Oh man, a sleeping treasure. You guys, if you have not been to Gene McCarthy’s yet – that’s fine, this is the last place I want to become insanely popular, it’s not big enough to be an ultra popular joint. Maybe in the summer with the beer garden, but this is your standard WNY, tucked in a neighborhood bar. Also known as Old First Ward Brewing Co, Gene McCarthy’s is doing it PROPER. Some of the best beer in the city is coming out of this place. I have had the luxury of talking with one of the main proprietors, and this man has had his hands in the homebrewing/microbrewing culture, not just in WNY, but on a NATIONAL level, for a super long time.

They brew beer that is true to style, and the experimental concepts have been tried and true before they reach the pallet of the end user.

For example, they have a porter called ‘Rosemary’s Snow Baby’ that when you read the description might sound a little wild. A porter brewed with mint and rosemary? sounds like 2 ingredients that you could seriously overdo, but they’ve managed to make it very well-balanced and enjoyable.

There are more on tap than what’s listed, but I have to say, one of my favorites is the Red Clover – Such a perfect beer. I get it every time I come to this location, it was the inspiration for me going ahead and brewing a red ale my dam self, which as some of you may know, I kegged yesterday.

I was hungry today, so I took a look at the menu:

While this is a 2-sided menu, and you can check out the back when you go there,  I was here for one thing – the McCarthy’s wings. Sweet & Spicy BBQ, with Bleu cheese crumblies on top.

I find it hard to believe that this is the ONLY joint in WNY that has figured out that dropping bleu cheese crumblies on wings is a thing. So good. There is just enough heat in the sweet BBQ to let you know you’re eating something special, I could have eaten 30 of these tonight easily, but 10 was going to be it for this guy.

Speaking of my Red. I was very excited about trying that when I got home.

While Pale-ing in comparison to Gene’s (pun intended) – it looks dark in that pic, but I assure you, the color is spot on for style..  I didn’t taste the funk from yesterday prior to kegging initially, but when I really focused, I got it a tiny bit. But it was good! hopefully it will stay that way!