On Tap is a regular column featuring our recommendations on the most unique new draft beer offerings from local pubs.
Our Recommendation: Cinnamon Vanilla Porter and Old Tom Barleywine
Where: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant of West Chester, 3 West Gay Street, West Chester, PA
When the rumor started floating around on Twitter that Iron Hill in West Chester was now serving a Vanilla Porter, I knew I had to check into it. A few tweets later, thanks to Iron Hill’s Manager Kevin Love, I found myself sitting at the bar with Brewmaster Mike Rutkowski sipping a pint of his creation.
Mike first brewed this Cinnamon Vanilla Porter back in the fall. “A cask is smaller so I do test batches for the cask. I brewed it in October and people loved it, so we brought it back.” Mike explained the porter is “made with whole Madagascar vanilla beans.” The cinnamon is added and “the porter already has chocolate notes.”
Mike suggested pairing this porter with dessert on your next visit to Iron Hill. “This porter kind of reminds me of a donut or a Cinnabon. It goes great with our carrot cake or really any of our desserts.”
This cask-conditioned porter has subtle vanilla flavors that balance with the cinnamon. I like the cask conditioned, and Mike educated me that, “it pours about ten degrees warmer and you pick up more of the flavors.” Cask conditioned ales are naturally carbonated where draft beer has CO2 forced into it. The finished product comes in at 5.5%. “We have three casks of the Vanilla Porter this time, so we’ll tap it on Monday and should have it through the week.”
Now, here’s the tricky part: The Cinnamon Vanilla Porter will NOT be on tap Friday night, January 13th but will return on Monday, January 16th. The reason?
On Friday, the 13th, Iron Hill West Chester will release their “Old Tom Barleywine.” This barleywine, which is a very high alcohol content beer, is based on a recipe developed by Iron Hill West Chester’s first brewmaster, the late Tom Honsinger. Mike poured me a small sample of this 11% beer and it was delicious with an alcohol bite. “I brewed this style but I hadn’t brewed Tom’s recipe,” Mike told me. “It hasn’t been brewed here in years, but I wanted to make it in Tom’s honor.”
So if you are in over the weekend, try Old Tom’s Barleywine. And if you stop in after work next week, sample the Cinnnamon Vanilla Porter.
