Broadway Brewery

[Anthony Harvey]

I'm interested in anyones thoughts of the place. I went last Friday and must say that I was not impressed. I'm still working on my write for an online review, but I'm interested to hear about your experience.

From the beer, to the food and the service, lets hear it all!

[Jamie Smith]

I've only been able to make it in once and that was only a week or two after they opened. I didn't try the food so I can't comment on it, but did try the first two beers they had on tap (Pale Ale and a Rye). The Rye was nice, not great but still a nice drinkable beer. The Pale didn't do it for me at all, glad I only got a sample - from what I understand though, the Pale ale initially had some carbonation issues so that may account for some of it (they apparently dry hopped with Cascade, but I thought the aroma had a vegetable quality to it).

I've read some positive and some negative reviews of the place regarding both the food/beer and even the service. Some of this can be chalked up to the fact that it is new and needs time to work out the kinks. I'll wait to voice an opinion until after I can sit down for a meal and more of their beer.

[comoprozac]

I thought the service was good as was the atmosphere. The beer has been mixed and the food just OK. I wrote up my first trip here.

That said with some time to mull it over, I think I'm looking at Broadway long-term. The place is not very good right now, but I think it has great potential. I remember when Sycamore was terrible. Now, it's easily one of my two or three favorites in town. I honestly haven't been back to Broadway in a while. The beer's been a disappointment so far, but I expect it will get better as they get used to the equipment (and the brewer leaves his full-time job).

My bet is that it will be really good in a year. The guys running seem to know what they're doing and this town always allows restaurants time to figure things out. The important thing is that we got another brewery and it's downtown. Now they just have to do their part and produce a better product.

[Ben Howland]

I know that they had some complications early on. I was told by the bartender that they had to scrap their entire first batch of porter, because they opened the wrong valve and contaminated the fermentation tank. However, that being said they do have the porter out now as well as an IPA, both of which I thought were a big step up from the first two. The menu had grown from the first time I was there, and the atmosphere is nice. I'm still going to wait a few more months to make a judgment call on the place though.

[Jeff Rice]

While they have much to work out (once the four of us were sat with only one menu), Broadway is doing great for a baby of a place. The beers are fine for a brand new place. Rye was fine. APA was fine. Porter was fine. IPA was good. I don't want to offend my friends at the other local brewpub....people I like very much...but for me, the food at the other brewup has gone down hill in the three years I've been here. THAT food borders on the inedible at times (I cannot eat their fries anymore). And there still isn't AT THAT PLACE a nice hoppy IPA on the menu. We used to go quite often and haven't been there in awhile.

Broadway still needs to work on precooking some items for pizzas (potatoes and eggplant), not every dish needs pesto, and expand the non-pork menu (I know you all love pork, but limit your patrons to a few things each time and they stop coming back; you got vegetarians and other kinds of meat options). Sides are still not too exciting though the roasted root veggies are tasty and an alternative to no fries. Potato wedges would be a good side with the burger too (and not just as a side dish item sold separately).

Still, it's fine. If, after six months or so, they are making a living and selling beer, I hope then that they will try some interesting styles. But that wouldn't make sense right now.

We've been four times.

Ben Howland said:

I know that they had some complications early on. I was told by the bartender that they had to scrap their entire first batch of porter, because they opened the wrong valve and contaminated the fermentation tank. However, that being said they do have the porter out now as well as an IPA, both of which I thought were a big step up from the first two. The menu had grown from the first time I was there, and the atmosphere is nice. I'm still going to wait a few more months to make a judgment call on the place though.

[Jamie Smith]

Probably going to head to BB tonight, so I'll report my thoughts sometime tomorrow.

[Jamie Smith]

So the wife and I (plus Olivia) went to BB yesterday for dinner and here was my take...

They had 4 beers on tap (Dry Stout, Porter, IPA, and an APA), which was an improvement since the last time when they only had 2 (plus a handful of guest taps). Here was my take on the beer:

IPA - not a bad IPA, but as Chris noted it was a little sweet and I noted some diacetyl. Better than Flatbranch though.

APA - definite improvement since the first batch, didn't have the vegetable aroma that I noted before. Could see this getting better with time.

Porter - I usually like my porters to have some sort of unique characteristic to them (i.e., robust, bourbon/oak, yada yada) but I found this offering very nice for the style. Probably the best I tried all night -same for the wife.

Dry Stout - so so, had a touch of oxidation at the end. I'm often surprised when I get an oxidized beer at a brewery, not sure why but it seems like oxidization should take more time to set in, particularly for a small brewery such as BB.

As for the food, the wife ordered the Bacon/Squash Za and being the vegan that I am, I got the Carnivore . Both were good (I liked the bacon squash more though), but it did take 45 minutes to get our food and this was probably my biggest complaint on the night. There weren't a whole lot of people in the restaurant and it still took 45 minutes for pizza, so I would be worried even more if the restaurant was packed.

Service was OK, the waitress was a little nervous, but she checked on us regularly and made sure everything was alright, as did the working manager.

Overall, I thought the experience was OK and as I noted, I did see improvement in the beer from my first visit. Food was OK, not the best but definitely nothing to turn my nose up at either. My only real complaint was how slow it took to get the food, but that of course made me drink more beer. Speaking of beer, I hope to see some more unique offerings than just your run of the mill brewpub serving the same thing each week. I also don't think they need a bottle list with as many taps as they have. They should focus on their own beer and then have some guest taps of some higher end stuff, the bottle list was overpriced IMO. With time I think it will get better, hopefully the place becomes a staple for us beer geeks.

[comoprozac]

That 45 minutes feels a lot longer with a baby, doesn't it?

My bet is that they'll stick with basic styles until they are really comfortable with the equipment. Think about how when you started homebrewing, you probably started simple until you got the hang of it. BB is probably doing the same thing.

Good to hear that the beer is getting better. I may have to go back on my earlier promise not to drink the APA again.

[Jarrett Crader]

All-
There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding exactly what an IPA is. I'd like to clarify that the IPA at Broadway is what would be called an American Style IPA (BJCP Style 14B) whilst the Ed's IPA at the Branch is an English Style IPA (BJCP 14A). You really cannot compare the two due to the main difference being that the hop aroma that is present in the BB IPA is from North American hops (citrusy/grapefruity) and the hops used to impart flavor and aroma in the Ed's IPA are Fuggles, an English hop variety. As an fyi, our Brewmaster at FB, Larry Goodwin, is from the English tradition and brews beers that are to style. Paul at BB has a background in homebrewing and the American tradition which is why you will see a more hop forward tone in some of his beers. It would be really helpful if people were a little more versed on style before they started saying things like 'This one is better than that one.' What should be said is that you prefer the IPA at BB over the FB one. Which is totally acceptable. Follow this link to learn more about beer styles.
And before someone calls me out, I am a manager at FB but I do drink at BB at least twice a week. Part of that is because Josh and I are homebrew bros but the other part is because there is good beer there.I don't see many of the rest of you folks down there often, or for that matter at my place. If you want craft beer to succeed in this town then please help by frequenting both breweries as well as places like Sycamore and RagTag that offer a wonderful wonderful selection of craft beers.
/soapbox rant

Jamie Smith said:

So the wife and I (plus Olivia) went to BB yesterday for dinner and here was my take...

They had 4 beers on tap (Dry Stout, Porter, IPA, and an APA), which was an improvement since the last time when they only had 2 (plus a handful of guest taps). Here was my take on the beer:

IPA - not a bad IPA, but as Chris noted it was a little sweet and I noted some diacetyl. Better than Flatbranch though.

APA - definite improvement since the first batch, didn't have the vegetable aroma that I noted before. Could see this getting better with time.

Porter - I usually like my porters to have some sort of unique characteristic to them (i.e., robust, bourbon/oak, yada yada) but I found this offering very nice for the style. Probably the best I tried all night -same for the wife.

Dry Stout - so so, had a touch of oxidation at the end. I'm often surprised when I get an oxidized beer at a brewery, not sure why but it seems like oxidization should take more time to set in, particularly for a small brewery such as BB.

As for the food, the wife ordered the Bacon/Squash Za and being the vegan that I am, I got the Carnivore . Both were good (I liked the bacon squash more though), but it did take 45 minutes to get our food and this was probably my biggest complaint on the night. There weren't a whole lot of people in the restaurant and it still took 45 minutes for pizza, so I would be worried even more if the restaurant was packed.

Service was OK, the waitress was a little nervous, but she checked on us regularly and made sure everything was alright, as did the working manager.

Overall, I thought the experience was OK and as I noted, I did see improvement in the beer from my first visit. Food was OK, not the best but definitely nothing to turn my nose up at either. My only real complaint was how slow it took to get the food, but that of course made me drink more beer. Speaking of beer, I hope to see some more unique offerings than just your run of the mill brewpub serving the same thing each week. I also don't think they need a bottle list with as many taps as they have. They should focus on their own beer and then have some guest taps of some higher end stuff, the bottle list was overpriced IMO. With time I think it will get better, hopefully the place becomes a staple for us beer geeks.

[Jeff Rice]

I absolutely agree. Our beer discussion here is "taste" based. I recognize the English IPA difference from the American style. My taste is toward the American. I like hops.

And looking back on what I wrote - I'm guilty of doing the Ratebeer thing: "Hey, my taste for this beer is all that is important." Still, it's not to put down Flat Branch. I want a hoppy beer on the menu. American IPAs are fantastic beers. San Diego is king. If there isn't going to be a hoppy IPA on the menu, ok. It's still what I want, though.

It's fantastic to have two brewpubs in this town. The first place I ate at (and drank at) in Columbia was Flat Branch. I was taken there the first night of my job visit because folks on the committee knew I like beer. I'm not happy with the food there these days. But that is a different discussion. And I'm glad we have both Flat Branch and Broadway.

Jarrett Crader said:

All-
There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding exactly what an IPA is. I'd like to clarify that the IPA at Broadway is what would be called an American Style IPA (BJCP Style 14B) whilst the Ed's IPA at the Branch is an English Style IPA (BJCP 14A). You really cannot compare the two due to the main difference being that the hop aroma that is present in the BB IPA is from North American hops (citrusy/grapefruity) and the hops used to impart flavor and aroma in the Ed's IPA are Fuggles, an English hop variety. As an fyi, our Brewmaster at FB, Larry Goodwin, is from the English tradition and brews beers that are to style. Paul at BB has a background in homebrewing and the American tradition which is why you will see a more hop forward tone in some of his beers. It would be really helpful if people were a little more versed on style before they started saying things like 'This one is better than that one.' What should be said is that you prefer the IPA at BB over the FB one. Which is totally acceptable. Follow this link to learn more about beer styles.
And before someone calls me out, I am a manager at FB but I do drink at BB at least twice a week. Part of that is because Josh and I are homebrew bros but the other part is because there is good beer there.I don't see many of the rest of you folks down there often, or for that matter at my place. If you want craft beer to succeed in this town then please help by frequenting both breweries as well as places like Sycamore and RagTag that offer a wonderful wonderful selection of craft beers.
/soapbox rant

[Jarrett Crader]

Jeff-
concerns about the food noted. I have passed this thread along to the higher ups.
Re: the lack of something super hoppy on tap at FB: I'm with you in that I too prefer American Style over English. Larry tries to satisfy the hop heads with each new batch of APA. He experiments with different hop schedules and varieties in each new batch. The current one has Amarillo and Ahtanum for bittering and a LOT of Simcoe for aroma and dry hopping. In the recent past there have been batches devoted solely to Centennial, Warrior and Cascade. I'll be sure in the future to let everyone know when we have a new batch on and which hop varieties are in it.
Cheers!

Jeff Rice said:

I absolutely agree. Our beer discussion here is "taste" based. I recognize the English IPA difference from the American style. My taste is toward the American. I like hops.

And looking back on what I wrote - I'm guilty of doing the Ratebeer thing: "Hey, my taste for this beer is all that is important." Still, it's not to put down Flat Branch. I want a hoppy beer on the menu. American IPAs are fantastic beers. San Diego is king. If there isn't going to be a hoppy IPA on the menu, ok. It's still what I want, though.

It's fantastic to have two brewpubs in this town. The first place I ate at (and drank at) in Columbia was Flat Branch. I was taken there the first night of my job visit because folks on the committee knew I like beer. I'm not happy with the food there these days. But that is a different discussion. And I'm glad we have both Flat Branch and Broadway.

Jarrett Crader said:

All-
There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding exactly what an IPA is. I'd like to clarify that the IPA at Broadway is what would be called an American Style IPA (BJCP Style 14B) whilst the Ed's IPA at the Branch is an English Style IPA (BJCP 14A). You really cannot compare the two due to the main difference being that the hop aroma that is present in the BB IPA is from North American hops (citrusy/grapefruity) and the hops used to impart flavor and aroma in the Ed's IPA are Fuggles, an English hop variety. As an fyi, our Brewmaster at FB, Larry Goodwin, is from the English tradition and brews beers that are to style. Paul at BB has a background in homebrewing and the American tradition which is why you will see a more hop forward tone in some of his beers. It would be really helpful if people were a little more versed on style before they started saying things like 'This one is better than that one.' What should be said is that you prefer the IPA at BB over the FB one. Which is totally acceptable. Follow this link to learn more about beer styles.
And before someone calls me out, I am a manager at FB but I do drink at BB at least twice a week. Part of that is because Josh and I are homebrew bros but the other part is because there is good beer there.I don't see many of the rest of you folks down there often, or for that matter at my place. If you want craft beer to succeed in this town then please help by frequenting both breweries as well as places like Sycamore and RagTag that offer a wonderful wonderful selection of craft beers.
/soapbox rant

[comoprozac]

Although things get a little heated on this discussion board, it's the discussion that will make this a strong beer scene. FB and BB will only get better as we raise our and others' beer knowledge. In the end, I think we're all in favor of having great beer in this town. The discussion is heated because you're all so passionate. A lot of that passion is what has attracted me to beer geekery/connoisseurship/obsession.

That said, I don't know that it should be expected for some of us to frequent good beer joints 2-3 times a week. I've been lucky to get out to one a week. Between stretched finances, family time, and work, I know that I can't make it out as much as I'd like. We all do what we can to support our local establishments even if that means simply making them part of the discussion. (And now I feel guilty for not having gone out in a while. FB and BB are both on my list as my brother-in-law - an avid beer geek and brewer - comes to town.)

[Jarrett Crader]

Jamie/zac-
I didn't take it personally and I didn't mean for it to seem literal. I was just clarifying that there is a difference. I have had similar conversations along these lines a lot recently. I know you know the difference and I do respect your opinion. Our opinions run along the same lines regarding most things beery. My reply was just in the interest of education.
Also, I meant to type 'homebrew BROS' not pros. As in homebrew brothers. Because people see us out and all we talk about is brewing and beer and it's like we're attached at the hip sometimes. I have tasted plenty of fine beers from your hands and they are delish. I consider YOU a homebrew pro because you make good beer, period. Simple typing error.
And again I wasn't calling anyone out in particular regarding frequenting establishments. I'm in the business so I'm in attendance at a lot of bars regularly and I forget that it is way more difficult for those of you with children to get out as often. No offence was intended. If anything I'm maybe too much of a barfly sometimes. Cheers!
I meant no heat here. I've been a cheerleader for BB since Walker told me about his plans two years ago. I want 6 breweries in town by the end of 2012!
/defense


Jarrett Crader said:

Jeff-
concerns about the food noted. I have passed this thread along to the higher ups.
Re: the lack of something super hoppy on tap at FB: I'm with you in that I too prefer American Style over English. Larry tries to satisfy the hop heads with each new batch of APA. He experiments with different hop schedules and varieties in each new batch. The current one has Amarillo and Ahtanum for bittering and a LOT of Simcoe for aroma and dry hopping. In the recent past there have been batches devoted solely to Centennial, Warrior and Cascade. I'll be sure in the future to let everyone know when we have a new batch on and which hop varieties are in it.
Cheers!

Jeff Rice said:

I absolutely agree. Our beer discussion here is "taste" based. I recognize the English IPA difference from the American style. My taste is toward the American. I like hops.

And looking back on what I wrote - I'm guilty of doing the Ratebeer thing: "Hey, my taste for this beer is all that is important." Still, it's not to put down Flat Branch. I want a hoppy beer on the menu. American IPAs are fantastic beers. San Diego is king. If there isn't going to be a hoppy IPA on the menu, ok. It's still what I want, though.

It's fantastic to have two brewpubs in this town. The first place I ate at (and drank at) in Columbia was Flat Branch. I was taken there the first night of my job visit because folks on the committee knew I like beer. I'm not happy with the food there these days. But that is a different discussion. And I'm glad we have both Flat Branch and Broadway.

Jarrett Crader said:

All-
There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding exactly what an IPA is. I'd like to clarify that the IPA at Broadway is what would be called an American Style IPA (BJCP Style 14B) whilst the Ed's IPA at the Branch is an English Style IPA (BJCP 14A). You really cannot compare the two due to the main difference being that the hop aroma that is present in the BB IPA is from North American hops (citrusy/grapefruity) and the hops used to impart flavor and aroma in the Ed's IPA are Fuggles, an English hop variety. As an fyi, our Brewmaster at FB, Larry Goodwin, is from the English tradition and brews beers that are to style. Paul at BB has a background in homebrewing and the American tradition which is why you will see a more hop forward tone in some of his beers. It would be really helpful if people were a little more versed on style before they started saying things like 'This one is better than that one.' What should be said is that you prefer the IPA at BB over the FB one. Which is totally acceptable. Follow this link to learn more about beer styles.
And before someone calls me out, I am a manager at FB but I do drink at BB at least twice a week. Part of that is because Josh and I are homebrew bros but the other part is because there is good beer there.I don't see many of the rest of you folks down there often, or for that matter at my place. If you want craft beer to succeed in this town then please help by frequenting both breweries as well as places like Sycamore and RagTag that offer a wonderful wonderful selection of craft beers.
/soapbox rant