On a beautiful May Saturday afternoon, approximately 1,100 beer lovers descended onto State Street for the the 12thAnnual Brandywine Valley Craft Brewers’ Festival. Twenty-five craft brewers and their employees chatted with fans and handed out samples of their finest brews. The festival, sponsored by Iron Hill Brewery to support the Media Youth Center, sold out once again this year. Check out our slideshow with audio and read more about the event.
Established craft breweries handed out samplings of many favorites – Victory Brewing Co. served out Summer Love and Dogfish Head dispensed their awesome Indian Brown Ale. Smaller upstart craft brewers such as Round Guys Brewing and Boxcar Brewing Co. also sampled their ales as well. For the $45 entry fee, beer lovers received a small sampling glass so they could enjoy their favorites and experiment with new brews.
Over at the Pinocchios Beer Garden stand, they were serving a few beers that aren’t even available to the public yet. Rob Zarko is in the process of starting Ship Bottom Brewery based out of Wallingford, Pa. A sample of his beautiful stout was tremendously creamy. He hopes to have his beers available in local bars within the next few months, including Pinocchio’s Beer Garden.
Having read much about Lancaster Brewing Company’s Bill Moore, it was great to meet the brewmaster in person. Bill was excited about the response to their Kolsch German Style Ale. With his long flowing gray beard, he dispersed pearls of beer wisdom to the crowd and raved about how much he enjoys coming to the festival thanks to the efforts of Iron Hill Brewery.
Over at Weyerbacher, where they were pouring their famed Merry Monks, Dennis Cahill held court with a circle of beer drinkers. He was in his element as he discussed the finer points of beer making.
One of the most unusual beers was Triumph Brewing Company’s Belgian Something Else. Ingredients in this beer included grilled lemons, cardomom, sea salt, thyme, mustard seed, bay leaf, along with malts, hops and yeast. People’s reaction was to reflect on the balance of ingredients on the tongue.
Some of the other brewers on hand included: Bethlehem Brew Works, Flying Fish, Old Forge Brewing Co., Sly Fox Brewing Co., McKenzie Brew House, Stewart’s Brewing Co., Stoudt’s Brewing Co., Troegs Brewing Co., Twin Lakes Brewing Co. and Yards Brewing Company. Mark your calendar for next year, and hope they weather will repeat itself in 2013!
Photographs credited to Amy Strauss.
