Fresh Texas Beer

Last Friday I had lunch at the Flying Pig in Malvern.  Along with my usual cheesesteak I had Flower Power from Ithaca Beer Company.  Both were excellent.  That night after work I stopped in at TJ's in Paoli for a couple.  First up was a Crooked Tree IPA from Dark Horse Brewing Company.  This is a solid IPA.  I followed that with a Union Jack IPA from Firestone Walker.  Of course, this was awesome as usual.

I started to think I was having the same old beers in the same old places when all of a sudden I find myself in San Antonio, TX on business.  I found this brewpub called Freetail Brewing Company.  It was about 20 minutes from the airport but worth the trip.  I had a flight of 7 beers and all were good (some were very good).  Then I had a glass of their sour beer with a name I can't remember.  I do remember it is their red ale, Danny Mijo,  aged in barrels and soured.  This was a fantastic sour beer.  I swear I was getting some heat from this one (like some pepper beers I've had), but they said it must have been my imagination.  Regardless, it was a joy to have one of these.

How is that for a day of food and drink?

I went to the Flying Pig in Malvern yesterday for lunch and along with my excellent cheesesteak I had a Bell's Hopslam and a Titan IPA from Great Divide Brewing Company.  The Hopslam was excellent and the Titan was very good.  Not a bad lunch. 

Later in the evening I went to TJ's in Paoli and enjoyed 2 "kegkicker" specials ($3 each).  Up first was a Hop Ottin' from Anderson Valley brewing company followed by a Judgement Day from Lost Abbey.  The Hop Ottin' was very good.  The Judgement Day was great.  I can't believe I got that beer for $3.  It is a big beer at something like 10% abv.  It is malty and fruity and just plain good.

For dinner, the wife and I went to Daddy Mim's in Phoenixville for dinner. She had an excellent crab cake and I had an equally good Court Bouillon (crab, shrimp, scallops and crawfish).   With dinner we had a nice bottle of 2008 Kosta Browne Russian River Pinot Noir.  This is one fantastic Pinot.  We also started on a bottle of 2007 A.P. Vin Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir.  This is also a nice Pinot.

How is that for a day of food and drink?

Big Road Sign

Apparently today was the day it became illegal to text while driving in Pennsylvania.  I know this because as I was driving up US-202 there was a notice on one of those billboard-sized lighted signs.  It read something to the effect, 'Texting while driving is illegal.  Keep your eyes on the road."  That's just great.  A huge lighted sign off to the side of the highway begging to be read, and then the message "Keep your eyes on the road".  I pulled my car back into the correct lane and thought about the irony.

My Lost Friday

I wrote about my weekend in my last post but forgot all about Friday.  I stopped in TJ's Everyday which is not all that unusual.  I had 3 different beers all from the same brewer...Sixpoint Brewery.  The first 2 were from their Spice Of Life series of single IPA's.  The first, Nelson Sauvin, was excellent.  The 2nd, Simcoe, was pretty darn good also but not quite as good as the Nelson Sauvin.  I ended with a Gemini DIPA.  It was pretty good.

Ketchup Again

So I went to Victory last weekend and again today.  Between the two trips I managed to have a Ranch R IPA which is essentially an Imperial IPA (don't know if they call it that but it is).  I also had an Eclat Cocoa Lager which was surprisingly enjoyable.  I also had a cask-conditioned Storm King which is always awesome and finally an Alla Spina Novella Ale.  Hard to remember name for a really good beer.  To me in was a cross between a Mad King and a Golden Monkey.  Very nice.

I also went to the Station Tap Room for this year's Bigfoot from Sierra Nevada (great as it has been in years past) and Hoppy Feet from Clown Shoes.  This is a very nice Black IPA. 

Yesterday I made it to Prism Brewing Company in North Wales.  I started with a Red Zone which I think is fantastic.  I also had a Flying Magic Zebra which is a very nice Black and Tan.  Then I had the Death March which is a good black ale.  This is an interesting beer made without hops.  It also happens to be the "black" in their Black and Tan (Flying Magic Zebra). 

For dinner we went back to McKenzie's Brewhouse in Wayne.  My kids love the spaghetti there.  I love the Saison Vautour.  This is a nice farmhouse ale.  I actually had a couple.