Iron Hill Brewery Center City is Open!

Iron Hill Brewery just expanded to bring craft brews to Market East! And with this, they maintain the stance that nothing's more local than beer that's brewed ten feet from your table. 

Owners Kevin Finn, Mark Edelson, and Kevin Davies note that Iron Hill is more than just a craft brewery and a scratch kitchen. In fact, their motto is "Craft Kitchen, Scratch Brewery." 

Flight of Iron Hill Craft Beers | First Pour with the Founders, Brew Master, Chef, & Management | Cheesesteak Eggrolls

After popping in for a media event, we were invited to stop by for a soft-open dinner. 

Hot Chicken Sliders | Bourbon King Stout 

I knew I had to start off with the bourbon king stout. This was definitely right up my alley - great chocolate and bourbon notes here. Paired up with the hot chicken sliders - I was very happy. The chicken was Crispy, with spicy cayenne notes. But the sweet bread & butter pickles really made it each bite. 

Gold Medal Baby Back Ribs

With a sweet Bedotter Ale BBQ glaze, I appreciated that these ribs weren't overly sauced and the spice rub came through. Fall apart tender, these were easily enjoyed. Fries were well-seasoned and had just enough crisp to enjoy the texture. 

Drunk Monk Burger

The Drunk Monk Burger was right up my alley, especially with the addition of the fried egg. Perfectly medium rare and with a well-seasoned crust, the burger was amped up by the rosemary truffle aioli and creamy brie. The Wee Heavy Ale caramelized onions provided additional depth along with the mushrooms. Pro-tip: ask for extra napkins! 

Bourbon Pecan Ice Cream

So if you're looking for craft brews and good eats, be sure to stop by Iron Hill Brewery. I'd highly recommend popping in for Happy Hour as well - especially if those hot chicken sliders are on the menu! 

Iron Hill Center City

1150 Market Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107 

https://www.ironhillbrewery.com/center-city-pa

Philadelphia Brew & Eat Tours with Philly Limos

*Sponsored Guest Post*

Philadelphia is the perfect city to embark on a food and drink tour! With all of the award winning restaurants that have been established, as well as new eateries popping up all of the time, there are seemingly endless options to choose from when you and your friends are going out on the town. If you're looking for some spots to add to your itinerary for dining and drinking, we're here with some suggestions for some fantastic quality brews and food options at these local brewing companies. You're sure to leave these places filled to the brim and satisfied.

Be sure to consider a safe mode of transportation for yourself and your friends if you plan on drinking through the night. One of the best ways to do this is to consider a party bus or limo, as it ends up to be just as affordable as an Uber with a lot more features when it is split up among the group. 

You'll be happy that you prepared for your night of high quality food and drink with this type of transportation. For more information, head over to phillypartybus.com.

Evil Genius Beer Company

Fishtown, PA

Courtesy of Yelp

While the selection here leans toward IPAs, there's a little something for everybody to enjoy when you check out their large menu of food and drinks. There's a subtle 90's theme here, so millennials will especially enjoy drinking here. Flights are under twelve dollars and include five different brews, so it's a generally affordable spot to check out while you're on your brew tour.

Yards Brewing Company

Northern Liberties, PA

Courtesy of Yelp

Yards is a popular option known for their informative, entertaining tours of their brewing facilities where you're offered samples as you walk through. With five dollar pints and seven dollar flights, it's easy to enjoy many different types of beer here without breaking the bank. For history buffs, they even offer brews that are supposedly the same recipes that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson used themselves.

Second District Brewing

Pennsport, PA

Second District is a local brewery and beer bar serving up traditional American food as well as some vegan options. We love the open atmosphere with exposed brick. There aren't flights offered here, but there are usually eight rotating beers on tap, and don't leave without trying their popular Vietnamese Coffee Stout. It's out of this world! The sliders, curly fries, and vegan sausage sandwiches are all great option to consider as far as food goes.

FTC Disclaimer: This is a sponsored guest post.

Roy Pitz Barrel House Philadelphia Media Event

With an emphasis on crafting great beer while supporting its local communities and arists, Roy Pitz has expanded to the Arts & Crafts Holdings space at 990 Spring Garden. "A space for optimists" is Arts & Crafts' vision and Roy Pitz is emblematic of that mantra. I'd expect an instant revitalization to the area, with a gorgeously designed space where everyone can come to enjoy Brewing Company's "liquid art" as well as their kitchen's creative takes on bar food.

 Roy Pitz started off in 2008 as a small brewery in an underground back alley tap room. Their Liquid Art concept is an expression of craftsmanship, whether it's with their interesting beers or local artists creating murals for the walls at Roy Pitz Philly or their original location in Chambersburg, PA. 

From Top Left: Stubborn Irish Prig Porter | Best Blonde Lager | Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine | Rye Ginger Old Fashioned

The GF and I stopped by for a media preview event and were impressed by the eclectic selection of brews. The GF enjoyed the light, crispness of the blonde lager while I couldn't help but kick back with the chocolatey prig porter. I was especially impressed with the bourbon barrel-aged barley wine which had an initial levity that lent itself to a smooth and intense bourbon-barrel mouthfeel. Their cocktails are on point too, with the whiskey old-fashioned rounding things out for me, with a subtle ginger kick.

From Top Left: Bavarian Soft Pretzel | Prig Porter BBQ Pulled Chicken Egg Roll | Roasted Carrot Hummus | Meat & Cheese Board | Shrimp Ceviche

Not to be outdone, the kitchen has plenty on offer, from small bites like carrot hummus to more substantial beer-infused chicken egg rolls.

From Top Left: Stuffed Eggplant | House Cut Fries | Buffalo & BBQ Wings | French Onion Soup

I can see the stuffed eggplant being a hit, with its veritable garden of mushrooms, peppers, onions, and tomatoes, along with pecorino and bread crumbs. And who can say no to wings, crisp fries, and french onion soup!

From Top Left: Barrel House Burger | Chickpea Salad Sandwich | Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich | Mojo Pork Panini | Prosciutto Panini

Their barrel house burger is a blend of short rib and brisket, topped with porter caramelized onions, sharp cheddar, and "Liquid Art" sauce. Pretty much a must order in my mind.

From Top Left: Mac & Cheese | Crispy Trout | Flat-Iron Steak | Roast Chicken

And when your mac and cheese is topped with bourbon barrel barleywine house-smoked brisket, you know folks are going to be happy.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Roy Pitz on Spring Garden to check them out and support the local community. If you need more incentive, head over to my Instagram and enter to win a $15 gift card!

FTC Disclaimer: Thanks to Roy Pitz Barrel House and Gloss PR for inviting us to the preview. Regardless, my opinions are mine alone and, therefore, unbiased. 

Khyber Pass Review [3]

Previous reviews can be found at Khyber Pass [1] and Kyber Pass [2].

One of my favorite spots to grab food in Old City is Khyber Pass. They've got a mix of BBQ and Southern-inspired dishes on the menu. So in effect, perfect foods to pair with their curated beer list.

One thing I didn't realize though. They offer bunch everyday! So while walking through Old City Festival and being fairly disappointed in the food-related offerings, the GF's family and I decided to pop into Khyber Pass for some brunch-time fare.

Founders Oatmeal Stout [$6]

I went with the nitro Founders Oatmeal Stout. Creamy with great notes of chocolate and coffee, this was easily quaffable.

Large Nachos [$11]

Jack cheese, green tomato salsa, sour cream

The large nachos were plentiful indeed, with an abundance of cheese, sour cream, and green tomato salsa interspersed throughout.

Mac n Cheese [$5]

The mac is always a must order. Buttery and cheesy with a wonderfully crisp upper crust, this is the mac that brunch dreams of.

Praline Bacon [$5]

Another must order? The praline bacon. I don't know how I've missed this goodie. Crisp, candied bacon doesn't better than this. Nutty, crunchy, sweet, salty, and savory, it's the perfect food.

Big Ass Biscuit & Sausage Gravy [$8]

I'm always drawn to Khyber Pass's "big ass biscuit." So for brunch, I got mine dumped with a whole bunch of sausage gravy on top. Buttery and creamy, this melange of savory flavors hit the spot.

So if you're in Old City, don't hesitate to pop on in to Khyber Pass. They've even got you covered for brunch!

David Burke's Primehouse Review

This is for a 2015 trip to Chicago, including the following posts:

Big & Little's, David Burke's Primehouse, Little Goat Diner, Philly's Best, and The Publican. 

Dry-aging steaks have certainly gone beyond the standard 28-day time frame. Case in point, if you're at Mario Battali's Carnevino in Vegas, you have the chance to indulge in a 240-day dry-aged riserva steak. Dry aging helps in intensifying the beefiness of your standard cuts of steak by breaking down the intramuscular fibers and lending way to a nice funk. And if you're in Chicago, there's no place better than David Burke's Primehouse to enjoy a proper dry-aged steak.

A Top Chef Master in his own right, Chef Burke's got a clear passion for beef. So much so that he was the first chef to own his own bull. Named Prime 207L, or simply Prime, this is the Black Angus bull that's sired the foundation for high-quality steaks. In fact, despite Prime's passing, his sperm has been frozen to continue the line of beef.

Rye-P-A [$16]
Templeton rye, absinthe, bitters, orange, IPA
 

After a long day of conferencing, I decided to start off with the Rye-P-A. I usually only drink stouts if I'm opting for beer, but was intrigued by the potential balance of the IPA with the orange and absinthe. Coupled with the stiffness of the rye whiskey, we're talking about a smooth tipple that comes through with floral citrus notes.

Bread Service
Gruyere popover, butter with Himalayan sea salt
 

A la BLT Steak in NY, there's nothing I enjoy more than a popover to start. This was one of the best I've had. Perfectly portioned with a nicely crisp texture on the outside, this was studded with salty hits of cheesy Gruyere. 

Once opened, the bread within was fluffy and just hot enough to melt the room temperature butter, which was topped with pink specks of Himalayan sea salt. Delicious. 

Bacon [$12]
Slaw, black pepper, maple syrup
  

I had to get David Burke's bacon dish (this is the Chef who had his own bacon bar!). And I'm glad I did. In fact, consider this one of my last meal dishes. Previous iterations of this dish were presented in "cake pop" fashion and I'm glad they did away with it in favor of this more beautifully presented spectacle of pork. The belly was incredibly flavorful, with the sweetness from the maple syrup rendering it into bacon candy. There was a nice outer crisp as well, which helped to provide some textural balance. There was a valiant attempt by the crisp red cabbage and pea tendril slaw to cut through the heft of the pork, but the richness of the unctuous belly could not be denied, Seriously the best steakhouse bacon I've ever had, even over Peter Luger's. Ridiculously delicious and a must order. 

At this point, the kitchen gifted me with the caesar salad with add-on's. Perhaps they were attempting to provide some levity to my meal, which regular readers know centers around carnivorous tendencies. The salad's expertly crafted tableside, with the option of adding on delectable crab croutons or white anchovies to impart some bright salinity to the dressing.

Caesar Salad [$14] + White Anchovies [$3] + Crab Croutons [$5] 

The greens were perfectly dressed, with a great depth of flavor from the just-made dressing. The hits of salt from the Parmesan Reggiano and the tasty morsels of lumb crab in the crisp croutons helped to provide additional savoriness to each bite. 

75 Day Dry-Aged Ribeye [$79]
20 oz salt brick beef
 

But really, I was here for the dry-aged beef. They offer several steaks, including the standard 28-day as well as 35, 40 and 55-day aged steaks. But I was here for the bad boy, the 75-day. Dry-aged using Chef Burke's patented Himalayan salt brick process, this 20 ounce bone-in ribeye was cooked nicely medium-rare. 

There was a clear beefy funk that was highly reminiscent of blue cheese, but with a buttery tenderness to the beef due to the tissue breakdown. In fact, the beef finished with a sweetness that was reminiscent of elk. This was delicious and well-executed in that the beef really shined over any overt seasoning or butter one may expect from your more typical steakhouses.

Mac n Cheese [$9]
Camembert, cheddar, bread crumbs  

I couldn't stop there - especially when there was mac n cheese on the menu. The noodles were nicely al dente and the melange of sharp cheddar and the funky umami of the Camembert helped to create a creamy and delicious bite. 

At this point, I was excited to tour the dry-aging room, clearly designated and locked, with the official patent proudly displayed. 

Manager Tommy Livingston (often mistaken for the Chef!), described the aging process and proudly highlighted the various cuts, including the ribeyes and the lard, which is aged as well. Apparently, the fat is melted and brushed onto their incredible dry-aged burger. They're even in the process of dry-aging pork, which'll make for an interesting treat. 

They still had one of their original steaks on display, representing almost a decade of aging! You can see how much of the actual beef gets eaten away during the process. Amazing, though probably not entirely edible. 

So if you're in Chicago and looking for a proper steak experience, look no further than David Burke's Primehouse. And if you're interested in trying more nuanced flavors compared to your standard 28-day dry-aged ribeye, the 75-day is the way to go. Don't forget a side of that incredible bacon! 

Clam Lake Beer Company Review

This is part of a series of posts for Michigan 2014.

Other posts in this series include: Tony's Original Restaurant, Whitehouse, Cops & Doughnuts, Levi's Food & Spirits, Genji's, Clam Lake Beer Company, and Grand Traverse Pie Company.

The city of Cadillac, Michigan was originally known as 'Clam Lake.' Thus, what was formerly Shay Station became a 139-seat tap house / restaurant known as Clam Lake Beer Company.

Custom metal artwork evokes the early industrial feel of Cadillac and provides a cool and comfortable atmosphere for food and drinks. 

Guinness [$5.50]
 

I started off with some Guinness - can't help but enjoy the dark stuff. 

Build Your Own Pizza [$12 + $4.50]
Italian sausage, pepperoni, pineapple
  

We had some of their brick-oven pizza, which featured italian sausage, pepperoni, and pineapple, creating a nice savory-sweet bite.

Portabella Wrap [$8]
Grilled portabella, zucchini, sauteed vegetables, goat cheese, lettuce, sun dried tomato pesto, flour tortilla 

The GF had a portabella wrap, which was nicely crilled on the outside and feature a veritable garden of veggies within, including tangy goat cheese and a nice sun-dried tomato pesto.

Mac n Cheese 
 

She got a side of mac n cheese substituted for fries for a $1.50 surcharge. This wasn't exactly al dente, but was nicely creamy and semi-sharp, with some bread crumbs for texture.

Southern Heat Burger [$11]
Bacon, chipotle pepper jack, house BBQ & jalapeno onion jam
  

I went with the burger, though expected a bit more heat and spice. This was actually sweeter than hot, but the crisp bacon and the jalapeno bacon jam provided nice texture and flavor. The burger itself was juicy and moist, with the bun providing a perfect vessel for the innards.

House Chips

We also got house-made chips, which were thick-cut and well-seasoned.

So if you're in the Cadillac, Michigan area, stop by Clam Lake for some beers and some pub fare. They've got you covered. 

Prohibition Tap Room Review

If you're looking for a neighborhood bar where the food is good and craft beers are on offer, look no further than Prohibition Tap Room. Located near Bufad Pizza and Cafe Lift, Prohibition Tap Room certainly held its own when the GF and I stopped by last Fall.

There are plenty of comfy bar stools and several tables as well. It's a dive in the best sense of the word. 

Bourbon County Stout [$10.50]
Aged Imperial Stout, Goose Island Beer Co, IL 

As soon as I saw that Bourbon County Stout was on offer here, I was sold. Rich, creamy, with a subtle bitterness and chocolate on the finish, this makes for great drinking.

Spring Garden [$9]
Tanqueray gin, basil, grapefruit, lemon, sugar  

The GF was in a cocktail kind of mood so went with their Spring Garden cocktail - sweet, tart, with nice basil undertones.

Corn Chowder [$6]

They had a corn chowder special which we opted for. Rather than a cream-based broth, this was clean, with great corn flavor, which I appreciated. Whole chunks of potatoes had nice bite, with plenty of corn and ham studded throughout. There was some depth here. It was served with some crisp, buttery bread.  

Poutine [$9]
House-cut fries, shredded beef gravy, melted cheese curds

The poutine was a decent iteration, showcasing crisply, thin house-cut fries.  The beef gravy wasn't overly heavy, and bits of melted cheese curds helped to create a good bite. Could have used more curds and gravy though.

Mixed Green Salad [$10]
Baby lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radish, pickled red onion, Millwood Springs blue cheese, toasted walnuts, red wine vinaigrette 

The GF enjoyed her salad, which was well-dressed. The pickling of the red onions offered some sweet acidity along with the red wine vinaigrette, which balanced the funky blue cheese nicely. The walnuts and fresh radish helped to add some texture to each bite.

Burger [$13]
100% grass-fed beef, Amish cheddar, Bibb lettuce, onion rings

I'm normally not a big fan of grass-fed beef, but this was the butteriest version I've ever tasted. The Amish cheddar was nicely sharp and the onion ring added some extra heft to each juicy bite. This was accompanied by well-seasoned and crisp fries.

So if you're in the area, don't hesitate to check out Prohibition Tap Room. They make a mean burger and they curate some good brews!