On Sunday, April 27, local breweries and restaurants gathered for the Fare Festival 2014 at Warminster’s The Fuge, a former centrifuge for astronaut training that now plays host to events. The festival showcased new spring and summer beers from national and local breweries, such as Ballast Point, Manayunk Brewery, Victory Brewing Company and Weyerbacher. Coffee from One Village Coffee was on hand, and great food from Na Brasa, Iron Abbey, Di Bruno Bros., The Bent Spoon and Bryn & Dane’s.
Amidst the food and beer was great music, hookahs and, of course, The Flyers game shown on a projector screen. Fermented Productions and Doylestown Fire Company No. 1 hosted the event, of which all proceeds went to the 100%-volunteer firehouse.
Of the wide beer selection, here are our 5 favorites from the festival.
Top 5 Beers of Fare Festival:
Evil Twin Low Life (5.50% ABV) – This German Pilsner is everything I look for in a summer beer: it’s smooth enough for someone who isn’t a big beer drinker, but boasts enough flavor to become an old standby for a casual or enthusiast. It’s clear-gold in color, with a nice foamy white head. It smells of malt, and has a dark, fruity grape taste, with a small aftertaste of hops. On the whole, it’s crisp and refreshing, and just flavorful enough to steer clear of being too understated.
Bells Smitten Golden Rye Ale (6% ABV) – I’ve been smitten with Bell’s offerings since I first tried their Two Hearted Ale, so you can imagine my excitement when I found out they’d be attending and that they were bringing along a beer I hadn’t tried before. This Rye Ale is dark yellow to light brown in color with little to no head. It has a floral citrus and rye aroma. Upon first taste it has a strong rye flavor, with an aftertaste of fruit and citrus. This beer would go great with most spring and summer dishes as it is flavorful in and of itself, but would pair well with a fresh salad or sandwich.
Stone Go To IPA (4.50% ABV) – This India Pale Ale pours a hazy dark-yellow with a minimal, fizzy white head. This beer is unlike most other Stone beers I’ve had in that it has a delightful fruit-filled aroma. Most noticeable are notes of mango and tangerine. The flavor certainly matches the aroma and is a tropical fruit-filled beginning with an aftertaste of bitter hops. This IPA was truly a lot more dynamic than I was expecting, and is a great beer to try out this time of year.
Forest & Main Saison Depardieu (3.6% ABV) – This Saison from Ambler’s Forest & Main is brewed in collaboration with Brewer Ben Potts. It uses Galaxy, Simcoe and Amarillo hops. The beer is a dark-brown color with an aroma of hops. It is a crisp, hoppy beer throughout, and very smooth.
Smuttynose Star Island (4.7% ABV) – This Belgian Pale Ale pours golden yellow with a large, creamy head. The aroma smells of spiced orange and lemon. This beer initially tastes like honey-laced malt, and finishes with a smooth, fruity aftertaste.
For more information on the Fare festival, visit them online at farephiladelphia.com.
- Photography: Nina Lea Photography
