The Draught Horse

The Draught Horse has been a neighborhood beer bar in the Medical Parkway area for decades. Three years ago, owner Dan Moran added brewing equipment. They serve 80 different beers in addition to their house brands. By having so many commercial beers available, Moran said, it gives brewer Josh Wilson the flexibility to experiment in seven-barrel batches because they don't have to worry about always producing a beer for the masses. They have experimented with some 19th-century beer recipes from England, including an 1850 Guinness original IPA recipe. While homemade beers take up about seven percent of the taps, they make up 20 percent of sales, Moran said. They produce around 300 barrels annually.

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1. Midland Cream Ale A pub draft, fairly light ale with all English malt and hops.

2. White Shield Burton Ale Cask conditioned and served with a beer engine for a smooth texture. Low carbonation makes for a rather flat-bodied beer; much may be drunk in one sitting.

3. Old Knuckle Head A traditional old-style ale that also pours from a draft engine. Low in carbonation with obvious presences of chocolate, malt, and caramel flavors, and a strong alcohol content.

4. Octoberfest Brewed once a year and finished off when it is at its peak. Uses a German lager yeast and malts for a slightly sweet flavor.

5. Weizen Heimer A traditional German wheat beer with a very dry and fruity finish.

6. Weizen Fest Like Octoberfest, but weaker and more caramelly with a slight sweetness.

7. Weizen Bock A rather unique beer combining two popular styles. The wheat is brewed to bock gravity using German malts, including 50 percent wheat malts.

8. Hammerhead Super Stout Made with English malts and hops, with a head like a Guinness. "Part of the experience is drinking through the foam."

	Midland Cream Ale	White Shield Burton Ale	Old Knuckle Head	Octoberfest	Weizen Heimer	Weizen Fest	Weizen Bock	Hammerhead Super Stout
Michael Bertin	12 Watery. I have to leave to get my date.	16 Watery-er. Put some malt in your beer, please, and some hops and some yeast.	13 I'm not joking anymore.
Patrick Earvolino	27 Great finish; very drinkable; creamy.	23 Smooth; small-beaded head like Spike's momma.	20 Looks like flat Coke, tastes like....	28 Hint o' fungus; would probably taste better if I weren't about to puke.	33 Good hefeweisser!	26 Not bad, but I'm so trashed it could be piss and I'd still be grooving.	0 Too sweet for these buds; syrupy pancake fodder.	34 Velvety, chocolatey goodness.
Spike Gillespie	12 Water never tasted so good. Oh, wait, that was too mean. But really -- blah.	23 Maybe I'm jaded by now. Maybe this is the beer of the gods. But this princess thinks it's better suited to peasants.	22 Sweet, dark, mysterious, in a supermarket paperback kinda way.	26 Like a good friend, this one tastes consistent, dependable, a beer you'd like to hang with any time of the day.	22 I had some dreams, they were clouds in my home brew. This one is real good. Could be my next Weiss.	27 Okay. One complaint: They served us this one in a 3 oz. glass. I want a damn pint. Now!	24 Potato Kool-Aid. Would not pass the three-pint test. Which means, if I drank three pints, I would hurl. But it's not bad.	31 I can't think of one more thing to say. But this is a good beer. Try it.
Johnny Hardwick
Pableaux Johnson	2 Here comes the chaos. Spike's getting belligerent. I think the INS people have come for Johnny.	18 Sweet; nice and malty.	0 They're coming in so fast!! Oh God!! The humanity....
Kate Messer	16 Too smooth. I couldn't have handled anything more.	16 A little less watery.	17 Dark as Manuel's curls.	19 Two little children are walking around piggy-back, pushing their way to the bar. It must be for this beer.	15 I'm weissted.	21 This is yummy. Really. How many other ways can I say that?	19 The bathroom is deep green; I hope I don't have to visit it again.	6 Smooth, dark (like Manuel), and the last one. Thank you, Baby Jesus.
Meredith Phillips	18 Water and honey?	18 Tiny bubbles.	16 Appearance: dark yet watery. Taste: cough syrup.	15 Fizzy, between an amber and a brown. No red carpet here... and this fast track tiny beer chuggin' is making me tired.	24 Fruity without too much sugar hefencrzev. When will it end?	23	21 Mmm, your head looks yummy. Full-bodied beer without being too dark or bitter.	32 Odor: slight, nice. Flat, smooth, dark, luscious, the end.
Bruce Robison	16 Just let me go home, please. I beg of you. King Ralph is on the TV. If only I could hear.	25 This beer smells like Herman the German. Oh my God, there he is.	12 Appearance: black. I've had it with this "brewpub" crap. I want a can of beer or a bottle or a plastic cup or a moist rag.	23 Tastes good. I like. Herman sees me.	21 Apple-y, apple-esque, apple-eveeno, apple-o-rama. You ever really listen to the word "Apple"? Apple, Ap-ple, Ap-ple, Aaahh-pullllll.	36 This is the best beer ever; there has never been a beer this good. Someone should, like, sell it to people.	22 Smells faintly of rubber bands and new car. If you like that sort of thing.
Kelly Willis	15 Golden-y. Very "Natural Light" tasting. Like at Deep Eddy.	18 Slightly better than the last. Tastier yet still kinda flat.	12 Dark brown. Very little flavor for dark beer. In all fairness, maybe I'm just drunk and don't care anymore.	22 Reddish, you know I'm kinda partial. Better than previous three beers. I could drink this.	25 Appearance: cloudy. This beer is the first beer they served that takes a chance. Kinda sweet, very flavorful.	24 Amberish. I could drink it all night and be happy. Yet, 6s are scary (keep in mind).	26 Kinda sweet, a little bitter, yet drinkable. I feel compelled to tell you all I'm not a very discerning beer drinker. After the first glass, it always tastes great!	32 Appearance: black. Made me happy. Someone has to say it: It has a great beat and you can dance to it. (Don't forget... I don't usually go for dark beer.) Being the last beer of the night might be influencing my decision. Where's Johnny?