Liz A.
Yelp
As you walk into the sprawling beer garden, the light wind blows through the boxes of flowers and greenery that dot the grounds. All around large umbrellas shade the large and long picnic tables where customers sip on flight of beer and a large pretzel hangs in the middle. One of Tucker Brewing's biggest draws is its beautiful beer garden where you can watch live music on the large stage or just hang out with your friends. Beyond the beer garden, German-inspired eats like crunchy crispy sauerkraut bites, giant hot pretzel, gooey baked goat cheese and jam, fantastic dopple angus cheeseburger, and a classic, crunchy Pork Schnitzel, as well as perfectly paired lagers, pilsners, and more. Let's check that out.
Starting out as a brewery, Tucker has a ton of tasty beer options, so we began with a flight to taste several of them! We got the TKR Pilsner, Georgia Red Lager, The Irishman, and the Roaring Twenties Radler. Always a favorite, the Radler was the favorite with its refreshing lemon forward and tart taste that mellows on the back. Of the others, the TKR Pilsner is a good balance of hops and crispness. The Georgia Red is heartily malted up front with a slightly hop on the back of the taste for balance. Finally, The Irishman is a good dry stout with a toasty, smokiness in the same breath. All of them are super drinkable and good! Beyond the flight, we also tried The Export, a stronger Pilsner with the same elements as the TKR Pilsner, but with a little deeper color and flavor, as well as Tucker Lager, which was John's favorite that was light and drinkable.
Tucker's German-inspired beer pairs so perfectly with their bites. We opted for the Crispy Sauerkraut Bites, Giant Hot Pretzel Pretzel, and the Baked Goat Cheese and Jam. Starting with John's favorite, the Giant Hot Pretzel. Perfectly presented hanging with a cauldron of tart and creamy beer cheese on the side, this one is unbelievably soft with a buttery and salty crust. Dip away in the mentioned beer cheese that adds creaminess and sharpness to the soft bread. Salty, buttery, sharp makes a great pretzel that is one of the customer favorites.
Speaking of cheese, we cannot speak highly enough about the Baked Goat Cheese and Jam. It is warm and gooey stuffed with tart and tangy strawberry rhubarb jam that is paired with earthy, rich, and creamy goat cheese. Being tart, sweet, rich, tangy, and creamy, pile it up on the bread around it for best bite. With how good that appetizer was, Liz's favorite was still the Crispy Sauerkraut Bites. Noticeably crunchy outside gives way to a rich creaminess that explodes in your mouth with the tart and crunch of sauerkraut and saltiness and heartiness of the ham. It's a smorgasbord of flavors that are made even better when you dip it in the tangy, horseradish-forward sauce! Get your own set, you won't want to share.
Staying in the German-themed food vein, we had to try the Pork Schnitzel. This fun take on a classic is crunchy with a myriad of seasoning and flavor on the outside, while tender and juicy inside. It is atop an authentic German potato salad that's full of tender red potatoes and tender cooked cabbage. This German treat is earthy, crunchy, and hearty just perfection! Then, came that cheeseburger. Floored. That's the word I used to describe what I thought of the Dopple Angus Cheeseburger. Recommended by our wonderful server, she was spot on in recommending this thing of beauty. It's smoky and meaty and a total hot mess, JUST like we like it. It's one-part gooey egg and bright, tangy sauce that just may run down your arm with a smothering of cheese, perfectly seasoned and juicy burger, then on the other hand oh-so crunchy with pickles and bacon. How can you say no to that? The French fries that accompany it are hearty and salty. This burger is just perfect, it doesn't need any condiments or anything else!
Stuffed and happy is how we left Tucker Brewing. The atmosphere was just so great, and it's been rewarded a they're #4 in USA Today's Top Beer Gardens, so go for a beer, a bite, and to watch live music!
