One Quick One Before Philadelphia Beer Week Starts

I stopped in at the Drafting Room in Exton after work today for no other reason than I was thirsty.  I got The Immortal IPA from Elysian Brewing Company.  It is a pleasant IPA but not anything unusual.  If you are looking for something extreme this is not your beer.  If you are looking for a nice, clean IPA bordering on a pale ale then this is your beer.  It looks like everyone is getting jacked up for Philadelphia Beer Week.  I will probably stay home most of the 10 day duration kind of like I stay home on New Year's Eve.  After the crowds go away I will be back.

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).

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.

Room for a Draught

I had time to stop in at the Drafting Room in Exton tonight to enjoy a beer or two.  First up was The Wise ESB from Elysian Brewing Company.  I really enjoyed this one.  Especially the mouth feel and the thick creamy head, not to mention a nice hop flavor worthy of the style ESB.  I followed this with a Gubna from Oskar Blues Brewery.  I enjoyed this one quite a bit as well but it occurred to me that I may have just enjoyed that high alcohol content and not necessarily the taste.  I'll have to give this one another shot in the future.  With a little luck I will make it to Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny tomorrow for lunch.  Gosh I hope they still have the Jolly Pumpkin on.

Beer, Wine and...Oh Yeah...Food

Friday after work I had some time to kill waiting for my pizza to get cooked so I stopped in at the Drafting Room in Exton.  I had a Jack D'or from Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project.  I am particularly fond of the saison style and this is a good one.  I drank it so fast I had time for a second beer.  I had to get the cask-conditioned Racer 5 from Bear Republic.  Awesome as usual.  My sister and brother-in-law watched our kids so my wife could take me out for dinner for my birthday.  We went to Daddy Mim's Creole BYOB in downtown Phoenixville.  We started with Crawfish Spring Rolls which were very good.  I then had Grouper on Jambalaya which was fantastic.  My wife had Jumbo Lump Crabmeat Cake which she enjoyed thoroughly.  Before and during dinner we managed to have 2 bottles of wine.  First was a 2006 Rutherford Cabernet Savignon Beaulieu Vinyard (courtesy of my sister for my birthday...the same sister who was watching my kids...what a great sister) and second was a 2006 Roar Syrah Gary's Vinyard.  All-in-all it was a great night out.

Just Never Happy

I went to the Drafting Room in Exton this evening after work.  Imagine my excitement when I saw they had Wipeout IPA from Port Brewing Company on the chalkboard.  Then imagine my disappointment when after placing my order and waiting with great anticipation for my beer to be delivered I was notified that the Wipeout just kicked.  I had to "settle" for a cask-conditioned Nugget Nectar from Troeg's Brewing Company.  "Settle" is in parenthesis because this beer is no slouch either but I really looked forward to that Wipeout.  After finishing the Nugget Nectar the next best thing on the chalkboard was a Two Hearted Ale from Bell's Brewery.  This too is a really nice IPA but it is on the Drafting Room's "Usual Suspect" list which means you can pretty much be assured that it will be on tap at any given time.  So there you have it.  I had two really good beers after work tonight and I was still disappointed.  Some people are just never happy.

Great Friday Night

After work this evening I needed to bring some pizza home so I thought Uno's in Exton would be a good place to get it.  So a quick stop in the Drafting Room was in order.  I started with a West Coast IPA from Green Flash Brewing Company which was very good as usual.  I then had a cask-conditioned Hop Wallop from Victory Brewing Company.  This too was very good.  Unfortunately I had to leave to pick up the pizzas but later in the night I was sent out to the grocery store with THE LIST.  On the way to the grocery store I got really thirsty so I stopped into the Sly Fox in Phoenixville.  I had a Keller Pils which was very, very good.  I followed that with a solid Pughtown Porter.  Then off to the grocery store.  It was a great Friday night.

All Work and Some Play

I spent the whole day reconditioning my deck and I am beat.  I needed to go out for a beer and relax.  I stopped in at Ron's Original Bar and Grille in Exton.  The place was packed, a band was playing loud music and I had to stand while trying to enjoy a Gemini from Southern Tier Brewing Company...which I paid $7 for and then another dollar tip on top of that.  Enough said.  I made my way to the Drafting Room in Exton and had a seat and an Oak Aged Unearthly also from Southern Tier Brewing Company.  Now that's more like it.  I should sleep well now and that's a good thing as I need to get up early and continue working on the deck.

Friday Night With The Family...Sort Of

With my oldest daughter out of the house for the past week visiting her grandmother I thought we might do something different this Friday night.  I took my two daughters and my wife to Pizzeria Uno's in Exton.  Actually I met them there after I made a detour to the Drafting Room in Exton for a quick one.  I got a Gemini imperial IPA from Southern Tier Brewing Company.  This was quite a nice beer but in a blind taste test I would have never suspected it was and Imperial IPA.  As it turns out I had time for another quick beer so I ordered a Double Trouble Imperial IPA from Founder's Brewing Company.  I usually like this beer but tonight it seemed kind of harsh.  It may be because of the low-hopped beers I have been enjoying lately and that I have on tap at home.  I left in time to meet my wife and kids on the parking lot of Uno's.  We went in and had a nice dinner.  I had a Dead Guy Ale from Rogue Ales Brewery.  It was OK and I'll leave it at that.  My wife suggested I stop at Ron's Original Bar and Grille on the way home.  She was OK taking the kids home and settling in.  As usual I followed her advice.  As usual, Ron's parking lot was packed but as luck would have it I found a spot right out front.  I went in and there is where why my luck ended.  I did manage to get a beer but I was standing.  The beer I had was an IPA from Left Hand Brewing Company.  So far I haven't been impressed with this brewer and tonight is no exception.  Not a bad beer...just nothing exceptional either. 

Super Sunday???

I wasn't able to make it to the West Coast Brewery Night at the Drafting Room in Exton on Friday but the good news is that many of the beers were still available on Sunday.  I guess technically they were available on Saturday but who would know?  Nobody could get out of their house with a couple of feet of snow dumped on the area.  But today (Sunday) I made it to the Drafting Room.  I only had time for one (as is often the case) but I decided to have the Idiot IPA from Coronado Brewing Company.  This is a pretty good IPA with a well hidden 8.5% abv.  So far I have had some Coronado beers that I like a lot and some that are just OK.  I guess I will need to continue my research. 

I understand there is a good football game on tonight.  Ah...who cares?

Mistakes...some mine...some not

I took a quick detour after work and stopped in at the Drafting Room  in Exton this evening.  First up was a Brew Works Hopsolutely.  At least that is what I asked for.  I am not sure what I got.  What I got looked very pale almost like a domestic beer but it tasted like a Belgian IPA.  It was not a bad beer but I don't particularly care for Belgian IPAs.  The Belgians make the finest beer in the world but IPA's are really an English thing (historically) and now an American thing (because Americans aren't afraid to dump the hops into their brew kettle).  Again, I love Belgian beers but I run away from anything called a Belgian IPA.  OK, I really got off subject there.  I don't even know if it was a Belgian IPA but I do know that asked for a Brew Works Hopsolutely.  I have seen pictures of freshly poured Hopsolutely's and I have read descriptions as well.  Deep copper color...that is not what I had.

Next I asked for a Big Bear Stout from Bear Republic.  This is a nice stout...a regular stout...but this is no Breakfast Stout.  Founder's has me spoiled.  I use their Breakfast Stout as the standard against which all stouts shall be measured.

I spent the rest of the night overhauling my kegerator.  I installed all new beer lines and disassembled/reassembled and cleaned everything.  I was not happy with the Sierra Nevada Celebration that I just kicked and I wanted to make sure that it was not because of something I did.  I then tapped a Victory Prima Pils.  It tasted as fresh as one I might have gotten at the brewpub.  I noticed some beer stone in the lines that I removed from my kegerator so maybe the problem with the Celebration Ale was my fault.  We shall see.

Photos, Beers, Groceries and Various Errands

Well...we were in Exton anyway to have the kids pictures taken so if you are that close to Downingtown you might as well go to Victory Brewing Company for dinner and a beer.  I had (1) Hop Wallop cask conditioned, (2) Harvest Ale, (3) Harvest Pilsner, (4) Abbey 5, (5) Wild Devil and (6) Braumeister Pilsner.  All were excellent as you would expect from the Victory.  I also had a Dietrich sandwich apparently made from pastrami produced in-house.  It is essentially a Ruben but it is about the best Ruben I ever tasted, and that's not the beer talking.  Because I like to think I am efficient, I returned an empty keg of Yakima Twilight and picked up a fresh keg of Prima Pils since we were there anyway.

We needed milk and some other essentials so a visit to the Giant grocery store was in order.  We were about to go right past the Sly Fox in Phoenixville but I was pretty thirsty and I happened to have an empty Sly Fox keg in the trunk so I thought it would be a good time to return it.  It's great when you return a keg and not get a refill.  It feels like you are drinking for free.  In this case it was a tall Royal Weisse.  Yeah, this is a great summer beer but I ain't waiting until the summer to have one.

Saturday Shopping

Saturday afternoon I went out to do a little shopping as my wife's birthday is this week.  Before leaving the house I did my due diligence regarding what beers I might like to have in case I get thirsty and I happen to be near the Drafting Room in Exton or Ron's Original Bar and Grill in Exton.  Based on the beer list at their respective websites, I would have the Big Hoppy Monster from Terrapin Beer Company if I end up in the Drafting Room and I would have the Dugana from Avery Brewing Company if I ended up at Ron's Original bar and grill.  Sure enough I did get thirsty and I was right near the Drafting Room so in I went.  They told me the Big Hoppy Monster just kicked.  I had to settle for a Racer 5 from Bear Republic Brewing Company.  It's kind of funny to say settle for a Racer 5 isn't it?  This is one of the finest IPAs I have ever had.  I left the Drafting Room and headed for home but then I remembered that Dugana waiting for me at Ron's.  So I stopped in for a quick one.  Guess what?  They told me the Dugana just kicked.  In a panic I chose a Organic Alta Gracia Coffee Porter from Wolaver's.  I say in a panic because I never heard of this beer before but nothing else on the menu attracted my attention.  This is a great porter.  The coffee comes through strongly and the vanilla adds a nice touch.  I'm no expert on beer so I don't know if that amount of carbonation was proper for a porter but I would have preferred a less carbonated beer.  Later in the afternoon I wound up at the Craft Ale House in Limerick.  I had an Outdoor Harvest Ale from Ithaca Beer Company.  This is a great tasting wet hopped pale ale.  I am curious about the name though.  What would an Indoor Harvest be?  Never mind.

Super IPA at the Drafting Room

I went to the Drafting Room in Exton last night after work because their on-line beer menu said they had the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 2008 on draught.  As it turned out, they took it off tap to make room for a promotion they were doing last night.  It was lucky for me because I ordered a Bear Republic Super Rebellion instead.  They told me it was a pale ale but it sure tasted like an IPA to me.  In fact, it was an excellent beer.  I mean this one was totally fantastic.  I don't know anything about this beer other than the fact that I want more.  I followed this with a Ballast Point Sculpin.  This is also a great IPA.  Not as good as the Super Rebellion but there aren't a lot of beers that would be able to follow that one.  I am going to have to have a Sculpin as my first beer of the day one day to give it a more fair evaluation.

Another Friday Night

I stopped in to the Drafting Room in Exton tonight after work.  I notice something unfamiliar on the chalkboard.  It is Cigar City Jai Alai IPA.  I never heard of this brewer so I gave it a try.  It is an OK beer but kind of malty for an IPA.  Where's the hops?  I would order this again if I see it.

Next up was a Dock Street  Hop Garden Double IPA.  This is a very nice beer.   Of course I have had Dock Street beers in the past but not this one.  The chalk board in the Drafting Room didn't mention "double" IPA.  As I enjoyed this beer I thought, "what a great tasting IPA", never suspecting the 9% ABV content contained within.  I can't wait to see this one again.  What a nice tasting beer...what a pleasant surprise.

Nice Surprise at the Drafting Room

So I'm driving past the Drafting Room in Exton tonight and notice the parking lot is empty.  Maybe I can stop in for a quick drink without delaying my arrival home after work.  I walk in and study the chalk board.  In disbelief I ask the bartender if they really have Bear Republic Racer 5 cask conditioned.  He confirms and I ask him to pour me one.  It's a beautiful beer.  Slightly hazy golden in color with a great floral aroma.  It is a smooth beer and I leave after only one, completely satisfied.

Weekend End

I went to Ron's Original Bar and Grille in Exton, PA for dinner this evening.  It is a Sunday night and I figured things would be slow.  I figured wrong.  I managed to get a seat at the bar and ordered a Bear Rebuplic Double Aught.  This is a pilsner weighing in at 4.2% ABV.  I was disappointed.  I really expect a lot from Bear Rebuplic and I'm starting to see a trend.  I will say that this beer was better than Budweiser.  OK, a lot better than Budweiser but it could not hold a candle to Victory Prima Pils or even Sly Fox Pikeland Pils.

I ordered a Ceasar salad with tuna steak and a Terrapin India Brown Ale.  This is a very interesting beer that I liked a lot (but not a good choice to accompany a Ceasar salad and tuna).  This is a deep brown ale and yet there was plenty of hop character throughout.  I will look for this one again.