You peer down North Pleasant Street and spy droves of people queued outside various establishments, blowing on their hands as they stare longingly into the windows at their brethren quaffing adult beverages. Maybe you've been to a few of them before, maybe all of them, but which one will you patronize tonight?
Amherst Brewing Company (ABC) is the first spot you'll come to on your left. ABC's a restaurant by day and one of the higher-end bars in town by night. After the customary background check, you can have a seat at the rather spacious bar or one of the tables in the bar area where you can order from the menu or the list of bar munchies, which include such options as red pepper hummus with pita or sweet potato fries-not exactly a bowlful of beer nuts, but generally more pleasing to the palate.
The crowd is usually less college-oriented and characterized more by those in their late twenties or early thirties who are just off work. The lighting is dim, but not dark "mood lighting," if you will, and the music subdued and jazzy unless there's a live band (which is the case on many weekend nights.), or it could be one of the alternating Thursdays when the karaoke scene is thumpin'. Overall, ABC sports a pretty relaxed atmosphere, apropos for sipping some nice drinks and shootin' some bull with the gang.
The waitstaff is nice, but the service at the bar leaves something to be desired. The bartenders are dressed like they're headed to a club as soon as they get off work, and the variety of drinks and the attitude with which they're served are very much in keeping with that attire. One bartender once told me to instruct my friend to watch his manners when said friend, after waiting for 20 minutes with an empty glass, gave him the ol' cab-hail wrist flick. Pay attention to all the customers, buddy, not just the woman in the spandex dress.
And don't bother trying to order any rail drinks; only top-shelf booze is available. The Jack Daniels and ginger ale I had there was overpriced for Amherst town standards ($4.50) and poorly mixed. The best mixes I've had have been of novelty shots purchased as rounds for people's birthdays, so it's not a bad place to take a new 21 year-old to start the evening.
ABC's beer offerings are also on the expensive side. There are a lot of microbrews brewed in-house; the coffee porter is one of my favorites and there's usually a special on some obscure, but tasty, bottles. Guinness is about the only thing on tap that's not ABC brand ($4.50 for a 20-ounce), and they make a nice shamrock on top if that sort of thing tickles your fancy-though you can't buy any cheap pitchers here.
If you walk outside and head upstairs, you'll find pool tables, dartboards and a ping-pong table in a more upbeat atmosphere. Although the drink selection, mixing quality and lack of pitcher races are much the same as downstairs, there are, in contrast, no middle-aged men wishing they looked young enough to score some college women. The number of people inside is pretty tightly monitored, so it'll never be too crowded once you get through the door. Just watch out for flying darts.
Almost directly across the street from ABC is McMurphy's, also known as Mackera's or McMurph's. The bar itself is not quite as big as ABC's, but there are plenty of high-topped tables with stools if you're interested in sitting down. If you're in during prime time, though, you probably won't find a seat.
The crowd here is overwhelmingly college students, and the place has an obvious sports-bar theme. There are several prominently placed televisions tuned to ESPN, as well as UMass jerseys, photos of Boston sporting legends and plenty of neon bar signs lining the walls, mostly with an Irish twist. There's a digital jukebox that pumps out up-tempo tunes to invigorate your drinking spirit. And the lighting isn't so dark that you couldn't see a hair in your beer.
That's not to say that a hair in the beer is likely. The barkeeps have always been nice and as prompt as could be expected when there are people squirming to find a space and waving dollar bills in the air. It's usually pretty crowded during weekend nights and the bouncers seem to only stop letting people in when there's no more room to move-but that's just part of the fun.
There are a lot pitchers, a lot of plastic cups and a lot of students downing beers. It's a social environment, so you can't always expect top notch pours or chilled glasses, but the prices aren't steep enough to make you mad about it. A pitcher of Bud Light is $6.75 and a bottle is $2.25. Jack and ginger ale is $3.25, "decent mix if the bartender has time for it," and a pint of Guinness, complete with shamrock, is $3.00.
McMurphy's is a good time if you like the crowded bar scene. It's usually pretty empty during the day and early evening, and the bartenders are good conversationalists (surprise, surprise) if you want a more laid back drink. By 10:30 or so, though, the pace kicks into gallop. The drinks are cheaper than at ABC and the company is generally friendlier, but the environment is wilder, so choice will depend on your mood. And when doesn't it, really?
There's my humble take on the first two bars you'll find in town. Stay tuned as we stroll on down North Pleasant Street and sample some more brews along the way in weeks to come.
Amherst Brewing Company is located at 24-36 N. Pleasant St., 253-4400.
McMurphy's Uptown Tavern is located at 37 N. Pleasant St., 253-0170.