father's day dishes and sips at craft ale house

 

Living in the Philadelphia's 'burbs, we have a much slimmer selection of beer-centric gastropubs than those lucky locals dwelling in more urban areas. 

That being said, Chester County's chefs excel at swirling top-notch brews into finely-crafted creations, and I would amiss if I didn't mention spots like Station Taproom, The Drafting Room, Side Bar, etc. So, that being said, for Father's Day I decided to surprise my fabulous pops (seen here, on left) by taking him to one of these notable spots and opted for Craft Ale House of Limerick.

Since my dear dad had never been to this casual, comfortable ale house that booms with some of the area's best craft beers, I knew he was in for treat. To be honest, even though my father is not drinker, he is a great sport when it comes to new experience (i.e. open to tasting new beers).

 

So, together with my best friend and her dad, Terry, we tackled a fine share of their above-par pub grub, which included roasted sweet corn soup, fresh spinach dip, house-ground, char-grilled beef burgers, grass-fed hanger steak and the exceptional grilled lamb dish. Terry, who is proud to say that Craft Ale House is his go-to for any celebration, is quite fond of their offering of Funky Farmhouse Mussels, and since I go gaga over all farmhouse ales/saisons, I opted for this entree.

My heaping bowl of shellfish came deliciously dosed in a creamy base comprised of leeks, bacon, blue cheese, garlic, wilted spinach and a heavy pour of saison. Without a doubt, this original recipe won me over, creating me to want to slurp up the thick broth even when I was finished scooping out all of the fresh fish.

Our beer list for the evening included a big bottle of Farmhouse Hatter (New Holland's farmhouse-styled Mad Hatter IPA; I said I'm a sucker for all things farmhouse ales), Malheur 12 (a rich and sweet strong ale), and for my friend, she opted for this year's Strawberry Wheat Ale from Lancaster Brewing Company (which we agreed was a better batch than previous years).

If you haven't visited Craft Ale House as of yet, whether you are looking for a special occasion place or a casual night out, hurry over! The beer list is always eye-catching, food's always extremely fresh (biggest freezer in-house is big enough to only hold a pint of ice cream) and their to-go by-the-bottle selection always has me gushing!


Find Craft Ale House at 708 West Ridge Pike in Limerick or online at www.craftalehouse.com.

new holland brewing co. & calkins creamery's beer and cheese night

 

Gary Fry, owner of Craft Ale House, is confident that he, through the complex world of beer, can help you indulge in a hopped concoction ideal to your tastes.

Fry and his wife, Melissa, have maintained their beer fanatic business on Ridge Pike for over a year's time, and have continued to reveal that there is a beer for everyone, reiterating that there is "much more to beer than Coors, Miller and Budweiser.”

Since the couple is fond of all things found in a frosty pint, it is appropriate that besides offering top-notch gastropub fare and hard-to-find sips, they also host a slew of food and drink events.

Most recently, on Wed., May 19, the Frys invited Joel Armato of New Holland Brewing Company and Jay Montgomery of Calkins Creamery to premiere their beer and cheese flights to the evening's guests.

Armato of Phoenixville, working with Montgomery of Honesdale, sculpted a pairing promoting five of New Holland's most approachable samples aside five of Calkins' most diverse raw cheese pleasures.

New Holland Brewing Co., based in Michigan, promotes creative, artisan concoctions that are driven to improve everyone's beer experience. As a small microbrewery, currently only providing for 13 states, New Holland excels in crafting interesting blends, such as their El Mole Ocho, as seen at Wednesday's tasting.

Part of the High Gravity Series of the Michigan-based brewery, the rich liquid explores the flavors of the legendary central Mexico sauce while being ridden in cocoa, coffee and Pocono-grown chiles.

As a spiced sipping beer, El Mole Ocho paired beautifully with Calkins Creamery's Udderly Hot, a 60-day aged American Havarti produced with hot peppers. Calkins Creamery, based near Scranton, has been a mainstay of Craft Ale's cheese menu for over a year, as well as a regular provider for Talula's Table, the Fair Food Stand at Reading Terminal Market and Di Bruno Bros.

The aged, raw milk cheeses, with production led by Jay Montgomery's wife, Emily, are made “using only the freshest milk possible from our very own herd of registered Holstein cattle” in several micro-batches that do not exceed 180 pounds. With over 16 varieties, the couple allows their natural creamy pleasures to be aged across the street from their farm, in the caves of Calkins Creek Vineyard.

Additional matches made for this week's local affair included New Holland's Golden Cap Saison with Calkins' Skinners Falls; the Mad Hatter IPA with a Welsh cheddar, Misty Morning; Poet Oatmeal Stout with a semi-soft brie, Noble Road; and, the Imperial Hatter IPA with a Montasio painted with olive oil and tomato, Lida Gold.

Next on the agenda for Craft Ale includes an “Iron Chef” competition, held Tues., June 1 from 7 to 10 p.m. The contest is sculpted around the art of homebrewing, where entrants are required to brew with a defined list of ingredients, plus a mystery ingredient (this month, honey), and then, bring finished product in for competition.

Craft Ale House, 708 West Ridge Pike, Limerick, 484-932-8180, Mon. - Thurs., 11:30 am - 11:00 p.m., Fri. - Sat., 11:30 a.m. - 12 a.m.


Also published here. 

casual gourmet's gorgeous specialty sandwiches

In a hunger-crazed lunch hour, the upscale sandwich is a star. For Casual Gourmet of Limerick, their savant stage that is keen to crafting the tastiest handheld bites sings victory over all of the area's packed buns.

Since 1999, when Casual Gourmet was launched by Mary Klumpp, the pristine plates of slightly fancy midday meals marveled in the mouths of many locals. Klumpp, transforming a diffident deli to an epicurean eatery, was instantly popular.

Although through a tragic turn of events, in 2003 the proud owner was killed in an automobile accident, and her establishment was eventually purchased by the nearby owners of the Lakeside Inn. Triumphantly, earlier in 2006, a trio of female gourmands grasped the opportunity to gear the local cafe back to its original roots, praising Klumpp's past ways.

Joanne Hinmon, a proclaimed culinary connoisseur, worked closely with Casual Gourmet's original owner, and when given the opportunity to restore the casual eatery to its once hustle and bustle, requested the resources of Stephanie Montoya, a certified chef, and Renee Snow, an operator of a petite catering company, to form a tantalizing team.


Continue reading here.



Casual Gourmet, 475 W. Ridge Pike, Limerick, 610-495-6626. Breakfast served, Mon.-Sun., 8 a.m.-12 p.m.; Lunch served, Mon.,-Sun., 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Dinner served, Thurs.-Sat., 4:30-10:30 p.m., BYOB.

boosting on beers at the craft ale house

The attractive, comfortable brewpub, with its fancied and wholesome bar food, sweet-natured staff, and well supplied, unique beer listing, seems at first glance to have been whisked off its foundations in Central Philadelphia and plopped down in Limerick, by mistake.

However, for us locals, the opening of classy beer bar in such close quarters to our residences, can only be seen as luck, and with owners Gary and Melissa Fry celebrating their one-year anniversary of Craft Ale House on December 29, area hopheads could not be more pleased.

The Frys, proudly fond of all things found in a frosty pint, have a love for beer that far surpasses the casually addicted sipping status. The couple met at a beer bash, both representing their then workplaces that boosted on booze — Melissa at Valley Forge Brewing Company and Gary at Sunny Brook of Pottstown — and soon was born the perfect pair of beer connoisseurs.

Continuing reading here.