The Point of Bro Return

It seems 2019 was a pretty good year for concerts. I definitely filled my quota and even crossed one or two acts off the bucket list. Much like our recent trip to the Keswick Theatre to see Dennis DeYoung of Styx, I threw out the idea of going to see Kansas at the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading to Darin and Doug, two of my music buds, and we decided to make it a "Dude's Night Out." You may remember Darin from our recent outing to see DDY last month, which concluded with a day of brewery hopping around suburban Philadelphia. I met Doug through Darin when he started attending my monthly rock trivia nights at the Corvette Grille. Not only does Doug have the most ridiculous CD collection I've ever seen in my life (somewhere between six and seven thousand, all meticulously alphabetized and in chronological order), he's also an old-school craft beer fan. As a matter of fact, he was one of the earliest employees of Tröegs back in Harrisburg during its infancy, and his shrine of old Tröegs memorabilia is only rivaled by his music collection. He also has many stories of being on the road with Clair Brothers. So yeah, he's a keeper.

Similar to DDY's presentation of The Grand Illusion album in its entirety, Kansas was celebrating the 40th anniversary of its quadruple platinum-selling magnum opus, Point of Know Return. (And yes, it is actually "know" not "no," which even I didn't realize until decades later despite my brother having this cassette during the formative years of my rock music upbringing.) The album was originally released in 1977, so I suppose the band found it necessary to celebrate the shit out of this album. Since the show was taking place on a Friday night, I got the notion in my skull to get an early start and - what else? - visit a few local breweries.

Our first stop of the day was Schaylor Brewing Company situated in Shillington, PA, a few miles off the turnpike exit for Reading. I'd first visited Schaylor during our Team D(r)INK reunion tour about a year ago and thought it had promise. Shillington is the back yard of our stomping grounds dating back to the mid-late 1990s. Brewslut's first teaching gig was actually at the Governor Mifflin High School in Shillington.

Outside Schaylor. Photo taken from our original blog post.

While the tasting room is pretty spacious, the brewhouse is tiny. Surprisingly, they had about fifteen beers on tap running the gamut of hazy IPAs and sours to more traditional styles like pale ales and a Kolsch. They also like using fruit. Many of the beers listed on the menu had some kind of fruit. I opted for three of them (four if you consider pumpkins fruit) and was quite pleased with everything. Looking back to that initial visit, I also remember enjoying my flight, which consisted entirely of IPAs. So I was happy to see this little place keeping up to snuff.

As for my flight, it consisted of the following beers:

• Aim for the Bushes - IPA with pink guava and tangerine. While I love the name, it was perhaps my least favorite of the lot. That's not to say it wasn't enjoyable; I just preferred the other three. The blend of guava and tangerine produced a grapefruit pith kind of flavor. 
• Plumus Rubus Hibiscus - Sour ale with blackberry, plum, hibiscus, and honey. Nice blend of flavors overall with a dominant earthy berry and dark fruit character. 
• Functional Prototype - Sour ale with cherry and vanilla. This was my favorite of the four beers in the flight. The vanilla counterbalanced the tart cherry flavor with a hint of soft sweetness, giving this otherwise thin-bodied ale a lush finish. 
• Basic Witch - Ale with pumpkin, graham cracker, gingerbread, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, vanilla bean, pumpkin pie spice and lactose. That's a lot of ingredients! The lactose didn't come through as much as I'd anticipated, but the beer was nicely balanced overall despite the hefty spice bill and adjuncts. Otherwise, no complaints here. 

Luckily, I planned ahead and made sure we had somewhere to eat. Schaylor has a very reasonably priced menu including various flatbreads, salads, and sandwiches, as well as signature items like stuffed pretzels - I got the buffalo chicken version and it was bangin'! - and build your own mac & cheese featuring twenty-odd "toppings." Overall, a great way to kick off the evening.

As we were about to park the car before our next stop, I noticed a sign on the corner for Vertigo Music. I'd been there several times, but the store actually originated in nearby West Lawn, which was one town over from Sinking Spring, where we lived between 1997 and 2000. Since the three of us are all avid music collectors (Darin and especially Doug have vast collections of CDs), I'll always jump at the chance to dip into a music store for a quick dig through a few rows of records. I picked up a couple of things and spent less than $30, which is good for me. I'm really glad to see this place is still in business after 22 years!

More or less across the street from Vertigo is a new-to-me brewery called Broken Chair Brewery. I was surprised to learn that this place had celebrated its 2nd anniversary recently, which prompted my comment to the bartender: "I must be slacking in my old age." Had this been 10 years ago, I would've been there opening week. There are simply too many new breweries to keep up with these days. But, as always, better late than never, right?

Tap Handles at Broken Chair.

We immediately noticed framed original pressings of classic records by the likes of The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, and others decorating the exposed brick walls of the place. Bonus points! Any time a brewery marries beer with music - unless it's, like, The Eagles or some bullshit like that - I appreciate a little more.

Since I was driving, I decided one 12-ounce pour at each brewery was the responsible thing to do. I glossed over the lengthy computer screen beer menu and after a bit of debate, settled on Beach Bomb, a milkshake IPA with toasted coconut and fresh pineapple. The aroma was pretty juicy and tropical, reminding me of a piña colada cocktail. Coconut dominated the flavor with a hint of fruit in the mix. There was also just the faintest burnt flavor, which might have been a byproduct of the toasted coconut. Still, it was enjoyable and went down pretty easily despite not really possessing any qualities of a "milkshake" IPA.

Darin got a pour of a habanero IPA called Hot Pants and said it was the hottest beer he's ever had. We joked about flaming anal cavities and all that fun stuff you tend to discuss during a "Dude's Night Out." (Stay tuned for more funny "ass" stories coming shortly.) Doug enjoyed a pour of Beerhemian Trappsody (I see what you did there, Broken Chair!), a Belgian-style Tripel. 

Overall, this is a cool little unpretentious place with a music-centric vibe and solid beers. I'm glad to see the Reading area adding more decent drinking establishments over the last few years. I remember a time when Canal Street and the Northeast Taproom were two of the only options for good beer in the area.

Outside Chatty Monks. Photo courtesy of Beer Busters Podcast.

About a block away (on the same side of the street, even) is Chatty Monks. I'd been there twice in the past, but it had been some time since our last visit. Also, I'd never featured the brewery in any edition of The Pour Travelers, so I figured we'd swing by for a quick one if time permitted. When we arrived, the downstairs area was pretty packed. We ordered our beers at the bar, had a fun conversation with a woman about the human rectum and Brussels sprouts, and eventually meandered upstairs to sit at the bar. Actually, I didn't even know there was an upstairs area at Chatty Monks. It served as a good final place to relax - and also drop my pre-show "D" - before heading to the venue.

But enough stuff about asses.

Upon perusing the chalkboard, I eventually landed on the evocatively named Drunken English Football Hooligans. That pretty much sums up European soccer fans in one convenient phrase, doesn't it? This variation takes the base beer, Berks English Ale, and ages it in Hidden Still bourbon barrels for more than a year. Despite having a hefty bourbon nose and flavor, this sucker is less than 6% ABV. It drank like a classic English bitter with caramel and toffee notes, but finished with a warming bourbon note. No heat, just flavor. It was pretty enjoyable overall.

After finishing up at Chatty Monks, it was time to head over to the venue for two hours of fine American progressive rock courtesy of Kansas. While there are only two original members left - guitarist Rich Williams and drummer Phil Ehart - the band was incredible tight, the set list was fantastic, and the sound quality of the venue was top-notch. It was a very enjoyable show to say the least!

...and if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know.

After the show - and a few altercations with one-way streets, we made our way to the Ugly Oyster, a classic Irish pub-style corner bar that's been a hallmark of downtown Reading since opening on St. Patrick's Day in 2000. Actually, the history of this drinking establishment can be traced all the way back to the 1700s. As a matter of fact, the building is the oldest pub operating in Berks County. It's a great spot for a post-show beer, as it's only about three blocks away from the venue. The last time I went to a show in Reading, it was Kansas at the same venue, and we did in fact stop at the Ugly Oyster afterward.

The kitchen was about to close and I was hungry, so without examining the menu too closely, I ordered a large plate of fries, which turned out to be small than I had anticipated. I washed 'em down with a pint of A Tiny Beautiful Something, a solid pale ale from Maine Brewing Company, which I was surprised to see on tap. Darin picked up the tab, but I must say that $8 was a little dicey for a 5.5% ABV pale ale. A group of concert-goers came in after us, hungry and wanting some grub. I told them the kitchen was closed, and one of them bummed a fry off me. They reciprocated by passing around some Tootsie Pops, which I enjoyed on the ride home.

It was great to get some guy time in with these two music and beer lovers, and we plan to do it again next February when Blue Oyster Cult rolls into Lancaster for a show at American Music Theatre.

Your brothers, they echo the words
"How far to the point of bro return?"
"Well, how long?"

Next February, I reckon. Until next time...

Team D(r)INK Reunion Tour

Readers of the Pour Travelers are likely privy to the escapades of Team D(r)INK, our bona fide "drinking team." The term was coined by me (with a slight tweak provided by Brewslut) around nine years ago during a trip to Philadelphia. As the story goes, Brewslut and I were traveling by Amtrak with Dan and Kristen (D&K) to meet Deuane and Carolyn (D&C), Heath and Kim (H&K), and Scott and Vicki (S&V) for a beer-soaked romp around the City of Brotherly Suds. While en route to Dock Street Brewing Company by foot, we were asked by two small African-American children, "Are you all on some sort of team?" I replied, "Yes! A drinking team." Perplexed, the children carried on with their activities, and we went our merry way.

When we arrived at Dock Street, everyone got a kick out of the story, and Team D(r)INK was born. The term DINK stands for "Double Income, No Kids," and Brewslut suggested adding the parenthetical (r) into the mix to bring the two together. While Scott technically wasn't a DINK (he has three lovely daughters), he and Vicki didn't have children together, so they became honorary members. Over the years, Team D(r)INK has grown to include several other members (some of which are single, some of which have children), but the original group consisted of these four couples. And when a photograph of that original trip came up in Brewslut's Facebook "Memories," she re-posted it to her feed and suggested a reunion with the original group. Unfortunately, D&K would be visiting San Diego for its beer week festivities, and Heath was unable to attend, but the rest of us found a mutually agreeable date and scrawled it on our collective calendars. 

It was on. We're getting the band back together. Team D(r)INK reunion tour 2018!

The original Team D(r)INK circa 2009.

The first order of business was to meet up with D&C at a new brewery in Shillington prior to meeting the rest of the group at Hidden River at 2 p.m. Since it was on the way and opened at 11 a.m., we decided to check it out. 

Exterior of Schaylor Brewing Co. in Shillington, PA.

The brewery we would be checking out was Schaylor, situated in an old car dealership just up the road from the Tom Sturgis pretzel factory. We used to live relatively close to Shillington in nearby Sinking Spring, and used to frequent Paolo's restaurant, just a few buildings down from Schayler, for AYCE wings and pizza. It was dirt cheap too! 

I'd perused the beer menu in advance, and unfortunately the beer I was most excited to try - something called The Pike, a dark sour mild ale brewed with maple mesquite walnuts and coffee - had kicked the previous night. Next time, right?

Our view from the bar at Schaylor.

With about ten different beers on tap, Brewslut and I decided to get our own flights of four beers each. Here's the low-down on my flight:

• Killed by a Daewoo - IPA brewed with a laundry list of ingredients including oranges, sweet orange peel, coriander, wheat, rye, and a variety of hops such as Amarillo, Citra, and Columbus.
• El Diablo - hazy IPA with English yeast and hopped with Citra, El Dorado, Mosaic, and Warrior.
• Dr. Rick Marshall - hazy IPA brewed with lupulin powder and heavily dry-hopped with a variety of hops including Apollo, Citra, and Magnum.
• Chaka - hoppy, roasty black IPA with a huge grain bill (12 varieties!) and six different hop varieties.

Overall, we were all pleasantly surprised by the quality of the beers. Everything was pretty solid overall. Following my original flight of four beers, I decided to order a sample size of S'moreo Speedwagon based on Brewslut's recommendation. (Love the name, by the way!) This sweet stout utilizes crushed graham crackers, cocoa powder and nibs, lactose, cinnamon sticks, Oreo cookies, and vanilla bean to achieve a Thin Mint (you know, the Girl Scout cookies) flavor. This was quite tasty albeit a tad thin in body. If they ever make a higher gravity version of this with a thick, chewy texture, though, look out! This one was definitely the most memorable of the lot, in my opinion, though the other beers were all good in their own right. 

We almost forgot Pleeps at home, but he was glad we went back for him!

We first visited Hidden River back in September 2016, and right off the bat we were smitten. The beers were elegant, delicious, and slightly off-kilter. We loved everything about the place: the beer, the people, the vibe, and the house (yes, it's actually situated in an historic building known as the Brinton Lodge). The owners saved it from being demolished and opened Hidden River. Since our initial visit, we've only been back one other time. Sadly, it was following last year's Sly Fox Bock Fest & Goat Races, so needless that particular visit registers as a bit hazy in my memory banks. 

We arrived about fifteen or twenty minutes earlier than S&V (with Kim following a bit after that), so we got situated at a table (actually two of them) and ordered some beers. Hidden River was having some kind of can or crowler release that day, so there was a lengthy line of people in queue at the main bar. We decided to stick to the dining room area even though the tap list was a truncated version of the beer list available in the bar area. Still, plenty of good beer to be had until the line died down. 

I started off with Down in the Cone, a DIPA well-hopped with Motueka, Citra, and Lemondrop. According to its description, the beer is named after a saying at the brewery when they're brewing hoppy beers. Apparently, brewing with copious amounts of kettle hops results in a cone-shaped mound of hop remnants at the bottom. Hence the phrase "down in the cone." The intriguing hop bill elicits notes of Mandarin orange, sticky mango puree, vanilla custard, and lemon bars. This beer was pretty damn delicious and went down the gullet all too easily. 

Meanwhile, Brewslut was working on a lovely pour of a beer called Primordial Energy . She had to correct me on the pronunciation of "primordial" (with its long "I" sound in the first syllable). Oh, grammar how we love thee! Described as a Peach Hibiscus Sour IPA, this cloudy but silky smooth beer boasts an exquisite fuchsia hue that bordered on lavender. It truly was a beautiful beer! Named in honor of Kali, the Hindu goddess, this beer was brewed with lactose and conditioned on peach puree, vanilla, and hibiscus flowers. The hop combination of Azacca, Galaxy, and African Queen (formerly an experimental variety now grown in South Africa) yields notes of ruby red grapefruit, peach smoothie, lime zest, and delicate flower pedals. This beer was Uh. Maze. Ing!

I made the classic rookie mistake (shame on me) of starting with a DIPA and then moving to a session IPA. But I didn't want to do two DIPAs in a row because we still had a long day ahead of us. Plus, the back bar area was limited in its taps. For my second beer, I ventured over to the smaller (but main) bar area to peruse the selection, which featured about a dozen different beers, some of which were also on tap in the room we were occupying. I decided on a pour of  Wind of the Mountain, a "small IPA," according to Hidden River. I like that better than "session." Named after an ancient Irish poem, this tasty IPA features a blend of Mandarina Bavaria, African Queen, and Mosaic hops for hints of melon rind and citrus zest. Hidden River also suggests notes of "light grape soda" and "alfalfa in the fields." How poetic! 

After catching up with everyone and enjoying a few beers at Hidden River, it was time to get the show on the road and head to the next destination. I'll admit that I hadn't heard of Pottstown United until Deuane suggested we go there as part of our "reunion tour," so we were, of course, game. Turns out the beer was quite good! 

Gonna keep on drinkin', never stop... united!

When we arrived, there were a few other patrons scattered throughout the tasting room, but we were able to secure a large table in the back. While the place is pretty small, there is a large one-piece lacquered log-style bar along the right side that is pretty impressive. The opposite side features a brick wall and additional tables. Our table was similar to the bar. We perused the menu and, while everyone else ordered snacks and such, we decided to wait until our next stop (La Cabra) because we heard the food was excellent. Plus we'd already eaten a sizable breakfast earlier in the day, so we had enough fuel in the tank for a few beers here.

I think they commissioned Jackson Pollock for this.

Speaking of beer... Snoochie Boochies! The first beer I ordered was named Snoogins, which is a reference to one of my favorite movie characters, Jay (of Jay and Silent Bob fame). If you've ever seen Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma, etc. then you know the Mack Daddy of Jersey. Recognize! Even if I didn't want this beer (which I did; it's a NE-style IPA) I felt obligated to order it based solely on its name. This one didn't scream hazy NE-style, though. It didn't really scream anything, actually. It was just a pretty damn delicious IPA boasting lots of peppery grapefruit rind, dank pineapple, and juicy overripe mango. The mouthfeel was pretty thick and viscous for an IPA, but I really enjoyed its texture. It turned out to be one of the most memorable beers of the day for me... even if it had a dumb name. Snoogins, indeed! (Editor's note: Unfortunately, our server mispronounced it as "Snoojens" with a "J" sound. Also, I ordered a half pour but was given a full pour instead - and at the full price too. Lucky for me I enjoyed it so much.

Pleeps chillin' with his buddy Zeke.

Meanwhile, Brewslut was working on a pour of a creamy oatmeal stout called Slick Rick (presumably named after the rapper of the same name). Dispensed via nitrogen, this stout was well appointed with heavy notes of dark chocolate, roasted malt, and coffee. I had a few swigs; enough to know it was a solid nitro stout. If they really wanted to nail the presentation of this beer, they should have served it with an eyepatch garnish.

All in all, Pottstown United was better than I'd anticipated. It was also a one-and-done stop for us, and soon it was time to head to La Cabra. Even if La Cabra's beer sucked (which it definitely didn't!), I still would have loved it just for the goat connection. When we arrived, there was about a 35-minute wait for a table. Yup, this place was brimming with people both upstairs in the loft and downstairs on the main floor. I'd been aware of the brewery but didn't know much about it. Aside from my familiarity with the goat logo, I also had sampled one or two beers at local beer festivals (most likely Lititz). So it was nice to finally get to the source. 

Entrance to La Cabra. I'm gonna like this place!

While we were waiting for our table, we corralled in the corner over by the bar and grabbed some beers. I spotted Co-Pilot, a porter brewed with cold press coffee, on the board. Coffee beers are hard to pass up, and I'm glad I didn't let this one slip through my hands. This velvety, nitro-dispensed porter boasted rich notes of chocolate, fresh roasted coffee and a hint of caramel vanilla cream candy.  

Meanwhile, some of the team was talking up a beer called Hipster Catnip. Its moniker is one of the most evocative beer names I've come across lately. Sure it's a juice bomb (hence the hipster reference) bursting with tropical fruit and zesty citrus. And of course it has a silky smooth oat-laden mouthfeel. What about a dank, dry finish? You bet yer ass! Although it's listed as an American IPA on Untappd, it's pretty obvious that this is a NE-style hazy brah IPA. However, if they ALL tasted like this, I wouldn't be quick to condemn the style on most occasions. This beer was epic. It was delicious. It was everything I love about the style. And the beer's name is the icing on the cake. Needless to say, I ordered a pint of my own after snagging a few sips from Brewslut. Seriously, this may very well have been my beer of the day!

Best. Wallpaper. Ever! 

Food-wise, the menu was diverse and forward-thinking with a variety of interesting ingredients and dishes. We decided to share an appetizer, so we settled on the Smoked Fish Trio featuring 

smoked whitefish yuca chip, salmon and ricotta crostini, fried smelt and roasted peppers. It was small but extremely flavorful and paved the way for our entrees. I went with the Becky Bowl, a tasty concoction of house smoked salmon, farro, roasted pumpkin, Swiss chard, sweet corn, toasted pistachio, and maple vinaigrette. It was quite tasty. I've been digging these "grain bowls" that some places have been serving lately. It could have been a bit more substantial, perhaps, but the mix of ingredients was delicious and healthy. At least it tasted healthy. 

For my "after dinner" beer, I opted for a pour of Johanna, a luscious NE-style DIPA rife with lemon candy and gentle lactose sweetness atop a hoppy, citrus-forward canvas. This one was definitely a sipper and I took my time with it as we all conversed about life, beer, travel, and music. I really look forward to our next visit to La Cabra. I mean, they've got awesome beer, great food, an amazing atmosphere, and - best of all - goats! Well, not living, breathing goats, but goat wallpaper, a goat logo... you get the idea. 

Until next time, La Cabra.

We'd planned on two more breweries for the day, but we ended up spending a bit more time at La Cabra than we had anticipated. Therefore, we settled on Locust Lane as our final stop for the day. The brewery is situated in an industrial warehouse-type building among other similar buildings, much like many other breweries we'd visited in the past (particularly in California). Inside, the place is pretty non-descript: lots of white walls, a generic bar amid brewing equipment and fermentation tanks, and a few tables. We actually snagged the one table that was set up actually in the brewery's cellar. S&V informed us in advance that the beers here were hit or miss. However, it was a new place we could cross off the long list of breweries we'd visited. 

Outside Locust Lane. It was, like, dark out and stuff.

After perusing the beer list, I decided on Experimental IPA #8: Hybrid, a hazy, fruity IPA loaded with Idaho 7, Mosaic and Simcoe hops. This one didn't strike me as a NE-style IPA, although it was hazy. Idaho 7 hops tend to impart a sometimes odd vegetal note that I'm not 100% sold on. However, it seemed to gel with the Mosaic and Simcoe, coaxing traces of pulpy tropical fruit and melon. It was also a pretty dense beer for an IPA, if memory serves me correctly. Much like the beer, I was pretty hazy by this time of the day. When all was said and done, it was a pretty solid introduction to this brewery. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was great, but it was good.  

Some of the team was passing around a pint of Three Tun Citra IPA, a 100% Citra Hopped IPA that S&V assured was Locust Lane's most consistent beer. As expected, this one featured abundant grapefruit as well as a hint of floral notes. Again, it was good but not great. But sometimes solid is perfectly fine. I don't expect to be blown away every time I try a new beer. 

Locust Lane's brewhouse.

In addition to the two IPAs, Vicki passed around a pour of a Kolsch. Overall, it's a pretty crisp, delicately-balanced beer with a subtle fruit and hop character. It didn't speak to my palate too much, especially after drinking two pretty flavorful, hoppy IPAs. Still, I could tell it was a decent representation of the style. Same goes for the Belgian Golden Ale, a strong but easy drinking ale with notes of pear, green apple and a touch of black pepper. Think Tripel. Again, good but not great.

Although our last stop didn't live up to the other breweries we visited throughout the day, it was great to get the band together again for an enjoyable, beer-soaked day hopping around a few new breweries. Until next time...