The Good Shepherds Brewing Company

If this place isn’t representative of smalltown America then nothing is.
I stumbled across this place and was happy to see it was open when I was staying in Auburn (they are only open Thursday and Friday nights and Saturday afternoons).
It’s a small space at the end of an equally small strip mall. When you enter you see a bar, about 5 seats, two tables, a Pac-​Man and an Asteroids arcade game. The rest of the room looks like a storage locker. There was 5 or 6 people sitting around at the bar. I felt like I was in somebody’s basement at a house party.
The menu consists of 5 or 6 beer brewed by the owner plus cheese balls and pretzels. Rumour has it his mom will stir up a crock pot of grub during the winter months. If not, she will pour you a pint and brag about her son from behind the bar.
You can either order the sampler or venture into pints for $ 4 or 5 depending on the night. The Belgian and the sour were the highlights of the menu. The Blueberry pilz gets honourable mention as well. The pale ale was very unique with overwhelming fruit flavour that almost made you question if it was beer. I enjoyed it but it may not be for everybody.
If your travel philosophy is to experience unique things then stop in if it’s open. Grab a pint and some cheese balls, chat with the locals and play some Pac-​Man. Watch a kid try and live the American dream and get drunk with him in the process.
Good Shepherd’s Brewery adds character to a town that already has plenty. If I’m in the area again I’ll pop by and who knows, if the owner has his way, it may be in a bigger and better place. Like I said. he’s just living the American dream.