Beer Rating: Shock Top

We had six wise men and four wise women present to taste Shock Top. Everyone could instantly taste the orange/citrus flavors and it was compared to Blue Moon, Summer Hummer, and Bud Light Wheat. The Wise Men, turning to their carnivorous roots, felt Shock Top would be perfect with food like burgers and wings. One Wise Man went as far as to say it would be delicious with a BLT sandwich on wheat. I can honestly say that I have never had a BLT sandwich on wheat, but I am sure it is good, and apparently would be even better with a Shock Top there to cleanse your pallet. The Wise Women preferred fruits, salads, and other finger foods to go along with their Shock Top. It was unanimous that this is a spring or summer time brew and that the Mohawk rocking orange peel belongs in the sand somewhere on a beautiful beach. Considering it was snowing outside when we had our tasting, summer time is a little ways off, but for those several glorious seconds with Shock Top on my tongue I felt I was on the beach, maybe Cabo, sitting under an umbrella socking up the rays. It was a good feeling, and I sure could use a tan.

Beer & Barbecue: Henry's SmokeHouse

Today was the first of many Thinking Drinking Man Barbecue Tours. We are trying to keep our travel time to within an hour, and Henry’s Smokehouse in Greenville, SC was only 45 minutes away. They have three locations, and we ended up at the their Woodruff road restaurant. Despite being located in a shopping center, the inside was put together really well and gave you the southern barbecue feel. All the furniture was oak, as was the cashier's counter and backdrop. There were also plenty of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and Elvis posters lining the walls, adding to the atmosphere. They carry all the traditional barbecue favorites, and I went with the pulled pork plate that came complete with beans, slaw, and bread. I got a sweet tea to drink, sadly they do not offer any beer, and after taxes, my meal came to 8.05, very reasonable. The pulled pork was good. It had a strong smoky flavor to it and it came out really moist, and with a little of their homemade red sauce, it gave it a real good kick. The beans were also really good. After a few bites, I was really craving a Budweiser or Shiner Bock. A real good, heavy American beer would go really well with the pulled pork. The bread was just like any normal white bread, but the slaw on the other hand was mediocre at best. I would suggest substituting it for something else on the menu. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give Henry’s Smokehouse a 6.5. It was good food, worth the price, but did not blow me away. Despite the fact that they did not serve beer, it is located next to a liquor store, which partly makes up for it!

Check them out at:
http://www.henryssmokehouse.com/