On Tap is a regular column featuring our recommendations on the most unique new draft beer offerings from local pubs.
Our Recommendation: Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Where: The Whip Tavern, 1383 North Chatham Road, West Marlborough
With the cool weather setting in and the foliage starting to turn, we decided to take one more country drive with the convertible top down, and that’s how we finally found ourselves at the best British pub in Chester County.
The Whip Tavern is perfectly located along the winding Chatham Road, surrounded by scenic rolling hills that will make one feel as though they have been transported back to the Old Country. But our trip was not without some tribulation.
As we headed south along route 82, still north of Chatham Road, we found ourselves inexplicably stopped in a traffic jam. Up ahead, at the famous intersection known simply as Blow Horn, we witnessed the road totally closed off with several trucks and flashing lights. After a U-turn, a check on GPS, and a detour on a very narrow meandering country lane, we finally reached our destination, thirsting for a pint.
Inside at the bar, we perused the menu and chose Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale, a perfect October beer to celebrate our final ride in the dwindling sunlight. The Weyerbacher poured a dark brown with a very little head that mellowed quickly as it was set in front of us. At 8% ABV, The Whip smartly serves this as a half pint in a stemmed goblet.
The spiced pumpkin aroma was evident before the first sip. We smelled hints of allspice and nutmeg. The pumpkin and spices were balanced nicely, my date described that “it almost didn’t have a beer flavor, it wasn’t hoppy at all. It’s nice—the flavors of fall.” I used to think of pumpkin ales as a dessert beer, but this fall I’ve found that pumpkin ale is a worthy companion to a hearty bowl of homemade butternut squash soup. I highly recommend it.
At The Whip Tavern, we decided to share a small plate with our beer, and from the starters menu, we chose the grilled naan, which is freshly baked with black bean puree and local wild mushrooms, and topped with what we first thought could have been candy corn, but on further inspection was roasted corn and tomato. A colorful and flavorful plate to accompany our pumpkin ale.
While enjoying our brief stop, we overheard the locals chatting about the incident at Blow Horn, explaining that a load on a tractor trailer shifted while driving by, and the load knocked out a corner section of the stone wall above the famous graffiti. By the time we left The Whip Tavern, the intersection had been cleared and we were able to view the damage to Blow Horn ourselves. The sight was nearly as sad as the thought of having to put the hardtop on my car when once we returned home.
