RIP Deep Ellum

Mike drop...

 

Not sure why, but I was compelled to look at what Deep Ellum is up to these days. I haven't been there since last February, for obvious reasons. I was curious if they were open and, if so, what was on their typically lager-heavy and bad ass tap list. Turns out, they are closed. Perhaps you all have already mourned the loss of Deep Ellum and I'm late to the game.

This makes me sad. Deep Ellum wasn't a place I went to regularly, but it was a a place I tried to hit whenever I was in the area. Their tap list was the absolute best (and I once got a pour of Pappy Van Winkle 15 year there!). Yummy food too. Anyways, just wanted to say that I'm really sorry to hear that this place is gone.

 

It was one of my regular spots as well, a truly fantastic beer list and charcuterie program. I'm actually quite hopeful that they might just swap concept spaces with Lone Star. It makes total financial sense to have the taco joint be in the larger space: tacos are cheaper to make, and margaritas run a better CoGs.

I reckon it would be cheaper to just switch the beer lines (maybe add a Lukr) to the old Lone Star Side than to rip down the wall and build out a cohesive space. It will also then feel like drinking in a narrow but loud space like Proletariat or a nook in Belgium. Love that atmosphere!

 

Yeah sucks. Deep Ellum may have had the most smartly CURATED tap list I ever saw around. It wasn’t about just piling tickerific beers onto the menu. They understood menu balance, quality over hype, selection vs brevity...

 

Just swing by, I have some.

But seriously, you can usually find Pappy (not for cheap mind you) at restaurants. Rosebud and Smokeshop usually have it, but I forget what years.

Smokeshop has a Pappy flight last I checked.

This description reminds me of the Monk's Cell at Publick House.

 

There’s a place in providence that had them. I think it’s like $100 for an ounce of the 23 year. Maybe more. Either way, no thanks.

 

'Like' PTX Lounge on FB - they occasionally have Pappy or Old Rip. JR's pretty fair.

 

This is true. I'll miss Deep Ellum too. They often had a cask ale in the early days, and just a fantastic range of brews for the adventurous. Sloshed it into your glass and made a production of the cocktail mixing. Unique vibe.

 

I agree, one of the most interesting tap lists in the area.
Max, one of the owners, thought the hazy IPA craze was a bit silly, so often, very few of those.

 

I don't really drink bourbon anymore, but I remember years ago when they sold this at Shaw's, crazy how prices have exploded.

 

Picked up my 15 year Pappy at a local liquor store for $100.

 

When was that?

 

Probably at least 5 years ago at this point.

And I lucked into it. I was buying beer at my local in Somerville and they had the bottles lined up, ready to tweet out that they were releasing it.

Right place, right time. They always sell it at retail price too. I think the 15 year at retail is maybe about $150 now, the bigger issue is finding it at a store. Then of course you have the places that will gouge the shit out of it because it’s Pappy.

If I’m being honest there’s better bourbon out there that’s way easier to obtain. As is the case with most things...we know this with beer.

 

Sadly even the easier to get stuff is creeping into the truck chasing realm now. Was it really only a year ago I could buy Weller for $25 any time I wanted?

 

Yup. Sucks.

I was talking offline with @Providence about Blanton’s. It’s a damn shame.

Good thing I love Scotch more. Plus, it’s Redbreast season for this guy, that stuff drinks like water (only really tasty dehydrating water).

 

If you're a Scotch guy and find yourself in the Norfolk area, go check out Norfolk Wine and Spirits. Their Scotch selection is ridiculous. I've spent WAY too much money there.

 

Oh jeez, despite being known around here for "not caring about price", Scotch can seriously test those limits, and I don't need to be tempted!

 

My wife said I could buy a nice bottle of Scotch the last time we were there, we're trying to watch our booze spending. She was not thrilled when it rang up at $130 when we checked out.

 

Oh shit man, yeah it's so easy to do that with Scotch. My buddies and I split a nice bottle of Scotch 3 or 4 ways every New Year's Eve (not this year obviously). It's a "cheap" way to have a solid $180-200ish bottle of Scotch.

 

Oh nice! This one in particular was a Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Caol Ila 9yr. I still have some pull with my wife seeing as she once dropped $400 on two bottles of rum, hah.

With hard liquor I find it's easier to play the extrapolated price game, i.e. "Well, this bottle has 25 drinks in it, and if you divide the price by 25 it's cheaper than beer!"

 

Irish Whiskey typically gets lost in the shuffle with me for whatever reason, but that Redbreast is indeed incredibly tasty and smooth stuff!

 

Probably because Scotch and Bourbon far outnumber Irish Whiskey on the shelves.

I doubt many people think, “You know what, I want to get a top shelf bottle of Whiskey, let me pick up some Yellow Spot”.

 

Went to Smoke Shop after Cambridge Brewing this week and they had a flight of 3 different Redbreasts. Good stuff.

 

100% Yellow spot deserves that sort of treatment. Absolute cracker of a whiskey. Think I paid ~10GBP for a dram in Belfast a couple years back and felt like I was getting away with something. Which while probably true as far as exploitation goes, may encapsulate the Hiberno-American experience over there in general.

Lovely town though, everyone should go to the Sunflower. Basically a perfect pub for my money.

 

I've actually never had it! But for sure, it has the reputation as a top shelf whiskey. I guess my only point was, a top shelf Irish Whiskey doesn't tend to be where one's head goes in my experience when contemplating a "nicer" bottle to purchase.

It's typically a bourbon or Scotch, and these days a Japanese Whiskey. Irish Whiskey gets left all alone, and it's a shame because Redbreast is probably one of my favorite whiskies.