Gentle Giant Brewing Company

 

Right in the middle of town, very short walk from the train station. Super cool vibe. The team was eager to help. Healthy amount of options to choose from, although only 4 can varieties as of early 2023. Overall a spot worth a visit.

Bar.
Buh.
Cue.
26

On the south end of the county on the right side of the state line. At the brewery & BBQ place in Pearl River. No, not that one; the other one. In a strip around the corner from, you know, the train station. Love the ‘hour for a quarter’ meter play. Out with J&D up from Flowida, pre-noon Saturday (when all the best day drinking begins), holiday weekend that it is…

Zig-zaggy open space (think kitchen in the front right corner and brewery behind glass & loos to the rear left). Concrete walls with light décor (a large American flag over the kitchen, an Irish flag to the rear, and an events board; that’s about it), blue pebbley floor, and rafter ceiling with fans, ducts of squeeziness, and skylights to the rear.

Straight blueish gray concrete topped bar to the rear right, with a dark wood plank vertical base. Seating for 8 on alt wood & stainless high chairs. Barback holds tiered booze countered on center with an 8 non-descript handled stainless panel alongside, plus pitchers, a crowler crimper, a blender, & glassware, and coolers down below. The wall above is vertical plank wood with ceramic mug club mugs shelved in rows end to end, and 4 flats across the wall atop.

Cold room behind a corrugated wall to the rear with a 4 X 8 horizontal board listing tap selections fronting (beer, style, ABV). Drop pan lamps tracing the bar and over the floor, and filament bulbs strung across the room and forward towards the seating. Upwards of 2 dozen tables, low & high, and pushed together & not, throughout. Stage angled in the front corner & wood stacked.

Now, let us speak of BBQ as men do. I wanted to go full in but I needed to not, and as such, just did a dozen Cajun dry rub wings, which were excellent. I reeeeeeeally would have liked a side of raptor chili but that’s either a pint or a quart, and not a cup or bowl which would be, you know, normal. Dena said of her bacon mac & cheese. “It was really good”, adding, “there was gooey goodness and bacon crumbles distributed about the large shells”. She also dug her wings but felt that Siracha Honey Mustard was too busy and should be either or. Shew was happy overall. Jed said “the chili was Chillzilla, one of the best ever, and definitely not from a can” (a reference to the sad canned chili he got at Mountain Valley Brewery circa 2004 that we still joke about).

8 beers (Althea, Witbier, 5.2%; Paleolithic, Pilsner, 5.5%; SMASH, Mosaic IPA, 6.4%; Motis, Irish Red, 6%; Gigantor, NE DIPA, 8.4%; Citrazoic, DIPA, 8.2%; Saurolophus, Blueberry Sour, 5%; Agnar, Czech Dark Lager, 5.2%), + Indian Ladder Farms Cider offerings (Cross Pollinator, Honey Lavender, Ciderdelic, Dry Apple, & Natural Apple), wine, & White Claw. Had a few beers, it’s true. Motis, Irish Red was pleasantly malty; Agnar, Czech Dark Lager was lightly malty, SMASH, Mosiac IPA had a nice bite, and Citrazoic, DIPA did not suck. Am thinking SMASH, Mosaic IPA & Motis, Irish Red, were the best of ‘em.

Oh, hey look, it’s special guest star Fed, down from D County for wings and beer. Generally, I’d say ‘small beer scene that we are, you really never know who you’re going to run into’, except I’ve run into this cat in Peekskill, Beacon, & Portland, Oregon. I may have my own personal stalker, hard to say. Good tunes, a couple of nice beers, and very good que. Will look in on again in my Sundayings up in Rockland.

 

 

Brewery and BBQ...hmmm...might be a place worth checking out

Steps from Defiant brewery in "downtown" Pearl River, NY

Mid sized room, typical bar to the right and ample tables to eat and relax upon, TVs on behind the bar with various games on.

Tasty beers on draft and in growler cans to go...more then worthy Q...had the pulled pork sand wedge in the car and smoked chicken to go...tasty! The beans were disappointing but the collared greens were on point...worthy spot for Brew and Q....friendly guy on the phone and behind the counter is always a big plus...well worth a visit for both the beer and Q

 

 

Rustic store front brewpub/ barbecue joint. The place has a bit of a rundown Texas roadhouse vibe. Small split bar in the back right hand corner seats about 8 with a dozen or so picnic tables spread out about the room, and a few patio tables on the sidewalk out front. 6 of their beers on tap plus a few guest ciders; I had the Jurassic and the Amerisaurus, both ok, but not exceptional. Friendly server. The brisket sandwich was tasty, but a bit on the dry side.

 

This seems like somebody that did some bbq, met up with a guy that does homebrewing and decided to go into business. They had 3 offerings the day I stopped for lunch. I tried the IPA and Vienna Lager, both average at best. I had the brisket sandwich which was ok. 2 beers and sandwich were a total of $16 for lunch, so not a bad deal.