Beer nerds, rejoice! Barley House beckons with more than 200 brews
Ladies and gentlemen, the beer revolution is upon us. I've said this before, but bars are getting serious about their brews. Just when I think I've found the holy grail of beer lists, another bar comes into the picture and completely redefines my expectations. This time around, that bar is Barley House.
Motif: On my arrival to Barley House, I was curious why they went with a pub theme. It wasn't until I further researched Barley House that I realized that the building once housed Claddagh Irish Pub. I'm guessing that not a lot has changed to the interior. To paint a picture for you, I would say that the interior resembles a modernized pub. There are the usual pub artifacts, such as wood floors, wood tables, fireplaces, a large wood bar, stained-glass area separators and multiple rooms. The bar is located in the middle of the building, a lounge-y booth area is to the left of the bar and other seating areas encompass other sides of the bar. With all of the separators, a lot of privacy can be had, and what may have been a large open room now feels much more secluded.
Liquid consumption: Barley is a key ingredient of beer, and it is no coincidence that beer is the key ingredient of Barley House. With more than 200 beers to choose from, and around 15 on tap, you're going to have many reasons to come back to Barley House. In fact, you can sign up for the Beer Nerd Club and try to work your way through all of them over time, with employees noting the results. So, after finishing all these beers, Beer Nerd Club members have their choice of either a T-shirt, hat or $50 gift card that you could use to buy more beer. If that is not enough, you'll also get your name on a wall of fame - truly a crowning achievement. Beer Nerd Club members also receive 25 percent off their beer on Wednesdays. Now here is the ridiculous part: Three people have already finished every beer, and two of them did it in only six weeks. That is an insane amount of beer in such a short period of time, and do not get me started on how much money that must have totaled. Sure, the majority of drafts are $3 on Thursdays, but the drafts make up a tiny amount of the beer available at Barley House.
As far as beer specifics go, here is a sample of brews on tap: Abita Purple Haze, Surly Furious, Anchor Liberty Ale, Delirium Tremens, Bell's Two Hearted Ale and Magic Hat #9. Now I could go on and list some bottles, but then I'd be going on for hours. Check the list out on their Web site to see for yourself.
Food: Barley House has a surprisingly varied menu. Some of the offerings include corned beef and cabbage, steak, pasta, vegetarian dishes, sandwiches, burgers, duck, pork chops, lamb chops, frog legs, soups, salads and a lot of appetizers. Seriously, how many bars serve frog legs? Exactly.
Crowd: This place is obviously going to attract beer lovers. While watching one patron sit down at the bar, I was just waiting for him to pull out his crumpled up Beer Nerd Club list, for this man was clearly on a mission from the beer gods. The rest of the crowd varied in age, and it is easy to see why, Barley House is an extremely nice bar and very welcoming to those who want an exotic beer or simply some food.
Service: During my visit, the service was extremely friendly and accommodating.
Sounds: The only sounds I heard during my visit to Barley House were from the televisions around the bar and people's chatter around me. But do be warned, even though Barley House resembles a pub, Irish music is only allowed on St. Patrick's Day. This is clearly stated in their strict set of rules.
Parking: No need to worry about parking here; the lot is large, as it accommodates multiple businesses in the surrounding area.
Overall: Barley House's menu is great, the service is excellent, and the decor is quite welcoming, but for beer lover's, I might as well be talking like the adults in "Peanuts." Delicious food is just an added bonus to an astounding list of beers. Barley House appreciates and rewards beer nerds, but, Barley House, you don't need to win me over with a free T-shirt or my name on a plaque. You had me at "over 200 beers."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Barley House</p> <p class="News">1520 S. Randall Road, Algonquin, (847) 658-5520, <a href="http://www.barley-house.com" target="new">www.barley-house.com</a></p> <p class="News"><b>Hours:</b> 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday</p>