To kick off the newest edition of the S&Bar Hop, I persuaded my friends to join me at Grinnell Craft Brewhouse on one of this year’s coldest, windiest nights. Even before sampling a fleet of crisp ciders and ales, our cheeks had reddened from the biting gusts of faintly pig-scented air. Classic Iowa.
As one of two legal-age S&B reporters, I was cajoled into spending one of my weeknights getting compensated by the College for drinking and laughing with friends. Though not much of a drinker myself — despite my genealogical relation to beer-blooded Germans — I thoroughly enjoyed my visit.
The bartender allowed us to taste some of their signature on-tap ciders, sours and ales, and our collective favorite was the blackberry hibiscus sour. Connor Fahey `24 said, “I’ve had it many times. It tastes like Jesus’ tears.”
In my opinion, Fahey’s assessment was a tad dramatic, but the fruity, tart drink was certainly refreshing. I nursed a tall glass of cranberry cider — a version of the Brewhouse’s signature Sunset Crimson Cider — and Toby Frick `24 opted for a peanut-butter ale. It proved controversial for our group — while Frick and Fahey loved the flavor pairing, Sam Bates `24, S&B copy editor, said plainly, “I hated it. It made me gag.”
While I could not sip it due to my peanut allergy — why is this the second time this year I’ve had to reference this in an article? — the whiff of the buttery, cocoa-colored drink made me jealous of my nonallergic companions. I also questioned Bates’ judgment when I tried his beer of choice, a blood-orange wheat ale. To me, it tasted of spoiled citrus and shoes.
Like me, Eleanor Corbin `24, S&B co-editor-in-chief, much prefers cider to beer, so she chose an apple pie cider — cinnamony and the perfect combination of tart and sweet. Emma Potter `24, an avid IPA and sour aficionado, had the Victory Dance IPA after an enthusiastic recommendation from the bartender. “I’m picky about IPAs, so I went for one that’s sour but not too hoppy,” she said. “It’s really refreshing and not too heavy.”
As empty glasses continued to crowd the table, we planned to return soon to the Brewhouse’s biweekly trivia contest. Every other Wednesday night, this place has plenty of delicious options to lift your spirits, no pun intended, and let the answers flow.
