Yard House

[Kalleh1]

Thanks to Steve and studentofbeer, last night my husband and I went to the new Yard House in Glenview. They advertise over 130 beers on tap, and they definitely had over 100 (my anal husband counted and said they really had only 110). This is truly an amazing place with a great variety of beers. I love Fuller's and they had their ESB and London Pride. My husband's favorite beer now is Maudite...and they had it. They had 4 Goose Islands, 2 Three Floyds (they listed one as "[i]David the Bruce!"), Bell's, etc. They didn't have Two Brothers, and we recommended that they get it.

The ambiance was good, even on a Saturday night. There were all ages there. They had half-yard and yard glasses, and we did see someone drink a yard of beer. Surprisingly, some people, with all those selections, were still drinking Bud!

Thanks, Steve and studentofbeer! We will definitely be back, especially since it is close to our home. In the past, we have had to go into Chicago or to Libertyville to enjoy good beer.

[Richard English]

Kalleh, I am very jealous!

And as for those lost souls that were still drinking Bud, I think it was someone on this site who said that, in the salling business, you can never underestimate the taste of the average American!

Sadly, if the Yard House were to fail to stock chemical fizz, then it would surely lose sales and money - and we must never forget that, in a market driven society, profit has to be an important part of running a business.

As I have posted previously, I know of only one pub (The Garland in Redhill) that refuses to stock A-B Budweiser and sells only the real Czech version.

And I'll be there tomorrow night!

[steveh]

Kalleh - you need to tell Richard about the Adnams Regatta at the Firkin (on the firkin). I found it very similar to the Summer's Best Bitter now on cask at Goose Island. Maybe a little less hoppy, but very nice Marris Otter malts.

I tried to get to the bottom of Adnams' distribution in America, since its become pretty common around Chicago any more, but no one at the Firkin seemed to have the answers...yet.

S.

[Richard English]

Adnams brew excellent beers and the Regatta is especially tasty. They're in Southwold so we don't often get it in Reigate (which is the other side of London) but it's very common in London pubs.

Tomorrow I have a meeting in London and think I'll be popping into the Buckingham Arms for a snifter once I'm through.

[steveh]

The Fisherman and Tally Ho look particularly delicious and I think I may have to campaign for a firkin (or two) at the Firkin.

I've just e-mailed Adnams direct with the question of shipping and distribution of cask ales to the U.S. I'll report on the answer, if any.

S.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by Richard English

Tomorrow I have a meeting in London and think I'll be popping into the Buckingham Arms for a snifter once I'm through.

You don't have to rub it in! LOL

We get bottled Adnans in our area too. I enjoy it on cask and from the bottle.

[steveh]

Originally posted by chazwicke
We get bottled Adnans in our area too.

Maybe you misunderstood - we were drinking the Adnams Regatta from the cask yesterday... yeah, now I'm rubbing it in! ;)

S.

[chazwicke]

I saw that! I have not heard of it being on cask anywhere around here. Maybe Baltimore has it.

[steveh]

Originally posted by chazwicke
I have not heard of it being on cask anywhere around here.

I e-mailed Adnams about their shipping and distributing across the pond. They responded that the question was forwarded to their brewmaster. I'm still waiting to see what he says.

If it's in Chicago, I'd bet it must be available out east.

S.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by Richard English
As I have posted previously, I know of only one pub (The Garland in Redhill) that refuses to stock A-B Budweiser and sells only the real Czech version.

We have a local brewpub here, Portsmouth Brewery, who also refuses to serve macros. Now, I prefer that brewpubs only serve their own brew, but understand that bills need to be paid and sometimes other products than your own can help do that.

Anyway, the owner, Peter Egelston, told the arrongant A-B rep "no thanks" when he was opening his pub. The rep said he'd never survive without his products on tap. Peter told him to go pound sand and never looked back. Well, thirteen years later, the Portsmouth Brewery is going strong serving only its beers, that of its sister company (Smuttynose Brewing) and a local farm cider. It can be done and I love when it is!

Cheers!

[Richard English]

That's good to learn.

I suppose in a way it makes more sense for a brew-pub since it is not so reliant on external suppliers.

In the UK we do have a few brew-pubs but they are less common than they are in the USA. In fact, when I started drinking there were only four left in the entire country.

That there are still relatively few is maybe to do with the fact that we do still have a very good range of beers from independent breweries and no one mega-brewery has the same kind of stranglehold over the market as do the likes of A-B. With such a stranglehold it must be quite have been difficult to get an adequate range and quantity of beer fifteen years or so ago.

I imagine the situation is better now, and a good job too.

[Kalleh1]

Steve, I posted this before we had that great cask conditioned beer at the Firkin. I really liked it.

This has been beer week for me. Tonight, I was close to the Clark St. Ale House after work and stopped for a cask conditioned beer. They had a great Bell's Two-Hearted Ale on cask; it was light and somewhat sweet...but oh so good. Then, when I got home, my hubs and I found that we had to go back downtown and pick up my daughter's car. So...we stopped at Mac's on Division. Remember, Richard, that was the place with 2 on cask? Well, they had two again. A very strong (6.2) Two Brother's Heavy Handed Pale India Ale. Ken had that, and it was strong, but excellent. I had the Banner Bitter (not sure where it is from, and the bartender didn't know). I loved it. It was a little sweet, but refreshing and oh so good!

A week like this I haven't had since I was in England!;)

[Richard English]

Mac's definitely had the best choice of cask-conditioned beers I found in Chicago. I'll bet they still had that collection of "Bud-by-the-neck" drinkers at the bar, though!

Incidentally, one of the things that needs to happen (and it's an ongoing process) is the education and training of bar staff. It's far from perfect in the UK but many of the better managed chains (Wetherspoons is one of the best) do make a great effort. It's an easy enough thing to make sure the bar staff have some knowledge of the beer they are serving and I am always disappointed when I can't get information from them.

One simple thing that Wetherspoons do in all their pubs, is to produce an information sheet on all the beers they are stocking over a certain period (typically this would be over a a period of three months and would cover maybe fifty different cask-conditioned beers). With modern desktop publishing facilities this is very simple and cheap to do and then the bar staff, at least, will know about the product they're selling.

Feedback from customer is important to any business and I frequently write to the bosses of organisations (are you surprised!) with my comments and criticisms. If all drinkers were to do the same then, eventually, things will change.

[stronk]

About having macro-brews in good pubs: I've always found it great that the White Horse (on Parson's Green) does sell macro-brews, but hides the taps under the counter so you have to lean over and crane your neck to see what they have. Of course, the huge selection of belgians and cask-conditioned British and American beers are always on full display in oversize towers :)

I've always intended to start or buy a pub when I retire (years into the future, though this will be) and think I will stock macro-brews solely so that I can force people to have a taste of one of the less-extreme cask ales before they have their macro-brew. I wouldn't let them get their hands on their bottle before they had tried one (and I bet this would convert some of them).

Also, if you only have swill in bottles you save on space and time and people know you stock the beers, so when you run out you can say: "Sorry, we've run out. But why don't you try...".

[steveh]

Originally posted by Kalleh1
Steve, I posted this before we had that great cask conditioned beer at the Firkin. I really liked it.

I know, doesn't mean you can't still rub it... uh, tell him! ;)

...and I found that we had to go back downtown and pick up my daughter's car. So...we stopped at Mac's on Division.

That which, Kalleh is not revealing, is miles out of the way from her original destination (okay, 3 - but on a Monday night? In Chicago? Very indirect) - is that good-beer-persistence, or what? ;-)

I had the Banner Bitter (not sure where it is from, and the bartender didn't know).

Bartender didn't know? Oh well, it is Mac's. County Durham, U.K.

S.

[Kalleh1]

I'll bet they still had that collection of "Bud-by-the-neck" drinkers at the bar, though!

Actually, this time I looked around, and most people either had tap beers (their tap beers are good too) or their cask beers. Interestingly, a lot of places will have one of those curly glasses with cask beer, but straight ones with tap beer, so you always know who is drinking cask beer.

I do agree with Richard that more places should have a menu of beers, with some descriptions. The bartenders often don't know much, and, no, Steve, the bartender had no idea where the Banner beer was from.

That which, Kalleh is not revealing, is miles out of the way from her original destination (okay, 3 - but on a Monday night? In Chicago? Very indirect) - is that good-beer-persistence, or what? ;-)

Actually, Steve it is worse than you think...and too long a story for this board. However, I had the cask beer at Clark Street Ale House, took the train home, drove back with my husband, went to Mac's, and then picked up my daughter's car...all on a Monday night!

[Richard English]

Quote, "...Interestingly, a lot of places will have one of those curly glasses with cask beer, but straight ones with tap beer, so you always know who is drinking cask beer..."

From memory I seem to think that the "curly" glasses were those with a bulge towards the top and the "straight" ones those whose sides are flat (the glass is a truncated cone).

The "curly" glasses were Imperial pints and the "straight ones" US pints.

The bulge in the "curly" glass serves two purposes. Firstly it ensures that, when glasses are stacked one within another, they can be easily separated. The wet, parallel sides of two "straight" glasses can cause a strong bond and many pairs of glasses have been broken when an over-vigorous attempts at separation are attempted.

Secondly, if a "curly" glass is knocked over, the interruption of the fall by the bulge (before the glass has reached it maximum speed) makes breakage just slightly less likely. With a "straight" glass the fall continues for another few degrees before its sides meet the table at a somewhat higher speed.

And I am delighted to learn that the majority there were drinking decent beer.

I went into the B Bar, just opposite Buckingham Palace, yesterday afternoon. They had a good range of beers - Belgian, Czech (Budweiser Budvar) and one good US beer whose name escapes me for the moment. However, they had not one, not one single bottle, of UK beer!

I suggested to the barmen that this was strange and his response was, "...Well, there are just so many". To which my response was that there are lots of US beers as well - but he'd managed to decide on one of them I gave him the name of Fuller's 1845 and suggested he call the head brewer!

[fretlessman71]

Originally posted by Richard English

Secondly, if a "curly" glass is knocked over, the interruption of the fall by the bulge (before the glass has reached it maximum speed) makes breakage just slightly less likely. With a "straight" glass the fall continues for another few degrees before its sides meet the table at a somewhat higher speed.


Also, if I don't miss my guess, that bulge makes it a little bit stronger as well in much the same way as an arch can spread the weight of the bricks above it to the side, and also in the same way that an eggshell can withstand many times its own weight upon it.

Look at this, Richard... I read one of your posts, and I'm starting to sound (look?) like you! ;)

[steveh]

Richard - is there any aroma or flavor enhancement created by the "bumped" pint glass? I always thought there was, as there is in a pilsner glass or a Belgian tulip shaped glass? Even a weizen glass, for that matter.

S.

[chazwicke]

I have a set of about 24 "Nonic" or "bumped" Imperial pint glasses that I use at home for most of my beers. I do try to use the proper glass when drinking hefes, Belgians or pilsners. Most of my brews go nicely in the nonics though. I've used them for years and I guess I should purchase a new set. Superior Products carries them by the case. They are made in by Libby. 36 come in a case for 55.00. If you cant use 36 of them split a case with a friend.

http://www.superprod.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=350636&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=87967

Actually, I just ordered a gross of them with my company logo on them from my advertising products girl.

[steveh]

Originally posted by chazwicke
http://www.superprod.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=350636&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=87967

What, no schooners? ;)

S.

[chazwicke]

Try this:

http://www.superprod.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=350785&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=88006

:D

[Richard English]

Quote "...Richard - is there any aroma or flavor enhancement created by the "bumped" pint glass? I always thought there was, as there is in a pilsner glass or a Belgian tulip shaped glass? Even a weizen glass, for that matter..."

I don't think this is the case for the nonic glass. Tulip glasses are supposed to enhance the flavour by concentrating the aroma but I can't see that this would apply to the nonic.

[steveh]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Try this:

http://www.superprod.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=350785&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=88006

Nah! Talkin' about those big, heavy, thick, dimpled and stemmed muthas - that weiged about 3 pounds and only held 8 ounces of beer! ;)

S.

[chazwicke]

Yeah I remember them. Gimmick sales at some restraunts.

[Kalleh1]

I assume those "half-yard" and "yard" glasses are just gimmicks, as well?

[chazwicke]

We had a restraunt and pub that used to use the yard glasses in DC. Tiber Creek. They looked difficult to drink out of.

[Richard English]

They are sometimes used in competitions to see who can drink a yard the quickest. According to Guinness, the record is held by Peter Dowdeswell of Earls Barton, Northants, England, who drank a yard of ale containing 1.42 liters (2 pints) in 5 sec. at RAF Upper Heyford, Oxon on May 4, 1975.

I always understood that a yard hed 2.5 pints but there seems to be some confusion and I've seen figures of from a pint (definitely too small) up to three pints.

If a man can down one in 5 seconds they can't be too difficult to drink from.

[stronk]

He sounds like the sort of man who would swallow the glass whole, though, so maybe they're usually difficult to drink out of...

About the volumes: there are lots of different sized glasses in the yard shape, which are divisions of the yard (or multiples, I suppose); I bet they're often mistaken for the yard itself, hence the variation.