Moon River, located on West Bay Street, is Savannah’s one and only brew pub
We are busy gearing up for the Savannah Tall Ships Challenge (where we are working as volunteer coordinators), so our husbands took over the blog this week! Both beer aficionados (Nate writes The Distillery‘s monthly newsletter and Scott brews his own beer at home), we sent them to Moon River Brewing Company for today’s feature.
Savannah’s only brewery, Moon River was named one of the Top 50 American Brewpubs by BeerAdvocate.com, and it holds its own in a city full of great bars. A popular tourist destination as well as a locals’ hangout, the restaurant is known for its above-average “pub food” (they are now serving local grass-fed burgers!) as well as its beer. Moon River currently offers six of its own brews on tap: Swamp Fox India Pale Ale, Apparition Ale, The Bomb: Irish Dry Stout, Dixie Chrystal, Bellywasher Golden Ale and Wild Wacky Wit. Cask-conditioned ales are also served every Wednesday starting at 6:00 pm.
along with its large three-sided bar, the brewery offers a spacious dining room and a family-friendly feel
But Moon River isn’t just famous for its beer and food; the brewery is considered the most haunted place in Savannah – quite a title in America’s most haunted city. Almost 200 years-old and harboring a storied past, the restaurant’s building is said to be inhabited by multiple ghosts, including a woman in white, Toby the Trickster and children who are heard but never seen. The Travel Channel show, Ghost Adventures, covered Moon River in 2009 and confirmed there were indeed paranormal spirits in the building.
Moon River’s menu is diverse, even offering separate vegetarian and vegan menus
the brewery’s kettles can be seen through a glass window in the restaurant
Wild Wacky Whit – an old-style Belgian wheat ale, spiced with curaçao bitter orange peel and coriander
Swamp Fox India Pale Ale – “like its namesake, this ale is known for its sneak attack; hop-heads will enjoy its assertive bitterness and huge floral, dry hop aroma”
Nachos Rio Luna was made up of try-colored corn chips topped with sliced jalepeno peppers, black olives, diced tomatoes, back bean and corn relish and cheddar cheese
The Drinks/Dishes: Wild Wacky Wit, Swamp Fox India Pale Ale and Nachos Rio Luna
What’s Special About It?
Nate: “When you walk in, you’re immediately greeted by the beautiful bar with its twenty tap handles serving Moon River’s beer, as well as several other microbrews. It’s a wonderful welcome.”
Scott: “The whole place has a very understated atmosphere, but the kettles behind the glass stand out in the midst of it. There’s something very cool about seeing a physical manifestation of what you’re drinking.”
What Did It Taste Like?
Scott: “My IPA was copper-hued in color and cloudy, with a bold citrus aroma. That citrus flavor cut through what would normally be a strong hop perfume in most IPAs, and the beer was well-balanced with malts so that the typical bitterness was also toned down. It’s comparable to a Dogfish 60-Minute, but softer – a great choice for someone who doesn’t like the intense hops. With all that citrus, I wanted a spicy counterpart, so I paired it with the Nachos Rio Luna. The spice from the jalepenos on those and the gooey, cheddar cheese went perfectly with the beer.”
Nate: “The Wild Wacky Whit had a kind of classic-wheat taste upfront and then finished very dry and malty. It was a cloudy beer without a lot of effervescence, and my favorite part was the dry finish, which was almost chalky and stuck to the mouth a little.”
What Did We Say About It?
Scott: “A satisfying night out at a classic Savannah establishment.”
Moon River Brewing Company
21 West Bay Street
Savannah, GA 31401
(912) 447-0943
Monday-Thursday, Sunday 11am-11pm
Friday-Saturday 11am-12am
