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At Fullsteam we also ordered the Carver lager (L) and the Southern lager (R). The sweet potato flavor is very subtle. After a few sips, Nick says the Carver is “pretty light”… then, upon taking another sip, “…well, not that light.” I like the Southern lager quite a bit, it’s pretty basic but sometimes simple is better than some crazy-flavored thing.
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At Fullsteam, we ordered the Working Man’s Lunch in a Bourbon Barrel Stout (L) and the Hogwash Hickory Smoked Porter (R). The stout has a slightly sour finish and just a hint of whiskey. The smokey flavor of Hogwash is pleasantly noticeable without being overpowering. David Baker says it is rich and smokey without being too heavy, and more subtle than the stout. Julie doesn’t like the Hogwash because she thinks it’s too smokey.
This barbecue was easily the blandest of the trip and had the same bun and same red slaw as everywhere else today. The tea was also un-noteworthy, although that might be attributable to the fact that our taste buds are pretty shot at this point in the day. But! The hushpuppies were amazing, some of the best of the trip. (They would’ve gotten top marks from me had they been a bit smaller so they had a better crispy outside to cakey inside ratio, but Nick said they were his favorite.) They were remarkable not only for their size but also because they had a unique ingredient: small bits of chopped onion. Richard came over while we were eating and said, “Only one sandwich? What the hell?” to which Nick explained that we weren’t too hungry (to put it mildly!) and just wanted a little bite to eat. He then made the mistake of complementing him on his hushpuppies, which provoked Richard to say, “We’re supposed to be famous for our barbecue, but everyone likes these hushpuppies!” Apparently we weren’t the first to comment on the pups and without first mentioning the cue.
The same buns reappeared at Wink’s, and it seemed like the hushpuppies were made of the same batter as Darrell’s - they were identical in taste but differed in size. These were actually the first ball-shaped hushpuppies of the trip, and the only ones served with butter other than Wilber’s. The tea was sweeter than Darrell’s but not in the same echelon as yesterday’s sweet teas.
M&K’s Barbecue. Granite Quarry, NC. It was closed but since it was right on our way to Salisbury we stopped to take a picture.
These people had the same bun as Bridges in Shelby! Do the bun-making companies cater to eastern and western NC distinctively? This sauce was slightly more vinegar-y and less viscous than Bridges with a nice bite to it without being hot. The slaw on the sandwich had the same sauce. The tea was probably the least sweet of the trip. And OH WOW, their hush puppies are out of this world!! We both enthusiastically agreed that they were the best pups of the trip, no contest. They were huge, incredibly light, and had a great flavor. I’m afraid we can’t do them justice in a tumblr post!
Check out this interior! There were maybe 10 tables total, two waitresses, and everyone seemed to know everybody else (except for us!).
Four Friends and Ass Clown Breweries were both closed today, so we ventured to Brixx Pizza in Birkdale to try Four Friends’ IPA (left) and Ass Clown’s Belgian IPA (right). The Belgian IPA tasted like a Hefeweizen and an IPA were poured into one glass. Nick described the Four Friends IPA as “a bit bland” and “not very hoppy”.
Ass Clown Brewery. Cornelius, NC. Also closed so we could only peer in through the glass doors.
Left 3, from top to bottom: Clearwater Light, Alligator Ale, Pale Ale. Middle 2: Hammerhead Red, Hoptoberfest Seasonal. Right 3: Lightning Bold Gold, Oatmeal Stout, Scottish Ale. We liked the Scottish a lot and the Red, which had a nice smoky finish. And the Oatmeal Stout had nice intermingling flavors. Nick liked the Pale Ale, too (of course). The Alligator Ale was real different but very good - a porter with a slightly sour finish.
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