Brick Store Pub

mdaschaf

Washington

4.83/5  rDev +3.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

Was lucky enough to get to go to Brick Store when I was down in Atlanta a few months ago. I went with my girlfriend and met a another friend there on a Saturday afternoon and the place was pretty empty, much to my surprise and delight.

The bar is impressive with the Belgian bar upstairs and regular bar downstairs. They have a great tap list that is always rotating and and an impressive bottle list. We sat at a table downstairs and were given the days tap list. It took me a good while to decide what to order and I finally decided on Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial since I had not had anything from JP up until this point. I followed it up with the De Dolle Dulle Teve and a Terrapin Rye Squared. We ordered some pretzels which were amazing and hit the spot. The rest of the food menu looked great, but we had a large brunch that morning so I can't speak for how any of it tastes.

I was ready to hang out here all day as the atmosphere was great and everyone was extremely friendly. I also happy with the prices, as the few beers they had on tap that I can get at home were cheaper and bigger pours. I wish I had a place of this caliber where I lived!

07-22-2011 19:39:02 | More by mdaschaf

bcdees47

Texas

5/5  rDev +7.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

During my three days in Decatur, I visited the Brick Store three separate times, but wish I had time to go more. The selection of taps (of which there are only a moderate number, but all are extremely well-selected) and bottles is both exceptional and mind-boggling large. My friends and I sat in the upstairs Belgian bar during our trips to the pub, which was nice as it is somewhat quieter and more intimate than the downstairs American bar. Service was excellent. Their system seems to be that all of the servers pitch in serving your table. This is fantastic, as your beers tend to arrive quickly and you benefit from different recommendations from the knowledgeable staff. The food was good - standard pub fare. The highlight of my visit, of course, was my trip down to the cellar. The Brick Store apparently has two cellars - one upstairs in the Belgian bar, another downstairs in an old bank vault. It is apparent from viewing both that this is a place that truly cares about building an extensive, quality collection of cellared beers. My mind was blown by the sheer number of rarities they have on offer. Plus, it was quite interesting to hear Lee's, their beer buyer, take on how the cellar collection is built. After viewing it, I naturally had to order something off the cellar menu, which is perhaps longer than the regular menu. It is true that there are a number of very pricy items, but there is something for every budget, especially one-offs and other limited beers. The collection also offers a good number of verticals on imperial stouts (such as Ten Fidy) and belgian ales. 10 more days would not have been enough to scratch the surface. I will definitely be back here when next I am in Georgia.

Side note: the owners of the Brick Store also own Leon's just down the street. I found that, while their list of taps and bottles was obviously smaller, they nevertheless had some excellent beers on offer, including some rare items that were not at the Brick Store. Just FYI.

07-05-2011 16:16:10 | More by bcdees47

kingcrowing

Vermont

4.78/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$

I was in town for a conference and I stopped in here twice. I have to say I was blown away both times and I wish I could have come again. I chatted with brickstoredave and he told me to ask for him when I came in, but sadly I wasn't able to meet up with him.

Anyways, I'll start with the food. I got this curry/sweet potato dish that was amazing the first night and I paired it with a 2008 Garadin geueze black label - fantastic combo! The beer was superb and the dish was both tasty and unique. The second night I had a Turkey sandwich with a breakout stout. Again, both were tasty and delicious.

I had a handful of other beers on tap while I was there, a really solid variety and very good prices on all their draft beer. I went thought their cellar list and it is epic as well. The prices on the cellared beers are a bit high - however they are beers you couldn't find anywhere else so I don't think they're overpriced at all.

I will certainly go back next time I'm in Atlanta, and I'll plan to bring some more cash so I can pop some killer beers!

06-03-2011 15:28:27 | More by kingcrowing

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.36/5  rDev -6.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

The Brick Store Pub is definitely a must-stop destination for those spending any time whatsoever in the Atlanta area. It is conveniently located next to the MARTA train terminal, though I cannot say how convenient the MARTA itself is, as I've not ridden it much. Anyhow, it is always nice to have a public transport option when you are having a bunch of drinks.

The atmosphere is quaint, and the place is usually quite busy from what I've seen. The beer selection is fantastic, and the taps can be stunning. I happened upon a secret tapping of Devil Dancer one time, and another time CBS was secretly on-tap, but I was oblivious to that fact and proceded to guzzle Jolly Pumpkin all night. The Brick Store does a good job of keeping stylistic variety on the handles; i.e. there are not a redundant 7 IPAs and 5 Hefes, say, as is the case all too often. Between the beer here, and the food at R. Thomas Deluxe Grill, I cannot see myself going anywhere else in ATL.

05-13-2011 19:17:56 | More by ktrillionaire

FLBeerGuy

Florida

4.88/5  rDev +4.5%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

On a recent trip to Atlanta I was excited to see I was staying a scant 5 miles from the Brick Store Pub. Located in downtown Decatur, parking can be a challenge, but can be had if you are willing to walk a little.

Got there early on a Friday night and it was already busy. Went upstairs to the Belgian Bar which was much smaller and quieter. No empty tables to be found, but found a couple of seats at the bar. You can order from either tap menu from either bar, which is nice.

Bar staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Tap list is solid, Founders, Victory, Lost Abby, Jolly Pumpkin to name a few. No TVs or loud music here, so conversations can be had without going hoarse.

Food is excellent and very reasonably priced, nothing over $10. Our party had the Pierogies, Roast Beef sandwich and Brunswick Stew. All were excellent.

Only complaint was on the site here it says "Want a cellar tour or to meet the publicans? Any beer advocate planning a trip should beermail pghlee or Brickstoredave in advance." I did and received no response.

I had high expectations coming here and was not disappointed. Worth going out of your way for if you find yourself in Atlanta.

05-13-2011 02:15:14 | More by FLBeerGuy

dmbsteve

Tennessee

4.58/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $

On a recent visit to ATL with the family, I wanted to find a family friendly, yet beer friendly place. After looking it up on BA, this was a no brainer. Made the 20 minute drive from Buckhead to eat here. Beer list is second to none. Food was outstanding. And location is hip in the middle of eclectic downtown Decatur. Where has this place been my whole life? Wish I could take it home with me. Only negative was the service. I'm sure if I had sat at the bar, it would have been better. But had to sit at a table (I have two small children) and it seemed like servers constantly walked by without looking our direction. Maybe they thought I wasn't going to drink much beer with my family there, but on the contrary I would have ordered at least a couple more if I had a server to order from. Anyway, it being a Saturday night and it being very busy I can't let that detract too much from the experience. It is truly a one of a kind place.

05-10-2011 05:07:03 | More by dmbsteve

MbpBugeye

Ohio

4.85/5  rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$$

In what can really be best described as luck, I was able to stop here for dinner while passing through Atlanta.

The outside is very old world rustic, but new and in good upkeep. There are a few tables outside, some of which are high tops made from old barrels. Inside is pretty small and the tables end up being very close together. The bar is not very large and all the seats were full. There is a decent number of taps on the downstairs U-shaped bar. There is more seating and another bar upstairs. Its my understanding that the upstairs space is full of Belgian offerings.

It was a Friday evening so I feared that the place would be packed, and indeed the place was pretty busy. We didn't have to wait for a table though, and the service was very prompt. The food came out much quicker than I could imagine. The waitress even took the time to take me up to the cellar for a very quick peek around, because she knew I was very interested in beer.

I've gotta say that cellar is impressive! Some of the stuff in the cellar is for sale and featured on their cellar menu. Things like 07-10 Cantillons, Struise, De Cam and lots of other Belgian names are found on this list. Prices on the cellar list can get high, naturally. Their standard beer menu is HUGE. Page after page of bottles. Its split up by country, I believe. There is a huge selection of American craft but this is primarily a Belgian bar. Lots of Lambic, Gueuze and Abbeys. The tap list was strong but not a lot of stuff really jumped out at me. The downstairs bar, which is American craft, had about 50% things I can get here in OH. There was The Bruery Saison De Lente, Lost Abbey Carnivale, Sweetwater IPA, Founder's Coney Island and others. Upstairs had things I've never really seen on tap. Some Cantillon, St Bernardus, Boon Kriek and other Belgians.

The thing that struck me the most was that there were no generic pints. Everything was served in its brewery's specific glassware. They have a FANTASTIC range of glassware. Aventinus glasses, Large Weinhenstephan weizens, DFH signature glasses, Lost Abbey tumblers, Kasteel and St Bernardus chalices were just some that I saw.

I was nonplussed to hear that they can't offer bottles to go. This is perplexing because they have a few 5L bottles for $300 on the cellar menu. Because of this one trip to Brick Store is not enough to get the full experience.

04-10-2011 22:17:52 | More by MbpBugeye

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

4.9/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5 | $$$

We took the MARTA from Midtown and it was a short walk from there.

Atmosphere: Everyone is engaged in conversation and enjoying the pleasures of their food and drink. There are no TVs but the music is on at an average decibel level.

Quality: This is by far the best beer bar I've been to.

Service: Everything was prompt. The waiter was quick to bring us water and take our orders and the beer and food arrived in good time as well. My glass didn't stay dry too long and the bill came at the right time. I have no complaints.

Selection: They have an enormous selection of American, Belgian, British, and German brews and it is tough to decide. I asked if they had any Cantillon - which wasn't on the menu - which led the waiter to bring me the cellar list. The tough choice got even tougher when I saw this. I can't imagine any bar having more options.

Food: She ordered Fish n Chips and I ordered BS pasta. Mine was great, hers was great and the portions were perfect.

Value: I had no complaints about a $26 2007 vintage 375 mL Cantillon Iris but I didn't like spending $12 on a 12 oz. Lindemans Faro.

04-06-2011 05:59:25 | More by bucklemyshoe

heyta

Georgia

4.68/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 3.5 | $$

This is my goto bar for the last 10 years. Their anniversary in late June is an unbelievable event every year that keeps me in their bar from noon until midnight drinking some of the rarest most exceptional beer in the world.

As far as beer goes, they have 8 belgian taps upstairs and then a bunch of rotating taps downstairs. I have had everything from KBS and CBS to a beer engine pumped Wells Bombardier here.

I just can't say enough about what's been done here, and the beer cellar addition last year kicked things up a notch.

03-25-2011 18:21:13 | More by heyta

Mosley1212

Florida

5/5  rDev +7.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $$

I visited the pub with my girlfriend three times over the past week while I was on spring break visiting in Atlanta. I contacted Lee and Dave and set up a cellar tour on our first visit. Lee was an amazing guy and I highly recommend getting a tour from him if you go. With the background out of the way...

A--This is a fantastic beer environment. There are no TVs anywhere (admittedly missed because of the NCAA Tourney). That means the whole pub is more focused on conversation and the environment than on what team is winning the game. We sat in the upstairs Belgian Bar two of the times and downstairs our last time. The Belgian Bar felt older and like an actual place in Belgium. It was a great place to sip on a Rodenbach.

Q--Quality is high. All of the beers were served at perfect temperature, in the proper glass (Lee and Dave even go so far as to have a glassware collection so they can provide you with the glass corresponding to your brew), and the food was delicious. The quality of the tour we were given was exceptional. Lee made us feel very appreciated by taking the time out of his day to show us around. He showed us some of the most prized possessions the pub has, and he was able to answer all of our questions with a smile and an incredible amount of knowledge.

S--The service here is incredible. When we first got there there weren't many people, so we were constantly being tended to by different bartenders and servers. All of them seemed interested in what we were drinking. Also, I must comment on the fact that every bartender and server knew a great deal about the beer they serve. I cannot tell you how refreshing it was to servers who actually knew what was on the menu. Great addition to the place.

S--I wish I could give it higher than a 5. The cellared beer list they have is extensive and gives you the opportunity to try something you may never have again in your life! Also, the rotating taps offered a different lineup with each of our three visits. Then they have an extensive bottled menu that represented both seasons and year round brews from a multitude of breweries. I was able to beers from breweries I have only read about on BA. Great, great place.

F--Wonderful. I ordered the Shepard's Daughter's Pie and my girlfriend had the Volcano Stew (brunswick stew served in a sourdough bowl). We also (on separate trips) had the pimiento cheese appetizer, and the fries appetizer. Everything was cooked perfectly, served warm, and had incredible flavor. Also, at about $9/plate, it was an incredible value.

V--After living in Miami for law school, I pretty much consider anything under $10 to be a steal. Luckily, most of the items on the food menu were well below this cut off. As for the beer, you can pay as much as you like (if you want some rare cellared beers), or you can stick to the reasonably priced bottles/taps. It really comes down to a personal preference.

I feel hesitant giving any place all 5's (is there really any place that is "perfect?"), but this place really deserves it. I cannot say enough good things about it. Honestly, it was the kindness of Lee and the atmosphere that pushed me over the edge. This place is a perfect 5 for me. Guaranteed to be the only one I ever give.

Cheers, guys!

03-22-2011 18:47:53 | More by Mosley1212