One Last Look Back at 2010

I made my way to Downingtown this evening to return an empty keg of Yakima Glory and hopefully get a full keg of something equally good.  Tonight was not my night.  I entered the parking lot steeling myself for that long cold walk from the outer reaches of the parking lot to the retail shop carrying my empty.  Then I rejoiced when the lot was virtually empty.  Then the reality set in.  Something is wrong.  The parking lot is never empty when the pub is open.  The lights were out and the depression set in.  I was not getting my replacement keg tonight.  As I found out later, they were having their staff party tonight.  Happy Holidays Victory folks.

I thought tonight would be a good opportunity to look at the kegs I tapped at my house in 2010.  Here they are in chronological order:

Victory - Prima Pils
Ithaca - Flower Power
Victory - Mad King
Terrapin - Rye Pale Ale
Founder's - Red's Rye
Victory - Hop Wallop
Dock St. - Saison DuPotts
Victory - Gassy Jack's
Founder's - Red's Rye (again)
Great Lakes - Burning River
Victory - Braumeister Pils
Sierra Nevada - Celebration
Victory - Yakima Glory
Dock St. - Hop Garden

Bigfoot Returns

I took a quick detour tonight on my way home from work and stopped in at the Drafting Room in Exton.  I knew they had Bigfoot 2009 from Sierra Nevada on and I had to have one.  This is a barley wine that I look forward to every year.  This time however, it was not as good as I remembered.  It was still very good...don't get me wrong.  But I must have built this one up in my mind since last year and it was just OK.  I thought it almost had a metallic taste to it.  Maybe I just had an off night.  I'll have to have another one soon.

Tumbler...This Ain't No Bigfoot

On Sunday we went out to practice biking and roller blading.  On the way the kids fell asleep and as it happens we were near Union Jack's Congo Hotel in Bally.  I stopped in for a quick beer so the kids could get a little extra sleep.  There wasn't anything really interesting on so I asked for a Tumbler from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.  This is an American brown Ale.  It is like all Sierra Nevada products in my opinion...that is, they are well made but unremarkable (the lone exception being the great Bigfoot).  So the Tumbler is a nice brown ale and you could enjoy a couple of them in a row but you will not go out of your way to get one.