Previously: 40 Years in Beer (Book II), Part 65: Smoky treats, a 9-hour, 9-brewery, 9-beer Bamberg stroll in 1996.
The 1996 F.O.S.S.I.L.S. Membership Directory Issue (#66 & 67; March/April 1996) comprised 34 pages (8.5 x 11), and there’s no telling how long it took for me to assemble it, sequestered in my cubbyhole with beer and leftover pizza.
The issue contained items I judged as being important to members of a homebrewing club, with a wee bit of advocacy thrown into the mix in case they passed it along to a newbie.
There as an active roster of members; directions to the club’s still relatively sparsely populated homepage on the internet; sources for homebrewing supplies, brewing help and empty bottles; where to find books and publications; information on the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) and Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA); meeting and event calendar; and quite a lot more, including a brief note on the last page that was destined to become more significant with the passing of time: “Tucker Brewing Company Prepares for Its Lon-Awaited Opening.”
ATF approval has been given, and Tucker Brewing Company’s initial batches are being brewed. President-for-Now Ed Tash visited the brewery in Salem on March 16; his report will appear in the next issue of Walking the Dog.
Almost three decades later, the Tucker brewing system is still at work, and can be viewed through the pizzeria dining room window at the New Albanian Brewing Co. How it got there is a longer story, and I’ll get to it eventually. A clue: it took six years and a warehouse stay.
Also included in the membership issue was a pet project of mine. Having fed myself a steady diet of CAMRA publications, I concluded that what we really needed was a “good beer” guide to the Louisville metropolitan area, as limited to on-premises accounts and omitting package sales.
Reflecting the tenor of rapidly changing times, it still hadn’t occurred to me that such a resource might be far easier to manage on the internet; had “The Good Beer Guide to Louisville” ever reached fruition, I’d have been compelled to go digital or risk being buried like always beneath stacks of paper and toner.
The guide is reprinted here in its entirety as an exercise in — what, exactly? It should be obvious that at least in part my aim is to illustrate how much better our local options are today. We dug to the center of the earth in 1996 and found 26 establishments in total that fit our parameters; in 2024, there are more breweries than this in metro Louisville.
Moreover, I can feel the tug of nostalgia. While it’s true that the lazily “curated” beer lists of 2024 remain better than most of the ones we noted in 1996, I sorely miss at least two of the following establishments: Bluegrass Brewing Company and Baxter Station. Granted, BBC still exists in truncated form downtown, but honestly I’ve never recovered from the loss of the original location in St. Matthews in 2017.
Perhaps the most noticeable “period piece” aspect of these listings is the question about cigars. Know that indoor smoking was ubiquitous and normalized hereabouts in 1996, the “no smoking” movement having yet to find its way to Louisville. I asked about cigars in the “good beer” context solely because many places allowed cigarettes but not cigars (or pipes), which I viewed as hypocritical.
All or nothing, right? Eventually the answer was “nothing,” as mandated by Kentucky and Indiana. Cigars were a significant part of my life in 1996; in 2024, it’s been two years since I lit up a robusto in Athens. These days I worry just a bit about all those years working in smoke-filled rooms; maybe anxiety impacts the evolution of my tobacco consciousness.
Whatever. Everything’s changing, and occasionally so do I.
Enjoy the survey from Spring, 1996. The inclusion of * means that they’re still open at the same address, 28 years later.
—
Where to Get Good Beer ‘Round Here: The Updated Good Beer Guide to Louisville (Spring 1996)
By Roger A. Baylor, Editor of Walking the Dog, with research by several other FOSSILS members
The idea of putting together a “Good Beer Guide to Louisville” (and environs) has been tossed around for almost two years. My first attempt at collecting the information necessary to construct such a guide was made in the spring of 1995, with the results published in Walking the Dog #57 & 58 (June/July, 1995).
It was scant, but it was a start, and this update has been expanded to include many establishments that weren’t mentioned last year. The following descriptions are intended as general introductions to familiarize the reader with what is offered by, and what is going on at, area havens for good beer. Even if only one or two good beers are available, that’s something.
I repeat last year’s observation before embarking on this second, admittedly non‑comprehensive look at drinking venues in our area.
FOSSILS who have traveled in the United States have brought many beer lists from bars and restaurants in all parts of this nation, and I’ve read many ads in brewspapers listing the same. The sad truth emerging from all this is that the Louisville metropolitan area is still light years behind much of the rest of the United States in terms of the availability of good beer.
This is particularly true of beers from stateside microbreweries, and although part of this has to do with brewing geography — the concentration of micros isn’t as high here as in Colorado, Baltimore or Chicago — other reasons for the dearth include incompetent and dismissive area wholesalers as well as the conservative, anti‑intellectual worldview that persists in Kentuckiana.
This worldview was neatly summarized in an article about the Kentucky Derby in The Economist (May 13th, 1995):
In the past 25 years … it has been an article of faith that southern culture has opened up dramatically; and in many ways, it has. But judging from last weekend’s events, the southern establishment (or at least Louisville’s version) remains incredibly insular.
Enter the word “beer” before establishment, and it all becomes clear. As the most obvious example, those Louisville bars and restaurants that do attempt to provide good beer on draft invariably offer the same beers: Guinness, Bass, Sam Adams, Newcastle, and other familiar brands. The reason for this is because that’s all they have to choose from, and not because at least some of them don’t seek to sell other beers.
However, just as progressive, international dining options on the local scene seem to be successfully challenging the fried chicken and hamburger orthodoxy, the bars and restaurants we have that recognize the importance of good beer are helping to prepare the ground for what we all hope will be expanded choice in the future. Here in alphabetical order are some places where good beer can be found, enjoyed, and the benefits to be derived from them can be experienced accordingly.
To repeat my disclaimer, the following listings are not intended to be comprehensive. My objective in publishing these observations is to provide gentle encouragement (read: a kick in the butt) to those readers who visit establishments worthy of being included in any survey like this. Try to record your thoughts, or at least ask for carry‑out menus and beer lists.
Alley Theatre
Visited by Jack Heazlitt, who talked to owner Scott Davis
Note: Can any one find an address?
Good draft beers? No draft
Good bottled beer and microbrews? About 14 quality beers, 2 micros.
Last call: Depends on theatre schedule, but before 2:00 a.m.
Food? Eclectic and variable, but generally good.
Cigar friendly? No
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Good beer and excellent live experimental theatre.
Anthony’s By the Bridge, 131 W. Main St. 584‑7720
Reviewed by Roger A. Baylor, who is going on distant memory here
Good draft beers? None, but rumor has it that the draft line is about to be dramatically expanded with the addition of Bluegrass Brewing Company beers
Good bottled beer? Yes ‑‑ a list of around 69 imports (primarily) and some microbrews, most of which are basic lagers from locales ranging from Cyprus to Venezuela to Sweden to New Zealand, all of which share a certain commonality of character: they’re bland golden lagers. In short, there’s precious little diversity of style on the Anthony’s beer list, and in my experience, some of the selections are quite aged; then again, there are few places downtown where you can find something good to drink with good food, so …
Last call: Closing time is 10:00 p.m. Mon. ‑ Thurs.; 11:00 p.m. Fri. ‑ Sat.
Food? Good and diverse. Specialties include lasagna, chicken Cordon Bleu and trout amandine
Cigar friendly? n/a
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Worth watching if they expand the draft selection
The Back Door, in the Mid‑City Mall, 1250 Bardstown Road 451‑0659
Visited by Dok Schwarz, who talked to manager Carrie Martin
Good draft beers? Dortmunder, Bass, Guinness, Leinenkugel; pints and 12 oz.
Good bottled beer? OK, so they have Sam Adams
Last call: 3:40 a.m.
Food? Happy hour buffet. Frozen pizzas
Cigar friendly? Yes
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Some of us like to finish off with a Bailey’s and coffee. This is the place
Baxter Station, 1201 Payne St. 584‑1635
Visited by Roger A. Baylor, who regards this as one of the classier places in Louisville
Good draft beers? Of interest, Guinness, Bass, Watney’s, Pete’s Wicked Ale, Pilsner Urquell. Served in 16‑oz. pint glasses
Good bottled beer? Small, but includes Anchor Steam, Pete’s Wicked Lager, Negra Modelo and a Sam Adams or two
Last call: Open until midnight Monday through Thursday; until 1:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Food? Baxter’s menu is varied, innovative and reasonably priced
Cigar friendly? Ambiguous. I think it’s okay on the patio, but not inside, although I’ve smoked there before
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Housed in a turn‑of‑the‑century (or perhaps earlier), shotgun‑style bar building with an interior decor that celebrates the railroad. The outdoor dining area at the back of the building has a retractable covering and can be used on rainy days
Beall’s Row Coffee & Ale House, 114 N. Third Street, Bardstown, Kentucky 348‑9594
Not visited or called. This is the information given by Eileen Martin and Joe Magruder in 1995
Good draft beers? Guinness and Bass; perhaps Franziskaner Hefe‑Weisse
Good bottled beer? No information
Last call: Ditto
Food? Ditto
Cigar friendly? Ditto
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: I’m told that it is in the same building as The Home Brewery homebrew supply shop. Anyone who travels to Bardstown, check it out and submit a report
Bluegrass Brewing Company, 3939 Shelbyville Road 899‑7070
Visited by probably every FOSSILS member, many on a weekly (daily?) basis
Good draft beers? The best brewpub fare for several miles in any direction. Usually on tap are Porter, Extra Special Bitter, Kolsch, Alt and varying forms of mead. Other styles are rotated, many seasonally, and include some high‑octane cold‑weather ales. BBC has taken the lead in reviving the Kentucky Common style (see Conrad Selle’s article in this issue) of indigenous beer. Brewer David Pierce has the support of the beer‑friendly and knowledgeable father‑and‑son Hagan management team, and constantly expands his brewing mandate in a manner that challenges the conservative (read: very bland) tastes of area beer drinkers and lifts the level of stylistic discourse
Good bottled beer? None necessary; it’s a brewpub. However, BBC continues to serve bottles of Bud Light in spite of my best efforts to convince them (and the world) that it just isn’t right to permit the clueless to blasphemy the house beers. At least they blatantly overcharge for it. See further comments below
Last call: Up to around midnight Sun. ‑ Thur.; 1:00 or so Fri. ‑ Sat.
Food? Diverse. Menu strengths are brick‑oven pizzas, appetizers and sandwiches (with the garlic‑heavy fries that go so well with the beer)
Cigar friendly? Yes
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Louisville’s second brewpub (established in 1993) is the standard bearer for brewing and beer appreciation in the metro area. Looking for some afternoon amusement? I recommend a plate of 10‑cent chicken wings (4‑7 p.m. daily) and a Dark Star Porter or ESB. Line them up in front of you, enjoy the colors and aromas, and peer over the edge of the glass at the nearest palate‑challenged customer (admittedly, there are fewer these days) who has wandered into Louisville’s best brewpub and ordered a $2.75 bottle of Bud Light. Knit your brow, restrain yourself from screaming out in pain, and then reflect on the unfortunate consequences of generic mass‑marketing as you consume your truly flavorful food and beer
*Bristol Bar & Grille, 1321 Bardstown Rd. 456‑1702
Called by Jerry W. Meredith, who spoke with Pete Peters
Good draft beers? Pilsner Urquell, Bass, Dortmunder Dark, Leinenkugel Honey Wheat
Good bottled beer? Sam Adams, Pete’s, Wild Boar, among others
Last call: 1:30 a.m. weekdays; 3:30 a.m. weekends; 12:30 a.m. Sunday
Food? Continental cuisine. According to Louisville magazine, “the Bristols continue to offer a reliable variety of choices at the interesting edge of the restaurant‑going mainstream”
Cigar friendly? No
Editor’s gratuitous and unsolicited comments: The Bristol’s local reputation has to do with food, not beer, but it’s good to know that good beer is available at the restaurant’s three locations
Bristol Bar & Grille, in the Kentucky Center for the Arts, Main Street 562‑0158
Called by Jerry W. Meredith, who talked with Suzanne, a floor manager
Good draft beers? Bass, Heineken, Watney’s, Guinness, Newcastle. $2.50 for a 12‑oz.; $4.25 for a 20‑oz.
Good bottled beer? Sam Adams, Anchor Steam, Pike Place, Market Street, Blueridge Lager
Last call: No set time ‑‑ depends on performances at the Kentucky Center
Food? See comments above
Cigar friendly? Yes
Editor’s gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Interestingly, there seems to be a conscious effort to stock bottles of American micros/craft breweries
*Bristol Bar & Grille, 300 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy. 426‑0627
Basic information should match the preceding
Dundee Tavern, 2222 Dundee Rd. in the Douglass Loop 473‑1923
Called by Hugh Thompson, who talked to Stoney Skaggs, owner/manager
Good draft beers? 15 taps; 1 with cider. $3.25 pints, $2.25 microbrews
Good bottled beer? 30 imports & American, including seasonal Pete’s and Sam Adams
Last call: Close 1 a.m. Sunday‑Thursday; 2 a.m. Friday & Saturday
Food? Full menu ‑‑ “you name it, we do it” ‑‑ lunch 2 ‑ 5 p.m.
Cigar friendly? A definite yes; there is no “non‑smoking” section
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: 150 kinds of liquor and 40 Scotchs (note from Rog: I’ve gotten a seconding recommendation from Bernie Saunders, and a recent review in the Scene was very favorable. This could be a place to watch)
Gilligan’s Bar, 1318 Bardstown Rd. 456‑0715
Called by Hugh Thompson, who talked to owner Steve Northenor
Good draft beers? Bass and Guinness; $2.50 pints
Good bottled beer? 80 brands of imports, also Pete’s and Sam Adams
Last call: Unless it’s slow, 3:30 a.m. closing
Food? Pizza, cheese sticks, bar food
Cigar friendly? Yes!
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments by the editor: Hugh noted a lack of enthusiasm on the part of Northenor during their chat. The beer list has shrunk since May of ‘95, when the menu listed 105, and I reckoned that the odds (a) of the beers being fresh, given the fabled indifference of Louisville’s distributors, and (b) of the establishment itself remaining open for a year, were 50/50 or less. At least it’s still open, and if any reader visits, I recommend trying something bottled and of a more uncommon style so that the freshness can be examined
Harper’s Restaurant, 871 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy. 425‑2900
Not called or visited. It is part of a chain that is based in North Carolina, and is included here because it sells Bluegrass Brewing Company beer on draft (I don’t know which one, though)
*Irish Rover, 2319 Frankfort Avenue, 899‑3544
Visited by Roger, Amy, Roz Tate and others too numerous to mention
Good draft beers? Yes. Guinness Stout, Murphy’s Stout, Watney’s Red Barrel, Fuller’s Extra Special Bitter, Harp Lager, Newcastle Brown Ale. Draft cider as well. The Rover’s own Irish Red, which was being brewed for the exclusive use of the pub by Bluegrass Brewing Company, has been discontinued. It was a very good version of an Irish ale like Smithwick’s, which is unavailable in the United States; uncharacteristically, the Rover didn’t do a good job of marketing it (note from Rog to owner Michael Reidy: You should have removed the Watney’s. It cannibalized the Irish Red, which was a better beer. While I’m at it, take off the Coors‑brewed Aussie lager and put on Bavarian‑style wheat beer, which will sell by the ton on Frankfort Avenue once the weather gets warm)
Good bottled beer? Yes, but only a few. The draft beer is paramount here
Last call: Closing times are 10:00 p.m. Mon. ‑ Thurs.; 11:00 p.m. Fri. ‑ Sat.
Food? The food is solidly Irish: smoked salmon, stew, a ploughman’s plate, leek & potato soup, fish & chips, and Scotch eggs
Cigar friendly? Unfortunately, the Irish Rover does not allow the smoking of cigars and pipes, and while I can understand this in connection with the commonly accepted (and in my view, just as commonly mistaken) view that these forms of tobacco are more offensive than cigarettes, you’ll never be able to convince me that a smoking policy that bans cigars while allowing ashtrays to be filled with discarded butts is anything other than hypocritical — not just at the Rover, but anywhere
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: The Irish Rover is billed as “Louisville’s Irish Pub,” and it lives up to it in every meaningful way. The beer and food are excellent, the staff is personable and efficient, and the setting is relaxed and friendly. Finally, one of the Rover’s many assets is its selection of whiskey. As John Hansell of Malt Advocate magazine has phrased it, whiskey is distilled beer without hops. It is also essential to the Irish experience, and accordingly the Rover carries at least eight Irish whiskeys, including The Tyrconnell Single Malt, several Bushmill’s (including the deceptive, silky Single Malt), John Power (recommended by Don Barry), Tullamore Dew (recommended by Andy Malenchek) and Midleton’s, which I am told is the rarest and best that Ireland has to offer
Louisville Pizza Company, Corner of Billtown and Ruckriegel in J‑town 267‑1188
Called by Mark Stewart, who spoke with Brad, the kitchen manager
Good draft beers? None, with the possible exception of the new Jack Daniels lager (12‑oz, $1.25)
Good bottled beer? Approximately 75 bottled beers. Brad was unaware of microbrews, but a good variety of imports are on hand, including EKU, Dortmunder and Steinlager
Last call: 11:00 p.m. weekdays; Midnight weekends
Food? Pretty good pizza. The interviewee is the kitchen manager and may be biased by his summary, though he admitted that it’s hard to judge fairly since he eats the food all the time and at times becomes weary of it
Cigar friendly? Yes. Cigars are welcomed and there are no restrictions on their use
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: (From Rog: I’ve heard a few good comments about this place, but I haven’t the faintest idea where it’s located)
*Oakroom in the Seelbach, 500 S. Fourth Ave. 585‑3200
Called by Lee Cotner, who spoke with manager Fergal Feeney. The Seelbach is one of Louisville’s top hotels, and priced accordingly
Good draft beers? From the Old Seelbach Bar: Warsteiner, Guinness and BBC’s Alt. These are also served in the Oakroom
Good bottled beer? Among others, Sam Smith, Young’s Oatmeal Stout, Newcastle, Jenlain, Gosser, Lindeman’s Framboise (also Heineken, Beck’s, etc)
Last call: Oakroom: 10:00 p.m. Monday ‑ Thursday, 10:30 Friday & Saturday, 9:00 Sunday … Old Seelbach Bar: Midnight Monday, Tuesday & Thursday, 1:00 a.m. Friday & Saturday, 11:00 ‑ Midnight Sunday (these are flexible)
Food? Great! American regional cuisine
Cigar friendly? Yes, but not in the dining area. A cigar menu is available. Cigar smoking is encouraged in the Ante Room/Derby Winner’s Room
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: A good selection of ports and brandies
*O’Shea’s Traditional, 956 Baxter Ave. 589‑7373
Visited by Jack Heazlitt, who talked to bartender Dave Zimmerman
Good draft beers: Dortmunder Dark, typical Guiness/Harp/Bass trio, seasonals. Nine taps total; $3.25 for 16‑oz. pints
Good bottled beer? 80 total; 10 micro, most of the rest imports
Last call: Off the table by 4:00 a.m.
Food? Yes, pub grub. Excellent patty melt
Cigar friendly? Yes
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Comfortable, not overly Yuppified, Bardstown Rd. (actually Baxter) location. Good music/beer/company. Late hours an asset
Additional comments by the editor: In the beginning, the bottled beer list stuck too closely to the “National Lager” theory of inventory, but it’s gotten steadily better over the past year. In the beginning, the “Irishness” seemed forced, but the atmosphere has become more cozy as the pub has found its niche. O’Shea’s is trying, and it deserves support if you can look past the kids who insist on drinking Bud Light out of yards — and, when I establish my dictatorship, will be punished for their sins against Gambrinus
*Outlook Inn, 916 Baxter 583‑4661
Visited by many of us, usually late in the evening
Good draft beers? Guinness, served too cold
Good bottled beer? A decent selection, including Anchor Porter
Last call: Hours extend far into the a.m.
Food? It never occurred to me, but there must be some there
Cigar friendly? Yes. Nicotine addicts rejoice: You can double your high from your neighbor’s smoke, which late on some evening’s reduces visibility to mere inches
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Strictly for nocturnal wanderers interested in one more Guinness and a sociological glimpse at an amazing cross‑section of Louisville culture. Look for the classic Falls City sign extending toward the street from the front of the aging brick building. This is a funky, late‑night place to watch people, and it’s ideal for a nightcap before heading home. At any other time, I wouldn’t touch it
*Ramsi’s Cafe, 1293 Bardstown Road 451‑0700
Called by Barrie Ottersbach, who talked with Steve (also visited by Roger, Amy and Stephen, among others)
Good draft beers? Fuller’s E.S.B. only, at $3.25 an Imperial pint
Good bottled beer? Anchor Steam, Anchor Porter and Liberty Ale; Sam Adams & Sam Adams Cream Stout; Guinness, Bass, Beck’s Dark, and, interestingly, Chimay Gran Reserve and Jenlain
Last call: 1 a.m. Mon. ‑ Thur.; 2:00 a.m. Saturday; 11:00 p.m. Sunday
Food? Ethnic and regional cuisine, vaguely Middle Eastern and Mediterranean, but not exclusively so; “good things from everywhere”
Cigar friendly? No
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Large groups are advised to come before 6:00 p.m. or after 10:00 p.m., as it is a very small place. (Note from Rog: The food is excellent, and Fuller’s is soft and not too cold, and there are enough bottles, representing different styles, to make it interesting)
*Rich O’s Public House, 3312 Plaza Drive, New Albany 949‑2804
Reviewed by the owner, so don’t expect objectivity
Good draft beer? We feature six beers on draft: Guinness Stout (always), Pilsner Urquell (always), Sierra Nevada Draught Ale (always, or when they’ll let us have it), seasonal Spaten beers (Optimator Doppelbock, Maibock, Franziskaner Hefe‑Weisse, Ur‑Marzen Oktoberfest), a rotating Bluegrass Brewing tap (ESB, Common, Porter), and whatever else can be found on a rotating basis
Good bottled beer? The bottle list fluctuates seasonally and according to availability, and numbers approximately 80‑90 beers. It is intended to reflect stylistic diversity, and in this regard we take a back seat to no other pub in the metro Louisville area. I monitor these as closely as possible for age, and attempt to handle them as carefully as our space and refrigeration constraints allow. When it comes to beer, we aim to offer as many styles as possible, and if this means that we cannot offer beers from Nigeria and Uzbekistan, then so be it. The current plan is to add as many as 20 new Belgian ales in the coming months, with perhaps a few surprises from other great brewing nations coming as well
Last call: The kitchen closes at 10:00 p.m., Mon. ‑ Sat. (closed on Sunday), but drinking usually continues afterward. Food from the Sportstime Pizza menu is available all the time
Food? Our menu features barbecued pork, beef and chicken (sandwiches and entrees), lasagna, soups and stews and a full selection of pizza in four distinct styles with numerous toppings.
Cigar friendly? Are you joking? Check out the yellow stains on the ceiling tiles (and the owners’ teeth)
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: We have achieved the ultimate expression of a beer‑drinking aesthetic by means of our Lite‑Free Zone, which excludes American low‑calorie “light” beers from the premises and removes the possibility of jarring discord that occurs when one sips a fine beer in the proximity of Miller Lite or the Silver Bullet. Our next project is to raise the prices of remaining domestic swill (Bud, Miller, etc.), thus pricing is entirely out of reach while preserving the semblance of “choice,” and perhaps making the Guinness Book of Records as the place with the most expensive bottle of Bud ($50.00, but served at room temperature)
Rocky’s Sub Pub, Jeffersonville 282‑3844
Called by Barrie Ottersbach, who spoke with Carol
Good draft beers? Not really. Lowenbrau Dark ($1.25) and Heineken or Moosehead ($1.95) in 10‑oz mugs head the scant list
Good bottled beer? Approximately 30 beers, but only a few of genuine interest: Fischer, McEwan’s, Guinness, Bass, Pilsner Urquell, Sam Adams and Whitbread
Last call: Tue. ‑ Thurs., 9:00 p.m.; Fri. ‑ Sat., 10:00 p.m.; Sun., 9:00 p.m.
Food? Italian cuisine and pizza
Cigar friendly? Yes. You might want to call ahead and reserve a space. They say that they have entertained a cigar club in the past
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments by the editor: Like Anthony’s, Rocky’s used to have a reputation for beer, but this doesn’t seem to aged very gracefully in the emerging style consciousness of the beer revolution
Rudyard Kipling, 422 Oak St. 636‑1311
Visited by Jack Heazlitt, who works there and has a vested interest
Good draft beers?: Guinness, Harp, Newcastle, Bass and assorted industrial. $3.00 a glass, $3.50 a pint (16‑oz.)
Good bottled beer?: Generally a dozen with two micros; imports include Fischer and Taj Mahal. Monthly specials
Last call: 2:00 a.m. closing, but earlier on weeknights
Food?: Eclectic
Cigar friendly? No
Sam’s Food & Spirits, 3800 Payne Koehler Rd. 945‑9757
Reviewed by Roger A. Baylor, who talked with Kenny Prince, sometimes employee
Good draft beers? Not at the moment, unless you count Michelob Dark. The chalkboard at Bluegrass still lists Sam’s as selling BBC beer, but nothing has been there for a while, although it was reported to have been successful on a rotating basis before
Good bottled beer? Not really. At one time, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was offered; current status is unknown
Last call: n/a
Food? Well‑prepared, unadventurous fare for non‑risk‑taking New Albanians, specializing in fish
Cigar friendly? I haven’t asked
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: If it sounds like I’m coming down hard on Sam’s, it’s because I’ve always been disappointed that the establishment didn’t make more of an effort to learn beer — at least as much as it’s taken to pay lip service to decent wine, and considering its location opposite Old Mill Wine & Spirits. Then again, this is New Albany, and if anything, Sam has always understood what will sell here; he didn’t get where he is today by taking too many chances
Silo Microbrewery Complex, 630 Barret Avenue, 589‑2739
Visited by Roger And Amy Baylor, as well as several other FOSSILS
Good draft beers? Brewmaster Brian Kolb is making four pub brews: Red Rock Ale and Derby City Dark (always), and two that rotate (recently, Doppelbock, Golden Ale, Honey Ale and a Stout). Neither the Red Rock nor the Dark have regained the character they exhibited during the Pierce and Martin eras of Silo I, but they’ve improved, at least with the most recent batches. Brian’s Doppelbock was a worthy, full‑bodied effort. Overall, results have been uneven, but it’s still too early to judge
Good bottled beer? A couple of Dixie beers, in keeping with the New Orleans cuisine motif
Last call: Closing times are 10:00 Mon. ‑ Thurs.; 11:00 p.m. Fri. ‑ Sat.
Food? Most comments have been favorable, and the review in the Scene was very complimentary, although I have heard more than one complaint about the quality of the service. The restaurant in the Silo is called Louisiana Jack’s, and the cuisine is described by the owners as “southern Louisiana comfort food,” which is to say that they are consciously avoiding what they regard as stereotypical notions of blackened, spicy “Cajun” food. So far, what I’ve had, I’ve liked
Cigar friendly? Yes
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: The Silo was Louisville’s first brewpub/microbrewery, opening in 1992 and employing David Pierce as its first brewmaster. His assistant, Eileen Martin, replaced him when he left to join Bluegrass Brewing in 1993. Thereafter, the brewpub steadily declined owing to the gross and legendary incompetence of its ownership, and it closed in the summer of 1995. It has been re‑opened by veteran restaurateurs Jack Sedivy and Maria Ladd, the latter of whom (with Brian Kolb) attended the January FOSSILS meeting. During its first incarnation, the Silo’s kitchen changed more often than the drummer in Spinal Tap. Now, it is the home of Louisiana Jack’s (described above), which is proving to be a welcome anchor on the food side of the business. In physical terms, the Silo remains pleasant and is filled with potential. The brewpub is housed in a flour mill warehouse, over which towers its namesake concrete grain bin, and can boast loads of brick and wood, high ceilings and comfortable seating. Currently, the major variable is the most important — namely, the Silo’s beer. As noted above, the quality has been uneven, but signs of improvement have been noted, and it is to be hoped that Brian concentrates on consistency with the standby taps while taking a chance or two with the rotating beers. I’m pulling for the Silo and Louisiana Jack’s to succeed, because competition is good and choice is good, and the more breweries we have that work, the more we’ll have in the future
Sports Page Pub, 424 East Market, New Albany 945‑9055
Visited several months back by Roger Baylor and Stephen Powell
Good draft beers? Very cold Guinness, very old BBC Alt; otherwise, industrial megabrews
Good bottled beer? None discernable. However, ice‑cold megabrews are served from aluminum cans
Last call:
Food? Of the plate lunch variety, and supposedly fairly good, although we didn’t eat
Cigar friendly? Probably
Gratuitous and unsolicited comments: Sports Page is a basic corner bar that caters to the palate‑less. It appears here for two reasons. First, owner Buck Rissler was the second New Albany bar owner to install draft Guinness, although the effort to provide good beer has been little more than half‑hearted ever since, and with the many “national lagers” moving far too slowly on draft. Second, the pub bears mention for providing the single worst experience that I’ve ever had during the course of visiting Louisville‑area establishments. This came last fall on my only visit, when the bartender verbally assailed me for pointing out that the beer I had been served (a rather lackluster golden liquid) was not the Sam Adams Honey Porter (a dark ale) that I had ordered. She then attempted to incite the canned‑swill crowd against me, as though I were a foreign threat of some sort; fortunately, they were so confused and apathetic that this effort fell flat. Finally, when I told Buck about all this, his only response was a flaccid explanation of how help is hard to find. This is true, and she still should have been fired. Here’s the real point, which applies to all establishments: Either do it right, or don’t do it at all. Serving months‑old imported or craft‑brewed draft beer just because you read somewhere that it’s the coming thing, when your customers still prefer carbonated urine advertised on television, is fairly ludicrous, earns you less money than the swill, and will turn off any knowledgeable customer who wanders in to try it
*Spring Street Bar & Grill, 300 S. Spring St. 584‑6630
Called by Amy Baylor, who talked with bartender Wanda Frith
Good draft beers? Leinenkugel Red ($1.25 or $1.50, depending on the time of day) is the best it gets
Good bottled beer? International lagers (Amstel, Beck’s, Foster’s, et al), Pete’s Wicked Ale, Sam Adams
Last call: Depends on the crowd; out by 4:00 a.m. is the only concern
Food? Deep fried. Wings, steak, sandwiches, soups, salads, pizza
Cigar friendly? No
*Wick’s Pizza, 971 Baxter Ave. 458‑182
Visited a time or two by Roger, and more often by Amy. Wick’s is across the street from O’Shea’s. The pizza is good, and Bass is available on draft (perhaps Harp also)
Zephyr Cove, 2330 Frankfort Ave. 897‑1030
Called by Amy Baylor, who spoke with Laura Ross
Good draft beers? Bass & Guinness; 16‑oz pints for $3.50
Good bottled beer? Chimay, Pete’s, Pilsner Urquell, Sam Adams among others (Beck’s, etc.)
Last call: 2:00 a.m.
Food? Specializing in wild game: duck, boar, ostrich, buffalo burgers, venison
Cigar friendly? Yes, unless there are complaints from the dining room, which is close to the bar area, in which case cigar smokers will be asked to stop
Next: 40 Years in Beer (Book II), Part 67: Yuletide atrocities, courtesy of the Butt-Head Bass Quartet (1994 – 2003).
