Ian Beard, "beer pusher" and one of the managing partners of Stone's Throw Brewing, East Ninth and Rock streets, says the brewpub has obtained a federal permit to produce hard cider, currently has Petit Jean Pear Cider on tap and is planning later this year to brew a cider using Arkansas black apples.
"We have a farmhouse winery permit, and that allows us to make alcohol using fruit," says Beard -- whose job description includes sales, marketing, public relations and managing the tap room -- whereas the "ordinary" native brewer permit only allows making beverages out of grain. The permit, however, does not allow Stone's Throw to make wine, just cider.
The cider is "about normal strength," Beard says: 5 percent alcohol. They use an English ale yeast to ferment the apples, "which gives it a much drier character, not as sweet as people expect. A lot of beer drinkers enjoy it as well."
It'll be a regular feature in the Ninth Street tap room and at places where Stone's Throw distributes its product; Beard says the Flying Saucer and few other places are interested in adding it. And Stone's Throw will be able to sell cider growlers, something the others with growler license can do only with beer. There are, however, no plans to bottle it, or any other Stone's Throw brew, anytime soon."We'll be draft only for the foreseeable future," Beard says.
Meanwhile, an area orchard has committed to providing enough Arkansas black apples to make at least one batch of cider, which, Beard says, will be a "true farm-to-table beverage." The timing depends on the harvest. The brewpub offers locally made cheese, sausage, ice cream and pickles and there's usually a food truck parked nearby during regular hours, which have recently expanded to 4-9 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, noon-9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. The phone number is (501) 244-9154.
Chef Matt Bell will host the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance's "No Kid Hungry" event -- 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. multicourse dinner -- Nov. 10 at his South on Main, 1304 Main St., Little Rock. Guest chefs will include Kelli Marks of Sweet Love, Travis McConnell of Butcher & Public, Jeff Owen of Ciao Baci and Felicia Suzanne of her eponymous Memphis restaurant, Felicia Suzanne's, who will each produce a course. The cocktail reception will feature concoctions by South on Main's Dave Burnette and Lee Edwards of Yellow Rocket Concepts. Tickets are $150. Call (512) 551-3470, email [email protected] or visit tinyurl.com/qbqjmb7.
We have unearthed some additional information on the Nashville Rockin Grill, under construction in a former art studio at 10832 Maumelle Blvd., North Little Rock, next door to Morningside Bagels. It's apparently part of a franchise operation with outlets in Nashville (naturally), Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Fla., and Amarillo, Texas. A large patio is also under construction. However, the phone number listed for the North Little Rock location on the website, nashvillerockingrill.com, is a fake. We'll keep you posted as developments develop.
Jay Baxter, the progenitor of Jay's Pizza in the Ottenheimer Market Hall in Little Rock's River Market, now says, via the Facebook page (tinyurl.com/oql3l5m), that he's now looking at a mid-November opening for Jay's Hot Springs Italian restaurant and sandwich shop in the former cottage at 538 W. Grand Ave., Hot Springs, that once housed Mollie's. And the page also lists a telephone number, (501) 760-8132, although we couldn't get anybody to answer it.
And a slight adjustment to our reporting about the new pizzeria at 5018 Kavanaugh Blvd. in Little Rock's Pulaski Heights: What used to be Pizzeria Santa Lucia is now operating under the name The Pizzeria @ Terry's Finer Foods. Co-owner Jeremy Pittman says they're working on getting sufficiently up to speed to be able to take to-go orders -- he's estimating a couple of weeks -- and on getting enough staff on board to eventually open for lunch. Visit the Facebook page (tinyurl.com/powvo2g) or call (501) 666-1885.
Twin Peaks, 10 Shackleford Drive, Little Rock, will join the other outlets in the Dallas-based chain to celebrate Halloween with a week-long masquerade costume party, Saturday-Oct. 31. The wait staff, known as the Twin Peaks Girls, will be wearing costumes "ranging from playful pussycats to delightful devils," and customers can -- through the courtesy of the chain and Mexican beer Dos Equis, which are running a "Most Interesting" Man Cave contest -- win your very own man cave, complete with a 60-inch HDTV, 3D/HD Blu-Ray, two Dos Equis bar stools, a Dos Equis mini fridge, a Most Interesting Man framed portrait, and a catered party for the winner and all of the winner's friends. To qualify, take and upload the most interesting photo with The Most Interesting Man standee along with "your favorite Twin Peaks Girl" via Instagram (using #DosCave) or online at DosCave.com. The local outlet's phone number is (501) 224-1729; visit TwinPeaksRestaurant.com or tinyurl.com/m5dwnut.
Has a restaurant opened -- or closed -- near you in the last week or so? Does your favorite eatery have a new menu? Is there a new chef in charge? Drop us a line. Call (501) 399-3667 or (501) 378-3513, or send a note to Restaurants, Weekend Section, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203. Send email to:
Weekend on 10/23/2014