For those of you who don't know me, I am a beer enthusiast. I am also a little bit OCD. Whenever I go to any restaurant or bar, I look for beers to try. I almost never drink the same beer twice anymore, unless I really liked it, and can't get something new.
While in Myrtle Beach for a college basketball tournament, I went to eat breakfast with the family. As we left, we saw a Piggly Wiggly across the street and decided to drop in and get a few things. I bought myself a six pack of beer to have at the condo. When I was checking out, a lady who works there asked, "Would this be considered a craft beer?" I told her it was. She followed up with, "Do you like craft beer?" I told her that was pretty much all I drank. She proceeded to tell me about a place called the Atlas Tap House that had lots of craft beers and was her boyfriend's favorite place. I thanked her profusely and made up my mind I was going.
The next day, the Valparaiso University team did not have a game. Since we were only there to watch them, I decided to take a Lyft over to try this place out. I had been warned by the Piggly Wiggly that it was kind of a dive bar. I didn't get that vibe. It was a very cool place with the charm of an old home.
My wife and I were the only people there until just before we left. We sat at the bar and the server, Steff, took great care of us. She acted like I was her best beer drinking buddy. I tried about six different beers (5 ouncers). They were all great. But, what made it more fun was the way Steff said, "You have to try my favorite...", and opened a can for me taste in a little plastic cup. Then she drank the rest. We had a wonderful conversation. She was really excited about heading home later to visit her mother in New Jersey for Thanksgiving. I was disappointed because I had made up my mind that I was coming back the next day to try some more beers after the last game of the tournament. She told me not to worry because another server, Brittany, was going to be there and would take care of us.
My wife didn't want to go back with me. She doesn't drink beer, and felt like spending time alone at the condo with her sister. My awesome niece went with me instead. There were a lot more people there, so we sat at a table over in a corner instead of at the bar. Brittany came over to us immediately. I asked her if I could write on the beer list. When she said I could, I asked for a pencil. That way I could check off the ones I wanted and the ones I had already had.
I ordered three five ounce sized beers to start. Brittany served them to me with a pink post it note to show me which was which. All together, I tried 11 beers that were new to me. (Remember, I was not driving!) The whole time, my niece and I were having a great conversation. Brittany came over to us a bunch of times to check on us. She was every bit as friendly as Steff.
I like the place. I love that they have so many craft beers that aren't available in San Antonio. But, what makes the place a great one are the servers. Thanks Steff and Brittany for making it a memorable experience. Thanks Piggly Wiggly lady for sending me there! read more