Venue Review - Steakhouse 71 Lounge Bar

Steakhouse 71 Lounge Bar

I don’t think Disney’s website is clear enough.


I don’t think a lot of food review sites are as transparent as a simple guy from the Midwest needs.


So let me spell it out!


STEAKHOUSE 71 LOUNGE IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE! I only screamed because I was trying to find out if there was a virtual waitlist, physical waitlist, or other system or code to get a seat at the bar or the nearby couches. It is walk up. You see a seat, you take a seat…it’s yours! Easy peasy my friends.


We had heard a lot about Steakhouse 71 and the Lounge with statements that it was the best burger at Walt Disney World. So after an enjoyable morning in the Magic Kingdom, we monorailed over to the Contemporary. Then we grabbed directions from the Disney Vacation Club desk to Steakhouse 71, I am convinced this cast member’s duty is solely to serve as my personal concierge at this resort hotel despite the fact I have no connection to DVC. We reached the lobby area, walked to the host stand, and were informed we could take any empty space behind the partition that blocked the stand from the lounge. We emerged on the other side expecting to find guests jostling for positions…what we found instead on this Sunday early afternoon was a lot of seating with us taking an entire end of the bar.


My delightful date selected a cocktail, the “French 71” which is a cocktail with cognac, prosecco, and pear nectar which was the real reason she grabbed it. And it fulfilled all her hopes. I did consider a cocktail myself, with the bourbon-based “Cocoa Boulevardier” or “Curious Cold Brew” catching my eyes. 

A Pint of Key West Sunset Ale

But I am here for the pints! There were only three beers on tap all of them in shades of yellow and gold. “Jai Alai” led the list as the one IPA. They also had the “3 Daughters St. Pete Beach Blond Ale” from Saint Petersburg of course, which I saw a non-adventurous drinker ordering. I selected the Florida Beer Company “Key West Sunset Ale”, a traditional Pale Ale. It’s a beer that tastes like beer with a light hop bite, at 16 IBUs. It is kind of like a light IPA as it does not hit too hard. I could likely drink a second at 5% ABV. It reminded me of when Pale Ales, especially Summit’s “Extra Pale Ale” or Surly’s “Xtra Pale Ale”, were beer staples for me. I also do like the fact that all three draft options are local Flordia beers, whereas the packaged options lean closer to macro brews.

The Stack Burger...Worth the Hype!

But wait, we were really here for the food. We grabbed a Loaded Macaroni and Cheese. This Mac has a nice bacon flavor to it, and I liked it more than Nomad Lounge’s Lobster Mac and Cheese. But my date disagreed on all points. We had discussed Lump Crab Cakes, but the bartender warned they were somewhat small. We also got the Stack Burger, which with its’ Lemon Aioli and Pork Belly is truly everything that was been promised. It truly is in contention for Walt Disney World’s best burgers.


Who Drinks Here? Anyone who wants a great burger should drink here. Everyone who needs a bite near the Magic Kingdom should look for an empty seat! If you like craft cocktails, you are likely to find something fun here. But if you are looking for the best beer bar at Walt Disney World, you likely need to find a different barstool.

Beer Review - Surabat Valley Harvest Brew

Surabat Valley Harvest Brew

I’m a pretty big Star Wars fan…but I have no idea where Surabat Valley is!

Apparently, it’s a tiny settlement on Battuu known for its wildness and remote location. It’s named after Ariana Surabat, an explorer who helped discover Batuu and helped establish it as an important trading post in the Other Rim. And as someone who has read books on Galaxy’s Edge and been there several times, well this is all new to me! This shows that while Disney created a unique Star Wars world, they may not have set up a story to share the land's secrets. But hey, is “Surabat Valley Harvest Brew”, the secret gem of Star Wars’ beers?

“Surabat Valley Harvest Brew” is a 4.5 ABV, 7 IBU gose kettle sour style beer. It is described as tart, salty, with a watermelon flavor. Honestly, many kettle sours for me can be fundamentally just tart and puckery. I have friends and family who love these styles, but for many of them, I grab it, my lips pucker and I’ve had my one sip. “Surabat Valley Harvest Brew” for me however didn’t create the physical puckering. It does have a light tartness to it, which let me know it is gose. It also has a light watermelon flavor to it that is matched with saltiness and reminds me of being a kid and sprinkling salt on fresh-cut watermelon. And then the third flavor of beer backs up the entire brew, yes it has beer flavor in this beer.

The brew is crafted by Terrapin Beer Co., which also makes “Hawkes’ Grog Ale”. While they may not have the corner on sci-fi specialty beers, they do seem to own the corner on fruity-styled space beers. “Surabat Valley Harvest Brew” does a much better job of featuring the fruit than Avatarbeer, which is shockingly still not blue.

The warning is always, sour can mean lots of things. Some sours, like gose and berliner weisse, can be truly puckery and too much for some. But if you have been buying a lot of sours loaded with fruit or milkshake style, they could be more like a fruit juice or smoothie, so read your menus carefully. This beer is not a smoothie, it’s a beer.

Who Drinks This? You’re at Oga’s Cantina or picking up a Ronto Wrap at the stand on Batuu. Batuu is always hot, there are two suns. So you want something refreshing, light, and fruity, this is your beer. It does have tones of beer, but it’s not going to weigh you down in the same way as a “Bad Motivator IPA” my favorite Star Wars beer. Sour fans, of the puckery kind, can also enjoy it as they will get that tartness. For some, it could be an entry-level sour-style beer. It is worth a try, but likely not for everyone.

But if you want a beer that screams Star Wars lore, you will likely ask yourself Ariana who and reach for a different galactic brew.

Brewery Review - Ten10 Brewing Company

 

A brewery or the local water hole?

As I thought about spending more time drinking in Orlando, honestly websites were pretty sketch on what the best breweries were, what they specialized in, and where were the best places to visit. With friends suggesting Ten 10 Brewing Company, even though I have been reading about breweries for a year…I knew nothing. I wondered what was in store with this mystery brew.

The outside was a fairly beige bland building displaying just a few, not super large signs alerting visitors that Ten10 was inside. It fits into the surrounding block, with some street-side parking, and a matching building that felt like I was in a more established Orlando neighborhood. The busy interior made me feel like I just walked into an older local joint, even older than its 2015 establishment. If I didn’t know this was a brewery, I may have defaulted to assuming it was a neighborhood bar. And I will continue to say local, local, local…this felt so much like a joint where folks who lived nearby could walk over, sit down, and order a drink using the well liquor. And with me seeing a sign for Marlot, well maybe there were mixed drinks to order. There were wine and non-alcoholic options. Seriously, if you have a Marlot sign there MUST BE Marlot available, right?

I went for two drinks. First, was the stout that my guide wanted, “Santa’s White Christmas”, a Golden Stout with a 7% ABV and a 0 ABV. I love big stouts and porters, I do not generally enjoy white stouts, with my old local giving my most consistent experience. This one was sweet and pleasant, though I would not say stout. Maybe the golden color confused my pallet. It was solid, maybe my favorite of the three white stouts I have drunk. Maybe by this time next year, that number will be up to four!

Santa's White Christmas

For a second drink, I grabbed “East West IPA”, an American IPA, with a 7% ABV (hey a theme), and 65 IBU. Allow me to say this dark straw-colored liquid does 100% of what it must do. East West is the flagship IPA that every brewery needs. It’s a standard hop-flavored bite, that is a standard IPA. I’d argue that it’s Cigar City’s “Jai Lai”, Surly’s “Furious”, or Founder’s “All Day IPA”. Every brewery needs one. When they fail to produce one, I worry about the production side of the house. But here it is, a beer that tells me this is a solid brewing staff who understand the assignment. And regardless of what my drinking companions believe, many people like IPAs and it’s because of flagships like “East West”. 

East West IPA

There are food options, gourmet hot dogs and sandwiches. I was told that the spent grain pretzel was wonderful, and it would have been a great addition to go with “East West”. Everyone loves, or should love, a really big soft warm pretzel.

Who Drinks Here? Did I mention that Ten10 feels super local? I don’t think you will find a unicorn beer on these taps. And it’s definitely not a must-visit for tourists who love craft beer. Instead, I think if you want to feel like you are escaping the tourist traps of Central Florida, Ten10 Brewing Company will offer you a local feel and the beer that scratches a craft niche. My visit was on a mixed night of friends and bad news, and the local feel pre-gamed me for a solid night. I can see myself visiting again, especially to get a pretzel!

Beer Review Lägermaiz

 

Lägermaiz Next to World Showcase Lagoon

I love running down a rabbit hole!

When this day started I thought I would write a history on corn beer or Chicha de Jora. I mean, the grain in some locations is traditionally chewed to prepare the mash. And in the United States, we have often debated the use of corn as a supplement to grain in our beers. Is your pilsner secretly hiding corn? Only your brewer may truly know! Corn and beer is just an interesting topic.

As I’ve looked at the drafts available at La Cantina de San Angel in Epcot and found myself intrigued. On my last visit, I grabbed the Hercules draft which is "Lägermaiz", a corn-based beer. Okay, this is clearly not a chewed corn beer, as it’s a very light yellow with no cloudiness. "Lägermaiz" is a crushabale 5 ABV with no IBUs. The taste to me came off as a light lager (beer which tastes like beer) with a touch of sweetness from the corn that pleased me as a boy from the Midwest. It was smooth and pleasing overall. I think this is accessible to drinkers on all levels as it’s not bitter and is very refreshing. 

Ignore corn, I was introduced Hercules or Hercules Brewing was a mystery to me. Compañía Cervecera Hércules S.A. de C.V. is a Mexican brewery that I have never heard of! Their website is only in Spanish but shows a lot of canned beers to choose from, pictures of an outdoor seating area, and some delightful photos from around the city. They are images that make me want to take a vacation to Mexico! Since I don’t speak Spanish and am lazy, I asked Chat GPT to tell me about the brewery..and then I laughed again:

“Compañía Cervecera Hércules S.A. de C.V. is a Mexican brewery company that produces and markets various types of beer. Here are some key points about Compañía Cervecera Hércules:

1. Location: The company is based in Mexico.

2. History: Compañía Cervecera Hércules has a history of brewing beer, likely dating back several years.

3. Products: The company produces a range of beer products, which may include different styles such as lagers, ales, and specialty brews.

4. Market Presence: While specific details about their market share or distribution network are not provided, Compañía Cervecera Hércules likely competes in the Mexican beer market alongside other well-known breweries.

5. Mission and Values: The company likely has its own mission statement and values that guide its operations, focusing on quality brewing, customer satisfaction, and possibly social responsibility initiatives (OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (3.5) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com).”

Every company should have mission and values right? Maybe AI is a little behind on taking over the Earth!

But seriously, this is what I love! I know very little about Compañía Cervecera Hércules S.A. de C.V.! But Epcot is introducing me to a beverage and brewery that I’ve never run into in my entire life. And with a small number of check-ins and ratings in Untappd, my bet is Epcot is a place where many are stumbling onto this brew. To me, this is part of the mission of Epcot, bringing the world to guests and helping us see a larger connected world! This is exactly what I am looking for at Epcot Festivals and don’t get enough of. Bravo Mickey!

Who Drinks This? There are so many options. If you are in the Mexico Pavilion, let’s say awaiting a showing of Luminous, "Lägermaiz" is refreshing and a good beverage to wash down a dinner or pre-nighttime speculator evening nightcap. If you are a beer nerd who likes to sample various styles and different new to you breweries, you can use this beer to check off two items. And finally, for those super into the mission and spirit of Epcot, cheers!

Brewery Review - Tactical Brewing Company

This is not a drill!

Tactical Brewing Company keeps popping up on my list of too-visit Central Florida craft breweries. As a lover of Imperial Stouts, they seem to be one of the few breweries that always have an Imperial on tap. And those beers generally seem to be rated fairly well. It is an Orlando-based brewery that seems to brew good beers and have something I want.

Tactical Brewing Company is located in a target-rich area for beer hunters. The building feels like you are entering an up-and-coming shopping and dining district full of activity and new buildings. It feels modern, open, and welcoming. It is not a barracks. The brewery itself has a modern feel, full of light, though a little cramped when full and loud. The founders are veterans, passionate about their beer and creating “Strategically Chaotic Beer” which could explain why an Imperial always seems to be on tap as it’s not a style for everyone! The tap room also has military embellishments and decorations in an understated manner that would welcome all beer nerds including the hipster kids. It is a nice balance of representing the brewery and its values, but not a spot only painted in greens or red, white, and blue. The bathroom, yes I mentioned the bathroom, was super clean and strategically chaotic in its decorations which made me laugh.

The Way We Rust

But, how is the beer? This was not my first stop! Being someone who advocates always drinking responsibly, I ordered just “The Way That We Rust”, a 12.5% ABV Imperial Stout with vanilla, cocoa nibs, and pecans. The battle plan was executed well, giving me a lot of sweet and nutty flavor. It was more than enough for me to say, yes, I will return to have more of their Imperials. It is nice to have an option in Orlando that is consistent with this style. My drinking companion, who does not enjoy Imperials, found “The Way That We Rust” to be sweet enough that she enjoyed it. For her enjoyment, she grabbed “Mo Muggles Mo Problems”, a Butter beer-inspired sour with a crushable 5% ABV. It may not have been my favorite boozy butter beer with some sourness coming through. But it may not be fair to compare it to a seltzer-style butterbeer, where the style adds nothing to the flavor making the brewing technique easier to camouflage. 

Haze Cult: Ahhhroma

Second Sips: I returned on a Saturday to chase down an Imperial Target. I grabbed the “Seeker in the Dark” an 11% ABV collaboration with Cerebral Brewing in Denver. I know I go around hyping bourbon barrel beers, but rum-enhanced imperials can be really sweet fun. This stout was aged on rum-soaked amburana and had flavors of toasted coconut, cinnamon, clove, and star anise. If you don’t like black licorice, well you’re wrong, but everything about matched my order of battle. I found it really sweet, and enjoyable, but since I had recently had a Bourbon County Stout Biscotti variant, I didn’t bring a bottle home. I also grabbed a “Haze Cult: Ahhhroma” an IPA with only one hop, Ahhhroma, which was solid and drinkable but not my favorite hazy.

I may not be ready to say that Tactical Brewing is my favorite craft brewery in Orlando…yet. But it has all the markers of a potential favorite that I can include in my drinking plans with it serving as an outpost where you can recon for other beer operations!

Who Drinks Here?: If you are in Orlando and want to add a beer search to your vacation, Tactical Brewing Company is a good base to launch your attack from. It is near other locations where you can continue your campaign, making it a good waypoint. The menu has a lot to offer at almost any time, including for Imperial fans like me. And the vibe is welcoming. Or if you just want to sample what the Orlando beer scene has to offer, Tactical is a good target.

I may not be ready to say that Tactical Brewing is my favorite craft brewery in Orlando…yet. But it has all the markers of a potential favorite that I can include in my drinking plans with it serving as an outpost where you can recon for other beer operations!

Beer Review - Old Speckled Hen

A foaming pint of "Old Speckled Hen"

My beer journey started in the Midwestern parking lot of a Farm Aid concert. My brother-in-law handed me a green bottled domestic European lager knockoff. It was not a good introduction. I’m pained just remembering the sips.

Years and two moves later I was in London for an extended period. Before the trip, I would drink a super light domestic lager with friends. But beer, whatever! It’s a drink for fitting in, and is it even good? Then on my second night in London, I visited a nearby pub. I asked the barkeep for what’s good and he slipped me a “Fuller’s London Pride”. My pallet then opened to flavor as the mild hop bite and the caramel-colored liquid combined minting me a new beer fan. It’s been nearly a decade since I’ve had my last “London Pride”, an experience I am still chasing.

At Walt Disney World, Epcot’s Rose & Crown Pub is the best opportunity to capture the British pub experience. The staff are British, as confirmed by every other patron asking the cast members if they are really English, British, or from London. I wanted to yell back at my fellow patrons, can’t we just ask once? The beers on tap are all British imports, though it seems some of the Whiskey offerings are domestic. It’s fast-paced, loud, and a great place to grab a beer, and as authentic as possible United Kingdom pub experience…knowing you are steps away from Canada (member of the British Empire) and France (it’s just a Chunnel away)...in Central Florida.

Let me first say, I did not expect a show. As the bartender drew my pint, I saw bubbles…bubbles, bubbles everywhere. The plastic glass filled, not with liquid, but with a glass full of bubbles. This is cascade effect is most prevalent in beers that have been kegged with nitrogen. The tap releases nitrogen gas found in the keg, forming small bubbles that give a creamy finish to the beer. This is most typical in a beer like Guinness, which has gone so far as to add a widget to cans and bottles to give you a cascade effect at home. My understanding is that “Old Speckled Hen” is not typically kegged with nitrogen, but I did find a video that’s over 3 years old showing a can that has a nitrogen widget! In short, I didn’t ask questions and I’m not sure what was happening, but I liked it.

“Old Speckled Hen” is listed as a Pub Ale, sometimes known as an English Pale Ale, sometimes known as a bitter. That’s why I grabbed it on this visit, chasing a “London Pride” family member. I will admit, it tasted like a nice well well-balanced English ale with a mix of malt to give it a caramel color and flavor, with the yeast making it taste like, well beer. The ABV is only 5%, which would easily have allowed me to have a second or third. But what was missing for me was the hop bittering that I remember from my “London Pride” when I first experienced it, and everyone told me it was so vile and bitter. “Old Speckled Hen” has an IBU of zero! It was refreshing and was a great sipper as I sat in the sun next to the World Showcase Lagoon catching up with friends.

A less energetic pint!

And when I say well-executed, in an age where beer brands jump quickly in and out of the market, it’s been brewed since 1979. Originally it was brewed by the Morland Brewery, founded in 1711. So yeah, they may have known something about beer. In 2000, young upstart brewery Green King bought Morland, having been established in just 1799. Needless to say, as you sit in a country established in 1776, there’s some brewing legacy in your pint.

Who drinks this?  First, it is a solid delicious, and refreshing beer. It’s not too bitter, and the yeast and malt give you more flavor than a lager to let you know you are drinking a more complex beer. So if you like good well-produced beers, here you go! Some in my party found the taste to be too flavorful as it’s not a light lager. Second, it’s for those who want to have an English pub experience in Central Florida. It is an import. You can and will find it in London. So if you are drinking around the world, please split drinks, and want to check off the United Kingdom, you could do a lot worse! Finally, for those looking to manufacture and recover memories of days in the United Kingdom, allow taste and smell to bring you back. It’s a beer that sets a mood and reclaims memories, representing a brewing tradition that was established well before the United States pavilion. And if one wishes to say I did something authentic, and good, you can’t go wrong with the entertainment and refreshment this pint will bring you.

Venue Review - GB’s Bottle Shop

 

GB's Bottle Shop

State laws around liquor are weird. You never know what you are going to find or be able to do as you go from state to state. I lived for decades in a state that didn’t sell beer on certain days, from a liquor store. But everywhere else, drink up bro! There were limits to how much take-home beer one could take buy at a brewery if it qualified for off-site sales. Big breweries couldn’t let you take the liquid home. But they totally allowed all breweries to sell you as much THC seltzer as you wanted. State laws are weird. So as you enter Central Florida you may start to question what is and what is not allowed.

Here’s one of my happy discoveries, there are options for off-site sales that allow you to consume both on and off-site. The liquid you buy may be produced by that location…or it could be beers from breweries across the United States. I’m, finding, I love a good bottle shop/brewery refrigerator! 

GB's Glorious Taps!

GB’s Bottle Shop in Orlando is one of my favorites. The vibe is a hip tap room, though they are not producing and selling their own beers. Thought the outside doesn't scream, find your beer here!  It’s wide open, with plenty of space for friends. And best of all plenty of beer options, along with wine and mead. I had a party of four. Two of us wanted barrel-aged big imperial stouts. I had a handful of options, something that is often lacking in central Florida. I grabbed a draft of The Bruery’s “Black Tuesday”, a true big beer with a 16-hour brew that lived in bourbon barrels, bringing forth some awesome chocolate and dark fruit flavors. Truly this was not for the faint of heart with a 19.4% ABV, yes big big beers. For my second beer, I just went for a small beer that I had never enjoyed that had not kissed wood. I grabbed a Weldworks Brewing Company’s “French Toast Stout”, a sweet milk stout that brought forth maple, cinnamon, and vanilla…with its tiny 7.1 ABV! But again, there was something for everyone. Another friend grabbed a sour IPA, a style that I have never really seen. And it may have been a step too far for my companion. Maybe I will never see that style again. Our final party member snagged a Tripping Animals Brewing Company’s “Cosmic Bandito 2.0” fruited sour…which provided happiness. Again, a big tap selection with something for everyone. In our group, we grabbed beers from Florida, Colorado, and California!

 

The On-Site/Off-Site Guest Options

 

Room Temperature Beers to Go!

A big attraction here is the to-go offerings. There is a big refrigerated section, filled with beer from throughout the United States, which you can drink on-site or back in your themed resort room. And next to that is a huge selection of room-temperature cans and bottles to go. I bought three beers I had never seen on this visit, and a companion bought two. Even after I left, I was drinking my spoils at home. 

Enjoying "Lil Coconut"

Second Sips: I totally had to go back to grab a wish list draft and restock my home beer fridge. I was able to enjoy two Angry Chair Imperial Stouts. I really wanted their “Bourbon Barrel Aged Simple Math” with it’s 12 ABV of 17 months living in wood goodness. It was so coconut and worth the trip. I also grabbed a glass of Angry Chair’s “Lil Coconut” at just a small little 11.5% ABV which put out the rum and spice feels. And best of all I walked away with a four-pack of “Black Bouquet” a collaboration IPA between Phase Three Brewing and BlackStack Brewing. I truly believe BlackStack makes the best IPAs and collaborations reach the Central Florida area all the time even though BlackStack doesn’t distribute here.

Who Drinks Here? If you’re visiting a theme park, this is a great spot for you to visit to stock your room fridge. Just imagine a fun-filled and tiring day of touring a theme park. You get back to your room, grab a beer you can’t get at home, settle into a chair, and take a break from your relaxing. If you want to get away from the parks and are a hophead, the Ivanhoe area around GB’s Bottle Shop has several craft brewing tap rooms to visit. Treat yourself because you don’t know what gems GB’s Bottle Shop has stashed in their to-go offerings or on their revolving taps.