The Brick Store Pub in Decatur, GA, just outside of Atlanta. 

The BrewDog Show on DrinkTV just named them the best place for beer in Atlanta.

We talk about how the bar came to be and how the industry has changed. They have an absolutely amazing beer cellar. Check out my blog to see some pictures.

This place wins in every way. You can find them all over the place. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, & Untappd

Want to be a guest?

doug@douginapub.com

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The Malt House in Madison, WI is a local treasure.  It has been named on the top 100 beer bars list twice in the last five years. A small cozy place that is television free and a great place to share a beer with friends. A beautiful civil war era bar (Madison’s oldest) is like an old friend as it holds up your beverages. Try to visit in the warmer months so you can enjoy the patio!

The staff is friendly and well versed in all things beer and whisky. You can order one of the 12 rotating beer taps or choose from over 150 bottles in a wall cooler. They have over 75 whiskeys to pick from and they will help you build a flight. They host regular tasting sessions with distillers and brewers.  Live music is a regular event at the Malt House.  There are  small snacks available from the bar but if you want a meal, you need to bring it in or have it delivered. The also have food truck from time to time.

The Beers and Beverages

To say they have a excellent beer selection would not do it justice. On our most recent visit we had some Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Classic on tap!  To find a beer this rare and special on tap so close to home was awesome. I might have done a little happy dance as I declared my intent to get some. Up to this point, I have only had it in bottles. We followed that up with a Duchesse De Bourgogne. Heaven! The twelve rotating taps cover the globe, from local to rare. The cooler has more than 150 beers, biers and ciders to choose from; small bottles to drink yourself or larger 750ml bottles to share with friends. 

The post The Malt House – Madison, WI first appeared on Doug In A Pub.

Located in a remodeled funeral home, it has been turned into a welcoming and wonderful place to eat and drink. Long communal benches, seats at the bar and an outdoor area make this a great space for everyone.

Food

They have a food menu that is Belgian/French in style. I had frites (of course) and escargot. They offer roasted bone marrow, cheese plates and duck confit nachos. I would go back here again just for the food. But that is not what I want to talk about here, or why I have been telling everyone to go to Brewery Vivant.

Beer (Bier)

They have a tap list that also includes many barrel-aged beers. Stouts, sours, farmhouse and IPAs. They also have a chalk board with some additional beers.

I had 2 different flights (don’t worry, I took Uber) and every one was above average.

Farm Hand – Saison / Farmhouse Ale

A 5.5% ABV Saison that has very nice light flavors and might be a little too easy to drink.

House Sour – Foeder-Aged Sour Ale

This 4.5% ABV sour would be a great starter sour for those who have not spent the time to develop the taste for or don’t have the desire for the more aggressive sours out there.

Love Shadow – Port Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

This one they aged in different barrels, the one I had was port barrel-aged, the current one is bourbon barrel-aged. Good stout with a strong coffee finish. Oh, and a 11.7% ABV.

Escoffier – Mixed Culture Farmhouse Ale (American Wild Ale)

This is a collaboration with New Belgium brewing. This is a mild sour with great funk. 10% ABV.

Port Love – Stout

This strong 9.5% ABV port barrel-aged stout has a nice complex flavor profile.

Tree Bucket – Double IPA

This was the only IPA I had here. A strong one at 9% ABV. This a a great hoppy and fruity beer.

Zaison – Imperial Saison / Farmhouse Ale

This was the most dangerous beer I had. A light and tasty beer at 9.3% ABV. This one will sneak up on you.

Angelina – Barrel-Aged Sour (2017)

This was my favorite beer of the night.  An oak barrel-aged sour coming in at around 10% ABV. Packed full of flavor and pucker.

If you ever find yourself near Grand Rapids, this is a must stop for anyone who loves beer in the Belgian style.

Oh, the staff. The ones I spoke to knew about beer in general and the house brews, and were friendly and chock full of knowledge.

The post Brewery Vivant first appeared on Doug In A Pub.

Located near the heart of downtown Decatur, GA, in an area full of bars and restaurants, about 20 minutes from Atlanta. I was surprised to have not heard of this gem since it opened June 27 1997. It was started by three friends who love beer, and it shows in the carefully selected beer cellar they have on site. This cellar contains somewhere in the neighborhood of 900 beers. The “oldest” beer I have had there was a 2007  Samichlaus Hell from Schloss Eggenberg. The Samichlaus Classic is my #1 beer (but that’s another post).

When Georgia changed their beer laws allowing up to 14% ABV beers to be served, they opened an upstairs Belgian Beer bar (“upstairs to the left”) with 8 beers on draft and over 120 bottled Belgian beers.  In the main bar, they always have a great list of beers on tap. Another really cool thing is the “cellar flight,” where they pick four beers from the massive selection they have on hand and present them as a flight. This feature alone makes it worth a visit. You will get some very rare and unique beers.

To complement the beer, they also serve well-crafted food.

These guys do such a good job with Belgian beers, they have been knighted!!!

Check out their website here. You can also find them on various social media platforms.

Go there and drink more beer.

The post Brick Store Pub – Belgian beer bar – a review first appeared on Doug In A Pub.