SEPA

Had a great time in South East Pennslyvania, Philly, and surrounding boroughs.  Most noteably, the fine brew houses providing a rich, cultural backbone of the region.

New friends of the blog;
http://www.ironhillbrewery.com/
http://www.mckenziebrewhouse.com/
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/6457
http://www.kildarespub.com/

Be sure to check out the following highly recommended brews if you're in the area.  I will be exploring shipping of Growlers in the meantime.

McKenzie Black Lab Stout - sorry, no photo (had this the first night)

Tommyknocker Butthead Boch - extremely rich and sweet

Flying Dog Gonzo Porter - I had to try out my guys at Flying Dog Breweries while I had the chance, and this certainly didn't disappoint.

Iron Hill Nitrogenated Pig Iron Porter - by far, the BEST beer I had during my stay.  Extremely rich and tasty, with a strong hint of chocolate (with the roasted flavor gives it a smooth butterscotch-type aroma).

McKenzie Brooklyn Black Stout - Had this a day after the Pig Iron, so it was a tough act to follow.

McKenzie Unicorn Ale - I wish I would have tried this sooner as it may be one of the more tastier beers McKenzie offers.

Victory HopDevil (Kildare's) - What can I say? Kildare's was having a special on Victory pints ($3) that evening, so it was a no-brainer.  Extremely hoppy and bitter, but just right.  Made the mistake of trying the Wild(Hop)Devil a night later (not good).

Iron Hill Kryptonite (Double Hop) - a double IPA, I relished the bitterness by pairing it with the Keilbasa and sauerkraut.

Guinness - Ah, of course, why not? Well, unfortunately, I haven't enjoyed a Guinness since moving to the South in 2006.  As, I'll outline below, no matter where I get them down here, they always seem to be 'spoiled' and lack any true flavor.  Thankfully, this pint didn't disappoint and was everything I remember a Guinness should be.

A little perspective here, being in the South now, good, flavorful beer is extremely difficult to find.  I would imagine the distribution chain in the ArkLaTex doesn't really support micro brews or even proper storage/handling.  I am not sure if it is being surrounded by dry parishes here in the "baptist-belt" of Upper Louisiana, or that "Coors Light" and "Miller Lite" is about as refined as the palatte gets in these parts.  If anyone is interested in starting up micro-brew house in NW Louisiana, I can guarantee your first customer (signed, Otis).