Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour

America’s 100 Best Beer Bars 2014

Ah, another Draft Mag Top 100 list, another reminder to do more traveling outside the East Coast. Didn’t make much headway this year, as some of the bars I’ve hit in past (Bier Markt, Sunset Tap and Grill) are off this year’s list, so while I have hit four new places since last year, I’m only up to nine total.

I’m hoping to add ChurchKey to this list next month, Monk’s Cafe during Philly Beer Week, and surely Torst is in my sights later this year. How many of America’s Best Beer Bars have you been to?

EDIT: For clarity, I just want to reiterate, this is not my top list of bars, this is a personal recollection of the places I’ve visited that were featured on Draft Mag’s America’s Best Beer Bars for 2014. Please click through the link at the top or bottom of this post to see their full list.

Source: Draft Mag

America’s 100 best beer bars: 2012

Only seven for me, plus the World of Beer chain mentioned in the notes for the South. Pretty weak. Gotta step it up in 2013!

  • MCNULTY’S BIER MARKT | Cleveland, Ohio (Went here before I started fuj on tap but I might get around to doing an archive post at some point)
  • THE ARMSBY ABBEY | Worcester, Mass. (StoutFest, Hill Farmstead Dinner)
  • BLIND TIGER | New York (Post-Grad Boozin’)
  • DEEP ELLUM | Allston, Mass. (still need to do full posts on Boston, but here’s the teaser shot)
  • RATTLE N HUM | New York (Post Grad Boozin’)
  • SUNSET GRILL & TAP | Allston, Mass. (Also pre-fuj on tap)
  • REDLIGHT, REDLIGHT | Orlando, Fla. (East Coast Road Trip)

How many have you been to?

Source: Draft Magazine

Redlight Redlight [East Coast Road Trip]

One of the places I knew I had to try when I was in Orlando was Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour. It’s unequivocally touted as the only place to drink in Orlando by Beer Advocate locals (also rated 97 overall) and was listed as one of America’s 100 best beer bars for 2012 by Draft Magazine.

Let’s get this out of the way: This is a dive bar and a half. Elise did not go into this venture with this mentality and was sorely disappointed. A shame since the beer selection here was amazing, the prices were ridiculously low (pints of all but the very rarest of beers were $4, including imperial pints) and Big Bruno’s Bites was slinging delicious food truck grub all night long.

They had several beers on nitro (which is a weakness for me) that I sipped on while we chowed down on some Old Bay fries. They had fried oreos on they menu as well but after my carnie-filled day at the Strawberry Festival I decided to abstain. Entertainment was provided by the staff and regulars as a box of Shipyard thongs were delivered in anticipation of the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

It was an early night due to Whiney McWhinerton not loving the place and being beered-out at this point of vacation. Next time I visit my brother I will definitely be spending some more quality time here.