Posts under ‘Pubs’

It’s not always easy to get away from the chain or Irish themed bars and pubs in New York City, but sometimes you come across an absolute classic as we are featuring today- Rudys.  Ruby’s is in Hell’s Kitchen and is an institution in New York City. This small bar is so good you want to pack it up, with its pig, beers and very friendly staff and bring it home- it is so good.  Rudy’s features what is sure to be the cheapest draft beers in the city, and there is quiet a choice including, the Pigslapper we features a few days back.  If you are hungry, well the menu is pretty simple- hot dogs and guess what they are free, yes free a perfect way to enjoy a few beers.  The décor is a bit old school, the 70’s tiffany lampshades are pretty daggy, the wrap around couches have seen better days (much better days)  but it is so fantastic and you wouldn’t change a thing.   There’s great grungy and sultry tunes of the 60’s 70’ and 80’s ad to the experience and atmosphere. The place is not trying to be fashionable or styled to look and feel like it is, it somehow just turned out this way and this is what makes this bar so good and full of character.  It’s just down to earth and real.  Rudy’s has a great friendly place for pitcher or two, the choice of beer is great and it’s a fantastic night out which won’t cost you the earth.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Hoppsy guys have travelled the world and had some great beers in some great bars, but a recent visit to The Pony in Hell’s Kitchen New York City stands out as one of the best in a long while.  The Pony specialises in all American craft beers and they have a wonderful selection.  One of the beers we tried was RJ Rockers Son of a Peach, it was an unfiltered wheat beer with you guessed it peaches- it was amazing – it might not sound great but trust us- one of the tastiest wheat beers we have tried.

The Pony’s price is right on the mark too, at the time of writing they have a flat rate of $5 a 14OZ beer which is incredible for the quality of the beer on offer, they also do 64oz Growlers for those who want to take a drop of the good stuff home. There are usually about 20 beers on tap at any one time and the range is very varied.  There’s a pretty tasty food menu too. Read the rest of this entry »

Overlooking Auckland’s waterfront in the city’s port district is a great brew bar for anyone visiting New Zealand’s biggest city. The bar is pretty cool, it is built in, as the name suggest the old building once home to The Northern Steamship Co. It’s been totally refurbished and designed by some very clever designers who have turned it into a very funky beer palace.  Before we get to the beers we need to talk about the space, it’s amazing, there are floor lamps hanging from the ceiling, some incredible artwork including a huge piece behind the bar broken up into dozens of random photo frames, book cases full of cool stuff and some really funky furnishings.  Well now for the good bit- the beer there are about 8 of Mac’s finest on tap, we will talk about them in more detail in coming weeks, but  some of the line-up included Macs Gold All Malt Lager, Mac’s Sassy Red, which was delicious, Black Mac, and our favourite Mac’s Great White which was an awesome wheat beer, just to name a few. Mac’s also has some of their great ciders on tap including Isaacs’ which is a must and their food was pretty good too.  Auckland isn’t the only place to have one of these great Brewbars, in fact there are five in the city, there are also bars in Christchurch, Nelson and Wellington.

Read the rest of this entry »

About half an hour’s drive out of Auckland along State Highway no 16 is the lovely rural area of Riverhead. The area has plenty of farmland, vineyards and fruit producers.  We came across a great little brewbar and restaurant which had an incredible range of quality beers called Hallertau.  They produced beers using the traditional artisan processes with nothing other than water, yeast, hops and barley and rainwater. The brewers produce four regular beers and a range of seasonable brews, we were lucky enough to try a few of them including the Copper Tart or No 3 beer which as the name suggests is a red ale with a very tasty caramel and chocolaty taste. Delicious. Their Statesman Beer or No 2 was a very rich pale ale which had a fairly bitey hops kick. They also did a nice Kolsch style beer called Luxe or No 1 which had some delightful fruity aromas and aftertastes and plenty of character. The venue had great food, there was a as they called it grazing menu in the bar area with a range of tasty treats and more of a restaurant style menu in the main part of the complex.  The beer has been recognised by many leading critics in New Zealand and due to the small quantities produced is pretty hard to get outside the brewery but several places around Auckland are stocking it as a boutique craft brew.

Read the rest of this entry »

We did a story last year about the Australian town of Maryborough in sunny Queensland staging a Guinness World Record attempt for the worlds largest pub crawl. Well they pulled it off, for the third time in four years and are trying to beat their record again in 2009. Now the amazing thing is, it took London with a population of about 12 million people to knock of Maryborough’s record in 2006- Maryborough only has a population of about 21500. The world’s largest pub crawl happens on the Queen’s Birtday weekend in June and a new record of over 3000 revelers is hoped with people needing to drink 1 drink alcoholic or non alcoholic at each of the towns 10 pubs. Now the event just isn’t a chance to enter the record books, drink a few beers and have fun, it also raises much needed funds for the McGrath Foundation’s breast cancer support and research. If you have been on a previous pub crawl record attempt anywhere- we would love to hear your comments.

http://worldsgreatestpubcrawl.com/ Read the rest of this entry »

Goose Island Beers

Goose Island Beer originates from Chicago in the USA and they have been producing fine beers for about 20 years and are regarded as the city’s finest and freshest hand crafted ales and lagers. They produce a great range of classic brews and some very tasty seasonal beers including a Christmas Ale which is currently being served for the winter. It’s not hard to see a draught tap of Goose Island at the bar they have a very stylish goose neck handle as the pourer- you cant miss it. Goose island have two brew pubs which any visitor to Chicago shouldn’t miss one called Wrigleyville which is in North Clark Street not far from Wrigley park and the other in beautiful Lincoln Park called Clyborn- there is no better place to taste this great beer. We visited Chicago recently and just loved the Goose Island beers, the Honkers Ale is delicious and India Pale Ale is one of the tastiest we have ever tried- and we were very partial to the Harvest Ale too. Look out for Goose Island Beer it ships to about 15 states in the US and even to the UK….Hopefully they will remember us guys down here in Australia and send some our way soon- we can’t wait! Read the rest of this entry »

Where everyone knows your name

You might not know the Bull & Finch Pub by it’s name but I’m sure you will recognise it from it’s picture, it is the Cheers Pub from the popular NBC television sitcom staring Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson and Fraser star Kelsey Grammer.  The series ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993- anyway back to the pub. The Exterior of the pub was used for the TV show but the inside was actually filmed in a studio. Today the pub is one of Boston’s most popular attractions and by far their most popular pub.  The Bull and Finch name was dropped during the 90′s and now the pub is know as Cheers Beacon Hill. They also have another Cheers Pub at Boston’s entertainment district at Faneuil Hall, which has an interior more like the TV show pub. Both pubs offer great beer food and a Cheers gift shop and best of all it’s the place’ Where everyone knows your name”.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Ronald Reagan Pub

In 1984 the then US President Ronald Reagan visited the small town of Ballyporeen for a Smithwicks Ale at O’Flarrells Pub, which was later renamed the Ronald Reagan Pub in his honour. More than 20 years later the pub was dismantled and shipped from Ireland to California to become part of the magnificent Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. Here visitors can enjoy a cold Smithwicks from the same bar as the President while gazing at the huge Boeing 707 Airforce One on display and the rugged Californian Simi Valley’s harsh and unforgiving landscape. The pub has the original taps, furniture, signs and pretty much everything which greeted the Reagan’s when they visited in 84. The only difference is the exterior which was built new but keeping with the original Irish theme. The Library is about an hours drive out of LA and as well as a great pub there is a very interesting story of a man who was US president during so much change in the world.

Read the rest of this entry »

It has been reported in world newspapers today that good old Queen Elizabeth II got a huge delivery of freshly brewed beer by mistake this week. The 12 barrels of lager were meant for the Windsor Castle Pub which is up the road from the Queen’s castle but the driver stuffed up and sent it to the Queen instead. The pub was expecting the beer for celebrations during football world cup where England was trying to qualify against Croatia. The mix-up was soon sorted and the beer was sent on its way to the pub much to the delight of the revilers and i’m sure they have been quiet happy to share it with Her Majesty if she was to pop in one day.

We have all heard of the mechanical bucking bulls that get around some of the Country’n'Western themed pubs but this has to be seen to be believed- a full rodeo at the pub, complete with cattle, horses and cowboys! – I’m not kidding! Rockhampton not far from the central cost of Queensland in Australia is the country’s beef capital so there’s no better place for rodeo action- and why not at the pub. The pub once owned by 2008 Australian of the Year and country superstar Lee Kernaghan and not only features some of the region’s best beer and steaks it has a huge undercover arena where bull riding, rodeos and even some pretty big music entertainers perform. First licensed in 1878 the 130 year old pub can seat around 2000 for the rodeos, making it one of regional Queensland’s biggest undercover arenas. The venue also has gift shop, great steakhouse, gaming machines, a poker room and four bars featuring ice cold XXXX beer and of course Queensland’s favorite rum Bundy. The Great Western Hotel is one of the most unique pubs in Australia, if not the world and should be on everyone’s visiting list next time in Queensland Australia.

We are looking for unique and interesting pubs around the world, if you have a tip- drop us a line in!

Read the rest of this entry »