Wednesday, February 19, 2014
New Pub Crawl Itinerary
Due to logistical difficulties, I have to change the pub crawl itinerary. I can not heed that old, famous advice "Go west, young man." But I'm still planning an ambitious tour of Irish pubs. The crawl will be more regional, encompassing several Mid-Atlantic states. Stay tuned for the new crawl route.
Friday, February 14, 2014
I'm on Facebook & Twitter.
The digital tentacles of this pub crawl are multiplying across the web as we speak (hmmm, that sounds a bit sinister. It's not meant to be, this is all in good fun). This epic pub crawl I have planned has not only this blog to promote it, but also a Facebook page and Twitter handle. You can also support and follow my St. Paddy's Day madness by liking my Facebook page, Paddy's Epic Pub Crawl. And you can find me on Twitter @pubcrawlpaddy. Thanks and stay tuned.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
I'm back!
Paddy is back! I have let this blog whiter on the vine for too long. I thought of starting something new, but why chuck a good thing out the window just because it's gotten a bit mossy? There are plenty of reasons why I let this blog go, but I won't bore you with the details. But I will bore you with the reason that I am firing it back up. After my last 2 Saint Patrick's celebrations being total busts, I committed myself to doing something bold and grand for this year. I am getting back into the visiting of fine Irish pubs full throttle. I will hold off on the details until I have them all finalized. But let me just say that I'm back, and I look forward to documenting what should be an epic celebration on March 17th. Slainte!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Irish Pub Poseurs in Philly
It’s been awhile between posts, loyal readers; it seems that ol’ Paddy doesn’t get out much these days. I’ve picked the low-hanging fruit in my area, so it looks like I need to expand my horizons and plan some road trips. Anyway, I was in old city Philadelphia for a birthday party the other night. The festivities were happening in a dark club with overpriced drinks and lots of neon lights. Not my scene, to say the least. I don’t feel any more hip and sophisticated paying $12 for Jameson. Not 12 year-old or Gold label, by the way, just run-of-the-mill Jameson. I decided to step out and check out some nearby places that call themselves Irish pubs.
I went into The Plough and The Stars on 2nd street. The place looks like someone turned an old bank into a bar and didn’t put much effort into it. The interior was pretty sparse, with some tables and a bar against the wall. The décor was minimal and not remotely Irish. The place looked pretty generic. The bartender was very friendly and rattled off the bar’s (extensive) Irish whiskey selection without missing a beat. It didn’t seem like a bad place to enjoy a cocktail, but The Plough and The Stars is definitely not an Irish pub.
I headed over to Brownie’s, which seemed more promising. It has a big flag hanging out front with a green shamrock emblazoned on it. Inside, the bar has the casual look of a corner sports bar; dark wood bar, pool table, sports memorabilia on the walls. There wasn’t much to designate the place as an Irish pub, no real décor to speak of. The bar selection was pretty weak, with only 4 Irish whiskies on offer. Brownie’s is the kind of so-called Irish pub that bothers me; it’s just a sports bar that tries to become an Irish pub by putting up a few shamrocks. They need to exert more effort in order to be credible.
The bottom line is that neither of these places qualifies as an Irish pub. They both may be perfectly suitable watering holes, but if you seek some good craic, go elsewhere.
I went into The Plough and The Stars on 2nd street. The place looks like someone turned an old bank into a bar and didn’t put much effort into it. The interior was pretty sparse, with some tables and a bar against the wall. The décor was minimal and not remotely Irish. The place looked pretty generic. The bartender was very friendly and rattled off the bar’s (extensive) Irish whiskey selection without missing a beat. It didn’t seem like a bad place to enjoy a cocktail, but The Plough and The Stars is definitely not an Irish pub.
I headed over to Brownie’s, which seemed more promising. It has a big flag hanging out front with a green shamrock emblazoned on it. Inside, the bar has the casual look of a corner sports bar; dark wood bar, pool table, sports memorabilia on the walls. There wasn’t much to designate the place as an Irish pub, no real décor to speak of. The bar selection was pretty weak, with only 4 Irish whiskies on offer. Brownie’s is the kind of so-called Irish pub that bothers me; it’s just a sports bar that tries to become an Irish pub by putting up a few shamrocks. They need to exert more effort in order to be credible.
The bottom line is that neither of these places qualifies as an Irish pub. They both may be perfectly suitable watering holes, but if you seek some good craic, go elsewhere.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Uisce Beatha: Powers
As I'm sitting here watching Notre Dame take a beating at the hands of Navy, I figure I can post a long overdue rating of my new go-to, everyday Irish whiskey. Powers is a good bridge whiskey for those who are skeptical of Irish whiskey. It is a pot still, though not a pure one like Red Breast, so it has a more full-bodied and muscular taste. Powers is smoother than Jameson, sweet but without being cloying like Bushmills is, and more robust than Tullamore Dew. And since Powers is generally slightly cheaper than the big 3, there's another reason you can turn the Scotch and Bourbon crowd onto it without much financial risk to them.
Powers has a nice, deep gold color, darker than many other Irish selections. The initial smell is like honey-coated alcohol, giving you a simultaneous sense of smoothness and robustness. The taste is smooth and peppery, with a pleasant shot of alcohol throughout the sinuses. Powers lingers in the mouth, with a nice stickiness on the tongue. For one of the cheaper Irish whiskey, Powers gives a lot of bang for the buck. For those who dismiss the Irish drams for being overly light and lacking complexity, Powers is one to try.
Powers is a whiskey that grows on you. At first, I termed it "hair on your chest whiskey" because of the heavier flavor than is usual for Irish whiskey. I used to need ice with Powers back when, the training wheels so to speak. But given enough time and tastings, the "Powers Punch" will become your friend. Now, I take it straight, which I recommend to others, but you can still dash in some water to open it up. Now, if you're coming to Powers from Bushmills or Tullamore Dew, be prepared to get knocked back a step. If you're a Jameson man, Powers will be a nice step up, having all the muscularity without the excessive alcohol burn. And if you're into the pot still taste of Red Breast, Powers will fall nicely into your stride, being sort of a rascally, shanty Irish, pot still cousin to RB. Powers may not be great, but it is very good for what it is. And it's the perfect dram for the upcoming winter.
Paddy's Grade: B
Powers has a nice, deep gold color, darker than many other Irish selections. The initial smell is like honey-coated alcohol, giving you a simultaneous sense of smoothness and robustness. The taste is smooth and peppery, with a pleasant shot of alcohol throughout the sinuses. Powers lingers in the mouth, with a nice stickiness on the tongue. For one of the cheaper Irish whiskey, Powers gives a lot of bang for the buck. For those who dismiss the Irish drams for being overly light and lacking complexity, Powers is one to try.
Powers is a whiskey that grows on you. At first, I termed it "hair on your chest whiskey" because of the heavier flavor than is usual for Irish whiskey. I used to need ice with Powers back when, the training wheels so to speak. But given enough time and tastings, the "Powers Punch" will become your friend. Now, I take it straight, which I recommend to others, but you can still dash in some water to open it up. Now, if you're coming to Powers from Bushmills or Tullamore Dew, be prepared to get knocked back a step. If you're a Jameson man, Powers will be a nice step up, having all the muscularity without the excessive alcohol burn. And if you're into the pot still taste of Red Breast, Powers will fall nicely into your stride, being sort of a rascally, shanty Irish, pot still cousin to RB. Powers may not be great, but it is very good for what it is. And it's the perfect dram for the upcoming winter.
Paddy's Grade: B
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Paddy's Disappointments
Why am I disappointed? The first reason is painfully obvious to any Notre Dame fans out there. The Irish were out-played by Michigan. Notre Dame came out swinging, easily marching down the field for a score on their first possession. Michigan came right back to tie it up. Then Dayne Crist had to be sidelined for a while. The Irish’s 2 back-up QBs, included Joe Montana’s son Nate, couldn’t make anything happen. Meanwhile, Michigan’s offense picked apart the Irish defense, bringing the score to 21-7 at the half. Crist came back out to retake the lead at the end of the 4th quarter, but Michigan came right back with a game-winning score.
This was a different-looking team from last week. The Irish were firing on all cylinders against Perdue: offense, defense, and special teams. The run game looked like it wouldn’t solely consist of Armando Allen. But Michigan’s defense made the Irish look like a one trick pony; Crist passing to TE Kyle Rudolph was all that seemed to work. The Irish defense wasn’t giving up any long balls to Michigan’s QB, who responded by throwing underneath all day and running for over 200 yards. I’m hoping this isn’t another hot-and-cold year for the Irish; I guess this Saturday’s game against Michigan State will show if the Irish can really jell.
My second disappointment came when Mrs. Paddy and I visited Catherine Rooney’s newly opened second location in Newark, Delaware. I consider Rooney’s Wilmington location to be one of Delaware’s best Irish pubs. The Newark version did not impress me, though. The new place in has the same authentic Irish pub look as the original: dark wood, cabinets adorning the bar, a parlor room. But the craic just wasn’t there. Newark is a college town, and while I expected a college crowd I was still put off at the obnoxious loudness of the bar patrons. Irish pubs are supposed to be fun, laid back places, not gin mills with people screaming at each other for no good reason. The whole staff was young, but I was surprised that the bartender did not give me a blank stare when I asked for a Powers neat. He did put my whiskey in a snifter, an unfortunate habit that too many bartenders have. Snifters are for cognac and other liquors; whiskey goes in a whiskey glass, damn it. The drink was ridiculously over-priced, too. The barkeep either rang it up wrong or management is trying to bleed liquor drinkers dry. The food was okay, about the same quality as the original location. The new location has the same Irish whiskey to Scotch proportion problem as the original location, almost 2-to-1 in favor of Scotch. They can still put Dawlwhinnie on the back bar, but no Red Breast? Let’s get with it, guys.
It was not an overall pleasant experience that we had, but I don’t think it is entirely the fault of the establishment. My opinion is that Rooney’s owners opened the wrong type of place in the wrong location. Irish pubs appeal to a more grown-up and civilized customer base; opening one in a hard-drinking college town is not advisable. The problem is compounded by the fact that Catherine Rooney’s has an established reputation and a loyal following. This new location may just hurt their brand. The owners of Rooney’s would have been better off opening another of their C.R. Hooligans sports bar location in Newark. Hooligans is a more casual place that appeals to a younger, more rowdy crowd. It would have been a perfect fit for Newark, as opposed to them trying to put the round peg of Rooney’s into the square hole of Main Street Newark. The absence of critic made all the difference; it goes to show how vital it is for a pub to have. The original Rooney’s has plenty to go around, which is why I keep going back. The new Rooney’s doesn’t have the critic at all, which is why I’ll probably not go back.
Paddy’s Grade: C-
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? paddythepublican@gmail.com
This was a different-looking team from last week. The Irish were firing on all cylinders against Perdue: offense, defense, and special teams. The run game looked like it wouldn’t solely consist of Armando Allen. But Michigan’s defense made the Irish look like a one trick pony; Crist passing to TE Kyle Rudolph was all that seemed to work. The Irish defense wasn’t giving up any long balls to Michigan’s QB, who responded by throwing underneath all day and running for over 200 yards. I’m hoping this isn’t another hot-and-cold year for the Irish; I guess this Saturday’s game against Michigan State will show if the Irish can really jell.
My second disappointment came when Mrs. Paddy and I visited Catherine Rooney’s newly opened second location in Newark, Delaware. I consider Rooney’s Wilmington location to be one of Delaware’s best Irish pubs. The Newark version did not impress me, though. The new place in has the same authentic Irish pub look as the original: dark wood, cabinets adorning the bar, a parlor room. But the craic just wasn’t there. Newark is a college town, and while I expected a college crowd I was still put off at the obnoxious loudness of the bar patrons. Irish pubs are supposed to be fun, laid back places, not gin mills with people screaming at each other for no good reason. The whole staff was young, but I was surprised that the bartender did not give me a blank stare when I asked for a Powers neat. He did put my whiskey in a snifter, an unfortunate habit that too many bartenders have. Snifters are for cognac and other liquors; whiskey goes in a whiskey glass, damn it. The drink was ridiculously over-priced, too. The barkeep either rang it up wrong or management is trying to bleed liquor drinkers dry. The food was okay, about the same quality as the original location. The new location has the same Irish whiskey to Scotch proportion problem as the original location, almost 2-to-1 in favor of Scotch. They can still put Dawlwhinnie on the back bar, but no Red Breast? Let’s get with it, guys.
It was not an overall pleasant experience that we had, but I don’t think it is entirely the fault of the establishment. My opinion is that Rooney’s owners opened the wrong type of place in the wrong location. Irish pubs appeal to a more grown-up and civilized customer base; opening one in a hard-drinking college town is not advisable. The problem is compounded by the fact that Catherine Rooney’s has an established reputation and a loyal following. This new location may just hurt their brand. The owners of Rooney’s would have been better off opening another of their C.R. Hooligans sports bar location in Newark. Hooligans is a more casual place that appeals to a younger, more rowdy crowd. It would have been a perfect fit for Newark, as opposed to them trying to put the round peg of Rooney’s into the square hole of Main Street Newark. The absence of critic made all the difference; it goes to show how vital it is for a pub to have. The original Rooney’s has plenty to go around, which is why I keep going back. The new Rooney’s doesn’t have the critic at all, which is why I’ll probably not go back.
Paddy’s Grade: C-
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? paddythepublican@gmail.com
Thursday, September 9, 2010
The Fighting Irish: Week 1
The Irish got off to a solid start this year versus Perdue. Dayne Crist appears to be a worthy successor to Clausen and Quinn. The ground game looks much improved and the defense looks better than it has in awhile. I know it's just one game and it wasn't exactly a blowout cakewalk (you guys got nailed for a safety? Seriously?) but I'm cautiously getting my hopes up. I'm looking forward to enjoying many a fine dram of Irish whiskey while watching Notre Dame do better than .500.
Inquiring minds may want to know which Irish pub I selected for my Fighting Irish viewing pleasure. Well, I didn't. You see, I knew I was going to probably get a bit loud and rowdy, this being the kick-off game and all. Plus, since the temperature leveled off into the realm of bearability, I was going to be able to partake in copious amounts of Irish whiskey (Tully Dew in this case). I know it sounds strange coming from a committed shanty Irishman, but I didn't want to act like a boor at one of my favored local pubs. I can't stand those guys who scream and holler at the top of their miserable lungs over every down of a game. I like a lively sports bar scene, but I don't need my ears to bleed because the guy next to me is blowing a very loud gasket because his fantasy stats are getting shellacked. I don't want to be that obnoxious, screaming jag-off, at least not in place that I frequent. So, I decided to take in the game at home, where I could bellow and carry on to my heart's content. I'd only be disturbing my neighbors, and we don't talk much anyway. (And probably even less so now, considering all the windows were open in my place while I watched the game). Now, I just have to decide what whiskey I'm going to have as an accompaniment to this Saturday's game versus Michigan. There's a bottle of Paddy on my shelf that's been looking awfully lonely of late. Here's hoping that I'll be toasting to a 2-0 start.
Inquiring minds may want to know which Irish pub I selected for my Fighting Irish viewing pleasure. Well, I didn't. You see, I knew I was going to probably get a bit loud and rowdy, this being the kick-off game and all. Plus, since the temperature leveled off into the realm of bearability, I was going to be able to partake in copious amounts of Irish whiskey (Tully Dew in this case). I know it sounds strange coming from a committed shanty Irishman, but I didn't want to act like a boor at one of my favored local pubs. I can't stand those guys who scream and holler at the top of their miserable lungs over every down of a game. I like a lively sports bar scene, but I don't need my ears to bleed because the guy next to me is blowing a very loud gasket because his fantasy stats are getting shellacked. I don't want to be that obnoxious, screaming jag-off, at least not in place that I frequent. So, I decided to take in the game at home, where I could bellow and carry on to my heart's content. I'd only be disturbing my neighbors, and we don't talk much anyway. (And probably even less so now, considering all the windows were open in my place while I watched the game). Now, I just have to decide what whiskey I'm going to have as an accompaniment to this Saturday's game versus Michigan. There's a bottle of Paddy on my shelf that's been looking awfully lonely of late. Here's hoping that I'll be toasting to a 2-0 start.
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