Imperial Pumking from Southern Tier

In the spirit of both the fall season and the anticipation of All Hallows Eve, it seems appropriate to post a quick review of a good pumpkin ale or Octoberfest.  I’ve had the pleasure (more often than necessary…or maybe not) of trying Southern Tier’s Imperial Pumking ale.  Other variations of the pumpkin ale just don’t capture the real pumpkin flavor that abounds from the Imperial Pumking.  I’ve noticed that in other pumpkin ales there is no real prominence of pumpkin flavor, but rather, an abundance of pumpkin spice flavor, like cinnamon and nutmeg.  However, Southern Tier’s Imperial Pumking really provides that pumpkin flavor that made me think, ’this is exactly what I had hoped for.’

Sierra Nevada Torpedo

After a long recess and a seemingly endless drought of notable beer tasting, I have finally stumbled upon something worthy of more than a few words.  Since leaving the Philadelphia area I have been more than lazy in my excursions, but I recently tried Sierra Nevada’s Torpedo Extra IPA.  Being familiar with Sierra Nevada, I expected the extra hoppiness along with the bitter finish, which, unlike some of the reviews I have read claim, is not too overpowering.  For me, the Torpedo’s combination of bold, bitter hops along with flavors and aromas of pine and citrus make it an ideal example of an American IPA.  It is a delicious beer, but it is nothing surprising or particularly unique, which may sometimes be positive or negative.  However, if you are looking for an easy-to-drink American IPA with some flavor then the Torpedo is something you will want to find. 

Final Class Post

So, I initially started this blog as a class project for my online journalism class, but with some encouragment from a few people I have decided to keep it running for as long as I am capable.  However, I am leaving the Philadelphia area for the summer, so the material covered in my posts might be slightly altered or, at times, varied.  Anyway, I have enjoyed the experience so far, and I hope to continue to in the future.

Philadelphia Trip

I recently took an all-day trip through Philadelphia, visiting my favorite brew pubs and beer bars in the area.  I decided to map the occasion so viewers can see how easy it is to find a few good beers in a few good locations, all in a single day.  I started off from the Ben Franklin bridge and made my way south to Triumph Brewery, one of my favorite places to find fresh beer brewed right on location.  I then continued south to hit P.O.P.E  (Pub on Passyunk East) and the South Philadelphia Tap Room.  Both of these places always have an excellent selection, and they are easily within walking distance of each other.  I then headed back up north to Eulogy Belgian Tavern, located right across the street from Triumph, to get a good Belgian ale before heading back over the bridge and home.  Anyway, check out the map and the photos I posted in the slideshow.  Enjoy!

Mapping the Trip

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A Day in Philadelphia’s Finest Pubs and Beer Bars

Aventinus

I have been trying so many Belgian and American beers lately, I decided to broaden my horizons with a German wheat doppelbock  called Aventinus.  This beer seems to have so many different flavors that it’s difficult to pinpoint anything in particular.  It definitely has a sweet, malty flavor with some undertones of banana and possibly cherry.  It has an excellent crispness that continues all the way through, making it very, very easy to drink.  Definitely worth a try regardless of the beer you might gravitate towards.

Yard’s IPA, ESA, and Pale Ale

A little while ago I posted a review of Yard’s Brawler, a good dark mild beer that I picked up from the new location of Yard’sin Philadelphia.  The other three included in the variety case are the IPA, the ESA, and the Pale Ale.  Of these, I have to say I enjoyed the ESA (extra special ale) the most.  Although I tend to enjoy a very hopped-up IPA, I really enjoyed the mild, crispness of the ESA.  It was less hoppy than both the IPA and Pale Ale, and it had a nice light-bodied, refreshing flavor that made it exceptionally easy to drink.  I wasn’t particularly impressed by the Pale Ale, however, since it had an unusual flavor that threw me off.  I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I couldn’t help but think of rotting vegetation, as ridiculous as that sounds.

Map of Philadelphia beer bars and pubs

Here is a map of some of the brew pubs and beer bars I have stopped at already.  I intend on adding others as I go.  Check it out, there are links to each bar/pubs website so you can look at it yourself.
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Monk’s Cafe

This week, I stopped at Monk’s Cafe (16thand Spruce Street in Philadelphia) in search of a few good Belgian ales.  I had heard through some family and friends that they have a great selection, so I decided I wanted to try it out for myself.  They had almost twenty taps between both the front and back bar, and most of them I have never tried before.  I really enjoyed the Flemish Sour Ale, a beer brewed outside Ghent, Belgium specifically for Monk’s.  It had a very sweet, acetic flavor that I wasn’t familiar with, but it really grew on me with every sip.  I also tried the Russian River Blind Pig (no, not a Belgian-style ale, but still one of the best IPA’s i’ve experienced in a while).  Of course, it was heavily hopped with a dry, bitter finish, but the aroma was exceptionally excellent.  In fact, one of roommates said “I want my room to smell like this” with genuine sincerity after he tried it.  Another brew worth noting, 2007 De Dolle Stille Nacht, was a sweet, maybe a little too sweet in fact, fruity Belgian with a flavor of brandy and a warm, alcoholic finish.  I would think it would be very enjoyable in small doses since its sweetness was a bit overpowering, for me at least.  Anyway, Monk’s is an essential stop for good Belgian or Belgian-style ales in Philadelphia.