Beer Issue - Top taps

A wall of taps does not make a taproom. Choice is important, but so is attention to detail. Knowledgeable servers, clean tap lines and proper serving glasses are a must. It also helps if the customers appreciate the selection. Unfortunately, Atlanta is lacking in such shrines to the brewer’s art. Here are five that make the grade.

1) Brick Store Pub — The essence of a great taproom. Lively conversation, a mix of patrons, a carefully selected menu of the world’s best beers, and a (not-so) secret room at the top of the stairs for the hopeless beer geek, filled with every variety of Belgian malted beverage. The bartenders will probably be arguing the merits of the Gulden Draak vs. the Caracole Nostradamus when you sidle up to the bar. Give them some idea of what you like in a beer or wine and they will select an appropriate brew.

2) Summits Wayside Taverns — Despite the sports-bar trappings of hot wings and big TVs, Summits’ two locations are actually palaces of great beer, featuring more than 100 taps and even more bottles. More importantly, Summits’ staff loves and respects beer, from the management to the servers. Even the most obscure offering tastes fresh and is generally served in the proper glass. They feature frequent events such as cask tappings and a Monday night Randall offering (beer pulled through fresh hops when served).

3) Vortex Midtown — The biker decor and snarky menu diatribe aim to give the impression that this is a tough-guy bar, but most of the servers are friendly despite themselves. They take their drinking seriously, though, so you are at least among friends. There are 38 taps divided into local brews, American beers and imports, along with 100 bottled beers. Use one to wash down one of the city’s best burgers.

4) Thinking Man Tavern — A nice selection of classic beers on tap, with seasonal offerings from Flying Dog and Brooklyn. It also has a solid slate of high-octane beers in bottles. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, and the servers have at least a passing knowledge of the beers. The walls are covered with educational posters that will take you back to high school, and the shelves are stocked with games. There’s a nice patio on the side for sipping on a balmy night.

5) Muss & Turner’s — This specialty deli that doubles as a restaurant and bar makes the case for quality over quantity. There are only five beers on tap, currently three IPAs and two Belgians, but there is a well-selected list of bottled beers representing the best offerings from around the world. They range from the licensed version of the Yorkshire-style Old Thumper ESB brewed by Shipyard Brewery in Maine to the Eggenberger Samichlaus from Austria, at 14 percent ABV, one of the world’s strongest beers. The staff is enthusiastic and the atmosphere comfortable. Be sure to sample the excellent food.

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