Boylan Bridge Brewpub Beer Taste Test and Tour

I'd like a Pale Ale Please

December, 18, 2008 , by Jedidiah

I had a chance to go by the Boylan Bridge Brewpub and taste a couple of the beers and they are quite tasty.

So far, a pale ale, golden ale, and winter “warmer” have been brewed at the long awaited pub and restaurant. The pale ale is the only beer that is currently being fed to the taps but the golden ale was moved from the brewing room upstairs to the downstairs storage area where it will stay for at least 24 hours before being pumped into the bar tap. The winter warmer was recently brewed and has yet to be filtered. Its next step will be through the filters and down to the area where the pale ale and golden ale currently reside.

The only two beers that were available for tasting were the pale ale and winter warmer. The pale ale wasn’t very carbonated, as it was just recently moved downstairs, and the carbonation increases daily. But, the carbonation didn’t detract from the taste. A very smooth beer, Boylan Bridge’s pale ale had a similar consistency to many of the mainstream pale ales. After a half a pint of the pale ale, it was on to the winter warmer in the brew room which still had a bit of sediment but definitely had a coffee hint to the flavor and a nice consistency, especially to be non-filtered. Then it was back to the pale ale.

Both beers show promise for the new space. The only other brewery in Raleigh is Horniblow’s and it is located in a warehouse off the beaten path and doesn’t have the most inviting environment for variable types of patrons. I personally love Big Boss beer and the Horniblow’s space but can see, from its location and spatial arrangement, how it would detract many otherwise regular visitors. The Boylan Bridge Brewpub won’t have this problem. With a prominent downtown location, fabulous patio with a great view of downtown, great beer and casual interior, BBB will be very successful….once it’s up and running.

The rumors are right. No smoking. No televisions. Food will be served and there will be a total of six beers on tap. Each booth has an electrical outlet, handy for laptops and there will be booths as well as more flexible tables in the space (which should be made downstairs at Special Projects in the next week or so). Beer and wine are a definite and liquor is probable but not for sure…yet.

The brewpub will not open before the new year but looking at the progress of the furniture and quick production of beer, it looks to be open very early in 2009. There’s a lot of free time, personal commitment and passion invested in this space and therefore it should have a promising future ahead of it, even if it is a bit later than expected. At least it’ll have most of the kinks worked out before opening, unlike many places who get a business loan to open a space and have to rush to get it open. Such is not the case at Boylan and hopefully it will show in the end.

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