Buck Bald Ragin' Red Ale

Another Buck Bald beer added to my repertoire! I will confess on my recent trip to Murphy, North Carolina I did not get to drink any beer at Buck Bald, as I spent my brewery time at Hoppy Trout Brewing in the opposite direction from downtown Murphy. Valley River Brewing, my favorite in the area, was closed the Wednesday I arrived. They were open again Thursday, but I forgot my growler.

Thursday lunch time, though, I parked my car and put it on the EV fast charger at the downtown Murphy public lot, which happens to be a very short walk from Buck Bald. I sauntered in and grabbed a 4-pack of Shesquatch Scottish Ale in pint cans, plus three singles, once of which was their tasty Ragin' Red Ale.

Truth be told, the to go prices for cans seem high here, though I'll also admit that my logic is somewhat flawed since I think $14 for a 32-ounce growler fill here is reasonable, but $7 a pint can (same price extended over two) is high. Does that make sense to you? I guess it's all a function of what you're used to paying. The prices did not stop me, though, and I paid $26 for the 4-pack and $21 for the three singles.

Which brings us to tipping. Do you tip on cans to go at a brewery? I will confess I don't always. Mind you, I tip on average 30% for good service, and often more. I am fond of Saturday morning breakfast at Waffle House and usually tip $10 there on my $15 tab. The staff work hard but because the tab is low, they miss out, at least that is my thinking.

At the bar, I of course tip on my drinks I have there, and growler fills, because those involve work on the part of the bartender, and hey, if I'm there for a while, we may well chat it up. You should get something for putting up with me. But if I just grab some cans from the cooler and the bartender just rings them up? Again, I do not always tip for that, and I can tell you I have got the stink eye more than a few times over it.

So, did I tip the gal behind the bar at Buck Bald? That's what got me going down this line of thought in this review. She asked me when I plunked down my cans if it was 'Only the beers to go today?'. I replied I had a 90-minute drive back to Canton, so yes that would do me. She told me 'OK, just cross out this line here (pointing to the tip line) and sign and you are good.'

That was refreshing, and prompted me to tip her $5 instead of voiding the tip line. It had never happened to me before, and I felt it deserved a reward.

Buck Bald Ragin' Red Ale has an alcohol content of 5.3% by volume. My can was stamped PKG 02.05.26, and was a straggler in the to go cooler as I did not see any 4-packs.

About Buck Bald Brewery

Since opening our doors in Copperhill, Tennessee in September of 2018, we have built an amazing culture of locally brewed craft beer, ultra-friendly staff, and a dedicated following of locals and visitors that cannot be matched. And now you can visit us in our original Copperhill location or our new location in Murphy, North Carolina. No matter which location you choose, you'll be sure to get the same dedication to delicious craft beer and the same warm and inviting atmosphere.