Great Brews of America Festival (Poconos, PA)

[tjones_jr]

Anyone going to this?
and does anyone have an idea of what'll be good on tap?

http://www.splitrockresort.com/gba_info.html

[threecb]

It'll be a last minute decision, but I'm thinking that I'll go Sunday afternoon. I heard that the Saturday session can turn into a "drunkfest".

AFA good beers, there's quite a bit...
Allagash for Belgian styles; Troegs has their Mad Elf out, hopefully they'll have that on; Otto's had a couple of good beers I tried at the Penn Fest in Pittsburgh in June; Weyerbacher's Bigger Beers are great; I like Lancaster, High Point and J.J. Bittings.

and of course there's Stone, Victory Dogfish Head, Rogue....


mmmmm....Beer....

[tjones_jr]

i was looking for mad elf at my local mix-a-six pack shop this past weekend. No dice. So I'm hoping they'll have some as well. I did however, pick up bottles of Double Bastard and Rogue's Santa's Reserve.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by tjones_jr
i was looking for mad elf at my local mix-a-six pack shop this past weekend. No dice. So I'm hoping they'll have some as well. I did however, pick up bottles of Double Bastard and Rogue's Santa's Reserve.

I bought a sixer of the Mad Elf last Saturday. It is definitley out.

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by threecb
It'll be a last minute decision, but I'm thinking that I'll go Sunday afternoon. I heard that the Saturday session can turn into a "drunkfest".

AFA good beers, there's quite a bit...
Allagash for Belgian styles; Troegs has their Mad Elf out, hopefully they'll have that on; Otto's had a couple of good beers I tried at the Penn Fest in Pittsburgh in June; Weyerbacher's Bigger Beers are great; I like Lancaster, High Point and J.J. Bittings.

and of course there's Stone, Victory Dogfish Head, Rogue....


mmmmm....Beer....

Threecb,
Do you ever go to any of the Stoudt's Invitationals?

[threecb]

I haven't yet, and have been meaning to get to one.

The wife and I try to travel to different ones so we can
get to try beers we normally wouldn't get to, and the
Stoudt's list is usually full of places/beers we can get
within a couple of hour's drive.

Perhaps next June's, though. We would've went in Oct.
if we didn't go to the Brewer's Jam.

(Although a thread on BA complained about the crowds
and other things about the last one in October...)

[chazwicke]

I have been to several of the Stoudt's fests over the years. Usually the June show. We can get some of the beers here but much of it we can't. I first learned about the Ship Inn there. A fine Jersey brewpub. Anyway, my wife and I usually take the RV up to Adamstown area for a long weekend and go antiquing and have dinner at Stoudt's Black Angus. It is a fun time.

[tjones_jr]

where are you two from?

Threecb, I noticed on one of your other posts that you mentioned many a PA, NJ beers, Are you form the area?

chazwick, how was that MadElf? I'm picking up some at the Foodery this week.

[threecb]

Originally posted by tjones_jr
Threecb, I noticed on one of your other posts that you mentioned many a PA, NJ beers, Are you form the area?

I live in central NJ, near New Brunswick...and you?

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by tjones_jr
where are you two from?

Threecb, I noticed on one of your other posts that you mentioned many a PA, NJ beers, Are you form the area?

chazwick, how was that MadElf? I'm picking up some at the Foodery this week.

I drank a Dorothy Goodbody Our Glass Ale instead. Bottle conditioned from The UK. Enjoyed it. I live in Suburban Washington DC. Fairfax County, Virginia.

[rock66]

I just bought a case here in NE PA and had a hard time getting the distributer to part with one. This distributer will be at the beer fest and he did not think he would have any mad elf. ( Ace Distributers are the local troegs mass dist. )Good stuff

[chazwicke]

I've still got a bottle or two left from last year. I'm gonna be up in Troegs territory this weekend though. A little eastern PA brews cruise. Any PA folks want to meet up at Appalachian in Harrisburg Saturday evening?

[threecb]

Too bad you weren't a bit more East, like, Bethlehem or Easton. I would've definitely met up. Have fun in H'burg. Nearly every time we go down the I-81 Corridor we stop in ABC for a meal. It's minutes off the Interstate.

And Troeg's is a couple of minutes from there. I love their beers, one of my current favorite breweries. Stop in at 2:00 on Saturday for the tour and tastings. Mad Elf is supposed to be mellower, less sweet than last year. I saved one bottle from last year, and want to compare it to this years batch.

[chazwicke]

We are considering Bethelehem and I like the Weyerbacher beers too. My wife is baby sitting this weekend so I'm getting out of Dodge. No locked in itinerary except I know we will be in Harrisburg on Saturday night. I am meeting up with an illustrious member of this board that evening if all goes as planned. I 'll probably start friday in Gettysburg and head east. Maybe end up in Adamstown and Stouts for Friday evening. I love the Black Angus there. I'd like to possibly hit Lancaster or Bubes on the way over. We'll see.

[chazwicke]

If I was really heading east I'd get back to Ship Inn over in your neck of the woods. I love that place.

[threecb]

Lancaster is great, and I haven't been to Bube's, but the beers get mediocre reviews.

I'd avoid Gettysburg if you're going for beers and not history. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go to Gettysbrew. Please, for the love of god and all things beer, avoid this place. There's an ABC in town now, but I'm not sure if they're brewing on premises yet. Might be kegs from H'burg.

If you make it to Bethlehem, I'd have an excuse to get away from my home improvement projects for a bit. It sounds like you're pretty well off with stops as it stands!

I was recently at the Ship Inn. Coniston Bluebird on tap and the Cask Bitter was great! I dig that place, too.

[NJ Tom]

http://www.splitrockresort.com/beerfest/

Has anyone ever been to this festival? I'll be there on Saturday and I'm wondering what I'm in for.

[threecb]

I was there years ago. Maybe the 4th or 6th annual one. It was pretty decent back then. Not crowded at all, and a good set up.

I've heard reports that recent years are more crowded with a bit of a "drunk fest" vibe. But it's a pretty big selection of brews. Have fun!

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by threecb
Lancaster is great, and I haven't been to Bube's, but the beers get mediocre reviews.

I'd avoid Gettysburg if you're going for beers and not history. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go to Gettysbrew. Please, for the love of god and all things beer, avoid this place. There's an ABC in town now, but I'm not sure if they're brewing on premises yet. Might be kegs from H'burg.

If you make it to Bethlehem, I'd have an excuse to get away from my home improvement projects for a bit. It sounds like you're pretty well off with stops as it stands!

I was recently at the Ship Inn. Coniston Bluebird on tap and the Cask Bitter was great! I dig that place, too.

I have heard about the rep on the Gettysburg pubs but if we do get there it will be ABC for sure. According to Lews' update one of the Gettysburg places have shut down.

[threecb]

It was Gettysburg Brewing that closed. Real small operation. We got there the week before they closed, and the beers were great. It was more of a Tap Room than Brewpub, but it was very cool.

A sad thing to see that place close down and Gettysbrew still up and brewing that rotgut they call beer. I know it's harsh, but read reviews on other sites and you'll see everyone agrees.

[NJ Tom]

Originally posted by threecb
I was there years ago. Maybe the 4th or 6th annual one. It was pretty decent back then. Not crowded at all, and a good set up.

I've heard reports that recent years are more crowded with a bit of a "drunk fest" vibe. But it's a pretty big selection of brews. Have fun!

It was very crowded and definitely more of a "drunk fest" tha a beer fest. I think from now on I'll stick to going to beer events on Sundays rather than Saturdays. The Sunday beer outings seem to keep the crowds down.

[chazwicke]

Well my little brew tour of eastern PA went fairly well. We hit seven breweries and met up with one of our more illustrious posters here. Nice to finally meet in person. (as I have found with all of the others I met up with from this board previously.) Anyway here is a brief rundown of my little trek: Appalachian Gettysburg. Not yet brewing but beers are sent over from Harrisburg Location. Enjoyed the well made beers and food. They had a porter on cask. I brought home a growler of the Pale Ale. Second stop was Bubes in Mt. Joy. This was a really neat place and we toured the whole thing from the catacombs to the old wooden vats. I had been here before but it was closed so this was the first time inside to sample. I tried two of the beers which were decent but I felt they were a little amature-ish. I would recommend it but the beers were not on the same level of craftsmanship as all the other places I visited. I would recommend stopping by though. Next was to Lancaster Brewing. I have been here 6 or 7 times before even under it's previous incarnation as Lancaster malting and Brewing. I had the sampler which featured 10 beers. (5 oz. samples). They generally serve well made beers and I know many laud the Four Grain and the Milk Stout. The Strawberry sample tasted like strawberry cheese cake flavoring. Next up was Stoudts. I always enjoy Stoudts and make it there several times a year. The food and beers are always top notch. The Golden Avalanche in Kutztown was a real pleasure. Friendly staff good food and wonderful beers. I had the sampler there as well which featured 8 beers. I followed this with a pint and I took a growler to go as well. Also stopped by the Kutztown bottling works and bought bottles of the Sasparilla, Birch beer, Root Beer, and Cream Soda. The root beer and sasparilla are both very good. Have not tasted the others yet. We headed over to Harrisburg and spent the evening in Appalachian Brewing there. Again having the sampler and a few unsundry pints. My fish and chips was fair. But I enjoyed the place and the company very much. This is where I met up with the other realbeer member. I was amazed at the size and capacity of this brewery. It is very large. I can see how they can send kegs to the Gettysburg location. I think they could supply another branch if they wanted too. One beer here was noticably different from the one we had tasted in GBurg. It was a spiced beer and Harrisburg was less spicy than that that we sampled in Gettysburg. Both were only very lightly spiced and were very good. Appalachian Harrisburg was packed and it took us a while to get a table. So it was pints in the bar first. Lastly We stopped at Brewers Alley in Frederick, Maryland and again opted for the sampler with lunch. 6 beers including one from cask. I enjoyed all of their beers and found the Bavarian Hefe Dunkle interesting. I'm not certain I could pick a favorite from this trip. Kutztown, Appalachian, Brewers Alley were all superb and the beers were expertly crafted. Lancaster has very decent beers and they are well made. I have never felt the same attraction to Lancaster that some have. I still recommend a visit and I will certainly return when in the area. Bubes was a neat place, a historic brewery, and a fun venue in which to imbibe. The beers are worthy just maybe not on the same level as the other six I visted.

[chazwicke]

Oh I forgot to mention Lew's Book was invaluable as were the updates from his sight. I am looking forward to the release of the Mid Atlantic book. Thanks Lew!!!!

http://www.lewbryson.com/news.htm