Trust your GPS to get you to Pencader Drive. Once you are there, follow the numbers until you get to 810. You will know you are there because there is a big sign that says Delaware Auto Glass and a tiny little sign down by the road that says Autumn Arch. The brewery is in Suite C, right next door to the glass place. I am not going to tell you how many times I drove past it before I got there. Suffice it to say I was more than ready for a drink when I walked in the door.
I had come to the right place.
What is really special about this place is that you are sitting just feet from where the beer you are drinking is brewed. It smells really good when you walk in and the atmosphere is welcoming. It is a huge open space that has plenty of seating at both lower tables and high tops. There is limited seating outside as well. I was there on a Thursday afternoon and there were quite a few people just hanging out, some working on their laptops, some writing in journals, some chatting with friends. Kind of like a coffee house with adult beverages.
As I always do, I got a flight.
The first beer I tried was 8 Track Dreams (far left). That one woke me up! Described as a funky and complex sour, it was all that and more. I loathed the first sip and wondered how anyone could possibly think this was a drinkable beer. Interestingly, the more I sipped on it, the more I liked it. By the end of my taster, it would be exaggerating to say I was a fan of the brew, but I certainly did enjoy it much more than that first sip would have led me to believe.
The next one was Law of the Few (middle right). Very, very dry IPA with hints of citrus. Hoppy, but not overly so. I could easily have enjoyed a pint of this one.
The third I tried I had to get because of the name. Newark State of Mind (far right) is a double IPA and is the one beer that is always on tap (and sold in cans to take out). Malty and bitter, this is a wonderful beer that I would easily drink again and again. Plus, as a Newark native, the name just resonated.
The final beer I tried was called Skipping Class (middle left). Again, I love the name but I was interested in the description so I had to try it. The brewers had a local coffee company create a cold brew that they add to a mild brown ale. The result is out of this world. Full of flavor, but not as heavy as some dark beers can be. Another one I could drink more of.
Now that I know where it is, I would go back to Autumn Arch again. The brewery does not serve food, but there is a food truck right outside every night. Check the website to see which one is scheduled. There is live music on Friday evenings and a Wednesday run club. After a four mile run through the industrial park, runners are treated to $4 pints, the choices of which change weekly. Finally, there are yoga classes on Sunday and Tuesday.
I recommend this brewery. Great place to sit, relax, and enjoy some really spectacular beer.
Autumn Arch Beer Project
810 Pencader Drive, Suite C, Newark
302-294-1126
No comments:
Post a Comment