Marisa F.
Yelp
Several months ago, I was following my GPS to visit someone when this place caught my eye.
It was so tiny. So hidden away. I mean, who the hell has even heard of Gilbertville? I made a mental note to come back another day, when I had time to explore the area.
Spoiler alert: There's not much there to explore in Gilbertville.
Although, if you're like me and willing to drive 10 miles out of your way to save ten cents a gallon on gas, they do have the cheapest gas around. But I digress...
Yesterday I pulled into their almost non-existent parking lot and wondered where people park when they are full. I was there at 3pm, so it was empty aside from myself, two other people, and a dog.
The space was quirky and eclectic, with random art on the walls, old pieces from antique shops, and a bar lined with metal seats. They also had a few tables. It was all dark old wood, and I imagine it would be an awesome spot to hit on a cold winter's day.
I settled myself into a seat at the bar. Just a warning: those seats must have the AC blowing directly onto the metal, because my poor vagina felt like it went through a cold plunge. I was wearing shorts, but the freezing cold metal felt like it penetrated straight into my cervix. If you opt for bar seating while wearing shorts, pack a sweater for your genitals.
Icy nether regions aside, this place was a perfect little hideaway to hang for a bit and enjoy some well-crafted beers. They don't serve meals, but they do have snacks you can purchase if you need some sustenance.
Their white stout was PHENOMENAL, one of the best beers I've had in a while. It was creamy, sweet, and SO easy to drink. It gave me a cream soda vibe, but with a 7% bite.
Solo factor: 7/10. The place was pretty empty when I went, so it felt very comfortable to be there by myself. But it's tiny, so I don't know if it would have that same vibe once it's packed. The bartender was awesome, and very attentive. The seating isn't necessarily ideal for someone who wants to spend hours hanging out there, but it was fine for the time I was there...and there were also other options for places to sit.
Also, I saw that they have an outdoor area where you can sit, which I missed on the way in.
And I would be remiss to not mention that their bathroom was freakishly clean for a brewery bathroom. I've been to two places over the past few weeks where I walked into the bathroom, saw what was waiting for me, and thought "Fuck it, I'd rather get a kidney stone." Yuck.