…an engine that was down at length has recently resurfaced: finally brought back last week - Descendants (formerly: The Ship Inn) New Jersey, USA 1xActive Beer Engine (short/southern spout) Cask-conditioned Cask Tapped: Last Week Pub Visit: Feb. 25, 2023 Best Bitter: The Ships Best Bitter ABV: 5.1% Aspirator: No Sparkler: No Pints: 2 (not immersed) Visuals: 3 Doorway ---
I attended the annual (except for he past 2 pandemic years) Philly German Bierfest yesterday at the German Society of Pennsylvania. There were a number of beers served via cask (gravity pour). Below is a photo of two German beers: Weihenstephaner Korbinian on the left and Andechs Doppelbock on the right. And here is a photo of Mainstay Poplar Pils with the co-owner & brewer of Mainstay Brian O'Reilly: There was also a cask of Human Robot Hallertau Pils as well (which I did not photograph). All of these beers served on cask were very good – excellent. The highlight of this event for me was the opportunity to drink two beers from Tired Hands as a side-by-side: Austere Modular 12A and Austere Modular 12B. Both of these beers featured Perle hops (with one of the two also have a bit of Hallertauer Mittelfruh as well) but the notable difference was that 12B aged in an oak foudre. I really, really enjoyed both of these beers! On the first go around I thought I enjoyed the oak aged version better but I went back for a second pour(s) I thought the non-oaked version was better. Both versions were excellent. Prost! @rotsaruch
"We're pleased to announce the Live Beer Experience is back. With 100s of beers for you to discover, as well as street food and live entertainment to enjoy. There's no other festival like it!" Great British Beer Festival 2023 (gbbf.org.uk) --- ---
Forest & Main Brewing (Ambler, PA) is back again this year with Cask in a Box for March Mildness https://www.instagram.com/reel/CpS2lbsAhfF/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= The previous thread from 2020 about the topic https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/cask-ale-in-a-bag-box.652505/
In other local news, it looks like Troubles End Brewing (Collegeville, PA) were pouring from a gravity firkin that was released these week for the combination of March Mildness and their Third Anniversary. Missed it but it was yesterday: P.S. They normally have two beer engines operating at all times https://www.troublesendbrewing.com/house-beers
Nice to see that brewery's still around (looks new siding or a paint job?). Last time I visited it as the Ship Inn I was very disappointed with the beer selection and the attitude of the bartender. Think I left without drinking anything. The oldest "brewpub" in NJ, in the late 80s I used to drive up there with friends before it was a licensed brewery and it was just a bar & grill in a small town with a good selection of imports and English food. What does "2" mean?
Their only packaged beers that I am aware of have been special bottle releases of some saison type beers and imperial stouts. https://www.troublesendbrewing.com/bottles I dont think they have a crowler machine, not sure if they will fill a growler (of a beer on a regular draft line) or not. Never asked, because I don't ever recall seeing anything about pricing for a growler fill.
Below was posted in BA places last year for Troubles End: "I also bought two growlers of some of their other beers to drink at home." Cheers!
John Dale - a third-generation owner that runs a proper show at the historic pub: cask setup was mostly acquired through Paul Pendyck (mentioned previously in this thread). Irrespective, and perhaps useful information to those in the vicinity, John is planning a potential gravity cask fest (all cask-conditioned)…the outside area is an appropriate fit --- A mild, for March - Spinnerstown Hotel Pennsylvania, USA 1xActive Beer Engine (Angram) Cask-conditioned Cask Tapped: Feb. 25, 2023 Pub Visit: Mar. 4, 2023 English-style mild ale: Angel Maker Brewery: Bonn Place ABV: 3.9% Aspirator: Yes Sparkler: Yes Pints: 2 Visuals: 4 + Doorway Doorway ---
The Ship Inn went through a real rough patch a bit ago. The new owners are amazing though. They have renovated the building, the kitchen, the tap lines (yesssss), and are working on the brewery itself currently. They are now Descendants Brewing at the Ship Inn, and the food and the guest taps (and off topic, the whiskey selection) are top notch. The house beers are WAY better than before and (in my opinion) only going to get better.
Didn’t want to address this just yet, but will touch up/add to the Adams comments in a few words…@jesskidden Joe preferences age: the cask is always served near still conditions (as pictured above) + He is still dialing in the newer batches = yeast/fermentation characterization is not middling, but it is attuning. Also, the ‘Whiskey River Club’ and imported selections are notably developing
Is there a way to adjust the title, as there was never meant to be a ‘?’ in place. Granted, I’m not sure if this was added by mistake, or incorporated by a mod, but this is an appreciation thread = not a survey @Todd...feel free to delete the post, if the request is permitted
Yep. Use the Report link on the original post. This will add the request to the moderation queue and someone will handle it as soon as possible. It's exactly as you posted it.
Went to Troubles End for dinner tonight. Unfortunately the Uncle Chen (Dark Mild collaboration with Forest & Main) was on regular draft, not cask. But in addition to drinking that and other beers, I did have a mug of one of their cask beers, Arborist, an ESB. Great toasty malt flavor, and very dry finish. @jts211 I was able to confirm on their menu that any beer on regular draft (all beers not on side pull faucet or beer engine had the asterisk) is available for a growler fill, but no prices listed. First time I've been given a physical menu, previously it was always just the digital menu.
I had dinner at Spinnerstown a few weeks ago, first time I had been there in probably ten years. Food was very good and the beer selection was great. That night they had a Bonn Place and Troon collaboration beer on cask called Catch a Tiger. From a post I had made in the WNEBAYDN thread:
Unfortunately, I can't speak to that collaboration. Nonetheless, temperature is a common (stateside) problem: Spinnerstown/John handled this well = a decent perspective on dispensed temp vs a miscalculated insulator
Dug through my "New Jersey Craft" files for some info on the old Ship Inn. Pre-brewing license, as a "true British pub" they advertised 14 British Ales on Tap (below), which would be quite a feat these days. BUT, apparently, based on the list of beers in another ad from the same year, they kinda stretch the definition of "British Ale" - listing Irish and Australian (maybe Canadian by then?) lagers, an Irish stout along with a cider. The actual British ales include some that most would have considered "UK Macro keg ale". I'd forgotten that theirs was a Pugley's system and that the license apparently was in the name of "Milford Brewing Co.".
