Greenbush Brewing: Beyond Retribution
This past Saturday was a festival weekend for me. I went to two interesting fests. The last one, a total bust, led me to a spot just 25 minutes or so from the Greenbush Brewing taproom and brewing facility. I briefly spoke to the head brewer, Scott Sullivan, at the MWBF late last month. He seemed excited about their brews. They are a super new operation, but the four beers I tried at the fest fit my tastes. From Dunegräs IPA to the Belgian-style Retribution these guys had it covered. It left such a great impression that we needed to get out there, and this seemed like the perfect salvation from the lame fest.
Overall the taproom had cool decor and setup, brews that matched my various tastes, and a community feel.
We drove over the railroad tracks into a quaint little town from out of a movie. The storefront signs were clearly displayed. They had the market, and of course, the brewery. With its red lettered sign, it was hard to miss the brewery. It was very modern with clean wood and welcoming big windows.
I walked into a crowded open space. I wouldn't say it was too crowded, but every seat was full in this small-ish pub. It had hip music going. It wasn't background music though; it was loud enough to be entertainment. The patrons were talking loud, some over the music, some over each other. This place would benefit from a touch of soft surfaces to absorb some of this noise.
It had really great, upcycled decor. Old windows were used as decoration and as the tap board. The wooden furniture and paneling gave off the pub feel, but the lighting was industrial. I had no doubt I was in a brewing facility. I saw that they had a collaboration brew with Cleetus Friedman, City Provisions, who has a whole spot in Chicago that used eco-friendly and salvaged materials, even from a building that survived the Chicago fire! Made me wonder if it was a similar design.
To add to this great feel, a half glass wall was put up on one side between the taproom and the brewing operations. It looked like the "labs" at Disney or some museums where you can watch the scientists work. It was great!
I settled down in a stool facing the window and watched. They were brewing a 5 or 6 gallon batch in a standard homebrew setup. This would be their next lab brew. Two brewers were checking on it. I never saw them add anything, but I saw a near boil-over. The head brewer showed one guy around. I later saw a bigger tour. I watched and drank my beers.
Between the two of us, we ended up trying everything. The great prices made that possible. We even went back to some of the MWBF tastes. I had Oktoberfest, Belgians, Black IPA, and a Porter. I got several 6 oz pours, but I had to get a pint of the amazing Retribution.
We moved up to the bar and ordered a meat and cheese plate. It was just fine and what I needed. It reminded me of a good pub or taberna. You go for the drinks, but the snacks they have pair well. An additional bowl of olives would have been nice. I get the feeling that if I asked for it, I may have gotten it.
What I loved...
The selection and prices were great. It was like they were really sharing some good brews without pretentiousness. I loved the decor. I loved the overall attitude. It was relaxed. I saw several people coming up to get growler refills or mugs filled for a sort of mug club. It had a real community feel. In this economy, where people are spending less on extras, I can see this business doing very well.
Overall the taproom had cool decor and setup, brews that matched my various tastes, and a community feel.
We drove over the railroad tracks into a quaint little town from out of a movie. The storefront signs were clearly displayed. They had the market, and of course, the brewery. With its red lettered sign, it was hard to miss the brewery. It was very modern with clean wood and welcoming big windows.
I walked into a crowded open space. I wouldn't say it was too crowded, but every seat was full in this small-ish pub. It had hip music going. It wasn't background music though; it was loud enough to be entertainment. The patrons were talking loud, some over the music, some over each other. This place would benefit from a touch of soft surfaces to absorb some of this noise.
It had really great, upcycled decor. Old windows were used as decoration and as the tap board. The wooden furniture and paneling gave off the pub feel, but the lighting was industrial. I had no doubt I was in a brewing facility. I saw that they had a collaboration brew with Cleetus Friedman, City Provisions, who has a whole spot in Chicago that used eco-friendly and salvaged materials, even from a building that survived the Chicago fire! Made me wonder if it was a similar design.To add to this great feel, a half glass wall was put up on one side between the taproom and the brewing operations. It looked like the "labs" at Disney or some museums where you can watch the scientists work. It was great!
I settled down in a stool facing the window and watched. They were brewing a 5 or 6 gallon batch in a standard homebrew setup. This would be their next lab brew. Two brewers were checking on it. I never saw them add anything, but I saw a near boil-over. The head brewer showed one guy around. I later saw a bigger tour. I watched and drank my beers.
Between the two of us, we ended up trying everything. The great prices made that possible. We even went back to some of the MWBF tastes. I had Oktoberfest, Belgians, Black IPA, and a Porter. I got several 6 oz pours, but I had to get a pint of the amazing Retribution.
We moved up to the bar and ordered a meat and cheese plate. It was just fine and what I needed. It reminded me of a good pub or taberna. You go for the drinks, but the snacks they have pair well. An additional bowl of olives would have been nice. I get the feeling that if I asked for it, I may have gotten it.
What I loved...
The selection and prices were great. It was like they were really sharing some good brews without pretentiousness. I loved the decor. I loved the overall attitude. It was relaxed. I saw several people coming up to get growler refills or mugs filled for a sort of mug club. It had a real community feel. In this economy, where people are spending less on extras, I can see this business doing very well.
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