Good Eats

The Co-op Brewery

Sure, it’s a brewpub, but don’t let that fool you about the quality of the food

Story by David Myers Photos by David Moore

The three silos that greet motorists crossing the Tennessee River into Guntersville have stuck out like a sore thumb for years. No longer.

The silos are still there, but in an entirely new setting. The City Harbor development has given a new lease on life to the old structures. Now they provide a warm and striking greeting to visitors and residents alike. They are restored, beautiful and stand as the beacon of not only City Harbor, but its anchor, the Brewers Cooperative.

No way were Rose and I going to miss this experience.

Though I’m a far cry from a Certified Cicerone – a beer sommelier, if you will – I do appreciate a cold one. Not a beer lover? Don’t let the “brewhouse” moniker keep you away. This establishment serves excellent food in a hospitable setting, and offers an enticing kids’ menu.

Not sure about the wide variety of the brewers’ trade? Sampler flights are a fun way to try them. The Guntersville taproom features 20 unique beers on tap – all of which can be sampled with a flight – and many more in the bottle. Most are beers that would prove difficult to find elsewhere, particularly in one setting.

Rose and I started with a flight of four, choosing from the board and just looking for something interesting. We somewhat randomly selected: Lilly Flagg, Chill Pils, Stout @ the Devil and Watermelon Wheat. We realized, after the fact, that all four were creations of Huntsville’s Straight to Ale brewery. There were plenty more on the board to sample – next time. And there will definitely be a next time.

Tip: Some brews are seasonal, so the window of opportunity may be limited for a specific beer. This was the case with the Watermelon Wheat, with which I was very pleased. In fact, I loved it.

Something Rose and I particularly enjoyed was the opportunity to sample brews while we dipped into our starter dish. There was an attractive list of starter options, but we were unable to get past one in particular.

We chose a fantastic dish, a Conecuh sausage and pimento cheese dip. It was served in a cast iron skillet with the cheese just slightly browned on the top. There were chunks of sausage and the dish was served with crispy chips.

We each ordered an individual plate and mine was from the City Harbor Favorites section of the menu. I relied on a recommendation from co-founder Bruce Weddendorf, which was the Tempura Fish and Chips. They were wonderful.

Rose happened to get another winner with a flatbread selection. These selections are served on sweet potato flatbread. As you browse the menu, you’ll find them difficult to pass. Rose’s dish was the Smoked Brisket - Burnt Ends. It featured a bourbon-onion bacon jam with tender pieces of beef and globs of pimento cheese.

Clockwise from left: Pub Burger with a flight of craft beers; chef Rochelle Vargas with her Blueberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding; Well, Pickle My Peaches Salad and Smoked Brisket “Burnt End” Flatbread; Conecuh Sausage Pimento Cheese Dip, and Pork Candy on sticks; Herb-Crusted Pork Loin. Located at 299 Scott Street, the Co-op is accessible by land or water. It’s open Monday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.; Sunday 11a.m.–7 p.m. The Co-op accepts reservations and encourages groups and parties.

An outstanding dish – which, by the way, she graciously allowed me to sample.

Here’s where we got to meet Chef Rochelle Vargas, who moved back here from the West Coast.

“I wanted to bring my California sensibilities to Alabama food and blend them together, along with shrimp and fish because of the waterfront setting.”

That brings us to several additional dining options, all perfect for the setting.

The Co-op Pub Burger is already becoming a legend. I tried it and it’s fantastic. It includes the delicious bourbononion bacon jam and the meat is smoked brisket.

As Rose says: “Smoked brisket – don’t you miss it.”

The taco selections include redfish, shrimp and a vegetarian offering. We sampled the fish tacos and the shrimp tacos – love and recommend both.

The Co-op intends to move forward with new and interesting ideas. There are currently five breweries represented at the Guntersville establishment. They hope to add more. They will start brewing onsite soon and offer selections that will be unique to Guntersville, available only here.

An interesting option for those particularly interested in brewing is the opportunity for a Co-op membership. Because the brewing of beer is more complex than many realize, this will present the opportunity to interested folk to pick up details and information on things such as: what goes into flavors, the stories behind brewery creations, the latest methods, newly created brews and more. Inquire at the Co-op if interested. Oh, yeah, regarding new creations, members will get the first taste.

Before I retire into the kitchen for a delicious lunch of last night’s Coop leftovers, let’s close with a quote from Bruce: “The Co-op is all about collaboration. We bring people in and connect them through the love of beer.”

Hey, Bruce, don’t forget the great food.