Good Draught and a Bad 12 Pack?

I made a rare appearance at the Tap & Table in Emaus.  I first tried a My Antonia which apparently was brewed by Birra Del Borgo (Italy) and Dogfish Head (DE).  This is an Imperial Pilsner.  As is usually the case with Dogfish Head products I didn't care for this beer.  I followed this with a beer from another brewer that I normally don't care for.  At least I keep trying.  And this time it payed off.  The brewer is Brooklyn Brewery and the beer was an Imperial IPA called Detonation.  Hurray, I finally got a Brooklyn beer I can enjoy.  I ended with a Russian Imperial Stout from Rogue Brewery.  Yeah, this is a really good Stout.

I also had a chance to visit the Craft Ale House in Limerick.  I had a Dogtown Pale Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company.  This beer is always excellent. 

Speaking of excellent...one beer that is not excellent is Opa Opa IPA.  At least not the 12 pack that I brought home from Massachusetts.  It is undrinkable.  I suspect that the problem is with the 12 pack I got and not the brewer but I don't know.  I will have to find this on tap on my next visit and hopefully redeem this product.

You Gotta Pay If You Wannna Play

My wife left with the kids for a weekend of fun with her parents in upstate Pennsylvania.  She made sure to leave me a list of things to do while they were away.  After completing a considerable amount of work (not enough I am sure) I decided enough was enough.  It was about 7:00pm and I was ready to stop working and start recharging my batteries.  I showered up and headed for the Craft Ale House in Limerick.  Their website said they had Russian River Registration Ale and Port Wipeout IPA.  I already knew what I was going to drink tonight before I left the house.  When I got to the Craft Ale House and looked at their draught menu guess which two beers were scratched off?  Yep, Registration Ale and Wipeout IPA.  That figures.  I sampled a Blast DIPA from Brooklyn Brewery.  As is usually the case with this brewer, I didn't care for the beer.  So I got a Loose Cannon from Heavy Seas instead.  This is a nice enough IPA but nothing special.  I would get it again though.  The Craft Ale House did have a beer from Twin Lakes on the list.  I remembered reading about a brewery starting up near Greenville Delaware (Wilmington) a while back and I always wanted to give the local guys a chance.  So I ordered a Greenville Pale Ale.  It was OK.  Again, nothing great but a nice pale ale none the less.  After that there was nothing else on the menu that I wanted...except of course that Rodenbach Grand Cru which I did not want to pay $7.50 for a 10 oz. pour.  Guess what I ordered...yep...a Rodenbach Grand Cru.  You know what?  Considering the options tonight I have no regrets even considering the astronomical price.  It was awesome as usual.  The fish and chips I had for dinner was pretty good as well.