craft brew nights at pickering creek inn

As the sippable obsession with American craft beer continues to grow, so does the desire for drinkers to dive deep into the educational process of how it was developed.

Luckily for local enthusiasts, Phoenixville is home to two highly-considered microbreweries, Sly Fox Brewing Company and Iron Hill Brewery, but that does not mean that curious consumers want to conclude their liquid knowledge with what only slips into their zip code.

Phil Maniscalco, General Manager of Pickering Creek Inn on Bridge Street, strives to assist passionate, local hop-infused heads by offering his Craft Brew Nights every other Thursday. As an evening affair that is themed around a featured craft brewery, Maniscalco invites the local community to become captivated by some of the country's best beers without having to travel to their territory.

"If scheduling allows, a representative from the brewery or their distributor sometimes attend," he revealed. "But, I always have pint specials and almost always have giveaway items."

Most recently, on Thurs., March 25, Pickering Creek Inn hosted an evening promoting Cooperstown, New York's Brewery Ommegang. Pumping several of the bars' taps with pleasurable picks from the upstate brewing company, including Rare Vos, an Amber Ale; Hennpin, a Farmhouse Ale; and Ommegang, an Abbey Ale, the inn afforded the authentic Belgian-styled ales with pizazz and grace.

Additionally, Maniscalco led a giftaway of several of the brewery's pristine beer glasses, and like many beer drinkers are quite adamant of revealing, you must drink an Ommegang out of its proper glass.

Ommegang, a brewing company that is absolutely not "overhopped or overhyped," joins the company of Ohio's Great Lakes Brewing Co. and New York's Southampton Brewery as those featured within the local establishment's brew nights. For lucky patrons who attended the Southampton beer bash in January, Pickering Creek paired that festive occasion with an outlandish hot dog eating contest, and looks to do similar entertaining gestures for future nights.

Maniscalco concludes with what's on tap for local beer fiend's futures: "I have Weyerbacher Brewing of Easton scheduled for Thurs., April 8 and Breckenridge Brewery of Denver, Colorado scheduled for Thurs., April 22.


Published this weekend here.