High Tide, Pliny and a Short Rib Sandwich...Awesome

OK, I went to the Craft Ale House in Limerick yesterday because I knew they had Pliny the Elder on tap the night before.  I figured if I got there early enough there might be some Pliny left.  I got there and I got my Pliny.  It was awesome as usual.  Next I ordered a High Tide IPA from Port Brewing Company.  This is a great IPA but even this one couldn't stand up to Pliny.  I would normally have ordered the High Tide first and then the Pliny considering the Pliny is an Imperial IPA.   But today I went in the opposite order because I feared the Pliny would kick.  And it did.  Mine was the last full glass poured.  For once my strategy paid off.  I also had the Short Rib sandwich for lunch.  If you haven't had this yet you have to have one.  They are great.

Ron's Choice and a Blind Pig

I had lunch at Ron's Original Bar & Grille in Exton today.  I had a "Ron's Choice" (Steak with melted provolone, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo) and it was great.  I also had a Blind Pig from Russian River Brewing Company.  This is a very good IPA, not overdone. 

Nice Mix of Beers

On Thursday after work I stopped in at TJ's Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli for a couple beers.  I started with a Hop Meadow IPA from Thomas Hooker Ales and Lagers.  I think this is the first beer I ever had from this brewer.  It was pretty good.  Next up was a Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA from Flying Dog Brewery.  It was from a firkin.  It was OK.  As I have said before, I'm not a big fan of this style but this one was pretty good.  After that I was thirsty for a "real" IPA so I got a DuganA from Avery Brewing Company.  Now that is a real IPA.  Imperial IPA to be precise.  My next stop was the Sly Fox in Phoenixville while waiting for my pizza to cook.  I had a Pikeland Pils.  Good ole Pikeland Pils.  It never disappoints. 

On Christmas Eve I went to Exton Beverage to pick up a sixtel of Dock St. Hop Garden.  This is a double IPA.  It is pretty good, not great.  On the way home I slipped into the Drafting Room in Exton.  I had a Shackamaximum from Philadelphia Brewing Company.  Actually I had a small taste of it first and didn't think I cared for it that much.  But, in the name of science I ordered a pint of it anyway.  I'm glad I did.  This is one of those beers where I didn't care for the first sip but once I got to the bottom of a pint I really enjoyed it.  Shackamaximum is an Imperial Stout that I will look for again.

Nice Quick Beer

On the way home from work tonight I stopped in to the Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern for a beer.  I had an Atomic Raygun Imperial Red from Spring House Brewing Company.  I enjoyed the heck out of this one.  It was pretty hoppy and the 8.3% alcohol was well hidden.

Union Jack's and Craft Ale House in One Weekend

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to visit both Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny and the Craft Ale House.  Union Jack's had an event on Saturday called the 12 Bell's of Christmas featuring beers from Bell's Brewery.  I started with a Rye Stout and followed with a Special Double Cream Stout.  Both were good but if I had to pick one it would be the SDC Stout.  At the Craft Ale House I had a Glacial Trail IPA from Central Waters Brewing Company.  I had never heard of this brewer.  I thought this was a good IPA.  It isn't necessarily memorable and it is more like a pale ale to me but I can't think of anything bad to say about this beer.  I will get it again.

Christmas Shopping and Such

I had a vacation day yesterday and went Christmas shopping at the King of Prussia Mall.  Of course lunch was at the Rock Bottom Brewery located in the mall.  I have returned to this brewery once or twice a year for many years now.  In fact I visited when it in a prior incarnation when it was called Brew Moon.  I always return with the hope that they will blow me away with their beers.  It just never seems to happen.  They are better now than I remember them to be but not great yet.  I had two beers yesterday and I don't remember their names and their website is no help.  The first beer I had yesterday was an IPA called something like Hoppy Haleeday".  It was a pleasant beer.  The second was a cask-conditioned Flemish Sour which was pretty good for an American brewer.  OK, I must admit this was very enjoyable.  I will visit again in a couple months to monitor their progress.

On the way home I stopped at the Sly Fox in Phoenixville.  First up was a Pikeland Pils to satisfy my thirst.  Then I noticed they had a couple different Saisons on.  I tried one called Casuelijck Saison which was very good.  I would like to taste this again with a Saison Vos next to it to see the difference.

Dark...light...they're all good

Last Sunday I made my way to Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny with the family.  We had 2 sleepers and 1 wide awake.  I went in with the 1 wide awake while my wife waited patiently in the car with the sleepers.  The day before Union Jack's was having their Back In Black event with a lot of very good dark beers.  I knew they would have leftovers and I was happy to help them finish them.  I have always considered Founder's Breakfast Stout the best Stout I have ever had.  I was told that they have a version that is also aged in Bourbon barrels called Kentucky Breakfast Stout.  That is what I ordered.  Clearly this beer is not the Breakfast Stout aged in Bourbon barrels.  It strikes me as thinner (mouthfeel) than the Breakfast Stout and even disregarding the barrel flavors you know this is not the Breakfast Stout.  That is not to say it isn't a great Stout.  It is.  But I still favor the Breakfast Stout.  For whatever reason, I went lighter on my next beer.  I ordered a Hop 15 from Port Brewing Company.  As always, this too was an excellent beer.  Altogether it was a fantastic trip to Union Jack's. 

Monday was a vacation day and my wife and I went shopping.  Somehow we ended up at the Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown for lunch.  I started with a Yakima Glory which is a very dark IPA although I wouldn't call it a Black IPA.  It is a very good beer.  I finished with a cask-conditioned Storm King Imperial Stout.  Storm King is always good but it is so much better from the hand pump.  It occurred to me that the lowest alcohol beer I had in the last 2 days is the Yakima Glory at a mere 8.7% abv.  I am looking forward to this winter season.  Bring it on.

On Wednesday I was back at the Victory in Downingtown to return a keg and pick up a fresh one.  That Yakima Glory I had the other day was pretty good so that is what I got.  While there, I went to the bar for a quick one.  I had a pint of the Pursuit Of Pale Ale (El Dorado).  It was OK.  I guess if this was some other brewer I would have said it was great but fairly or not, I hold Victory to higher standards.

Postscript - A quick search of my blog shows that I have already had the Pursuit Of Pale Ale and had the same opinion the first time.  Not very memorable.

Dancin' With The Devil

My wife and I went to dinner last night at Zacharia's Creek Side Cafe in Worcester, PA.  We started with a cheese plate which had 2 excellent cheeses (Pecorino Romano Italy and Taleggio Cow's Milk) and one that was not my style (Hendrick's Dairy Selections, Cow's Milk).  I'm sure this was an excellent cheese but it just didn't suit me.  Then again, I'm no cheese connoisseur. My wife had the excellent Jumbo Lump Crabcakes and I had the equally excellent Swordfish.  Truth be known, the best part of the meal was the  potatoes & parsnip purée which came with the Crabcakes.  This was absolutely fabulous.  We had a most excellent Pinot Noir with dinner.  2007 Seasmoke Southing was probably the best wine I ever had.

After dinner we stopped in at the Blue Dog Pub in Lansdale.  I have always wanted to visit the Blue Dog.  I ordered a Devil Dancer from Founder's.  They call this a triple IPA.  It is a huge beer.  Imagine as much hops and alcohol that you could expect in a beer and then triple it.  I wanted to drink it fast because my wife was waiting patiently out in the car but I couldn't drink this beer fast.  At 12% alcohol I had no choice but to sip it.  It was pretty good.  Not the best extreme IPA I have ever had but it was pretty darn good.

Thanks to Gin and Dave for taking care of the kids so we could have a great night out.

Maryland and Back

I was in Maryland on business this week and didn't really have anything interesting to drink.  I had a Blue Moon at the Outback Steakhouse, a Sierra Nevada Celebration at some bar, and a Sam Adam's Winter Lager at Carrabba's Italian Grille.  That Winter Lager wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  On the way home I stopped in the Half Moon Restaurant and Saloon in Kennett Square.  I had a Heavy Handed IPA from Two Brothers Brewing Company.  It was OK but not great.  Then I got a cask-conditioned Joe Coffee Porter from Philadelphia Brewing Company.  This was a very nice porter.

It was good to get back home and visit TJ's Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli on Friday night.  I started with a Hop Garden (Firkin) from Dock Street.  This was excellent.  Next I asked for a Barrel Aged Elysium from White Birch Brewing.  The keg kicked halfway through my pour so that one was free which always makes the beer taste better.  You can definitely smell and taste the barrel.  The mouthfeel was kind of thin.  The 11.7% alcohol was well-hidden.  There was actually a tartness to this beer.  I don't know where it was coming from but it was pleasant.  I ended with an Old Bartholomew Barrel-aged Barleywine from Yard's brewing company.  If you are looking for something sweet and malty and big with alcohol this is your beer.  It was quite good.

Too Much Fun. No Time for Beer.

The weekend was pretty much a bust as far as beer is concerned.  Family obligations kept me out Friday night.  Saturday night I had a chance to go out but couldn't get the energy to go very far.  I went to the Sly Fox in Phoenixville.  I had a Royal Weisse, a Saison Vos and an Oatmeal Stout.  All were good but it's the same beer I've been drinking forever.  Sunday was a bust also.  Two Christmas parties and both were for the kids.  In between I did stop in for a quick one at McKenzie's in Frazer.  I had a Saison Vautour.  It was quite good with a nice dry finish.  Then I had to get back out to the car to get us to the second party which happened to be at a movie theatre.  We saw a 3-D movie called Tangled.  It has been years since I went to the movies and even longer since I saw anything in 3D.  I have 2 observations.  Some time in the past 15 years they have made great strides in making theatre seats more comfortable and technological leaps in 3D technology that allow me to believe for a second that I am about to get splashed by that water coming my way.

Good Beer in Wayne, PA (and not at Teresa's Next Door)

Earlier this week I was out on the main line and ready for a late lunch.  I hoped to go to Teresa's Next Door in Wayne.  After parking the car and feeding the meter I walked over to TND but they were closed.  Luckily there was a Flanigan's Boathouse almost next door.  Me and my buddy went in and we were practically the only customer's in the place and definitely the only ones at the bar.  I started with a Mad Elf from Troeg's.  At 11% abv this was a good start to my lunch.  I followed with a bottled IPA from Long Trail Brewing Company.  This was a pleasant IPA, nothing extreme.  I ended with a draught of Chimay White.  What a perfect ending to a great lunch.  In between I also had a chicken wrap which was excellent.  I don't think the line-up can compete with Teresa's Next Door but if Teresa's continues with their weird hours I think the Boathouse is going to do just fine in this location.