On Tap is a regular column featuring our recommendations on the most unique new draft beer offerings from local pubs.
Our Recommendation: Southern Tier 215 Special Ale
Where: Kildare’s Irish Pub, 18 West Gay Street, West Chester, PA 19380
I did not make any Philly Beer Week events last week, but on Saturday afternoon, after the West Chester Public Library Party, I stopped in for a pint with some friends and was excited to see a special selection from Southern Tier on Kildare’s wonderfully laid out beer menu.
Southern Tier 215 Special Ale is a Saison/Farmhouse Ale that was brewed exclusively for Philly Beer Week 2013 and was only available at select pubs and venues. When my pint arrived, I was taken back at the cloudy orange color—this pint brightened up the darkened Irish pub. Perhaps the orange glow surprised me because I often (and erroneously) think of Southern Tier mainly as the brewery of classic dessert beers such as the Creme Brulee and the Choklat.
With the orange color and creamy head on top, my pint almost resembled a creamsicle. The 215 smells of floral notes with a citrus taste that follows through to the finish. It was not a beer I would have categorized as a classic saison/farmhouse ale. This ale is quite different in taste from saisons such as Avec DuPont and Stillwater Stateside, but this was a refreshing beer to quaff after a day walking the festival. At 5.8% ABV, it’s a drinkable summer beer, if you can find it lingering on tap for a few more days.
One more note: I’ve written about it before here, but again I’ll applaud Kildare’s for their easy to read and categorized beer menu. It’s always a blast to review what they have both on tap and in bottles by perusing your favorite styles and easily finding what’s on tap.
