Great Beers on College Hill

This past Tuesday was an intense day of studying for me. I spent 8 hours studying for my advertising class and decided I earned the right to go out and blow off a little steam. Usually I don't enjoy going out the bars on College Hill in Cedar Falls because of the college masses. Sitting in a cramped little bar surrounded by loud drunk college kids is not my idea of a fun night. But being a Tuesday evening all the college kids were absent from the bars allowing me to actually enjoy my beer and conversation with a friend.

Woodchuck Chocolate Raspberry 

My friend and I met up first up at The Other Place on the hill. When devoid of drunk rude college kids The Other Place is a rather pleasant place. They have good food and a cozy semi-rustic look with wooden booths. I only ordered one drink here and decided to try something new. The O.P. had just received a new case Woodchuck Chocolate Raspberry which I settled on as my drink of choice. 

The Chocolate Raspberry was a great choice. It had a full apple flavor to start with and ended with a sweet dark raspberry note. I have to note the chocolate flavor was lacking. In fact I don't think I could distinguish any chocolate flavor at all. Though despite the disappointing lack of chocolate, the sweet apple and dark raspberry flavor made a wicked combination for a delicious treat.

John, the manager of The O.P., talked to me about this new cider they just got and mentioned they were selling like hotcakes, so if this is a drink you'd like to try hurry into The O.P. while supplies last. I would rate this hard cider much higher than Woodchuck's pumpkin cider. (Honestly that pumpkin cider was a disgrace and never should have been made. Or Woodchuck brewers should have tried their own cider before bottling and selling it.) But the Chocolate Raspberry I give a solid 3.2 rating, which would have been higher if the chocolate flavor was more prevalent (or present to begin with.)  

Deschutes' Chasin' Freshies 

After The O.P. we walked down the hill to the Social House. I've only been into the Social House once before for a couple minutes. It's a classy little place. If the prices weren't so high and college kids didn't flood the place every weekend, I would find this bar to be right up my alley as far as style and theme goes. The second beer of my night was Deschutes' Chasin Freshies. I believe the Chasin Freshies was a saison and one of the most wonderful beers I've had the pleasure of consuming. Sitting pretty at 7.4% ABV this particular saison is packed with intense citrus flavors that smack you upside the head. I cannot stress how good this beer was. It starts with sweet citrus aroma then a tiny bit of hops for a mild hoppy pine flavor and a flood of fantastic pineapple flavor. Totally giving this beer a strong 4.6 rating. Go out to the Social House on College Hill and try this one for yourself and I'm sure you will agree to it's quality. 

Sidecar Coffee Shop: When Coffee Just Doesn't Cut It

College Hill is home to the Sidecar Coffee Shop. In my opinion the best coffee shop in Cedar Falls. Perhaps a bold claim, but one I intend to prove. When you walk into the Sidecar you are presented with a lot of stimulus. College kids crowd around the small tables enjoying their coffee and paninis as they study together or simply converse with enthusiasm. The mellow lighting and music offers a relaxing and enticing atmosphere. As you continue to walk towards the counter and glance around you would notice the painting lining the walls. Every few weeks a new artist features their work providing a unique experience with every gallery.

As you walk up to the counter you are greeted by a smiling barista prepared to take your order. The service is usually swift, and for any time consuming order the barista will serve your food or drink to you at your table while you wait. The menu choices are quite extensive for a coffee shop as well. There's the usual coffee related drinks as well as soups, salads, paninis, breakfast pastries, desert bars, and an eclectic selection of beer when coffee just doesn't quite cut it. I've had a few of the beers and I'm quite happy with what they have available.

Beer Review:

Two Hearted Ale is a crisp bubbly IPA with a bitter bite. The bitter piny hop flavor is the overriding characteristic of the ale. It has a deep amber color in the low light of the Sidecar ambiance. All these IPA's I keep drinking are helping me develop a taste for them, though I think it will still take a while to truly appreciate and enjoy the taste completely. The Two Hearted Ale made me think of biting into an acorn. Now I have no idea what an acorn actually tastes like, but I imagine it's something similar to this IPA. I would recommend this ale to any IPA lover, but not to anyone who doesn't enjoy the bitter taste of a hoppy beer. I give the Two Hearted Ale a 3.75   out of 5. 

The Cuvee Renee is a lambic style beer. Absolutely one of my favorite beers I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. There's a premium cost to purchase it, but worth every penny. It had a light crisp bubbly sensation as you sipped it from the glass. Bubbles rose in a continuous column causing a slight fascination. The beer had a distinct sweet citrus flavor with a tart and slightly vinegar over note. A glass of the Cuvee Renee reminded me of a champagne more than anything. Merchant duVin can offer more information about the lambic style beers. I rate this beer a 4.75 out of 5.