Philly Beer Week

I think this is the most important part of your response. Limited keg events, especially big-name breweries such as Cigar City, will draw a lot of people. Everyone should be aware that even if an event starts at the advertised time, the line at that time may result in getting shutout anyway.

Show up early for your appointment.

- Joe

 

It was pretty crowded when we arrived at 7:30 p.m., but not impossible to get a drink. We had reserved a table to eat dinner also, so that helped. It looked like most everything was still on when we left around 9 p.m.

 

the leon was very good, and the Lifes a peach by siren was a pleasant surprise. BBA punkless dunkel is probably one of the best pumpkin beers in the world (drops mic)

 

That Neshaminy stuff is legit! My friend said they had 'Leon', so I assumed the CCB Barleywine and rushed over. Wasn't even disappointed as 2012 BA Barleywine and the BA Leon RIS were fantastic.

 

I agree. I'm not a fan of the Neshaminy stuff I've had over the last couple of years, however the BA Leon and BA Punkless were really good. The BA Leon might be up there as one of the top 3 beers I've had during PBW.

 

I got to Bainbridge at 1. Leaving now (Phils game). Super dead. If u wanna try any Other Half stuff now would be a good time. Nothing kicked!

 

I saw how crazy their lines got at EBF (despite volunteering I tasted none), and I have never been to Churchville Inn, so in really having not much clue what to expect from a Bucks county event, I figured at the very least I would be waiting in line for an hour or more. My friend who was going to go with me was eager to look elsewhere since he hates the chase, so that was a big part of moving on as well (not listening to him next time!). I'm not bitter at all about not going, but the only post from the venue I saw anywhere was this:



So I assumed if someone was waiting in line for the main floor bar, that probably meant you couldn't just go over to the other bar and get back in line unless you bought a beer when you first arrived it would be pretty rude otherwise. But that's an assumption, people who were there could speak to that. Seemed kinda vague, and with all those variables I just moved on.

Checked out BRU Craft & Wurst North Cali Happy Hour, Strangelove's Sierra Nevada Happy Hour, then Other Half @ Jerry's, so I think I got my fair share. If I went to Churchville, that would have been probably a 3 hour affair since it's not so close to home. I'm really glad to hear about how well it was run and the great experiences others had. I will definitely consider visiting them at some point soon, be it during beer week or another time since they get such great beers in.

 

Well that's fairly surprising but good news. Anyone know if this is still true? Or more importantly, how the service is? Seems like that's hit or miss, and sometimes the biggest hindrance to getting a beer there..

Although Hawthorne's is starting their event soon anyway, so...

 

Yep, quoting my own post here. So be it.

So I ended up at Hawthorne's OH event and it was about $1/oz for their top tier beers. Is this about what it ran at Local 44 and Bainbridge? I feel like that was excessive at best, although granted, the AGE at least for me was top notch. Still. Seems steep...

And yes, for those who are paying (too much?) attention to this thread, I realize I was also the first to vote for OH as the standout newcomer for PBW. Whatever. Steep is steep for a 6 oz pour, unless that was just the going rate this week...

 

Hawthorne's pricing was rediculous. I was at Local 44 the night before, and they served Other Half IPA, Forever Ever, and Hop Showers in pints for less than what Hawthorne's was charging. All Green Everything, Green Diamonds, and Brett Saison were either 8 or 10oz pours. Also while at Hawthorne's, I checked out their bottle selection. Bizarre that they have two different prices on bottles, depending whether you drink it there or take it home.

 

Yeah I think it was the sizes that irked me most, kept having to order those little 6 ozers. Oh well, guess it was my own fault for staying there and for waiting until the last OH event of the week.

 

Went to the 3 year anniversary party for Neshaminy Creek yesterday and had an absolute blast. This is how a beer event should be run. Buy tickets - 3 tickets for 12 bucks - and one ticket gets you one beer. Tap stations throughout the inside and outside of the brewery to avoid a mad rush of lines, a bottle release in a separate area, and best of all - all the one off, barrel aged special beers were 1 ticket as well.

It was an absolute controlled, manageable shit show and I'm happy to have them as my go to local brewery.

 

Jerry's Bar did 8, 10, & 13oz for Other Half just like all of their PBW events. You couldn't get 13 for AGE or diamonds... I honestly don't remember the pricing, but I want to say no more than 7 or 8. I'd be irritated about small pours, too, for beers like that. Not serving barleywine

 

Bainbridge still had all the Other Half beers on as of like 11pm last night. There was no one in the place either.

 

Damn, I thought about stopping by after work last night but I was crazy hung over all day from the night before. I was pretty exhausted and figured they were all gone so I just went home.

 

Cheers to Neshaminy Brewing. Not on their way up they're already there. Simply great beers, hope they stick to their business plan to stay local and slightly regional, that next step up in the urge to increase production is dangerous. Kinda quirky brewery and bar, very cool I loved it, not pretentious at all.

 

Agreed. I think we can expect a big Shape of Hops to Come release this summer (July 1 to be exact). I have to speculate that's why Leon never really came out this Spring — they were putting most of their eggs in the SOHTC basket.

 

Shape of Hops is a great beer, I like they even used the proper glasses serving their beer, the first beer place I've even seen that done. If I was local I'd make it a weekly stop.

 

Just chiming in (late) to remark on how well Churchville handled the Funky Buddha release compared to last year. The bartenders were working their butts off, and letting people in a few at a time allowed the VERY crowded upstairs area to have a much better flow than it would have had it been filled with people lurking and waiting for tap time.

I got there at around 5:25 (traffic was a nightmare and I am shocked to have gotten the very last parking space AT Churchville) and was convinced I was too far back in line to manage a glass of Morning Wood, but I ended up around 80th in line and got one, as well as someone else's ticket who was near me in line and handed me his ticket because he was a designated driver (hope some karma is coming his way, because I couldn't buy a beer on the spot for a designated driver!). Used that ticket for my wife who arrived too late to get a ticket (and amusingly wasn't allowed in while I was enjoying my glass waiting for her because she was further back in the line).

The idea of getting to try both IWAIM and Morning Wood at one event, along with French Toast, was amazing. Never been a big No Crusts fan, but that and Big Guava Jelly Blonde were on, as well as Bonita Applebaum which is delicious (but I had to allocate my consumption elsewhere.

Bravo to Churchville for the awesome, customer-friendly approach to conducting this event and to Funky Buddha for sending up such great beer.

 

I was always a little curious why, since PBW is the largest beer week event in the country every year, why certain breweries dont show up. The Bruery, Jester King (they did have 1 partial event this year at churchville), Night Shift, FFF, Westbrook, etc. You cant buy funky buddah beers anywhere in PA, but they always come up and are a huge hit.