Hophead: Prost In Plano

A liter a day keeps the doctor away. –Old German proverb (at least according to the Bavarian Grill’s Stein Hour menu)Along with a handful of other local eateries, the Bavarian Grill in Plano is in the running for GermanDeli.com’s designation as The Best German Restaurant in America. Kuby’s may have…

Hophead: Is Bigger Really That Much Better?

This week, Sigel’s announced that it is taking early orders for a dozen 6-liter bottles of Unibroue’s La Fin Du Monde golden ale. Catch is, these collector’s items come at the eyebrow-raising (or unibrow-raising) price of $219.99 a bottle. And that’s a discount: the “regular price,” according to Sigel’s, is…

Girl Drink Drunk: Lazare

Recently, I moved my ass out of a beloved one-bedroom apartment that I often forgave for its thin walls (and even thinner ceilings) and communal air ducts due to the low rent and friendly manager. I am now shacking up with the boy. In a house. We can’t hear people…

Hophead: First Shot At Homebrew

There’s something enticing and romantic about the idea of making one’s own beer right at home. Along with home wine making (yechh!) and the few in Kentucky–and elsewhere–who manage home spirits, it’s the last frontier of legal DIY intoxicants.Set up a meth lab in your trailer and … well, you’re…

Hophead: Baffled By British Beer

May a grand Constellation be formed by a union of American virtues. –Revolution-era toast, per Richard J. Hooker’s “The American Revolution Seen Through A Wine Glass” (though we like to think that beer mugs were hoisted to these words as well).Two British ales recently proved to be real head-scratchers for…

Hophead: Yes, Southern Star Can

Two weeks back in this column, Oskar Blue made a pretty convincing case that high-quality beer need not be kegged or bottled to taste great. In fact, as commenter Paul Hightower pointed out, you can find a Texas example of high-quality craft beer that comes in cans. And no, that’s…

Girl Drink Drunk: The Windmill Lounge

A couple of weeks ago the Dallas Observer and its readers bid farewell to Alexa Schirtzinger, aka Veggie Girl. She was heading out to travel in South America and have fantastic adventures, and we just had to send her off with an after work bon voyage. Veggie Girl and Girl…

Hophead: ‘Liquid Aloha’ From Kona Brewing Co.

When you think about brewing hot spots, what come to mind? Some obvious international destinations include Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Czech Republic. As for the U.S., craft breweries are everywhere, but we think of the West Coast–especially Portland and Seattle. There’s always (for better or for worse) St. Louis…

Girl Drink Drunk: Family Karaoke

First of all, I realize some people don’t like karaoke, that it ain’t their thing and they’d prefer to sit there and just watch the fun. That’s cool. But just trust that at Family Karaoke — where parties of up to 25 can reserve private sound-proofed rooms with wait-service who…

Hophead: Uncannily Good Beer From Oskar Blues

Last year, Oskar Blues added five 100-gallon tanks and increased its brewing by more 64 percent over 2007 in order to keep up with increased demand. That the Lyons, Colorado, brewery experienced such a rapid growth probably wouldn’t surprise anyone who has tasted its excellent flagship beer, Dale’s Pale Ale,…

Hophead: Boulevard Of Brew-Hounds’ Dreams

Last week’s Hophead featured the Kansas City brewery Boulevard’s Saison, part of the company’s Smokestack series. Though not a life-changing beer, the Saison was impressive enough to warrant further investigation into the Smokestack series. A recent night at home with pizza seemed a perfect opportunity to pop the cork on…

Girl Drink Drunk: Lee Harvey’s

Seems like any one of the nights we do a Girl Drink Drunk would be a “girls’ night out” but this one was officially a “Girls’ Night Out.” Like, I got an invitation. People RSVPed. There were boys around once we arrived, but hey, we were at a public bar…

Hophead: When Pairing Beer, The Sommelier Is Helpful…Sometimes

Great Brewers recently launched its “Beer Sommelier,” an online program that purports to pair beers to a variety of meats, grains, vegetables, cheeses, breads and sweets. “Masterfully select the best beer styles to pair with any dish,” the Web site boasts. With the Libertine Bar’s Brass Knuckle Corn Dog Beatdown…

Girl Drink Drunk: Lumi Empanada & Dumpling Kitchen

In a little house on McKinney Avenue, Jessica and I- after a bit of a parking adventure involving me running out and hopping into her car in the middle lane of McKinney and showing her how to get behind our desired location–sat down for some catching up on recent trips,…

Hophead: Camping Out In The ‘Broo-er’s Festival’ Tent At Bonnaroo

Hophead spent a four-day weekend at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. The music, comedy, people-watching and general chaos of the thing made for an outstanding trip. But one of the highlights was the accompanying “Broo-er’s Festival,” a biergarten featuring some 20 brewers ranging from tiny local…

Hophead: Homebrew Competition At Eno’s Sunday

Whether you’ve got your own specialty beer you’re dying to share with the world or you just like free mystery drinks, make sure you block out some time Sunday afternoon. From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 14, Eno’s Tavern in the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff will…

Hophead: Lone Star Vs. Stroh’s

The comment thread in the April 14 10 Questions with Jim Schutze, the Dallas Observer’s “investigative curmudgeon,” got City of Ate thinking about his hometown brew, Stroh’s. “Some people cry for the Old Country. I cry for Stroh’s. Many’s the Stroh, many’s the Stroh. Oh, Stroh’s!” Schutze wrote in a…

Girl Drink Drunk: Cherry Vodka Limeade

“If you like Calvin Klein’s Obsession, you love Designer Imposters’ Confess.” “If you like Acqua di Gio, you’ll love Designer Imposters’ Mascolino.” Yeah, uh huh. And I suppose that Liza impersonator does Cabaret just as good as the real Broadway loon, and that Velveeta tastes something like actual cheddar. So…

Hophead: Ephemeral Stardom At The Social House

There are few things Lady Hophead loves more than beer, but singing is one of them. So naturally, karaoke–which combines those two loves–is like heroin for her. If you were to offer her the choice of concert tickets for a double bill of Blondie and Madonna or the chance to…

Girl Drink Drunk: Dave & Buster’s

This edition of Girl Drink Drunk will be presented in the form of a letter. If you read it fully, you will receive 42 tickets, which somehow are worth 84 tickets and may or may not be redeemable at the prize counter.***Dear Dave and Buster,First of all, I really hope…

Hophead: Saison d’être At Zymology

For every wound, a balm. For every sorrow, a cheer. For every storm, a calm. For every thirst, a beer. Summer is nearly here, which explains the sudden cloudiness. I’m not talking about the weather; I mean the cloudy pints of seasonal unfiltered wheat beer offered at your favorite beer…