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Wednesday, August 15, 2007

The Gahan House: Charlottetown, PEI


Located in a historic house just off the main street in Charlottetown, The Gahan House Brew-pub serves as one of PEI's tourists destinations. It is the only brewery in the province and brews beer for a number of pubs/restaurants on the island.

The Gahan House was built in 1880 by the Gahan clan and stayed in the family until the early 1900's. It was then used as a convent house by the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation and in the 1960's it became a rooming house before finally being sold to a local businessman who turned it into The Gahan House Brew-Pub in 2000.

The building itself is very intriguing and we came across other tourists peering in the windows and reading the historic markers on the brick walls. As you enter the pub you immediately come to a L shaped bar with numerous tap handles serving: Sir John A's Honey Wheat Ale, Harvest Gold Pale, Coles Cream Ale, Island Red Amber, Iron Horse Dark Ale, Sydney Street Stout and India Pale Ale. I had the IPA which was excellent. Very hoppy and aromatic, it tasted similar to Dogfish Head 60 min. I also had the Stout, which was decent. Nice and creamy and easy drinking.

It was a Friday night and the place was packed. They just renovated a back room and turned it into a dining area. We sit in the front of the pub where I am more at home. The music is terrible and way too loud, but the beer and food make up for that. There is a nice collection of beer bottles behind the bar and empty growlers are situated throughout the pub. Their is a nice island in the middle of the pub surrounded by bar stools. It is a very nice pub inside and out with exposed wooden beams, original brickwork and hardwood floors. I wasn't a fan of the purple dimmed lighting over our table though. It didn't really fit the historic building motif.

The brew-pub offers tours of the downstairs brewery in the summer months for a small fee. Trent, the brew master, takes me downstairs and shows me the equipment and explains the method behind his madness. He truly loves his job.

Overall: A decent place to go. I would have preferred it a little quieter but I can't have everything. Great beer, terrific IPA and good food. This is PEI's best pub by far.

126 Sydney Street
Charlottetown, PEI
http://www.peimenu.com/gahan/index.cfm

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