Got to get to the Yard House. Nothing like great beer and good food. Throw in a great experience at 66.00!! Doesn't get any better than that. Thanks for the headsup TOG

"The Boss" and I headed out to Aurora, Ind late this afternoon and tired out The Great Crescent Brewery. She has a co-worker who raved about the beer and since TOG really, really likes beer, so it wasn't hard for "The Boss" to get me to go there.

 

We started out with four different sample beers in taste beer glasses and had the

 

Great Crescent Blonde Ale:

Great Crescent Blonde Ale is clear, slightly malty with medium hop aroma and relatively low bitterness and has a somewhat sweet, dry finish. Our Blonde Ale is based on a German Kolsch style beer using British Ale yeast for the fermentation.

 

This beer was created as an easy-drinking, approachable, malt-oriented craft beer and the style is being produced by many American microbreweries. This style is usually designed as the entry-level craft beer, however Great Crescent Blonde Ale is well appreciated by people who are already familiar with and enjoy many other styles of craft beer.

 

ABV: 5.3%

IBU: 22.2

 

Great Crescent India Pale Ale (IPA),

The beer that was created to make the ocean voyage to India when it was a British Colony lives on today in many interpretations - all hoppy, some a lot more than others. Great Crescent IPA is made in the classic British style and maintains some balance between the malt and the hops. There is a moderate hop aroma with a carmel malt presense. Hop flavor and bitterness come through very cleanly in the finish.

ABV: 6.2%

IBU: 60.5

 

Chocolate Robust Porter - Winter 2013,

Brewed with traditional British hops and made in the Robust style - then cocoa nibs are added during fermentation. Dark and rich, balanced malt and hops and a definite flavor and aroma of bitter chocolate in the finish.

 

ABV: 7.5%

IBU: 33

 

Dark Lager.

ABV: 5.7%

IBU: 22.7

 

The name of the brewer was George Bentel. His house is still standing in New Harmony. The Harmonist brewer and cooper, George Bentel, was born November 3, 1781 in Iptingen, the same village in the Swabian kingdom of Württemberg where George Rapp was born. Bentel lived at the northeast corner of Brewery and Grainery streets, where his house remains today, as upright as when Indiana's first brewer marched out to make his beer almost two centuries ago.

The German utopian communalists in New Harmony were Indiana's first significant brewers. Beginning in 1816, the Harmonists eventually brewed enough to sell all the way up to what is now West Virginia and down into lower Illinois. From the historical record, it appears the Harmonists brewed a porter-like dark beer. It must have been pretty good beer: An educated German, Ferdinand Ernst, stopped in New Harmony during his journey through the frontier region. “They served me a stein of beer,” Ernst wrote, “and I was not a little astonished to find here a genuine, real Bamberg beer.” He gushed that the Harmonists “must be happiest people of entire Christiandom.” A Louisville agent for the Harmonists reported,“Mr. Breeden, the most celebrated porter seller in the place says the strongest part of it would almost pass for porter and is the best beer he has ever seen in this country…

The GC Blonde Ale was good my 3rd favorite and "The Boss 2nd favorite.

The IPA was okay but the least favorite of mine but "The Boss 3rd favorite.

The Robust Porter was my 2nd favorite but "The Boss" least favorite, go figure.

Both of us loved the Dark Lager.

 

On Friday night they serve pizza from a local home made pizza place but since it was a Saturday we didn't get to try that but did have some bier cheese and I had a Spicy Italian Sausage on a roll some slaw and chips. I can honestly say the roll that the made up the sandwich was OUTSTANDING. "The Boss" had pulled Chicken sandwich and agreed the bun was out of this world.

 

If you like Craft Beer, give the place a try.

Edited June 16, 201313 yr by Theoldguy

Hit Wunder Bar on Thursday. We had a $25 certificate and we couldn't even spend it all. I got the Rueben with a side of brussell sprouts. My wife had two sausages with a side of potato salad. We also ordered a pretzel which came with teriyaki mustard and still only hit $23. The food was great and the service was excellent, there is a reason they are "liked" on Urban Spoon.

Probably headed over to Newport early tomorrow afternoon (technically today, I guess) to get some Italian.

Probably headed over to Newport early tomorrow afternoon (technically today, I guess) to get some Italian.

Sounds like a hit.

Sounds like a hit.

 

We've been the past several years. The spotty weather changed our plans, however. Wound up going over to Eastgate to the (Fuji, I think) Japanese steak house, then over to Jungle Jim's to stock up on cheeses and olives and spices and sauces that we can't find here. It was a good day.

1st trip to the Precinct tonight.

Just saw a piece on the news about Southern Smoke BBQ. New place in Newport. Anyone tried it yet?

Just saw a piece on the news about Southern Smoke BBQ. New place in Newport. Anyone tried it yet?

 

Checking it out for lunch...

Just saw a piece on the news about Southern Smoke BBQ. New place in Newport. Anyone tried it yet?

 

Eh. Pulled pork was tender but didn't have much flavor or smoke taste to it. BBQ sauce was decent. Just didn't stand out overall...

The Boss and I went to the Yard House at the Banks late this afternoon. The only negative was having to pay for parking but the Beer, the food, the service was top notch and I do mean top notch.

 

The Boss and I shared six different 5oz beers, called the six pack traditional.

 

1) The sampler started with Harpoon UFO White (Boston) It was light crisp and refreshing with a hint of orange zest. It went down very, very smooth our 2nd favorite!

 

2) Harpoon IPA (Boston) A strong hop flavor with a deep cooper color. Was our least faveriote

 

3) Great Divide Hercules (Denver) Double IPA that is hoppier and maltier with a backbone of nutty and toffee flavor. Our third favorite!

 

4) Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot (Eastern Pa.) A barley wine with malty tones of dates and figs on the palate. Ok but nothing to write home about.

 

5) Weherbacher Double Simcoe (whatever that is) (Eastern Pa). A treat for hopheads. We liked it.

 

6) Two Brothers Cane and Abel (Warrenville Il) An American strong ale that starts dry and then hits you with a tang flavor and touch of rye. Our favorite!

 

With the Beer sampler we had the MOO SHU EGG ROLLS chicken, chili cream cheese, carrots, green onions, cilantro, spinach with apple ginger plum sauce. Outstanding and they were huge! Four large egg rolls that we shared. Very, very good I highly recommend them.

 

With dinner I went with an old stand by a Smithwick's while The Boss had a pint of Two Brothers Cane and Abel.

 

Diner was outstanding and our server was great! She didn't push us to finish or to order (we were there eating and drinking for nearly two hours) more beer and was right on with her suggestions to us.

 

We both ordered off the house favorites:

 

The Boss had the PENNE WITH CHICKEN

crimini mushrooms, asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes in marsala cream sauce, dusted with parmesan. She loved it!

 

I had the SPICY JAMBALAYA blackened jumbo shrimp, spicy chicken–andouille sausage, red and pasilla peppers pan blackened with sweet crawfish and cajun tomato cream sauce with linguini pasta, brown rice. Really, really like it.

 

Now understand we both had the smaller versions of the two offerings but they more than filled us up without making us stuffed.

 

We then shared a KONA COFFEE ICE CREAM SUNDAE java chip ice cream topped with oreo cookie crumbles, macadamia nuts and chocolate sauce served with macadamia nut cookie. Very very good.

 

And now the best part, all the above only cost $66.00 without tip and I gave the young lady a 25% tip as she indeed was very deserving of it.

 

We then went inside the restaurant (we ate outside) and had another beer and when our dinner server saw us (she was getting drinks for other diners), she came over and thanked us for the tip and said how happy she was that I put Outstanding Service on my Credit Card house receipt!

 

Here is the bottom line, for $66.00 it was am outstanding dinner, with exceptional service, good beer and a very nice evening out with The Boss and yes we will go again!

 

Instead of the Hofbrauhaus, where we always meet when Mrs. S and I come up there, RTS suggeested the Yard House, instead. Great suggestion.

 

Mrs. S had the Porcini Crusted Halibut and I had the Mac & Cheese squared. She drank that Angry Apple Crisp Cider, and I stayed with what I know I like, Yuengling. The service was fantastic. I think the bill was $69 something.

 

RTS and BF had some kind of Kona light beer.

Eh. Pulled pork was tender but didn't have much flavor or smoke taste to it. BBQ sauce was decent. Just didn't stand out overall...

Was hoping it was good since its close. Did you dine in or carryout?

Was hoping it was good since its close. Did you dine in or carryout?

 

Carry out. It wasn't bad, but I have high standards for BBQ. I'll probably go back for dinner and try the ribs or 1/2 chicken at some point soon. People were nice and service was fast so I'll give it another go...

Instead of the Hofbrauhaus, where we always meet when Mrs. S and I come up there, RTS suggeested the Yard House, instead. Great suggestion.

 

Mrs. S had the Porcini Crusted Halibut and I had the Mac & Cheese squared. She drank that Angry Apple Crisp Cider, and I stayed with what I know I like, Yuengling. The service was fantastic. I think the bill was $69 something.

 

RTS and BF had some kind of Kona light beer.

 

We tried Yard House last night. The enchilada stack was incredible. Might be the best entree I've had all year...

Carry out. It wasn't bad, but I have high standards for BBQ. I'll probably go back for dinner and try the ribs or 1/2 chicken at some point soon. People were nice and service was fast so I'll give it another go...

I'm trying to picture exactly where it is. They have a bar?