When a Pitcher's Worth 1000 Words
Sometimes I can't catch a break.
With the exigencies of a major house move and a house closing interfering with my normal summer motorcycle riding and pub visits, I had to miss a special visit to the PubScout's favorite Philly Pub--McGillin's Old Ale House.
What made it somewhat more painful was knowing I'd be missing a very special celebration at the venerable old pub--the 25th anniversary of pub ownership by Mary Ellen and Chris Mullins, where a pretty famous and popular beer would accompany the festivities. That unfiltered 1860 IPA, made by the equally venerable Stoudt's Brewing Company debuted in 2010, and I was privileged to attend and chronicle that celebration--along with Carol and Ed Stoudt, depicted above. I think they rode in with The World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales, who filled Juniper St. with their massiveness. (And, um, other stuff.)
What to do? I didn't want to miss the event, especially with bottles of the IPA going for just $3.50, but there was no way I could get there.
Or was there?
Yes, there was.
It involved my deputizing three of my biker buddies as SubScouts for the day--something I have done only rarely. But I had confidence in Paul, Maria and John, not only because I knew their biking skills would get them there and home safely, but because their beer-assessment skills were pretty high up there on the tasting charts.
And as members of the famous, super-secret and very exclusive PubScout Beers and Bikers Club--the PBBC, as it's known, I felt they could "represent." Their accounts below, which included their original pictures, proved me right. .
Maria kicks off:
“Make Mine a Pitcher!”
After meandering through the back roads of Somerset and Mercer County, NJ we made our way through Bucks County, Pa to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Just a couple of turns off of the main vein to Philadelphia landed us around the corner from McGillin’s Old Ale House on Drury Street. Not unlike entering a time-warp, McGillin’s is saturated in old world, Irish Pub charm. As we entered and were welcomed by the lovely Lisa, I couldn’t help but feel like I had stepped off a busy side street in Temple Bar, Dublin.
As we ordered one of the famous three house specialty beers, McGillin’s 1860 IPA on draught, Lisa, full of Philadelphia warmth, suggested we go for a pitcher, as it would grant us more beer for our buck! The 1860 IPA, brewed by Stoudt’s is a generous, unfiltered mix of hoppy flavors that make it delightful to drink. Needless to say, we had a second pitcher with our wings.
And about those wings...the buffalo wings, dipped in Thai sauce, were some of the best in all of Pennsylvania! This was a unanimous vote by three of the PBBCers. "Awesome turkey club", along with "Shepherd’s Pie that was absolutely delicious” were some of the critiques of the tasty food. The crab cake sandwich lived up to its reputation as a “rascal of a lunch”, served on a brioche bun that complemented the 1860 IPA’s hoppy, unfiltered taste.
The affable Chris Mullins [above, with Paul], chatted with us good-naturedly, posing for pictures with our PBBC road-captain of the day. He generously gifted us a few bottles of our new favorite IPA and even wrapped them securely for transport on two wheels!
If you’re looking for a warm and welcoming place to enjoy a wonderful brew and meal, McGillan’s Old Ale House offers this in abundance!"
Not bad, and can you tell Maria's a teacher? Next up, here's Paul: Outside, the building is very impressive and beautifully presented (even though surrounded by high-rise buildings today). I tried to imagine what the pub and the area around it looked like in 1860.
Inside, just amazing with decorations on the walls stretching back 150 years. It's very much like a museum! What did I think of the 1860 IPA? Well, we ordered a second pitcher! Even when that daily special included PBR pitchers at $7.
As "wing connoisseurs," we HAD to sample the chicken wings. They were very crispy and good sized. We tried the Thai sauce, which was great. I would rate them among the best I have had and would certainly order them again. Same for the Turkey Club on rye...generous portions and a really big and crunchy pickle (OK I had a second one courtesy of the PBBC Goddess, Maria). And the prices were more than reasonable.
What a gentleman Chris Mullins is! He came over and greeted us after we were seated and spent some time talking about the pub and the 1860 IPA. He was also very generous with his time taking group pictures with us (along with an outstanding server named Lisa). He did mention that it had been too long since the PubScout's last visit.
Should we go back?
Heck yeah!
With such a down to earth description, you'd never know that this guy has not one, but TWO PH.D's in Microbiology. Then again, beer and microbiology are rather intricately linked, no?
Finally, St. John, the Taciturn:
After Maria's and Paul's very well explained commentary, there really is not much for me to say. Walking into McGillin's Old Ale House most definitely is like walking into a time warp. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and so is the service. Chris Mullins greeted us with open arms and beer, so we were happy. I had the famous Shepherd's Pie, and it was cooked to perfection. As previously stated, the wings were excellent!
(Taciturn: Showing restraint in speaking...otherwise, showing little restraint, especially when happy)
So there you have it. Testimony from three SubScouts about their first trip to the legendary McGillin's Olde Ale House. Their recommendations tell you everything you need to know.
And they tell me that, if I use good SubScouts, I can catch a break. I just hope they don't get any ideas about replacing me.
Cheers!
The PubScout and SubScouts! As always, feel free to share the story and steal the pictures...
Bonus: Not counting the words in my standard sign off or this addendum, the word count for this column was 1,000. Considering the title, pretty neat, huh?
