Posts tagged starters riverport
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!
