Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co. - Their Own Great Beer and Good Food
Written: Mar 24 '08 (Updated Nov 05 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: home-brewed beers, good foods, good selection and variety, good portions
Cons: hours may vary during the off-season
The Bottom Line: Some great food and great home-brewed beer in the Mount Washington Valley.
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| AliventiAsylum's Full Review: Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewing Co. |
Living in a tourist area, one thing that we have a lot of is terrific restaurants. There’s something to please almost every taste imaginable. Some of them appeal more to the locals than others, largely due to the price. However, some of those that have local appeal also have found a niche that pleases locals and tourists alike, One of those restaurants in the Mount Washington Valley is the Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co.
If your ears perked up at the “brewing co.”, you are correct. Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co. brews it’s own line of beers. There are seven different brews available, and these can be purchased for home consumption as well.
Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co. is located just north of the village of North Conway on Route 16. It’s in an old white house just off the side of the road with ample parking.
The ambience of the place is quite nice. The bar area is a nice place to sit and down a few beers with appetizers. Some people like to eat here, but I usually choose to sit in one of the rooms of the house. Rather than a very open type of floor plan, Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co. has many rooms which give the place a cozy feel and also allow some rooms to be quieter than others. Each room has a bit different decor. I especially like sitting out on the porch except during the very cold weather as the views are terrific.
The seven types of beer that Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co. makes on property are Hoffman Weiss, a German-style wheat beer; Golden Dog Pilsner, a European-style pilsner; Cathedral Ledge Lager, a Vienna-style lager; Iron Mike Pale Ale, an American Pale ale; Bear Peak Brown, an English-style brown ale; Smoke House Porter, an English-style porter; and Square-Tail Stout, a foreign-style stout. Some of these beers are only available seasonally. If you can’t make up your mind, one of my favorite things to do is try the sampler that gives you small-sized portions of their own brews on tap for about $1 each. I have been there when the sampler was six beers and other times when it’s been eight, so I think the cost and size depends on what hey are brewing at the time. Still, it’s a way to help make a decision about what to drink for the night. I really like the beers here, and we’ve gone here a few times just for beer and appetizers.
The food is good. In many ways it’s typical smoke-house or barbeque fare. Other dishes are a total surprise as to it being offered in New England. There’s a good variety of appetizers, including chili, quesadillas, and nachos. There’s not just one type of generic quesadillans and nachos on the menu, but a few to choose from depending on your tastes. Something I’ve tried which surprised me were the Carolina Hushpuppies ($4.95) which include a side of maple syrup.
The burgers here are good and are a perfect size for a rather filling lunch. There’s a guide to the side of the menu that tells what the different barbeque sauces are made of and taste like, as well as a guide to the preparation of meat. This way, when I order something medium-rare, I know what I am getting. The burgers come with regular fries or cajun fries which I love for their spiciness. There are also a variety of sandwiches and wraps offered. The wood-grilled pizzas are a favorite of the kids when we bring them here with us. There’s plenty to choose from and they are all under $10.
For a more filling meal, Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co. offers some of the best Beef Brisket ($11.95) I’ve ever had. It’s smoked and dry-rubbed and served with a mustard/habanero based barbeque sauce. I’ve had the Carolina Smoked Pork ($11.95) and that’s also a terrific and tender barbeque style dinner. My dining companions have loved the St. Louis Ribs ($ market price). If you’re into it, with at least four people you can pay $13.95 each and get family-style servings of barbeque ribs, brisket, chicken and pork and side dishes on the table.
I like the Cole Slaw here. It’s sweeter than regular cole slaw and not made with mayonnaise. The dressing seems to be more of a vinaigette. Also a bit different are the Garlic Mashed Potatoes that are a bit heavier in garlic flavor and don’t need any additional seasoning or salt to me.
The portions are quite generous, and I usually bring something home with me. For that reason, we’ve never tried any of the desserts, as delicious as they sound. These change daily.
We’ve gone to Moat Mountain Smoke House & Brewing Co. and it’s a place I highly recommend especially for people who like something other than the mass-produced and mass-marketed beers out there. The food is good with some very unique flavors. It hasn’t disappointed me in the least and I feel the prices are very reasonable. My sole complaint is there have been a few times we have headed there expecting it to be open and it wasn't. I haven't had that happen during the high seasons of summer and fall, but other times you might want to call ahead first.
Other places to eat in New Hampshire:
Bea's Cafe, Conway NH ~ Cafe Noche, Conway NH ~ Decades Steakhouse, North Conway NH ~ Delaney‘s Hole in the Wall, North Conway NH ~ Harts Turkey Farm, Meredith NH ~ May Kelly's Cottage, North Conway NH ~ Merlino's Steakhouse, North Conway NH ~ Muddy Moose, North Conway NH ~ Peach's Restauran, North Conway NH ~ Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub, Glen NH ~ Yankee Smokehouse, West Ossipee NH
Sites to see in New Hampshire:
Attitash Bear Peak Ski Resort ~ Bretton Woods Ski Resort ~ Canobie Lake Park ~ Cranmore Mountain Ski Resort ~ Franconia Notch State Park ~ King Pine Ski Resort ~ Loon Mountain Ski Resort ~ Madison Boulder Natural Area ~ Mount Washington Cog Railway ~ North Conway, NH ~ Polar Express Event ~ Shawnee Peak, Bridgeton ME ~ Six Gun City ~ Story Land ~ Whale's Tale Waterpark ~ White Lake State Park ~ White Mountain National Forest ~ Wildcat Mountain
Some places to stay in New Hampshire:
Attitash Mountain Village - Bartlett NH ~ Comfort Inn & Suites - North Conway NH ~ Hampton Inn - Concord/Bow NH ~ Yankee Clipper Motel
Books about the area:
Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide ~ 50 Hikes in the White Mountains
© 2008 Patti Aliventi
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations beer sampler!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AliventiAsylum
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Member: Patti Aliventi
Location: Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire
Reviews written: 2076
Trusted by: 687 members
About Me:
Now writing reviews to pay for the "out of network" costs of our health insurance...
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