tasting_room

This Tasting Room was hosted by Resurrection Ale House in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia, one of the triumvirate of bars owned by husband and wife/partners, Brendan Hartranft and Leigh Maida. This little corner bar has become a premier destination for not only great beer but also for a fantastic kitchen. They have a finely chosen draft list to go along with an impressive bottle selection and some of the best fried chicken in the city

Our Notable Guest

Over the past few years, Brendan (along with Leigh), has made quite a name for himself. Opening three highly acclaimed bars over three years, he has grown a loyal following. Whether it’s Memphis Taproom, Resurrection Ale House, or Local 44, you’re sure to see his passion for great beer shining through the beer menus.

From The Scene

Jean Broillet IV is in the process of opening up his new brewery, Tired Hands in Ambler, PA, a project he has been passionately developing for many years. Jean has also collaborated on some phenomenal beers with breweries such as ‘t Gaverhopke and Hill Farmstead.

Red Hook Long Hammer IPA

3.5 out of 5 stars

Medium bodied and crisp in finish, Red Hook adds a generous amount of hops during & at the end of fermentation (dry-hopping) for one of America’s most drinkable and best-selling IPAs. ABV: 6.5%

Bren: 4 – Tremendous aroma. Light bodied. Well hopped?
Balanced; ton of big time Clementine flavor.

Jean: 4 – Candied tangerine in nose. Balanced bitterness. Kudos
for not muddling this IPA with caramel malts.

Mat: 3.5- Very drinkable- light, simple, and refreshing.
Hoppiness is mild and simple. Good for a few pints.

Neil: 3 – Citrus and brown sugar on nose, sweet, smooth,
bitterly hopped.

Mel: 3 – A mild hoppiness- tastes like a light beer- with a 6.5% ABV. Not Bad.

Sly Fox Dunkel

4 out of 5 stars

A traditional Bavarian style Dunkel, this offering from Sly Fox is made with Munich, Pils and German Roast malts and a variety of Bavarian hops. ABV: 5.3%

Bren: 4- Amazing aroma. Big time malt aroma with hops coming
through, smooth mouth-feel, great session beer.

Jean: 4-Warm, toasty nose, slight caramel/toffee/floral/earthy
hop balance- low/soft bitterness.

Mat: 3.5-Lower on carbonation but gives more traditional cask
characteristics. My favorite Sly Fox canned offering.

Neil: 4- Clean and sweet, nice body for autumn rolling into
winter.

Mel: 3.5-Smooth and malty. Approachable.

Ithaca Cold Front

3 out of 5 stars

Belgian-style Amber Ale brewed with European Malts and hops and fermented with legendary Belgian “Farmhouse” yeast for rich, spicy flavors accented by slight, herbal hoppiness. ABV: 7.2%

Bren: 2.5 – Great aroma, dry tobacco, high phenols, not a ton of
balance, interesting finish.

Jean: 3 -Upfront phenolic clove backed by banana and
tobacco. Chocolate/caramel notes peek through.

Mat: 2.5- Strong, almost overwhelming Belgian characteristics.
Not what you would expect from an amber.

Neil: 3- Complex aroma- nice body, malty, heavy tobacco
notes.

Mel: 3.5-Lots in the nose and a lot of prominent flavors: clove,
tobacco, spice, and a little sourness. Interesting.

Bourgogne des Flandres

3 out of 5 stars

A sour ale/wild ale offering from Itterbeek, Belgium. This brew was matured in oak barrels for a sweet-sour taste. ABV: 5.0%

Bren: 3-Nice grain bill; bit too sweet.

Jean: 3-Toffee, cardamom in nose. Nice balance of sweet/
sour. Big cola profile flanked by red fruit on palate.

Mat: 3- Not as sweet as most Flemish reds. Kind of reminds
me of strawberry preserves.

Neil: 2.5- Like candy.

Mel: 3-Fruity Pebbles, light and juicy, not too sweet. Very
drinkable.e.

Manayunk Hop Phanatic

4 out of 5 stars

This Imperial Red Ale is heavily dosed with Cascade, Centennial and Columbus hops, providing a solid, yet balanced bitterness and a sticky finish on the tongue. ABV: 8.2%

Bren: 4-Massive hop aroma, well done beer, dry finish, ultra
clean, bittersweet chocolate finish. Good food beer.

Jean: 4.5 – HUGE Pineapple, passion fruit, pine bark, and red
candied apples in nose. Very nice beer.

Mat: 4- Great pineapple-tropical nose. Sweetness up front that
dissipates quick, leaving a clean, dry finish.

Neil: 4.5- Smooth, sweet, beautiful red hue, great mouth-feel,
clean finish.

Mel: 3- Fruity pineapple nose, a little sweetness that quickly
dissipates, finishes clean with a slight hop flavor.

Pretty Things Babayaga

4 out of 5 stars

Inspired by Eastern European folklore; an autumn seasonal that includes some smoked malt with rosemary, as well as other embellishments to create the biggest beer they have ever done. ABV: 7.0%

Bren: 5- Very round beer. All in all, well done.

Jean: 4 – Up front roast, chocolate, and grapes. Slight woodiness.
Soft, low bitterness, quite fruity on the palate.

Mat: 4 – Really good, full- bodied, fruity stout. Great dessert
beer.

Neil: 3 – Awesome chocolate head- coasty- nice body, tons of
dark fruits.

Mel: 3 -Smoke nose, but not overbearing. A sweet and smoky
flavor.

Allagash Black Ale

4 out of 5 stars

A Belgian style stout, brewed with German 2 row barley, Torrified wheat and oats, balanced by a large addition of Belgian dark candi to give the Black a full, classic chocolate silky mouth-feel. ABV: 7.5%

Bren: 5- 5+! Nice roasted aroma, complex malt flavor, malted
milk flavor, nice dry finish. Perfect beer.

Jean: 4-Chocolate, licorice, dark berries, and a touch of alcohol
in the nose. Touch of alcohol in finish.

Mat: 3.5- Very sweet but nice texture and mouth-feel. A bit
stronger than ABV lets on.

Neil: 4- Such a beautiful blend of Belgian body with a stout’s
roastiness and chocolaty.

Mel: 3-Creamy nose, coffee flavor, it’s smooth but I can
definitely taste the high ABV.

Victory Otto Ale

3.5 out of 5 stars

Otto came about after a trip to Germany, when the brewmasters wondered what smoked malt might  add to a Belgian-style dubbel ale. The result was the special bottle conditioned seasonal. ABV: 8.1%

Bren: 4- Sweet and fruity aroma, great balanced flavor
considering the smoked malt. Requires food.

Jean: 3.5 – Excellent balance of sweet candy sugar, caramel,
smoke, with a slightly understated plum presence.

Mat: 4 – Ideal level of smokiness. A little sweet from the Belgian
yeast. Couldn’t do more than one, but enjoyed it.

Neil: 3- Very sweet- think it could mellow- nice smoke, not
overwhelming- nice. Drink with bacon.

Mel: 4-Pungent nose when first poured. I like that it’s not
overwhelming, a sweet touch.

Rodenbach Vintage 2009

4 out of 5 stars

This exceptional Flemish Red Brown beer of mixed fermentation owes its unique character to maturation in hand-made oak casks, some of which are more than 150 years old. ABV: 7.0%

Bren: 4.5-Smaller acid then years before, fruity, lactic. A bit too
scaled back for my liking. One dimensional.

Jean: 3.5-Tart cherry, leather, touch of toffee in nose. Spritzy,
slightly sweet. Lots of cherry on palate.

Mat: 3.5- Much smoother than I would have wanted. Very different
from past vintages. Missing that tart fruitiness.

Neil: 4- Phenomenal sour- complex wood notes

Mel: 4-Wow! It’s drinkable, but with a tartness. A sweet and
sour nose.

Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout

3.5 out of 5 stars

Samuel Smith’s Imperial Stout has a rich, flavorful, deep chocolate color, with a scented and roasted barley nose. It also holds a complexity of malt, hops, alcohol and yeast. ABV: 7.0%

Bren: 5- Winey aroma, acidic, alcohol is well masked, earthy,
hoppy finish. Well made.

Jean: 3.5-Bakers chocolate, overripe red fruit, figs on nose.
Medium body, slightly acidic finish.

Mat: 3.5- Strong, abundant dark red fruit flavors. Very drinkable.
If it had a fuller body, then it would be excellent.

Neil: 3- Sweet- lots of dry fruit and chocolate- hops on the tail.

Mel: 3.5 – I like it… but it’s a little dry for my taste. It has fruity
characteristics, but not too sweet.

Brooklyn Sorachi Ace

3.5 out of 5 stars

Classic saison; dry, hoppy unfiltered golden farmhouse ale, but featuring the rare Sorachi Ace hops. Fermented with Brooklyn’s special Belgian ale strain. ABV: 6.5%

Bren: 2.5- Huge tropical oil aroma, kills any spice aroma, big
banana flavor kills the beer.

Jean: 2.5-Huge coconut with background notes of black pepper
and banana. More body than I’d expect from a saison

Mat: 4- Really love Sorachi hops and you have to in order to
enjoy this. Tons of lime/coconut flavors.

Neil: 4- I’m a sucker for Sorachi ace. Awesome aroma and
flavor, heavily carbonated, buttery coconut.

Mel: 3.5-Creamy coconut, citrus, sweet notes, and a crisp finish

Hof ten Dormaal Winter 11

4.5 out of 5 stars

Winter 11, from Belgium’s Hof ten Dormaal Brewery is a Saison/Farmhouse Ale; this brew possesses a slightly yeasty and spicy flavor with a medium body for your drinking pleasure. ABV: 6.5%

Bren: 5- Moist aroma. Soft melon flavors; complex and
delicious.

Jean: 5-Grassy, earthy, underlying woody notes. Ripe melon
rind note on palate.

Mat: 4.5- Fantastic. Perfect farmhouse style winter beer. Tons of
depth and characteristics. Worthy of buying a case

Neil: 4- Really earthy nose, tons of lacing, spicy and sticky,
dominates the palate.

Mel: 3.5-Grassy, woody nose, full body, and sweet.

The Final Picks

Bren’s Final Pick: Allagash Black Ale. Perfect Beer. Brewed by someone who appreciates all aspects of beer and passes it on to the end user.

Jean’s Final Pick: Hof ten Dormaal Winter 11. Beautifully composed. This is a true embodiment of the “farmhouse” style.

Mat’s Final Pick:Hof ten Dormaal Winter 11. It just stood out as the most complete beer. Once again, Hof ten Dormaal really impressed me.

Neil’s Final Pick: Manayunk Hop Phanatic. Awesome all around. Great beer- sweet and bold.

Melissa’s Final Pick: Victory Otto Ale. I love the light, smoky flavor. I can enjoy this with my husband in front of a warm fire.