Hey folks - I'm making my first visit to Mobile this weekend for a family wedding. Staying in an Airbnb house, so I've got a fridge...I've also got 3 kids so brewery visits are probably out. We are visiting Fairhope Brewing for a wedding brunch. Can anyone recommend some good bottle shops and local brews to check out? IPA's, Stouts preferred. Been in Disneyworld so aside from a couple 420's at the pool, I've been hop-free and I'm going into withdrawal!
I haven't been to Mobile in a few years but reviews of Cottage Hill Package Store are outstanding. They have a nice website too with a tap list for growler fills. http://cottagehillpackage.com/ As for local brews, here are some of my favorites: Good People: IPA, Snakehandler DIPA, Mumbai Rye IPA, Coffee Oatmeal Stout, and Bearded Lady Pale Wheat Back Forty: Freckle Belly IPA Cigar City: Jai Alai IPA and Invasion Pale Ale Westbrook: One Claw Rye Pale Ale, IPA, Gose, and White Thai Wit Straight to Ale: Monkeynaut IPA and Lily Flag Milk Stout Terrapin: Moo Hoo Milk Stout and Wake N Bake Coffee Stout Sweetwater: Hop Hash DIPA Be sure to come back and tell us what you sampled and what you liked!
Cottage Hill Package will have the best selection for you, especially of any rare varieties. If you're just looking to get some variety that you can't get at home, independent grocers like Rouse's and (believe it or not) the Piggly Wiggly will probably be your best bet. The other good (or bad) news for you is that Fairhope is the only brewery around, so you'll be getting a tour of "all" of Lower Alabama's breweries at your brunch. Cheers!
Cottage Hill is a must. 90 percent of last wks taplist was IPA or stout. They have a crowler canning device, so you can get a few things to store in a fridge... Second the Mubai Rye IPA. It's a five-star rye if I ever had one. A must-try.
Yeah let us know what you think. I am coming down to visit family in December and have never been to Cottage Hill Package
Again, Cottage Hill can't be beat for their selection. However, the Whole Foods on Airport that just opened has a respectable growler fill station that an out-of-towner should find interesting. Everything on tap is local-ish (i.e. from the southeast) and all 64oz fills are $12. For a stout recommendation, you have got to try Good People Fatso if you see it. Up there with the best RIS I've ever had. Last I had it was at LoDa Biergarten, downtown Mobile. Go on a Sunday if you can. All drafts are half price.
OK thanks for the help folks! Was not able to hit Cottage Hill, it was about 20 minutes from where we were. Here's what I've got for you... The hands down beer gem of our trip was the post-wedding brunch at Fairhope Brewing across the bay from Mobile. I started the day with the Coffee Stout which was delicious. Not overly coffee-ish, not overly roast-ey-ish, and not at all waterey. Was a little more carbonated than I prefer in stouts, but this went away quick and was a smooth brew. I was driving that day, so I only got a sample and (and maybe a sip or 2...) of the Take the Causeway IPA. It's an 8.2 IPA and is a big flavorful beer. This thing is awesome. Not boozy, not overly sweet, super balanced but plenty hoppy, seriously an outstanding IPA. Told the Owner (in as non-pretentious a way as possible, but still pretty pretentious I'm sure) that I drink my share of Heady, Trilium & TreeHouse, and his IPA is right up there with them. This is more of a West Coast/Heady style IPA than the murky, juicy hopbomb of Trilium & Tree House. I was bummed I didn't get to try any Good People stuff, particularly the RIS, as I'm a big Widespread Panic fan and I understand the brewers & brewery name are inspired by the band. Oh well. Other stuff I had... Hopitoulas (NOLA Brewing) - honestly, I only know about this beer from the Brad Pitt / Matthew McConaughey story from a year ago. It was pretty good. I had 2 cans in AL, and brought 2 cans back with me, seems like it needs to be much colder. Gets more bitter than better as it warms up, which I think the "upper echelon" IPA's all tend to be the opposite. 4 pack brought in by a fellow traveler who flew into NOLA. Pensacola Brewing IPA - IPA would have been my 4th guess of a style. Seemed like an Amber Lager to me. Drinkable for sure though. From a keg at wedding rehearsal. Straight to Ale Monkey Naut IPA - this beer is almost really outstanding. There's some sort of root-ey/plant-ey flavor & taste that is in every sip. The hops, pine, and mouthfeel are all there though. Bought at Publix in AL. Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan brown ale - I'd had the stout from these guys, which I really liked so I grabbed whatever I could find. I liked this. Apparently Pecan ales are common down south (not so much in Mass!) and this one isn't great? I enjoyed it. Bought at Publix in AL. So if you're coming to Mobile, make sure to Take the Causeway!!!!
Fresh Take the Causeway is the best IPA in Alabama IMO, excluding Snake Handler as it is a DIPA. Causeway drops off very quick when it is not fresh. I greatly prefer it on draft than in bottles.
