REVIEW - World of Beer Downtown Orlando

Founded in 2007, World of Beer is a cornucopia of craft beer, spirits, original eats, and fun! Featuring more than 350 bottled beers and 50 taps from over 40 countries, there is no room to wonder about the origins of the name, but there's a lot more to enjoy here beyond the beer.

We recently attended a media event at World of Beer's Downtown Orlando location to experience a new combination of beer and food pairings, and to soak in the result of extensive outdoor and indoor renovations to the enviable space. Some of the new features include interior flooring and furniture upgrades as well as outdoor entertainment elements like new TVs, interactive games, and a pet-friendly patio area along the banks of Lake Eola. New spaces for entertainment and private meetings are also fostering the opportunity for unique new events.

Aside from soaking in the awesomely distracting surroundings... here's a look at what we discovered during our World of Beer experience:

• German Pretzel - Giant Bavarian Pretzel baked soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Served with house made stone ground mustard and beer cheese. Paired with Pale Lagers. This was generously basted in the most savory movie-theater-styled butter, and it was absolutely perfect in consistency. I am normally one to prefer a cheese dip over mustard, but I was surprisingly drawn to gluttonous indulgence in the opposite direction this time around. Easily a reasonable starter for 3-4 people, or a great light-bite for a couple wanting to focus on a beer flight!

• Mac and Cheese Bites - Spicy pepper jack mac and cheese hand rolled in herb-panko crumbs and fried to a crisp. Served with signature sriracha lime aioli. Paired with Brown Ales. I've had a few versions of this dish and the spicy kick of the pepper jack - sriracha combine to be the big difference that sets the WOB version apart. Of course, the herb panko doesn't hurt, either! 

• The WOB Cobb - Tower of spring greens, roasted corn, mozzarella cheese, Applewood smoked bacon, grape tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken and fresh avocado tossed with house-made Greek vinaigrette, drizzled with chipotle BBQ and topped with tortilla chips. Paired with Blonde Ales. Yes... "salad" can be THIS good! It really is a sight to behold, and you'll feel a tinge of guilt as you make your first stab at devouring it - but the yum factor quickly overrules the aesthetics. (Ask for extra chipotle BBQ sauce to kick up the ZING!) Truly a bold, but genius combination of flavors.

• Bibimbap - Spicy Gochujang marinated steak, sauteed mushrooms, cucumbers, and shredded carrots served with kimchi, scallions, and a sunny side up egg over jasmine rice. Paired with Amber Ales. Bibimbap is a Korean dish, which loosely translates to "mixed rice". While this was not at all a bad item, it wasn't particularly my cup of tea. An added helping of steak might have done it for me, but that's just my inner Texan coming through. Certainly a flavorful dish, and possibly a perfect choice for a couple seeking a light meal to share after an appetizer.

Happy hour specials at WOB Downtown Orlando run Monday - Friday from 3pm - 7pm, and Sunday - Thursday from 10pm - close. Trivia nights are scheduled for Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8pm, with Ladies Night on Thursdays from 7pm - close; and BEERunch Saturdays and Sundays are in full effect at the Downtown location - along with the beloved $5 Burger and Brat Mondays. Learn more at worldofbeer.com/DowntownOrlando.