Kegs and Kitchen

The list of things that I love about Austin is nearly endless. Somewhere near the top of the list though is how easy this city makes it to be a vegetarian. Perfect example. New barbeque restaurant opens. I check it out for several reasons, one of which is that they’re also brewing their own beer and the other is that lots of people in my life appreciate good que.

The place is getting quite a bit of attention, so I pull up their fancy new website to check the menu. As I read through the various types of smoked meats available, I notice something I’ve never heard of. Veggie Que? We need to check this place out.

First let’s talk about the beer. I found out about Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que from an email from the Austin Zealots group of homebrewers. Turns out part of the reason for all of the hype surrounding this new restaurant from the founders of Austin Java, is that they managed to secure local celebrity brewmaster Brian Peters to man the kettles. Brian developed quite a cult following due to his involvement with The Bitter End and Live Oak Brewing. This was a smart move to bring him on board, as great beer can make up for average food. I was greeted by the bartender and informed him that I was there to try their sampler. Here’s the lineup.

From left to right we have the Back 40 Blonde Ale, Haystack Hefeweisen, Uncle Billy’s Organic Amber, Ax Handle Pale Ale, Uncle Billy’s IPA and the seasonal Black Sabbath.

Back 40: Blegh! Tastes like I’m out in the back 40 right now, chowin’ on same hay. Granted, this is not one of my favorite styles, but I’m not crazy about this version, at all. Very dry and little going on the flavor or aroma departments. Won’t be ordering this one again.

Haystack Hefeweisen: Now we’re talkin’. This is a one of my favorite styles, and I approve of this attempt. Plenty of banana and clove in the nose and the mouth. Also, an interesting subtle flavor of bubble gum on the finish, must be their yeast? Very interesting hefe and I see myself drinking more of these once it gets hot again.

Organic Amber: In the glass this beer looks just like Fat Tire. The taste is much more robust. Very nutty, nice malty finish. Nice creamy feel in the mouth, goes down easy.

Ax Handle PA: Is this a Sierra Nevada PA clone? Starting with the nose and traveling over the palate this beer screams Cascade hops. Citrusy start, evergreen finish with plenty of sweet malts to balance it out. Not an original beer, but quite good for sure.

IPA: Pretty standard American IPA. Menu says they used Simcoe and Ahtanum hops both in the boil and for dry hopping. Pleasant mix of big malts, followed by the bitter bite of hops. Nothing to write home about, but it’ll cure your hankerin’ for an IPA, as it did this night.

Black Sabbath seasonal: Whoa! There’s that bubble gum flavor again! I’m betting they used the same yeast for this one that they did for the hefe. Beautiful black color, creamy brown head. Earthy yeast aroma. Smoky malt flavor with coffee and chocolate undertones. Slight hop presence way in the background. This was the star of the evening for sure. This is what I wish Shiner’s black beer tasted like.

Just as I finished the sampler, Lady J arrived to join me for dinner. After being seated at a table, I scan the menu for the mysterious veggie que, check. It says I can get it as a sandwich, I like sandwiches, we’ll go with that. Our friendly server arrives to take our order and promptly informs me that they’re “out of veggie que”. I give him a blank stare as if to say “what do you mean? That’s the only reason this vegetarian came to this here bbq joint.” After some prodding we get him to admit that actually, the veggie que has been removed from the menu due to lack of interest. Shocker. Not the end of the world, there are plenty of homestyle sides to combine as a meal. I create a plate o’ starch out of mashed potatoes and mac n cheese, with a salad on the side. My wife ordered the baby back ribs.

The ribs looked pretty standard, not falling off the bone, but she says they were pretty good. My taters were pretty heavy on the salt, but still edible. The mac and cheese appeared to be made with “cheese product” rather than the real thing, and they had some nice crispy breadcrumbs that seemed to be used as a garnish rather than having been baked with the noodles. The salad was a salad, nothing fancy, but what one would expect at such an establishment.

All in all, this was a pleasant experience. The atmosphere was good with that rustic, chic barnyard feel to it. Servers were all very friendly and attentive. Most of the beers were above average, with one that was a touch under perfect. While the food was pretty meh, I have a tip for those wanting to check this place out. Go during happy hour and order some beers. Then mosey on over to the steaming chaffing dishes on the side of the bar and fix yourself some free soft tacos with brisket or chicken to soak up the brews. You’ll be glad you did.