First, let me share with you a little known secret. Sign up for the email birthday club and you will get a free entrée and pint glass on your birthday, and since there is nothing I like more on my birthday than free food and swag, we made sure to hit Rochester Mills Beer Company. They also, coincidentally, have one of our favorite beers on tap, Rochester Mills Milkshake Stout. This is a 5% abv beer, which has a rich, roasted flavor of chocolate, caramel and notes of coffee. It is smooth and not heavy for a stout, with a rich complexity of flavors and textures.
However, this evening, Omar opted to try the Paint Creek Porter, which he said was good, not great. With 5.6 abv (which by the way means alcohol by volume), this beer is robust with lots of chocolate malt. Very deep in color and very full bodied. In comparison, Omar says he prefers the Milkshake Stout.
For dinner, Omar opted for appetizers. We started splitting the brewers bread, which is pizza crust, covered in cheese, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil, folded up and baked til melty and you dip in either pizza sauce or ranch. The red pepper flakes gives this bread a surprise kick, and is nice with the ranch dip.
Omar also opted for the wings. As he finds most “hot” sauces not hot enough for him, he ordered the “F’ing hot wings.” That’s literally what they are called. He asked the waitress if they were hot and she replied, “yes they are F’ing hot!” And they were. I asked Omar if they were hot and he replied while sweat poured down his face, and nose was running that indeed they WERE F’ing hot!! I asked what the allure was to eat something so hot that it made you cry and he went into some lengthy explanation about endorphins and pain and pleasure, frankly it did not look like fun to me!! I did not try them, as even medium wings are too hot for my gentle palate.
I ordered the buffalo mac and cheese. I honestly did not have a lot of high hopes for this meal, but as I got a free entrée I had to order something. I was so wrong. This mac and cheese was amazing! It was creamy, with a smooth, flavorful beer cheese, but intertwined with buffalo hot sauce and grilled chicken. The mac and cheese had just the right amount of heat, and really a symphony of flavors. It also was served with literally ½ a pizza crust with melted cheese. Waaay too much food to eat.
Our waitress was funny, and efficient and our evening was great. We will most definitely return to Rochester Mills and I won’t even wait until my birthday!!