The Lowbrow, Minneapolis

Have you been to the Lowbrow in Minneapolis yet? Check it out. This place deserves to be more crowded than it is. Good beer list, good service, no wait at 7pm on a recent Saturday night and decent pub fare (stay away from the bland veggie burger though). The wife and I checked this place out with friends on a recent weekend after nearby Pat’s Tap – which didn’t seem super crowded – told us it would be a 60 to 90 min. wait. No thanks. Just seven blocks south on Nicollet, we had a table at the Lowbrow right away, no reservations. That’s more my style.

I gave a Kansas beer a try that night: Tallgrass’s Buffalo Sweat sweet stout. I haven’t had too many sweet stouts before (or more appropriately “milk stouts” as they’re brewed with lactose, a sugar unable to be fermented by brewers yeast). I enjoyed this one very much, kinda made me want to brew one of my own, possibly as my holiday beer for 2012.

The next beer I tried was Brau Brothers Ringneck Braun Ale, which paired quite well with the chili I ordered for dinner. Lots of carmel, nutty flavors in this local Lucan, MN brew to complement the grass-fed beef chili. Hipsters, be proud.

There were plenty of other tantalizing options to choose from on the beer list and lots of juicy burgers and sandwiches to try (not many other entrées, though). Glad to have this place in the neighborhood. I’m looking forward to going back soon.