C.H. Evans Brewing Company

Avryle

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$$

This is actually one of the best restaurants in Albany... I don't know if that says more about the quality of their food or about what Albany has to offer as far a dining options!

Food options are excellent. You can get anything from a burger to seafood to vegetarian meals. I've never had a bad meal though sometimes the service can leave something to be desired. They often appear to be short-staffed and you can end up waiting to eat or even be served for quite a while. On the other hand, I've gone and have received exceptional service.

Their beer selection tends to be excellent. I prefer their cold weather brews which include a great RIS and barley wine, though the summer offerings have included a diesel smoked hefeweizen. They also have their Kick-Ass Brown that won a gold medal at the GABF a few years back. Growler fills are reasonably priced at about $12 or $13 and they don't care where its from. If you didn't bring one, you can purchase a pricy hand-blown German growler at the bar. The brewer is usually on the premesis and you can often see him working all about the tanks.

The building is neat if you care about such things. Its located in an old brick pump house (go figure, as the restaurant is called, The Albany Pump House) They did an awsome job on the renovation of the building into the restaurant/ brewery and won several awards for it. There is a huge fireplace that dominates a wall of the dining room a lends a cozy ambiance during the winter months when its actually lit.

04-18-2008 00:03:23 | More by Avryle

BeerTaster

New York

4/5  rDev -2.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$

Very Nice well kept bar fast service good food Great beer. I had some hot wings and a Marzenbier I just wish the bartender had been a bit more social and I think the brewmaster was sitting next to me and I wish he had at least asked how I liked the beer since it wasn't crowded. Huge glass windows expose brewing equipment always a nice touch. Looks like the place to be on a friday and saturday night extra seeting on the second story overlooking the ground floor. I will be back if I find myself in town again.

04-05-2008 18:38:41 | More by BeerTaster

shabbtastic

New York

4.2/5  rDev +2.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

I love this place, and their brew is great too.

Awesome, my wife and I try to get a few friends and grab the section by the fire place. The old warehouse feel is awesome and that huge 2,000 lb crane hook that hangs over the dining room (which I hope is adequately supported).

Like I said great beer and atmosphere. Bartenders are very attentive a knowledgeable on the beer. Food and selection is great, galley style kitchen is a plus and the Turkey Gobbler goes great with a pint!

Prices are fair and the proportions are huge. My wife and I really enjoyed all of the time we've been there.

01-21-2008 16:17:16 | More by shabbtastic

aerozeppl

New York

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5 | $$

Ahh the pump station. While the beer is good the real draw here is the food. Probably the best food I have ever had at a brewery. The calamari is awesome. The burgers are great. Basically you cannot go wrong with the food at all. The beer is decent. If you only have time for one get the Kick Ass Brown as that is their flagship beer. I had a smoked Heff last year and that was awesome. If you can only go to one Brewery in Albany make it this one. Brown's in Troy is good but this one has the edge.

01-07-2008 23:33:25 | More by aerozeppl

diddly

New York

4.2/5  rDev +2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

One of my favorite restaurants. They usually have 6-10 beers going, with most of them year round. Unfortunately, I believe this is the only place to get them, but that makes eating here even better.

The building is quite old, but beautifully redone. The brewing equipment wraps around the inside of the building, and although I've never seen them brewing (which, I admit, is a bit odd), it looks great.

There's always a guest tap to go with their own selections, which are, for the most part, very good. The bartenders have a good knowledge of the beer, which I suppose is easier when you only have to worry about beer brewed in-house, but nonetheless are friendly and helpful.

Also, the food is quite good - not cheap, but certainly not expensive, and very tasty.

10-23-2007 20:34:15 | More by diddly

mymrnngjckt

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -12%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | food: 5 | $$

Stopped here July 20 on the way up to Vermont. Split a sampler tray with the others in my party. Since I was drving, this was all I drank. The beers were spot on for their respective style. The service was a bit lacking. It took us about 15 minutes to get our drinks and another 45 minutes to get our lunch. I am glad we were not in a hurry. I had a salad which was amazing. Every one else in the party really enjoyed thier food also. The portions were very large.

I would definetley go back the next time I am in Albany.

07-25-2007 16:44:57 | More by mymrnngjckt

plaid75

New York

4.15/5  rDev +1.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$

Located down th estreet from the Place and the Pepsi Arena with easy access to 787.

The building itself seems to be a turn of the century pump station for the city water. It is a gigantic two story structure with weathered brick walls, large windows and exposed steel girders. There is second floor balcony dining as well as a spacious bar area, open air kitchen and lounge complete with leather couches and an enormous fireplace. The interior was decorated with plenty of old CH Evans breweriana.

The beer selection included about 7 or 8 house beers, including a session scotch ale, apa, ipa, wit, export stout, blonde, dubbel, etc.

The menu was rather elaborate for lunch time.

07-23-2007 21:18:54 | More by plaid75

SunDevilBeer

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

Stopped in on a Sunday afternoon for a pit-stop with the wife and my 3-yr old son.

I'm partial to old factory buildings restored to restaurants and bars, so this is right up my alley. Flat-tops and a small bar on one side, then a dining area on the other. Very airy, expansive, comfortable place.

Had the beer sampler and was wowed by nearly all of them. The care and craftsmanship that went into these beers is obvious. It's easy to see why this brewery has won so many awards. I'd make the 2.5 hr trek from Boston for the Belgian Strong Ale and Pump Station Pale alone!

As for the food, I was also impressed. My wife had the Grilled Portabello sandwich, I had the Pump Station Burger (outstanding - and I'm not easily wowed by most burgers!), and the grilled cheese passed muster with my 3 yr old.

Service was quick and friendly, and I noticed another waitress hustling on a rather large party of 10 nearby.

All in all, I'd definitely stop here again and would recommend it to those visiting Albany.

07-09-2007 17:17:53 | More by SunDevilBeer

NEhophead

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -12.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

Stopped in for lunch on Saturday while in the area.

Located in an old water pump house, this place is airy and open. Plenty of tables/booths on your right as you walk in, with a bar set up to the left hand side. The kitchen is in clear view of the restaurant, located against the far right wall. An upstairs area also offers a more intimate feel, along with large tuns occupying the left half of the upstairs. On tap during my visit were six house brews and a guest cider. House brews included their Pale, Musty Barleywine, Extra Stout, Scottish Light, Blonde, and Kick-Ass Brown. We were informed that their Smoked Weizenbock had just been kicked (too bad, it looked like an interesting offering). I settled on the Extra Stout as well as the Brown; both of which, were flavorful and good renditions of the style. Despite the place being dead for a Saturday afternoon, the service was average at best (long waits for food/beer, forgotten orders, etc). The menu is a slightyly more upscale offering of typical pub food. The stuffed mushrooms with smoked mozzarella were awesome, but the pulled pork sandwich lacked traditional barbecue flavor. Probably a place I'd go to fill up a growler or to grab a couple of pints at the bar.

06-03-2007 19:54:54 | More by NEhophead

madmanjf

New York

4.5/5  rDev +10%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

This place strikes the perfect balance ... the beer and the food are both done well.

First, the beer. The regular brews are very consistent and well done. I'm a Pale Ale fan, and this one is damn good. The Brown Ale ... it's juussst right!. The experiments and seaonal are always a gem, and fun to try ... not to mention, rarely disappointing.

Second, the food. Good varietly, good quality in the freshness of ingredients, and very reasonable priced.... not to mention, Tastey.

This is just a great place to go. I enjoy stopping off here whenever I'm in the Albany area.

05-21-2007 14:07:25 | More by madmanjf