Whenever my wife and I plan a trip somewhere, the first thing I look into is the local breweries. Almost every big town and city has one or more craft brewery these days, so there is never an excuse not to try out some new, local beer! On our last trip to Reading, I did the same thing and came across Chatty Monks. We were on our way to a Fightin’ Phils game, but were not able to make a visit. But I had kept an eye on the place, and was determined to get there on my next visit to Reading.
Last week, my wife made plans to head up to the Reading area to visit Koziar’s Christmas Village. It didn’t open up until later, so we had to find someplace to meet up with the rest of our group for lunch. Seeing my opening, I quickly suggested (OK, insisted) we try out Chatty Monks. She agreed, reached out to the brewery, and I finally got my chance to check out the place. They were very responsive to having Just Get in the Car in for a visit, and the complimentary flight of beer was most welcomed!
We showed up on a Sunday afternoon with a pretty big crew – four adults and six kids. We settled in for a nice meal, with a side of libations. It was difficult to decide what to start with: the Hoppy French Friars were intriguing – hand cut fries dusted with hops. We also considered the Fried Pickles and wings, but our stomachs were not big enough to try everything. We decided on the Jalapeno Popper Dip – a spicy and delicious dip we were all able to share. I would highly recommend trying it if you stop in.
The main dishes did not disappoint, either. My brother went with the fish tacos, which he quickly devoured and raved about, while his wife enjoyed the “Q” Platter, which consisted of pulled pork, baked beans and coleslaw. My wife, being the Italian that she is, ordered The Rosa!, a pasta dish with marinara sauce and cream. It was a little spicy for her tastes, so take that into consideration if you are jonesing for pasta. I went with the Chatty Brisket Brioche, a smoked brisket sandwich with herbed cheddar cheese and a peppered mustard sauce. All four of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals.
After we ordered our lunch, my brother and I decided to do our due diligence on their beers – three flights allowed us to try all eight beers on tap, plus a local cider that they offered. Chatty Monks offers a great mix of beers to try: IPAs, Stouts, Sours and Ales were all on tap.
With the first flight, we started with the Chocolate Maids-a-Milken Stout. I really enjoy a good stout, and this one was delicious. It was on nitro, which gave it a nice kick, and also had a tasty chocolate flavor. Next up was the Black Friday IPA, a dark, tasty beer with a nice hoppy flavor, as well as some maltiness. After that was the Berks English Ale, a smooth, easily drinkable beer.
On the next flight, we started with the Pekkochu IPA (pronounced just like the Pokemon). It had a nice melon flavor and a light color. Next up was one of the most unique beers I have ever tasted – their Sour Brown Ale. It had a much darker color than you normally see in a sour, with a strong, lip puckering flavor. Definitely worth trying! We rounded out that flight with the Traditional London Brown Ale – a dark, malty masterpiece. We followed this up on flight three with another nice malty drink – the Revelation Ale, then the Crafty Cranberry, a cider made at nearby Wyndridge Farms. It had a light pink color, as well as a nice apple-cranberry flavor.
My favorite of them all was their Endoplasmic Reticulum, a delicious American IPA. When the flights were gone, I had two pints while finishing my lunch, and also left with two Crowlers, neither of which lasted through the night. If only have time for one beer, make sure that this is the one you try.
Another great thing about the place is that it is kid friendly. They have a few offerings for the kiddos on their menu – grilled cheese, chicken fingers and chocolate chip pancakes, since we were there for brunch. No milk or chocolate milk, unfortunately. But the kids were content with water (and a soda for our older daughter). The place also offered some entertainment to our surprise Magic with Matty Whipple. He came over to the table, and did a few tricks for the kids, which left them bewildered and excited. Luckily, he did not make our beer disappear!
We are not the only ones who think this place is great. They just recently won Berks County Brewery of the Year! So if you are looking for something to do, go check out Chatty Monks. Make a day of it – down the block are another brewery, a nearby ice cream shop, a coffee and donut shop, and a used toy shop, where the kids harassed us for figures, while dad got to relive his youth. On top of that, you are only a few blocks away from the Reading Public Museum and Planetarium, a great museum for kids and adults alike. There is plenty to do in the Reading area, starting with the opportunity to try out some great beer.
Scoping out breweries is a top priority for my fiance and I when planning our trips too. It looks like this one has some great beers on tap AND it’s next to a planetarium? Ok, going on the list!
Awesome! There are quite a few things to check out in the Reading, Pa area. An overlooked area for sure, but worth a trip if you are nearby! Enjoy if you go 🙂