Tonight I am lucky to find myself in Cedar Rapids, better know as CR to those that know. So in CR there are two brewpubs kind of, Third Base Brewery, local and brewed on site and Granite City Brewing Company, chain and donewith brewus interuptus. So I hope you understand when I say two kind of! Granite City is across the parking lot from my hotel so it is easy to go to, but tonight I went to the true brewpub in CR Third Base http://www.3rdbasebrewery.com/ !
I really do like this place and wish I was overnight in CR more often so I could go here more. I have had a couple occasion to met and talk with the brewer and he really does love his craft which shows in the beers he brews. I had seven beers in the sampler tonight and there was not a bad beer in the lot, there were some that I did not like but they were well made.
So when you pull up to 3rd Base the first thing that strikes you is it is in a strip mall and the second thing is where the hell do I park? So once you walk inside everything is changed. It is wood, wood and more wood inside and every where you look is a tv. Each booth has it's own flat screen tv as well as the bigger ones on the walls. I am comfortable here, so needless to say just about anyone is welcome to this brewpub.
There food menu ranges from apps, to salads, to entrees, to sandwiches, needless to say there is something for everyone. I had a grilled tenderloin sandwich with fries, note to self need to get more healthy on the food. If you can't find something to eat your not trying.
So onto the beers! They do a sampler of their beers, each in about a 5 oz. glass and it was of all seven of their beers currently on tap. They have five year round beers and two seasonal taps. First up Golden Hawk Wheat as the name says it is a golden American wheat beer, it is true to style and I am not a fan of the style enough said. Next up is the Bees Knees Honey Ale, a top seller, again it is what the name says a sweet ale with lots of honey character and not in my wheelhouse, but thankful that a lot of people do like it so it pays for the other beers. Onto Red Rocket Amber Ale, it has nice piney hop notes in aroma and taste backed with nice toasty malt notes a easy drinker. Now the Flying Aces Pale Ale, it is a medium gold beer with lots of citrus notes in aroma and taste finishing clean and crisp a really nice pale ale. Black Cobra Oatmeal Stout is the last year round beer. It is black in color with coffee, chocolate and roast notes in aroma and flavor, also very noticeable is the roundness and slickness coming form the use of oatmeal in the beer.
As I said they have two seasonal taps first up is the Session 70, a Scottish 70 checking in at 3.6% ABV. It is truly a session beer, as it warms the malt aroma becomes more prominent and has low carbonation, my only detraction is I wish it had a little more body to it. The second seasonal was Tilted Kilt, they call it an Irish Red. To me it had a nice malty sweet nose and caramel, toffee flavors. Plus a slight smokey quality.
This is a worthy place to visit. As I was finishing out I had a chance to talk a bit with the bartender and he agreed with me on the beers, his least favorites as well were the wheat and the honey ale.
If you find yourself in CR make a trip to 3rd Base and you will not be sorry.
QC Beerguy
PS. To my Kind friends happy 4 20!
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