Beer Club 6!

This was our first weeknight beer club adventure!  Ok so we intended on going to Subway on April 15th--tax day, to buy one footlong get one free.  BUT, the Subway near our apartment was so f-ing crowded we didn't want to deal with it.  We made an honest attempt to go to the Subway downtown, but it was closed.
Lucky for us :) the Mellow Mushroom is about a block from Subway.  Plan B: Thursday Night Beer Club!

Beer #12: Sweetwater 420. 

Hi Mr. Waiter, I'll have a workin' man's beer, please, because I'm still in my work clothes. 

I'd never had Sweetwater 420 before and it was DEEE-Lightful!

Beer 13: Sweetwater IPA

Sweetwater is the 'brewery of the month' at the Winston-Salem Mellow Mushroom so their beers were cheap(er)!  Out of the two, I liked the 420 & Trey preferred the IPA.

Beer #14: Sam Adams Seasonal (Noble Pils )...and this is what I look like after work...BUT the beer was fresh and tasty.

Beer Club #5!

With it being almost 90 degrees outside, we decided it was time to participate in beer club again!  Nothing beats sitting outside in the warm weather, sipping on some delicious brews. 

Beer #9: Natty Greene's Buckshot Amber Ale.  Brewed in Greensboro, about 20 minutes from where we live, this brew was smooth.  Would I get it again? Yes, especially if it was a special like it was last night at the 'shroom.

Beer #10: Duck Rabbit Amber.  I've had this before in a bottle and thought it was just ok, but let me tell you, it is pretty dern delightful on draft.  Yet another North Carolina gem (....we <3 supporting NC breweries!). 

 

Beer #11: Rogue Dead Guy Ale.  Not a N.C. beer, but still good and went really well with our pizza!

 

...yeah I don't have a lot to say about these beers.  I'm no beer connoisseur, but none were the best I've ever had.  Don't get me wrong, I'd try all three of them again, though!

--Sadie

Barbecue Capital of the WORLD!

Lexington, North Carolina aka the 'Barbecue Capital of the World' is located a mere 20 minutes from my apartment and it took me almost a year of living here before I ventured out to this town (which I will now refer to as heaven).  Pulled Pork Barbecue is a serious thing in North Carolina--especially in Lexington where many claim to be the best.  There are probably 10 or 15 family-owned barbecue joints in this town alone, all of which have their dedicated fan base of clientele who have been eating at the restaurants for generations. 

To give you an idea...
Lexington-style barbecue is made with pork shoulder cooked slowly over a hardwood fire, usually hickory wood. It is basted in a sauce (called "dip" locally) made with vinegar, ketchup, water, salt, pepper and other spices. The actual ingredients will vary from restaurant to restaurant, with each restaurant's recipe being a closely guarded secret. While each is vinegar based, the taste varies widely from tangy to slightly sweet or spicy.

The most distinguishing feature of the "Lexington Barbecue Sandwich" is the inclusion of red slaw (sometimes called barbecue slaw). Red slaw is a combination of cabbage, vinegar, ketchup and crushed/ground black pepper. Red slaw is distinguishable from coleslaw because red slaw contains no mayonnaise. Many Lexingtonians (and visitors) consider red slaw a staple for a quality barbecue experience. Red slaw is commonly served as a side dish with barbecue, grilled poultry and other meats, and on hotdogs as a relish.

--Wikipedia

I am now on a mission to decide for myself which Lexington Barbecue Joint reigns supreme.  I am happy to report that my first Lexington Barbecue Restaurant, Barbecue Center, was a delight...no it was actually euphoric.  The pork had such a deliciously smoky taste that no extra sauce was needed.  The onion rings. OHHH the onion rings.  A lot of times, hand-battered onions tend to flake, but the batter on these onion rings was nice and thick and did not flake off of the onion.  The sweet tea had so much sugar in it, I am still feeling a sugar buzz (and I'm not complaining!).  The desserts. OMG.  They had banana pudding, chocolate pie, and ice cream.  Although the ice cream was not homemade, the things they do with the stuff is no joke.  I didn't order one but many patrons ordered a banana split and I kid you not, each scoop of ice cream was at least the size of a softball, if not bigger.  I just got a single scoop on a cone and Barbecue Center's single scoop was about the size of a large at Baskin Robbins.  ahhhhhhh I am still dreaming about the meal I consumed last night.  I only wish I would have ordered some hush puppies.

Here is a picture of part of my meal.  Unfortunately the picture does not even do the taste justice.
--Sadie