Yesterday was such a nice day I had to take a drive in the country with the family. By chance the kids fell asleep just as we were nearing Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny. So I went in to give the kids a chance to sleep and my wife a chance to enjoy the peace and quiet.
I had 2 really nice IPA's. The first was an Islander IPA from Coronado Brewing Company. I have had this in a bottle before an thought it was OK. This is the first time I have had it on draught and it was much better. My second beer at Union Jack's was a Conductor IPA from Steamworks Brewing Company. This is actually an imperial IPA. It was a pleasant enough beer but I have had other imperial IPA's that I would prefer over this one (Port Hop 15 comes to mind). Regardless, I enjoyed two very nice beers and left a happy customer.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Friday Evening at the Drafting Room
Last night after work I stopped in at the Drafting Room in Exton because they had a couple of beers on the menu that I wanted to try. First up was an Original Ale from Boxcar Brewing Company. I wanted to try this one because apparently Boxcar is a new brewery in West Chester, PA and I work in West Chester. It was a pleasant pale ale but as I was drinking it I thought, "if you are going to start a brewery in Victory's back yard you should make extreme beers", which this was not. But what do I know? I wish Boxcar the best of luck and I will continue to support them as I do with all the local beers.
Next up was a Saison du Potts from Dock Street. This is an excellent farmhouse ale. One of the best I have ever had. I wanted to have another one right after the first but it violates my "never have the same beer in a row" rule.
Next I had a Shark Attack from Port Brewing Company. This is a double red ale and it is a very nice beer indeed as I have come to expect from Port Brewing.
I ended up the evening at the Drafting Room with a Heavy Seas - Small Craft Warning from Clipper City Brewing Company. This is an imperial pilsner or uber pils (it would be really cool if I could figure out how to put those two dots above the "u" in uber). I must admit I am not a big fan of this beer. Maybe it's me but I just didn't like the taste.
Later in the night I made my way to the Sly Fox in Phoenixville. I wanted to have another one of those Keller Pikeland Pils but it apparently kicked shortly before I got there so I had to settle for a US Saaz Keller Pils which happens to be a very good pils but for some reason I prefer the Keller Pikeland.
I can't wait to see how my adventure goes today (Saturday).
Next up was a Saison du Potts from Dock Street. This is an excellent farmhouse ale. One of the best I have ever had. I wanted to have another one right after the first but it violates my "never have the same beer in a row" rule.
Next I had a Shark Attack from Port Brewing Company. This is a double red ale and it is a very nice beer indeed as I have come to expect from Port Brewing.
I ended up the evening at the Drafting Room with a Heavy Seas - Small Craft Warning from Clipper City Brewing Company. This is an imperial pilsner or uber pils (it would be really cool if I could figure out how to put those two dots above the "u" in uber). I must admit I am not a big fan of this beer. Maybe it's me but I just didn't like the taste.
Later in the night I made my way to the Sly Fox in Phoenixville. I wanted to have another one of those Keller Pikeland Pils but it apparently kicked shortly before I got there so I had to settle for a US Saaz Keller Pils which happens to be a very good pils but for some reason I prefer the Keller Pikeland.
I can't wait to see how my adventure goes today (Saturday).
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Capone's and Sly Fox Saturday
My 5-year-old daughter was invited to a birthday party Saturday in Norristown. So after we dropped her off it seemed like a good idea for me to go to Capone's and have a beer. My other 2 daughters and my wife seemed very happy to wait in the car but being the kind of father/husband I am I wouldn't leave them out there long. I had an E.S. Bam from Jolly Pumpkin. The E.S. apparently for extra special farmhouse ale. The only other beer I previously had from Jolly Pumpkin was the Bam Biere (not to be confused with the E.S. Bam). I am just not a fan of these beers. Although I love the dry finish it is the perfumey, almost chemical taste that I don't care for. As I said before, it may just be my beer ignorance of this style but regardless, I didn't care for it. I followed that with a Crazy Ivan IPA from Bear Republic. They call this a "Belgo-American IPA". As I have said before, traditional Belgian-style beers are awesome and American IPA's are awesome but it does not necessarily mean that some hybrid of each is going to produce something as good or better than the parts. Belgian IPA's never work for me. That is not to say this is a bad beer. It was pretty good but I think I would have enjoyed a nice Belgian followed by a nice American IPA better (as opposed to both concurrently). Although I saw Bear Republic's Apex on the menu and was tempted to get one to restore my faith in Bear Republic I decided to head back out to the car because that's the kind of father/husband I am.
As dinner time drew near my 4-year-old daughter shouted "Let's go to Sly Fox for dinner" which was not prompted by me in any way. My wife didn't like the idea but she suggested I take my two oldest daughters there for dinner and she would enjoy the relative quiet of our home with the baby. So that is what I did. I had the Keller Pils which is quickly becoming my favorite Sly Fox beer. I also ordered a Greek Chicken Wrap which is my favorite sandwich there. I also took this opportunity to have a Saison Vos. Ahhhh, now that is what I consider a nice farmhouse ale. I ended with a Royal Weisse which never disappoints. The kids behaved and as it turns out it was a very nice dinner.
As dinner time drew near my 4-year-old daughter shouted "Let's go to Sly Fox for dinner" which was not prompted by me in any way. My wife didn't like the idea but she suggested I take my two oldest daughters there for dinner and she would enjoy the relative quiet of our home with the baby. So that is what I did. I had the Keller Pils which is quickly becoming my favorite Sly Fox beer. I also ordered a Greek Chicken Wrap which is my favorite sandwich there. I also took this opportunity to have a Saison Vos. Ahhhh, now that is what I consider a nice farmhouse ale. I ended with a Royal Weisse which never disappoints. The kids behaved and as it turns out it was a very nice dinner.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Friday at TJ's and Sly Fox and Politics
I had a chance to have a couple of nice beers today. I went to TJ's Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli for lunch which started with a Saison DuPont and a great Buffalo Chicken wrap. I followed that with a Mikkeller Simcoe Single Hop IPA. This was a very nice IPA with an earthy taste that was not at all unpleasant. Before leaving TJ's I also enjoyed a Too Cream Stout from Dark Horse Brewing Company. I found this to be an average tasting stout.
On the way home from work I stopped in at the Sly Fox in Phoenixville and started with a Keller Pils. I had one of these on Mother's Day and I couldn't wait to get my hands on another. This is a very good, unfiltered Pilsner. I followed that with a US Saaz Pils and as happened on Mother's Day, I enjoyed the Keller Pils better although both were excellent. For some unexplained reason the Keller Pils had a happy hour price of $2.50 and the US Saaz Pils had a happy hour price of $4.50 (actually it's full price, i.e. no happy hour pricing for this one). Not being one to turn down a great deal I ordered another Keller Pils. Thanks to JP for another great experience at the Sly Fox.
On a completely unrelated note I have to say that I am dissappointed with Pennsylvania's rejection of Arlen Specter. Here's how I see it. You have these idiots on the left that want to give away the farm and aren't really concerned about how to pay for it all. And then you have these idiots on the right that want to make sure that the rich get richer so they can continue to trickle down the prosperity to the rest of us. The only thing that makes the right the worst alternative for me is that they also want to tell you how to behave. I believe most Americans (in fact most people regardless of nationality) live in the center and should want their representative to be somewhere in the center. The problem is that with our corrupt two-party system you have to toe the party line to a certain degree or you don't have a chance of (re) election. The weaker politicians have to toe the party line with greater consistancy. It seems to me that Arlen Specter voted with the party only when he absolutely had to and he voted his conscience the rest of the time (with of course the one exception of the big one that got him fired). We need more representation for the center in Washington not the left or the right and that is why it was a mistake for Pennsylvania to reject Arlen Specter.
Now as far as this political system we have in America I think we can take the whole process and trade it in on a better one. Do I think I am smarter than our founding fathers? Well actually yes I do. It was a great system when our founding father's created it. Send representatives to Washington to vote for us in our stead. That made a lot of sense in the 18th century. We all couldn't walk or get on our horse and go to Washington so we sent folks to represent our interest. Well a lot has changed since then and the respresentatives are not really looking out for our interests are they? But they are really no longer required. Instead of asking a handful of representatives to vote on behalf of 350+ million people, how about putting the vote for all legislation to the American people directly via the Internet? Let's not just vote out the incumbents and replace them in like kind. Let's vote out the politicians and not replace them. We have the technology. Ironically, we have had the technology since Al Gore invented the internet.
For what it is worth Senator Specter, thanks for a job well done.
On the way home from work I stopped in at the Sly Fox in Phoenixville and started with a Keller Pils. I had one of these on Mother's Day and I couldn't wait to get my hands on another. This is a very good, unfiltered Pilsner. I followed that with a US Saaz Pils and as happened on Mother's Day, I enjoyed the Keller Pils better although both were excellent. For some unexplained reason the Keller Pils had a happy hour price of $2.50 and the US Saaz Pils had a happy hour price of $4.50 (actually it's full price, i.e. no happy hour pricing for this one). Not being one to turn down a great deal I ordered another Keller Pils. Thanks to JP for another great experience at the Sly Fox.
On a completely unrelated note I have to say that I am dissappointed with Pennsylvania's rejection of Arlen Specter. Here's how I see it. You have these idiots on the left that want to give away the farm and aren't really concerned about how to pay for it all. And then you have these idiots on the right that want to make sure that the rich get richer so they can continue to trickle down the prosperity to the rest of us. The only thing that makes the right the worst alternative for me is that they also want to tell you how to behave. I believe most Americans (in fact most people regardless of nationality) live in the center and should want their representative to be somewhere in the center. The problem is that with our corrupt two-party system you have to toe the party line to a certain degree or you don't have a chance of (re) election. The weaker politicians have to toe the party line with greater consistancy. It seems to me that Arlen Specter voted with the party only when he absolutely had to and he voted his conscience the rest of the time (with of course the one exception of the big one that got him fired). We need more representation for the center in Washington not the left or the right and that is why it was a mistake for Pennsylvania to reject Arlen Specter.
Now as far as this political system we have in America I think we can take the whole process and trade it in on a better one. Do I think I am smarter than our founding fathers? Well actually yes I do. It was a great system when our founding father's created it. Send representatives to Washington to vote for us in our stead. That made a lot of sense in the 18th century. We all couldn't walk or get on our horse and go to Washington so we sent folks to represent our interest. Well a lot has changed since then and the respresentatives are not really looking out for our interests are they? But they are really no longer required. Instead of asking a handful of representatives to vote on behalf of 350+ million people, how about putting the vote for all legislation to the American people directly via the Internet? Let's not just vote out the incumbents and replace them in like kind. Let's vote out the politicians and not replace them. We have the technology. Ironically, we have had the technology since Al Gore invented the internet.
For what it is worth Senator Specter, thanks for a job well done.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wipeout on the Way Home from the Mall
After work tonight I went to the mall to buy some clothes in anticipation of casual dress days at work for the duration of the summer. God, I hate shopping and especially shopping at the mall. By the time I was done I was so thirsty I had to stop at the Drafting Room in Exton for a drink. I chose a Wipeout IPA from Port Brewing Company. As I have said many times, this is one great IPA.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Weekend Wonders
Friday night I stopped in at the Flying Pig in Malvern after work. First up was an IPA from Southern Tier. This was a nice tasting beer but definitely not an extreme beer like I have come to expect. After that I enjoyed an Imperial Brown Ale from Lagunitas. They didn’t call it the Wilco Tango Foxtrot but I think that it what it was. Nice and tasty.
On Saturday I was on my way to Zern’s Farmer’s Market in Gilbertsville to get some tomato and pepper plants for my garden. I had my 1-year-old with me and as luck would have it she fell asleep just before we got there. I decided to take a detour out into the country to give her a chance to sleep. I found my way to Union Jack’s Inn on the Manatawny and parked the car. The baby was still asleep. Waiting…waiting…turn the radio up a little louder…eventually she woke up. We went in and I had a Spite Pepper Ale from Founder’s Brewing Company. This was a most unusual beer. It smelled of fresh Bell pepper’s and tasted like jalapeño’s. I have had pepper beers before but never one like this. Your mouth will actually feel the heat of these peppers. After one beer I felt like I just ate a bowl of hot chili. I mean that in a good way but I usually like to follow my chili with a beer so I ordered a Big Eye IPA from Ballast Point Brewing Company. That hit the spot. What a nice refreshing IPA.
On Sunday I ended up at Union Jack’s Congo Hotel in Bally. I only had time for one (wife and kids waiting in the car) so I made it a double. Double Trouble that is…from Founder’s. This is a fine example of a DIPA. Then it was off to the playground to burn off a little steam.
On Saturday I was on my way to Zern’s Farmer’s Market in Gilbertsville to get some tomato and pepper plants for my garden. I had my 1-year-old with me and as luck would have it she fell asleep just before we got there. I decided to take a detour out into the country to give her a chance to sleep. I found my way to Union Jack’s Inn on the Manatawny and parked the car. The baby was still asleep. Waiting…waiting…turn the radio up a little louder…eventually she woke up. We went in and I had a Spite Pepper Ale from Founder’s Brewing Company. This was a most unusual beer. It smelled of fresh Bell pepper’s and tasted like jalapeño’s. I have had pepper beers before but never one like this. Your mouth will actually feel the heat of these peppers. After one beer I felt like I just ate a bowl of hot chili. I mean that in a good way but I usually like to follow my chili with a beer so I ordered a Big Eye IPA from Ballast Point Brewing Company. That hit the spot. What a nice refreshing IPA.
On Sunday I ended up at Union Jack’s Congo Hotel in Bally. I only had time for one (wife and kids waiting in the car) so I made it a double. Double Trouble that is…from Founder’s. This is a fine example of a DIPA. Then it was off to the playground to burn off a little steam.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Hop Wallop In The House
Once again I have Victory's Hop Wallop on tap in my basement. This is an awesome IPA and at 8.5% I think it is a great value for $73 a sixtel. The best part is that my wife enjoys this one as much as I do. What a minute...is that a good thing? There's one thing I know that's a good thing. I have this one on tap AND Founder's Red's Rye at the same time. Life is good.
Monday, May 10, 2010
So Many Beers...So Little Time
It was a pretty busy weekend of beer tasting. On Friday I started at Capone’s Restaurant in Norristown. First up was a Mongo IPA from Port Brewing Company. This was even better than expected. Next up was a B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout from Hoppin’ Frog Brewery. This is a nice example of an imperial stout. I followed that with a Victory At Sea Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter from Ballast Point Brewing Company. This was the best tasting chocolate milk I ever drank (drunk?). I then went to the Black Horse Tavern in Norristown (actually closer to Collegeville) but the best I saw on draught was a Yeungling Lager. After sipping my lager I noticed Chimay and other nice bottles were available. I then went to Pickering Creek Inn in Phoenixville. I had a Quercus Vitus Humulus from Otter Creek Brewing. I loved the big alcohol but not necessarily the taste. I moved on to a Raspberry Ale from Dark Horse Brewing Company. This was pretty enjoyable. Maybe because it followed that Otter Creek, I don’t know. Next up was an Oatmeal Stout from Breckenridge BBQ and Brewpub. This was a nice-enough stout but nothing spectacular. Next was a quick stop at the Sly Fox in Phoenixville for a Pikeland Pils and I finally had my fill.
On Saturday I went to TJ’s Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli. I had my usual Cajun Chicken Sandwich which was awesome as usual. I had a Greenville Pale Ale from Twin Lakes Brewing Company. This was not so awesome. It was an OK pale ale…just not awesome. So to go with my awesome Cajun Chicken Sandwich I ordered an awesome Mongo IPA (see paragraph above). Now that’s more like it.
For Mother’s Day I took my wife and kids to the Sly Fox in Phoenixville. I had a US Saaz Keller Pils which I enjoyed the heck out of. I then had the Keller Pikeland Pils which was just as good. Actually, I couldn’t taste the difference. I think both are based on the same recipe but one uses US Saaz hops and the other German and Czech. Both are unfiltered and both are delicious.
On Saturday I went to TJ’s Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli. I had my usual Cajun Chicken Sandwich which was awesome as usual. I had a Greenville Pale Ale from Twin Lakes Brewing Company. This was not so awesome. It was an OK pale ale…just not awesome. So to go with my awesome Cajun Chicken Sandwich I ordered an awesome Mongo IPA (see paragraph above). Now that’s more like it.
For Mother’s Day I took my wife and kids to the Sly Fox in Phoenixville. I had a US Saaz Keller Pils which I enjoyed the heck out of. I then had the Keller Pikeland Pils which was just as good. Actually, I couldn’t taste the difference. I think both are based on the same recipe but one uses US Saaz hops and the other German and Czech. Both are unfiltered and both are delicious.
Monday, May 3, 2010
No Time Left For You
Not even enough time to blog. What a crazy life. This past Saturday...Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny...3 beers. Souther Tier Oak Aged Unearthly Imperial IPA, yeah it's as good as it sounds. Double D IPA from Otto's Pub and Brewery in State College. Another good Imperial IPA. After all these hops I was looking for something malty. Java Head Stout from Troeg's Brewing Company would do the trick. This is good. If you like coffee you will think this one is good as well.
Then Craft Ale House in Limerick. 2 beers. Bruery Rugbrod was first up. Now I like rye beers a lot. But this one was not my favorite. Don't get me wrong...I'll get one again in the future but it wasn't fantastic. I guess I wasn't expecting it to be that dark I don't know. Finally I had a chance to try a beer from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. I had the Bam Biere. I usually like the saison style and I know this brewer has a great reputation but this was not my favorite saison. I suspect that it is my ignorance. I probably really like Americanized versions of the style. Perhaps one day I will graduate to the real deal. I will say that it is very dry and I like that. I will need to have another to be sure.
Then Craft Ale House in Limerick. 2 beers. Bruery Rugbrod was first up. Now I like rye beers a lot. But this one was not my favorite. Don't get me wrong...I'll get one again in the future but it wasn't fantastic. I guess I wasn't expecting it to be that dark I don't know. Finally I had a chance to try a beer from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. I had the Bam Biere. I usually like the saison style and I know this brewer has a great reputation but this was not my favorite saison. I suspect that it is my ignorance. I probably really like Americanized versions of the style. Perhaps one day I will graduate to the real deal. I will say that it is very dry and I like that. I will need to have another to be sure.
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