The maiden voyage of What’s on Tap found me at Dad Watson’s in Fremont (http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=14). Owned by McMenamins, it’s an interesting establishment to say the least. Unique artwork and trinkets abound including large wooden prehistoric fish hanging from the ceiling to intricate paintings of serpent like sea creatures and mermaids. We arrived early and parked in the garage directly below the brewery for $10, which was a small price to pay for avoiding the embarrassment of a parallel parking failure in a Mini Cooper.
The bar was quiet for a Saturday afternoon and had the smell of fried food and bad decisions at 1AM which gave it instant credibility. Fortunately for us we wandered in at happy hour and were greeted with $3 pints, $3 hamburgers, and $2 Cajun Tots. Unfortunately, the quality of the beer fell short of expectations and was upstaged by the tots. As an IPA lover the Two Block Walk IPA was slightly flat, a bit too fruity, and not hoppy enough for my taste. I had received an inside tip to order a “Rubinator” which is a combination of their Ruby Red and Terminator Stout so I did. If you’re in the mood for something a little different it’s definitely worth a shot.
The bartender was friendly and offered an unsoliscited joke (Bartender "How many kids with A.D.D. does it take to change a light bulb?" Me "How many?" Bartender "Wanna ride bikes?") which was a bonus. He also told me that I looked exactly like his brother... which was a little awkward. Overall the service was good, the Cajun Tots were a must order, and the beer was okay. Here’s my final assessment:
Atmosphere = 3.5 hops
Food = 3 hops
Beer =2.5 hops
Service = 3 hops
Final Tally= 3 hops
(Scale of 1-5 hops, 5 being the highest mark)
The bar was quiet for a Saturday afternoon and had the smell of fried food and bad decisions at 1AM which gave it instant credibility. Fortunately for us we wandered in at happy hour and were greeted with $3 pints, $3 hamburgers, and $2 Cajun Tots. Unfortunately, the quality of the beer fell short of expectations and was upstaged by the tots. As an IPA lover the Two Block Walk IPA was slightly flat, a bit too fruity, and not hoppy enough for my taste. I had received an inside tip to order a “Rubinator” which is a combination of their Ruby Red and Terminator Stout so I did. If you’re in the mood for something a little different it’s definitely worth a shot.
The bartender was friendly and offered an unsoliscited joke (Bartender "How many kids with A.D.D. does it take to change a light bulb?" Me "How many?" Bartender "Wanna ride bikes?") which was a bonus. He also told me that I looked exactly like his brother... which was a little awkward. Overall the service was good, the Cajun Tots were a must order, and the beer was okay. Here’s my final assessment:
Atmosphere = 3.5 hops
Food = 3 hops
Beer =2.5 hops
Service = 3 hops
Final Tally= 3 hops
(Scale of 1-5 hops, 5 being the highest mark)
ok,not sure about the hops, but the sleepwalking dog? Priceless:) still laughing uncontrollably