The central PA discussion

[facesnorth1]

CBS this year sucked.

 

[RLD]

The thing that really bothered me... They could have easily put up on their electronic tap list "one 4oz draft per person" but that was never explained even when Al's worker handed me the beer. Had I known this from the beginning I would have savored the beer a little more.

 

[gregkoko]

The thing that really bothered me... They could have easily put up on their electronic tap list "one 4oz draft per person" but that was never explained even when Al's worker handed me the beer. Had I known this from the beginning I would have savored the beer a little more.

 

[Shakedwnst]

There were plenty of CBS tappings down in the philadelphia area which didn't limit their customers to a single 4oz pour.

Yes, and some of them had tickets and were $20 for 6 oz.

 

[realmz]

Will be in Gettysburg, PA next week for a bluegrass festival. Gallons of beer is a necessity. As a west coaster, I'm still wrapping my head around your state's...unique blue laws. Any suggestions for bottles/crowlers/growlers within an hour drive of Gettysburg? Not hunting for anything particular -- just locals is great. Will inevitably go to Al's -- the previous pages of affection are charming.

 

[Shakedwnst]

Al's is probably your best bet and should sell you as many crowlers as you want, just not all at once.

In the other direction you'll find tired hands but I think Al has 10 taps dedicated to them.

 

[MooseLang]

I'm sure this info is somewhere in the previous 10 pages, but...

I am heading to Pizza Boy on Friday morning. Will they fill any growler? What are the typical Crowler / Growler prices (I'm sure this varies greatly depending on the beer, just wanted an idea)?

Also, what food would you recommend? I have heard the pizza is bad, but I heard that from people who were butthurt about perceived injustices.

 

[facesnorth1]

All the food is bad, the sandwiches suck. The pizza may be the only thing that's actually decent.

Any 64oz screw top or grenade style screw top 32oz is OK. No ceramic pop top growlers or large German growlers. They'll swap out your growler with one of theirs though, which is cool. Otherwise be warned that their 64oz growlers are clear. The 32oz are amber.

 

[MooseLang]

Awesome, thanks for the info! I'll probably fill up a couple of growlers on way through CePA. It'll help wash down the mediocre pizza.

 

[sj33241]

I really like their pizza. As does about every person that I know that has tried it. They will fill any growler. They got new faucets so I am pretty sure even the 1L swing top growlers can be filled.
They are currently out of crowlers and 32 oz growlers. Their 64 oz growlers are AMBER. Not clear, not that it matters if you are going to be drinking the beer soon anyway. Most people drink out of clear glasses...

 

[facesnorth1]

I haven't been there in a while so things have changed obviously. Good to hear that. Hopefully their attitudes have improved somewhat as well. You are giving off the same reasonings as they always did about their clear growlers though, none of which I ever took very seriously.

The pizza actually is pretty decent. The sandwiches are most definitely not.

 

[MooseLang]

That sucks on the Crowlers, but I'll probably just bring a 32oz and 64oz Growler with me.

 

[coldcrash1]

I get a chuckle out of the Pizza Boy chatter.

Everybody seems to want to bitch about their... Beer... Bottle Prices... Growlers... Pours... Service... Food... Attitudes...


Everybody still seems to want to go.

(Something something bad publicity something something good publicity)

 

[bvdubn1]

I like their pizza and their subs. The meat on their cheese steak is cut a bit more fine than I like so I don't order that. The sub rolls are great and I prefer them to the Amoroso's rolls that some pizza shops have shipped in from Philly.

 

[MooseLang]

Speaking of pours, did they ever start doing half pours? I know that was a big issue for a while.

I will be arriving around 11am on Friday, so I'm hoping it is pretty chill. Most of the negative stories I've heard have been from times where they are packed.

 

[bvdubn1]

Speaking of pours, did they ever start doing half pours? I know that was a big issue for a while.

I will be arriving around 11am on Friday, so I'm hoping it is pretty chill. Most of the negative stories I've heard have been from times where they are packed.

You can get almost every beer on draft in an 8oz pour. They are usually only $1 less than the full draft price but it's probably worth it if you have to drive and want to try a few beers.

 

[PepeSylvia1]

If they get crowlers back in time for your visit, they will not do Tired hands in a crowler. They will fill growlers of TH though. It is something that TH is against for some reason. The pizza is OK, I get it when I am there for lunch. But it is your standard conveyor belt pizza, nothing great.

 

[Shakedwnst]

If they get crowlers back in time for your visit, they will not do Tired hands in a crowler. They will fill growlers of TH though. It is something that TH is against for some reason.

Good to know....and doesn't surprise me one bit.

 

[stakem1]

People seem to be loosing their minds over BBA sunny side up. Wish I could have made it down to grab a crowler, oh well. Any one get there and try it? Thoughts?

I went there on wednesday when it was released with the intention of buying a couple crowlers. I love Sunny Side Up and thought the BA version would be amazing. It turns out that its just not that good in my opinion. The coffee character tastes like green bell peppers instead of that rich coffee flavor im use to. Not sure what happened there. The fellow I was with opted out of getting a fill too. Others were loading up on 6-packs of crowlers so clearly some were loving it.

 

[Shakedwnst]

I didn't get much rich coffee flavor out of the non BA pour I had a couple days ago at the bar. Assuming it's probably the same batch?

 

[PepeSylvia1]

I went there on wednesday when it was released with the intention of buying a couple crowlers. I love Sunny Side Up and thought the BA version would be amazing. It turns out that its just not that good in my opinion. The coffee character tastes like green bell peppers instead of that rich coffee flavor im use to. Not sure what happened there. The fellow I was with opted out of getting a fill too. Others were loading up on 6-packs of crowlers so clearly some were loving it.

I get that bell pepper taste in a lot of coffee beers. People think I am nuts as they taste right next to me. I must be sensitive to something. I think it is an off flavor in either the quality of the coffee or how it is used in the brew. Haven't figured it out yet, and not a ton of info in the interwebs.

 

[stakem1]

I get that bell pepper taste in a lot of coffee beers. People think I am nuts as they taste right next to me. I must be sensitive to something. I think it is an off flavor in either the quality of the coffee or how it is used in the brew. Haven't figured it out yet, and not a ton of info in the interwebs.

ill see if i can dig the resource up but there is documentation and lab analysis that proves its a chemical reaction that occurs in beer with the presence of coffee beans that have been lightly roasted. the same beans with a heavier roast do not contain the same chemical compound when added to beer.

it creates an interesting situation because when you over-roast coffee, you lose the nuance of the bean itself and all you taste is the roast. basically what i got from the research indicates that the type of coffee used and how its added to beer matters much less than the level of roast

 

[owlsfan]

I like their pizza and their subs. The meat on their cheese steak is cut a bit more fine than I like so I don't order that. The sub rolls are great and I prefer them to the Amoroso's rolls that some pizza shops have shipped in from Philly.

Amoroso rolls >>>> rolls from anywhere that calls it a "sub"

 

[bvdubn1]

Amoroso rolls >>>> rolls from anywhere that calls it a "sub"

I couldn't disagree more.

 

[Shakedwnst]

But you call it a sub so your opinion doesn't count

 

[LHSsoccer13]

But you call it a sub so your opinion doesn't count

What if I called it a potato?

 

[RLD]

Don't trust anyone who does not like a fine cut up cheesesteak.

 

[Shakedwnst]

Well we can throw RLD into the "sub guy" bucket based on that steak comment

 

[Beerontwowheels]

ill see if i can dig the resource up but there is documentation and lab analysis that proves its a chemical reaction that occurs in beer with the presence of coffee beans that have been lightly roasted. the same beans with a heavier roast do not contain the same chemical compound when added to beer.

it creates an interesting situation because when you over-roast coffee, you lose the nuance of the bean itself and all you taste is the roast. basically what i got from the research indicates that the type of coffee used and how its added to beer matters much less than the level of roast

IIRC, barfdiggs was involved with this.

 

[MooseLang]

I had a good experience at Pizza Boy this past Friday. Thanks to everyone for the tips. The pizza was just "meh", but it was good enough.

I really dug the BA version of Sunny Side Up. I got a hint of the bell pepper character that Stakem mentioned, but other than that I loved how the coffee still dominated the barrel. Very well done.

I was also impressed with draft and growler fill prices. This is probably just because I'm from MD, but $5 full pours of most offerings and $14 growler fills is pretty badass. Got a growler of Tired Hands Shambolic and a fill of Saison Hands. I haven't had Saison Hands for a couple of years, but ******* have they dialed that beer in. It is so much better than I remember it being.