What are your Favorite Brewpubs

[Mayhaw Man]

As award winning beer afficianados you must have some favorites. What are they and what makes them your favorites. Just Beer? Beer and Food? Atmosphere? A combination of all three.

And to ask a further question along those lines-What is your favorite chain (I am a huge fan of the Big River Chain run out of Chattanooga, TN and located in a number of places in the Southeast-brewmaster Rob Gentry, on top of being the Southern Gentleman brewer of the Century,a serious proponent of traditional English Style Brewing (complete to the point of using a very complicated, time consuming and traditional finings process), and apparently a pretty good manager of his limited time and personnel) I also generally find that Rock Bottom puts out a pretty dependable product, although I have always thought that their food was pretty lackluster, but I'm from New Orleans and as with most people from here, I have trouble with food in the rest of the country.

Thanks,

Brooks

[beergirl]

First, the chains.... We don't really frequent any of them as there's not one really close to us. It probably wouldn't be fair to comment on them (although Ray may!)

But, we do have several favorites around the country that we make it a point to visit and revisit and revisit, etc.

In no particular order (so no feelings get hurt), they are:

Nodding Head in Philadelphia - great on all three counts (beer, food and atmosphere).

Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware - it's hitting on all three cylinders as well.

Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, PA - another one we love to spend hours in that has all the bases covered.

Wynkoop Brewing Company in Denver, CO - good beer, great food, great atmosphere.

Bull & Bush Pub & Brewery in Denver, CO - another one shining in all three areas.

Rogue Public House in Newport, OR - loads of Rogues on tap and fun atmosphere with good (not great) food.

Jack of the Wood Pub/Green Man Ales in Asheville, NC - super atmosphere, good beer, great food.

Hunter-Gatherer in Greenville, SC - great atmosphere with good food and beer.