Sampler at Firebird Tap House

The Sampler has been keeping an alert eye on the new Firebird Tap House on State Road 46 in beautiful Gnaw Bone, Indiana, dutifully noting that the parking lot, especially on weekends, seems to be stuffed with eager patrons.

So, one recent evening, Mrs. Sampler and I dropped by the Firebird to see what the fuss is all about. As it happens, the fuss is primarily about a large selection of craft beers, Texas style barbecue, and a fun place for people to gather and enjoy each other’s company.

The first clue that a good time lies ahead comes when you see the huge industrial strength stainless steel smoker (it can hold 1,400 pounds of beef brisket) sitting just outside of the kitchen. A serious smoker for someone serious about their brisket. Second clue: upon entering, you can’t help notice big block letters on the back wall which spell out this simple message: “Drink Beer - Do Good.”

The menu is simplicity itself. The entrees are smoked brisket and pulled pork, each in quarter-pound offerings. Also, smoked and flash-fried chicken wings.

Rather have a sandwich? There are two— beef brisket and pulled pork.

For an appetizer you can choose the “Loaded Texas Tots” or its cousin the “Loaded Texas Spud.” Side dishes include French fries, onion rings, potato salad, coleslaw, mozzarella cheese sticks, and jalapeno poppers.

We opted for the onion rings and the poppers, which turned out to have a spicy Texas twang indeed. If you weren’t craving a cold beer when they arrived at your table, you will soon be wanting one.

The Kids Menu offers chicken tenders and minicorndogs. I do like a good corn dog, but Mrs. Sampler does not like me to order from the children’s menu.

In the end, I opted for the “Cowbell Sammich” and Mrs. Sampler had the pulled pork. Both were meaty and delicious.

The 24 beers on tap include a variety of beer iterations: lagers, IPAs, ambers, stouts and sours, most infused with nitrogen.

Apparently, nitrogen is less soluble in beer than the naturally occurring carbon dioxide, leaving a bubbly and creamy mouthfeel and altering the flavor. This also creates a really creamy head on top of the beer. Carbon dioxide naturally occurs in beer and creates carbonic acid which gives beer a bitter flavor. But nitrogen neutralizes the bitterness and can make a stout taste more roasty or make sours more fruit-forward.

Casting about for something to drink with my “Cowbell Sammich” I felt like a child lost in the dark forest.

I am not a fan of the IPA’s—a little too cloying for my taste—and I’m not really a lager fan. I am drawn to the dark beers, the stouts, even the occasional porter. Accordingly, I settled on something called “Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro” brewed by an outfit from Longmont, Colorado.

Milk stouts are dark, thick ales with very low carbonation. In general, they have notes of sweetened coffee, espresso, and chocolate. Milk stouts have a subtle sweetness reminiscent of whole milk (as the name suggests) although there’s no milk involved, not since England in the early 1900s.

Touted as a “full sensory experience” it was super smooth and dark, with swirling with flavors of mocha, roastiness and…maybe vanilla?

A mesmerizing cascade of tiny nitro bubbles feeds a fulsome, pillowy head that coats the upper lip.

Profoundly satisfying!

It seems like the folks down at the Firebird Tap House are on to the burgeoning local music scene. The night we went there to eat, we saw Dave Sisson. And a couple of weeks back we went out there to see Frank Jones play and bumped into some old friends.

We couldn’t help noticing as we sat at the bar that there’s a little astro-turf, twinkle light courtyard out back, complete with picnic table and cornhole games—a nice little beer garden, once the weather gives way.

All things considered, if you like beer and you like smoked meat, you are probably going to enjoy the Firebird Tap House, located at 4040 State Highway 46, just east of Nashville. Advertised hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.