Spend Saturday, January 29, from 1 to 5pm, praising the best of Belgian beers all in one space. Head over to Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant of West Chester for their annual, not-to-miss Belgium Comes to West Chester event where guests will be able to taste 22 Belgian beers from 17 breweries around the country! There also is a special preview for Mug Club members at noon.
Iron Hill of West Chester’s head brewer Larry Horwitz reveals the day’s entire roundup below, and suggests brews may begin going dry around 4 pm, so come early!
1) Flemish Red Ale
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant
Maple Shade, NJ
This beer is the real deal from Chris L. at Iron Hill Maple shade. We have this in bottles too and it has become one of my House beers…at my actual house. Back off Rodenbach!
2) Sour Dubbel
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant
North Wales, PA
I left a Super Secret bug barrel for Vindog in North Wales and he has continued to use it to pump out AMAZING sour beers. Tastes like an old friend.
3) Wee Funky
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant
Media, PA
Brett Beer from Bob! Need I say more? He puts on his pants one leg at a time just like everyone else…except his pants are shorts (even in winter) and when his shorts are on he makes gold records! (or gold medal beers). Love Bobbie long time.
4) Saison
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant
West Chester, PA
Best Dessert Island / Food pairing beer ever. It seems like we are brewing this at least once a quarter now and I’m happy about that.
5) Quadrupel
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant
Wilmington, PA
If Brian wins any more awards for this beer we are going to have him bronzed. Huge, sweet, aweseome. Quad used to be a ‘Not’ style. Brian had the foresight to brew it any way. Aren’t we glad? Yes we are.
6) Ichor
Sly Fox Brewing
Royersford, PA
Brian O from Sly Fox is my BFF and he was the first person to introduce me to this style…and the first person to show me that brewpubs could fill and sell 750ml bottles of world class beer for their patrons. I had this beer high in the Rocky Mountains with Brian while we were camping. There’s a life changing moment for sure.
7) Black Tulip – Trippel Ale
New Holland Brewing
New Holland, MI
I grew up in the Midwest….straight south of Holland. Hags is a great flatlander friend of mine who shares a lot of my views about beer, brewing, drinking, eating, etc. His local sales rep is man we all lovingly call Dr. Joel. New world meets old world. Oh, and the beer is KILLER.
8) Stumblin’ Monk
Stewart’s Brewing Company
Bear, DE
Ric’s internet handle is Beeradmiral. Indeed. Ric makes some of the best malt beverage I’ve ever tasted on a rig that is the brewing equivalent of a horse drawn plow. His daughter can give better brew tours than most beer nerds I know too!
9) Scratch 34: Tim’s Belgian Brown
Troeg’s Brewing Company
Harrisburg, PA
The Mrs. used to work at Troegs. The brothers are real life great people and I am happy to see that there brand is exploding all over the market. The scratch series is one of those ideas that shouldn’t make sense, but totally does. Who would have thought that a series of ‘one off’ beers would be so important?
10) Dark Abby
Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company
Roseland, VA
Jason aka ‘The Gooch’ Oliver moved from D. C. metro to the sticks to brew for DB. It paid off. Last year he won GABF small brewpub of the year with an un-ending run of medals for styles ranging the spectrum. His pact with The Devil has kicked in fully and you should take advantage of this opportunity to drink his totally un-gettable beer. Rumor has a micro in the works for DB. Ask him!
11) Trubbel de Yards
Yards Brewing company
Philadelphia, PA
One of the oldest Craft Belgian Beers from the Philly market. Mr. Mayor (Tom Kehoe) and crew have been increasing the quality and quantity of Yards beer at a pace that is dizzying. I know we are doing a Belgian event and I’m totally stoked to have the Trubbel, but make sure you get a Brawler and an ESA this year. You owe yourself.
12) Tripel
Stout’s Brewing Company
Adamstown, PA
Carol Stoudt is the reason craft beer is legal in Pennsylvania. She was the first craft brewer in the state and her products never fail to impress.
13) Rudy’s Kung Fu Grip
Nodding Head Brewing Company
Philadelphia, PA
Named for an incident involving a big bird named Rudy. Gordo and Curt are people to me, and the fact that they would give up even an ounce of beer from their Uber Busy center city brewpub is a gesture that I respect. Thanks guys.
14) Exit 4 Hoppy Tripel
Flying Fish Brewing Company
Cherry Hill, NJ
Casey Hughes is on my kidney list, and he may actually be the friend who needs it! The exit series of beers has changed beer at the Fish for the better, and I can’t wait to see what they brew next.
15) Golden Monkey
Victory Brewing Company
Downingtown, PA
Bill and Ron are local pioneers and their brand has gone nationwide. Did I mention that my wife works there? This beer is made for bad decisions late at night. Yum.
16) Tripel Threat
Cambridge Brewing Company
Cambridge, MA
Will has been around forever and has done things in the CBC brewpub for years now that used to be thought of as just plain crazy. Most of us take things like Barrel aged and fermented beer for granted…and at CBC they’ve done all of these crazy projects with a tiny space. Will is an industry innovator for sure. He started doing beer swaps with us a few years ago and I look forward to every opportunity we have to share pints. Note: Women’s collaboration beer coming soon.
17) Red and White
Dogfish Head Craft Brewing
Rehobeth, DE
Sam is crazy. Tomas Edison crazy. If you’d have told me 15 years ago there’d be a guy selling 100K bbls of beer like they make at DF I’d have told you you were nuts. I am totally glad I was wrong ‘cause they blend flavors into beer that are out of left field and that I love. This hybrid of beer and wine totally opened my eyes to the possibility of brewing with grapes. The wine-ohs in your life will lose bets to you on this.
18) Brute
Ithaca Beer Company
Ithaca, NY
Chief is the man. Gold medal sour beer….bam! Oh, and his kid peed on the Iron Hill Van. To be fair, I think it smelled better after.
19) Frites & Geeks
Harpoon Brewing Company
Boston, MA
Harpoon gave us Chris Laperrier and we thank them. There beer is pretty good too!
20) Sorachi Ace Saison
Brooklyn Brewing Company
Brooklyn, NY
Count on Garrett to find the ‘next big thing’ in crazy imported beer flavors. Sorachi may be the most unique and flavorful hop on the market in the last ten years, and The Master Oliver has blended it expertly into this bottle conditioned wonder. Saison is my dessert island beer. Sorachi saison is my ‘Best Case’ dessert island beer.
21) Local One
Brooklyn Brewing Company
Brooklyn, NY
May not have been the first big-American-bottle-conditioned-Belgoish-Strong-Ale but certainly one of the best. Every time I drink one I’m pissed I didn’t do it this well.
22) Yunker’s Nocturnum
Manayunk Brewing Company
Philadelphia, pa
Brewer Doug Marchakitus was my more than able bodied assistant at Iron Hill North Wales, and I used to be the Head Brewer at the Manayunk Brewing Company. It’s a small world in which we live and work. Check out this super solid offering from another friend of mine.
The event is pay-as-you-go and if you’re thinking ahead, consider the Restaurant Valet for safe, affordable, comfortable transportation.
Find Iron Hill of West Chester at 3 West Gay Street, or online at www.ironhillbrewery.com.
