Cerveceria Antares started up in the late 90's in Buenos Aires, around the same time as Buller, so each is approaching its quinceanero (15th birthday) now. Antares has opened outlets in other cities; I saw them in Bariloche and Mendoza, kind of like Rock Bottom here in the U.S. Antares seems to favor a sleek corporate decor on the inside, without those quirky collections that adorn the walls of so many brewpubs in most countries.
Perhaps that's not fair--the back wall in this shot does contain posters of some breweries familiar to us: Sam Adams, Lagunitas, etc. But the effect is still, as I said, corporate. No beer is brewed on the premises here, although the back bar does include some tall tanks, put there for show.
Antares does present a good selection. Here was the tap list on Dec. 14:
The Scotch I had tasted earlier, in another restaurant, and I knew it was excellent, much like Boundary Bay's entry here at home. Caramel-y malts, toasty, great mouthfeel. This evening, my last in the country, I went for some others on the list.
Note the bitterness on the barleywine--50 IBUs. Not a mistake: it was slightly hoppier than the IPA. Lemony finish, certainly a different take on this style. I liked it and with the high alcohol content, trust the brewer followed a barleywine recipe up to the bittering phase. I had a short glass of the IPA afterwards, also tart, more of a lime flavor to finish.
One more short glass, the Kolsch, knowing I'd be back in Bellingham and able to enjoy Chuckanut's great Kolsch again, soon. Antares brewed this lager competently and it had that refreshing taste--just not quite able to put the same tingle on the palate.
Check Antares on RateBeer and BeerAdvocate for more sophisticated tasters' opinions. I know I was generally pleased with what I tasted.
(Visited 12/14/13)
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