (now marketed as Endpoint, formerly E3 and Elevated) (ed: and this one - known as Endpoint then). Enjoyed all, but found that a couple of their seasonal offerings (Beetnik and Reese) were quite inconsistent. My understanding - these guys are not great at recipe management, thus explaining the inconsistency. Still and all, nice beers and pretty good experience at both locations (before the Public House closed doors).

Renegade Public House (RIP – closed July 2014) – From Rude Dante’s narrow perspective, this was the best tap room experience in my life. A different format as this was run as a second location of a fairly well-known Denver brewery. Pub House had 6-8 ‘home taps’ paired with 6-8 ‘guest taps’. And a kitchen – a GOOD kitchen! My visits were quite regular, so much so that although I missed their ‘public’ closing celebration late July 2014, I was invited by the staff to come back for the staff celebration the next night. They piled on me with beers, food and merchandise, and I had my last visit through their taps (one guest tap handle managed to leave with me that night – gifted rather than pilfered). Among the beers I had first at the Public House were all the Renegade beers listed under the brewery entry (elsewhere), plus my first Big Bad Baptist from Epic, my first Green Flash, River North, Crooked Stave, Ratio, and probably 5-10 other noteworthy breweries (ed: know all of these!). Also a spot that introduced me to Fernet Branca, barrel-aged gin, a variety of other spirits never experienced elsewhere. A moment of silence, please…

- Rude Dante review

Three Floyds Brewery ~ Munster, Indiana

Now I have tried beers from this fine brewery, though I haven't been to the actual place. In fact, I have yet to have an Indiana beer in Indiana, something that's on one of my lists in the Bier Reise. Hope to rectify that some day.

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9750 Indiana Parkway, Munster, Indiana 46321 – Tel 219 922 3565

Due to high ABV content, the brain cell containing my first tasting or knowledge of 3 Floyds has been purged. Suffice to say I’ve been enjoying them for a long time, particularly considering the fact that I have lived in Colorado since a year before their founding in 1996; and as of my last knowledge, 3 Floyds still does not distribute to my home state (ed: this is true! I've only had them in Chicago). What I can say, for sure, is that sometime prior to 2012 I was very much aware of 3 Floyds – and I somehow got invited to their ‘after’ party for GABF in either 2012 or 2013. It was a joint affair with True, Surly and one other brewer that pairs its theme with death metal (cannot recall the 4th) – at the Summit Music Hall. I went, because even though I am not a fan of the musical genre (ed: nor I, but love heavy metal as a whole), I am a fan of beer in general, and of 3 Floyds in particular. Here’s why I am a fan of them: they are funny, they make good beer, and they are not afraid of going over the top.

Beer names is a great starting point (and I am skipping most of the broadly distributed brands):

· Arctic Panzer Wolf – Double IPA – 9% ABV, 100 IBU

· Alpha King – American Pale – 6.55 ABV, 68 IBU (ed: has this one!)

· Dark Lord – Russian Imperial Stout - 15% ABV, 50 IBU

· Space Station Middle Finger – American Pale – 6.5% ABV, 58 IBU

· Dismembers Only – Barrel-aged Imperial Milk Stout – 13.5 ABV

· Conquistador – Barrel-aged Milk Stout – 10% ABV

· Floy Division I-II – Experimental Single-Hopped IPA – 7.5 ABV, 80 IBU

(BTW – have had all these, plus most of the broader commercial offerings, and will generally seek out their taps wherever I find them.) More than one of the beers above have either been discontinued or have limited sales dates. Generally, I find they are hop-forward in all their beers, with some really great specialty brews if you can get to the brewery and ask what’s available.

First brewery visit July-Aug 2015, last (really just retail / tasting room) visit June 2022.

- Rude Dante review

Hoppin' Frog Brewery ~ Akron, Ohio

I remember RD talking about this brewery way back when. Haven't even had one of their beers yet!

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1680 E Waterloo Rd, Akron, OH 44306

Probably the last great find in beer I had during my 2+ years living in NE Ohio. For those looking for one great beer, I will hold up as perhaps my 1 great beer by category in the entire world, B.O.R.I.S the Crusher. Yes, the name is an acronym, as the format implies: Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout. The brewery produces a wide range of other products, but I will only focus on the original BORIS (not DORIS – the Double variant, nor Barrel-Aged Boris, nor any of their other line of products). To me this beer embodies everything one should expect in a great big stout beer (as opposed to a porter, black IPA, milk stout or any of the other varietals oft lumped together as ‘dark beer’). In my 10+ year history with this remarkable beverage, I’ve most often had it in bomber form, which means it is good to share (at 9.4 ABV). Also good for comparison. A friend of a friend was extolling the virtues of 3 Floyds’ annual release stout (Dark Lord) and mentioned that they had collected a vertical. I offered to do a blind tasting of their best Dark Lord against any old BORIS: we both picked BORIS over the Floyd. If you don’t like stout, don’t seek out this beer (it’s hard to find outside of Ohio, and very hard to find in Colorado). But if you are a stout fan, find it now and let me know if – like me – it immediately goes to your top stout, or even best in show as it did for me. 2 GABF gold medals at last count, many other awards from GABF, RateBeer and other agencies. First tried sometime in 2011, a single brewery / taproom visit 2015, last tasted sometime in 2019 (if memory serves) – and will seek out again next time in Ohio.

- Rude Dante review

Brasserie Artisanale de Rulles ~ Rulles, Belgium

Rue Maurice Grévisse 36 6724 Rulles (Habay) Belgium, Tel: +32 (0)63 41 18 38.

This brewery – back in 2011 – had an open tour & public tasting day once per year – in midsummer. I was fortunate enough to A) be working in Luxembourg at this time, and B) be working with a guy who is more of a beer enthusiast than myself – or anyone I know, for that matter! We managed to taste all 5 beers tapped for the event: a blonde, brune, dubbel, trippel and a quad (later had their stout elsewhere). Each beer proved satisfying and representative, but I think the brown & double were my faves. Denis’ spouse had offered to drive us, so no real danger in having one more (or more than one). One of my best brewery experiences ever!

- Rude Dante review

Sail and Anchor ~ Fremantle, Australia

64 South Terrace, Fremantle, WA, 6160, tel (08) 9431 1666. 

Visited as first stop of a pub crawl with former Aussie navy guides (Danger! Danger!). It was a long night, and I won’t pretend to recall each beer at all 4-5 stops (Navy bloke was banned from one of our stops). But the last beer from Sail & Anchor kept calling me back. I had ridden a bike the 15 or so miles to Fremantle, then took a train back to Perth after the pub crawl, so I had to return and retrieve said bike the next day. The encore tasting was primarily (exclusively?) for the purpose of verifying my cloudy recollections of the Brass Monkey stout. Upon further review, Brass Monkey Stout showed up as my favorite beer in Australia, hands down. It was a milk stout, with similarities to Left Hand (though not on nitro if memory serves), and a bit more bite like Hopping Frog. All in all, a top 5 stout in memory on my palate!

- Rude Dante Review

James Squire Brewhouse ~ Australia chain

My first brewery in Australia while working in the Perth area Sept-Oct 2012. This was the first place where I understood how expensive this part of the world can be: pint of beer on happy hour was $10, fast casual burger $25, hotel room $300. (Part of the problem was the exchange rate at the time was roughly 1:1.) My first couple beers were unimpressive, but after additional visits, I discovered an excellent ESB at the Squire. This remained my go-to beer over the 5-6 weeks in the area when the group chooses a Squire location. Third fave Western Aussie beer after Sail & Anchor Stout and Little Creatures Pale.

- Rude Dante review

Little Creatures ~ Fremantle, Australia

40 Mews Road, Fremantle WA Australia 6160         (08) 6215 1000

Little Creatures was acquired by Lion (part of Japanese Kirin organization) in 2012 – the same year as my handful of visits to the brewery while working in nearby Perth. This acquisition puts them in the same portfolio with New Belgium, Bells, Brooklyn and distiller Four Roses, among others - so unlikely they will screw up the beer very quickly. My general impression of Australian beer prior to Little Creatures was mixed: very expensive, mixed quality, less interesting than the nearby Margaret River wine country. That impression started to really shift with my first visit to Little Creatures. While they offer a broad spectrum of ales, their Pale really caught my attention. In my recent experience, this Pale was second only to the remarkable Kernel from the UK in overall quality. Certainly tried many other beers here, but the Pale is the go-to. While there are a handful of other beers I liked better in Western Australia, there is not a brewery that I liked better.

- Rude Dante review

Orval Brewery ~ Villers-devant-Orval, Belgium

As promised, we launch Rude Date's tour. Image captured the last time he was there...

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Abbaye d'Orval, Orval, n°1, B-6823 Villers-devant-Orval, Belgium
tel [32] 61 31 10 60

Orval was my first experience with a Trappist ale. My first Orval was while working (ok, I was unpaid entertainment in the one decent pub at Old Faithful) in Yellowstone National Park summer of 1985. Over the ensuing 2-1/2 decades, I had Orval whenever I found it on a beer list – and it was more readily available than I would have expected during those years. Later, during a working visit to Luxembourg in 2009 or 10, one of my first stops was the Orval abbey / brewery – about 30 minutes from my location on the north side of Lux. Beer was as I had remembered: malty, high yeast profile, not high on the IBU scale. Very drinkable (I bought a case to take back with me to my hotel). Later travels proved that Orval is one of the craft Belgian beers that is most readily accessible through much of Europe.

My best Orval experience was at the Winking Lizard in Peninsula, OH – deep in the middle of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. June is Belgian month at the ‘Lizard, and they not only offered Orval on tap – a rarity in the US – but a cheeseburger featuring the almost-as-famous Orval cheese. A wonderful meal & beverage, just off the Tow Path – and this brought the national park theme full circle for me!

- Rude Dante review

Get ready for the worldwide brewery tour with Rude Dante!

He's sent in a pile of entries from various breweries that he's frequented in the past, part of our new decision to record drinking establishments in addition to restaurants. We'll get a couple in soon, and continue this next week. And we'll have some new entries from the upcoming RJG's weekend trip too!

Mariscos y Tacos Los Compas ~ San Jose, California

Mobile location - food truck

Mr. Music (that's me!) has accompanied Lady Music to San Jose, CA to attend her mom's 80th birthday party! Lady Music's brother-in-law is from Jalisco and a foodie specializing in regional specialties. Now, I have eaten plenty of birria (meat cooked slowly over hot rocks and shredded) in my day and a huge fan of some fresh birria de borego (lamb) with a cup of consommé (broth made from the meat drippings), but when Senor Food asked me to go with him for some quesabirria tacos, I was excited to try something new! Mariscos Los Compas is a food truck, or should I say a pair of food trucks (ed: love the logo!). Mariscos, or seafood, is what they specialize in on their main food truck at a local farmers market. And from what I've seen, it looks excellent! I want to try it. The other truck specializes in quesabirria tacos! As you can draw from the name, quesabirria is birria with cheese. But it's not quite that simple (or plain). The birria is portioned on to corn tortillas and laid on the grill. They are topped with delicious, stretchy, white Mexican cheese! The cheese melts and oozes on to the outside of the tacos. The tacos are grilled on both sides until the tortillas and queso is brown and crispy. Served with grilled onion, lime, a whole grilled serrano, a squirt bottle of very spicy red sauce and of course a cup of yummy consommé. The broth is seasoned with Mexican oregano and topped off with a sprinkle of fresh diced onion and cilantro. It was love at first crunch! The meat is tender, juicy and super flavorful. The crispy cheese coated tortilla is crunchy, chewy and delish. Together they make a taste sensation that must be tried! All the extra goodies contribute to the experience and intense flavor! I could and would eat these often! 

As luck would have it, one of the ladies working at the food truck is from Guatemala and makes papusas. I decided I should try one. This papusa was very different than others I've had. A large scoop of a mixture made from pork, beans, loroco, potato, and cheese was covered by a much thinner blanket of corn masa. The ball was flattened and grilled on both sides until very crispy. A heap of Salvadoran cabbage marinade was plopped on top of the crispy thin papusa. Then smothered with a serious ladle of the saucy tomato salsa. It was delicious in all its variation glory! Lady Music was not sure she wanted such a rich meal, but I brought her one of each. She was completely taken by both the quesabirria taco and papusa and said although she loved them both, the crunchy papusa really won her over. Both the people at the food truck were friendly and upbeat and excited to treat a newbie! One of the best food truck experiences ever.

- Mr. Music review

The Loop ~ Manitou Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Sep 2022

First visit: Dec 1994

Time for our annual review for The Loop. We don't go as much as we once did, primarily because of the aforementioned parking and heavy crowds. So of course we pick Labor Day to go - during an Art Festival no less. Aaaggghh. But we know of a super secret place to park for free, and it was available so we continued on with the original plan. Last year, we went not too long after the lifting of the pandemic restrictions (masks primarily). It was April, and things still weren't the same. They were short staffed, tables spaced out weirdly, and the food wasn't what we recalled. Happy to say everything is back to normal. And in fact this Burrito From Hell was spicier than I recall - maybe the most ever! I feel like I'm out of practice. I was sweating profusely and my mouth was on fire. Happiness. My dish was accompanied by Mexican rice (decent) and charro beans (excellent with bits of real bacon). And I had a Bristol Beehive to wash it down with, solidifying memorable visits from the past. Mrs. RJG went with the salmon and it was really great - crispy and cooked to perfection. She loved it. In fact, she didn't really want to go after last year's mediocre visit. But she's back on board now!

We were both stuffed and decided to walk both sides of the old town. Just enough to stop for ice cream, so I could get Josh & John's Sea Salted Espresso Caramel ice cream milkshake! She had an scoop of the salted peanut butter ice cream. Going down the tubes baby! Back to the regular diet tomorrow....

---original 6/30/18 review

Ah, the Mexican food institution known as The Loop, opening up in 1903 as a place to eat barbequed wild game (including bear!). Named for the roundabout it sits on (which was once a trolley route), one can grab a window seat and gaze across the street at the recreational pot shop and see what walks in and out. An education in of itself. We only went once in the RJG's initial phase here in 1994 (and frankly do not recall much about the experience), but it was on business and personal trips from DFW starting in 2005 that The Loop became a mainstay of the RJG's repertoire. The Mexican food here is excellent, very much of the Colorado variety, so keep an open mind if here from out of town. The RJG comes here for only one thing: The Burrito From Hell. A mixed concoction of very spicy peppers, the flavor is out of this world - unlike any other we've ever experienced. So if you're a pepper head, make a beeline here if already in Manitou - as beautiful a Colorado town on the Front Range as there is. Beer selection is limited, but at least they do carry Bristol, Colorado Springs' leading brewery as well as at least one other microbrew (Goat Patch on our last visit).

1994; 10/9/05; 5/19/07; 7/10/10; 6/30/18 (new entry); 4/24/21; 9/5/22

La Esperanza ~ Long Beach, California

Orange Ave @ 17th. They have a second location in Torrance.

Lady Music had never had Salvadoran food and had recently read an article about some in the area. We decided to try a close by place called La Esperanza. They have a large menu with many Salvadoran, Guatemalan, and Mexican dishes. But we were there for Salvadoran delights! They make handmade papusas to order with quite an array of fillings including loroco (an herb from Central America) and chiltepin (a small, potent chili pepper) as well as the usual meats, shrimp and other veggies. We ordered pork with cheese and decided to try spinach and cheese (definitely not traditional fare). We also got sauteed plantains with refried black beans and Salvadoran crema. And got a Guatemalan tamale with chicken and Guatemalan rice. The young lady that took my order was super nice and spoke English very well, which was good as I had questions. I watched the woman working there form the masa and make the papusas. Nothing like fresh made food! Although today, I took the food to go. The order came with plenty of the marinated cabbage slaw, the tomatoey sauce and some spicy sauce. Everything was really good. The papusas were packed with a generous amount of filling. The masa shell was slightly thick as I had hoped and was tender and tasty. I liked the pork better, but Lady Music really liked the spinach as well. The plantains, sauteed in butter were perfect! Just ripe enough to be sweet and slightly soft. The black beans were creamy and tasty. The Salvadoran crema was super rich and creamy. I like mine more sour, but it was good. The rice was lightly seasoned but nice. It was not bright yellow like you sometimes get with Central American food, but not reddish like Mexican rice or even white either. It had some seasoning and peas with carrots. The Guatemalan tamale was thick and wrapped in a banana leaf as customary. The masa is less congealed and not as dense as the Mexican cousins you might be used to; just like every other Guatemalan tamale I've had. They really aren't for everyone and generally light in flavor. I like them though. This one had a bit less chicken than I've seen in them, but once smothered in the tomatoey sauce (which has a delicate, but nice flavor) and a dab of the spicier sauce, I was a happy camper. All in all it was a good experience and we plan on going again. I'd like to dine in. The dining area is not too small and was clean with a dozen or so booths that are roomy enough to comfortably seat 4. These days booths can be a tight squeeze for 4, so I appreciate the extra room! Next time some yucca frita, a loroco papusa and maybe something new!

- Mr. Music review

Asada Tacos + Beer ~ Laguna Beach, California

OK, Mr. Music is back in the game. He's in So Cal now, so let's see what he has to offer...

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Lady Music and I were in Laguna Beach to explore an isolated beach. What a great place! We thought we'd have some sushi or seafood for dinner, but nothing caught our eye. Lady Music suggested a Mexican restaurant called Asada right on PCH in Laguna. My first thought was how good will it be in the middle of a touristy area of Laguna Beach? Then I wondered how spendy it might be. Much to my surprise, the prices on the menu were very reasonable. The food choices were intriguing too. Off we went!

Asada is a very small and cute place. There are plenty tables outside and several tables inside. It has a tropical feel. At first look it seems a little like a fast food joint. But let me tell you, the food is not nor does it taste like fast food. This is fresh, handmade fare! The menu has many choices. They offer soft tacos, hard shell tacos, enchiladas, or burritos filled with choices of yummy ingredients! You can get short ribs, seasoned chicken, carnitas, steak, cheese, salmon, shrimp, mahi mahi or even grilled veggies in them. They come ala carte or in a combo you can customize.

Lady Music opted for chicken enchiladas smothered with tomatillo sauce. They were sooo good! I had a combo with a carnitas enchilada, a chicken crunchy taco, and a mahi mahi soft taco. Everything was fresh and delicious, and the portions were big! We had rice and refried beans too. Both were yummy. My favorite were the carnitas enchilada and Ms Music's chicken enchiladas with tomatillo sauce. The salsa was nice, but very mild. I asked if they had any spicy salsa and they brought us a very tasty and hot habanero salsa. Yay! They also have several interesting looking appetizers, a few great looking salads and bowls and a good breakfast section (served all day). Oh, and some meat plates including birria. How do they fit all this on such a small menu! Drinks include horchata, agua frescas, sodas, beer on tap, house made sangria, wine, margaritas and more! We are big fans and dying to explore more of the menu. What about the service, you ask? delightful! The staff was attentive and friendly.

- Mr. Music review

Peaks N Pines ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Sep 2022

First visit: Sep 2018

They have a newer location in Fountain and they moved the brewery there. This spot is strictly a taproom now.

---original 9/4/22 review

Since I was already in the area after eating at Mici, I decided to stop by and have a cold one at Peaks N Pines. This is my first visit since before the pandemic. Mrs. RJG had joined me on the other 2 visits, but she's not going much in for the breweries these days (something about waistlines again...). It's mental in her case, and has no affect for me. Though I suppose if I drank a lot it would... Anyway, this is one of the more comfortable breweries in town, reflecting the area it sits. Even though it's in Colorado Springs proper, this part of town out east is pure suburbia. All new, clean, and filled with every shopping and eating chain you can imagine. The pandemic probably had less effect here than in other parts of Colorado. So you lose a little edge (see LowDown) but you gain comfort. I can go for both, but admittedly Peaks N Pines is like visiting an old friend. And they're one of the better breweries in town, always with a great selection of old favorite and new brews. Plenty of food outlets nearby if you want to bring something to eat (including one German restaurant I need to get into these pages), which they welcome.

9/2/18; 4/6/19; 9/4/22 (new entry)

Broken Bones Smokin' Good Barbecue ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

Latest visit: Sep 2022

First visit: Jan 2019

Time for our annual review. In a lot of ways one can certainly say Broken Bones is consistent. Much of what I said below applied to this visit as well. I purposely tried something new on this day, looking for that one craveable food item that makes me want to return again and again. I did not find it. In fact, this visit resulted in a -1 rating. I opted for the 2 meat platter. I chose pulled pork and pulled chicken. The latter was - I really don't like to be this way but... terrible! It was like a boiled thigh that they pulled and served on a plate. It had zero barbecue flavor, and it was tasteless. Broken Bones - hear me - the only pulling you should be doing with chicken is pulling it off the menu. It was an embarrassment. The pulled pork was better - at least it had a barbecue flavor. But it was too mushy. Miles away from Red Hot and Blue that's for sure - and they're a chain for crying out loud. I wanted to try the jalapeno tater tots as the side, but they were out (of course they were). Nothing else looked appealing so I went back to the mac n' cheese. That - and all 5 sauces - are exactly as described below. It doesn't appear Broken Bones has any intent on getting better. Time for the RJG and Broken Bones to break up so to speak. That's too bad as they are the only BBQ place in this part of town (not counting Dickey's). Oh well. Hope another barbecue restaurant will replace it.

They have one other location up north in Monument, which is their original spot.

--- 7/10/21 review

Broken Bones is the RJG's neighborhood barbecue haunt. We had gone a few times before the pandemic, but this is our first visit back since. It's a wide open space, with bench and chairs anchoring the tables. Very comfortable. Walk in, get in the prescribed line, and order away. Broken Bones sticks to the more basic BBQ options, and doesn't offer very many multiple meat options, beyond the too-filling 3 meat platter. I like to mix and match, but OK. On this visit, I settled on a sliced brisket sandwich with mac n' cheese on the side (part of the combo). Drinks are extra, but I went with H2o, as their fountain selection is limited. What I do like about Broken Bones is they offer 5 (count 'em) different sauces, all conveniently in squirt bottles on each table. As is my tradition, I first have a full bite of the sandwich sans sauce. Pretty good - not the most flavorful brisket I've ever had, but it certainly was tender and the flavor was strong enough. Little by little, I added various sauces: Original (OK); Sweet (not usually my favorite anyway, but at least it wasn't syrupy); Mustard (unique BBQ sauce, though surprisingly mild); Hickory (excellent smoky flavor); Spicy (very nice piquant sauce with a slight kick). The bread is kind of dull to be honest. The mac n' cheese was a bit gummier than I prefer, but at least it was served at a very hot temperature, so it was enjoyable on the whole. The RJG likes Broken Bones, though it doesn't stack up against Billy Sims, for example, and it should. We'll be back anyway, and work our way down the menu, and maybe find our craveable dish to rave on about. See you next year in the annual update. 

1/11/19; 7/10/21 (new entry); 9/4/22

Mici Italian ~ regional chain : Colorado Springs, Colorado

First visit: Sep 2022 (Colorado Springs - Carefree)

I had read about Mici's recently and it looked like something I would enjoy. Going to their website, the closest location is on Union not too far west of Powers. So I finally went there, only to find a storefront similar to Domino's, Jets, Papa Johns, etc.. What? I thought it was a place to sit down and eat. And it is - but I guess it depends on the location. Their website doesn't designate any difference, which isn't very smart. Whatever the case, the other Colorado Springs location is only another 10 minutes south down Powers, so I went there instead. And yes, this is a counter serve, sit down place. Perfect. I ordered what I came for - spaghetti and meatball (note singular). The restaurant was empty when I arrived and I started to get a bad feeling about all this. But I persevered. And I'm glad I did...

The chef hand delivered the meal to my table. I was looking at a sumptuous bowl of thin spaghetti, 2 slices of Italian bread, red sauce, and a big 'ol meatball. Ah - finally - a steaming bowl of hot pasta! Yes - perfectly al dente too. In fact, it was more like 10 seconds-too-soon al dente, but that's OK with me. It continues to cook in the bowl anyway. The pasta tasted great by itself. The sauce was delicious as well. Slightly sweet - perhaps a bit too chunky - but saucy enough. And tons of it. I'm starting to subscribe to the school of thought that one cannot have too much red sauce. The bread was excellent, definitely a higher grade than usual. It was the homemade meatball I was most looking forward too. And it for certain is homemade, but interestingly enough, it was kind of bland to be honest. I keep dreaming of the meatballs of my youth. I'm beginning to wonder if I just made up the taste in my head. Oh well. Also, I would encourage them to provide fresh parm cheese. The kind that comes in the packets are no bueno - think Kraft crumbles in that weird green container. The packaged red chili pepper is fine though - that's all anyone ever serves in the jars as it is. If only they used fresh crushed chile de arbol...

So - the verdict is hooray hooray! Will have to try their pizzas and "hand rolled sausage". Could it be like Denver's Pantaleoni's? I seriously doubt it - but I can dream can't I?

Mici is a fast growing chain from Denver where they maintain 6 locations. Colorado Springs has two, Phoenix two, and DFW has one in Frisco. I've also read they plan to expand to Detroit. However, as noted above, it's not clear which of these has sit down seating or are just strictly to-go outlets.

9/4/22 (new entry)

Monica's Taco Shop ~ Colorado Springs, Colorado

First visit: Sep 2022 (Chapel Hills Mall area)

Colorado Springs has an inordinate amount of taco shops within its city limits. Despite the gringo name, they are really taquerias. And most are pretty gross to be honest. I like a dive, but not dirty places. The number #1 name in Taco Shops for The Springs is Monica's. And I'd never been, so I thought I should at least try it, though I had a feeling this wasn't going to be my place. And since there's a location up north not too far from where we reside, I thought maybe this would be an exception. Nope - might as well have been on South Academy. Now I fully admit to being rather guero when it comes to Mexican food in general. For example, I think Zapata's Taco Shop is great - just like Taco Fiesta in Baltimore. These places are more geared towards non-Hispanic Americans (and the decidedly Hispanic Mrs. RJG). What I refer to often as Tacos y Margaritas. That name, BTW, was created by me after having received a couple of complaints in DFW for using the term taqueria in places that weren't like Monica's.

For me, Monica's represents everything I don't like about our regional taquerias. Not very clean and the food preparation is perfunctory. Not meant to please but rather to fill you up. I tried 3 tacos: Ground Beef, Carne Asada, and Chicken (not "pollo").  The Carne Asada is no bueno. The meat is not charbroiled at all, and seems like it might be pan grilled (not fried - which would have been good too). They loaded it with a nasty pico de gallo and gooey avocado. Soft yellow corn tortilla. Better was the ground beef, which came in a crispy shell. It was loaded to the top, but the seasonings were bland. The chicken taco was presented similarly, and was the best of the lot. I was surprised some of it contained white meat and it was moist. But it had that orange grease that chicken tacos often come with. Sometimes the bottled sauces can save the day. Neither the medium green nor the hot red helped at all. Not much flavor or spice to be honest. Don't understand why this place is popular. Mr. Music is a better judge than I. If he was here, and had the time, I think he'd have a better understanding of the allure - or maybe not. Mrs. RJG does like hardcore interior dishes like Menudo, so we'd have to wait to see if she'll try it. Anyway... Monica's is not for me.

They have two other stores in the area.

9/2/22 (new entry)