MOUNT AIRY, PENNSYLVANIA
At cozy Kenswick Village in Glenside, G.G. Brewers is a tiny maroon-framed green stucco tavern located amongst small antique shops, food joints, and an old theatre. Opened ’06, reasonably priced menu had usual pub suspects but alas the place wasn’t opened at 4 PM, May ’09, as advertised. Therefore, Oatmeal Cream Stout and IPA went untested.
MOUNT AIRY, PENNSYLVANIA
There were three worthy brewpubs a few miles northwest of Philadelphia during May ’09 excursion. Mount Airy’s Earth Bread & Brewery still thrives. Lafayette Hills’ General Lafayette went under. And Glenside’s G.G. Brewers was closed during early afternoon stint.
Located in Mount Airy’s cobble-stoned main drag amongst antique shops and 18th century buildings, EARTH BREAD & BREWERY, opened October ’08, featuring ex-Heavyweight brewer Tom Baker’s newest exciting fare.
Entering through a side door at a corner entrance, this quaintly contemporary Euro café-pub (with green awning) has left side bar where world maps abound, right dining area with community table alongside three four-seaters, drop-floored brew tanks and stylish stone-fired flatbread pizzas to go with a revolving beer lineup. Remarkably, Baker has brewed at least two dozen different beers in only nine months of existence.
His ‘Liquid Breads’ on this May ’09 trip included Monk’s Table Amber Belgian, a soft-tongued light body enveloping sugared fig, date, and fennel illusions with fungi earthiness. Next up, Stickie Alt, a mellow hop-fizzed chocolate-caramel malted moderation, was equally fine.
Even better: oats-charred hop-toasted nut-sharpened chocolate-coffee-molasses-backed Non-Profit Porter.
Best bet: ‘Bareley’ Wine Strong Ale, with its candied banana, cherry, watermelon, and honeydew confluence enjoining buttery rum raisin midst to warm barleywine finish.
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In late December ’12, revisited EB&B with wife on cold Sunday evening for dinner. Sitting at the wood-floored yellow-walled upstairs dining area, we grab a table inside the raised booth (with pane-glassed window giving the illusion of privacy). Local art for sale line the walls and an old chandelier adds Old World eloquence.
Besides the skillfully handcrafted in-house libations, sterling outside offerings such as Brewer’s Art Resurrection, Victory Prima Pils, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Ommegang Hennepin and Petrus Aged Pale Ale consumed the tap handles while hand-pulled Victory Uncle Teddy’s Bitter was on cask.
For an appetizer, we enjoy the round-caked Butternut Couscous Salad (with goat cheese, split peas, chickpeas, squash, dried cranberry and pistachios topped with spinach and cranberry reduction). Its fresh vegetal crispness enhanced the sweet ‘n sour pleasantries of Goldilicks Wheat Saison, where zesty lemon juicing sidles wood-rotted smoked malting to the receding banana bubblegum finish, gaining soured kiwi, mango and papaya tropicalia.
Before the main course, I dipped into two stylishly dissimilar and unconventional winter brews. Czech-like pilsner malts saddled robust Alt Lang Syne, a Munich malt-toasted dry body with musty tea-like earthiness and mild hop bittering. Bolder Alcoholiday Imperial Ale placed nutty grains against perfume-hopped citric spritz.
While I consumed the spaghetti and meatball pizza, my wife delved into the tomato-sauced Traditional Pizza (with fresh mozzarella, garlic olive oil and basil).
As we finished up, I sipped the highly impressive Baltus Porterus, a well-rounded full body with dominant coffee-roasted souring secured by Belgian dark cane-sugaring and chocolate-spiced cocoa malting. Its ancillary sour ale-like dried fruiting relayed burgundy, bourbon, plum, prune, black grape and black cherry illusions to the rich barley-oats spine.
MOUNT AIRY, PENNSYLVANIA
In a freestanding gray-hued chalet-styled Lafayette Hills lodge five miles north of Earth Bread & Brewing on Germantown Pike, GENERAL LAFAYETTE INN & BREWERY marks history as a Revolutionary War-era relic (visited May ’09).
Opened as a brewpub in 1996, its small outdoor side deck leads to low-ceilinged catacomb-like wood bar middling right and left dining areas. Sunday buffet is recommended, but if that’s not doable than the sandwiches, seafood bisque, and French onion soup make fine alternative. But during tough economic times, brewery closed 2010 (but in late 2011 will open as Copper Crow Brewing Company).
Nevertheless, ex-brewmaster Christopher Leonard crafted two separate types of beers: Brewmaster Specials and Signature Ales. As for the former, honeyed raspberry resonates fizz-hopped yellow grape, apple, and strawberry tartness of dry Raspberry Mead Ale and washed-out peach-candied tartness counters grassy hop acridity of low-alcohol Economizer Pale Ale.
Better were brown-sugared chocolate-sweetened coffee-soured nut-sharpened peppery-hopped Chocolate Thunder Porter and black & tan red ale-porter hybrid Red Velvet, with its black cherry and stewed prune illusions propping peat-smoked malts to dry bourbon-burgundy finish.
Best bet: Alt! Who Goes There, a honey-spiced rum raisin-y banana-peach-bruised fruity dessert.
Signature Ales included simply outstanding candi-sugared banana-bruised clove-spiced corn-buttered Abbey Blonde Ale, dry wood-stained red-fruited Sunset Red Ale (which maintained crisp lemon-seeded grapefruit-currant bittering) and the lesser dry-bodied fungi-fruited aspirin-powdered Pacific Pale Ale.
MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
Easily one of the greatest party towns thanks to the cool West Virginia University students cheering on their Mountaineers. Them ‘Eers beat Penn State for the first time in the mid-‘80s when the Nittany Lions were ranked second in the nation. I was there. The goalposts came down while my WVU friend, Dave Delia, and I, finished the last of our four Bacardi rum bottles in celebratory fashion.
On two hazy trips to this pleasant retreat in the ‘90s, I realized hilly antediluvian industrial village had more cheap-priced dingy basement bars and rustic saloons within walking distance than anywhere else. And I salute them. But their one fair brewpub closed ‘round ’07, and the agrarian state of West Virginny is a bit slow on the take when it comes to brewing laws.
Nevertheless, during post-Christmas ’08 trip, hit campus sanctuary, 123 Pleasant Street, draining bottles of imported St. Druon French Abbey Ale as underground legend Hobo Jack kept my family entertained with dinner time road tales.
Across the street at Black Bear, a green and tan cafeteria-styled tavern with laid-back Appalachian atmosphere, L-shaped bar, and appealing Rogue, Bear Republic, and Great Lakes bottled selections, found Mountain State Miner’s Daughter Oatmeal Stout, a nutty bitter with rich hop-charred black coffee souring and recessive black chocolate reticence.
As of 2008, only Mountain State Brewing (forty miles East in Thomas) and its neighboring Blackwater Brewing, exist as microbrews in bucolic “Take Me Home Country Road”-inspired territory.
MONTREAL, CANADA
A few blocks west of St. Lawrence River on Ontario Rue, a lonely black sign with white lettering illuminates uncompromising LE CHEVAL BLANC, a tiny, elongated lounge packed to the rim with young sophisticates this frigid April ’05 eve. Its green marble walls and terrazo floors offer parlor-styled decor. Ceiling fans and a fluorescent clock adorn thinly lit café.
Thick wood-blocked sampler trays contained eye-opening lemongrass-spiced floral-hopped leather-skinned Blonde and tangy grapefruit-fronted coriander-spiced, vanilla-banana sugared, curacao orange-tinged Blanche for mild starters.
Barley-toasted dark-fruited fig-dried Ambree, polite fruit-spiced fungi-musted Saison and malt-honeyed lemon-peeled alcohol-licked India Pale Ale were fine medium-bodied fare.
Better still were buttery rum-soaked, orange-bruised, banana-mango-kiwi-centered, tangerine-peach-backed Triple, tart orange-apricot-fronted, white grape-soured, cherry-tannic Cassis Belgian Blonde and creamy black coffee-espresso-centered, wood-burnt, walnut-dabbed stout, Noire.
MONTREAL, CANADA
On the corner of Laurier lies terrific café-styled brewpub, DIEU DU CIEL! Friendly diminutive saloon, visited April ’05, had a well-selected beer bottle collection displayed across the bar area, appeasing connoisseurs of all stripes. Wood stools and tables line the smallish interior with stainless steel brew tanks situated by the front window and bagels, cheese, tortillas, nachos, and pan pizza filling out the terse menu.
Best brew may have been excellent Corne Du Diable American IPA, a deeply embittered red-orange-fruited dry-hopped quencher with currant tinge belying herb-roasted peppery-floral nuance.
Also enticing: buttery orange-bruised peach-syrupy grapefruit-embittered Abbey-styled Rigor Mortis Blonde; raw-honeyed red-fruited wheat-biscuit-y hop-dried Fumisterie Rousse; and lemon meringue-dried orange-peeled bubble-gummy Blanche Du Paradis.
Dry-honeyed low-carb wheat-sweet sedation McAuslan Cream Ale, gentle coffee-dried black cherry-sniped McAuslan Stout A L’Avoine, sullen yellow-fruited wheat-dried Paienne Blonde Ale and softly carbolic resin-hopped citrus-finishing cask-conditioned Vaisseau Des Songes IPA ain’t bad either.
MONTREAL, CANADA
Fascinating midtown pub, BRUTOPIA, with its ancient ornamental exterior brackets and live nightly entertainment, boasted English-styled libations on Crescent Rue. Right next to Irish pub, Hurley’s (great draught selection: Murphy’s, Guinness, Harp, Bass, Kilkennys as well as local Canadian faves), this busy bistro served quality food and draughts to my family one brisk April ’05 afternoon.
Open since 1996, Brutopia’s busy brick-walled wood-floored bar features front porch and upstairs lounge (with hidden rear-situated brew tanks). Its rustic appearance afforded a dank inner city appeal and the middling hummus, sausage, and quesidillas went down fine alongside excellent handcrafted beer.
Nut-grained clover-honeyed wildflower-bloomed Honey Beer; lilting cereal-grained honey-glazed yellow-orange-fruited Maple Rousse; sour yellow-fruited rye-dried Golden Wheat; soft-watered wheat-grained grape-vinous Scotch Ale; and mild walnut-imbued cocoa-sugared Nut Brown Ale were decent preliminaries for more interesting fare.
Woody Centennial-Chinook-hopped, grapefruit rind-embittered, lemon-zesty IPA and berry-kiwi-blanched rye-pumpernickel-soured Brutopia Extra Blonde should please bitterer swiggers.
Lively raspberry-wheat-fronted, passion fruit-aided, cereal-malted honey-dried Brutopia Raspberry Blonde will appease fruit ale lovers.
MONTREAL, CANADA
Just off St. Laurent on Duluth, small smoke-filled 100-capacity brick-exterior brewpub, RESERVOIR, gets busy with 5 o’clock crowd. Visited April ’05, main bar area included open backside ovens offering calamari, fromage, salads, and oysters, plus table seating near front window. Brew tanks, an extra bar, and more seating are available upstairs.
On tap were three easy plowing beers and four more exquisite choices. Soft-fizzed lemon-candied grapefruit-soured Blonde, delicately buttered floral-perfumed lemon-orange-faded hefeweizen-styled Ambree De Ble and soapy light-spiced stone-fruited lemongrass-hinted Blanche suited light-bodied drinkers.
More engaging fare included terrific Belgian-styled raisin-prune-soured cherry-sweet banana-bruised fig-juiced Triple, piney malt-smoked hop-charred Bitter and lactic coffee-roasted hazelnut-toasted soft-tongued stout-styled Noire.
Mild hop-spiced, lemony grapefruit-embittered, peach-pitted Pale Ale was both light-bodied and distinguished.
MONTREAL, CANADA
On St. Laurent, the former ‘new’ location for SERGENT RECRUTEUR, brick-walled left side dining area and a cozy back bar with stainless steel brew tanks infiltrated this soon-to-be highbrow pub.
Unfortunately, as of April ’05, a brewpub license hadn’t been granted. Yet the selection of tapped brews took pride offering fine Canadian line of Le Cheval Blanc, Mc Auslan’s St. Ambroise Rousse and Griffon Blonde, plus Belgian staple Liefman Framboise and Denmark’s Tuborg Blonde. By 2007, the brewpub had closed.
MONTREAL, CANADA
Since 2002, St. Denis corner pub, LES 3 BRASSEURS, has served brewer Louis Philippe’s likable assortment. The busily crowded cement-floored joint with cordial right side bar, upstairs terrace, and interior balcony served sandwiches, wraps, and pizza plus cappuccino and espresso drinks on April ’05 stopover.
Though Wheat and Brown Ales were out, sampled laid-back lemony grapefruit-fronted, perfume-spiced, wheat-husked Blonde, honey-malted hop-toasted pepper-snipped L’Ambree and sinewy lemon-hopped, banana-dried, orange rind-embittered, coriander-spiced La Blanche (the most expressive choice this rainy springtime day).
MONTREAL, CANADA
I’m convinced the best place to buy Canadian brews as of February ’04 is tiny grocery store, De Panneur Laurier, at 1420 Laurier off Papineau Boulevard. Bought Belle Gueule, Bieropholie, Boreale, Breughel, Du Lievre, La Barberie, Les Brasseurs RJ, Le Cheval Blanc, Nouvelle, Schoune, Saint Antoine Abbe, and Saint Arnould brews at marvelous oasis. Walked to nearby Rahman’s to get more previously unfound brews.
On April ’05 brewpub excursion, stayed at midtown hotel near respected Mc Gill University for three nights. I managed to quaff two local independent brews on tap at refined first floor bar: mild lemony-whiffed prickly-hopped grapefruit-soured wheat-dried Old Montreal Blonde and barley roasted sweet tea-like Old Montreal Red Ale.
L’AMERE A BOIRE, in arty St. Denis section, offered burgers and quesadillas alongside brewer Greg Rossel’s fine beers. High ceilings, a small back loft, oak stools and tables, sundry hanging plants, and rear brew tanks inundate the interior with six seats consuming the small right side bar.
Wheat-soft banana-bubblegummy coriander-cloved Blanche, mild lemon rind-softened spice-nipped Danoise, peppery-hopped honey-lagered Munich-styled Montreal Hell, lemony white-peppered currant-embittered Cerna Hora and floral citric pale ale Amere A Boire proved light and effervescent.
Malt-sugared orange-bruised grapefruit-surged Fin De Siecle (Red Ale), chocolate-malted cherry-ripened Cognac-warmed Boucanier Porter, raisin-greened cherry-tart dessert-like Maibock, mocha-chalked cappuccino-milked Kozak Dark Lager and mellow vanilla-chocolate-centered, crème de cocoa-like Stout Imperial suited connoisseurs.
MISHAWAKA, INDIANA
Tucked into the Indiana prairies and mere miles from Notre Dame University, MISHAWAKA BREWING has been in operation since ’91. Next to the corner malls off Main Street, this freestanding tan-brown-bricked facility had front garden deck and dark interior with left side dining and rear bar storing brew vessels, August ‘06. Pub fare was offered alongside upscale dishes: Beef Wellington, porterhouse steaks, and ossobuco pork.
Brewer Rick Schmidt poured sun-bright, lemony orange, coriander-spiced Shag Bark Belgian Wheat, vivacious piney-hopped orange-grapefruit-spiced Lake Effect Pale Ale, leather-grassed hay-dried honey-buttered citric-dashed Mishawaka Kolsch and corn-sugared raw-grained Wall Street Wheat. Slick raspberry-sweet citric-licked grassy-hopped wheat-bottomed Raspberry Wheat Ale was OK as dessert fodder.
At least as consistent were barnyard-wafted, honey nut-sweetened, wild oats-toasted, rye-fig-backed Four Horsemen Irish Ale, dry red-orange-fruited, grassy-floral-tinted Indiana Pale Ale and black coffee-roasted, black cherry-dried, cocoa-powdered, nut-roasted Founders Stout.
By December ’08, Mishawaka Brewing shutdown brewpub and restaurant operations, relocating at a Grape Street cornershop serving growlers, kegs, and 6-packs of its best brews to South Bend/ Mishawaka locals and Notre Dame fans.