Philly Updates
Yards COO Trevor Pritchett and Founder Tom Kehoe at Yards’ new facility in the Northern Liberties.
By Lee Porter
lee@retropeel.com
Congrats to Yards Brewing Co. on their new facility! The largest brewery in the city just opened a 70,000 sq ft facility at 500 Spring Garden Street in the Northern Liberties neighborhood, complete with a state-of-the-art brewhouse (an executive chef and private event space too). The 100-bbl brewhouse has the capacity to produce more than double Yards’ current output of 42,000 barrels, with the ability to increase production in the future. Yards will be canning their beers for the first time! Their brand new KHS canning line is capable of filling 216 cans per minute. Look for Philadelphia Pale Ale, IPA and Brawler 12-oz and 16-oz cans in early 2018. Yards will continue to bottle all their year-round offerings and seasonal favorites. Congrats, Tom Kehoe and Yards!
Conshohocken Brewing Co. collaborated with Misconduct Tavern on a special beer for this 76ers season. Hinkie’s Sweet Revenge is a Belgian Witbier, brewed with ginger and blackcurrants. It was inspired by Sixers superstar Joel Embiid’s love of Shirley Temples and named after former GM Sam Hinkie. You can sip this Sixers-inspired beer at both Misconduct locations and Conshohocken Brewery throughout the season. Go Sixers!
Congrats to Conshy on opening two new Pennsylvania spots by the end of the year. Town Tap by Conshohocken Brewing Co. is in Havertown, with a similar concept/menu to their Bridgeport pub location. Rec Room also by Conshohocken Brewing Co. is in Phoenixville, featuring food, two bars, and ping pong and shuffleboard tables. For more info on both new projects, visit www.ConshohockenBrewing.com.
If you haven’t heard (or sipped) by now, Weyerbacher Brewing collaborated with Jose Pistola’s on a pigskin-inspired beer, as well. Dallas Sucks is a Pale Ale, inspired by the Eagles-Cowboys football rivalry (or more so, the dislike of the Cowboys pretty much everywhere). You can get Dallas Sucks at all three Jose Pistola’s locations (yes, they recently opened their third, Pistola’s Del Sur, in South Philly – Congrats, guys!), and look for it on draft and in cans around the Greater Philly area, as well. Fly Eagles Fly! E-A-G-L-E-S!
Manayunk Brewing Co.’s head brewer Evan Fritz tells me about their newest experiment, SRP#3, a dry-hopped sour in 16-oz cans, which will be hitting shelves in early-December. It’s dry hopped with Azacca, Idaho 7 and Mosaic, and Fritz says, “The fruit-forward hops will flood the aroma while a slight acidity lingers on your tongue.”
Cuvée de’ Yunk is back in limited 750-ml bottles and some draft. This extremely tart sour Belgian-style ale is fermented with 100% real apricots and is highlighted with a hint of Brett.
French Toast Crunch will make a triumphant return this winter. This spin on their award-winning Peanut Butter Crunch boasts delicious maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon. This crowd favorite is the fastest-selling beer MBC has ever offered and will be available in 12-oz cans.
Brewery ARS will be celebrating its first anniversary Dec. 16, where they’ll be releasing 16-oz cans of their Salted Caramel Chocolate Stout, as well. Congrats, guys!
Iron Hill – Chestnut Hill’s head brewer Doug Marchakitus tells me they have plenty of holiday cheer coming this December. Their Winter Warmer is dark and malty with some aromatic winter spices. They’ll also have their hoppy Belgian Christmas Ale, Reindeer’s Revenge American Tripel (all locations), their award-winning Russian Imperial Stout (all locations; see more news below), and a fresh batch of Belsnickel IPA.
Congrats to all the Philly Great American Beer Festival (GABF) award winners this year! Iron Hill Brewery won silver medals for Solzhenitsyn (Aged Beer) and their Russian Imperial Stout (Imperial Stouts). These were their 46th and 47th medals at GABF, extending their record-setting consecutive winning streak to 21 years, the longest by an independent craft brewery in GABF history. Amazing! Dock Street won bronze for Man Full Of Trouble (Brown Porter). Yards Brewing Co. won silver for their Extra Special Pale Ale (Extra Special Bitter). Congrats, everyone!
