BJ's Restaurant Brewhouse

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tuckferrorists

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Baton Rouge
Anybody have one near them? Seems like they have quite a few restaurants. They are moving into Baton Rouge and I checked the website and surprisingly found the malts, hops, ibu, SG, and ABV. Everything but the Yeast which I'm guessing might not be too hard to figure out. Any body had one of their brews and is worth cloning before they open up?


http://www.bjsrestaurants.com/list.aspx
 
We have 2 but they don't actually brew here. It all gets shipped in from Texas.

Here especially it's thin and depressing under the 3.2 limitations. I have had a few of there blondes that had DMS issues. And one full of diacetyl.

My biggest problem was with the waitstaff in a new opened restaurant. He didn;t know the difference between Stout and Bock and tried to argue with me. Finally, I got the manager involved and put him in his place.
 
tuckferrorists said:
Anybody have one near them? Seems like they have quite a few restaurants. They are moving into Baton Rouge and I checked the website and surprisingly found the malts, hops, ibu, SG, and ABV. Everything but the Yeast which I'm guessing might not be too hard to figure out. Any body had one of their brews and is worth cloning before they open up?


http://www.bjsrestaurants.com/list.aspx

Yup, we have one right down the street.

DELICIOUS pizza. Chicago style deep dish. Load it up with italian sausage, black olives, and green bell peppers :)

However, the one beer I had there was nothing spectacular. It was an amber ale, I believe, and it lacked flavor. I've heard really good things about their darker beers, however, so the next time I go there I plan to get a porter or a stout. The place is worth it just for the pizza though, so I recommend it.
 
We have a few around here. It is along the lines of a Chili's, yes.

I like the Piranha, especially when it's fresh. It's nice and hoppy, but not just a hop tea. The Tatonka is some pretty good stuff, let me tell you. The porter is alright, but I still order it sometimes when I want a change of pace but don't want to wrestle a bison.


TL
 
The food is basically just another chain; however, the pizza is really good, the menu is quite big, and prices are also higher than Chilis (at least as far as I remember). Went there once and liked it. Might go back soo ... who knows
 
Been to one twice, for me the beers were just so-so, and I thought the food was also just ok. If you go they have a 7 taster for like 8 bucks. 5oz of each of their beers, its just a good way to try them all.


SD
 
pizza is REALLY good, as others have said. I would highly recommend their spinach and artichoke pizza. yum.

the beer is average. the piranha is decent. that is the only one I have had enough times to comment.
 
have one here as well.

beer is ok, but the food was pretty killer. I'd go back again.
 
BJ's at Jantzen Beach in Portland had a fantastic brewer in Vasilios Gletsos. Alas, the brewery is no more.

In fact they had a wake last night at Belmont Station.

TONIGHT (WED APR 23) 6-9PM DRAININ' VASILI'S CELLAR.
Join BJs final Portland brewer, Vasilios Gletsos, and enjoy, for the final time, his great beers: Here's what's on tap tonight, with tasting notes from Vasili himself

Redrum (7.2%abv, 25IBUs): This beer Debuted at Portland’s Cheers To Belgian Beers 2008. Made with wort from the Jeremiah Red and the famed “La Chouffe” yeast strain. Nice and spicy with dark fruity flavors.

Grand Cru 2008 (10%abv): A spiced tripel, modeled after our champion Belgian strong ale from 2002. This batch fermented faster than any beer I’ve ever brewed, but without the “higher alcohols” known for causing headaches.

Enfant Terrible (~7.8%abv): This brew began life as an unblended base beer from our 2007 OBF entry which was racked into clean whiskey barrels and fermented with a lambic yeast/bacteria blend. It’s well attenuated and has become quite funky over the last year.

IPA (~7%abv): I like to make drastically different IPA’s every chance I get, and this is the most recent experiment. A classic northwest-style IPA, loaded with local hops. I made this for my wife who loves red, bitter beers.

Comet (9%abv): Crafted using a one year old pale barleywine as the base, this beer was “built” with additions from our Jeremiah Red, IPA, and just a touch of Chocolate Stout. This hoppy winter warmer debuted at the 2007 Holiday Ale Festival.

Chocolate Stout (5.5%abv): A delicious stout made with a couple additions of organic dark cocoa nibs. It’s silky and smooth, with dark chocolate aromas and a great body.

They will be missed. Hopefully Vasili will pop up somewhere else in town.
 
Terrible food, and well the food was so bad I did not even give there beer a chance. Ill never go back, also was some of the worse service I have ever had at a restaurant.
 
Oatmeal stout was awesome last month! We usually get The Great White Pizza.
Last time I had the Fish and Chips its was good. Beer is made by the good folks at St. Arniolds Brewery. The kids like the pan of brownie with ice cream on top.
Jeremiah Red is usually my go to there.
 
scinerd3000 said:
no sh*t???????
http://www.beertown.org/homebrewing/pubs_list.asp

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery
Chandler
10% off Food & Merchandise (Dine-in/In-store Only, not valid during Happy Hour)& $2 Off Admission to BJ's Beer Events (except where prohibited)
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
Mesa, Pheonix, Tucson
10% off Food & Merchandise (Dine-in/In-store Only, not valid during Happy Hour)& $2 Off Admission to BJ's Beer Events (except where prohibited)
BJ’s Pizza & Grill
Huntington Beach, La Jolla, Laguna Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Newport
Beach
10% off Food & Merchandise (Dine-in/ In-store Only, not valid during Happy Hour)& $2 Off Admission to BJ's Beer Events (except where prohibited)
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery
Brea, Laguna Hills, Oxnard, Roseville, West Covina, Woodland Hills
10% off Food & Merchandise (Dine-in/ In-store Only, not valid during Happy Hour)& $2 Off Admission to BJ's Beer Events (except where prohibited)
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
Arcadia, Burbank, Cerritos, Corona, Cupertino, Elk Grove, Folsom, Fresno, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Mesa, Moreno Valley, Rancho Cucamonga,
Sacramento, San Bernardino,
San Bruno, San Jose, San Mateo, Thousand Oaks, Vacaville, Valencia
10% off Food & Merchandise (Dine-in/ In-store Only, not valid during Happy Hour)& $2 Off Admission to BJ's Beer Events (except where prohibited)
 
I've only been once and didn't order food. I only got the beer sampler and while none of them were terrible, none of them were incredible, either.
 
When I'm away on business I look for a BJs as a fallback to a city not having any better place. We have a BJs in Austin but I tend to go to other favorite beer haunts like and Opal Divine's, Draught House, and now Flying Saucer.

Food at BJs is very good, atmosphere is open and there are sports screens at the bar. I like NW hops so their brews, which tendsto be somewhat malty and European hops, is nothing special for me. They do have some microbrew bottles on hand though. It's much more geared to the restaurant side and staff not really well educated on beer (generally!). One of the better BJ's I visited was in Oxnard, CA. However, I'm sure good timing and great staff on hand is all transient.
 
The BJ's in Valencia is really good. Very Popular. Chilis doesn't hold a candle to them. Excellent food. The Pihrana Red is the best they have, followed by the nutty brunette.
 
I went there last night and I got their "7 sampler." It's 5 or 6 ounces of each of their 7 standard beers. Here's my reviews:

BJ's Brewhouse Blonde - A decent, yet unimpressive kolsch lager. For fans of lighter beers this might be alright, but I am clearly biased so I didn't particularly care for this beer.

Harvest Hefeweizen - Call me a beer noob, but I've never had a hefeweizen this clovey before. The bavarian style hefe's that I've tried have all been on the banana side of the spectrum, or a balanced combination between the two. This must be fermented at a colder temperature because the clove taste is strong. I enjoyed this beer, but I secretly wished it was a bit more balanced. However, I could be biased toward what I am already familiar with. I need to give this one another shot.

Piranha Pale Ale - Delicious. This beer is similar in style to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, however it is noticeably crisper with a more hoppy aftertaste. It also finishes drier than SNPA. I loved it.

BJ's Jeremiah Red - A good irish red. Very true to its style. No big surprises... just a very drinkable beer. Well, I guess there is one surprise... a 7.3% alcohol level. This is kinda high for a red ale but it doesn't taste very alcoholic at all.

BJ's P.M Porter - Delicious as well. This may very well be my favorite out of the 7. Extremely smooth flavor, not too bitter, bold but not too bold, and a nice balance as well.

Tatonka Stout - Their "big beer." This is a typical imperial stout. Although this is a heavier beer than I'm currently used to, I really enjoyed it. It was strong, but it wasn't completely overpowering like some stouts I've tried. It was both malty and hoppy, and it had a very dry finish. The aftertaste will stay with you long after the beer is gone, but thankfully, it is a good aftertaste. I liked the porter a lot more, but this is still a good beer.

Nutty Brewnette - The last was their brown ale. This beer tasted a lot like Newcastle, except that it was quite a bit drier. Imagine a more hoppy Newcastle and you'll have an idea of what this beer tastes like. Pretty good, but not one of their best.

Overall, I really liked the Pale Ale, the Red, and the Porter. I'd say the porter was my favorite just because of the great balance and flavor. I'll order that exclusively the next time I go.
 
There is one that just opened not too far from here... but every time I have dropped by, they have been so packed that there was a 1 to 2 hour wait... I didn't want to wait that long, when there are other brew-pubs/brew-restaurants to be found... hopefully, when the new wears off, the wait time will go away.
 
I went once years ago and was so unimpressed that I've never been back. Food was blah, service was off at best, one good thing, they did have an awesome root beer. But maybe they have gotten better with age. May have to give it another shot.
 
I've been to several BJ's. I usually sit at the bar. They will sell their beer plus some local micros too. Happy hour has half price appetizers. I have not had bad service and they do give AHA members 10% off their food tab. We have one now here in Austin.
 
Went the other day again (first time in quite a while) for pizza and tasted their Maibock! Great beer.
 
Good beer, Bad food and I guess I am just lucky enough to get bad service any time I go with my wife. I think Edwort is a BJ's good luck charm as we have had great service every time we went with him.
 
Everyday for happy hour, the one by me (willowbrook, houston), has half price mini pizzas and $2 off all other appetizers, and $1 off all bj's beers.

On tuesday however, same food specials, but all bj brews are $2!

I think I went like 12-15 tuesdays in a row a couple months back, and always got the Jeremiah red, (well 2-3 of them). Tab was around $10. Can't beat it.
 
I've been to two of them.

BJ's in Louisville: Beer is nothing special, food is really good. AHA discount.

BJ's in Irvine, CA: Beer wasn't great, food was better than average. Wasn't an AHA member at the time, but they probably honor the discount.
 
Been to one. Don't remember where, don't remember how it was beer or food wise, But I did pick up a glass.
Me And SWMBO always said we were gonna open a brew pub called BJ's (Brad and Julie's) and I saw that one day on a trip for work and thought....Damn it, better stop in and buy a glass.
 
I've been to a couple, and the beer quality between them has been HIGHLY HIGHLY variable. Some had quite good beer, some pretty good, and others were total dregs (Palmdale, I'm looking at you!).

The food is good though, even if their beer sucks they usually have something else pretty local on tap, which is cool.

All in all, I like the place. No substitute for a good local pub, but better than most other chains that I can think of...
 
yeah dude. i've had both sides of the story... good food, bad food, decent beer....stale beer. you've just got to remember that this is a chain restaurant and the food is just that - chain restaurant food.

the thing that really pissed me off was the last time i visited, their pale (i think?) was what i ordered. it was totally skunky. i called the waitress, told her it was bad. she proceeded to explain to me that it was hoppy. i proceeded to explain to her that it was just bad. but, apparently 19 year old waitresses know more about beer (and hops) than i do. :mad::mad::mad:
 
Yup, we have one right down the street.

DELICIOUS pizza. Chicago style deep dish. Load it up with italian sausage, black olives, and green bell peppers :)

However, the one beer I had there was nothing spectacular. It was an amber ale, I believe, and it lacked flavor. I've heard really good things about their darker beers, however, so the next time I go there I plan to get a porter or a stout. The place is worth it just for the pizza though, so I recommend it.

I agree with this, great pizza, average brews.
 
Sure BJ's is chain food and yes excellent pizza, but for me the reason to go to BJ's is its selection of local and regional brews, their "own" brews are mediocre but honestly I think thats important when trying to get a mainstream audience to diversify their beer tastes. Here in Gville finding a wide selection of fresh micros on tap is limited and I was really surprised to see the number they had available. Since moving down here from PA, finding good places to drink has been a challenge and I was pleasantly surprised by BJ's. Don't expect the world of the place, but I think it has its strengths.
 
The beer is definitely nothing to write home about. I see other people saying that theirs has a decent selection of micros, but the couple I've been to only had their house brews on tap. I think their pizza is just "ok", but I grew up in Chicago and have worked in the pizza business.
 
Sure BJ's is chain food and yes excellent pizza, but for me the reason to go to BJ's is its selection of local and regional brews, their "own" brews are mediocre but honestly I think thats important when trying to get a mainstream audience to diversify their beer tastes. Here in Gville finding a wide selection of fresh micros on tap is limited and I was really surprised to see the number they had available. Since moving down here from PA, finding good places to drink has been a challenge and I was pleasantly surprised by BJ's. Don't expect the world of the place, but I think it has its strengths.

I can throw a rock and hit BJ's from my apartment. I live right past the Home Depot on 75th.

I go there sometimes when I don't feel like going to Stubbies or the Alcove. I get an AHA discount at BJs. BTW, have you been to the Alcove? It's a small bar across from Sharab in Downtown. It's got an awesome selection, but it's super tiny. Great prices, too! Much better prices than Stubbies.

I use to like BJs brown ale. I would get it everytime, but this last time ... something went bad wrong with it. Almost undrinkable. Their APA's not bad. I do enjoy the DFH 60 min, Arrogant Bastard and other nice drafts that they have, though not a huge selection.
 
I go there sometimes when I don't feel like going to Stubbies or the Alcove. I get an AHA discount at BJs. BTW, have you been to the Alcove? It's a small bar across from Sharab in Downtown. It's got an awesome selection, but it's super tiny. Great prices, too! Much better prices than Stubbies.

Thanks for recommendation, I haven't been to the alcove yet.
 
The Gainesville BJs has been having issues with excessive yeast in their beers - the last three times I had their beers they were almost undrinkable. But the craft beers they have on tap/in the bottles are excellent, the food is good & cheap, and I like the atmosphere.
 
My biggest complaint with them is that although they have decent local brews (not their own, I mean other locally brewed stuff), it's all served at arctic temperatures and you have to let it sit there on the bar for half an hour before it gets up to a reasonable serving temperature.
 
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