Showing posts with label Hawthornes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hawthornes. Show all posts

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Breakfast Pairing 080411

Recently, while enjoying a Samuel Adams Chocolate Cherry Bock at Hawthorne's Cafe on 11th St in South Philly,  I was chatting with the owner, Chris.   He said, "Can you image how great it would be with our French Toast on a Saturday morning?"  I decided that imagining or holding off simply would not do, so I ordered another beer and the French Toast right away.

Mind you, this was not your everyday French Toast, it's the real deal.  The edges of these 2 huge triangular slices of bread had an excellent caramelized crust that was extra crispy in spots, while the inside was rich and moist.  Sprinkled with powdered sugar, served with fresh fruit, and butter & syrup on the side.

The Chocolate Cherry Bock and the French Toast were both great on their own, but when they came together it was pure magic!


The sweet malt worked nicely with the powdered sugar, while latching on to the caramelized portions of the bread, melding with the bready center.  The roasted malt was absolutely perfect with the super crispy edges.  And in tandem with the hops and mild carbonation, it cut through the fat and cleansed the palate, making every bite as good as the first.

Although the French Toast was awesome on its own, I tried it with butter, syrup, and then both.  The Chocolate Cherry Bock worked with every combination, but it was hands down the best with both!

Additionally, the sweetness and tartness of the berries paired well with that of the chocolate and cherry in the beer, making the pairing a huge success!

Check out the Samuel Adams Chocolate Cherry Bock Review below

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Allentown Brew Works Hop'solutely

Reviewed By: Herr Rick
Style: Double/Imperial IPA
State/Country: Pennsylvania
ABV: 10.5%
Serving Type: 22 oz Bottle

Look: 7.5
Deep copper/amber color, slight haze, almost no head with little retention & lacing.

Smell: 8.5
Tons of malt, with caramel, citrus

Taste: 7.5
Up Front: Very sweet malt, toffee, caramel. Finish: Citrus and pine hops, more malt

Mouthfeel: 7
Full body with little to no carbonation, very cloying

Drinkability: 7
I had a tough time with this one

Overall Score: 7.5

Value:
6
Cost/12 oz serving: $5.75

Overall Impression:
The malt/toffee,caramel flavors were really nice, but I felt the beer was flat, too sweet, not nearly hoppy enough, and thus unbalanced. If you like super sweet beers, you'll love it.

I'd like to throw out some kudos to Chris and his staff over at Hawthorne's Cafe in Philly. Very courteous & knowledgeable staff, great food & atmosphere, and an impressive selection of Quality Craft Beer. PROST!