ROCK 102 Burger Mania!
Written by ROCK 102 on August 2, 2010
Burger Mania Winner is…JL Beers!
Congrats to JL Beers…Scotch, Tank, and Ginger’s choice for the #1 burger in the metro area!
It was a tough choice but there can only be 1! Congrats to JL Beers…the winner of Scotch, Tank, and Ginger’s “Burger Mania” contest! 2nd place going to the Silver Dollar Bar and Grill, 3rd place…Hi-Ho Tavern in Dilworth! Contestants were judged on “Bun”, “Presentation” and “Flavor”! Thanks to all who participated!
HPR’s Best Bets 2010
Written by HPR Staff on June 24, 2010
JL Beers- Best Burgers, Beer Selection, New Restaurant, New Business
When asked why she enjoys her job, co-manager Andrea Williams kept it simple. “I really like beer and I like to educate people about it.” The concepts behind JL Beers are simplicity and quick service. Burgers arrive in roughly three minutes. Keep that in mind and follow Andrea’s best advice, “concentrate on your drink choice.” JL Beers has 32 beers on tap, 50 bottles to choose from as well as water, pop, or coffee. Congrats everyone. Visit their website www.jlbeers.com to see what they have in store for you. The secret of English pubs, what makes them more “bar” than other bars, is that they’re crowded. We don’t know why, and like everybody else, we curse when we have to navigate elbows and butts to get to the bathroom, but it helps the atmosphere. The buzz of conversation is cheerier. We admit it, we’re gone on JL Beers. And Andrea, we need an education, please teach us one beer at a time.
Questions & Comments: hpr@hpr1.com
Dining Review: JL Beers
Written by: Mike Dragosavich of FM Spotlight, April 2010
Photography by: Mitch Highman of mJoy Photography
Questions and comments: drago@fmspotlight.com
http://www.fmspotlight.com/slideshow/events.html
Simply burgers and beer
Written by Nadine Aljets Tuesday, 02 February 2010 08:00
In a quaint, yet modernly designed building set in downtown Fargo is one of the city’s newest restaurants. Locals have been flocking to this eatery to experience the much talked about food and beverages. What’s on the menu that has caused so much interest? Simply burgers and beer.
Opened last November, JL Beers boasts more drinks than food on its menu. The restaurant has six burger varieties: “The Original Hamburger,” “The Great American,” “The Classic Burger,” “The Humpty Dumpty Burger,” “The JL Burger” and “The 1st Avenue Burger.”
Dan Vogel, general manager of JL Beers, said, “We make the best burgers in town.” All burgers come on a fresh baked bun, and there are many additional items that can be added on. Also offered are homemade chips and fries.
The main reason people come to JL Beers, though, is to try the wide variety of beers offered. With 32 beers on tap, many imported bottles and a variety of domestic cans, patrons of the restaurant have countless options.
For those who cannot decide which beer to order, samples are given. Individuals can also order beer flights, which consist of six small glasses of different beers.
“People like to try something new,” Vogel said of the wide beer variety.
Not sure what to order? No problem. The bartenders are very knowledgeable about the beer options and can suggest what to try based on individuals’ preferences. For those who prefer nonalcoholic drinks, JL Beers offers nonalcoholic beers and a variety of sodas.
The beer truly is the focal point of the restaurant, which is evident as the long bar stretches almost the entire length of the building. The building, itself, is quite narrow, and only allows seating for 24 people. Most of the chairs are pulled up next to the bar, but there are a couple tables as well.
“It really has a big city feel, and it brings something different to downtown Fargo,” Vogel said. The chrome and metal décor of the restaurant provides a clean, sleek look. This modern look even extends into the kitchen area which Vogel described as a “show kitchen,” meaning “you can watch the food while it’s being made,” Vogel said.
JL Beers is also easy on the wallet. With all of its food options under $5, it is simple to get a filling meal for a low price. Burgers range in price from $2.99 to $4.49, while side items only cost $1.89 to $2.99. With such low prices, sampling one or more beers can still keep a meal within budget.
All items at JL Beers can be taken to go, surprisingly even the beers. If customers cannot finish their beer at the restaurant, the bartenders can also reseal the beer for them to take home.
With the limited seating and the popularity of the restaurant, sometimes there is only standing room available, but that has not discouraged individuals from checking out the restaurant. JL Beers may be small on space, but it is certainly big on taste. As Vogel said, “We have great service, great food, and great beer, so we encourage everyone to come and check us out.”
http://www.ndsuspectrum.com/edge/3099
Return of the Bar Burger: JL Beers Marries Two American Classics
Written by: Bryce Richardson
Photography by: Zach Kobrinsky
Let’s talk about bacon. Being the unabashed bacon enthusiast that I am, one might imagine that I would take bacon on anything. Not true. Bacon on a burger often gives me cause for doubt. Not because the flavors don’t go together, or because I can’t stand the thought of those cute, delicious little piggies being slaughtered for my satisfaction, but because, frankly, it’s rarely done right. Generally when bacon comes on a burger I have a hard time believing that it even came from a pig. It tastes more like cardboard and wet socks. This is not the right way to do bacon on a burger.
However, despite my reservations, when the waitress asked if I’d like bacon on my Humpty Dumpty burger at JL Beers I hastily assented. I mean, the burger has a fried egg on it, and you can’t really go wrong with bacon and eggs (unless they are from a Motel 6 continental breakfast, in which case you can go terribly, horribly wrong). To my surprise, the bacon was just about perfect burger bacon: crispy, thick and peppered within an inch of its life.
Let’s review. JL Beers, newly opened at 518 1st Avenue and home to 58 separate kinds of beer, 32 of which are on tap, makes a burger in about a minute flat, slaps an egg on top and tosses on some of the best burger bacon this side of the Mississippi and suddenly we’ve got a burger and beer joint downtown with the right idea.
Don’t get me wrong. There are other places where you can get White Castle sliders or a nine-dollar burger with bleu cheese yak bacon. At roughly four bucks a pop and a menu comprised simply of four burgers and two different kinds of chips (made in-house with one of the coolest kitchen gadgets I have ever seen) JL Beers hits the elusive golden mean of the burger world.
I could wax poetic about the burgers all night, but let’s move on. JL Beers, true to its name, also has one of the best beer selections in town and it’s only getting better. “We’re giving the people what they want,” said General Manager Dan Vogel, “and surprisingly, people are more adventurous than we thought.” Having already gone through a keg or two of the more obscure beers on the tapline, JL Beers is looking to get more interesting beer into the hands of the thirsty people of Fargo.I know that I was pleasantly surprised to find beers ranging from Summit’s fantastic Oatmeal Stout to Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale and at $3-5 a pint you can try as many as you like. For those looking to enter the world of craft beers or even if you’re just brew-curious, JL Beers offers “Beer Flights” which consist of six separate 4 oz. beers in different categories such as Midwestern breweries, beers from around the globe and my personal favorite, ales from the dark side. Also, at the back of their extensive beer list they’ve got a glossary of beer terminology so you, too, can find yourself spouting off about the differences between doppelbocks and trappist trippels.
Seating roughly 30, JL Beers feels cozy even when there are only 10 people on the rail. It was packed full when I went in around 6 and later that night when I stopped in for a Bell’s Two Hearted IPA at last call it was standing room only. The crowd is also one of the most diverse groups I’ve seen Downtown. Tattooed hipsters chow down next to suits, frat boys and geeks brought together by the two things powerful enough to unite us all: burgers and beer.
Questions and comments: brycemidas@gmail.com
http://hpr1.com/cuisine/article/return_of_the_bar_burger_jl_beers_marries_two_american_classics/
New Choices for the Craft Beer Connoisseur
By Jason Hummel
Contributing Writer
JL Beers and the South Moorhead Atomic Coffee have graced the metro with an amazingly diverse list of high-quality craft brew. For the uninitiated, craft beer loosely refers to a brew made with traditional methods—no adjuncts, such as rice or corn, are added to reduce costs or change the characteristics of the beer. Craft brews tend to have a more distinctive taste than mass-consumed beers, which may limit the audience of any one brand. The explosion of microbreweries in the United States and around the world, however, virtually guarantees that an individual can find a variety that appeals to their taste buds. Atomic Coffee may have the smaller selection of the new establishments, but the choices they’ve made fall in line with a quality-over-quantity approach. Residents of Fargo-Moorhead can finally enjoy a refreshing pint of Surly from the tap, without having to cross the city limits. The Surly Brewing Company is a relative newcomer to the industry, with beers starting to flow off the line of their Brooklyn Center location towards the end of 2005. The Surly family includes several year-round beers, and one or two seasonal varieties. The most sought-after of these is “Darkness,” the high-alcohol, Russian Stout available in the weeks following Halloween.
Atomic Coffee has blessed us with what could be considered the flagship of Surly’s year-round lineup, Surly Furious, brewed with a blend of four different American hop varieties. Hops are the flower of the vermicular hop plant and are used to give beers their bitterness and aroma. The result is a flavorful crimson brew, with an eye-opening citrus bouquet. The beer starts with a complex caramel taste and finishes with a delicious bitterness from the hop blend, a sensation that stays with you well after the liquid has left your tongue on the way to your stomach. This is one beer that may very well be an acquired taste if you’re coming from the world of Anheuser-Busch.
Atomic rounds off their selection with two fabulous stouts from Bell’s Brewery including a java stout. The perfect accompaniment to the fragrances of a coffee shop, the java stout enhances the inherent coffee flavor of the stout by blending Sumatra and chocolate to make a rich, filling brew. Also available are a Widmer IPA and Lindeman’s Raspberry Framboise, a sweet fruit beer that pairs well with desserts. If you’re looking for a unique beverage without the noise of a pub, Atomic should be at the top of your destination list.
South Moorhead Atomic Coffee:
For the craft beer drinker: Surly Furious
For coffee lovers: Bell’s Java Stout
For desert lovers: Lindeman’s Rasberry Framboise
If a more traditional bar scene is to your liking, or if you’re looking to pair your beverage with a burger and fries, JL Beers fits the bill. With 32 taps, 33 bottle varieties, numerous cans, and even a few “big beer” 750ml varieties. JL Beers has raised the bar for craft beer in downtown Fargo. Here you’ll find everything from a can of Hamm’s to the finest Belgian dubbel. The entire space and concept is set up to make the beers the focal point. A long bar surrounding an impressive shelf system of bottles, cans and taps makes up almost all the seating in the long, skinny pub. The beer list not only gives you names of the products, but also descriptions of the taste, alcohol content, and even a glossary of general beer categories and terms. JL Beers brings a new level of convenience to the person looking to enjoy a craft beer from the comfort of their own home. Burgers can be ordered to go, along with bottles or growlers (a half gallon from any of the taps). If you happen to find yourself unable to finish one of JL Beers’ big beers, the staff will happily reseal the bottle so you can take the remainder home.
For those who quiver at the prospect of making one choice among the formable selection of suds, JL Beers also provides beer flights, consisting of five small glasses of different varieties.
JL Beers:
For the craft beer drinker: start on the leftmost tap and work your way right
For the Anheuser-Busch fan: enjoy your old standby or dip your toe into the world of craft beers with something from the New Belgium Brewery.
For non-beer drinkers: Woodchuck Draft Cider or a 750ml of Lindeman’s Rasberry Framboise
For non-alcohol drinkers: Delicious 1919 rootbeer on tap!
For everyone: an egg-burger with seasoned chips
Now get out there and start expanding that palette.
Questions and comments: jason@humjay.com