So, I visited Blackwater Brewing Company a while ago when I wrote a piece on the brewery for the magazine. I met with Lincoln and fell in love with not only his beer, but also the inventive dishes he was churning out.

So, I was surprised when I learned of "Barrels Brewhouse" taking over the restaurant portion of the business. Barrels Brewhouse is a sister restaurant to "Bricks and Barrels" in Charleston, which I dined at during Restaurant Week last year and became a fan.

It's definitely a touch upscale with tall barrel tables, wood-paneled walls and TVs on every wall. The music was quite loud, and the place as empty - save for the handful of staff hanging out when I entered. Since I had my pick, I took up a larger table over by the window. I had a number of different servers bring menus, list what's on draft and question what I was taking photos of. I think because there were so many of them and only one customer, they had all their attention on me -- and toting a giant camera attracts attention.

The menu is quite different with lots of great options: truffle tots, pimento cheese fries, burgers, and some entrees like chicken, shrimp & grits, and bourbon & brown sugar flat iron steak. Some really nice options that are classics but with a modern twist.

Well. I ordered the pimento burger, which is a custom-blend burger topped with housemade pimento cheese and bacon. I also upgraded my side to truffle tots - white truffle oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic aioli.

Wow. I mean, wow. The burger was perfectly medium done. And the pimento cheese just oozed out overtop the burger, creating this cheesy, sweet, spicy layer of goodness. Crisps bacon on top for some salt and texture. Piled into a bun. It's pretty simple, but it's indulgent. Think of a thick, juicy burger and ask yourself, 'self, how could this be better?' Add southern favorite pimento cheese to it. That's how. I'd be lying if I said I didn't add a little ketchup, though, for some extra sauce. The tots were also quite good with the truffle oil, but some extra would've been even better. If you're gonna go all out, GO ALL OUT, amiright?

I'm curious to see if the local community turns out for the restaurant, because it has a more commercial appeal - flashy items, but tasty ones. I enjoyed my meal, and the staff was very friendly. I think a little time, and once word spreads that the food here is good, it won't look quite as empty.

Grade: B
 

Pittsburgh is home to a Hofbräuhaus location, which apparently serves up the craft bier of Bavarian kings. Hofbrauhaus has six other locations in the United States. This brewpub is modeled after the legendary 400+ year-old Hofbräuhaus in Munich, Germany, and it tries to recreate that experience with traditionally decorated rooms, German food and on-site brewing.


I didn't realize there were multiple locations until we walked up to this massive building and it had the tell-tale signs of deep pocket backings: A humongous building, detailed exterior, huge steel tanks that few local breweries would be able to afford, and the branding. Panicky, I started to google if this was a large chain. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found out there are only a handful of locations, so I was in the clear. These are the things I do to myself. 🙄

Walking inside, there is a just a sprawling open dining space - so expansive that it was a bit overwhelming. It was just in stark contrast to what I was expecting at the thought of this place - which might be smaller, more intimate, authentic. We opted to sit outside (unfortunately next to a raucous group of 20 or so who probably had been there far too long).

We were there for lunch, so we missed out on a good bit of the "environment" of the place, which I'm sure is robust and lively. We didn't eat here, but we did get samplers of the beer. My fabs included the Hefe Weizen and the Original Lager. Light, easy drinking beers that were great for a warm day. The others I didn't care too much for.

If you're looking for a loud, wild place to enjoy some hearty food and drink, this is your place. I did love the riverside dining, and I think if I were to get a true feel for the environment, I would've liked it a bit better. And maybe for dinner, as opposed to a more calm lunch. Has anyone tried the food? Curious to see how it was!

Grade: B

Lost River Brewing Company is actually located in Wardensville along this very cute stretch of shops. I don't know that I have ever had a Lost River beer before, so I had no idea what to expect. And, as soon as I walked in, I was impressed.

First of all, this place is beautiful. There's a huge bar with wooden stools, large dark wooden beams down the center, tall tables and decorative lighting that makes it feel warm, yet sleek. Plus, paper on the tables with crayons.

The menu is also incredibly diverse. They serve everything from salmon tartare to a jumbo soft pretzel. Bison meatloaf. Chicago hot dogs. If I were to run a restaurant, it would be the same way - just all of my favorite things in one place (ice cream, sushi, queso, pasta carbonara).

I didn't want to stuff myself too full because of the various stops we had planned during this day, so I instead ordered an appetizer of macaroni and cheese, a cup of the Maryland Style Crab soup and a side of hush puppies. Plus, of course, samples of each of the beers.

Let's start with the macaroni and cheese. It was a cup full of cheesy cavatappi noodles with caramelized shallots, cheddar and feta. Delicious.

The soup had these giant hunks of white crab meat and tons of veggies. Additional optional Old Bay on the rim. Definitely received the seal of approval from my Maryland native friend.

And the hushpuppies. Light, flavorful and so, so good.

Onto the beer. Easy enough: All of these were delicious. From a dark coffee beer to a lighter hoppy beer, they were all on point.

So, go. Go eat everything on the menu. Go drink all of the beers. Tell them they're your favorite. They'll probably like that. Enjoy.

Grade: A

Lynn's Self Serve in Elkins is a gas station -- but it's not just any gas station! It has a growler fill station. How cool is that?

In 2015, after the passing of Senate Bill 273, this local gas station/convenience store began offering an eight-tap growler station that features local and seasonal beers. The growlers, which are available for a one-time fee of $4.59 (for a 32 ounce) and $4.99 (for a 64 ounce) in addition to the beer, uses a system that keeps beer fresh for 45 days.

I love that not only does offering craft beer gift this shop a leg up, it helps gain exposure for some local breweries.

I first heard of Somerville Brewing Company when I was at Kaitlynn's friend's apartment, and he had some local Slumbrew beers that we drank while playing board games. I made a quick decision to visit the brewery when I got the chance. It's another brewery that was a little ways away - after my T stop, I walked a little over a mile to get here.

I ventured to the 15 Ward Street location (the brewery and taproom), as opposed to the beer garden because I wanted to check out the actual brewery. They had just opened (I was trying to be efficient and cram as much into this day as I could), so I was the only one there.

I ordered a flight of their flagship beers - Happy Sol Blood Orange Hef, Porter Square Porter, Trekker Trippel, and Flagraiser IPA.

The Happy Sol was tasty and a bit sour. And citrusy. The porter was a stark contrast - deeper, roasty. The trippel was pretty tasty - a little spice there and a bit hoppier. Then the flagraiser was much hoppier - a bit too much for my palate.

I also ordered the housemade meatball sandwich, which is "Jeff's Favorite." This was just OK. The meatballs could've been hotter and more moist. The bread was too hard, making it tough to really eat. Maybe more sauce could've helped? The macaroni and cheese was tasty, as was the pickle, though!

Overall, a bit of a hike to get here, but decent beer and OK food.


Grade: B
 

While in Boston, I wanted to check out Harvard. I walked around the Cambridge campus, noticing that there are tons of tourists at this college. TONS. You don't typically see tourists at WVU - just current or prospective students. Lots of folks were taking photos with the statue of John Harvard and rubbing his left shoe for luck.

After Harvard, I found my way to Cambridge Brewing Company for some grub. Sitting at the bar, I looked up to the beer list on the wall and decided on the Cambridge Amber. Seems standard. For food, I went for the fish and chips.

The beer was good - easy, drinkable, smooth. Fairly standard amber ale. The fish and chips was OK - the breading was overwhelming for the actual fish. There was more crunch and pieces falling apart than there was actual fish inside. BUT, the fish itself, when I got to it, wasn't bad. Overall, a decent standard beer and an OK plate of food.



Grade: B

After dinner, Tony and I decided we needed some drinks. Water Street Brewery was along the way. Perfect.



We each ordered a flight of their signature beers. We also got a basket of brewery chips, but I totally forgot to snag a photo. They weren't bad: potato, sweet potato and beet with ranch.

The beer was quite good for the most part. I loved the honey lager light, which was easy and crisp. The Raspberry Weiss was delicious and fruity. The amber, which I usually love, wasn't my favorite. It was maybe too hoppy? I'm not sure. Octoberfest was decent, too.



It was pretty empty inside, so it was a pretty chill environment. But I had a lot of fun here. Good place to people watch and have some good convo.

Grade: B

Berkeley Springs Brewing Company is a newcomer to the craft beer scene in West Virginia. The bathwater brewpub, as it's affectionately called, was created by Karl and Denise Wagenbrenner out of what started as just a home brewing shop + classes. It still has the Mountain Man Brew Supply products on one part of the brewpub.

I went out here to talk with the owners to learn a little more about what they do for a future issue of Taste West Virginia Magazine. So, I won't get into too much here, but I do want to touch on the super delicious beer and food I had.

I was able to try a full flight of beers, which included their caCapon Kolsh, American Amber and Berkeley Brown. Plus there was an apple butter beer, and oh my gosh. He was also working on a pawpaw beer, which resulted in me taking home a fresh pawpaw.


I also ordered from their menu their specialty "tater waffle," which is just what it sounds like - a bunch of tater tots placed in a waffle iron so the entire outside gets perfectly crispy. Their weekly special tater waffle was a "south of the border" edition with chili, sour cream, tomatoes, cheese and onions.

This is so good! It's so simple, but it's awesome to have this super crispy tater waffle. Perfect pairing for the beer, too.

Stop through, get a tasty beer and a quick tater waffle to fill you up.

Grade: A