The Absolute Worse Brewpub

[Prankasaur]

I finished work today around 2:00 PM so off I went to give Duneland Brewpub one more chance. For those who don't know Duneland is in Michigan City, IN right off I-94 give or take an hour from Chicago.

I have been there before and was not impressed but I decided to give it a try, after all, I haven't been there in two years.

***WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IN NOT FOR WEAK STOMACHS***

I sat down at the bar and a swarm of fruitfly's sprung up around me and the bar. The bartender/bug expert laughed if off, because as she explained to me the bugs are because they brew with yeast. WOW. She then sprayed some type of disinfectant to kill the onslaught. I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

My stout was served in the same generic glass that all beer is served in at their bar, and of course it was frozen. Come on people, at least make an effort.

The sun came out and shone through their sampler glasses. I could see fingerprints, lipstick, muck, ect on all of their glasses.
Bleck.

Please, please, please don't go their folks. It is a clinic on how not to run a brewpub. Bland beers, bland bartender, dirt, ect.

[chazwicke]

I'm trying to think of the worst I've been to. None as bad as that.

[brewmonkey]

We had a similar problem with fruit flies in our pub, around the bar areas only. It is a cleaning issue!

When I noticed the problem I went behind the bar to investigate only to see that there was a dirty drip tray, counters etc... Almost everything that comes from the bar is made from some form of sugar and when it spills and does not get cleaned properly you get fruit flies. We cleaned it top to bottom and the problem went away (mostly, as you will have some stragglers).


My stout was served in the same generic glass that all beer is served in at their bar, and of course it was frozen. Come on people, at least make an effort.

The sun came out and shone through their sampler glasses. I could see fingerprints, lipstick, muck, ect on all of their glasses.
Bleck.

Glassware is expensive. We served all our beers out of 16oz pints and nothing else. I can sympathise with the brewer and owner here. While it would be nice it is not always practical. With glassware there is generally a minimum order for each style and that could be 1 case on up. 1 case of generic pints is easily $75 for about 40, and more when they are special glasses like Pils or Tumblers. As for the frozen part, I fought this with our bartenders and owners. Some people seem to think that ALL people want it that way. This may be one of those places where the brewer would love for it to happen that way but he works for a dick who says no.

The dirty glassware is a reflection of the pest issue.

[stronk]

Lazy and ignorant bartender, it sounds like. It's not difficult for them to do something about that, but it's rather more difficult to do something about the mediocre beers.

[hops99]

The one brewpub I can recall that had a fruitfly issue was Thirsty Bear in San Francisco. Blecchh!

[Bruno_78]

My girlfriend and I had also tried this pub about a year ago. We even tried it twice to see if we just had a bad night the first time.

Alas, our second visit was just as bad. Although, our beers were served so warm that we had to ice them down in order to drink them. The beers were rather tasteless, but the food was halfway decent. I will have to agree with Prankasaur, don't go there.

[HarkJohnny]

Originally posted by hops99
The one brewpub I can recall that had a fruitfly issue was Thirsty Bear in San Francisco. Blecchh!

well you've curbed one of the "I wish i had..." with this one....

I was in San Francisco for a rather large Expo in early January this year at the Moscone Center (if you know what I mean, good for you :p ) and I really wanted to go there... but we didn't have time... so thanks!

[stronk]

Are fruit flies the really small (and incredibly annoying) ones? If so, then that's the answer to the problem in the White Horse in London. They have possibly the most annoying flies I have ever met, but I always assumed that they came from the hops they have hanging over the bar.

[hops99]

well you've curbed one of the "I wish i had..." with this one....

Yep, it's right down the street from Moscone (I stumbled upon it a few years ago while at a trade show), and it sucks - one of the five worst I've been to around the country (and I've been to 100+). Not only were there tons of fruit flies all around the bar and the taps, the beer itself was sub-par (reminded me of mediocre homebrew from my notes). You'd be better off grabbing a sixer of Anchor and going back to the hotel room...

[skahtboi]

Originally posted by Prankasaur
I sat down at the bar and a swarm of fruitfly's sprung up around me and the bar...She then sprayed some type of disinfectant to kill the onslaught.

The sun came out and shone through their sampler glasses. I could see fingerprints, lipstick, muck, ect on all of their glasses.
Bleck.

Sounds like it is time to notify the local health inspector.