Beer Stand at Valley Forge Beer Festival
December 10, 2011, marked the first ever Valley Forge Beer Festival. Before noon, craft beer fans were lined up, pretzel necklaces around their necks and all ready to get their drink on to sample some awesome brews.
I attended the first session from 12:30-4pm. The Expo center is such a huge venue, so there was plenty of wiggle room and very little wait time for a sample. So props to Starfish Junction and Philly Beer Event for making it very welcoming and a comfortable experience.
There was a fair share of awesome selections. I think just about everyone who were slated to be there, were at least at Session 1.
Now, there’s no way I could review everything. I can recall beers that stood out and those that I can safely say won’t be had again. For starters, Guiness, your Black Lager has got to go. You guys mastered the Stout. Why risk anything else? My small group couldn’t finish it and we’re talking 2oz samples. Barely anything to that brew. And the Round Guys, that pink beer with Raspberry juice? I’m sorry, but not for me. Beer should be enjoyed without having to throw in something else in the mix. I’ll give them another chance, but the addition of cranberry juice turned me off from sampling anything else. Hey, this is Beer-Snobs.com after all! And there was a Pilsner from a brewery I can’t remember, that was boring. Bland. Too light in body to make an impression at all. Sly Fox remains one of my favorite Pilsner of all time.
Spaten Brewing
Now, the brews that made an impression and another trip to the table.
Sam Adams, your Chocolate Cherry Bock was astounding. Like biting into a chocolate cherry with a hint of alcohol. Sweet. Very tasty. Someone agreed with me on the familiar territory that came with this beer. Cherry Soda was another comparison. 5 Beer Caps. A nice addition to my holiday beer list. A beer that could end up being lethal in the best way.
And Straub? The Peter Straub Special Dark, very delicious. Loved the caramel malt factor. The level of sweetness. I will hunt this one down. Reminded me of a solid Oktoberfest. Think Sly Fox’s if you had it. (Yes, I was born and brewed in Phoenixville. Got to get my props out there)
And Stone Brewing, the Belgian IPA, also very good. Refreshing. Nice hop factor. Went down easy. Another brew from their lineup that I will be enjoying. Those guys proved there’s more to them than just the Arrogant Bastard.
Of course, some popular names included Spaten, Rogue, Yards and Sly Fox that never fail to disappoint. Prism Brewing, newcomers from North Wales, made a nice impression with their Red Zone. I think the Honey Bitto will also give them a nice name as their staple.
All in all, this was an awesome turn out. Special thanks and shout out to Philly Beer Events & Starfish Junction for a fantastic day. Craft Beer is making an impression now more than ever. Saturday was a perfect example. I hope to see more local events and most definitely, a 2nd Annual Valley Forge Beer Festival next year.
