Review - Columbus Brewing Company

I finally was able to visit the Columbus Brewing Company!  I have heard a lot about this place and was anxious to try it.  The Columbus Brewing Company (CBC) is located just south of downtown Columbus right on the edge of the Brewery District.  Driving through that district is very cool because it has a lot of old red brick buildings that used to be the center of the Columbus microbrew scene many years ago.  The brewery itself is not that big with a small bar area and a cozy restaurant area.  Not too big, not too small.  They do have a patio, but we came on a rainy evening, so we could not enjoy the outdoor seating.  I bet its a blast during the summer.

My girlfriend and I went on a Saturday evening around 6:45pm.  The place was already packed by then and we had a 30 minute wait.  That was actually not bad at all as we went to the bar to taste the microbrews while we waited for a table.  I tried the Columbus 1859 Porter and my date had the Apricot Ale.  I loved the porter, it had a robust toasted malt flavor with hints of chocolate and coffee.  The Apricot Ale was a very light ale with hints of apricot fruit.  I liked the Apricot Ale because the apricot flavoring didn't overpower you and left you thinking you were still drinking a beer (as opposed to fruit juice!).

So, we actually sat down about 20 minutes into our visit and ordered the pecan crusted chicken and the chicken & shrimp stirfry.  The pecan chicken was fabulous and came with a pile of smashed red potatoes and corn.  The pecan crust gave it a crunchy, light bite to it that I thought was so much better than regular breading.  The chicken & shrimp stirfry came with a scoop of steamed white rice and shredded vegetables.  The chicken and shrimp were sliced and sauteed with the vegetables.  The vegetables were topped with an oil based dressing that brought out the flavors of the dish without overpowering it.  With dinner, I also tried the 90 Shilling Scotch Red Ale which was very good.  It had a medium body with a rich amber color and seemed to go well with the pecan chicken.

All in all, it was a good experience with a nice atmosphere, but I have one complaint.  The entrees and beers seemed a little expensive for a brew pub.  Beers were $4.75/12oz. draft and the entrees averaged $16-20.  My beers were very tasty, but the beer lineup seemed limited with only 5 styles on tap.  I understand CBC is in a hip part of town, so I guess we paid for the location.  At any rate, I would definitely come back again because the food was fantastic.  But, just to forewarn you, the tab could be a little pricey.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Onions