Grand on the Strand
by Kurt Epps—The PubScout 3.14.21
Knowing of my search for good pubs, good beer and good people, my man Keith suggested that I venture south “Across the Line” to a brewpub Grand Strand Brewing in Myrtle Beach.
So I gathered up my Jersey Boys—Ty, Dave, Pete, Jim, Johnny and even Wayne (The Jewish Phantom) and we met at the place—opened just two weeks— on a Saturday afternoon.
Two things struck me before I even set foot in the place. First, the facade of Grand Strand Brewing befits its name. Set back behind a neatly manicured little park, the place fairly beckons to all beer nuts who ride by on the busy N. King’s Highway.
But even better, there’s free parking in the back. And in downtown Myrtle, that’s not always easy to find.
But find it you should, unless you seek candlelit tables and soft intimate conversation. This place is a happening, hopping locale. The “pub hubbub” is high on the decibel scale, which also contributes to the fun atmosphere both inside and outside.
Out front, there were lots of folks of all ages at benches and tables, a DJ setting up equipment and even people playing that beanbag toss game that really needs to be renamed.
I was fortunate enough to have arrived just when the CEO and owner—a sharp, “with-it,” 30-something entrepreneur named Clayton Burrous (top right, with Mgr. Mary in between) sidled up to our table. With a wisdom that belied his years, he relayed the story of GSB’s birth—and what he hoped its future would be.
One of those future hopes was that his place would never be known as just a “restaurant,” though the food served was certainly more than adequate and served very efficiently. But Burrous outsources the food portion of the business and concentrates on the beer side.
For reasons unknown (as yet) he and brewer Christophe have whimsically named his gleaming mash tuns after the Seven Dwarfs, and they are indeed impressive to behold. The interior is spacious and airy (which probably accounts for the high decibel level). As this was a Saturday in mid-March, one can only guess what it will be like “in-season.”
Burrous said that his evenings were already quite busy and at this point in time, he and his staff of twenty-plus were trying to streamline the service end. “We are going to keep our focus on getting better, with the goal of delivering a great experience to every visitor," he told me.
Our delightful server Bree—like the cheese (so maybe it was Brie?) had her mojo working, as she was extremely efficient, attentive and friendly. Upon bringing us the check, she told us, “You guys were fun!” which we relished because, well, geezers don’t often hear that any more.
But we were fun, because we HAD fun. And we had some good beer to go along with our food. We even managed to get teetotaler Wayne to have a small beer--or two.
I had a Beer Brat sandwich, so a hazy IPA wasn’t in order, but a red ale called Jolene was. When Bree delivered it, however, I thought she’d made an error and brought me a porter or stout, as it was very dark. But it was indeed a red ale by taste and quite a good one. It was also the first beer that home brewer Christophe and buddy Patrick (who brews down in Islamorada and who happened to be visiting) ever made.
Christophe shared my concern that the nearly black color would probably not be appreciated by those who claim they “don’t like dark beers,” which would be too bad, because they’d be missing a nice example of the style, especially with St. Paddy's Day approaching. You could look like you're drinking a Guinness, but actually be enjoying a red ale.
“Yeah, that did come out dark, and we’re going to tweak it to redden it up a bit,” Christophe allowed. “But it still tastes great.” The PubScout couldn’t agree more. It was caramel-ly and toasty with just enough balance between sweetness and hops to make it a great pairing with my Beer Brat.
I asked Christophe which beer on his menu he was proudest of, and he hesitated ever so briefly. “It’s between two,” he finally said. “The Wing Tip Pilsner (a transitional beer) and the Putt-Putt, which was a solid pale ale that came damned close to—if not equal to—Sierra Nevada. Putt Putt’s a damned good session pale ale for The PubScout’s money.
My fellow geezers, The Jersey Boys and I will certainly be back at GSB in the future, as it’s a fun place with good beer, great service and a lively ambience.
And we geezers need "lively" as much as possible.
"Cornhole," not so much.
