Sweet relief

I had my first beer in nearly a week last night. I've been laid up at home since Monday, recovering from some minor surgery, and didn't want to consume while popping pain meds. It was also my first chance to get away from the house, so the Mrs. and I headed for dinner at the Vault, on Jacksonville's downtown square. A pint of Sweetwater 420 was just the tonic I needed to start feeling normal again (I'd asked for a Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan, but they were out. 420's fine by me).

I hadn't been by the Vault in a while. My last time there they were still serving all their draft in 12-ounce mugs or over-sized weizen glasses. I'm happy to see they've added proper pints (well, the 16-ounce variety anyway) to the menu. The manager tells me an expansion is in the works, with plans for many more taps to further their commitment to craft beer. I'm glad to raise a glass to that!

Sweet

The Vault Deli & Pub, now open on Jacksonville's historic Public Square (see Matt Kasper's story from Friday's Star) is the latest Calhoun County establishment to offer selections from Atlanta's Sweetwater Brewing Co. I was happy to see their 420 Extra Pale Ale on tap when I first ventured in a week ago. I've now had Sweetwater beers from the tap at Mellow Mushroom in Oxford (420 & Blue), Cooter Brown's Rib Shack in Jacksonville (Blue) and seen it advertised at Milestone Mill in Anniston (Blue). It's great to see this nearby microbrewer starting to make inroads here.

The Vault appears to have made a commitment to offering one of the best quality beer selections in the area. In addition to the Sweetwater, I saw taps for Guinness, Newcastle and Coors' Blue Moon (plus the obligatory Bud Light). The bottle menu includes a good selection of micros and and imports. For Jacksonville, that's pretty good. Here's a toast to a new business that caters to good taste.