Now that I've been to Tired Hands Brewing Company (THBC) a few times already, I can honestly say that it has become my favorite place to grab a beer. Always offering a diverse tap list, everything I've had there has been fantastic. There have been lots of solid breweries and beer bars popping up lately but this place definitely takes the prize. THBC is the most exciting thing happening in the Philly-area beer scene!
THBC is a brew cafe located in Ardmore, PA that opened its doors last June. Owned by Jean Broillet IV, former brewer at Weyerbacher and Iron Hill, THBC specializes in saisons but also brews just about every other style one could imagine. In addition to the beer, fresh bread and pickles are made in-house. Local meats, cheeses and a couple of different sandwiches are also offered on the menu, which is small but greatly compliments the beer. So there it is - charcuterie/ cheese plates, pickles, sandwiches...and beer! If this doesn't sound like a place you want to spend all of your time, please stop reading and re-evaluate your life.
The first beers I ever had at THBC were Mysterious Mood (barrel-fermented clementine saison), Hop-A-Tact (loud & aggressive IPA), and Undertow (black blueberry saison). I found them to be incredibly delicious and brewed with a meticulous attention to detail. These complex aromas and flavors don't occur by accident.
My most recent visit, last Saturday night, was highlighted by Ego Disillusionment, Nigel, StrangeOwl, and MotherAnimal. Four totally different beers, all superb representations of their style! I couldn't decide which was my favorite as they all reflected an array of qualities that I was totally drawn towards. I will note that Nigel was one of the best Black IPAs I've ever had. Here are the descriptions as listed on the menu...
EGO Disillusionment: Kiwi Berliner Weisse. 3.5% Brewed with wheat and fermented atop 70lbs of Italian Kiwi fruit.
Nigel: Our India Black Ale. 6.5% Brewed with just enough de-bittered black malt and intensely hopped with two of our favorite hops: Amarillo and Simcoe
StrangeOwl: A Red IPA. 7.2%. Brewed with Rye, Munich, Vienna, and Caramel malts. Well hopped with Amarillo and Simcoe.
MotherAnimal: Barleywine. 11.5% Brewed with Vienna malt, a plethora of caramel malts, and a touch of chocolate malt. Conditioned on locally roasted coffee and Madagascar vanilla beans.
(pictured above - Ego Disillusionment)
I savored every last sip as I knew I wouldn't be able to get my hands on these brews again any time soon. THBC has eight beers on tap and they are constantly changing their lineup. Aside from what appear the be the house beers, HopHands (pale ale) and FarmHands (four-grain saison), the rotation of what's being poured is always getting updated. When something is gone, it's gone for a while! For example, I missed out on WeedEater IPA a few months back and can only hope that it will return on tap at some point in the near future. Fingers crossed!
All of the beer at THBC is produced in small batches (only 12 kegs at a time) and brewed with equal parts of skill, creativity, and excellence. At a time when the phrase "craft beer" is thrown around way too loosely, THBC provides a literal definition of this term for me. Cheers!
Some other reasons why Tired Hands is such an awesome place:
- Bread and butter! Yes, an amazing drinking companion.
- Crazy, cool t-shirt designs.
- Friendly, informative staff behind the bar.
- Small pours! Such an ideal option when you want to try everything and still be able to function afterwards.
- DeepSleep))) (great nod to two bands I love!)))
http://www.tiredhands.com/
