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  • Post #1171 - April 9th, 2013, 3:34 pm
    Post #1171 - April 9th, 2013, 3:34 pm Post #1171 - April 9th, 2013, 3:34 pm
    The wait at Kuma's is generally pretty ridiculous, I always avoid it by sticking to the following couple rules:
    1) go with as few people as possible, even better if you go by yourself
    2) go at times when you know it wont be packed. These times are either immediately at opening or around 2:30-3:00 after the lunch rush is over
    3) pick up your burger for takeout (they only allow this when the patio is closed). One time I picked up my burger and then sat and ate it on curb in front of everyone waiting in line like a total dick. I was hungry though, not being spiteful.

    Some people don't want to jump through hoops like this just to get a really delicious burger, which I understand. I think that Kuma's is partially a victim of its own success, partially unwilling to be more accommodating (clearly they don't have to be to survive). I have heard heresay that the owner of Kuma's may indeed be a jerk, but I can't confirm or disconfirm this personally.
  • Post #1172 - April 9th, 2013, 4:08 pm
    Post #1172 - April 9th, 2013, 4:08 pm Post #1172 - April 9th, 2013, 4:08 pm
    Suiname wrote:The wait at Kuma's is generally pretty ridiculous, I always avoid it by sticking to the following couple rules:
    1) go with as few people as possible, even better if you go by yourself
    2) go at times when you know it wont be packed. These times are either immediately at opening or around 2:30-3:00 after the lunch rush is over
    3) pick up your burger for takeout (they only allow this when the patio is closed). One time I picked up my burger and then sat and ate it on curb in front of everyone waiting in line like a total dick. I was hungry though, not being spiteful.

    Some people don't want to jump through hoops like this just to get a really delicious burger, which I understand. I think that Kuma's is partially a victim of its own success, partially unwilling to be more accommodating (clearly they don't have to be to survive). I have heard heresay that the owner of Kuma's may indeed be a jerk, but I can't confirm or disconfirm this personally.


    Rule #1, unfortunately, applies to lots of places. There are innumerable restaurants in town where 4 is workable but 6 is near impossible. We were planning to go to Longman with some friends one night when I overheard my wife extending an invitation to another couple, which immediately forced a "plan B" workaround. It sucks, but it's a harsh reality of "no-reservations" restaurants.
  • Post #1173 - April 9th, 2013, 5:59 pm
    Post #1173 - April 9th, 2013, 5:59 pm Post #1173 - April 9th, 2013, 5:59 pm
    spinynorman99 wrote:Rule #1, unfortunately, applies to lots of places. There are innumerable restaurants in town where 4 is workable but 6 is near impossible. We were planning to go to Longman with some friends one night when I overheard my wife extending an invitation to another couple, which immediately forced a "plan B" workaround. It sucks, but it's a harsh reality of "no-reservations" restaurants.


    Although Suiname's Rule 1 seems to be saying something more acute than that, namely that at Kuma's, ONE is workable, but TWO (or more) is near impossible. That's hyperbole on my part, of course, but if dining out is supposed to be a social occasion, then Kuma's Corner is not - at least for many commonly-accepted values of "social occasion" - a viable option.

    Also, Suiname's "rules" sound more like how to purchase heroin than how to go out for dinner; even to the detail of shooting up on the street corner. ( :P JOKE).

    Just because an untenable crowding situation is also common at other busy restaurants that don't accept reservations in Chicago does not somehow make everything OK here; it just means there is badness all around. However, I do NOT think it is necessarily a bad situation, and Kuma's Corner gets this. To develop the point I was hinting at above, Kuma's Corner is NOT trying to place itself among the cohort of "customer-accommodating restaurants" but rather "hot SCENE with burgers that KICK (your) ASS!!!" and "METAL, MAN, METAL!!! WOOT!!!!" And a big F.U. to those who seek the former rather than the latter.

    Actually, I respect and am impressed by their commitment to this model; certainly, you can't expect to maintain the cred for the latter approach long if you give an inch in the direction of the former. This was a risky proposition that paid off. This isn't Ed Debevic's, where the "sass" is clearly and admittedly just an act; Kuma's Corner's business model revolves around being too cool for school. I think they are philosophically committed to their current approach, and I also think they ought to be. But I also think that means folks seriously need to think about other hamburger options if it's just about the food, because Kuma's Corner even on its best food day (and many posts above are regrettably indicating serious quality control/consistency issues) is at least 50% "circuses", 50% "bread." (Ciao, ciao, for now.)
    JiLS
  • Post #1174 - April 9th, 2013, 6:46 pm
    Post #1174 - April 9th, 2013, 6:46 pm Post #1174 - April 9th, 2013, 6:46 pm
    I like Kuma's. I really do. But at this point, with so many other good burger options in town, Kuma's is totally not worth the wait. The place feels like more tourist trap than anything.
  • Post #1175 - April 10th, 2013, 7:22 pm
    Post #1175 - April 10th, 2013, 7:22 pm Post #1175 - April 10th, 2013, 7:22 pm
    I ate at Kuma's Too twice in three days (I had reasons!), and found almost no wait what-so-ever.

    Sunday, 4:00 PM, 15 minute wait for table for two. Pantera (poblanos, some cheeses, corn chips, bacon), Cough (Burger of the month, has swiss, pulled pork, fried pickles included in toppings). Everything was fantastic and cooked spot on (medium). Also service was super friendly, they were out of a beer that I asked for but the waitress brought out a sample of a similar beer without me having to ask anything.

    Tuesday, 7:00 PM, seated immediately (table for four). Kuma burger, Cough, Slayer, Goatsnake. Everybody was pretty happy but actually dining companions weren't able to finish the quite large burgers. Only grabbed a picture of my burger (Kuma burger) this time, cooked medium rare.
    Image
  • Post #1176 - April 10th, 2013, 8:39 pm
    Post #1176 - April 10th, 2013, 8:39 pm Post #1176 - April 10th, 2013, 8:39 pm
    So the place is getting so crowded that nobody goes there anymore? Actually, like MrTusks (welcome), I have found that Sunday afternoons are usually pretty easy going.

    Regardless of how you feel about the place, you have to admire the owners. I remember they did months of research before opening the place. They spent a lot of time going to similar establishments and speaking to both customers and future competitors. They also established friendships with various influential people in the beer/burger/bar scene like Nick Floyd (of FFF).

    Like Barry of Smoque, they did enough market research that they were able to hit the ground running and have confidence in their concept. They didn't waste time and resources by second guessing themselves and endlessly tweaking their business model. Although they are relative newcomers to the business, aspiring restaurateurs can learn a lot from them.
  • Post #1177 - April 11th, 2013, 9:03 am
    Post #1177 - April 11th, 2013, 9:03 am Post #1177 - April 11th, 2013, 9:03 am
    Suiname wrote:The wait at Kuma's is generally pretty ridiculous, I always avoid it by sticking to the following couple rules:
    1) go with as few people as possible, even better if you go by yourself
    2) go at times when you know it wont be packed. These times are either immediately at opening or around 2:30-3:00 after the lunch rush is over
    3) pick up your burger for takeout (they only allow this when the patio is closed). One time I picked up my burger and then sat and ate it on curb in front of everyone waiting in line like a total dick. I was hungry though, not being spiteful.

    Some people don't want to jump through hoops like this just to get a really delicious burger, which I understand. I think that Kuma's is partially a victim of its own success, partially unwilling to be more accommodating (clearly they don't have to be to survive). I have heard heresay that the owner of Kuma's may indeed be a jerk, but I can't confirm or disconfirm this personally.


    Actually, Mike (the owner) is a genuinely nice guy and really an odd guy. I'd say that there are a lot of people that run the place that can be really jerky. Most people have no idea who Mike is and have never seen him.
  • Post #1178 - April 11th, 2013, 9:06 am
    Post #1178 - April 11th, 2013, 9:06 am Post #1178 - April 11th, 2013, 9:06 am
    d4v3 wrote:So the place is getting so crowded that nobody goes there anymore? Actually, like MrTusks (welcome), I have found that Sunday afternoons are usually pretty easy going.

    Regardless of how you feel about the place, you have to admire the owners. I remember they did months of research before opening the place. They spent a lot of time going to similar establishments and speaking to both customers and future competitors. They also established friendships with various influential people in the beer/burger/bar scene like Nick Floyd (of FFF).

    Like Barry of Smoque, they did enough market research that they were able to hit the ground running and have confidence in their concept. They didn't waste time and resources by second guessing themselves and endlessly tweaking their business model. Although they are relative newcomers to the business, aspiring restaurateurs can learn a lot from them.


    Actually, Kuma's didn't hit the ground running. They weren't originally a burger bar but were sort of french inflected food. They didn't really get popular until Check, Please! about 6 years ago. Kuma's and Hot Doug's are the poster children for Check, Please! success. They're also only kind of into the beer scene and only have connections with FFF because a bunch of the guys from down there used to regular at Kuma's.
  • Post #1179 - April 11th, 2013, 10:49 am
    Post #1179 - April 11th, 2013, 10:49 am Post #1179 - April 11th, 2013, 10:49 am
    Ok, for all you whiners out there who hate having to wait at Kuma's, here's your chance. On Wednesday May 1st, DC Sarnies is going to have Kuma's chef as a guest. They did this once before (and served a few of the Kuma Burgers) so if you want to have Kuma's come to you, you can't ask for more. Some of you can even take the train from the city as it's next door to the restaurant. It will not be the entire Kuma's menu, just a few of their more popular burgers at the minimum.

    DC Sarnies
    649 Lake-Cook Rd
    Deerfield IL
    Next to the Lake-Cook Rd Metra Station.
  • Post #1180 - April 11th, 2013, 11:01 am
    Post #1180 - April 11th, 2013, 11:01 am Post #1180 - April 11th, 2013, 11:01 am
    If you really want one of their burgers there is plenty of advice on what times to visit. I am sure the lines will also be shorter at their new outpost.

    I am sure many are visiting for the atmosphere and then they will have to contend with the crowds.

    I also remember visiting way back when the menu was not dominated by burgers. Stopped in an a weeknight with a group of 6 and got seated right away. It never did fill up.
    "Very good... but not my favorite." ~ Johnny Depp as Roux the Gypsy in Chocolat
  • Post #1181 - April 11th, 2013, 12:23 pm
    Post #1181 - April 11th, 2013, 12:23 pm Post #1181 - April 11th, 2013, 12:23 pm
    NobleSquirrel wrote:Actually, Kuma's didn't hit the ground running. They weren't originally a burger bar but were sort of french inflected food. They didn't really get popular until Check, Please! about 6 years ago. Kuma's and Hot Doug's are the poster children for Check, Please! success. They're also only kind of into the beer scene and only have connections with FFF because a bunch of the guys from down there used to regular at Kuma's.
    Alright, so the menu had things like mussels on it (pretty good ones too), but their specialty was a burger with an egg on it (IIRC it was called the Kuma Burger). It is true that the "metal" burgers came later, after the Metallica (I believe) became a best seller. The music, the tat flash and metal vibe were there from the beginning, and their basic business model stayed in place, even if the menu changed (with the chef). The first few months they were open they did pretty good business for a new joint. No 2 hour waits, but an hour was not uncommon during prime time. My point was not that they were from the beer "scene", but that they cultivated friendships with scene "fixtures", at places like the Maproom (where they researched beer selections prior to opening). These people (including the FFF crew) were among their earliest customers and influenced others to try the place.
  • Post #1182 - April 11th, 2013, 4:48 pm
    Post #1182 - April 11th, 2013, 4:48 pm Post #1182 - April 11th, 2013, 4:48 pm
    We did the Kuma Burger at DC Sarnies last year and were very disappointed. Definitely not a burger to remember.
  • Post #1183 - April 11th, 2013, 6:06 pm
    Post #1183 - April 11th, 2013, 6:06 pm Post #1183 - April 11th, 2013, 6:06 pm
    Marija wrote:We did the Kuma Burger at DC Sarnies last year and were very disappointed. Definitely not a burger to remember.


    Doesn't taste quite as good without the wait and side of heavy metal...I had this at Sarnies too. I enjoyed mine.
  • Post #1184 - April 11th, 2013, 6:31 pm
    Post #1184 - April 11th, 2013, 6:31 pm Post #1184 - April 11th, 2013, 6:31 pm
    Actually, Kuma's didn't hit the ground running. They weren't originally a burger bar but were sort of french inflected food. They didn't really get popular until Check, Please! about 6 years ago. Kuma's and Hot Doug's are the poster children for Check, Please! success. They're also only kind of into the beer scene and only have connections with FFF because a bunch of the guys from down there used to regular at Kuma's.


    I was going to chime in making the same point. Kuma's became my neighborhood bar when they first opened as I am an ex-and-somewhat-current metal head. They had a great beer selection from the get go and I could belly up at the bar any time of the week. The food was great as well. And then the burger thing happened and I couldn't belly up any more.... :cry:
  • Post #1185 - April 11th, 2013, 6:58 pm
    Post #1185 - April 11th, 2013, 6:58 pm Post #1185 - April 11th, 2013, 6:58 pm
    rmtraut wrote:
    Actually, Kuma's didn't hit the ground running. They weren't originally a burger bar but were sort of french inflected food. They didn't really get popular until Check, Please! about 6 years ago. Kuma's and Hot Doug's are the poster children for Check, Please! success. They're also only kind of into the beer scene and only have connections with FFF because a bunch of the guys from down there used to regular at Kuma's.


    I was going to chime in making the same point. Kuma's became my neighborhood bar when they first opened as I am an ex-and-somewhat-current metal head. They had a great beer selection from the get go and I could belly up at the bar any time of the week. The food was great as well. And then the burger thing happened and I couldn't belly up any more.... :cry:
    Ok, maybe "hit the ground running" was hyperbolic, but I meant it in terms of they had a masterplan, not that the place was jammed packed from the start. I also used to go there back when you could actually hangout for an evening. It was a fun place. I was there the first weekend they opened and the place was empty, but within a couple of weeks, it was pretty hopping, but still tolerable. Within a couple of months, you had to wait 45 min,+ to eat on a busy night, but there was still room to stand inside while waiting. When they first introduced the specialty burgers, I used to bring my metal head nephew from Wisconsin there on weekend afternoons and we had the whole place to ourselves. Post Check-please, I won't go near the place during peak hours and only venture in mid-afternoon for food, but leave before the volume gets cranked. It is just unusual to see people who have never owned an establishment before, become so successful so quickly. We should all have their problems.
  • Post #1186 - April 11th, 2013, 7:00 pm
    Post #1186 - April 11th, 2013, 7:00 pm Post #1186 - April 11th, 2013, 7:00 pm
    This very thread actually offers a wealth of contemporaneous reporting from Kuma's early days, but in brief:

    1. The heavy metal and tattoo themes, as well as the fancy beers, were there from Day 1. They also always had at least the Kuma Burger, as well as other burger options.

    2. The original menu was basically bar/comfort food at lunch and dinner, and they also originally served breakfast/brunch during the first year or so of operation.

    3. During the first 18 months or so of operation, they experimented with a lot of interesting, higher-end entree items, including a lot of seafood (the famous bacon-wrapped scallops) and Italian food (hand-rolled pasta, etc.) and even Belgian (the widely-admired mussels).

    4. Sometime between December 20, 2006 and January 10, 2007 (based on a posts up-thread with those dates), they introduced the Heavy Metal Hamburger Menu. They also (slowly but surely, not immediately) dropped the fancier dinner entrees, and this is where they got their groove. They have not changed an iota since (only creating more and different Heavy Metal Hamburger options).

    Whether they "hit the ground running" and actually had all this planned out in advance, or kind of stumbled into the new plan 18 months after they "hit the ground," will remain mysteries as insoluble to us, the great unwashed, as are the riddle of the Sphinx and the number of licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. Also equally irrelevant; like Mr. Owl, the owners of Kuma's would no doubt encourage biting right into the Tootsie Pop on the third lick. (Kids, Tootsie Pop commercial HERE.)
    JiLS
  • Post #1187 - April 12th, 2013, 11:55 am
    Post #1187 - April 12th, 2013, 11:55 am Post #1187 - April 12th, 2013, 11:55 am
    Another data point: I was at Kuma's Too for lunch yesterday. Tables were still available with no wait at ~12:30. It was a rainy Thursday, so maybe that kept some people away.
  • Post #1188 - April 13th, 2013, 12:30 am
    Post #1188 - April 13th, 2013, 12:30 am Post #1188 - April 13th, 2013, 12:30 am
    Been to Kuma's about 4 or 5 times now since moving here, and never had to wait.. then again, I always made sure to go early on a weekday, and grab a spot at the bar. I would never imagine going on a weekend..

    I was pretty pissed they were closed on easter though and never noted this on their facebook page, as I tried to bring a few friends that were in town there.

    also last time I was there Travel Channel was shooting something at the bar next to me.. like they need any more publicity :lol:
  • Post #1189 - April 17th, 2013, 9:21 pm
    Post #1189 - April 17th, 2013, 9:21 pm Post #1189 - April 17th, 2013, 9:21 pm
    {Thread hijacking...} :twisted:
    One of my best humorous Tweets, which sadly went unretweeted, was that Square Bar & Grill across the street had begun serving a hamburger named after Rick Astley {rick-rolled...}. :lol:
    Valuable links for survival, without the monetization attempt: https://pqrs-ltd.xyz/bookmark4.html
  • Post #1190 - April 22nd, 2013, 4:49 pm
    Post #1190 - April 22nd, 2013, 4:49 pm Post #1190 - April 22nd, 2013, 4:49 pm
    I have visted Kumas more times then I care to count. I travelled to Kumas too today with some work folks, showed up at opening and we were the first people there, even upon leaving around 1230 the joint wasnt even half full. Everyones burger at the table was overcooked, people that ordered medium had no color, and my medium rare was only a very light pink in the middle. That being said they were still edible, just not up to pay to my typical Kumas burger. All 6 of us were underwhelmed, probably just working out some kinks I hope
  • Post #1191 - April 25th, 2013, 10:27 pm
    Post #1191 - April 25th, 2013, 10:27 pm Post #1191 - April 25th, 2013, 10:27 pm
    long101 wrote:I have visted Kumas more times then I care to count. I travelled to Kumas too today with some work folks, showed up at opening and we were the first people there, even upon leaving around 1230 the joint wasnt even half full. Everyones burger at the table was overcooked, people that ordered medium had no color, and my medium rare was only a very light pink in the middle. That being said they were still edible, just not up to pay to my typical Kumas burger. All 6 of us were underwhelmed, probably just working out some kinks I hope


    yeah, I always order Rare, and last time it came out more Medium. Not easy to find a place that will actually serve a proper rare burger around here for some reason.
  • Post #1192 - April 26th, 2013, 6:39 pm
    Post #1192 - April 26th, 2013, 6:39 pm Post #1192 - April 26th, 2013, 6:39 pm
    valgalder wrote:
    yeah, I always order Rare, and last time it came out more Medium. Not easy to find a place that will actually serve a proper rare burger around here for some reason.


    I have not had an overcooked burger at Bad Apple in a really long time. I would recommend giving them a shot if you haven't been there. I typically find their toppings be more restrained than at Kuma's, usually making for a quite balanced and expertly crafted sandwich.
    Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.

    -Mark Twain
  • Post #1193 - April 26th, 2013, 8:33 pm
    Post #1193 - April 26th, 2013, 8:33 pm Post #1193 - April 26th, 2013, 8:33 pm
    Had the $15 Tues. burger/beer/bourbon shot combo at Owen & Engine on Tuesday (good deal except they the beer they "selected" for the special was utter crap), and my "medium" burger was red in more than the center. Usually that's not my thing but this was a damn tasty burger. If you're looking for rare, I don't think O&E will let you down!
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #1194 - April 30th, 2013, 3:29 pm
    Post #1194 - April 30th, 2013, 3:29 pm Post #1194 - April 30th, 2013, 3:29 pm
    boudreaulicious wrote:Had the $15 Tues. burger/beer/bourbon shot combo at Owen & Engine on Tuesday (good deal except they the beer they "selected" for the special was utter crap)


    What was the beer? When I went last, it was Lagunitas IPA, which was great!
  • Post #1195 - April 30th, 2013, 3:54 pm
    Post #1195 - April 30th, 2013, 3:54 pm Post #1195 - April 30th, 2013, 3:54 pm
    Lerdawg wrote:
    boudreaulicious wrote:Had the $15 Tues. burger/beer/bourbon shot combo at Owen & Engine on Tuesday (good deal except they the beer they "selected" for the special was utter crap)


    What was the beer? When I went last, it was Lagunitas IPA, which was great!


    I think it was something from Revolution Brewing but it's not on the list now and all I remember was that it was 2.3 alcohol and tasted like Miller Lite trying to impersonate a sour. Awful stuff. I also thought our bartender was kind of rude--after tasting the sample, I told him I'd just go ahead and pay for a beer (even without it, you still come out a bit ahead with just the burger and the shot). I told him I like Krankshaft (Metropolitan) which is ON their bottle list and he actually made a comment along the lines of "well, you like THAT but you don't like weak beer ?" or something to that effect. Really strange. Burger was still terrific. Hipster beer bartenders, not so much.
    "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." Miles Kington
  • Post #1196 - April 30th, 2013, 5:20 pm
    Post #1196 - April 30th, 2013, 5:20 pm Post #1196 - April 30th, 2013, 5:20 pm
    boudreaulicious wrote:
    Lerdawg wrote:
    boudreaulicious wrote:Had the $15 Tues. burger/beer/bourbon shot combo at Owen & Engine on Tuesday (good deal except they the beer they "selected" for the special was utter crap)


    What was the beer? When I went last, it was Lagunitas IPA, which was great!


    I think it was something from Revolution Brewing but it's not on the list now and all I remember was that it was 2.3 alcohol and tasted like Miller Lite trying to impersonate a sour. Awful stuff. I also thought our bartender was kind of rude--after tasting the sample, I told him I'd just go ahead and pay for a beer (even without it, you still come out a bit ahead with just the burger and the shot). I told him I like Krankshaft (Metropolitan) which is ON their bottle list and he actually made a comment along the lines of "well, you like THAT but you don't like weak beer ?" or something to that effect. Really strange. Burger was still terrific. Hipster beer bartenders, not so much.


    That beer does indeed sound terrible, but I have to say that as many times as I've been to O&E for BBB night, a lot, I'm always very pleased with their beer selection. I typically get the impression that they're trying to offer something special (and usually a large pour too). I know you weren't implying this, but I definitely don't think they're pawning off crappy beer for the BBB night intentionally.

    On another note, when their burger is cooked right, it's awesome, but I would hate to mislead anyone into thinking that they are completely consistent with cooking to order. In the past year I've had med-rare come out med-well a couple of times, and their cut of beef is not very forgiving.
    Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.

    -Mark Twain
  • Post #1197 - April 30th, 2013, 6:02 pm
    Post #1197 - April 30th, 2013, 6:02 pm Post #1197 - April 30th, 2013, 6:02 pm
    boudreaulicious wrote: it was 2.3 alcohol and tasted like Miller Lite trying to impersonate a sour. Awful stuff.
    I hope you meant 3.2, which would put it on par with "military" beer and the stuff you can buy on Sundays in Blue Law states. 2.3 would make it weak indeed, almost near beer. I don't know why anybody would bother brewing something like that, and it was a sour beer too?
  • Post #1198 - April 30th, 2013, 6:10 pm
    Post #1198 - April 30th, 2013, 6:10 pm Post #1198 - April 30th, 2013, 6:10 pm
    d4v3 wrote:
    boudreaulicious wrote: it was 2.3 alcohol and tasted like Miller Lite trying to impersonate a sour. Awful stuff.
    I hope you meant 3.2, which would put it on par with "military" beer and the stuff you can buy on Sundays in Blue Law states. 2.3 would make it weak indeed, almost near beer. I don't know why anybody would bother brewing something like that, and it was a sour beer too?


    Lindeman's Framboise is 2.5, as is their Peche. The Framboise in particular is well-rated and seemingly quite popular.
  • Post #1199 - April 30th, 2013, 6:51 pm
    Post #1199 - April 30th, 2013, 6:51 pm Post #1199 - April 30th, 2013, 6:51 pm
    d4v3 wrote:
    boudreaulicious wrote: it was 2.3 alcohol and tasted like Miller Lite trying to impersonate a sour. Awful stuff.
    I hope you meant 3.2, which would put it on par with "military" beer and the stuff you can buy on Sundays in Blue Law states. 2.3 would make it weak indeed, almost near beer. I don't know why anybody would bother brewing something like that, and it was a sour beer too?


    I'd be careful judging a beer whose style and details you can't quite remember. It sounds like it might've been a Berliner weisse or some other such lightweight, funky beer that's intended to be refreshing without getting you drunk (as older styles tended to be lower in alcohol for precisely that purpose).

    Also, 3.2 beer typically refers to alcohol by weight, which translates to about 4 percent by volume--that is, a perfectly sessionable beer. It looks like this beer may be the one you're referring to, in which case, it seems to be the intended style, and for a beer offered at few other places, the bartender might well have been bewildered by your mistrust. The two Beer Advocate reviews I see aren't particularly jazzed with the beer, but I thought I'd offer the contrarian position :D
  • Post #1200 - April 30th, 2013, 7:29 pm
    Post #1200 - April 30th, 2013, 7:29 pm Post #1200 - April 30th, 2013, 7:29 pm
    mtgl wrote: It looks like this beer may be the one you're referring to, in which case, it seems to be the intended style
    Yeah, that sounds like it. It is meant to be an LA beer. In that context, it probably competes favorably with others in this category. It undoubtedly has more flavor than a mainstream LA beer, but it is still a confusing choice for the BBB special, especially considering that anybody who drinks a shot and a beer with their burger, probably could care less about the alcohol content of the back beer.

    Goose used to brew a Pils that was only 3.4% or thereabouts. It was actually quite good. I am aware that many stouts are only around 3% or less, due to the amount of residual sugars. The fact that this was described as a sour confused me since sours are generally higher in alcohol (but still relatively light, since a great deal of the sugars are digested by non-alcohol producing bacteria). I wonder if the "sour" comes from lemon? That would make it a pretty typical Belgian summer table beer, meant to refresh not inebriate. Still, an odd choice.

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