As far as I’m concerned, a brewpub is as close to the perfect place in the world you can get. I mean, think about it: They brew the beer right there (at least they should). The owners, brewmaster, and customers must all love beer, otherwise they wouldn’t be there. (Well, if the place is any good.) Add to that it’s a pub, a place for social bonding and one of the greatest inventions of mankind.

I’ve been to a few over the years. I’ve liked some better than others. It seems the ones I really liked had several things in common (in no particular order).

1. An old building, especially with a lot of exposed brick
I don’t know why, but brewpubs in modern buildings seem dry and boring. I like a building with a lot of character, with history. It doesn’t even matter if its only been a brewpub a short time. The Long Valley Pub and Brewery in Long Valley, New Jersey and Brewer’s Alley in Frederick, Maryland are examples of this. The former is in what used to be a huge stone barn that hearkens back to the late 1700s, while the latter is in a brick building that has been a marketplace, City Hall, and Opera House, among others. Beer is an ancient beverage; its environs should match.

2. Visible brewing equipment
This seems to be a given in most brewpubs, but I like to see the brewing equipment from where I’m sitting. Even better if someone is in there working with it. I was in a brewpub recently and I didn’t see the fermenting vessels and it just didn’t feel like a brewpub to me. Heck, it doesn’t even need to be working equipment, as long as it’s there.

3. A staff that knows, and cares about, the beer
The staff should know if any of the usual selections are tapped. They should know what the seasonal beer is. They should know what the brewer’s favorite is, as well as their own. The staff should be able to describe the beer. Forget the soup of the day! I’m in a brewpub. Tell me about the beer. They should be able to make suggestions for food pairing. And they should be, perhaps not beer enthusiasts or over-the-top geeks, at least fans of the beer. (I once asked a bartender at Long Valley Pub and Brewery for a growler of the Porter and he refused to sell it to me, insisting that it didn’t “travel well”.)

4. Serves only its own beer
I can’t believe that there are some purported brewpubs out there that serve bottled beer from other brewers. I’m not talking about the occasional guest beer from another nearby brewpub/microbrewer, but mainstream beers found in any corner tavern. Don’t they have enough confidence in their own product? Are they trying to appeal to people who wouldn’t normally go to a brewpub? Maybe they haven’t heard the expression “eating your own dog food”.

5. Good beer
I suppose this goes without saying. Just because it’s a brewpub, though, doesn’t mean the brewmaster knows what he’s doing. A miss or two on the menu is okay (especially if it’s a style I usually don’t go for) but for the most part it should be good, if not great.

How about you? What makes you like, or dislike, a brewpub? Please let us know in the comments.

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