It's been a month since I have added anything to the blog. My beer adventure time has been seriously reduced do to the fact that I am moving out of the city. For the past few weeks all that Kelleigh and I have done is fill box after box of our belonging in preparation for the move. Nothing could possibly consume more time and be less enjoyable. All of this means that as of February my greater surrounds change drastically. The city views I've enjoyed for the past 8 years are traded in for strip malls, lawns and the sound of crickets. However all is not bad. This move means I am closer to getting a dog and it places me near one of my favorite beer runs.
The Main Line has many good drinking spots. Three of my favorites, Teresa's Next Door (TND), TJ's Everyday and The Flying Pig, create a wonderful beer lovers trail. For whatever reason anytime I go to all three establishments on the same day I follow the same path. The first stop is always Teresa's Next Door. TND is located on Wayne Avenue just north of route 30 in Wayne PA. The bar is surrounded by small shops, restaurants and other drinking establishments. Teresa's Next Door as the name suggests is attached to Teresa's Cafe. Both establishments share a common entrance. Upon entering TND and taking a spot at the bar it's easy to see why this is a prime beer destination. Even before noticing the taps its hard not to resist staring at the wall of glassware. Every beer is served in it's proper glass. No Belgian Triple in a pint glass here. The draft list consists of 20 plus beers, 2 on cask, with an emphasis on Belgians. National and local craft breweries are also well represented. On my last visit Allagash, Founders North Coast, Bear Republic, Victory, Flying Dog, Troegs, Sly Fox and Dogfish Head were all pouring. If the draft list isn't enough Teresa's has a 100 plus bottle list. Along with the great beer list the bartenders are knowledgeable about what they are pouring which adds to the a good drinking experience. The only downside to Teresa's is at times it's hard to grab a seat at the bar and the noise can reach high levels. That's the price of popularity
The second stop on the beer trail, TJ's Everyday, is west on route 30 in Paoli. The bar has a relaxed sports bar feel. There are large screen T.Vs, a few video games, a large couch, arm chairs, and coolers filled with beer for takeout. That's where the sports bar comparison ends. This place has one serious beer list, actually a beer book. Check the tap list on the overhead black boards behind the bar or explore the bottle list that comes in book form. The book is organized by style, country and region and also list special cellered beers . A few of the most recent beers on tap were, Victory Baltic Thunder, Great Divide Old Ruffian, Left Hand Warrior IPA, and Leffe Brune. TJ's has a good balance of American craft beers, Belgians and other imports. Besides drinking your favorite libation one look at the menu shows you the interesting mix of food and beer. The chefs here know what they are doing with their, "Cuisine a la Biere". Three of my favorite dishes are the Belgian Blonde Burger (doppelbock carmelized onions and boursin), Arrogant Chipotle Chili and the Rauchbier BBQ wings (extra hot). If you are wondering what beer to enjoy with your meal the menu conveniently lists beers that would pair well with each dish. Between the beer, food and special event nights (poker and bingo with prizes) TJ's has the type of atmosphere that can suck you in for hours.
The last stop on the beer trail is The Flying Pig in Malvern. The atmosphere is no gimmicks, no frills just a basic old neighborhood bar. This is the type of place you go to have a drink and hang with a few friends. I have to admit that out of the bars mentioned The Pig is the one I have been to the least. It's probably because of all the food and drink consumed at TJ's that my evenings end there. Also even though they have food I have never ordered any and again I blame that on TJ's. With that said what I have had is the beer. The selection is a good one. The beer list seems smaller than TJ's or Teresa's N.D. but offers a good mix. Avery, Allagash, Weyerbacher, Brooklyn, South Hampton, Southern Tier, Verhaeghe, New Holland are typically offered. I think the next time I do this beer trail I'll make The Flying Pig the starting point to mix things up and get a better perspective on this beer bar.
The Main Line is defiantly not lacking when it comes to great places to enjoy a quality beer. If I had to rank the three stops along the trail TJ's Everyday would hold the top spot. The combination of unique beer choices, beer cuisine, atmosphere and weekly events wins out. Teresa's Next Door is a close second followed by The Flying Pig. Now that I have moved from the city it's comforting to have three beer stops among the strip malls, 24hr grocery stores and generic pizza shops. Welcome to the burbs.
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