Saison, Simon and Garfunkel

I went into the Drafting Room in Exton tonight without looking on-line to see what was on tap.  That was my first mistake.  The most interesting thing they had on that I never tried before was Saison Du Buff, a collaboration between Victory Brewing Company, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and Stone Brewing Company.  It is a Farmhouse Ale brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.  I suppose this is somehow an homage to Simon and Garfunkel.  This might have been a very nice, dry Saison if not for the parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.  Somehow I suspect this was Sam Calagione's contribution to the beer.  Hey Victory and Stone...remember this.  Paul Simon did just fine after the breakup.

Winter, Summer, Who Cares?

I spent the last week on vacation in Bethany Beach, DE.  Because it is Delaware and for other reasons beyond my control my beer drinking experience was extremely limited.  I did have a bottle of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA.  I am still not a big fan.  I knew of two other local breweries that I wanted to try and I found the first, 16 Mile Brewing Company on tap at the Cottage Cafe in Bethany Beach.  It was their Blues Golden Ale.  This was a nice enough beer.  Nothing extraordinary...in fact it was ordinary but I admit I had a couple.  The second brewer I wanted to sample was Evolution Craft Brewing Company.  I got a six pack of their Exile ESB.  Now this was something to get excited about.  It is not an extreme beer but it is a solid, good tasting, well balanced beer.  I enjoyed all six of them.  I can't wait to find this brewer's beers on tap somewhere.  I hope they are not a one-trick pony.  Considering they are located in lower Delaware and almost in Maryland I don't expect to find them any time soon in Pennsylvania but a guy can hope.

Finally back at home I made a virtual B-line for Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny.  I started with a 2XIPA from Southern Tier.  It was very good just as it was the last time I had one.  With the wife and kids waiting in the car I had to finish it in a hurry if I wanted to have that Imperial Russian Stout from Stone Brewing Company that was on tap.  It's interesting to me that this is a seasonal beer (i.e. they brew it to be consumed in the summer) but I never had a problem drinking a big, dark beer whether summer or winter.  It is a very good beer.  I still favor the Breakfast Stout when it comes to Stouts but they are really two different beers aren't they.  My hat is off to Stone for defying common logic and brewing this big wonderful Stout for the summer.  Which reminds me...a brewery I don't talk about much is Appalachian Brewing Company in Harrisburg, PA.  They have a Broad Street Barleywine on tap year-round.  It is one of their flagship beers.  Imagine that!  I always thought they were a little nuts for having a barleywine on tap in the middle of summer and I always got one when I was there (Summer and Winter).  I think a road trip is in order.

Mid-week Shenanigans

On the way home from work last night I stopped at Exton Beverage to pick up my next sixtel for home consumption.  As usual the choices were many but I ended up taking home Red's Rye PA from Founder's Brewing Company.  I have had this in a sixtel at home before and enjoyed the heck out of it.  It is also great in bottles.  As I traveled home up Route 100 I couldn't resist stopping in at the Drafting Room in Exton for a quick one.  I had a Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale from Stone Brewing Company.  This is a dark-as-coal strong ale that tastes like an IPA at first and then after the swallow you get the taste of dark chocolate.  It's a very good beer but I'm not crazy about the style.

I went to TJ's Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli for lunch today.  I had an Arrogant Bastard also from Stone Brewing Company and also a strong ale although quite different from the Sublimely Self-Righteous.  I could drink a couple of these (but I didn't).  It went well with the Buffalo Chicken wrap that I had for lunch...excellent as always.  After work I went home and tapped my new keg of Red's Rye PA from Founder's Brewing Company.  I can not emphasize enough how very good it is to have this back on tap at the house.  Life is good.

PSU and LSU and a Couple of Good Beers

I continued my recovery from whatever my illness was by watching the Penn State vs. LSU game all by myself.  Penn State wins 19-17?  It should have never been that close.  Anyway, after the game I head over to the Craft Ale House in Limerick for some dinner.  I start with a Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing Company.  It is awesome as usual.  The problem now if finding something to follow it.  I taste a Prism Bitto Honey IPA but there is no way I can follow a Pliny with that.    So I order a Sublimely Self Righteous from Stone Brewing Company which is quite good and worthy of following a Pliny.  I also order a pork sandwich which is excellent as usual.  Now I need to find something that is worthy of following a Sublimely Self Righteous which was worthy of following a Pliny the Elder.  I took a chance on Black Biscuit from Founder's Brewing Company.  I have seen this beer on the menu's of the good beer bars for a while but since I didn't see anything written about it I assumed it was an average dark beer.  Was I wrong.  This is a great dark beer.  It had all the flavor of the Breakfast Stout in a completely different beer.  Awesome beer.  If noone else wants to drink it that's fine with me.  More for myself.  Please don't drink the Black Biscuit.

Saturday at the Craft Ale House

I had the opportunity to visit the Craft Ale House in Limerick Saturday afternoon.  It was me and my 3-year-old daughter.  I started with an Oskar Blues Gordon IPA and she had a Sprite.  This is a pleasant IPA.  Next I tried a Stone Double Bastard.  This is big alcohol and big malt.  You could make a meal out of this one.  I ended with a Coronado Red Devil.  This was not as good as I remembered.  There was a flavor that I didn't care for.  It may have something to do with the beers that preceeded this one.  I'll give it another shot in the future. I'm told the Sprite was satisfactory.

Mixing Beer and Business

I was at a company function and the beer was paid for so I was not complaining.  We were at a restaurant in West Chester, Pa called The Landmark Americana Tap and Grill.  First up was an Arrogant Bastard from Stone Brewing Company.  This is a great tasting American Strong Ale weighing in at 7.2% abv.  Next up was a George Washington's Tavern Porter from Yards Brewing Company.  This is an excellent porter with a rich malty flavor and although it has a 7.0% abv the alcohol was hidden well unlike the Arrogant Bastard I finished shortly before.  I wouldn't call the Landmark Americana a great beer bar but I did manage to find 2 really good beers on tap.  It's a good thing I was attending a company function because there really wasn't anything else on tap that I was craving (except maybe that Chimay).