Baker Street Brewery's founder and head brewer Art Hannemann takes you
on a journey to find the ales.  Catch the train for Arty's ride to the New Jersey
suburbs in search of, what else, great beer!

It's going to be a fun trip as Arty reviews and rates a new stop each month
as he takes the rails to the ales.....and beyond!
                  Take The Rails to The Ales
                          "More-Isstown", Metuchen

          
                                 "More-isstown"-- Morristown Revisited
   
                        Ok, I got alot of e-mails about three good bars I missed on my first trip to
Morristown. If you readmy last article I went to seven different bars in one visit. That was alot of
walking around and plenty of drinking, I ran outof time. I planned to return and so I did.  First let
me say that Morristown is located on the Morristown Line which runs from Summit to Chatham,
Madison, Convent Station, Morristown, Morris Plains, Mt Tabor and ends in Denville. So to plan your
trip you will want to get to one of these stations.

                                              
Dublin Pub Restaraunt

                        When you leave the Morristown Station you will see Petes Restaraunt and Pub at 119
Morris St. which I reviewed in my last visit. From Petes you will want to walk to the right to cross
Pine St and turn left up Pine. Continue past Dumont Place and you will arrive at Dublin Pub
Restaraunt #4 Pine St.
                        Dublin Pub is obviousely an Irish Pub, and a pretty cool one at that. There is a small
bar and lounge area with a juke box as well as a dining area. They serve great Irish food, corned beef,
seafood, steaks and salads. They serve a really nice Guinness, well poured 22 oz glass. I think this is
the best of the Irish style pubs I visited because of the pretty girls that were pounding down Guinness
at the bar. Unfortunately I lost my list of taps but  I'm  pretty sure they had Harp and Smithwicks. It
was a fun place but I have to press on.


I rate the Dublin Pub at  2 +1/2 Engines.








                                                        
Tashmoo  
                      
                        When you leave Dublin Pub you want to continue up Pine St. and cross South St,
turn left and walk down south street crossing Community Place until you get a corner of South St
and Dehart. You will see Scottes Record Shop and Wachovia Bank at this corner. Turn left and walk
past Ginty's Irish Gifts and you will arrive at Tashmoo.

                       This place has a funny name, but it really is a nice place with a good selection of taps.
Of note was a delicious Flying Fish Hopfish. I could smell the hops before the glass got to my mouth.
Boy was it good. After that I had a Long Trail Harvest ale, also very tasty. I was happy to find a place
with some microbrews on tap. My last trip only The Office had a good selection. Also on tap was
Brooklyn Pennant, Sam Adams Winter and Cherry Wheat, Jacks Pumpkin Spice Ale,  Magic Hat #9,
Sierra Pale Ale, Guinness, New Castle Brown, Landshark, Yeungling, Lager, Harp, Blue Moon, Stella
Artois, Miller Lite and Coors Lite.
                       
They have an excellent selection of single malt whiskeys, and a list of Martinis and cocktails.
The menu had a good selection of appetizers, sandwiches salads etc. They have a few flat screen
televisions and satellite service for any sport you want to watch. I think it is a really nice place and
like the fact that down this side street you are off the beaten path and  in a quiet place out of the
hustle-bustle of the city. I recommend walking the distance, at the farthest away from the station it's
worth the walk.
                       

I rate Tashmoo (Although I keep forgetting the name) at 3 Engines.






                                                      
 Sona 13

                        When you leave Tashmoo, walk back to the corner and cross Dehart pass Wachovia
and you will arrive at Sona 13. Another place with an interesting name. I wonder if there is a Sona 1
through 12 someplace else. Anyway this is actually closer to the station if you continue past the
Office turn right and walk past the village green. We'll get to that later.
                      
                        Hooray ! Another bar with some good microbrews on tap. Finally I found a stout on
tap that wasn't a Guinness---Youngs Chocolate Stout. MMMMM!! very tasty. After that I had an
Abita Purple Haze that was refreshing to say the least. Sona 13 has a really long bar and another
smaller bar further back on the opposite side of the restaraunt. Also on tap was Red Hook ESB,
Erdinger Weissbeer, Harpoon, Anchor Steam, Allagash White, Brooklyn Lager, Hoegarden, Magic
Hat #9, Sam Adams Lager and Winter, Pabst Blue Ribbon (on 2 lines very strange-that's not one you
see very often), Peroni (another rare sight), Yeungling Lager, Guinness, Smithwicks,
Harp and I guess by local ordinance or something Stella Artois and Blue Moon. More choices than
Tashmoo, but not as nice atmosphere, Sona 13 is still a great place and worth the walk.  

To return to the station I suggest turning left out the door, walk past The office (or stop in for a
quick one), until you get to the crossing at the corner of the green. Cross the street and
walk past the pizza place, coffee shop, Methodist Church and you will pass Grasshopper off the Green,
George and Marthas and eventually be back at Petes Restaraunt and Pub across from the Station.

I rate Sona 13 at 3 Engines.








                                           
Summing up Morristown  

                         Make a day trip and you are sure to have a great time. I visited ten bars in my two
visits,  and I bet there are more that you could find. Keep your return schedule with you and try to
leave enough time to get backto the station before your train leaves.

                         My list from favorite to least: The Office (31/2), Tashmoo (3), Sona 13 (3), Famished
Frog (2), Dublin Pub (2), Grasshopper off the Green (2), Hennesey's Washington Pub (1), Petes
Restaraunt and Pub (1), George and Marthas American Grille (1) and Tavern off the Green (0).

                                   
                                          *****************************

                                  
Metuchen - Hailey's Harp And Pub  

                  A good friend of mine, Craig Kattles called me from Metuchen and told me of a new Irish
pub that is open, but will have it's grand opening on November 3 at 6:00 PM. The Mayor of Metuchen,
Mayor Thomas Vahalla will be on hand to cut the ribbon. I already had a beer or four, as it is open
now to the public.
                  Metuchen is a stop on the Princeton branch that runs from Newark Penn Station to
Trenton. Other stops are Trenton, Hamilton, Princeton Jct., Jersey Ave., New Brunswick, Edison,
Metuchen, Metro Park, and north to Newark. My sister lives in Edison where I grow alot of Nugget
hops for my brewery. And so I left from the Edison Station and headed north to Metuchen.  Craig
couldn't make it because he ordered a beer at abar near his house and was waiting for it to warm up
so he could taste the hops. (inside joke).
                          
When you leave the Metuchen Station you only have to walk a few doors down Main Street to get to
Haileys Harp and Pub at 400 Main Street. When you walk in you will see many flags representing the
many counties of the Emerald Isle of Blessed Ireland. You can smell the new bar smell like a new car
off the lot. If you are lucky, the lovely Jackie will be bartending ( She is there for football Sunday !!).
This bar is not officially open yet but you would never know from the enthusiastic crowd of regulars
who seem like they have been going here for years.

                  The food is excellent . I hade a great veggie burger with fries and a Ceaser salad. But the
regulars were all chowing down on the Corned Beef that is rumored to be from the chef's mothers
recipe. They tell me it's the best they ever had. There is a full menu of seafood, pasta, steaks, corned
beef, appetizers,salads soda bread and much more.

                  Ok--Now for the beer. First off, I had the Haileys Nut Brown Ale that was extremely
delicious. This beer is named after Hailey, the owners daughter, and proceeds benefit a local charity
fund. It is brewed for them in nearby Roselle Park (enough said). Next I had to see how they pour a
Guinness. Jackie does it right with a nice pour in a 22 oz glass, a good head and lots of patience. The
Guinness was great !! Also on tap was Sam Adams seasonal, in this case it was Winter Lager which is
a good beer in it's own. They also had  Bass Ale, Harp, Blue Moon, Bud and Bud lite.
                  
                  Lots of big screen televisions, and a set up for bands it seems like football and
entertainment will be a good time. Bottles of Tullamore Dew line a shelf above the taps. There are
many single malts, liquors, martinis and mixed drinks to choose from. I think this is a great place
already, and it can only get better.  The Nut Brown alone makes it worth the trip. Hopefully there will
be more beer from Roselle Park in the future. Good luck and cheers to Haileys Harp and Pub !!!

I think Hailey's Harp and Pub is worth the trip and rate it at 3 engines.












                                     ***********************************


Here's some good info on planning your trip. First step go to
www.njtransit.com web site. Then click
on train schedules. Next click on "use our map to plan your trip." Now select your train station on
the map. And next select your destination on the map. A new page appears and you want to select
weekday, holiday or weekend accordingly. A new page appears with your schedule of departing times
and length of travel time. Print this up and then go to the bottom of the schedule and it will say click
here for return schedule--click away. Now print this page up as well and you have all the info you need
to plan your trip. Remember to allow walking and drinking time.        


        Gotta catch my train back-- see you at my next stop!

Remember to leave the car at home and.
.....Take The Rails To The Ales !!!!!!

            Arty Hannemann
Rails to Ales........and beyond ////////////////////////////////
           by Arty Hannemann
Arty's  Ratings
Five engines= the very best
Four engines= excellent
Three engines=good
Two engines= fair
One engine= bad news
Zero engines=stay away
Read more Rails to the Ales.....
Hop on board and join Arty at the
Gladstone Tavern
Stirling Hotel
Morristown - Land of Many Taverns

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