It's not just the beverages that are different.
The look inside the new Anything But Beer taproom/restaurant opening tonight in downtown Syracuse is a change from the dimly lit, mostly dark wood decor inside its predecessors like Sahm Brewing, Clark's Ale House and Wise Guys Comedy Club.
"We've opened it up and brightened it up quite a bit," said Logan Bonney, a co-owner of the quirky company that makes beverages that aren't exactly beer. "We want the look to show this is a different place."
Yet there are some familiar touches, like the ornate bar with the rounded bow at one end and the balcony overlooking the second dining room.
Anything But Beer's new taproom at 201 S. Salina St. opens at 4 p.m. today (Feb. 14). Walk-ins are welcome to the bar, but reservations are suggested for dinner.
Anything But Beer brews fruit- and vegetable-based alcoholic drinks in a a variety of flavors that "live at the crossroads of cider, wine, cocktails and beer." All are gluten- and grain-free.
Beverages on tap for the opening include Son of James (Oak Aged Irish Whiskey Apple), It's Pink (strawberry-lime), Bay of Bengal (blueberry and cardamom), Toungue Tied (a tart cherry sour), and Chai Your Luck (with apple, ginger, cinnamon, anise and cloves).
The new taproom has 11 taps for its own beverages, and four guest taps for beers made by other New York farm breweries. For the opening, that includes Stout Beard, Seneca St. Brewpub, Erie Canal, and Talking Cursive, co-founder Brittany Berry said. Wines, liquors, and cocktails also available.
The taproom, which Berry and Bonney run with new partner Sarah Hassler, has a full kitchen, with a menu that is 100 percent gluten-free. It includes paleo, keto and vegan options. The chef is Adam Giordano.
Some of the items contain meat, such as Fried Chicken Steak Lettuce Wraps an a Vietnamese Meatball appetizer. Much of the rest is vegetable of fruit based, like the BBQ Jackfruit, Mushroom Bolognese (with parsnip noodles), and a cauliflower gnocchi Mac & Cheese.
There's also a gluten-free dessert list that includes Maple Bacon Crème Brulee.
Anything But Beer began producing beverages in in February 2018 at its brewhouse in the Cosmopolitan Building at 1153 W. Fayette St. on the city's West Side. It has been working to open a downtown taproom since early last year. (Production will remain at the West Fayette Street site for now).
It ferments alcoholic beverages from a base of fruits and vegetables instead of the barley malt used in most traditional beers. Then they add various ingredients -- herbs, spices, fruits, nuts etc. to give each beverage its own flavor.
The beverages, which include hard ciders, are carbonated like beer and are about the same strength as many beers -- they range from 5 percent to 9 percent alcohol. ABB's beverages are also served by the pint at selected bars and restaurants around the Syracuse area.
After today, the ABB taproom will be open for lunch, dinner -- and, of course, drinks. Hours will be 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday; and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday.
Related:
-- Inside Skaneateles Brewery, CNY's newest beer-maker
-- CNY breweries that opened and closed in 2019
Don Cazentre writes about craft beer, wine, spirits and beverages for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
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