Category: whiskey

Philly

On By Chris ElliottIn Alcohol, Brewery, Restaurants, Trips, whiskeyLeave a comment

It’s been a month actually since I went to Philly and I actually even made a second trip in that time. While my time on each trip was really limited, I got to say I really enjoy this city. I want to go back when I have the time to be a tourist and see the history aspects. Till then, you’ll have to settle for what I thought of a couple breweries.

The two I saw were Iron Hill and Yards. Both were solid beers, thought the Little Red Wagon at Iron Hill was my preferred one of the trip. Yard’s atmosphere was really nice and I could see that place being a great time during a weekend. Even for a weeknight it had a decent crowd. Bartender’s were engaging as well which is always appreciated when you’re a solo work traveler.

Now, the place I loved the most was actually a restaurant called Harp and Crown. The ambiance and the food were a great stop. My cousin and I caught up there for a few hours and I enjoyed all of it. Get the ribs. Till next time Philly.

Wuh-Ster Day Trip

On By Chris ElliottIn Alcohol, Brewery, Distillery, Restaurants, Trips, vacations, whiskeyLeave a comment

Personally, I think this pronunciation of Wooster, Ohio is idiotic. It should be Woo!-Ster like a drunk girl shouting at a bar. However, the locals prefer the WUH so I’ll roll with it.

This past Saturday we took a day trip down to Wooster and walked around the town, had a burger and indulged in some beverages. Traveling during the Covid, is weird. A day trip is easy enough and Ohio has a lot to offer.

First off we visited Muddy’s where I had the cheesiest of cheese burgers. If you have a lactose sensitivity, stay away.

After Muddy’s, the main reason for this trip was to visit the JAFB taproom. Just Another Fucking Brewery, is a pretty spacious taproom and I was able to try several brews. My favorite of the ones I had was the Hefeweizen, though the Summer Forever (New England IPA) was very good as well. The Hefeweizen is a good solid rendition of this beer style with just enough banana taste. I really enjoyed this one. I was told after that I need to try the Apricot one, so next time I’ll give that one a taste.

After the brewery, we had two more stops to make. First off was Minglewood Distilling Company. I am by no means an expert on bourbon but I’m starting to get into it more. They had a variety of alcohols and I did a tasting. I wish the tours were open but again the virus got in the way. I picked up a bottle of the bourbon to take home. Then one last stop at Hartzlers Dairy Farm for some ice cream. Perfect dessert to end the day.

Smoky Mountain Vacation

On By Chris ElliottIn Alcohol, Brewery, Distillery, Trips, vacations, whiskey1 Comment

There is a quote or something about man going into the woods to search for the meaning to life. I could look that quote up and get philosophical on you all, but let’s skip that part.

This past weekend my girlfriend and I took a trip to the Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I went for the hiking mainly, well and the the variety of alcohol. The area has beautiful views (see picture below for proof), but I think many of the people visiting in downtown Gatlinburg could use a hike or two. I’m not a doctor, but I think a little exercise could do some good.

Ok end of my rant, now onto the drinks. There are so many places to do tastings in that city, it’s hard to hit them all. We didn’t even come close to getting to all of them. We did visit some good ones though. Doc Collier’s moonshine was a really great stop that will get you the cheapest buzz you can find. $5 for 18 sips of moonshine. That’s a deal I can get behind. If the 125 proof at the start doesn’t put some hair on your chest, the brandy at the end will.

If you’re more into beer, like I typically am, Gatlinburg has two breweries plus a craft hard cider maker. Both Smoky Mountain Brewery and Gatlinburg Brewing Company make very good beers. Make sure to try the pizza at Gatlinburg Pizza. That was a tasty late night snack. The Barleywine IPA at Smoky Mountain was a really great beer in the city too. And Tennessee Cider Company is a must visit. Such a wide and unique variety of craft ciders plus free samples. You had me at free. All in all, I definitely ate well and drank well and now need to spend a solid week in a sauna.

Whiskey and Beer in Cle

On By Chris ElliottIn Alcohol, Brewery, Distillery, Restaurants, whiskeyLeave a comment

The Cleveland Brewery Scene is growing rapidly. Cleveland Scene just wrote a large article about it. It’s a well done article you can read here. While there may or may not be a bubble, it is great for the beer lovers of Cleveland that so many places keep popping up. A few weeks ago I visited Portside Distillery and Brewery for the first time. This place has been open since 2015 but I had yet to stop in.

What makes this place unique in Cleveland is that they not only brew beer but they are a distillery. Not many places out there do both. That is a nice addition to the traditional brewery. They have a good variety of beers and the pretzels were pretty good as well. This location near the water is pretty spacious and when I went on a Sunday afternoon provided a good laid back spot to have a Sunday Funday. Once thing I do regret not trying was the whiskey but it does give me a reason to go back and try it again.