Tilting toward puppets

Let’s be up front about the title.  It has nothing to do with beer or food.  However, it references the reason for the beer & food pairings I had last night.  I’d just been to see Don Quixote at Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts, and met with some friends at Twain’s Billiards and Tap. We’d considered going to The Brick Store, but someone pointed out that even on a Sunday night, the place is far too crowded. (A quick driveby in the Smart Car showed this to be true.)

Twain’s has changed a lot since the last time I’d been there. It’s now less a pool hall and more a brewpub- much to my delight. The former brewer from Dogwood is now in charge, and I was rather happy with the offerings- which were paired with appetizers instead of mains, as we were mostly in the mood for lighter fare.

My brother and I both got flights. They included Heaven for Climate Golden Ale, Mad Happy Pale Ale, Thirty Days Belgian Black, and Three Lies Cocoa Stout (which had an interesting overtone of milk stout, though that is not its style). All were quite good, though the Golden was my least favourite. (I tend to favor hoppier and darker brews.) I found the Mad Happy went particularly well with the hummus and pita I’d ordered. The only weird element was the cucumber spears included in the dish- they didn’t seem to go terribly well with anything, including the hummus. I tried my father’s appetizer- deep fried green beans with horseradish mayo- and decided it was best with the Belgian Black. (I’d figured the Pale Ale would be best with the horseradish element.)

I ended my evening with Stone’s Oak Aged Arrogant Bastard, which Twain’s had on tap. I’d only had it from the bottle before- and found the tap version a bit milder; not quite as much bitterness, and not quite as pronounced an oak overtone.

I do recommend you stop by Twain’s and give their brews a try. They’re probably not totally on par with the world-class brews you can find at The Brick Store, but they’re not bad.  (I’m a fan of drinking locally- so when in Decatur, why not drink Decatur brews?) I’m sure I’ll return for more.