Skip to main contentThe Commons
1810 SE 10th Ave., 343-5501, commonsbrewery.com. 5-9 pm Thursday-Friday, 2-9 pm Saturday, 2-6 pm Sunday.
[BEST BELGIANS] Someday soon, we'll be nostalgic for the
old Commons: a concrete-floored space with plywood walls, limited hours
and too few chairs. When this small but mighty brewery moves from its
current warehouse in industrial Southeast to a century-old former
foundry on Southeast Belmont Street (estimated opening is late March)
it'll leave behind its bare-bones past and upgrade to things like proper
seating and longer hours (every day but Monday, from noon to 10 pm).
Brewer Mike Wright, who launched the Commons in his garage four years
ago, promises the new space will be aesthetically similar, but we know
there's no going back. Don't get us wrong: We'll still be there,
savoring the earthy and refreshing farmhouse ales. From the peerless
Urban Farmhouse Ale (crowned WW's Beer of the Year in 2013) to a
wonderfully tart nectarine saison to the fruity, funky Flemish Kiss, the
Commons does Belgian-style beer better than just about anyone in town.
That's not to say you won't find an oatmeal stout, German table lager or
bourbon barrel-aged Baltic porter on tap, and the new location will
include an expanded barrel system to allow for more
experimentation—it'll be "a playground," Wright says. What else will the
new location include? A "cheese annex" operated by Cheese Bar's Steve
Jones, serving cheese and meat boards, fondue and grilled sandwiches.
DRINK THIS: If you can get it, the Biere Royale, a sour ale brewed with black currants. Otherwise, the Urban Farmhouse remains as satisfying as ever.
WWeek 2015