What Was On Tap at the Brick Store Pub on Opening Night Back in 1997?
Decatur Metro | June 25, 2013 | 5:12 pmThe Brick Store Pub is celebrating 16 years tonight with 16 new beers being tapped. They just started tapping at 5pm, so get over there! However, what I found particularly interesting was the list of beers on tap 16 years ago, which was included with their announcement. Here are the two lists: one from 1997, the other for today.
1997 DRAUGHT LIST (20 oz. $3.75)Anchor SteamBass Ale
Blind Man Pale Ale .***Recreated by Crawford Moran at 5 Season’s Brew pubBlind Man Espresso Stout
***Actually just “Steady Job Coffee Porter” masquerading as Blind Man Espresso Stout tonight
Boddington’s English Bitter
Dogwood Pale Ale
***Again, mad props to our good buddy and former owner of Dogwood Brewing Co., Crawford Moran for recreating
Fuller’s E.S.B
Guinness Stout
Hoegaarden Witbier
Newcastle Brown Ale
Paulaner Hefe Weissbier
Pilsner Urquell Czech Pils
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Warsteiner PilsenerA TOAST TO THE FUTURE WITH…
Allagash Thing 1Point Fathom IPA
Bahnhof Kartoffel Berliner Weisse
Dogfish Head Palo Santo 2009Founders Doom Double IPAGrand Teton Pursuit of HoppinessGreat Divide Chocolate Yeti 2010Lost Abbey Angel’s Share 2010
Lambickx Gueuze Lambic
Red Brick Anniversary
SweetWater 16Terrapin/ Thornbridge CoalitionThirsty Dog Red Rocket Sour Cherry
Twain’s Cask IPAWestbrook One Claw
Weyerbacher Sixteen
Photo courtesy of the Brick Store Pub
What strikes me about the 1997 list is there isn’t one IPA. I guess there were none available here at the time that were under the legal alcohol limit. The first IPA I remember drinking on draft was at Brick Store, circa 2004-5, but I’ve forgotten which one.
As I remember the legend, Decatur was host to the Irish team during the 1996 Olympics. The Irish were impressed with our fair city during the pre-tour,, loved the Courthouse, friendly host families, etc. but innocently asked, “Where is the pub?”
OMG, no pub! So, a pub was hastily erected in a vacant store front — the beer equivalent of a Potemkin village (like everything during the Atlanta Olympics). I think it was in the Colbeh space and managed by Dave Blanchard.
Decaturites flocked to the mock Irish pub. The Brick Store soon followed as a real pub and anchor to the current scene. Congrats to the Brick Store. (note, you can still order the Jaws sandwich (fish) even though it has been long pulled from the menu.
Brick Store the best.
Grats to BSP !
When was the picture taken? It looks like sometime around Dec 2007 to early 2008. I’m sitting in the catbird seat on my black bomber jacket, with my back to the camera, talking to someone hidden.
Makes me smile when remembering Dave , Tom and Mike digging ditches inside the building late at night to install the drain lines for the bar. We’d exchange a few encouraging words. Nice young guys then. Still nice guys now. Decatur is lucky they came. Talk about forces of economic development! You can’t buy this type drive, energy, vision and personality: known as “the Brick Store Boys.”
Welcome Ryan to the mix! Always polite, with a firm Irish handshake.
Remember it well, & happy that the good folks behind BSP came to Decatur! I looked through the windows in the new spot (in the old train station) and it looks gorgeous. I hope it will become an institution like Leon’s an BSP! Any clue when it will open?