Since Michael was going to New Jersey on Friday I asked him to swing by the Porterhouse Restaurant and Brewery to grab a growler of the Belgian Frostbite that I love so much. He went out of his way to get there, and when he arrived he learned they had RUN OUT OF GROWLERS! Egads! How does this happen? He was able to get a 6-pack though, which was enough to make me happy. We held movie night and Bob brought over a couple bottles of Victory Golden Monkey, another belgian style ale that I love. And then last night we went out with Bob to John Harvard’s in Wayne. It’s one of the last on breweries in Southeastern, PA in Lew Bryson’s book:
Triumph New Hope
Porterhouse Restaurant and Brewery
Crabby Larry’s Brewpub, Steak, and Crab House
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, North Wales
General Layfayette Inn
Sly Fox Brewhouse and Eatery, Phoenixville
Sly Fox Brewery and Pub, Royersford
Rock Bottom, King of Prussia
John Harvard’s Brew House, Wayne
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, West Chester
John Harvard’s Brew House, Springfield
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, Media
Victory Brewing Company
McKenzie Brew House
I wonder if we should visit all the local chain locations for continuity. Regardless, Triumph and McKenzie we still have to conquer.
Now on to my review of John Harvard’s!
It’s a chain, started in Massachusetts in 1992. I try not to hold the chain thing against any brewery, Iron Hill and Sly Fox are technically chains now and they have some great beers. I really like the atmosphere of John Harvard’s, the tables are nicely spaced so it’s not too noisy. The food was good, I got a cup of lobster bisque, stole a bunch of Bob’s Pub Nachos, enjoyed an entree of their delicious old-fashioned chicken pot pie and finished with a brownie sundae (brownie had nuts in it though, meh). And it was all typically priced for upscale pub faire, Michael’s burger was about $9, my pot pie was $11.
As for the beer, Bob got a sampler which helped get an idea of the place. I was struck by how amazingly smooth all their brews were, but was disappointed by a lack of character.
Their featured beer, the “Munich Helles” dark German Lager had nothing to it, very weak.
Their IPA had far too much of a citrus taste for me to properly enjoy it.
Their ESB was good (and I’m not much one for bitters) with an interesting hoppy finish that doesn’t taste much like the beer itself.
Their Belgian Trippel was average, and strangely light in color for a trippel. Still, this is the beer I had two glasses of and took home in a growler.
In all? If I happen to be on the Main Line and need to grab a bite this is not a bad option, but it’s brews certainly don’t live up to some of the great breweries in this area.
And now I have 3 microbrewed belgian style ales in my refrigerator. Rock.