Boise, Idaho has several noteworthy places to visit for craft brew. You could opt for one of the many beer bars, but I recommend instead that you pay a visit to one of the local breweries. One that I visited and liked very much is White Dog Brewing.

Other breweries and beer bars use animals as part of the theme, so having a dog theme is nothing new. But one fact I quickly learned is that the dog theme here is rather subdued. Look around and you will see dog pics and wolf pics on the walls, but that is about it. The beers are not named using breeds of dogs or anything like that. The approach is subtler than I expected, and that proved to be good because it means the theme is less distracting. You can focus more on the beer, the food, and the company around you, which is how it should be.

White Dog Brewing had about 10 beers on tap when I visited. I sampled most of them and took a special liking to the Scotch Ale and the Hazy IPA. But I liked everything I tried, really, and recommend at least starting with a flight of beer so that you can decide which one you enjoy best.

White Dog serves food to help wash down the beer. When I visited, I went with the all- American burger and fries meal and I found it a perfect match with the brew. I learned that White Dog Brewing doesn’t prepare the food themselves- they actually have a contract business deal with a food service called Smoke & Thyme. I was happy with the food so it didn’t matter to me who made it. I was quite hungry and just thrilled to get my mouth around some delicious food to go with my beer.

White Dog has a chill type of atmosphere with tables and chairs, booths, a few electronic games, etc. They have an outdoor patio and when the weather is nice, the open the garage- style door, creating a large opening between the indoor and outdoor seating. The inside looks more like a restaurant than a tap room and I really like the skylight in the middle- it lets the natural light shine through during the day and makes the experience that much better.

Service is solid at White Dog Brewing and the wait staff makes sure to check back frequently, making sure your glass never goes dry. White Dog is close to the state capital and much of downtown, so it is easy to get here on foot, if necessary, which is how I arrived. It’s a cool place overall for food and beer and I recommend a visit.