The Beer Sellar

The Beer Sellar

By Craig Shelburne

An out-of-the-way alternative for downtown drinkers, The Beer Sellar provides a chilled-out hideaway from the chaotic honky-tonk/Second Avenue scene. And since the bar is underground (beneath Hooters), it's easy to lose track of time down there. However, with its easygoing vibe, 100 bottles and 50 taps, there's no need to rush.

On a recent Saturday, the place was mostly empty at 7 p.m., so we snagged a comfortable booth decorated with Sam Adams ads. Table service wasn't in effect yet, so I grabbed three beer menus from the bar. We were all initially disappointed that it was made up of almost entirely familiar brands, but a closer inspection of the tap wall offered some unpublished surprises.

As a fan of brown beers, I dove right in: Schlafly seasonal coffee stout and an Abita Turbo Dog from the tap, followed by a Rogue Shakespeare Stout in a big bottle. Quite a few other notable microbreweries are represented, too, including Bluegrass Brewing Co., Dogfish Head, Sweetwater and Terrapin, as well as local taps from Blackstone and Yazoo. And by 9 p.m., the joint was jumping.

Smokers can stay warm inside, since they don't have to hit the bricks for a cigarette. Video games, foosball, billiards and darts make it easy to socialize, too. Of course, music brings the people together, and the digital jukebox will give you something to listen to while you await your basket of fried food - the inevitable consequence of sampling from 150 beers.