Gordon Biersch: Beer and the Old Man

This next statement may be somewhat controversial, but: BEER > WINE.

And until I feel otherwise, I will always look for a bar before a winery (unless I can get a brut, a cava, or, you know, a glass of champagne).

I know, I know. Gordon Biersch is a chain restaurant. But, if it is a chain, that probably means you have gone there at least once - and will probably frequent it again. Therefore, this post is justified.

When my TP and I walked in, an older gentleman (who didn't turn out to be such a "gentleman" at all) motioned for us to come sit next to him at the bar.

• Did we know him from Adam? No. 
• Was it a bit creepy and random? Very. 
• But did we sit by him anyway? Yes.

He was clearly a regular - telling us what beers to get and pestering us to order the garlic fries (which we did not).

Our friendly bartender immediately offered us the beer sampler, so that we could decide which one was our favorite and would get us through the rest of the night.

They were out of their seasonal brew (sadness), but we tried the Golden Export, Märzen, Schwarzbier, and Czech Pilsner.

Beer Sampler

From L to R: Golden Export, Märzen, Schwarzbier, Czech Pilsner

My favorite was the Golden Export:

Golden Export

A smooth, refreshing lager, lightly hopped with a dry finish. The demand was so high when it was first brewed in the 1870s, that it was “exported” to other regions in Germany.
Original gravity: 11.5° Plato
Alcohol by volume: 5.00%
Bitterness units: 17

TP's favorite was the Hefeweizen:

Hefeweizen (hay-fa-VEIT-sen)

A German-style wheat beer that is crisp and refreshing. This light and sparkling beer is known for its signature aroma that suggests cloves and bananas.
Original gravity: 12.5° Plato
Alcohol by volume: 5.50%
Bitterness units: 12

The old man insisted that his favorite, the Märzen, was the best, but I wasn't too impressed.

And what's a night out without spontaneous tequila shots - Patron with training wheels (salt and lime). Again, the old man demanded that we put the lime in our mouths before taking the shot (which we did not). The rim was over salted, but it went down as smooth as always.

Homer:Us :: Peter:The Old Man

The old man may have been a little thorn in our sides, but it made for an interesting night at a regular old chain.