We’ve had a long day already, but we had promised a few patrons of Stilt House to give HOB Brewing Company of Dunedin, FL and Barley Mow Brewing Company of Largo, FL a try before we headed back. This was around the time that Melissa and I realized just how many breweries there were on this little sub-peninsula of the peninsula state. HOB is open until 3am, and Barley Mow was open until 2am so I guess we have plenty of time to stop!
HOB Brewing Company (Dunedin, FL)
10 minutes down the road from Stilt House on ALT 19 is the House of Beer; HOB Brewing Company. More than just a brewery; HOB has a 40 brews on tap, a full selection of liquor, pool tables, and patio seating. This down and dirty brewery also has a neon BAR sign tacked right in front so you can’t miss the place at night.
Due the fact it’s super late, we didn’t chat much with the bartender. We played dealers choice for our flight of four. In order from least to most favorite we had the…
- Le’i-zy Days: Lazy days is your run of the mill pale ale. While it was light and enjoyable, it had no defining characteristics or unique quality that sets it apart from the competition. We gave it a 3 on Untappd.
- It’s Effing Nitro: This is their nitro version of their WTF Happened Stout. Everything is creamy on nitro, and this delicious smokey coffee stout was no exception. We also received a small sample of the WTF regular just to taste side by side. Our opinion seemed to match Untapped; the nitro version beats the regular carb version (which is usually the case for stouts).
- Mango Hefeweizen: This was one of those “in the eye of the beholder” brews. It’s my personal opinion that this mango hefe blended the right amount of hefe character (wheat, clove and banana flavors), with the right amount of mango flavor (I’m not sure if it’s real fruit or additive). But I can also see how some people might complain that there just isn’t enough mango.
- Cool Cucumber IPA: Best beer of the flight. If you want a 6.9% IPA, but also want something refreshing like cucumber water this is your must try. We’ve had one cucumber beer on this trip so far (7venth Sun) and several others before (Irving Cliff Brewery, Flying Dog, Quest Brewing to name a few). But this is the first cucumber IPA. It’s not for everyone, but it was certainly a unique experience that I think a beer snob might even enjoy.
HOB Brewing Company (and the subsequent visit to Barley Mow) deserved a much longer commitment than we were able to provide on this Beerventure. While half of their tap line up was filler (Stella, Sea Dog, and Narragansett and other staples) they also had a nice variety of local brews and a good selection of their own. They even have their own mix and match 4 & 6 pack bottle station! The House of Beers was certainly well stocked and earned its name with a solid 3.75 out of 5.
Barley Mow Brewing Company (Largo, FL)
20 minutes down the road, and a slight detour from the fastest route back to the hotel was another late night brewery we were told to hit. It’s almost 1 am at this point, but you would never know it’s that late on a weeknight because this brewery was still going strong. So strong that we were limited to only 3 house brews that were left, but several guest taps were available (and a full complement of liquor). But we’re here for their beer, so we grabbed what was left.
- Tinsel: This was one of their takes at a Christmas beer. Caramel, toffee, and other spices were haphazardly thrown together in a spicy winter warmer blend. Can’t say we were the biggest fans, but we get where they were going.
- Calliope: Tart cherry brew with a little lemon twist. It was not nearly as tart as I anticipated, and thats a good thing. Checking the comments out on Untappd, we can see that the scores are really subjective based on the perceived amount of cherry tart in the beer.
- Cranberry Spice: The cream of the crop of our extra small flight here. This cranberry spiced strong ale weighted in at a lovely 10% with minimal amount of boozy tones. The spices used in this brew were significantly more balanced than the Tinsel, and was quite frankly a delicious beer that if I was a local I would look forward to every Christmas. It was really sweet though, I would be happy with 5-10 ozs at a time. Melissa could probably polish off a pint.
Like HOB above, Barley Mow did not get the time it deserved. Nor did we get to experience their patio or even really have a access to a stronger sampling of their house beers which is a shame because I expect great things come out of those taps. The holiday creativity we were able to experience earns Barley Mow Brewing Company a should stop 3.85 out of 5.
AIG
Chatting with locals, bartenders and owners continues to be one of our most enjoyable experiences when we visit new breweries. The guy we struck up a conversation with, Jim, went through the same repetition of questions we normally face “where are you from, what brings you all the way to ‘x’ and what do you two do for a living.” Except instead of spending time discussing beer, local breweries, and our travels, we just hashed out our frustration on the American International Group.
Jim had worked for the insurance company for nearly 10 years, and one day had it with management and quit. He had been an alumni for a few years now, working for a smaller, local firm, and he wasn’t surprised at all to learn that not much has changed in the overall tone of the company. I told him that I was also finished with the firm, and had just interviewed for a regional bank two days before flying out to Florida and was still waiting to hear if I had gotten the job. He wished me luck, we finished our drinks and parted ways.
The very next morning around 10am I took a call from a New Jersey area code while laying on a hotel towel, in the white sands of St. Pete Beach, eating mango and fending off seagulls, to accept my new position. Jim from Barley Mow might have been my good luck charm.
