What a Week

It was a pretty good week as far as beer was concerned.  I was in San Antonio, TX from Sunday through Friday.  While there I visited 3 brewpubs.  The first was Freetail Brewing Company.  I had a flight and then a couple additional beers so as to try every beer available that night.  Generally speaking the beers were well made.  The most memorable was a sour, which was fantastic.  I also visited Blue Star Brewing Company.  I had a Belgian Country Ale (Saison) which was pretty good.  I followed with a Cask-conditioned Stout which was also pretty good.  This is a very casual place.  If you are looking for a sophisticated meal this ain't your place.  If you are looking for a couple of good beers and decent pub food this is for you.  I also visited BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse.  This is apparently a chain as I saw 3 BJ's in San Antonio.  It is a high end brewpub as far as brewpubs go.  The food was pretty good.  The beer was also well-made.  I started with a Harvest Hefeweizen.  This is a very good beer.  I also had a seasonal beer that I don't recall the name of.  It too was well-made.  A lighter beer with citrus notes.  I hope to get back to this, or another BJ's and sample some more.

Shortly after landing in Philadelphia, I stopped in Pinocchio's Restaurant in Media.  I had a Kopstootche from Stillwater Artisanal Ales.  This is an excellent Saison.  I followed with a Dubhe Imperial Black Ale from Uinta Brewing Company.  This is perhaps the best version of this style that I've ever had.  Fantastic.  The pizza steak was pretty good too.  On the way home I couldn't resist the pull of TJ's in Paoli.  It was good to be back home.  I had a Carnevale Saison from The Lost Abbey.  This is a very good Saison as well.  A little spicy for my taste but still very good indeed.

On Saturday I went to Prism Brewing Company in North Wales.  I enjoyed everything there which included Bitto Honey IPA (where are the hops), Felony IPA (oh, there they are) and Insana Stout (chocolate).  I just really like this place.  I used to go to Victory Brewing when they first opened in the 90's and this place reminds me of those good ol' days.  To get to Prism you have to navigate your way around a building that you might never guess housed a brewery.  Sound familiar?  You go inside and nothing is fancy but the beer is excellent.  Sound familiar?  On the way home I made a stop in Appalachian Brewing Company in Collegeville.  I had time for a Celtic Knot Irish Red Ale.  It was OK.  Then I had a guest beer.  Red's Rye PA from Founders.  Now that is how you do Red Ales.

Saturday Fun and Sunday Thud

We went to Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny on Saturday afternoon.  Originally we were all going to go in but that plan fell apart on the way there.  So I went in by myself.  First up was an Avant Garde from The Lost Abbey.  Again, this was a very good beer but not the kind of great beer you think of when you think about The Lost Abbey or Port Brewing.  So I followed that with a Hophead Red from Green Flash.  This is a fine beer indeed.  Exactly what the doctor ordered.

On Sunday I fell off a ladder.  Saturday was the better day this weekend.

Bikes and Beer

I stopped in at the Flying Pig in Malvern after work on Friday.  I had a Tommyknocker Hop Strike Black Rye IPA.  This is a very unusual beer.  I wouldn't say it was great but it was pretty good.  Of course I like rye and I like IPA's so I knew it would be likely that I enjoy this one.  I think the black color had a psychological affect on me though.  It didn't taste like you might expect from its color.  I followed that with a Summer Solstice from Anderson Valley Brewing Company.  I didn't care for this one that much and that surprised me because I like this brewer a lot.  It was almost like drinking fruit juice.  That may be because it followed that black IPA I don't know.  I'll have to give this one another try in the future.  I then made a quick stop at the Sly Fox in Phoenixville.  The bar was packed.  When my Pikeland Pils came my bill was $2.50.  No wonder the place was packed.  I always liked Pikeland Pils but when it is $2.50 during happy hour it just tastes a little better.

On Saturday, after an afternoon of bike riding and bike pushing (my daughter is learning to ride without training wheels) we went to Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny for dinner.  That's right.  Me and the rest of the family went IN to Union Jack's.  Actually we didn't go in.  We ate outside.  I started with an Avant Garde from The Lost Abbey.  This is a Biere de Garde which is not my favorite style of beer.  However as you might expect, I liked this one.  At least I liked this one for a Biere de Garde.  The Lost Abbey could not make a bad beer if they tried.  My second beer at Union Jack's was A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company.  This is a fantastic Pale Wheat Ale (or maybe an Wheat IPA).  If you don't like the taste of hops don't order this beer.  That will leave more for me.

By the way, if you like ribs and you are near Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny should should order them   They were really good.  Plenty of BBQ sauce on them and the meat falling off of the bone.  I got a full order because my daughter and I were going to share.  I ended up taking half of the rack home with us because the serving was so large.  It was a great outing.

Too Much of a Good Thing Saturday

Well it took me until Monday to post about my adventures on Saturday.  That is partly because of my adventures on Saturday.  First I went to Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny.  I had a Double Trouble from Founder's.  This is a great DIPA.  I followed this with an Angel's Share from The Lost Abbey.  You just have to try this beer if you can ever find it.  It was absolutely incredible.  It tasted like prune juice and I mean that in a good way.  I paid $8 for a 10 oz glass and I was happy about it. 

Later on in the evening I found myself at the Craft Ale House in Limerick.  I had an India IPA from Weyerbacher Brewing Company.  I usually don't go out of my way for a Weyerbacher but this one was pretty good.  I would go out of my way for this one if I know it is on somewhere.  I followed that with an Old Guardian Barleywine from Stone Brewing Company.  If you like barleywines you will love this beer.  I happen to love barleywines.

And yes, my wife was driving.