Posts tagged bethlehem
The MINT - Bethlehem’s Shiny New Gastropub
Before the MINT opened, we heard a lot of rumors that it was going to be yet another Italian joint in B-Town (yawn). But then - the sign went up: “The Mint Gastropub.” Woohoo! A gastropub next to our favorite bottle shop? Yes please!
For those of you who are not yet aware of this recently-opened gastropub in Bethlehem, The MINT is located at 1223 West Broad Street - right next to Abe’s in a former Bank of America branch (Get it now? The MINT? A bank? Clever stuff.) The vault of the bank remains, there’s money-themed art on the walls, and the napkin rings are repurposed currency bands. The style and atmosphere of the place isn’t like anything we’ve seen in this area - it’s reminiscent of Philly’s Continental, but with it’s own special vibe.
The food is an extremely eclectic mix with very unique and interesting combinations and a focus on presentation. The bits and bobs (apps) will run you $9 a piece and the entrees go for $17. If you don’t want to break the bank (pun intended), you can always stick with the “hands on” section of the menu with items like lobster roll with sweet potato fries for ten bucks.
Now on to the important stuff - the beer. The current draft list includes 4 Victory beers, including Donnybrook Stout which is all but impossible to find on draft. The bottle list features about 70 beers - Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, Lost Abbey Carnevale, Mikeller Not Just Another Wit, Liefman’s Goudenband, and old favorites like Bell’s Two Hearted, Rogue Shakespere Oatmeal Stout, and Brooklyn Brown Ale, just to name a few. They plan to increase the bottle list to upwards of 200 beers, incorporate beer cocktails into the menu, and have already started cellaring beers to provide vintage selections in the future. There’s even a rumor circulating that there may be a MINT/Victory signature beer in the works.
The MINT also plans to have monthly beer dinners, the first of which will take place on Thursday, June 30 and will be hosted by Victory Brewing’s VP, Steve German. This intimate affair with only 25 spots will include five courses including dessert, paired with Victory’s V-12, Summer Love, Donnybrook Stout, Golden Monkey and Hop Devil. Click here for the event page and a peek at the menu. Book your reservation now to be sure to get in on this event. Give them a call at 610-419-3810 for more info and to reserve your seat, or better yet, stop in for a beer and ask for details. You’re likely to see a few familiar faces - the MINT’s staff are no strangers to good beer, coming from craft beer establishments like Tap and Table and The Brew Works.
The MINT is still in it’s soft opening phase, so things may change a bit down the line as they get into the flow of things, but we think they are off to a great start. We raise our glasses and welcome them to the Lehigh Valley’s craft beer scene!
Weyerbacher Beerscool Dinner Tonight at Starters Riverport in Bethlehem
It’s the third Wednesday of the month and that means it’s time for Beerscool at Starters Riverport! Tonight they’ll be featuring a Weyerbacher Beer Dinner and a rep from the brewery will be on hand to tell you all about their delicious locally brewed beer while you enjoy it! Beer selections include Double Simcoe IPA, Verboten, Blanche, Merry Monks and Blithering Idiot. The menu, prepared by Starters chef Dan Adams, includes some amazing creations: Cheddar-Stilton with peaches and crustini, shrimp and grits, southern fried chicken, yukon gold mashed potatoes, cheddar-stilton mac ‘n cheese, smokey collard greens, and black raspberry ice cream and watermelon ice with whipped cream and mint. YUM!
The dinner starts at 7pm tonight and will run you $30 per person, but it’s well worth it for all of that awesome beer, food, and knowledge! Call 610-625-2300 to reserve your seats.
Craft Beer at the Keystone Pub
If you haven’t been to the Keystone Pub lately (or ever), it’s about time for you to stop by. Keystone is one more great place to go to check out the Lehigh Valley craft beer scene. Located on Easton Avenue in Bethlehem, they’ve got a quality craft beer selection and offer a $3.50 all-day Saturday microbrew special.
Just to wet your whistle, below is what you’ll find currently at the Keystone to satisfy your craft beer thirst.
Draft:
Dogfish Head 60 Minute
Stoudt’s Gold
Stoudt’s Oktoberfest
Victory Hop Devil
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Yard’s Pale Ale
Bottles:
Abita Purple Haze
Atwater Dirty Blonde
Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
Brooklyn Lager
Buffalo Bill’s Blueberry
Buffalo Bill’s Orange Blossom
Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre
Founders Breakfast Stout
Flying Dog Raging Bitch
Flying Fish Exit 4
Flying Fish Exit 6 (25oz)
Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale
Lancaster Hop Hog
Lancaster Strawberry Wheat
Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat
Magic Hat #9
Magic Hat Hex
Magic Hat HI.P.A.
Magic Hat Odd Notion
Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Terrapin Brown India Pale Ale
Tomorrow’s Saturday, so what better time to check out the Keystone and have some $3.50 craft brews? Maybe we’ll see you there!
Bethlehem Brewer Chris Bowen Travels to Britian as Guest Speaker for CAMRA
Guest Post by LauraLynne Burtner
Bethlehem beer historian, award-winning home brewer, and extreme brewing enthusiast Christopher Bowen traveled to Burton-on-Trent, England, at the invitation of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) to be their guest speaker at an event taking place today, October 1, 2010. Bowen’s address to CAMRA recounts his travel experience and the inspiration behind his mission “Arctic Alchemy: Discoveries of the Red Hand,” an extreme brewing and motorcycling expedition that was completed this summer and is set to become a documentary film next year. “I am honored that CAMRA is interested in my work,” Chris explained. “Going to Burton-on-Trent brings this adventure full circle - this is where the story of Arctic Alchemy begins.”
Located 2½ hours northeast of London, Burton-on-Trent grew to become one of England’s most prolific beer producing towns by the mid-19th century. It is the headquarters of world-renowned Bass Ale, and is also where Allsopp’s Arctic Ale was produced in the 1850’s. Queen Victoria commissioned the manufacture of Allsopp’s Arctic Ale to fortify sailors who undertook dangerous explorations in search of the Northwest Passage to the Orient. It is this fabled ale that Bowen recreated from the original historic recipe using glacial waters of Northern Quebec on the Banks of the Hudson and James Bay using his handcrafted portable brewing system. Bowen brought Fegley’s Arctic Ale, a beer he made with Bethlehem BrewWorks from the same recipe, to share with CAMRA members.
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is a UK-based, independent, voluntary, consumer organization, which campaigns for real ale, real pubs, and consumer rights. Corporate entities, such as breweries and pubs are not members. There are over 100,000 individual members.
Christopher Bowen made news in the Summer of 2010 with his extreme brewing adventure, “Arctic Alchemy: Discoveries of the Red Hand,” which was featured in Forbes Magazine, Philadelphia Daily News, The Morning Call and on Lehigh Valley’s WDIY radio.
Previously he made news as the first reenactor of Johannes Sebastian Goundie, celebrated 19th century personality, civic leader, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania’s first official brew master. Bowen has made appearances and recreated a historic brewery for several outdoor festivals and his research was the basis for Historic Bethlehem Partnership’s 2009 - 2010 “Roll Out the Barrel” exhibit at the Goundie House.
Bowen’s first crowning achievement was a 2007 Gold Medal award in partnership with Bethlehem BrewWorks’ Beau Baden in the Pro-Am competition at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, CO. after only one year of amateur brewing.
For more information about Bowen’s Arctic Adventure, visit www.arcticalchemy.com.
Molly’s. Mondays. Microbrews.
Our ongoing quest for craft beer in the Lehigh Valley and a tip from one of our Twitter followers led us to Bethlehem’s South Side to check out a new venue in a familiar location. The former Lehigh Pub (also once known as the Bridgeworks) has become Molly’s Irish Grille. Now under new ownership, the facade of Molly’s still looks like your typical college pub. We admit, we were a little hesitant to enter after seeing the glow of multiple neon swill signs outside, but the rumor of a Microbrew Monday was enough to get us in the door. Once inside, we were pleasantly surprised by a variety of craft beer taps including Chimay White and Brew Works Hop Explosion (check our What’s On Draft page for the full craft beer draft list) as well as a cooler with as much micro bottle variety as one of the Mix a Six coolers at Abe’s.
Molly’s menu isn’t too shabby, either. If you’re looking for Kobe beef and oysters, head to the Bookstore instead, but if you’re in the mood for some hearty pub food, this is the place. Featured items include traditional Irish fare like shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, and bangers and mash. You can also find wraps, burgers, sandwiches, vegetarian dishes, salads, and over 20 appetizers - black and tan onion rings, fried zucchini sticks, and baked mac and cheese are just a few.
Microbrew Monday at Molly’s was enough to sell us on the place. Every Monday, Molly’s offers $3 micros until midnight as well as food specials (and we hear they have great Mexican Tuesday deals as well). We chose from an impressive variety of about 40 micro bottles and drafts, and even found a few we have never come across at Abe’s - Left Coast Tangerine and Torrey Pines IPA.
One more thing that made us feel at home at Molly’s - the people. We had a chance to chat with the General Manager, who was happy to answer all of our questions, take good care of us and make us feel welcome. A handful of the Molly’s staff (as well as a some of the patrons we saw there) are also previous or current employees at the Bethlehem Brew Works, and we were happy to see so many familiar faces in the few occasions we were there. We do realize that school is not currently in session and the vibe may change once the students are back, but we hope that the laid-back, friendly atmosphere remains.
Be sure to stop by Molly’s this upcoming Monday, August 30, for the Microbrew Monday deals as well as a Meet the Brewer event with Beau Baden of Fegley’s Brew Works.
Molly’s Irish Grille is located at 4th and New Street on Bethlehem’s South Side. Contact Molly’s at 610-868-1313 for more information.
How to Avoid Swill Beer at Fest
It’s that time again - the time when waves of townies and tourists roam the streets of Bethlehem with ale in hand. In the past few days, however, there has been controversy over the exact regulations of the beer laws surrounding Fest. Yesterday, State Liquor Control Enforcement shut down sales of to-go mug fills from local establishments for the first time in 12 years. Many weren’t happy about this change, and after a meeting at the Hotel Bethlehem with local bar and restaurant owners and Liquor Control, the ban was lifted - sort of. Until Monday, you will still be able to fill your mugs at bars and venture into the streets. Once Liquor Control officials are back in the office Monday and discuss the issue further - who knows.
What we do know is that if you are at Musikfest, you want to drink beer. And that if you enjoy craft beer like us, the beer selection you can purchase with your Fest tickets is less th
an satisfactory. Though many folks are content with drinking whatever macro brew swill Musikfest is pouring, we want you to know you do have a choice. There is an abundance of craft beer available right outside of festival grounds to quench your thirst, and even more if you are willing to take a bit of a hike in your quest for a quality brew (your car is parked 14 blocks away anyway, right?)
Below you will find our top 6 recommendations (in no particular order) on where to go during Fest if you don’t want to settle for less than you deserve by succumbing to the siren song of the beer tents.
If you want a craft beer during Musikfest, The Brew Works is the obvious first stop. The Brew Works will fill your mug, normally at or below Musikfest prices with quality house made brew. All the Fegley’s flagship beers will be on tap including Fegley’s Golden Ale (a good thirst quenching starter for your friend who has never had craft beer before), ESB, Wit and Steel Worker’s Stout. Slated seasonals include Blueberry Belch, Blastberry Wheat (an unfiltered wheat beer fermented with blueberries, raspberries and cherries), 900 IPA, Hefeweizen and Zomerbier (a Belgian summer ale). Also, don’t forget that the Steelgaarden Lounge below the Brew Works also stocks a large selection of Belgian ales and lambics along with the drafts, and is typically less crowded than upstairs during Musikfest hours.
Across the street from Ripper’s, Starfish is not only offering free music every night of Fest (you MUST go see the Talking Heads cover band tonight), but also five craft beer drafts: Stone IPA, Ommegang Hennepin, Harpoon Summer Ale, Weyerbacher Merry Monks and Stoudt’s American Pale Ale. The prices here can be a little steep but they also have a decent craft beer bottle selection.
Don’t let Joe’s divey facade keep you from venturing in for craft beer. Joe stocks bottles of some of our favorite go-to American IPA’s: Victory Hop Devil, Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. You might leave here smelling like a hamburger that’s been left in an ashtray, but Joe is usually behind the bar serving your IPA, which makes it all worthwhile.
Tika’s is right in the heart of the Main Street Fest scene at the corner of Main and Market. Though it’s more of a family restaurant sort of place, you can find Hop Devil on draft here - sure to come in handy if you’ve just watched that unicycle guy across the street for the umpteenth year in a row and need some craft beer - quick.
Located on Linden Street between Broad and Union, the Gute is a bit of a hike, but that works to your advantage if you want to escape the masses for a bit during Fest and enjoy a craft beer and some quality inexpensive pub food. Normally on draft here you will find at least 2 varieties of Victory beer along with Yards IPA, and a good craft beer bottle list to boot. If you’re hungry, go for the Gute Burger. It’s one of the best burgers in the area and wont leave you with that lingering regret you feel after spending your life savings on a shish kabob at Fest.
Many of you seasoned Lehigh Valley beer connoisseurs already know of the craft beer wonderland that is Abe’s. Abe’s is located at 13th and Broad, so if you’re already at Fest this may not be your best option, but we would be remiss if we did not add this to the list. Abe’s is not a bar, but rather a take-out craft beer heaven located right here in the Lehigh Valley. The exterior of the building may lead you to believe they sell only Old E 40’s and 12 packs of Natty Ice, but once you enter your fears will quickly dissolve. Abe stocks rack after rack of hard-to-find imports and rare styles categorized by country, and also offers a fixed price mix-and-match six pack of a variety of (mostly) American microbrews. Customers from New York and Philadelphia drive to PA to visit Abe’s and stock up on craft beers they cannot find locally, but we have the advantage of having this haven right in Bethlehem. Stop here on your way in to Fest if you are heading to a local party (your friends on Main Street don’t really want you to drink ALL their beer). This is also a great place to take your out-of-town guests who are into craft beer - believe us, they will be jealous you can shop here any time you want.
In addition to our 6 choices above, you can also find craft beer at a number of places on the South Side. A couple of our favorites include Starters Riverport, (located right over the Fahy Bridge behind the Banana Factory) which offers an impressive selection of craft beer drafts; and the Bookstore Speakeasy, which may be tiny but offers a unique atmosphere, quality drafts and password discounts every day of Musikfest.
Happy Festing to all, and to all a good beer!
