Sherlock's Home's Closing: Will it return?

[bishopsbitter]

For the past 7-8 years I've been traveling between Oklahoma & Minnetonka almost entirely for the purposes of drinking Bishops Bitter at Sherlock's Home.

When I drove up---the final, fateful, time---at the end of January 2003, and found the parking lot totally empty and the place pitch black (it was a cold [5F] & stormy night that one all right!)---the grand old place hideously twinned with the hideous folly restaurant nextdoor that was always going out of business and then reopening as an EVEN MORE unlikely-to-succeed place---it was about the most difficult experience to cope with in my life. Even worse than discovering that there was no *real* Kitchen Stadium in Tokyo, nor a kosher Chairman Kaga surrounded by zombie chefs in his remote castle.

Actually it's no joke for me. NOT at all. Sherlock's is irreplaceable in my heart (and I suspect in a good many who did not have to travel so far for hoppy heaven in the form of pint after pint of Bishops).

It saw me through a bit of an unhappy spell with scotch eggs and steak & kidney, washed down with superb ale. Strangely enough, in dozens of visits, I never even tried the other three ales. (Piper's Pride, Palace Porter, Stag's Head Stout) Bishops Bitter was supreme. (Could it be pure coincidence that the owner/brewer's initials are . . . B.B. ? I don't think so.)

I was wondering has any information surfaced since the original thread of mid December to explain the demise of the best English beer to be found in the US. (And therefore~I speak as a slightly biased Brit~the best beer PERIOD in the US.) Any rumors that Bill B. may be planning to reopen a flagship akin to S.H. somewhere else? (He dreams . . . "less than 647 miles away from my house")

Yes, this is a bit of a blurb for the many happy experiences, but I'm also truly curious for information, both on the demise, and (hopefully, one day before too long) reincarnation of what was at heart a REAL pub, with great beer. The only thing I ever didn't like was when they replaced (about 2-3 years ago) the tall uncomfortable round British bar stools with plush uphostered jobs with seat-backs. The beauty of the old red stools was that it was easy to tell when you'd had enough beers because you literally fell off them, as they were rickety and unstable devils for large Americanized behinds~mine qualifies in this regard.

I witnessed this spectacle many times (had one near miss myself), always a joyous and unexpected bit of cabaret. It was never quite the same with the new stools.

Mike

I attach a photo in tribute: that's me lining them up.

(Commuted the OK-MN-OK-MN [etc.] trip to the tune of 40,000 miles and slightly less pints).

[davesarman]

I was the one who put up the posting in mid December about Sherlock's closing and after that I probably went there about 2 or 3 times a week until they closed. I was there on the final night, New Years Eve. It was mayhem! All the beers were gone except for the stout and IPA and both of them tasted a bit off. But it was a fun night anyway. While waiting for our table, many people inquired about what was to become of Sherlock's. The best info I could get was that they were "in negotiations" with someone to buy the place. That doesn't necessarily mean it would reopen as Sherlock's or even as a pub, but I'm holding out a small sliver of hope that it will. Bill Burdick has a minority interest in the Granite City chain of brewpubs, with locations in St. Cloud, MN, Sioux Falls, SD and Fargo, ND. Perhaps he wanted to focus more on that, I don't know. Anyway, it's nice to hear from someone who appreciated the place as much as I did. I'm sorry you never got the chance to try the other wonderful ales! After Bishop's, I would have to say Piper's Pride was a close second! If I hear any good news, I'll post something on this forum.

[bishopsbitter]

Thanks for the info. Had I *but known* I would have been there for the Last Night (and likely the week before!~). But no-one tipped me the wink on my last visit that trouble was . . . brewing. And since they'd run out of Bishops I guess I would have been forced to have a death knell sampling of the other ales. I can sort of imagine the atmosphere, but I am sure you had to be there to fully appreciate it. Not without its ghoulish aspects: celebrating the dawn of a New Year with the death of an Old Friend.
I wonder if the building will be reused? It would make a lot of sense, but would be 99% sure to purvey something that is to cask-conditioned ale what Roger Moore is to Sean Connery.
I attach another photo for nostalgia's sake. A smile like that only comes from a pint of Bishops in full condition . . .
Mike

[Bman]

I was thrilled to make it to Sherlock's for the first time in November-loved the beer-not the service-I was bummed to hear that it closed-very very sad.

There are so many poor brewpubs-it is sad for a great one to go

[bishopsbitter]

Update, of sorts. Was in Sioux Falls SD Memorial Weekend. Visited the Granite City Food & Brewery. Quizzed all hands on the staff as to whether there was any rumor or hope Sherlock's would reopen under its former ownership. It appears not. The beer at Granite City (a good enough place if you are not looking for any sort of "real" beer experience) was a terrible reminder why Sherlock's should not have closed, and why it needed to exist in the first place. The pain goes on for all who miss Sherlock's dearly. It really has been like mourning since January's ghastly revelation.
Mike