Brendan’s spokesman Justin Markum said the goal is to get customers to experiment a little and open their minds and palates to new flavors.

“Typically the beers we serve those nights are on draft, but sometimes we’ll do a case of something unusual or rare,” Markum said. “Prices are about $5 for a 20-ounce pour, but it might be more expensive depending on what we pay for the beer.”

Some of the beers featured this past fall included brews such as Wychwood Hobgoblin Ale and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Pumpkin Ale. In January, Brendan’s will feature a rich Belgian stout called Chocolate Indulgence. So rare is this treat in the States that it comes only in 1/6^th barrels that yield about 50 beers, Markum said. “That’s pretty special, so we’ll probably serve 10-ounce pours for six or seven dollars.”

And speaking of beer treats, a recent visit to Rich O’s Public House in New Albany led me to one of the finest beers I’ve had in memory: the New Albanian Brewing Co.’s Old 15-B. This porter is full bodied but not heavy or overly filling, a sipping beer to be sure, but one that can be enjoyed with or without food.

To learn more about the flavors and components of the beer, as well as the creator of the recipe, visit NABC’s Web site or trek there yourself and try it. It’s about a 25-minute haul from the center of Louisville.

The addition of Molly Malone’s would be a feather in the cap of St. Matt’s ever-improving restaurant and bar scene. In my pub crawling days (admittedly two decades ago), that neighborhood’s best beer was found in a few green import bottles hidden among legions of brown-glassed Buds.

Since then, Bluegrass Brewing Co. and Brendan’s Restaurant & Pub (a sibling of O’Shea’s Irish Pub and Flanagan’s Ale House) have raised the microbrew draught beer selection and food quality bar significantly. And unlike longstanding icons, Dutch’s Tavern and Gerstel’s Place, Brendan’s vibe is much more pub than pick-up joint, a real plus for the married set eager only to share beers and bites with friends.

According to Business First, MM’s owners don’t know exactly when they’ll move in since the transition hinges on Buffalo Wild Wings’ departure. But you can bet I’ll grant it, as the Irish say, “cead mile failte” (a 100,000 welcomes) when it comes. When you live on the fringes of the city, a shorter driver to a great pub is always welcomed.

Though some fear the new Molly’s is too close to the old Molly’s on Baxter Avenue, I don’t. The limited number of truly good, friendly neighborhood pubs like those clustered in the Original Highlands leaves local fans of such fare vastly underserved. Some in the Baxter crowd may migrate to St. Matt’s, but that’ll only make more room for those who want to visit the original. The St. Matt’s spot will, in time, draw new customers and bring Molly Malone’s a new pot o’ gold.