Beer Week @ City Tap House

Beer Week is just about two weeks in the past so this is obviously the perfect time for slacker me to toss up some photos from the few events I attended.  Unfortunately a nagging cold and an unforeseen increase in the work schedule kept this from truly being my best beer week ever.  Instead of hitting all the events I had highlighted old school style on paper (no iPhone apps for me) I spent more time plowing through paperwork and coughing up Phlegm.  Not pretty.  The cool thing is the time I did spend tripping around the city with friends was a much appreciated good time.

Me, Woody Chandler & Ed

Cask Ale Kev, Dr. Joel, Ed

During the week I couldn't resist the gravitational pull of the  City Tap House.  Somehow I managed three visits: the Deschutes Philly Debut, 31 Flavors of Bells and a random night for food and a few drinks.

The new University City 60 tap beer utopia is impressive.  All I could think entering the unassuming frosted door next to Jimmy Johns is that from ground level the place had a secret lair feel.  Reminiscent of Maxwell Smart entering Control.  A dimly lit curved hallway leading to a mysterious elevator.  Press the button and your adventure begins.  Once at restaurant level the doors open and with a step to the left the mystery quickly fades and a mega bar awaits.

For the Deschutes event we arrived after a day spent at Yard's Smoke 'Em if Yous Got 'Em.  Managing to beat the crowd, the place was fairly empty so grabbing a table was no problem. The first round went to, Hop Henge followed by  The Abyss.  As you can imagine after hours of smoked beers the senses weren't the sharpest.  However even abused taste buds could appreciate both wow beers.  I won't give a detailed review until I've had each again during a clearer state of mind but trust me Hop Henge fantastic mix of tropical fruit/citrus and piney hop goodness and The Abyss is dark, sweet, raisiny heaven in a glass.  We should all put our hands together and pray to the beer gods that Deschutes turns their Philly trial period into a full time gig.

Bells Rep Derek Zomonski holding two of his 31 flavors

The 31 Flavors of Bells made for an even more impressive evening.  A Bells world record (for now) for number of Bell's beers poured at one time in one place.There was no beating the crowd for this one.  The people were easily two deep at the bar. Not a surprise with the amount of rare beers on the draft list. My only regret is not taking notes on everything I had.  No way is memory going to help here.  What I do recall is loving Black Note, Batch 9000 and Barrel Aged Hell Hath No Fury.  Sadly the tasting details have faded like the thin white head on a cask beer. Going, going gone.

Now only time will tell if City Tap House survives the campus life.  A draft list of 60 is the largest in the city, the patio with fire pits is perfect for those chilly nights and the overall space gives off the right kind of hangout feel.  This ain't your daddy's or for that matter my college beer bar.  So do craft beer heads make it a must stop? Do all those taps keep pouring the good stuff? We'll all wait to see.  

Overall my only real gripe is that prices seem a touch high for food. With Local 44 close by pouring good beer and dishing out amazing food at reasonable prices it may be tough to make City Tap House my number one destination in West Philly.