Orlando’s beer church serves variety

On one side of the street, scantily clad shot girls sell overpriced, watered down liquor. On the other side, a guy in his mid 20s sells bacon-wrapped hot dogs.

On one side of the street, a DJ mixes Lil Wayne with Jay Z. On the other side, a DJ mixes Outkast over Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4."

On one side of the street, Roxy sits, serving as a staple in the Orlando club scene. On the other side, Redlight Redlight couldn't be more different.

In an area on Bennett Road off Colonial, which seems more fit for a Laundromat than a bar, Redlight Redlight lies tucked away, home to one of the largest selections of microbrews in Florida.

A fair warning: those looking for a Bud Light or a Coors are out of luck. The most common beer found out Redlight Redlight (aside from the standard Pabst Blue Ribbon to please the hipster crowd) is a Hofbrau Munchen.

The bar has one of the most diverse and expansive selections of microbrews and imports in the state, and one poll even ranked it fourth best in the world. Orlando Weekly awarded Redlight Redlight the dubious honor of "Best beer for a blackout" in 2009.

With more than a dozen beers on tap and endless beers out of the can or bottle, our group was able to try three brews that you'd never find across the street at Roxy.

The New England Brewing Co.'s Atlantic Amber was their cheapest beer at $2, and it definitely rivals Natural Ice in the "you get what you pay for" category. Northern Lights was a pricey but smooth amber, the kind of beer found at a dive bar that drives you back for more.

Hofbrau Munchen is a common beer in Germany. It's a smooth pilsner that lived up to its reputation.

Be aware, however, that some of the high-end, high-alcohol content beers take upwards of three minutes to pour, so keep the speed complaints in check.

In 2007, the bar made a controversial decision that has led to one if its trademarks: Owners banned smoking in the bar, and established a wide patio out front, which has become a nice alternative to the dark, loud scene inside.

Aside from the massive selection of beers and aforementioned bacon-wrapped hot dogs, the one quirk of Redlight Redlight that pleased our group most was our discovery of the board game Risk sitting idly in the corner of the bar.

Heading out to a bar on a Friday night to play a game of Risk may not sound like the prototypical college night out, but taking part in a good ol' game of world domination is a nice alternative to the usual Orlando bar scene.

Of course, all the unique beers and free cover doesn't hurt the cause.