Runnyeye

Runnyeye bar (1) (4th level)

Rating: 3

Drinks served: Short beer, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Ale, Red Wine, White Wine, Brandy, Capt. Orlin's Spiced Ale

Brew barrel : nope

Brewing supplies: shotglass, bottle, grapes, cask

Notes: Well, I finally made it into the basement of Runnyeye.  It's been an awfully long time since I was there last, and somehow I remembered it being much... scarier.  Not so anymore, but I'm a bit older.  There's one bar here, a nearby merchant, and even a bank.  Talk to them nice and they'll sell you whatever you want. 

They have a menu on the wall that promises krispy rat, pickold gofer, maggit pie, and shrunken headcheez, but no one sold it - I was crushed.  I wanted headcheez, dammit. 

Rivervale

Fool's Gold (9) (loc -36, -200)  The big round building as you walk into town from Misty Thicket.  You can't miss it.

Rating: 3

Drinks served(10): Lendel's Grand Lager, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Ale, Red Wine, White Wine, Brandy, short beer

Brew barrel: one on second floor, also one east of the building and across way

Brewing supplies: shotglass, grapes, bottle, cask, kiola sap; other supplies sold by Burtle Barrelbelly on second floor next to brew barrel

Other supplies: You can also get a Fool's Gold stein here, which can serve as a blunt weapon in a pinch.

Notes: I always kind of thought of halflings as being these cheerful, naive, funny little people. Forget that - the little buggers in here would cut your throat if they could reach it - they can't so they settle for your purse. From bottom to top this joint is filled with half-pint ruffians and thieves. The shady card dealer on the second floor will even try to get you to steal something for them. Despite all that, you can get Lendel's Grand Lager here and nowhere else, same goes for the Fool's Gold stein, and it's a fine place to brew since the supplies are sold right next to the brew barrel. It is a bit cramped, go figure.

Freeport, West

Special notes: Ah, Freeport. No place has more taverns than this city, a city which is otherwise just so much crusty sand you need to scrape off your boots. They also have the courtesy to name most of them. I had the great pleasure of being able to review all the pubs in Freeport in one marathon pub crawl, accompanied by guild mates Mephitia, Nohrm, and Jhames. Nohrm has the amazing and enviable ability to summon beer, and Mephitia and Jhames had no real hope to keep up with us. Also, I'm a little concerned to find that the seedier bars appeal to me a bit more. So take my ratings with a grain of salt.

Hogcaller's Inn (9)

Rating: 3

Drinks served(11): Short beer, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Ale, Red Wine, White Wine, Brandy, Capt Orlin's Spiced Ale, Minotaur Hero's Brew

Brew barrel: one, outside front door

Brewing supplies: shotglass, grapes, bottle, cask, kiola sap; for other supplies go to Krystin Charcoal (loc 103, 2.5), just outside NW zone entrance to North Freeport (just past the Freeport Militia)

Notes: Having spent many of my early days brewing (and drinking) here, I have a special fondness for old Hogcallers. But going back later I realized that it's just a kind of average pub with sentimental value. There are usually several patrons here, and a few rooms upstairs. The Lady Shae is here, and is interested in what house you may be from "the house of drunken bards" does not impress her.

Freeport, North

Tassel's Tavern (12) (loc 75, -21) (on the north side of the Freeport Market)

Rating: 4

Drinks served(10): Short beer, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Ale, Red Wine, White Wine, Brandy, Capt Orlin's Spiced Ale

Brew Barrel: one in main room

Brewing supplies: shotglass, grapes, bottle, cask, kiola sap

Notes: This place has a high ceiling and a balcony above the bar. I made the mistake of bringing a druid (Mephitia) here with me, who cast levitation on us, and we spent the time getting drunk and wobbling off the balcony, and bouncing off the top of the brew barrel. Artwork: Brell only knows what that painting was of. I couldn't tell, and getting blind drunk didn't help with the interpretation. I suppose it was tassels playing poker.

The Jade Tiger's Den, next door, will sell you short beer and mead.

Unnamed (Galio & Palola's Tavern and Inn)

Rating: 2

Drinks served(5): Mead, Honey Mead, Ale, Short Beer, Ale

Brew Barrel: one behind the bar

Brewing supplies: shotglass, bottle

Notes: They don't sell much booze here, and no chairs or tables means they don't like you to just hang out. It's mainly an inn; the upper two floors have rooms. There's an oven in the main room and a kiln and wheel outside. Careful about staying there though - one of the beds on the second floor looks like it might go up in flames any second, because some nimrod put the stovepipe right underneath it.

Freeport, East

Trader's Holiday (2) (loc 138, -268)

Rating: 3

Drinks served(10): Short beer, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Ale, Red Wine, White Wine, Brandy, Capt Orlin's Spiced Ale

Beer barrel: One, in main room

Brewing supplies: shotglasses, casks, grapes, bottles, kiola sap; for others go to Krystin Charcoal in West Freeport

Notes: The Alemaker family runs this bar, a quiet little place. There is an oven behind the bar, and more booze upstairs (same stuff) but its quite devoid of patrons. Tislan will sell you baking molds.

Unnamed (Slan ODonners place) (3) (loc 80, -326)

Rating: 2

Drinks served(5): Ogre Swill, White wine, Gnomish Spirits, Dwarven Ale, Elven Wine

Brew barrel/supplies: go to Traders Holiday and Krystin Charcoal

Notes: This place is tucked right behind Traders Holiday, which may explain why no one comes here. You can get some uncommon booze here but there isn't much else to the place.

Velithe and Bardo's Imported Goods (4)

Rating: 2

Drinks served(5): Ogre Swill, White Wine, Gnomish Spirits, Dwarven Ale, Elven Wine

Brew barrel/ supplies: go to Trader's Holiday and Krystin Charcoal

Notes: No sign of Velithe or Bardo here just lots of O'Donners, and every last one sells the same stuff as Slan. Theres a loom on the second floor, and the third floor has a few rooms.

Grub and Grog (7) (loc 31, -725)

Rating: 3

Drinks served(7): Bottle of Kalish, Short Beer, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Ale, Freeport Stout

Brew barrel: One in main room

Brewing supplies: Bottle, cask; for most supplies go to Krystin Charcoal in West Freeport

Notes: Be careful if you're like me and just buy everything you can drink. They will try to sneak in an empty bottle on you. Mephitia bought one first, and then I was stupid enough to do the same darned thing.

There is an oven behind the bar here. The menu behind the bar declares, well, that you can buy your booze as ale, ale, ale or ale. Theres a flop room in back that doubles as a storeroom, and the main room sports an idiot bard on a table (do I get this stupid when Im drunk?) that insists he'd play better if youd just get him some lute strings from Wind Spirits Song - doofus is playing the flute, not the lute. I wouldn't do it; based on the décor I dont think he'll be there long. Plus the Wind Spirits Song is in Qeynos. On the plus side here, this is the only place you can buy Freeport Stout.  Also, I found out this is a great place to brew Faydwer shakers: just get the racial alcohol from the O'Donners a few doors down, the mead and casks here, and brew away while making fun of the bard.  Make sure you throw all those empty bottles at him, too.

Artwork: Paintings of bread and bottles of wine (grub and grog, get it?), and the walls are liberally splashed with blood. Especially behind the bard.

Port Authority (9) (loc 75, -890) (on the docks)

Rating: 2

Drinks served(2): Short Ale, Fish Wine, Keg of Vox Tail Ale

Brew barrel: go to Seafarers Roost

Also sells fishing supplies

Notes: Not much of a pub but one of the last places to stock up before you get on the boat, especially if Seafarer's is not that safe for you. And no, I dont know what Vox Tail Ale is yet I couldnt afford it since a keg wouldve set me back 105 plat. Thats a lot of beer money Soon...

Seafarer's Roost (11) (loc 243, -836) (on the docks)

Rating: 4

Drinks served(14): Mead, Red Wine, White Wine, Short Beer, Brandy, Elven Wine, Dwarven Ale, Gnomish Spirits, Ogre Swill, Fish Wine, Ale, Capt Orlin's Spiced Ale, Drom's Champagne, Ernele's Champagne

Brew barrel: one in main room

Brewing supplies: well, they sell water flasks.

Also: Gregor will sell you the Innoruk Kiss of Death, which sounds promising but is undrinkable. It's used in the exotic drinks quest, which Gregor can also explain to you.

Notes: Seafarer's Roost is not for the faint of heart; you really need to watch your step here. I had no problems; I can get along with most everyone. But I have seen unwitting folks walk through the doors only to get pummeled by either the barbie and her ogre buddy, or the dark elf that hangs out near the front door (be wary of anyone named Scar). Other folks in the bar will warn you to not get involved, which seems like a good idea. So peek in and check folks out before you stroll in for a drink. There's a cute bard chick here that will sing if prodded by her friend Henna; bummer if you come when the guy bard is hanging around. More booze on the second floor, just a landing on the third, and on the fourth floor loft you can get rogue weapons and such. This is the only place, as far as I know, that you can get the two types of champagne they sell.

Chops and Hops (16) (loc 278, -215)

Rating: 1

Drinks served(8): Short Beer, Mead, Capt Orlin's Spiced Ale, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Red Wine, White Wine, Brandy

Brew barrel/ supplies: nope - go to Grub and Grog or Seafarer's

Also sells Innoruk Kiss of Death

Notes: My friends abandoned me at Seafarer's during our pub crawl and never got to this place, which was just as well - this was no place to take a lady. Or a friend. Or anyone you are faintly fond of. Deep in the slums of East Freeport, this place made even me a little nervous, even though one of the guards likes to wander in and out shifty sort though. The people are grumpy, the place is cramped, and the merchants outside are either out of stock, out of their minds, or selling rusty weapons. There are a kiln, wheel, and forge outside, but why bother? Spend as little time as you can in this miserable section of town.

Ogguk

Clurg's (17) (loc 255, -241) (sign says "Meet and Drink Tew Bie")

Rating: 3 - but don't tell them I didn't give them a 5

Drinks served (9): Gypsy Wine, Ogre Swill, Fish Wine, Elven Wine, Brandy, Red Wine, White Wine, Short Beer, Flaming Clurg

Brew Barrel: one

Brewing Supplies: see Korgag Swillchugger, in the bar

Notes: Yes, I really went here. In fact I stop in every time I run through Feerott. The place still makes me nervous though; the chef in the bar will sell you HEHE meat, which turns out to be ground high elf, human, and Erudite. As long as it's not ground half-elf...  Besides all the booze, Clurg will also sell you a ship in a bottle, which is used in some crappy quest, or, is just something you have to have just because; I put mine in with my stein collection. Clurg is also the guy that will give you the Stein of Moggok after you've done the exotic drinks quest (see Gregor in East Freeport for details). He also has a bounty out on Pungla's head (the ogress in Neriak that sells Flaming Pungla, apparently a rip-off of his Flaming Clurg). I didn't mention that I knew her, or that I liked her beer better, it's less swilly...

Obviously you need to be careful here if you're of a 'good' race. Good-lookin' bards like meself (with a Mask of Deception, you betcha) can get around here easily, and don't have to try too hard to get everyone to like them. Enchanters should also have an easy time of it here - you know how.

Oasis of Marr

Special notes: OK, neither of these would be included in any other zone, probably. But for the sake of completeness, and for the sake of just where the hell you can get drunk when yer in the middle of the freaking desert, here's a couple places by the oasis.

Oasis of Marr Inn (8) (loc -1308, -263)

Rating: 1

Drinks served(10): Short beer, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Ale, Red Wine, White Wine, Brandy, Capt Orlin's Spiced Ale

Brew Barrel: Huh? Go to Freeport, or if yer evil, go to Oggok or Grobb.

Brewing supplies: grapes, shotglass, bottle, kiola sap

Notes: Other than being a place to trade and stock up on booze, this place is as boring as you would expect from a place in the middle of nowhere. A couple bunkbeds. An unnerving amount of fauna wanders through here unannounced.

Gypsies of Oasis (3) (loc 537, -35)

Rating: NA

Drinks served (11): Short beer, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Ale, Gypsy Wine, White Wine, Red Wine, Dwarven Ale, Elven Wine, Capt Orlin's Spiced Ale

Notes: OK, I know I promised I would never review a place that was just a guy selling booze out of a tent. See my reasoning or lack thereof in the special notes above. I mean, when you're in the desert, don't you want to know where to go to get Dwarven Ale? This place has an even more unnerving tendency for fauna to wander by and whack the stuffing out of you, including mummies and such - can be annoying or fatal, depending on your abilities.

North Ro

No name: Sandfishers' Hut (3)

See special notes for Oasis of Marr above.

Halas

Special notes: I had looked forward to Halas for a long time, figuring the barbarians were sure to be hard drinking folks that would rival the dwarves, and enticed by the promising names of their bars. No such luck... most places serve pretty much the same old stuff, the bars are cramped, plain, and cold, and there is no such thing as McQuaid's Dark Stout or McDonald's Fire Cider. Bah. If you want hard drinking folks, go to the moon; I guarantee the first barkeep you run into will sell you 10-12 totally unique drinks.

McDaniel's Smokes and Spirits (9) (loc 329, -343)

Rating: 2

Drinks served(8): Frozen Toe Rum, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Ale, Brandy, Short Beer

Brew barrel: go to McDonald's

Brewing supplies: shotglass, cask; for other supplies go to McDonald's; Greta outside sells bottles

Other goods: there are several barbies on the second floor that will sell you goods, including stuff for chain and plate mail, and cooking stuff. Greta, outside, will sell food, basic items, and bottles.

Notes: Like I said above, Halas bars were not what I hoped for. I thought they'd be full of happy drunk barbies, hiding from the cold. Rather, they are full of grim folks that are just warming themselves up before they have to trudge outside into the blizzard again. Renth is a warrior trainer, and the rest of the folks that hang out here are a bit grim. Across the square are several forges including the Northman's forge. Also, the fools put the oven outside instead of inside where it would've done some good. On the plus side, this is the only place you can get Frozen Toe Rum. My main complaint, however, is that for a "Smokes and Spirits" shop - they don't have squat for a good cigar.

Artwork: They don't screw around, and have simply plunked a bear's head on the wall.

McQuaid's Bar & Stout (or Dark Stout, hard to read sign in blizzard, plus my vision wasn't what it should be by the time I stumbled over here) (12) (loc 102, -212)

Rating: 2

Drinks served (8): Short Beer, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Ale, Brandy, Capt Orlin's Spiced Ale

Brew barrel: one

Brewing supplies: cask, shotglass, hops, barley, spices

Notes: Another typical Halas bar - disappointing because I had heard it was called McQuaid's Dark Stout and I looove dark stout. None here. There is a cutie, Thadres Thyme, that will tell you a sob story about her poor crazy brother who attacked some bards and was killed (well, of course he was), and she is still looking for some pages from his diary. I was more interested in the brewing recipes he had lost, but she couldn't care less about them.

McDonald's Fire Cider (10) (loc 197, -156)

Rating: 2

Drinks served (8): Short Beer, Mead, Honey Mead, Short Ale, Fish Wine, Ale, Brandy, Capt Orlin's Spiced Ale

Brew barrel: one

Brewing supplies: Becka McGuzzlin will sell you brewing supplies; Brandyn McDonald has shotglasses and casks.

Notes: Another typical Halas pub. Hetie will sell you food and stuff, and even had a few lute strings on her. No fire cider here, the liars.

Artwork: plaid tapestry and plenty of kegs

The Bonny Mermaid (14) (loc -11, 57)

Rating: 1

Drinks served (2): Short Ale, Fish Wine, Keg of Vox Tail Ale

Brew barrel/supplies: go to McDonalds