Day 450: Iron Hill Bourbon Stout and a Food Report

If there's anything that rivals my love of craft beer, it's finding a great new restaurant. And we've been on a good run lately.

Our latest adventure is taking us to Alla Spina in Philadelphia for dinner tonight. I've heard great things about both the food and the beer list and I can't wait to check it out.

Last week we were reunited with a long lost Mexican restaurant Binni & Flynn's. Binni & Flynn's was a staple of our post-college life in King of Prussia (Pennsylvania)--relatively inexpensive Tex-Mex and giant margaritas. What's not to love? They went out of business and for years I lamented the fact that there was a serious lack of Tex-Mex in my neighborhood. Lo and behold the daughter of the original owners has reincarnated the restaurant and it's already satisfying my need for margaritas, beans and cheese!

A couple of weeks ago, we found another Mexican restaurant in Phoenixville called Hacienda La Michoacana.  It's a spin-off from the people who run Taqueria La Michoacana in Norristown, which I've tended to avoid because it's Norristown and you know, I don't need to get mugged. I find Phoenixville to be much more endearing and find myself there more and more often. Somehow after a giant and satisfying dinner at Hacienda La Michoacana, me, Mr. Blog Named Brew and good friends found ourselves across the street at the Iron Hill Brewery. And that's where I found inspiration for tonight's post...

The photo doesn't do it justice. This was
one of the most beautiful beers I've seen .

It's Iron Hill Brewery's bourbon porter.  It poured a dense, dark brown color with a thick, creamy tan head. They were serving it on nitro and I think that made it even more delectable. It has all the hallmarks of a great porter with the added bonus of being aged in bourbon barrels. Roasted, slightly burnt malts. Balanced hop bitterness. Easy to drink. This one has loads of creamy chocolate, some rich vanilla and light bourbon notes. It smells and tastes like dessert and went down all too easily!

Beer stats

Style: Porter

ABV: 5.3%

IBUs: Unknown

Rating: Excellent

Previously reviewed from Iron Hill

Gary thinks he's Iron Man (Ironbound Ale)

My musings on Phoenixville's renaissance and a Belgian tripel

I AM IRON MAN (sort of)

Day #425 Ironbound Ale / Iron Hill Brewery, Phoenixville, PA
Previously from this brewery: Marci's look at their Belgian Tripel

Going to get right down to business tonight - there's a snow storm coming tomorrow, and I need to buy all of the bread and milk in Chester County.  Maybe I should swing through Montgomery County too, just in case.  I kid, obviously.  Commuting will suck tomorrow, but mostly because people are stupid, not because Mother Nature has decided to shut things down.  Be smart tomorrow, people - for a change.

Keeping it local tonight with Ironbound Ale, from Iron Hill Brewery in Phoenixville.  Most of the beer world is likely not familiar with their work, as Iron Hill operates nine restaurants in the Philadelphia suburbs, and to the best of my knowledge the only place to get one of their beers is in one of those nine restaurants.  No bottles, no cans, no kegs shipped elsewhere.  No shoes, no shirt, no dice.  Pity, as they put out some good beers!  This American pale ale has a bright, clear, copper color, with a thin wispy head.   The aroma is a blend of malt and hops, so there's biscuit and citrus in there.  The taste gives you plenty of caramel malt, with a good bit of citrus throughout from the hops, all of which culminates in a clean, dry, bitter finish.  At 5.1% ABV, this is a fairly mellow beer that still brings a good bit of flavor.

Ironbound, not Iron City. Big difference...

This cold weather makes me long for the Iron Hill in West Chester, PA, as they have some sweet outdoor seating right in the center of town.  Ah, dining outdoors..... soon.  Soon.

Thing to Think About Today:
If we're thinking about Iron Hill and their Ironbound Ale, then it only makes sense we let Iron Man close things out here.  Loved the recent movies with Robert Downey Jr, but I think I have something you'll like even more: Iron Man by the Cardigans, a cover of the Black Sabbath classic.  What made the Cardigans cover this song?  Who knows, just check it out, as I'm willing to bet you like it.  And you know you can trust me when it comes to awesome and unusual music covers, after all.  I own awesome and unusual music covers, without a doubt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3gQSPMHPm0

Day 421: Iron Hill and Phoenixville

A few weekends ago we did a Chester County beer tour. The second stop on the tour was Iron Hill Brewery's Phoenixville outpost. I'll get to the first and last stops this week, I promise.

I think this is the second Iron Hill location...the first being in West Chester (PA) and quite a few came after it all around Philadelphia and New Jersey. Iron Hill is one of many bars and restaurants currently populating the main drag in Phoenixville. About a decade ago, when we lived on the outskirts of Phoenixville, it was a dump. D-U-M-P.

You did not go there at night. One could question why you would go there during the day even. There was absolutely nothing downtown. Well there was one of the sketchiest liquor stores I've ever seen. Their best selling wine was either Boone's Farm or Mad Dog. And people weren't drinking it ironically. And no, there wasn't a college town there.

Fast-forward several years--after we move away--and it's a fantastic, bustling little town. Go check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Iron Hill makes a lot of great beers and I went with the Belgian Tripel.


It poured an opaque golden color with a thin white head. Its aroma was bread and mild fruit. The flavor was satisfyingly complex. Banananas. Dark pitted fruit. Wild flower honey. It had a brightness to it and was definitely boozy, but it wasn't heavy.

Beer stats
Style: Belgian Tripel
ABV: 9%
IBUs: 35
Rating: Good

Previously reviewed from Iron Hill
First beer ever!