“A man walks into a bar – ouch!”
This is one of the first jokes I learned from my always word-playing janitor granddad. It also explains the first two minutes of my first and likely last visit to Dr. Jeckyll’s Beer Lab. First, let me back up a little.
Last Friday was a wet old night putting me lucidly in mind of growing up in England and the countless Friday nights I spent walking to and from pubs. Our party of four –– three determined beer testers and our designated driver –– set forth from Fort Worth for a featureless strip mall in Pantego, about 20 minutes due east from our final pick-up. Reluctant neon apologetically signaled the bar’s entry, which looked more like a convenience store doorway than a nefarious beer emporium. I believe the “lab” part of the name references part of a former function. Dr. Jeckyll’s used to be a homebrew place but now appears to focus purely on slinging suds.
Upon entering, you may be struck immediately by the visual discord. All around is a melee of homemade untreated wooden fixtures –– sometimes lit, other times not, by strip lights wrapped in a drop ceiling circa 1985. The place is uncomfortably bright.
The L-shape bar is accidentally attractive, though I was unable to discern if the lights above were defunct or turned off deliberately. My three companions sought a canteen-style table and chairs as I bellied up to the bar. I was sandwiched between a twentysomething dude in plaid and denim and a red bandana to tame his stringy grunge-era locks and an older guy with suspiciously dark hair, his wiry frame ensconced in a long black leather coat. This guy brought the pain – to himself. While I turned to check on my nearby friends’ potential selections from a choice of 40 locally brewed beers, we four spied the barfly absent-mindedly snap his snifter glass, sending shards into his drink. He drank on undeterred while quietly assuring those with bat-like hearing, “I’m not that drunk.” Ouch!
Having adjusted to the suspension of disbelief required to comfortably pass the remainder of the evening, I starting chatting with the lone server, Brit, who somewhat helped me negotiate the wide selection. I ordered a four-drink flight with a range of beer styles while eschewing the IPAs for which one of my copains did stellar duty. I had four-ounce pours of Braindead’s Exhausted Nihilist (which, on reflection, could be a pithy summation of the state of mind of Joel, the glass destroyer), Independence’s Shiny Diamonds, Real Ale’s Oktoberfest, and Oscar Blues’ Old Chub. The beers were well kept and expertly poured.
The twang of the Braindead was reminiscent of a Czech classic like Pilsner Urquell. The Independence pale ale was soft and a little peachy, which was a pleasant surprise. The Oktoberfest was lighter in color and taste than is common, though it still carried enough toasted malt to be recognizably of its ilk. The biggest surprise was the Old Chub. It had a buttery note that leveled out the sweet cocoa and bitter coffee. I also drank full pints of Pegasus City’s Woofus, a golden ale of quality that I feel no need to seek out, and revisited the Braindead both in terms of the beer and a conversation I had with a surprisingly lucid Joel, who had put on fingerless leather gloves to mask and mop the blood from his earlier event.
This is a decidedly odd bar, and in some ways that is its charm. If you go for the great beer selection, expect to pay a dollar or two more than at a similar bar in the Fort. If you go for the atmosphere, don’t. If you go for the capacious knowledge of the server, don’t. If you like good beer in odd surroundings a 20-minute ride from most parts of Cowtown, check out Dr. Jeckyll’s.
Editor’s Note: The name of the establishment was misspelled in the original version of this article.
Dr. Jeckyll’s Beer Lab
2420 W Park Row, Pantego. 817-274-7405.
This article is very mean and disrespectful. I can’t believe Fort Worth weekly would post this. I don’t even have words for how uncalled for this article is. Ridiculous.
And it’s not even spelled correctly. Dr. Jeckyll’s
Amanda,
I delivered an objective review of my experience at that bar on a given night. Friends who accompanied me have suggested I ‘went easy’ on Dr Jeckyll’s.
I sampled beers, gave my professional opinion, and remained objective. In so doing I am entirely confident that this review is a fair and accurate reflection of my experience. Others may view the bar differently.
Therein lies the rub, GP: You see this as a professional review and it reads the opposite. We learn very little about the beer selection, thoughts you might have for improvement, or highlights/avoids on the list. Nor do we learn much about the business itself and why the decor and clientele might be quirky. The tasting notes are minimal and amateur, including usage of the word “twang” which does not describe flavor. You also call out the server by name to insult her lack of knowledge without saying how you arrived at that conclusion.
What we do get is a clunky, jumbled mess that mocks the clothing and hair choices of patrons to cover the lack of any genuine insight into a local business. The Weekly is better than that and this is a disappointment.
Historically, Last Call hasn’t made a habit of poking fun of the patrons at the establishments it reviews. That is hardly “professional” behavior. Kind of amazed that the Weekly let this one through…
Amanda, since G.P. doesn’t mention it, allow me to thank you for reading the Weekly and sharing your thoughts. Also, thank you for pointing out that the name of the business was misspelled. The name has been corrected in the online version, although we can’t do anything about the printed version. We regret the error. — Jeff Prince, associate editor
Odd review. I’ve known Brit for about 5 years and can attest to the fact that she knows a shit-ton (yes that is now an official measurement) about beer. We first met back when Dr Jekyll’s (or however you spell it) sold lots of brew supplies. She has done a lot of brewing and helped me on many occasions. We used to brew up here back then. Maybe she was busy with other patrons and didn’t have time for twenty questions?
And I’ve been to plenty of pubs in England that weren’t as nice as this dive! :-p
I was there that night and was shocked to learn of this review! Your personal attacks on the customers were uncalled and very unprofessional. Dr Jeckyll’s has been a place that I feel safe and at home after the unexpected passing of my spouse of 38 years. The guy with the bandanna is an amazing young man that does a lot for his community; including working with special needs adults. The guy that broke his glass is not a regular there; he lives in Dallas; his work brought him to Pantego. Yes, he was troubled and Brit, who knows a “shit-ton” about beers, was concerned about him and as with all of her customers; wanted to help. So perhaps she was distracted or you don’t know the right questions to ask.