The “Love Handles” department in _Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine® _is devoted to great beer bars. Here are the three beer bars that we explored in Issue 7 (June/July 2015).
Tap and Handle (Fort Collins, Colorado)
A beer geek’s beer bar in a town filled with world-class breweries and beer joints.
WHAT IT IS: Owner Jeff Willis cut his teeth at the Ginger Man in Austin, Texas, under the tutelage of Steve and Chris Black (who went on to launch Denver’s Falling Rock Tap House), so it’s no surprise that his bar aims for a similar pubby, comfortable vibe. Seventy-four taps line the wall behind the bar, and (this being Colorado) typically a dozen or more sour and wild beers are on at any time.
WHY IT’S GREAT: In full disclosure, Tap and Handle (pictured at top) is located fifty yards from the CB&B office, so it’s as local as local gets for us. The tap lineup is thoroughly killer and stylistically diverse—split about half-and-half between Colorado breweries and some of the more adventurous national and international names. It’s not uncommon to find rarer beers such as Perennial Abraxas and Firestone Walker Parabola on tap, but you’ll always find a few taps with classic and rotating New Belgium and Odell selections. Or ask for the owner’s reserve list and enjoy vintage bottles from his cellar. Tap and Handle is a frequent haunt for the pro brewers in town, and for good reason—the selection and care for great beer is evident. — Jamie Bogner
Hours: noon–midnight daily
Address: 307 S. College Ave., Fort Collins, CO
The Monk’s Kettle (San Francisco, California)
Beer and food share the stage at this California standout.
WHAT IT IS: For a city known for its restaurant and bar scene, high-end beer bars are surprisingly underrepresented. The Monk’s Kettle, however, located in the funky Mission District, is doing its part to fill the void with a beer selection that puts it in the upper crust of the national scene. When you throw in its impressive offerings from the kitchen, you won’t go wanting when you visit the Golden Gate City.
WHY IT’S GREAT: In this era of craft beer, it’s getting easier every day to find a beer bar with a great beer menu, but it’s still a bit of an anomaly to find one that also has a stellar food menu. The Monk’s Kettle appreciates that a great dish can elevate a beer and puts special emphasis on beer-friendly cuisine. Standouts include hops salt fries, Penn Cove mussels, and the pancetta-wrapped rabbit. And between the twenty-eight taps and a massive bottle menu, you’ll have no trouble finding a beer to pair with your meal. Order without fear because everything on tap is good; with so many California choices available, the bar can afford to be picky, and the staff has a well-earned reputation for putting on only the best.—Patrick Dawson
Hours: Noon–2 a.m. daily with outdoor seating available until 10 p.m. each night
Address: 3141 16th St., San Francisco, CA
Mekong (Richmond, Virginia)
The tag line says it all—“Mekong is for beer lovers.”
WHAT IT IS: An unassuming Vietnamese restaurant with one of the best beer lists in the mid-Atlantic, Mekong has racked up accolades such as “Best Beer Bar in America,” while cleaning up in local awards for everything from “Best Asian Restaurant” to “Best Restaurant Beer List.” Sit down at the bar or a communal table, order some summer rolls and a bowl of pho, then choose from a deep tap list that reads like a who’s who of great breweries from around the world.
WHY IT’S GREAT: We’re used to visiting hyped locations that don’t always match the hyperbole, but Mekong lives up to all of it. It’s a strange mix—Vietnamese cuisine in a suburban strip mall with a beer list that would make Michael Jackson blush—but it works. The reason it works is an expertly curated beer list that hits every note from European classics such as Saison Dupont to creative locals such as Hardywood Park’s Bourbon Barrel Barleywine to American craft mainstays such as Allagash White. It’s not the typical craft-beer bar experience, but it’s memorable, and we’ve never seen anything quite like it.—John Bolton
Hours: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. daily
Address: 6004 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA
