Fourthsday,
October 23rd, 2008
Spitzer's Corner
I have to give my wife credit for suggesting this place. Yes, it was a bit too trendy-hip-East Village for my tastes, but the service was attentive, food was good, and the beer was terrific! What a selection! Forty taps! I'd need a week to go through them all! (Hey, not a bad idea...)
It started with a Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale (or "Smutty Pump" to its friends). Smooth and tasty, but a little lightweight in terms of mouth feel. I like the Post Road Pump better. Next was a Brooklyner Weisse that could do no wrong. David arrived with his friend form the left coast, Laeeq ("Lake" to his friends). Laeeq, it turns out, used to schtup David's sister years ago. David and I moved on to the Young's Double Chocolate Stout. Wowsers! Sweet (but dry), complex and roasty coffee/chocolatey goodness.
I invited my buddy Dan to join us and he showed up with a newly-wed pal from work, Jeremy. Dan's a natural. By this point, I was needing some victuals to offset the alcohol, so we moved on to a table. I tried the Maredsous 8. So potent (8%), it comes in a girly-glass! My notes say "Complex, Smoky, Complex" I guess it was complex. Next was the Reissdorf Kölsch ("light, but not memorable") and about this point came the $16 Kobe Burger. It was good. Was it that good? The fries (which cost extra, by the way...) were cooked in bacon fat—yarrrrrr!
Dan turned me onto his Southern Tier Créme Brulé. I immediately ordered one for my own. Outstanding! It tastes like dessert! Like Buttah! And at a whopping ten percent, it too comes in a girly-glass. I drank my girly-glass with pride, my friends! This beer is worth the journey—definitely top-ten material.
We split the bill ($35 each—how is that possible?) and surveyed the neighborhood. Kev and Jeremy grabbed cabs and the rest of us waddled over to Essex Ale House. Five taps, including Magic Hat #9 and Sam Adams Octoberfest. I had a couple 'fests. Not much to say about this neighborhood joint, other than the charming barmaid, Sue. After this, David & Laeeq headed off to 7A and Dan and I walked home with serious eight-beer buzzhead. All in all, a solid DNO!
