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Monday, December 17, 2007

Sam gets some Elk Creek Ale

Just got the following report on Elk Creek Cafe + Ale Works from my correspondent and friend in central PA, Sam Komlenic. Sam graciously allowed me to reproduce it verbatim.

I'm happy to report that the Elk Creek Cafe + Ale Works is officially on line. I stopped in on Saturday to find the doors locked at 3 p.m., but it turns out that they were still running on pre-beer hours. After two beers at the tavern across the street, we stopped by again to find Tim Bowser coming through the back door into the cafe. He unlocked the door and offered us a sampler while he attended to other business.

They currently offer five ales: Winkleblink ale (kolsch-ish), Great Blue Heron pale ale, Elk Creek copper ale, Brookie brown ale, and Poe Paddy porter. All good, some REALLY good (I especially liked the copper and porter). Tim gave us a tour of the place, and I was pleasantly surprised. They have a very attractive 8.5 bbl Cask
system with six fermenters and a nice cold room with bulk tanks from which the beers at the bar are served. Big, beautiful kitchen, and a menu to match using as many local foods as possible, though we were there too early to partake.


Once Guy Hagner opens, I think a trip to upstate is in order: One Guy, Elk Creek, and Bavarian Barbarian...more on that last one soon.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Heck, add in stops at Bullfrog, Abbey Wright and Selinsgrove. Our part of the state is finally looking like a real beer destination!

Anonymous said...

Actually, Guy, it seems like this is happening everywhere in the state except in the eastern reaches! With what's going on in the central and western parts, when the hell will the more populated areas of Pennsylvania catch on??

Glad to see PA reclaiming its former glory, I'll tell ya! Hope to see you in Berwick soon!

Daria Brashear said...

Yay! Guess it's time for a trip upstate.

Anonymous said...

Bavarian Barbarian intrigues me...

And here I thought I was done with that section of PA, oh well...:)

Next week, I'm getting a trip to the upper part of Vermont as a Christmas present..any can't msses in the upper reaches???

Anonymous said...

Well, it looks like the State College Brewfest next July has just expanded into a major upstate pubcrawl. I just love long beer weekends.

Anonymous said...

Attention all potential Elk Creek visitors! The brewery has posted its hours of operation, and they're pretty unusual; 4-10 p.m. Wed - Sat, 11-3 Sunday. Plan carefully!

Anonymous said...

this is great news. now the drive from lewisburg to state college will not be so dry.
i am now planning a trip

Lew Bryson said...

Bill,

Not so good on upper Vt., I'm afraid. Rock Art doesn't have a pub, Kross closed, and that was about it for what I've been to up there. Burlington is always worth a visit, of course, the brewpubs there are all "can't miss."

Deuane said...

Upper reaches of VT....Alchemist in Wtaerbury and The Shed in Stiwe both ROCK! The Alchemist is a hop lovers paradise. And as Lew stated...Burlington is always the BOMB!

Deuane said...

Carolyn visited Elk Creek on Saturday with her folks. Her full review can be read at....

http://pubcrawlin.wordpress.com/2007/12/23/elk-creek-cafe-aleworks/

Anonymous said...

Lew,and Deuane,

Thank you for the recommendations. I plan on hitting Burlington heavily. I just wanted to be sure I hit everything that should and needed to be hit. And I'm looking at the State College Brewfest really hard for my yearly brewfest trek.

Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.