By Brett DeNeve:
The page has turned at Pearl Street Grill & Brewery with new brewers, new beers, and a new Brawler’s Deli. The deli will host a ceremonial tapping party this Thursday, paying tribute to the return of Lord Stanley Scotch Ale; doors open at 5 p.m., followed by the pouring of the first pint of this seasonally released Scotch Ale at 5:30 p.m. and an introduction to all things new at 6 pm.
The new brewers, Chris Herr (left) and Noah McIntee (right), have put Pearl Street’s standard draughts through what some may call a much-needed revitalization. This is not to say that the previous draughts were of sub-standard quality but merely to identify how their entire selection had started to bleed together, forming a uniform “Pearl Street Beer” taste found throughout the taps.
“A burger can be cooked on a flat top propane grill or a charcoal grill. Although arguments can be made for one way or the other, what you do to the actual burger is really what makes the difference in how it is going to taste,” said Herr.
Their “Wild Ox,” for example, had been advertised as a German Heffeweizen for quite some time. A popular trait for this make of beer can be found in its aroma: clove, banana (amyl acetate), bubble gum, and sometimes vanilla. After the recipe had been re-written, it was labeled an American Wheat. This beer gives up those scents previously noted for a slightly fruity sensation, accompanied by a clean yeast flavor and more highlighting of the wheat.
“It just wasn’t drinking like a German Heffeweizen. It was closer to an American, but wasn’t quite there either so we refined it,” McIntee said.
Most of Pearl Street’s long-standing draught options only required slight tweaks to get them to drink the way they should be, “Wild Ox” was the only one that needed some work. This duo plans to venture outside the box of previous Pearl Street beers through their seasonal draughts as well as having rotating selections.
Be on the lookout for: spiced “Winter Warmer,” which should make its first appearance around Thanksgiving, “Powderkeg,” an EBS (Extra Special Bitter), will be returning to the taps, and, last but not least, a collaboration with Flying Bison for a January release.
Brawler’s Deli has just finished their renovations, which allowed for 40 or more seats to be added and 3 feet of counter space to the kitchen area. Although 3 feet may not seem like a lot, if you have ever worked in one before you understand how this opens up space on the inside and can really make a difference between comfy and claustrophobic. They added a second cash register so that the line does not run out the door like it used to. They also made room right across from the registers for a possible raised platform area; this opens the way for possible music acts or open mic nights in the future.