I know it seems like I talk negative about Georgia, or at least more than positive, but really it’s just Brunswick. People come in the restaurant all the time asking if we have any locally brewed beers. It upsets me to say no, but I have a theory on why we don’t have any. The quality of beer is based on the purity of the water used to brew it, correct? I casually invite you to swing through Brunswick, GA and take down a nice glass of the water we drink in this area. It tastes like metal. It tastes like what a hospital smells like when you walk in the front doors. So, why would you try to make a tasty brew out of nasty water? My point exactly.
It was, yet again, another beautiful Monday off work in the Golden Isles. My roommates were up in Savannah for a wedding, so I made the short hour trip to join them for lunch at The Distillery! I always find good surprises in Savannah, GA and this was another one to add to the list.
Appropriately named, The Distillery was exactly that back in 1904 and was re-established in 2008 as a restaurant and bar that served “No Crap, Just Craft.” The good news is that they serve more than their 21 Craft Beers and 99 bottled brews- they also have a full menu (even for the starving artist in you). It not only has a large bar to entertain, but a full dining room and front patio tables for a comfortable, speakeasy experience.
The restaurant had a great combination of beer options, a creative and versatile menu, and a laid back atmosphere. It all seemed to work really well together. The servers were casual in jeans and tee shirts, and the bartenders wore silver vests over their shirts. There were two things that I really liked inside the restaurant: 1) a large sign on the wall addressing all the beers they DIDN’T serve (I.e. Stella Artois, Budweiser, Bud Light, etc..) 2) they had silent films playing in the restaurant for your entertainment.
We sat at our table with food menus and the ” Draught” list of their craft beers. I started off with a Penn Brewing Weizen. Their daily beer list was informative. It told the name of the beer, the style, its origin, the volume, its alcohol content, and the price. For instance, the brew I was having:
Name: Penn Brewing Weizen
Style: Hefeweizen
Origin: Pennsylvania
Volume: 16 oz
ABV: 5 %
Price: $4
Anytime I dine out, I like to try food that I’ve never experienced before or the restaurant’s staple dishes. I like to see why they’ve made it this far- what they’ve done to keep themselves in business and their eyes on the prize. For our appetizer we ordered Alligator Tail. It’s Florida gator, beer battered and deep fried southern swamp style- served with a homemade honey jalapeño remoulade. Sauces are my everything- we had to ask for a second ramekin of this one.
It was a great appetizer to share between three people. We also got an appetizer with our meal. Since we all love cheese fries, we got their Stout Fries (or Sweet Potato Fries!) with “the works.” The works include chili, ale cheese, sour cream, bacon, and scallions. They were also served with a homemade creole remoulade.
A few more appetizers they featured, that I would’ve ordered if I had a bigger stomach:
Pretzel Treasures – warm, soft, salted pretzel nuggets with ground spicy mustard, and their ale cheese
Drunken Calamari – marinated in Witbier, breaded and fried crisp, with homemade cocktail and tartar sauce
Hog Hammers – three dinner sized meaty cuts of pork, slathered in buffalo-style, BBQ, or mustard BBQ sauce, with carmelized red onions.
For my meal I wanted a sandwich. Yes, I’m the hypocrite who quit carbs for new years, but I only eat them when I want to try something that sounds interesting. The sandwich selection was quite interesting. I chose the Pickle My Tuna – albacore tuna salad topped with pepper jack cheese, two beer battered pickle spears on toasted white or wheat bread, with marinated red onions, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.
Check out these other delicious sandwiches they offered:
Speakeasy Club - bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, Swiss, roasted turkey, and craft beer glazed ham on white or wheat bread
Prohibition Po’ Boy – buttermilk fried shrimp or beer battered cod on a toasted sub roll with marinated red onions, lettuce, tomato, and the Chef’s creole remoulade
Hummus-Among-Us - warm pita bread layered with spiced pepper and onion hummus, mixed greens, tomatoes, marinated red onions, artichoke hearts, cucumbers, and feta cheese
Not only did they have a great selection of sandwiches and burgers (including a black bean burger), but also some great salads. I couldn’t decide between the Pickle My Tuna sandwich or The Bootlegger Steak salad.
The Bootlegger Steak Salad - thinly sliced steak and goat cheese on a bed of greens with caramelized onions, tomatoes, carrots, and toasted walnuts. This salad would be GREAT with either their Cranberry Vinaigrette or their Cucumber Wasabi dressing.
Another great section of the menu, dedicated to the starving artist in you, is “The Quick and The Cheap. Nothing is over $5.50 and they have some great items!
Craft Beer Bratwurst – boiled in seasonal craft beer and grilled, topped with sauerkraut and spicy mustard. You can find one up in the picture under Pickle My Tuna (it’s in the background).
Nanner Sammich – peanut butter, honey, and banana on white or wheat. Make it “Elvis” style by adding bacon!
Fried Bologna and Cheese Sandwich – self explanatory and topped with coleslaw on white or wheat bread
A few other self explanatory items they offered were a BLT, PB & J, and a Grilled Cheese Sammich.
All of their beers didn’t have their original taps. Instead, they were used as wall hangings! The taps were replaced with miniature chalkboards that each of the beers were written on. It really was a great little spot and I will recommend it to anyone traveling through Savannah.
I love craft beer,
Coleman
