Durham Brew Tour Preview: Vol. II

The final stop on the Durham tour is Fullsteam, located near Durham Central Park and the original Durham Athletic Park.  Fullsteam’s beer is unique.  Even in the fiercely independent world of craft brew, their offerings stand out for their originality and ambitious ingredient lists.  Like Triangle and BCB&B, they use as many local suppliers as they can while crafting beers that try to do more than fulfill the standard beer style spectrum; they attempt to fit their beers into North Carolina and southern culture. 

Their best-known example is Hogwash Brown Porter – ostensibly made to drink while eating NC barbecue – which I compare to drinking cold, carbonated liquid smoke.  I like a good smoky Scotch, but I will have to say that I have a difficult time getting through an entire pint of it. (That brings up another good thing about Fullsteam – they offer ½ pints of their beer also, so you aren’t stuck with a whole glass of something that you don’t like).

However, they don’t have it right now, so you don’t get the opportunity.  Fullsteam has two categories of brews; first, their session beers, collectively known as their Workers’ Compensation series.  In a nod to their somewhat radical beer leanings, they also offer the Apothecary series, seasonal and experimental brews that push the boundaries of even non-traditional libations.  Let’s throw the ‘ol virgin visit scale at this amalgam of tastiness and see what falls out:

1.      Beer For Folks That Don’t Like Beer:  Some folks think that this doesn’t exist at Fullsteam, but I would argue that this is the easiest one to find; the brewers always have something so different that it strikes you as a different beverage.  Normally I would place the Summer Basil Farmhouse Ale in this category, but they didn’t have it last week, so we’ll go with the Chatham County Paw Paw – a sweet ale made from local paw paws, which taste like mild mango/bananas.  Served in a wine glass – very smooth.
2.      Beer For Folks Who Want Hops, Hops and More Hops:  Fullsteam does offer an IPA, Rocket Science, but it is really not one of their standouts – however, it’s more of thereally pale ale variety than the Dogfish Head variety – that is to say, it’s not terribly floral or crisp.  More of a session IPA than an “I’m not worthy” IPA like the ‘Fish.
3.      Beer For Folks Who Think They Are In Siberia in January:   Easy one here – IGOR.  Fullsteam’s bourbon-barrel-aged stout is fantastic; one can easily imagine enjoying IGOR in a wingback chair in front of a roaring fire.  Really.
4.      Beer For Folks Who Will Try Anything:  Interestingly, a difficult call given the brewery’s dedication to making all their beers an alternative to the mainstream.  They do offer a Carver Ale, made with sweet potatoes, but it doesn’t taste anything like sweet potatoes.  The problem is that the entire Fullsteam palette is created to expand your horizons – so we won’t pick one.  Ha!
5.      Bonus Category:  Beer That Tastes Like A Better Version of Something You Already Drink:  The Fullsteam Lager tastes a lot like a very, very, very good Yeungling.  When I first tried this beer I was not impressed in the least – however, over the last year, it has become well-rounded and was excellent last week.


Fullsteam does have some interesting food items (but no kitchen), but its status as a premier food-truck destination takes care of that issue.  Throw in the fact that the whole place looks exactly like what you would do if you had a massive garage to make into a bar – a long, uncomplicated bar room, huge open space with picnic tables, and a game room area with ping-pong and classic pinball machines – and Fullsteam is definitely a Durham destination.

Durham Brew Tour Preview: Vol. 1

Yes, there is a commercial brewery tour in the Triangle (haven't tried it, so can't endorse it), but some extremely lucky folks are scheduled for a mini-tour limited to the Bull City this Saturday as a pre-Thanksgiving (beer)feast. As a primer for those visitors that have not experienced the varied offerings of Durham breweries, CP will dedicate its week to previewing the three scheduled Durham breweries.  Think of it as a program, or Playbill, for Saturday's activities. After all, you don't want to be saddled with a pint of English bitter when what you really want is an aged persimmon ale, right? We will preview each of the three scheduled breweries this week and hopefully provide a rough roadmap for drinkers that have been exposed to many beer styles and for those that may be new to "different" brews.  We start with the second (logically) of the tour's destinations, Bull City Burger & Brewery.

BCB&B is the youngest of the Durham triumvirate, and, in our opinion, has shown the most growth in quality of beer since their first pour in March 2011.  Upon visiting the site four days after opening, we found NO BCB&B beers ready (though they did offer other local taps) due to poor forecasting.  Disappointed, your CP staff visited some three weeks later and came away underwhelmed after tasting five serviceable but unremarkable brews.  In the time since, however, BCB&B seems to have found its groove, churning out solid base beers with envelope-pushing seasonal concoctions.  Using the time-honored CP formula for virgin brewery visits, we offer the following:

1.  Beer For Folks Who Don't Like Beer:  BCB&B staff would steer you to the Bryant Bridge Gateway Ale as it is the "lightest" of their offerings (and the most like mass-produced beers - think of a more flavorful Miller Lite - but don't tell BCB&B I said that), but I would encourage you to try the "Goat" Bullock Bock.  Bock is a light (don't let the caramel color fool you) German style beer that is quite malty and very smooth, and the Bullock is an excellent example of an easy-drinking, sweet brew.

2.  Beer For Folks Who Want Hops, Hops and More Hops:  Not a perfect choice at BCB&B right now; their IPA (OK, but not spectacular) is not on tap, so we'll have to go with the Parrish St. Pale Ale (a nod to the restaurant's downtown location).  Their Pale Ale is reminiscent of Sierra Nevada's classic offering, with not quite the bite, but a much richer color.

3.  Beer For Folks Who Think They Are In Siberia In January:  These are the folks that drink stouts and (for wusses), porters all times of the year.  Right now, BCB&B has you covered with its Watts Oatmeal Stout, complete with a nitrogen-powered tap.  If you don't know why that's important, you probably don't need to taste this beer.  A perfectly carbonated stout that's not overwhelmed with coffee beans, the Oatmeal Stout holds its own with any locally-produced stout.

4.  Beer For Folks Who Will Try Anything:  Two offerings here; first, for those who want to fully experience the autumnal mood, BCB&B pours their Rhine ESP (Ephemerally Spiced Pumpkin) Ale.  Admittedly, I did not try this one, but the pumpkins used were grown just outside of Boone, NC, so why not?  Second is the Movember Moustache Ale - a nod to the heretofore obscure (to me, anyway) Movember movement that supports men's health.  An English bitter ale with very little bitter, it's what we snooty beer folks call a session beer - the sort of which you can down three or four without thinking about it (before you fall off your barstool).      

BCB&B's burgers are considered among the best in the Triangle and their fried pickles are also excellent.  I have found their bartenders to be among the most knowledgeable in the area about their beers, if not the most garrulous (not that this is a bad thing).  With a large bar and an adequate outside patio, you will enjoy your foray into downtown to visit BCB&B.  Only warning is that BCB&B has the lightest barstools in the Triangle...you will know what I mean once you are there.  Tomorrow:  Fullsteam.