The Trapp Door and Beyond

I've had a couple of beers the past week I have been meaning to post about so here goes.

At TJ's in Paoli I had (from a firkin) a Black Strap from Voodoo Brewing Company in Meadville, PA.  This was a nice, dark American Strong Ale...not overdone.

I went to the place that used to be the Tap and Table in Emmaus.  It is now called The Trapp Door.  I started with a Mönchshof Kellerbier from Kulmbacher Brauerie in Germany.  This is a good Keller Bier.  More malty than I normally like but very enjoyable.  To make up for the lack of hops, I had a cask-conditioned Snake Dog IPA from Flying Dog Brewery.  It was very good.  I ended with a Sublimely Self Righteous from Stone.  This is an excellent Black Ale.  The hops come through all that darkness with ease.  I never complain about beer prices because I am happy to pay a premium for the fine beers that I enjoy but...my general feeling is that the beers at The Trapp Door were all priced about $2 more than they should have been.  I mean, $7 for a cask conditioned Sly Fox Chester County Bitter?  Come on!

I made it back to Appalachian Brewing Company in Collegeville and had a cask-conditioned Hoppy Trails IPA along with my reuben sandwich.  Both were excellent.  Then I had the Outta Focus DIPA.  I'm not a big fan of this one.  There was just something in the taste that I just didn't care for and I normally love my DIPA's.

Netherlands Close to Belgium

Last night after work I went to TJ's in Paoli for a couple.  Up first was a very safe choice...Stone Sublimely Self Righteous.  Safe because I've had this on many occasions and it is always an excellent choice.  I guess you would call it a Black IPA if you tried to put it into a category.  I followed that with a Storm & Averij from Brouwerij De Molen in the Netherlands.  I wasn't particularly fond of this DIPA.  I guess I feel like the Dutch (and Belgians for that matter) shouldn't try to brew DIPA's (which I consider an American style) just like American's shouldn't try to beat the Belgians at their own game.  Have you ever had a Belgian-style beer brewed in America that compares to the finest Belgium has to offer?  Me either.

A Day in the Park

It was a pleasant weekend for us.  On Friday night my wife took our oldest daughter to a minor league baseball game in Allentown (go IronPigs).  She told me to pick up our 2 youngest daughters at daycare and get them a happy meal so after work I picked them up and took them to the Sly Fox in Phoenixville.  My happy meal was Buffalo wings while the girls decided on linguine and chicken strips.  During dinner I also managed to have a US Saaz Keller Pils and a Saison Vos.  Both were good as usual.

On Saturday we went to Dorney Park in Allentown.  We left at sundown and with all the activity of the day it wasn't long before the kids were asleep.  I pulled into the Tap and Table in Emaus but there was not an empty spot in the parking lot so we headed on down the road.  I went a little out of the way to get to Ortino's Northside in Zieglersville.  Obviously the kids were still asleep and my wife was playing with the DS that we bought our daughter for her birthday.  So I went in and had a Hoppy Trails IPA from Appalachian Brewing Company.  It was OK but not extraordinary.  I needed something extraordinary and I saw it on the menu.  It was a Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale from Stone Brewing Company.  I have had this strong ale before and knew I wouldn't be disappointed.  If you see it on tap get one.

Sunday was a very nice day indeed.  My mom came over to the house and we sat on the deck watching the kids play in the pool.  Mom had a Yuengling while my wife and I had Red's Rye.  Now that is a relaxing weekend.

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.

Great Saturday

So my wife drops me off at the Craft Ale House in Royersford  so I can enjoy a nice beer.  I only have 20 minutes while she drives around with the kids asleep in the car.  I tell Rob at the bar that I'm looking for something unusual.  He suggests a St. Somewhere Saison Du Chene.  This turns out to be a quirky beer and exactly what I was looking for.  Citrusy and sour with a taste that I can't quite put my finger on.  I will definitely get another one of these when I get the chance.  It was so good I finish it quickly.  I have enough time to order a second beer.

Up next I order a Stone Sublimely Self Righteous ale.  This is a great beer.  The guy at the bar next to me looks at the dark color and asks me if I usually like "those malty beers".  I tell him I would not call this a malty beer.  If I didn't see the dark color of this beer I would have thought it was an IPA or double IPA. 

I say good bye to Rob at the bar and go to the parking lot expecting to see my wife and kids waiting.  After about 10 minutes on the parking lot waiting for my usually prompt wife I head back inside the Craft Ale House.  Rob asks me what's the matter.  I exclaim, "My wife has either left me or has been in a horrible accident...pour me a Stone Epic 090909".  This is another fine beer.  Have one when you get a chance.  I finish this beer and head out to the parking lot again and thankfully the van is back with wife and kids safe and sound.

Fast forward to home.  I have a 2-tap kegerator at home but I allowed both kegs to kick.  I dig through the refrigerator and open a bottle of Svyturys Ekstra.  They advertise this beer as "Lithuania's most popular" lager beer.  If Lithuania is inspired by American mass produced beer then they have done well (think Yuengling Lager). 

Finally, in the back of the fridge I find a bottle of Founder's Red's Rye.  Folks, this has to the be best bottled beer I have ever had.  I have had this beer on tap and I insist that it is just as good from the bottle.