Beer – Just Get in the Car https://justgetinthecar.com Local finds and family adventures Wed, 01 May 2019 18:25:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://justgetinthecar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Untitled-design-4-75x75.png Beer – Just Get in the Car https://justgetinthecar.com 32 32 Chew, Chant, Chill, and Craft Beer in Reading https://justgetinthecar.com/chew-chant-chill-and-craft-beer-in-reading/ https://justgetinthecar.com/chew-chant-chill-and-craft-beer-in-reading/#comments Tue, 11 Dec 2018 04:08:45 +0000 https://justgetinthecar.com/?p=617

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.  

- Shawn

]]> https://justgetinthecar.com/chew-chant-chill-and-craft-beer-in-reading/feed/ 2 Christmas Cheer with Beer https://justgetinthecar.com/christmas-cheer-with-beer/ https://justgetinthecar.com/christmas-cheer-with-beer/#comments Wed, 21 Nov 2018 05:05:30 +0000 https://justgetinthecar.com/?p=505

I like beer.  I don’t have the most sophisticated pallet for it, but I like to try different things, go different places, and see how all the different microbrewers around make their craft.  My wife likes food.  I can usually convince her to go to most microbrews, because they usually have a restaurant on site or at the very least a food truck with some good offerings.  That still leaves one problem: kids.  Since the law frowns upon us leaving children unattended, we usually have to figure out some way to bring them along.  Especially this time of year, when all they want to do is see decorations, meet Santa, and other yuletide B.S.  We need a way for everyone to have Christmas Cheer, even the beer drinkers among us!

Well, luckily for you, I have taken the liberty of checking out some of the local breweries to see what kind of family friendly offerings they have this holiday season.  That way, you get beer, wife gets food, and the kids are entertained.  Everyone wins.

Nov 23-Dec 31: Christmas Lights and Beer Garden at Longwood Gardens

  • Check out the holiday lights and enjoy a Cherry Oatmeal Stout from Victory Brewing.

Nov 23 – Nov 26: Cape May Brewery – Shop ‘Til You Drop Weekend

  • Black Friday sale on all kinds of swag. While you are there, check out the lights all over Cape May, and make sure you try their Boughs of Barley – an Imperial Stout that spent a year aging in cognac and scotch barrels.

Nov 25: Punk Rock Flea Market at Root Down Brewing in Phoenixville

  • The kids will get a kick out of checking out all the eclectic stuff for sale. Maybe you find some cool Christmas gift for someone.  The wife can dine on the cauliflower chickpea tacos, while you sip on the BA Darkroom Stout, which has been aged with Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey.

Nov 27: Cookie Day at Town Tap by Conshohocken Brewing

  • We go here a lot. They have a kids menu for food, and on this day, they also have Koffmeyer’s offering some cookie & beer pairings, along with fried cookie dough, cookie sundaes and beer floats!  Try some Robust Porter, or maybe the just released Winter Madness!

Dec: 2: Santa .5K Run at Evil Genius

  • A run anyone can finish! Its 0.5K, not 5K, so it’s only around the block.  Even my lazy kids can do that!  Get some exercise, then come back for a swag bag and some beer (tickets needed).  The Slide into the DMS White Chocolate Mocha Latte Amber Ale sounds interesting to me.

Dec 2: Fundraiser for Homeless Malvern Families – Locust Lane

  • A kid friendly event! Pay it forward while enjoying some beers.  This fundraiser is to help out families that lost their homes in a recent storm.  Try some of their beers dedicated to the victims of Duffy’s Cut, and have some food from the Vida Food Truck.

Dec 7: Phoenixville Christmas Parade; Cookies with Santa – Iron Hill Phoenixville

  • Iron Hill always has a great food menu, and is kid friendly. Stop by for the Christmas Parade, and watch the kids have cookies with Santa while you sip on a Philly Special IPA.

Dec 7: Ugly Sweater Party Multi-Tap – Iron Hill Media

  • Wear an ugly sweater, feed the family and get a sampler of the Winter Warmer, Scrooge IPA, Reindeer’s Revenge and Santa’s Little Helper.

Dec 8: Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market – Neshaminy Creek

  • Kids 10 and under are free. Check out the eclectic offerings, take Punk Rawk Santa pictures, and grab some lunch from the food trucks.  Get there early, and get a swag bag.  Or come when you want and have a J.A.W.N. Pale Ale.

Dec 9: Brunch with Santa – Victory Brewing

  • The kids get to meet Santa, the wife gets a special brunch buffet, and you get to sip on some of the best beers in the area. Santa is at all locations, so you can swing over to Kennett to avoid the Downingtown crowds, or Parkesburg, which is just a little closer to Delco than the North Pole.

Dec 12: December to Remember Beer Dinner – Iron Hill Ardmore

  • Take the wife out for a 5 course meal. Each course is paired with one of their beers.

Dec 14-16: Crime + Punishmas Holiday Bazaar – Crime and Punishment

  • Let the family check out some arts and crafts vendors, while you sip on an And My Axe heavy.

Dec 15: The Dark Side Party multi-Tap – Iron Hill Wilmington

  • Star Wars parties may not be Christmas theme, but who cares. Let the kids check out the nerds in costume, while you sip on a Kryptonite Imperial IPA.  See if any of the Trekkies notice!

Dec 16: Carols and Beer – Kennett Brewing Company

  • Kids can order from the kids’ menu, the wife can turn of carols from B101 in the car and start listening to them live, and you can sit back, relax and enjoy a Hopmongus Double IPA.

Dec 20: Sugar Plum Release – Brick Works

  • Head down to Smyrna and let the kids eat off the kids’ menu. Stick around for their Sugar Plum sour release. 

Dec 21-22: Last Call Holiday Haul – Philadelphia Brewing Company

  • Get some of those last minute gifts while listening to Christmas music and sipping on a Kenzinger.

Dec 22: Christmas Carols all day – Wilmington Brew Works

  • Family friendly brewery with chalkboard walls, toys and snacks for kids. While the kids keep themselves busy, and the wife relaxes to some Christmas tunes, enjoy a Theoretical Holes West Coast IPA and get ready for the pending Christmas chaos.

 

We have been to a few of these places already, but not all of them.  Which are your favorites?  And what are your favorite beers from them?

This is not a complete list of the family friendly breweries in the area.  For a more detailed list, check out this link.

- Shawn

]]> https://justgetinthecar.com/christmas-cheer-with-beer/feed/ 25