World of Beer unveils new menu options

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

For a place that calls itself the World of Beer, you’d expect that, naturally, the menu would focus solely on drinks from the end products of hops, barley, malt and wheat.

You would be incorrect, as the food and drinks menu of the World of Beer have gone so far beyond the hoppy entries as to be, in fact, a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the franchise, which began in Tampa, Florida, in 2007 as a beer lover’s emporium, but has since expanded for the choosy beer connoisseur’s paradise beverage and food menus, both in the South Florida environs that spawned the franchise and beyond.

During a swing through Tampa, Florida, The Washington Times was hosted by Terry Haley, chief marketing officer, who sat down with us at the location near the Tampa airport (TPA). Mr. Haley, bright and enthusiastic, emphasized that WOB is a place where people come to have a beer and sit down and enjoy the experience without any attendant expectations.

Mr. Haley, a native Minnesotan, related moving to South Florida from the upper Midwest and how he went “undercover” in a then-new airport-adjacent location, more to discover how WOB staff related to him than as a future manager of the property. By the time he had spent but a short time at the WOB, Mr. Haley said the knowledgeable staff not only informed him of what beers he might like, but he had been introduced to the entire staff — who knew him by name long before he had “revealed” that he was, in fact, the new guy hired to run the airport location.

Mr. Haley said that WOB is a place to “have some food while drinking,” and brought out many of the WOB’s food menu to sample, including the giant pretzel, a veritable staple of German cuisine, which is served with beer cheese as well as spicy (and I do mean spicy) mustard sauce. In addition, Mr. Haley brought out mac n’ cheese balls that, while interesting, were not precisely lighting my fire.

However, the pesto Tuscan hummus and tacos — shrimp, beer-brined chicken and beer barbacoa — provide ample, tasty sustenance to offset whatever beers you may want to imbibe.

The space at the Tampa airport location is large and inviting, but not so overwhelming as to give any agoraphobia. Rather, the space has “satellite” areas, with the outdoor patio, upstairs zone as well as a little “man-cove” near the front door where sports are on, but where group videogames might someday soon be played, Mr. Haley said.

Mr. Haley emphasized the rather healthy menu of beer taps to sample, and which rotate for seasons and staff dictums. In addition to the taps, there’s also rather decent bottle selection as well.

A Fairfax, Virginia, location is now open in the DMV, which joins other outposts in Arlington, Virginia; Rockville, Maryland; and Reston, Virginia.

For more on the menus — both drinkable and consumable — visit WorldofBeer.com.