Gordon Biersch, McLean

April 20, 2008
Holy Jesus, I might be being too hard on Gordon Biersch but giving each location its own place rating seems completely redundant. I’ve only been to a couple, but they all seem to have the same boring tap selection (note: I recognize that it’s possible that the franchise only allows for corporate recipes, but to be honest I just can’t muster enough interest to research this), the same non-beer-focused clientele, and the same impersonal feel. Although, the bartender was very polite and offered me a sample of their seasonal Marzen without me even asking, which was great (the fact that he offered, not the beer). And, the beer I ended up ordering (the Schwarzbier) was reasonably tasty, but it didn’t meet my craving for hops (not a single hoppy brew on the menu) and probably tasted good primarily due to the fact that it provided a temporary exile from following my family around the mall.