93 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

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Today’s tasting involves a local brew, originally contracted for the Vortex in Atlanta:

Laughing Skull comes to us by way of the Red Brick Brewery, established in 1993, and holds the same design that can be found at the Vortex, either in downtown Atlanta or at the other location in Little Five Points. The Vortex has an interesting history, founded in 1992 by two brothers who were running the downtown bar location 24/7, and their approach that “all people should be nice to each other” compelled the brothers to start kicking rude customers out of the bar, often physically. The Little Five Points location opened in 1996, days before the start of the 1996 Olympics, and featured a 20-foot facade of the famous Laughing Skull that adorns the can:

The midtown location also has the Laughing Skull Comedy Lounge, which it hails as the smallest comedy club in thw world (can’t confirm, that’s just some of the marketing that goes along with it).

Anyway, there’s a beer here. The people at beermonthclub.com describe Laughing Skull as follows:

Instead of a Bohemian pilsner, the beer is now an amber ale, and it picked up a Gold Medal in that category at the 2011 U.S. Open Beer Championship. Expect a great balance of spicy, peppery hops and floral aromatics. Citrus, spice and grains are prominent—this reminds us of the old school, high quality microbrew that led the craft-brewing charge of the ‘90s. Look for some crackery notes, much like toasted saltines. These also come through in the flavor profile, with deeply toasted malts. Complex maltiness is complemented by plentiful citrus and pleasingly spicy, peppery nips from the hops. It finishes only mildly bitter with a long lasting fade of grassy hops and toasted caramel malts. Overall, this is nicely hopped, expertly balanced, just plain good beer. Great with medium cheddar cheese, it’s even better with some mesquite smoked grilled chicken.

There you have it, if you have cheddar cheese and chicken, you’re in for a treat. Please note, that doesn’t mean Cheese-Whiz and canned chicken, it would seem we’re talking some serious gourmet shit here, to quote the eloquent Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction.

Pairs nicely with:

  • Gourmet shit
  • Comedy
  • No kids (don’t they all?)
  • Really good hamburgers, seriously the Vortex makes a real good one, one of the best in Atlanta
  • Nice people

11 thoughts on “93 Bottles of Beer on the Wall”

  1. Not familiar with this beer or Little Five Points beyond a trip a buddy and me took there around 2010 to see Driveby Truckers at The Variety Playhouse. Buddy that was country come to town.

    JP since you’re familiar with the area, have you ever been to Omaha Brewing Company or had any of their beers. I’m not much of a craft beer/micro brewery sort of guy, but I ain’t agin it either if their beer is good. Omaha has some good ones.

    • “I heard they got some tasty burgers. I ain’t never had one myself, how are they?”…

    • Omaha is a great place to visit on a weekend in the middle of nowhere in Stewart County. 40 minutes south of Columbus; take 165S through Alabamia & cross east back over the river just south of the paper mill. Located in an old 60s model school building, Omaha Brewing Company is a charming place with a diverse crowd of locals, deer hunters, city folks, farm hands & tourists. Weekends are best with food trucks & live music (sometimes). Great beer & variety. Local dentist Dr. Lee started the business & is from an old Stewart County clan. Cool lil dive.

      • Yep. My wife is from Stewart County. Old buddy that owns the place introduced himself to me the first time I went there by saying, “Hi. Im Robert E. Lee.” He showed me his ID and I’ll be damned if that ain’t his name.

        • that’s him! Great name & dude. His brother Bill is the local building inspector, among other things, and worked with me on a project down there. Cool folks.

  2. Good beer. I haven’t been able to find it here for a while but I used to drink it regularly.

    • Second this. Good stuff and now I want a kick ass bar-burger…

  3. yep, jonesing for a pub burger early in the morning, thanks for that JP

    I only made it to 5 points a few times…shopping with a hippie chick or 2 back in the 90’s…for this hillbilly it was like being immersed in one of those “living” historical period museums where folks dress up like 19th century villagers…except those locals had facial piercings and tattoos…and studded leather boots…damn I miss mosh pits

  4. Never had this beer, but a burger at The Vortex was always outstanding. They finally got with the times and banned smoking indoors (after I asked Google).

  5. Who the in the hell writes these damn reviews? Same folks that name paint colors? Do they drop acid/smoke an ounce & then commence to postulating?!?

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