Not Bad for a Wednesday

As luck would have it, I was able to visit the Tap and Table in Emmaus, PA once again this evening.  It is Wednesday night and the place was very active.  As I was alone I was able to find a seat at the bar but if I had company we would have been hard pressed to find 2 seats next to each other at the bar.  I ordered a cask conditioned Blue Point Rastafa Rye ale.  It is advertised at 7.5% abv but you would never know it.  This is a great tasting, great mouth-feeling ale.  Between the alcohol, the candlelight and the live acoutic guitar music (sans singing) I was getting good and relaxed.  I already enjoyed the other 2 cask conditioned beers on an earlier visit (Brewdog Hardcore IPA and Bear Republic Red Rocket) so I decided to "settle" for a regular draught beer.  I ordered a Furthermore Oscura.  I knew nothing about this brewery or this beer but the bartender told me it was a dark lager and something about coffee beans.  Wow, this is an unusual beer.  I could smell the coffee long before the liquid got to my tongue.  Then there was this pleasant coffee taste, not at all bitter.  This beer is not for everyone and I'm OK with that.  More for me.  The only issue for me is that it is after 11:00pm and I am not at all sleepy.  Could it have something to do with the coffee in the Oscura?

Beer Is Hard Work

Lately I started drinking more bottled beer primarily because I was too lazy to run out and buy a keg or two to replaced the ones I kicked.  Last night I had a bottle of Railbender from  Erie Brewing Company .  That was the last straw.  I have been to Erie Brewing Company and I have enjoyed many of their beers but this one left me wanting.  I need a hoppy potent draught ale and I was determined to get one.

Tonight I took 2 of my daughters to Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown.  On the way out I picked up a sixtel of Hop Wallop.  Sounds great, right?  Then I got home and spent about an hour cleaning my taps and preparing for my new arrival (Hop Wallop).  During the process I started to wonder if it was worth the trouble.  Of course, maybe I was just inefficient at cleaning the taps.  Maybe I should be able to do it in 15 minutes, I don't know.  Regardless, I started questioning the whole thing.  The money spent on the sixtel, the travel to pick up the sixtel, the cleaning supplies, the electricity to run the kegerator, the investment I have in the kegerator etc.  Then I poured a Hop Wallop and took a long cool sip.  Yeah, it is worth it.

Great Saturday

So my wife drops me off at the Craft Ale House in Royersford  so I can enjoy a nice beer.  I only have 20 minutes while she drives around with the kids asleep in the car.  I tell Rob at the bar that I'm looking for something unusual.  He suggests a St. Somewhere Saison Du Chene.  This turns out to be a quirky beer and exactly what I was looking for.  Citrusy and sour with a taste that I can't quite put my finger on.  I will definitely get another one of these when I get the chance.  It was so good I finish it quickly.  I have enough time to order a second beer.

Up next I order a Stone Sublimely Self Righteous ale.  This is a great beer.  The guy at the bar next to me looks at the dark color and asks me if I usually like "those malty beers".  I tell him I would not call this a malty beer.  If I didn't see the dark color of this beer I would have thought it was an IPA or double IPA. 

I say good bye to Rob at the bar and go to the parking lot expecting to see my wife and kids waiting.  After about 10 minutes on the parking lot waiting for my usually prompt wife I head back inside the Craft Ale House.  Rob asks me what's the matter.  I exclaim, "My wife has either left me or has been in a horrible accident...pour me a Stone Epic 090909".  This is another fine beer.  Have one when you get a chance.  I finish this beer and head out to the parking lot again and thankfully the van is back with wife and kids safe and sound.

Fast forward to home.  I have a 2-tap kegerator at home but I allowed both kegs to kick.  I dig through the refrigerator and open a bottle of Svyturys Ekstra.  They advertise this beer as "Lithuania's most popular" lager beer.  If Lithuania is inspired by American mass produced beer then they have done well (think Yuengling Lager). 

Finally, in the back of the fridge I find a bottle of Founder's Red's Rye.  Folks, this has to the be best bottled beer I have ever had.  I have had this beer on tap and I insist that it is just as good from the bottle.

Mr. Malt...Not

I stopped at the Sly Fox last night while waiting for my pizza order to be ready.  I was not in a risky mood so I went with the old stand-by for a first beer of the Friday night...Pikeland Pils.  As usual that worked just fine.  I noticed there was a beer on the hand pump and this was not the third Friday of the month (Firkin Friday).  Then I remembered reading something on the Sly Fox website about having something on the hand pump year round.  My only question to the Sly Fox is, "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG TO COME UP WITH THAT IDEA?".  You installed those 3 hand pumps what...a couple of years ago?  And used them one Friday out of the month?  Enough said.  Any way, I tried a Chester County Bitter from the hand pump and it was quite enjoyable as I described in an earlier posting.

Speaking of earlier posting, I mentioned that I enjoyed a Hacker-Pschorr Octoberfest even though I am generally partial to hoppier beers.  Maybe, just maybe my tastes are changing and I am moving over to the malty side of beers.  Still at the Sly Fox...I decide to try a Dunkel Lager.  I have patronized the Sly Fox for many years and I am pretty sure I never ordered a Dunkel Lager.  Let's test out my theory that my tastes are moving maltier.  I got to the bottom and decided that I didn't dislike this beer but it is not my style.  I think the hop industry does not need to fear my departure.

Surprise in a Bottle

My next door neighbor stopped over with a couple bottles of Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest-Märzen.  Now I usually like American micros and I usually like draughts so this one already had two strikes against it.  I am also kind of partial to hoppier beers so things weren't looking too good.  Being the open-minded being that I am I poured one into a glass and gave it a try.  OK, I admit it.  This bottled German malty beer was actually quite good.  Maybe you can teach an old dog a new trick.

Beautiful Sunday Afternoon

I got thirsty on my way to the grocery store so I stopped in at the Sly Fox.  It seemed like the kind of day when a Royal Weisse would be in order.  A fruity wheat beer kind of day.  I got a tall one (22 oz) which not only quenched my thirst but gave me the energy to do the grocery shopping. 

A Fine Saturday Afternoon

What a great day. I finally got the chance to experience the new Tap And Table in Emmaus, PA. We arrived at 3:00pm exactly which coincidentally is when they open the doors. I walked in by myself as my wife and kids would rather go for a quick ride in the countryside. I was followed by approximately 8 other thirsty travelers. I assume that says something for the success of this new venture.

I ordered a Bear Republic Red Rocket from the hand pump which is a nice red ale weighing in at 6.8% abv. This was a great beer, I mean a really great beer. I only had 20 minutes tops so I had to make my choices work for me. Unsure what to order next the server suggested a Brewdog Hardcore IPA which was also on the hand pump. Brewdog is from Scotland. I was originally reluctant to order anything not from the USA but I was convinced to give this one a try. You must try this beer if given the opportunity. You may not find it on the hand pump but if you see it anywhere, give it a try. I know what you are thinking...from the UK, no hops. Try this one. It has a bite. My time has run out and my ride is probably waiting for me at the front door.

Next stop is Union Jack's on the Manatawny. I take the wife and kids with me for a nice dinner on the patio. My first one is a Bear Republic Racer X. Awesome but the 9% abv is going to kill a lightweight like me. Then I try a Southern Tier Pumking. OK, I love this brewery but I must admit the Pumking is a little too perfumey for me.

I am not sure what to order but John, the server suggests a Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA. Throughout the years I have thought that this brewer is an over-hyped under acheiver. I give credit to Sam Calagione's ability to get print but the beers always seem mediocre. OK, it's only $5.00. Let's give it a try. Very nice. I am still not conviced that all of Dogfish Head's beers are all that good but I reluctantly admit that I enjoyed this one immensely.

What to round out the night? I had plenty of alcohol already. And although my wife already agreed to drive us home I felt that a low alcohol dark beer was in order. Sly Fox O'Reilly's Stout sounds great at this point. I pretended to taste alcohol that was non-existant and convinced myself that this was a great ending to the day.

Until I could get home to my beloved kegerator...

Better Bitter

I stopped by the Sly Fox tonight to have a quick Pikeland Pils while waiting for my pizza from Rocco's next door. More precisely, while my family was waiting for that pizza from next door. I was in no particular hurry to eat. That Pils hit the spot quenching my Friday evening thirst. Of course, this being the third Friday of the month, it also happened to be Firkin Friday at the Sly Fox which meant something was being served on the hand pump.

I still haven't figured out why something is not always on the hand pump at the Sly Fox but that is for another day. On the pump tonight was Chester County Bitter. Unlike most English bitters, this one was actually bitter. Go figure. I liked this one. I hope it is on for a while as I would like to verify my conclusions about this one.

South Jersey Drought

That's correct, South Jersey drought, not draught.

My wife's co-worker invited us to their house along with about 30 other guests for a picnic on Saturday. Normally this would not be great news but the fact that the location was South Jersey didn't really help my mood. Prior to leaving for the picnic I thought it would be a good idea to search for a nice brewpub or beer bar to go to after the picnic. Hey, if I have to go to New Jersey I have to try to find something good to make the trek worthwhile.

I began my internet search. It didn't take long to come to the realization that the southern part of New Jersey is a difficult place to find a good beer. In fact, I discovered I would have to travel 60 plus miles to get to Atlantic City and visit the Tun Tavern. Nothing of interest between where I was and 60 plus miles. I haven't heard much about the Tun Tavern so I can not comment but the truth of the matter is that after enjoying several Yuenglings at the picnic (I am not an ingrate, I did appreciate the Yuenglings) we headed straight back to Pennsylvania where it is not quite as difficult to find a beer with flavor. Not quite as difficult but not as easy as I would like to see either.

I woke up Sunday with a severe lack of hop juice in my bloodstream. I was desperate for a good beer and I found one. I took the 45 minute drive from my house to Union Jack's on the Manatawny. I hear you. 45 minutes IS a long way to drive for a beer. Like I said above, I would like to see good draught beer more readily available in Pennsylvania as well...but it's better than New Jersey. I had a Ballast Point Dorado Double IPA. This was a straw-colored, white headed masterpiece. I enjoyed every drop and at 9.6% alcohol my mood started to improve. My wife had dropped me off at the bar and she rode around with the kids to give me enough time to enjoy a beer but they were back before I could succumb to the temptation to order another. Incidentally, if I did have another it would have been the Bear Republic Racer X that they had on...or maybe the Southern Tier Pumking...or...maybe...God bless Union Jack's and God Bless Pennsylvania.

Mining for Gold

Sunday night but a holiday Sunday night so what is there to do?

I checked out the draught menus before leaving the house but it looks like a dry spell has hit the western suburbs of Philadelphia. Nobody has anything worth traveling for, and I'll travel a good distance for a good beer.

Since I didn't get to try Pickering Creek Inn last night I thought I'd try there again. The parking lot tells me I won't have trouble finding a seat at the bar. The sign on the door (open 4:00 Sunday) tells me I'll finally get to check this place out. The deadbolt on the heavy wooden door tells me otherwise. I'm not sure what's going on there but it will be a while until I try that place again.

Off to TJ's Everyday in Paoli, PA. I suspect I am in for a nice sandwich but the draught menu I looked at on-line was not encouraging.

First up was a Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA. It smelled great. It tasted nice. Then came the aftertaste. Not so good. I finished that one quickly in order to get a shot at something that would make my trip worthwhile.

Up next, a Lagunitas Lucky 13 Amber Ale. I haven't had a Lagunitas that I didn't like (forgive me Roy). Ok, now we are getting somewhere. This was a well-balanced beer with plenty of hops and plenty of malt flavor. I can't wait to have another one of these. Damn that rule of mine where I can't order the same beer on the same day.

I order a Mojo Panini for dinner. It turns out to be a very good sandwich and I'm sure I'll get it again on some future trip to TJ's.

Back to the beer. I am one for two working on a draught menu that isn't that great. Can I mine another diamond out of this mess? Bartender...pour me a Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald porter. So far I have been impressed with the Great Lakes label and it is hard to mess up a dark beer like a porter or stout. Excellent. This is a great porter. I will look for this in the future as I travel along.

I feel like a miner coming out tonight with low expectations (usually I see that somebody has something on draught that I really want to try), finding nothing of import on the menu at TJ's and then picking through the rubble and finding a couple of jewels. Two out of three ain't bad.

Cheers!

A Fine Saturday Afternoon

After watching the first half of the Penn State vs. Akron game and being comfortable with the 31-0 lead, I thought it might be a good idea to head over to the Craft Ale House for something to eat. I started with a Russian River Blind Pig. Yep. Still good. I sampled a Furthermore Knot Stock. It had an interesting black pepper taste but I decided to pass. Next up was a glass of water and a Kira Belgian White. Yea, I know I should have had the Kira first but that's the way things go sometime. Anyway, the Kira was as good as you might expect. Those Belgians don't know how to make a mediocre beer.

Gary tapped a La Chouffe N'ice and the gal at the bar was kind enough to give me a sample. See comments above regarding those Belgians. However, I was in an Oscar Blues Ten Fidy kind of mood. Actually, I ordered what amounts to a roast beef sandwich so the Ten Fidy was the perfect choice. If you like imperial stouts you will love this one.

I had a brush with fame this afternoon. Jack Curtin was sitting right next to me. Thank goodness he didn't recognize me. It is always embarrasing when fans make a fuss at the bar.

Now it was time to go home. On the way, I remembered hearing some good buzz about Pickering Creek Inn in Phoenixville. It was about 3:30pm and the place was empty. Actually, the place was closed. The kind lady at the bar reminded me that they open at 4:00. I wasn't going to wait but I also didn't want to waste a trip into Phoenixville so I decided to give the Iron Hill another try. Considering previous trips into Iron Hill (at this and other locations) I went in with low expectations...and they didn't disappoint. The cask conditioned Ironbound Ale poured beautifully. Think Boddingtons with a copper color. The taste was like something I used to brew as a homebrewer. Did I mention that I was not that great a homebrewer?

Speaking of home, that is where I need to be. Tomorrow is another day.

Friday Night at the Sly Fox

My wife was interested in me bringing dinner home last night. I suggested I bring her a nice Caesar Salad since I knew I could find one at the Sly Fox in Phoenixville. While waiting for her salad (and my wings) I was able to enjoy a Pikeland Pils, Royal Weisse and since it was taking so long for that salad I had an Ichor. She doesn't understand how the Sly Fox service is always good when we go there together but when I go there by myself it seems that the service is a little slower, and sometimes a lot slower.

Getting back to that Ichor...I don't necessarily care for it that much but that Sly Fox is sly. Ichor is only offered on the first Friday of each month. So when I see it on tap it is a rare occasion for me and I feel like I must get one. Go figure. I guess if they offered Coors Light once-a-month I would order one of those? Nah.