J. Clyde
The J. Clyde Hot Rock Tavern and Alehouse is a pub and restaurant located in the former Back Alley space at 1312 Cobb Lane in Southside. The bar opened in April 2007 and is owned by siblings Jerry and Susan Hartley. It is named in honor of their brother Jason Clyde Hartley who died in 1998.
Specializing in gourmet beer, the J. Clyde offers 40+ brews on tap and over 200 bottled beers. The selection was greatly expanded after the successful passage in 2009 of gourmet beer legislation pushed by the Free the Hops movement. Prior to that, Alabama law limited beers to less than 6% alcohol by volume.
The kitchen specializes in pairing dining specials with appropriate beers. The bar offers limited-availability cask-conditioned ales served at cellar temperature from a beer engine on weekends.
The pub's interior is cozy, but more seating is available in a sprawling covered patio and deck and at the back bar. In 2010 users of ratebeer.com ranked The J. Clyde as the 22nd best beer restaurant in the world.
References
- McAlister, Laura, Joe O'Donnell, Mary Ellen Stancill and Carla Jean Whitley (2009) "The Drinker's Dozen" Birmingham magazine
- Carlton, Bob (February 19, 2010) "Beer geeks rank Birmingham's The J. Clyde among world's best beer restaurants." Birmingham News
External links
- The J. Clyde website
- Best Beer Restaurants 2010 at ratebeer.com