Most likely you have visited a chain brewpub at one point or another. Chain brewpubs like the Rock Bottom Brewery or Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant typically have some locations that brew beer on-site while other restaurants in the chain import the beer from another site to them. Although the sites that do not actually produce beer on them still maintain a consitant look an feel like a microobrewery but do not provide any real brewing equiptment.
The pub's the thing. That's been the inspiration for McMenamins since 1974, when the Portland-based company, channeled by brothers Mike and Brian McMenamin, opened its first location. Championing ever since the philosophy, "It's got to be fun," the two brothers have created a "Kingdom of Fun," with more than 55 (and counting) neighborhood gathering spots in Oregon and Washington. McMenamins continues to create imaginative and comfortable gathering spots for friends and family, tossing in unexpected turns of fun wherever possible. Stay overnight in a former Kennedy Elementary School classroom, take in the majestic 360-degree view from the Hotel Oregon's Rooftop Bar, dance on the Crystal's marvelous floating floor, make new friends through all-inclusive conversations at Edgefield's Little Red Shed—it all happens in a good pub.
McMenamins is a chain of nearly sixty brewpubs, microbreweries, music venues, historic hotels, and theater pubs. The chain is located mostly in the Portland metropolitan area, but has many other locations in Oregon and Washington. According to the Brewers Association, McMenamins is one of the top 50 largest craft breweries in the United States. Many of its locations are renovated historical properties; as of June 2004[update], nine are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Gordon Biersch Brewery is an American brewery founded by Dan Gordon and Dean Biersch. Gordon, a graduate from the five-year brewing engineering program at Weihenstephan, and Biersch opened their first brewery restaurant in Palo Alto, California in July 1988. Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Inc. is a brewery restaurant group now operated independently out of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
While the Gordon Biersch Brewing Company continues to operate as a brewery and bottler of Gordon Biersch beers, the company sold its restaurant assets to Big River Breweries in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1999. That company now operates as Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Inc. and operates 37 restaurants in 19 states and Washington, D.C., with nine more operated by franchisees in various airports in the United States. Other brands owned and/or operated by the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group include Big River Grille and Brewery, Rock Bottom Restaurant Brewery (select locations), Seven Bridges Grille and Brewery, AlA Ale Works and Ragtime Tavern and Seafood Grill.
Gordon Biersch brands have won several awards including the best Bohemian-style pilsner with their Gordon Biersch Czech Lager. (Gold, 2004 and 2007 Great American Beer Festival). They won the Bronze at the WorldBeer Cup 2002 with their Gordon Biersch Vienna in the category of Vienna-Style Lager. Gordon Biersch enjoyed quite a successful year in 2007, taking home 6 medals, including 2 gold medals; one for their Schwarzbier in the German Style Schwarzbier category, and the other for their Czech Lager in the Bohemian Style Pilsner category. Both of these beers were brewed at the Gordon Biersch Restaurant in Broomfield, Colorado.
Granite City Food & Brewery, a casual dining restaurant with an on-site brewery. At Granite City Food & Brewery, we serve signature beers, including Duke of Wellington (an English ale) and Broad Axe Stout (an authentic Irish beer), and entrees such as London broil. We offer a broad menu of items that are prepared fresh daily and are served in generous portions at reasonable prices. Our handcrafted beers are moderately priced and offer unique styles and flavors not typically produced by major breweries.
Our founders, Mr. Wagenheim and Mr. Burdick, have over 52 years of combined hospitality industry experience. Mr. Wagenheim's experience includes that of corporate executive, owner/operator, manager and consultant for hotels, resorts, and individual and multi-unit restaurant operations. Mr. Burdick, a brewing chemist, has over 30 years experience in the restaurant, hospitality and brewing industry in both corporate and private positions.
Rock Bottom Restaurants Inc. operates 35 breweries under the name Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery. These breweries are located in several states, with seven restaurants in Colorado, four restaurants each in California, Arizona, and Illinois, two restaurants each in Washington, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota and Pennsylvania (including one at the King of Prussia Mall), and one restaurant each in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Iowa, Oregon, Virginia, and Maryland. Each of these breweries has a menu that features a selection of "American Style" cuisine including pizza and burgers, steaks, salads, and desserts. Each region (and sometimes, each store) has its own selection of beers and beer logos. It is rare to find two beers of the same name and/or taste in two different stores. Rock Bottom Brewery is almost identical to the Walnut Brewery concept. In fact, when the first Rock Bottom was being constructed in downtown Denver, it was to be called Walnut Brewery. The store was being built in the bottom of (what was at the time) the Prudential building. The store was renamed Rock Bottom after someone pointed out that they were 'building at the bottom of the rock,' which was Prudential's slogan at the time.
The best beer is the freshest beer. Because our beer is produced in our onsite brewery, it will not be gathering dust in a warehouse, or spend weeks traveling on a truck or boat. Brewing the finest beer requires the highest quality ingredients, dedicated Brewmasters, and a reverence for the rich traditions of brewing. Two things influence the way we brew beer in each of our breweries: local water and local tastes. Because these two factors differ in each of our locations, our brewers work to customize beers to absolutely "fit" each locale.
Rock Bottom Brewery produces 40,000 barrels of beer yearly, the highest volume of beer in the restaurant brewery category and has won over 100 Beer Awards for excellence in brewing.
BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. currently owns and operates 87 casual dining restaurants under the BJ's Restaurant & Brewery, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse or BJ's Pizza & Grill brand names in the United States of America. BJ's restaurants offer an innovative and broad menu featuring award-winning, signature deep-dish pizza complemented with generously portioned salads, appetizers, sandwiches, soups, pastas, entrées and desserts, including BJ’s Famous Pizookie®. Quality, flavor, value, moderate prices and sincere service remain distinct attributes of the BJ's experience.
The Company operates several microbreweries which produce and distribute BJ's critically acclaimed handcrafted beers throughout the chain. The introduction of fine handcrafted beer was welcomed by guests and the newly renamed BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery concept was launched. Most of the restaurants do not have an on-site brewery. Instead, they have a "tap room" from which BJ's unique handcrafted beer is dispensed. These large-format restaurants operate under the name "BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse."
Hops Grillhouse and Brewery is a casual dining microbrewery restaurant that offers fresh, made from scratch menu items in a relaxed atmosphere featuring signature dishes that are created from high-quality, fresh ingredients and prepared in a display style kitchen that allows you to view the cooking process. Hops Grillhouse and Brewery complement the made-from-scratch food by offering hand-crafted, microbrewed beer, brewed in a glass encased brewery that separates the non-smoking dining room from the bar dining area. Each of their Brewmasters creates handcrafted, microbrews using a traditional brewer's art and all natural ingredients including imported Czechoslovakian Hops, domestically grown malts and the highest quality liquid yeast. Their recipes were created by a third generation Brewmaster, who developed the beers to appeal to the American palate. Hops' offers four permanent beer selections that include, Clearwater Light, Lightning Bold Gold, a classic American lager style beer, Hammerhead Red, a rich, malt amber ale, and Alligator Ale , a full-bodied, mahogany colored ale with a smooth finish. In addition to the four beers offered, they also brew our own seasonal beers and homemade root-beer.
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant is a chain of brewpubs in the Delaware Valley. As of 2008, there are two locations in Delaware and five locations in southeastern Pennsylvania. Iron Hill Brewery makes a number of custom beers, which have won several medals at the World Beer Cup. The chain is named after the hill in Delaware on which the Battle of Cooch's Bridge took place.
The Ram is a private, independent, family-owned and operated restaurant business. Ram Restaurant and Brewery was born on February 26, 1971 when our founders took their entrepreneurial spirit and experiences they received making pizza and serving beer at Shakey’s Pizza Parlor to open their own restaurant. That first restaurant was called the Ram Pub, which was a “Deluxe Tavern” that served hot food, including cook-your-own burgers and steaks, along with beer and wine. In 1995 Ram Restaurant and Brewery launched the Big Horn Brewing Company. By brewing their own ales and lagers, they are able to offer their guests superior quality, nationally recognized, hand-crafted beers at value prices.