A Pint Sized Blog

In a city dominated by dance clubs, its easy to miss the hole in the wall bars. I don’t have anything against hole in the wall bars, in fact I prefer them. So when I went to Tubby’s Tavern for the first time it felt like I was at home. I enjoy the small more intimate bars, and Tubby’s definitely fits the bill. Tubby’s might hold the record for being one of the skinniest bars in BG, but even in the cramped space I enjoyed my self.

The music at Tubby’s was the first thing that peaked my interest. Most bars and clubs will only play top 40 hits and hip hop. Now that music is fine if you want to get your groove on on the dance floor, but I like more relaxing music when I’m drinking. And I’m not taking smooth jazz or anything like that, but Tubby’s Tavern was playing some AMAZING 90’s alternative music. (That’s my favorite genre of music).

But Tubby’s is more than just the music, they also have two big screen TVs that usually show sporting events. I was watching the NHL playoffs when I went. But in the back room they have 3 pool tables. Along with the bar, there a probably seven or eight tables on the other side of the bar. It was kind of an off night when I went. There was maybe only a dozen other people there, but from what I hear the bar can get pretty packed.

As for their drink selection, Tubby’s has over 8 different kinds of whiskey on stock. They have a decent selection of beer on tap and in bottles, and if you buy their 32oz draft beer special, you get to keep the mug the beer comes in. It never hurts to get a souvenir from a bar that’s not just some stamp on the back of your hand or a fake phone number. But I really enjoyed their Jello Shots. For just a buck, (and believe me the tab starts to add up), you can have your choice of 5 or 6 different flavors of jello shots. I had a Blueberry, Orange, and Grape jello shot and they weren’t half bad. You know for a buck I would have wanted a little more vodka in it, but beggars cant be choosers.

Overall, Tubby’s is a smaller bar that you don’t have to jockey for standing room like some of the other clubs. I know its not gonna be like each weekend, but I only have high praise for Tuuby’s Tavern.

For all the bars I visit, I like to rate them on 5 areas; selection of beer/drink, price of drinks, atmosphere (music, crowd size, etc), cover charge, and things to do (Pool, Darts, Karaoke, etc). All of these areas will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, one being bad, ten being good. So here is the breakdown:

Tubby’s tavern
Selection: 7
Price: 7
Atmosphere: 9
Cover: 10 (free from what i know)
Things to do: 7 (Pool tables, music, TVs)
Overall: 8 (out of 10)

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to comment!

 

If you’ve ever spent any time at Bowling Green’s Bowen-Thompson Student Union, you know the union has a lot to offer. There’s the bookstore, a bank, fast food, Starbucks, computer labs, and a huge ball room. But did you know that tucked away in the southwest corner of the BTSU is a pub? That’s right, the Black Swamp Pub, named after the famed Black Swamp where the current city of Bowling Green resides, is a fully operating bar and restaurant that caters to college student unlike any other bar in town. Obviously you still need to be 21 to order alcohol, but the overall environment is inviting to all students.

I hate to admit it, but the Black Swamp Pub was the first bar I went to when I turned 21. Mainly because I thought I could buy beer with meal plan money, I was quickly told that you have to buy beer with real money, but still I had a good time. I remember I ordered a Killians with some friends. They have a pretty normal selection. They have Bud Light, Guiness, and Blue Moon on draft, and about 14 different bottles to choose from. They also have a limited number of wines and mixed drinks that they make.

The Black Swamp Pub also has a decent selection of bar foods that you can use your meal money to buy. Burgers, nachos, pulled pork sandwiches, and wings are just of the few items they can make.

The Black Swamp Pub isn’t a bad place to relax too, there a couple of TVs scattered around the place, along with 2 pool tables, and a boat load of events are hosted at the pub. The pub is only open till 11pm on each night, except for Sunday, which it is closed all day.

At least once a month, Dr Michael Coomes hosts a beer tasting event that’s open to all students, faculty, and city residents over the age of 21. You can usually buy a ticket from the BTSU information desk and you get to sample some beer from whatever group comes in, or whatever the theme may be. Sadly the beer tasting events over for this semester, but I was able to attend the last on April 14th where I got to sample some Bell’s Brewery. Based out of Kalamazoo Michigan, Bell’s let a group of 40 or so patrons try 6 of their best beers. Im not going to tell you what I thought of them here, but you can see my reaction to Bell’s Brewery in my last post here.

For all the bars I visit, I like to rate them on 5 areas; selection of beer/drink, price of drinks, atmosphere (music, crowd size, etc), cover charge, and things to do (Pool, Darts, Karaoke, etc). All of these areas will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, one being bad, ten being good. So here is the breakdown:

Black swamp Pub
Selection: 6
Price: 6
Atmosphere: 8
Cover: 10 (free)
Things to do: 7 (Pool tables, music, TVs)
Overall: 7.4 (out of 10)

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to comment!

On Thursday April 14th, I went to my first ever beer tasting. Bowling Green State University Associate Professor of Higher Education Dr. Michael Coomes has been hosting beer tasting events at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union since the new student union opened in 2002. All the beer tasting events have taken place at the university’s Black Swamp Pub.

This was Coomes’s last beer tasting event of the semester and Coomes had Bell’s Brewing Company from Kalamazoo, Michigan as the highlight of the tasting. Bell’s is best know for their Oberon Ale, but that sadly wasn’t one of the beers being tested by the crowd of of over 40 students, faculty, and community members. For $13 I got to try 6 different kinds of beer that Bell’s produced.

There was a good variety from Amber Ale to Third Coast Beer that offered different tastes of what the 25-year old brewery had to offer. Now I’m not of a big coffee drinker, let alone in my beer. But I tried to keep an open mind, but I hate to say I wasn’t a big fan of the Java Stout. But on the other hand, I really enjoyed their Best Brown Ale. A mix of Caramel and cocoa, the Best Brown Ale was my favorite beer that Bell’s had at the tasting. The beer had an excellent balance in its flavor, and balance is one of Bell’s Brewery’s keys to making a good beer.

I did two audio interviews with two professors who are very involved with the beer tastings at the Black Swamp Pub. You already know a little bit about Dr. Coomes, who is the first interview, but in the second interview we hear from Dr. Rebecca Mancuso, an Associate Professor in History and Canadian Studies. Dr. Mancuso has been working with Dr. Coomes at these beer tasting events for the past couple of years. I hope you enjoy both of the interviews, and if you’re going to be back in BG next fall, and are 21, check out the beer tasting events. They are a lot of fun and I met a few new people in the process of tasting a few new beers. Cheers.

Michael Coomes Interview by bpackert

Rebecca Mancuso Interview by bpackert

When it comes to the college crowd, the newest place is always the most popular place. College kids only want to go to the newest, hippest, and loudest place in town. Students dont need to look any further than City Tap and The Attic. Similar to Uptown/Downtown , City Tap and The Attic are basically a bar and dance club combo.  City Tap and The Attic opened in 2009

First, lets start with City Tap. Located right near the corner of Main Street and Wooster, City Tap is a 21 and older bar after 10 p.m. City Tap is also a small restaurant which is open to the public from 3:00 p.m. to 2:30 a.m on Monday through Wednesday, and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. from Thursday to Sunday.  The Kitchen closes at 10 p.m. each night.

City Tap’s selection of over 34 beers on tap doesn’t always stay the same.  Owner Eric Pelham likes to keep rotating in new draft beers to keep the selection fresh for his patrons.  They also have great deals at City Tap all week long, City Tap is open 7 days a week.   My favorite mixed drink they have are their “Dragon Bombs.”  For 3 bucks each Friday, you can have the Bacardi Dragonberry Rum and Monster mixed drink.  Its my favorite mixed drink they have, and you should try it if you get a chance.

But if you and your friends are in the mood to dance, then just head upstairs to The Attic. The Attic is an 18 and older dance club directly above City Tap.  Open six days a week, closed Sunday, The Attic has one of the biggest dance floors in Bowling Green.  They play the latest top-40 hits and hip-hop music, your typical dance club music.  Now I’m not a big dancer, but one of the great things I love about The Attic is their two bars, one inside and one outside on their huge patio.  This patio is great during warm nights, but even on the colder nights you can still get a great view of downtown.

Also like Uptown/Downtown, City Tap and The Attic have a themed night on Wednesday night, Country Night!  So strap up your cowboy boots and your best flannel shirt and head over to City Tap for a fun night of country music and cheap beer.

But like most big dance clubs in town, be prepared to wait in line to get in.  Every time I head downtown to go to the bars, I always see a line outside the entrance to The Attic.

Even though you have to wait in the longest line in BG, The Attic and City Tap are a great combination of great beer and good times.

For all the bars I visit, I like to rate them on 5 areas; selection of beer/drink, price of drinks, atmosphere (music, crowd size, etc), cover charge, and things to do (Pool, Darts, Karaoke, etc). All of these areas will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, one being bad, ten being good. So here is the breakdown:

City Tap and The Attic
Selection: 8
Price: 8
Atmosphere: 9
Cover: 8
Things to do: 8 (Pool downstairs in City Tap, and a huge dance floor in The Attic)
Overall: 8.2 (out of 10)

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to comment!

First off I want to thank everyone out there for continuing to read my blog. I’ve had over 300 views from over 24 states and in two other counties. I never thought that many people would ever read this thing.

So last week I interviewed two bouncers from the Bowling Green bar and club Uptown/Downtown. Now what kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t tell you more about Uptown/Downtown? So this week’s post is about arguably the most dynamic bar and club in BG.

Uptown/Downtown is actually two bars in one if you’ve never been there. Downtown is a sports bar located on the street level at the corner of Main Street and Court Street. Downtown is home to almost 20 TVs which shows all the major sports games from Major League baseball to UFC on pay-per-view all week long. Downtown also have a few billiards tables and an air hockey table in case you and your friends just want to relax or if there isn’t any good sports games on the TV. Each place has their own bar, but if you and your friends are looking to go out and dance, then you should head upstairs to Uptown.

Uptown is on the second floor of the same building as Downtown, but you can’t get to it from Downtown, you have to enter from a separate entrance outside. Downtown is only a 21 and older bar, but Uptown is 18 and up, so for all of the minors out there, sorry you can only go to Uptown, but both places offer great atmosphere. Uptown really has on the of the best week long schedules for any club in BG.

On Monday nights Uptown has “80’s night” where you dance to all the classic hits of the 1980’s. They also play some 90’s music on Monday, but the good bulk is 80’s music.

On Tuesday, most people call it “Gay Night,” and I mean no disrespect to that. Tuesday nights are filled with some great techno music and is highlighted with drag shows galore. Being a straight male, I went to gay night once my freshman year of college and had a blast. It was really a fun and eye-opening experience. It is a must do if you’ve never gone. So don’t hate, participate.

Wednesday night is dubbed “Goth” night. But Uptown calls it “rewired.” But it’s all the same thing. All night long you’ll hear some of the heaviest rave and industrial music. You might go deaf by the end of the night, but it’s definitely worth it. Plus there is no cover on Wednesday!

For the rest of the week, Thursday through Saturday, Uptown plays hip/hop, R&B, and top 40 hits all night long. 21 and up don’t pay cover from Thursday-Saturday.

So no matter your taste in music, nearly every night offers something for everyone. How many other bars have that kind of variety? (Not a lot).

But what would a bar blog be without talking about some booze? One of the things I like about Uptown/Downtown is their “Shot of the Month.” Each month Uptown/Downtown come out with a new $2.50 shot of the month. Being April 1, (and I’m not pranking anyone on this) the shot of the month for April is a nerds shot. Now, I’ve never had one, but I’m definitely looking forward to trying one. I had their March “Shot of the Month,” Little Green Men, and it was definitely worth the price.

For all the bars I visit, I like to rate them on 5 areas; selection of beer/drink, price of drinks, atmosphere (music, crowd size, etc), cover charge, and things to do (Pool, Darts, Karaoke, etc). All of these areas will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, one being bad, ten being good. So here is the breakdown:

Uptown/Downtown
Selection: 7
Price: 7
Atmosphere: 9
Cover: 9 (Depends on the night, under 18 usually pays)
Things to do: 8 (How many places have drag shows? Exactly)
Overall: 8 (out of 10)

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to comment!

If you ever want to go out drinking in a historical atmosphere then the CLA-ZEL is the place for you.  You may not realize it but, The CLA-ZEL is Ohio’s oldest single screen movie theater, it opened in 1926.  Since 2000, the ownership has changed hands a few times, but the CLA-ZEL  is now owned by Ammar Mufleh, who bought the place in 2008.  Mufleh has successfully turned this one screen theater into a fantastic dance club and bar.

The CLA-ZEL has over 50 beers on draft and enough mixed drinks to make your head spin.  They even have drinks that catch fire like the Flaming Lamborghini.  I’m too scared to try it but this guy had the guts. Its the friendless of the bartenders that only adds to the excitement and environment at CLA-ZEL.

But like I said earlier, the CLA-ZEL is one of the premier dance clubs in Bowling Green.  Although they sometimes have local musicians that come in and play, usually they play club music that can get anyone dancing.  I’m not really much of a big dancer, but if the right song comes on you might see me on the dance floor. It seems every weekend the CLA-ZEL has DJ Manny come in and play some great club music.

Overall, I really like what Mufleh has done to the CLA-ZEL.  This place has gone from an abandoned building to one of the most thriving businesses in Bowling Green. For all the bars I visit, I like to rate them on 5 areas; selection of beer/drink, price of drinks, atmosphere (music, crowd size, etc), cover charge, and things to do (Pool, Darts, Karaoke, etc). All of these areas will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, one being bad, ten being good. So here is the break down:

The CLA-ZEL
Selection: 8
Price: 6
Atmosphere: 9
Cover: 10  (21 and up free, fee for under 21)
Things to do: 7 (This is a dancing bar/club, so bring your dancing shoes)
Overall: 8 (out of 10)

 

Don’t forget to comment! Cheers all!

 

Nothing against night clubs, but I’m more of a hole in the wall kind of guy. And by all means, Brathaus is the perfect hole in the wall (in a good way of course). Located on 115 E Court Street, near Cookie Jar and Corner Grill, Brathaus is a great place to just relax and have a few drinks.  You could almost call the Brathaus a sports bar, you can tell they love their Falcon Hockey there.  A couple of tvs over the bar, and big screen at one end of the building, offers a pretty good environment to watch a game.  Unlike some other bars in town, Brathaus doesn’t have the wide variety, but that’s not what the place goes for.  Each night they have fantastic deals on Natty, Bud light, and Molsen.  Their happy hour deals on Fridays are a can’t miss.  Almost everything is served in a plastic cup, so it may look cheap, but its all part of the environment. No one wants to clean up broken glass.

The one drink brathaus is know for is the “Legal Joint.” The mixed drink contains 1oz amaretto, 1 oz rum, 1 oz vodka and the rest of the cup is topped off with orange juice.  The legal joint is a perfect blend of sweetness and sting.  For three bucks you get you get a great mixed drink that no place in town sells.

 

For all the bars I visit, I like to rate them on 5 areas; selection of beer/drink, price of drinks, atmosphere (music, crowd size, etc), cover charge, and things to do (Pool, Darts, Karaoke, etc). All of these areas will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, one being bad, ten being good.

Brathaus
Selection: 5
Price: 8
Atmosphere: 6
Cover: 10  (21 and up only)(free)
Things to do: 6 (one pool table and a golden tee, but this is a reminiscing bar)
Overall: 7 (out of 10)

 

Remember, don’t forget to comment, and Cheers!

For anyone of you who know me, or will soon get to know me, you know that I love beer. Not in the way Homer Simpson loves beer, but it the way that lets a poor college kid like me travel the world through tasting beer. I did a fair amount of traveling growing up thanks to my Nana and Grandpa, and I’ve been to Europe twice when I was in high school. But now that I’m getting ready to graduate college, I need to find a real job and I wont be able to have the time to travel as much as I always wanted to. So i use beer to travel now. There’s a lot you can learn about a country by the beer they have. What kind of ingredients are available to the people, does the country have a vast history of beer, do other countries influence other countries beers? There are so many questions to be answered.

So I allow the tasting to tell the story. And there is no better place in town to do that than at Grumpy Dave’s Pub. Located just above Easy Street Cafe, near the corner of Main St and Wooster, Grumpy Dave’s Pub has a huge variety of bottled beers. With well over 105 different beers from over 19 countries and the United States, Grumpy Dave’s has a ton of taste for a pretty good price. Some of my favorite beers I’ve tried here are Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale, Murphys Irish Stout, and Harp. Now I’m not saying i would never have tried these beers, but Grumpy Dave’s was a convenient place to try them all.

For all the bars I visit, I like to rate them on 5 areas; selection of beer, price of beer, atmosphere (music, crowd size, etc), cover charge, and things to do (Pool, Darts, Karaoke, etc). All of these areas will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, one being bad, ten being good.

Grumpy Dave’s Pub
Selection: 10
Price: 7
Atmosphere: 6
Cover: 7 (usually free, cover on Fridays for bands, $2-3 and for Comedians on Tuesdays, prices vary)
Things to do: 7 (three pool tables and Saturday Karaoke Night is a great time.)
Overall: 7.4

Here’s a video interview I did with Grumpy Dave himself last December, and remember don’t forget to comment! Cheers!

Grumpy Daves Pub from Brendan Packert on Vimeo.

Piggybacking on my last post, I know that wine isn’t immune to the trouble of this recession.  I was watching WTOL 11 on Tuesday evening at 6, and I saw this video from the Independent News Network (based out of Davenport, Iowa).  This was an interesting news story on how some people are buying wine during the recession. I just found it interesting since I know a lot of people out there drink wine.

(Beer cave at the Frontier Travel Center in Bowman, North Dakota) 

So I’m pretty sure every broke college student at one point in time has been in a beer cave. These “caves” are in nearly every store that sells beer in Bowling Green, Ohio.  Whether its a gas station, grocery store, or the many carry-outs around town, beer drinkers alike always want to get the most for their money. Some people know exactly what they want to get when they walk in these caves, but sometimes people can spend minutes looking at the selection trying to figure out whats the best deal. Because I never settle for the same beer twice, I went out to 10 stores that sell beer in BG and did a little investigating to see who sells the cheapest beer. Now these prices are not sale prices, they’re their normal retail prices for Bud Light, Busch Light, and Miller Lite. I chose these three beers because i know they are fairly popular in town and that every store usually carries these three brands.  Its also the journalist in me that feels like revealing the truth, and I hope you haven’t been over-paying for beer all these times.

The stores I looked at were:
– Kroger
– Meijer
– BP Gas Station 1059 North Main St (across from Little Caesars)
– BP Gas Station 1602 East Wooster (across from Burger King)
– Circle K on the corner of Wooster and Prospect (across from Buffalo Wild Wings)
– BG Carry Out on Wooster (next to Domino’s pizza)
– Campus Quarters Sports Bar and Carryout (corner of Wooster and State St.)
– South Side 6 (Corner of South Main St and Napoleon Road)
– Legends Wine & Spirits Liqueur Store (located in the same plaza as Jimmy Johns)
– Walgreen Drug Store 1013 N Main St (across from Al-Mar Bowling Alley).

When i went to look at pricing, I only looked at five different sizes. There is a code that will follow the size)*
(not every store carries all of these sizes, but I’m going to tell you who has the cheapest of each size)
– 6 pack of cans (6c)
– 6 pack of bottles (6b)
– 12 pack of cans (12c)
– 12 pack of bottles (12b)
– Largest size either 24 or 30 pack (24c/24b or 30c)
(Not every store carries each of the sizes, but I’m going to tell you who has the best prices for each of the beers and sizes.)

Best Prices:

Bud Light

6c – Wine and Spirits Liqueur store.  $4.99

6b – BP gas Station 1059 North Main St.  $5.49

12c – South Side 6.  $9.99

12b –  Wine and Spirits Liqueur store. $10.99

24c – BP on N. Main Street, Circle K and Wine and Spirits Liqueur Store all sell 24 packs cans at $17.99

24b – BG Carryout.  $19.47

Busch/Busch Light

6c – Kroger, BP on N. Main St, BP on Wooster, and Circle K all sold at $5.49

6b – BP on Wooster (only seller) $4.99

12c – BP on N. Main Street, Kroger, Meijer, BP on Wooster and Circle K all sold at $7.99

12b – Kroger, BP on N. Main, BP on Wooster, Campus Quarters, Circle K all sold at $7.99

30c – Wine and Spirits Liqueur Store and South Side 6 both sold at $14.99

Miller Lite

6c – BP on N. Main St, BP on Wooster, Circle K all sold at $6.59

6b – BP on N. Main St and Circle K both sold at $5.49

12c – BP on N. Main St, Wine and Spirits Liqueur Store, Circle K, BG Carry Out, and South Side 6 all sold at $8.99

12b – Campus Quarters  $7.99

24c – BP on N. Main St, BP on Wooster, Wine and Spirits Liqueur Store, Circle K, BG Carry Out, and South side 6 all sold at $17.49

24b – BP on Wooster, Circle K and Wine and Spirits Liqueur Store all sold at $18.99

As you can tell, There can be a lot of places that competitively sell their beer.  And like I said earlier, these are their regularly priced beer.  I’m not here to post business’s sales or promotions.  But always keep a look out for a good sale, because that’s where the real savings are.  Never settle for going to the same business, because a lot of the time, there will be another store with the same or cheaper price on your favorite beer.

Leave your comments on my findings and let me know what you think.  Cheers BG.