Sunday 21st of December 2014 10:13:13 PM

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I stopped in today to grab a couple drinks while watching Sunday afternoon football. I was expecting a bigger crowd, but I guess no one goes out to watch the Jets when they stink.

Regardless, it's a big building with a large dining area, but I sat at the bar which also had plenty of room. There were about 8 beers available, and I had a sampler of 5. They were:
Reindeer Fuel (seasonal) - A cranberry flavored lager. Surprisingly, I kind of liked it
Pale Ale - Bland. Tastes lighter than it looks.
Holiday Red (seasonal) - A hint of seasonal spices (coriander?). A decent change of pace from a standard red, but I wouldn't want it all year long.
Hop Magic IPA - Not too hoppy, but I didn't love the flavor
Altair - Very mild flavor. Meh. Easy to drink but not worth ordering again.

Wednesday 5th of March 2008 06:43:11 AM

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On their web site John Havard's advertises ten locations on the east coast; however, I've heard that the Wilmington branch is closed and the one in Washington D.C. will be closing soon. I haven't been to all the locations. Aside from the one here on Long Island I've been to the flagship John Harvard's in Cambridge, Mass near the Harvard campus a couple of times. Let me tell you about my local John Harvard's here on Long Island (2093 Smithhaven Plaza, Lake Grove, New York 11755).

Even though John Harvard's is a corporate chain with eight locations, the individual brewers at each John Harvard's location has almost complete autonomy. There are no corporate recipes that the brewer must follow, so the Old Willy India Pale Ale at the brew pub in Cambridge will taste different from the one in Lake Grove. Even the local brews change over time. Several years back the Old Willy was hoppier, more in the American style, but on Long Island this has been reshaped into a more traditional English style IPA.

In the last year or so, the beer has been hit-or-miss. I've had some very excellent beers, like the Tripel, the Old Ale, and the Stout. But I had a few that don't quite meet the standard exhibiting flaws. For example, one beer I had last summer was so full of diacetyl, I couldn't drink it. I'd advise asking for a taster before committing to a full pint.