Kings Road Brewery

Beer, Beer Bar, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings, Brewery Reviews, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Back in early May I had plans to meet a friend at Tonewood Brewing but realized Kings Road Brewery was just 10 minutes from Tonewood so felt it necessary to stop and check out Kings Road first. So glad I did.

Kings Road Brewery is located in the heart of downtown Haddonefield, NJ and what a cute town! A gorgeous downtown that just calls out for one to spend an afternoon strolling the streets, popping into the various mom and pops shops, restaurants, bakeries, and brewery. To say Haddonfield is cute is an understatement and I plan on going back to enjoy an afternoon of #smallbusiness. However, I did stop into a fun little spice and tea shop before heading to the brewery. The brewery is close to the Heritage Winery Tasting Room and across the street from The British Chop Shop which happens to be byob.

There is street meter parking out front and a rather large lot near the rear of the brewery across the street. Beings I was there on a weekday afternoon I had no problem finding parking out front. I opted to enjoy my beer outside in the back of the brewery where they had several picnic tables set up with a tent overhead for some shade. Besides the picnic table area they also had a few barrel tables outside in the front of the building and another outside area in the back with a few hightop tables and lots of sun. Inside the space is generous with lots of warm tones, wood and plenty of seating. You are allowed to bring food in and dogs are welcomed outside. The interior is a nice size and felt warm and inviting. The staff was very attentive and welcoming.

This Gal absolutely adored the tap list. It was really one of the most diverse brewery lists I’ve seen in a while and spot on for Spring. There were so many I wanted to try so opted for a taster flight:

Empire Strikes Back – English Bitter 5.1% ( you know I had to order it with a name like that)
Very happy to see an English Bitter and even happier drinking it. This ESB had the perfect combination of malts and hops.

1944 Pilsner – 4.4% My go to style now a days.
This was a true classic German style Pilsner. Starts with a bit of doughiness and follows up clean and crisp.

Hell n’ Bock – 6.7%
A bock! Love a bock and so happy to see one on their menu. I cannot stress enough how much I loved their selection. This bock wasn’t as malty as some I’ve had but that’s ok there was still plenty of malt and had a slight taste of peppers.

Since the lager had kicked and the IPAs were NE stye, which just wasn’t in the mood for, I opted for the Black Musket Stout to round out the flight.

Black Musket Stout – 6.2%
It’s been a while since I ordered a stout. I used to love the roasted coffee flavor to stouts but my taste have changed and since most stouts seem to have the coffee thing going on I tend to pass. This black beauty passed on the coffee and offered up an abundance of dark malts countered by hops and a hint of nuttiness. Rich, Smooth & Creamy.

I wish I had more time to spend at Kings Road Brewery but I had to move onto my next stop but I’ll definitely be back.

Kings Road Brewery ~ FB ~ IG

2021 Breweries to Visit – Icarus

Beer, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings, Brewery Reviews, , , , , , , , ,

Even though my 2020 Breweries to Visit list…oh heck we all know what happened to any plans made in 2020. The fact that 2020 was a wash didn’t stop me from making my 2021 Breweries to Visit list. This year’s list focuses heavily only #NJCraftBeer with a few PA breweries in the mix and so far I’m on track with visits. My latest stop was to Icarus Brewing in Lakewood, NJ. I’ve been hearing so many good things about their beer and had to check it out for myself.

I recently met a friend there on a rainy afternoon so outside sitting wasn’t going to work. However, on nice days there is a small makeshift seating area in the parking lot in front of the brewery. Parking appears to be limited unless I missed a second lot. We chose to go early on a Friday in hopes it wouldn’t be crowded at 1:30pm and our plan worked.

The brewery is much smaller than I imagined but the layout doesn’t make you feel cramped and even though it’s in a warehouse they have it set up to be warm and inviting. There are only a handful of tables with the tables along the wall having hanging dividers between them. There are also hooks along the wall and under the bar to hang purses and coats or whatever, as well as, charging outlets. Very nice touch! (no bar seating right now) Since I had my pups with me I chose the corner table next to the bar which was really out of the way from others.

The tap list is diverse from Pilsner, IPA, Pale Ale, Fruit, Stouts and Quads on tap. I was excited to see two Pilsners on the list, my go to style right now and stuck to them and IPA’s for this trip. I was happy with all my choices. The Three B’s Pilsner 6.9% and Pound of Feathers Imperial Pilsner 7.1% both were well done, clean and crisp and my favs of the day. I enjoyed the Pound of Feathers so much I bought 4 pack for my brother. I also really enjoyed the Piner West Coast IPA 7.4%. I love a good old school W.C. IPA and the Piner was exactly what I was in the mood for with hints of pine and citrus.

The artwork on the walls is fun and I even spotted a Grateful Dead painting so you know that made this Gal happy. The have a large collection of vinyl that they play and I love that they display the album sleeve of what is currently playing. Another nice touch!

We brought our own food to enjoy. I stopped on the way to Icarus at Mama Dude’s a fantastic little mom & pop farm to table take out joint…highly recommend them. We enjoyed lunch, beers and catching up which really made for such a relaxing afternoon.

Right now seating is limited to 90 minutes if crowded, no flights and there’s a take out window up front for purchases. The staff is friendly and happy to answer any questions and the brewery is dog friendly. Mama T. and Sullivan felt very welcomed.

Icarus Brewing ~ Facebook ~ Web ~ IG


Can we please have Spring before Summer

Beer, Beer Articles, Beer Festivals, , , , , , , , , , , ,

I just received an email from a brewery, I shall not name, that Summer Beers are out and We’re ready for Summer. It’s March 19! The jump on seasonal beers seems to be in strict competition with stores decorating for Christmas in September. I want to enjoy my Spring beer styles first, like Starkbiers, before the marketing of summer beer begins. After all Starkbiers have such a wonderful history and shouldn’t be over looked.

Sal

Monks originally started brewing Starkbier to help them through Lent since the monks couldn’t consume any food but could drink. So they brewed a beer that was packed with nutrients and calories. Starkbier translated is strong beer and known as Doppelbock. I would love to see more breweries brewing this style. In 1629 Paulaner monks brewed the first batch – Salvator. Just so happens one of this Gal’s #beercats is named after Paulaner Salvator.

The citizens of Munich heard of this amazing beer but because of laws could not partake. These laws were changed so the monks could share the beer with the people of Munich and thus this was the start of drinking Starkbier during Lent. Germany being Germany created a whole festival around this beer and Starbier Fest was born. Of course, in modern times they now eat during Lent but the tradition of brewing & celebrating Starkbier lives on.

This Gal had the pleasure of traveling to Germany during Starkbier Fest many moons ago. It was an amazing trip which one day I’ll write about. I was drinking Starkbier all over Munich and to this day it’s one of my fav beers and truly my favorite beer season. So I don’t want to see it glossed over. I mean who doesn’t love a German Beer Hall packed to the rafters with folks swinging their liters of beer while singing Joan Jett’s I Love Rock N’ Roll?! If you can picture that then you have a good idea how much fun Starkbier Fest is.

I really didn’t plan on writing about Starkbier or the Fest and I feel enjoy what you want when you want. You want a pumpkin beer in July go for it. I just don’t want to hear how the Fall pumpkin season is here when it’s July 10 or how it’s Summer Beer Season on March 19.

Cheers,
G.B.G.

Wait, what? I’m enjoying beer inside…

Beer Reviews, Brewery Reviews, , , , , , , , ,

For the first time in a year I was inside a brewery. It was surreal and yet normal all at the same time. Being in the high risk group for Covid I have limited my time out in the public and only visited 3 breweries last year (all outside) and for the most part enjoy beer at home or at my local beer joint down the street that has a year round outdoor patio. Fortunately, their tap list is always top notch. However, it was nice to try out a new place and drink some different beers.

Newton Brewing Company had been on my list of places to visit last year but we all know what happened to our lists of things to do and places to visit in 2020. I’m determined to get through my list this year. Granted I showed up 5 minutes before they opened so I could get there first thing, limited myself to a taster round and promised my partner we would be out before it got people-ly. I had just wrapped up the taster round when others arrived so we had the place to ourselves pretty much our entire visit.


ATMOSPHERE – Like many other breweries it is in an industrial type complex but the minute you walk through the door you forget that. The owners did a top notch job making the brewery feel warm and inviting. I absolutely love all the wood and the overall decor of the place. I also really like that there are a choice of table styles to choose from – high tops, barrels, and regular 4 top tables. (Bar sitting doesn’t exist right now because of the pandemic ) Another bonus sound buffers on the walls and ceilings. The brewery is BYOF and often has food trucks, check out their schedule, and being its PA during Covid hot dogs are available for purchase to cover the required table food law.

THE BEER – The tap list is nice with truly something for everyone. Personally, I was thrilled to see a Dunkel on the list and that was my fav of the day. Their Imperial IPA also ranked high. They also serve wine from a local winery, soft drinks, hard cider and seltzer as well. This place has me excited to visit breweries again and I look forward to my 2021 Beer Tasting Adventures.

Please note me and my partner’s comfort level and precautions with the pandemic are our decision and I will not debate them.

DROP ME A LINE
geekybeergal@icloud.com

KEEP IN TOUCH

Making Lemonade

Beer, Beer Merch, Beer News, , , , , , , , , ,

Looking to make 2020 a bit brighter for those that follow me on Facebook I started posting contests for folks to win small beer related prizes. I just really wanted to try and brighten things up for folks. After I awhile I started using my graphic design background to design some fun stickers and magnets as prizes. Fast forward to December of 2020 when the universe handed me a big bag of lemons. I took a long look at those lemons and I decided to brew a batch of some kick a$$ lemonade. That lemonade landed me on Etsy with the Geeky Beer Gal Store! I decided to turn the fun I was having designing the prizes into a business with a line of Beer, Dog and Cat themed merch.

Let’s face it with 3 #beercats, 2 dogs and a love for craft beer it was inevitable that I would find a way to combine these three passions into one. Beer journals*, t-shirts, beanies, hoodies, stickers, magnets, earrings and more with fun beer sayings and cute dog and cat related images.

Cat Peeps:
I Love Kitties And Beer
Love, beer & cats
All I need is beer and my cat
I just want to drink beer and pet my cat
Cat Mom Beer Lover

Dog Peeps:
I Love Dogs And Beer
Love, beer & dogs
All I need is beer and my dog
I just want to drink beer and pet my dog
Dog Mom Beer Lover

Two Easy Ways To Help A Small Business: Like & Share!
This Gal would greatly appreciate you giving the shop a look, fav the shop (click heart in upper left corner) and share, share, share! It’s great way to show a #smallbusiness support without spending a dime! (although, if you wanted to spend a dime…)

Oh and there will still be FB contest with plenty of opportunities to win beer related prizes and G.B.G. merch but you have to follow and play to win!

DROP ME A LINE
geekybeergal@icloud.com

Geeky Beer Gal is based out of New Jersey and lives with 3 cats named after beer/breweries (Avery, Salvator and Celis) and mother and son rescue dogs (Mama T. and Sullivan). Sullivan thinks he’s a cat and we just let him live that dream out.

Let’s hang out

*Beer Journals are available on both the Etsy shop and Amazon.
Click for StickerMule Discount

Cherish the Classics

Beer, Beer Bar, Beer Reviews, Uncategorized, , , ,
TRT Tap List

This Gal recently found herself at her fav beer store, Trenton Road Take Out, I was there to pick up a few things but decided to treat myself to a small beer. I always find the tap list to have a nice selection but on this particular occasion it was spot on! I was trying to decide between Toppling Goliath Light Speed DDH Pale Ale or Bissel Brothers “Lux” Pale Ale when the helpful young gentleman working the taps recommended a taste of the Sierra Nevada 40th Hoppy Anniversary Ale…ding, ding, ding we had the winner. I’m so glad he recommended it and was kicking myself for glossing right over it on the board. After all, I talk so often about Sierra can be overlooked and yet is so good. Here I was doing it myself…I was distracted by the shiny new beer and looking over the classic.

As I sat back and enjoyed this fab classic it really started to sink in that they were celebrating 40 years…40 years! That 40th Hoppy Anniversary Ale transported me back in time to my first sip of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale; it was the parking lot of a Grate Dead show. I thought it was so cool I was drinking a beer on the east coast that I never heard of and was from the west coast. The next time I was at a show I found myself searching for that beer from California. It was rare once, stood the test of time and all the various beer trends and is still going strong. Sitting back at Trenton Road Take Out sipping on that Sierra made me appreciate their journey as well as my own.

Thank you to the young gentleman for reminding me to cherish the classics.

Yes please and thank you.

Beer Articles, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

IMG_0606Recently my brother, often referred to as the world’s greatest brother, was at Trillium Brewing and texted me few cool pics of the place and in return I every so sweetly reminded him that I love suveniors. He asked if I would like to pick a few beers from their can list to bring back for me? Yes please and thank you! I’ve been on a kick of going out side my norm and trying beers that might not normally appeal to me. So I picked my 4 out of the box beers and 2 styles I normally enjoy. I enjoyed all the beers but the one that shocked me and I just loved was the one I saved for last because I thought, “why did I pick this one?” Double Seesaw American Gose Ale Brewed with Plum. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy a Gose every now and then but I’m not big into the fruit beers and am not a fan of plum in general. That has now changes. This beer is so delightful and fun! It comes in at only 5.3%. During the pour the sent of citrus, berries and, of course, plum are very noticeable. The color is striking and the taste simply incredible. It’s a medium body plum lemonade! There’s a tartness from the plum but that is counter balanced by the sweetness of the berries and the saltiness found with this style. It is one of the most perfectly balanced beers I have in a very long time. What a genuinely pleasant surprise and so happy I chose to go outside the norm on my selection.

Coming Full Circle

Beer Articles, Beer News

First off – I know – it’s been forever and a day since I last posted. Life has taken me many different directions and the writing fell by the way side, my apologies. Geeky Beer Gal is is very active on social media so please take a moment to follow me on FB, Instagram @geekybeergal and Twitter @geekybeergal.

IMG_1687
Brasserie d’Achouffe N’Ice Chouffe

Coming Full Circle. One recent Friday all I could think about, while trying to survive the work day, was how much I wanted to kick back later and enjoy a beer. As you know, I love beer but what you probably don’t know is that I actually don’t drink it as much as one might think. I enjoy and savor it when I do. My decision wasn’t whether to have a beer or not but wether to pick one from my beer frig at home or to go out and have something on tap. Home was winning until my brother texted me a pic of himself enjoying a Brasserie d’Achouffe N’Ice Chouffe at Uno Hamilton. Decision made! This Gal loves N’Ice Chouffe.

Unfortunately, our schedules didn’t match up so I missed having a beer with the World’s Greatest Brother. As I was enjoying my Chouffe it hit me….after all these years of traveling round, enjoying a variety of craft beers and my beer taste changing (next blog) in the end this Gal enjoys Belgian beers the most. So much so I once had an amazing cat name after the beer Chimay!

I enjoyed Belgian beers long before microbrews and craft beer became a thing. Back then the only place to really get them around my area was Isaac Newton’s in Newtown. They still have a nice selection of Belgian beers on tap complimented by a variety of craft beers. I find myself in need of a visit every Christmas season. For what ever reason Christmas screams Belgian beer time to me. Not sure why – it just does. Not that I don’t enjoy them year round, I do, just Christmas time I enjoy them even more. Part of my Christmas tradition is going to NYC to see the tree and enjoy a few beers at BXL Cafe…this Gal’s fav Belgium bar. It’s not Christmas until I sit at the BXL bar with a Delirium Noel!

Thing is it doesn’t matter if the beer is hoppy, malty or, in the case of a Framboise, fruity…I enjoy them all. They have such a rich, smooth quality to me that is meant to be savored and respected. I still love craft beers to the moon and back but Belgian beers will forever be my first love.

Some of this Gal’s fav places to find Belgian beers on tap: BXL Cafe, The Belgian Cafe, Monk’s Cafe, Uno Hamilton, Isaac Newton’s, and Bridgids.

Some of this Gal’s favorite Belgium breweries and beers: Chimay, Leffe, Delirium, Duvel, La Chouffe, Rodenbach Grand Cru, St Feuillien, Leifmans, Westmalle, Tripel Karmeliet, Westvleteren, Orval, Duchesse De Bourgogne, Arabier, Rochefort Trappistes 10, Cantillon and Lindeman’s to name a few cause really there are just too many to name. Cheers!

 

Philly Beer Crawl

Uncategorized

28699002_783057791893177_6312218108733315018_o

South Jersey GPO and Geeky Beer Gal are teaming up for our 1st Philly Bar Crawl! We’ll be perusing through the Fishtown section of the city at 5 of the best craft beer bars or breweries. You can join us for the entire duration or join us at any of our stops along the way.

12:00PM-1:00PM Fishtown Brewpub
1101 Frankford Ave

1:15PM-2:15PM Barcade
1114 Frankford Ave

2:30PM-3:30PM Garage Fishtown
100 E Girard Ave

3:45PM-4:45PM Bottle Bar East 
1308 Frankford Ave

5:00PM-? Urban Village Brewing Co
1001 N 2nd St

There is street parking available off of Girard (Day and Crease St) and off N 2nd St near Urban Village. Parking can be limited so public transit is encouraged. You can take PATCO in to the city and Uber/Lyft to the Fishtown area. You could also carpool! Put the area or meet-up point below in the comments. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes as we will be walking to each bar, bring cash to use at each bar (easier for quick purchase), event will be rain or shine, no cost for the Bar Crawl itself and ladies only please! The last stop at Urban Village will be till whenever – take time to drink water, eat some food, etc. PLEASE REMEMBER TO ENGAGE RESPONSIBLY! Have a DD or a travel plan in place.