Just north of Gettysburg, the Civil War Battlefield mentioned in Sir Bowie's blog yesterday, one will find McGrath's Pub in Harrisburg, PA, where I met Sir Dayvd of Oxfordshire and where the Knights of Moleskine, Spirit and Ale began its more serious mission to "Endeavor to Engage". I recently made another business trip there and visited the "Hallowed Halls" of McGrath's and reunited with many Knights and Lady's from our North Eastern Realm of the Kingdom.
When you go there, make sure to ask Sir Christopher of Westover (Chris the Bartender) for the official KMSA Moleskine Journal he keeps behind the bar and make your journal entry. Sir Dayvd and I leave messages for each other there. Your turn ole chap!
Here is Sir Hook with Lady Flo of McClay, the first Lady of the Realm outside of Indiana. Lady Flo is also a business associate of Sir Hook.
Here is Sir Hook and Sir Fox of Hops, another great friend I've made over my many journey's there. Sir Fox and I share the exact same birthday 10 years apart. We also find that we share the same thoughts, taste for beers and many other things in common. This was the first time I've seen him in over a year and since he had heart surgery, another thing we share as brothers! Another thing we share is the love of a local brewery called Troegs.
Here's the Troeg Brewery, located on 800 Paxton St. in Harrisburg, PA. Founded by two brothers, Chris and John, they brew Hop Back Amber Ale, Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale, Troegenator Double Bock (recently received an A rating in Brewer's Art), Troegs Pale Ale, Dream Weaver Wheat Beer and the Seasonal's Dead Reckoning, Nugget Nectar, Sunshine Pils and Mad Elf Holiday Ale (an 11% alcohol twister that will make any man a Mad Elf).
Inside the Brewery is a tasting room where you can sample scratch batches and well as fresh taps of all their beers.
They give away free samples in small glasses and you can buy pints to drink there, fill up a jug to take home, or purchase six packs and cases from their cooler.
I left behind some KMSA coasters for the owners and enjoyed a couple of fresh ones before I made my last visit to McGrath's before returning home.
Just before I left I noticed all the brew staff gathering to sample beers that one of them had brought in to talk about what kind of beer they would like to make next, discuss what they liked and didn't like about these beers they were sampling and to figure out how they might have been made. Now that's my kind of brain storm session! I often joke with Sir Bowie that we need to open a KMSA Brewery. That thought was chasing down my last shot of Rugged Trail after I snapped this picture.Sir Hook the Troegenator (I'll Be Back) of Warrick
6 comments:
An entertaining tour, Sir Hook.
But, Lady Suzanne and I can top that.
Last night we stopped by the Peep-Hole tavern on Main. They have Pabst Blue Ribbon -- on draft!!!
Okay, maybe I can't top that.
Sir Bowie "still have a warm spot in my heart for PBR" of Greenbriar
Ah, the Peep Hole! I used to frequent it when my office was downtown many moons ago. It used to be a dive, but I understand it's received a face lift of late. How was it?
They used to have the best selection of Patsy Cline on their jukebox. Singing to Patsy Cline while crying in my PBR brings back fond memories!
I actually like PBR, especially on draft!
Sir Hook Here's Peeping At You of Warrick
Good to see the Troeg lobby...have spent many a sampling hour there. The problem is you have to drive to get to anything like that..and you end up plastered and unfit to drive just while buying jugs of the stuff.
I too often muse on a proper KMSA/Brit Pub in the USA... not one of these things that looks a teeny bit like a brit pub..or even an Irish pub but a proper " hows ya father" british pub... with actual Brit things in it...Brit glasses and of course proper room temperature brown beer..
and everybody coming from miles around cos its the best thing in the state and it would be a knees up party every night ( ie: no freezing beer..no TV screens behind the bar, so you have to talk to each other... No Buffalo wings or tacky mexican stuff..but proper Shepherds pie and chips .....
...ohh look now ,,look what you've gone and made me do i'm all covered in drool now...
Its Five thrity in England...wooohoo time to hit the bright lights big city......
Sir dayvd ( the drool can stay on me.. I'm away down the road ) of Oxfordshire...
ps ( how's ya father = the same as say... nudge nudge wink wink in Monty Pyton....or a bit of slap and tickle..)
a knees up party = ?
relaxed?
this foreign language stuff is tough!
and the PBR was great last night - a good find on a good night out
Lady Suzanne of Greenbriar,
who needs to get outside to help Sir Bowie capture the leaves in our yard
so we get the firepit burning started
there are marshmallows waiting...
LOL...sorry about that Lady Suzanne... Quite forgot myself in my reverie of a rowdy night out...:))
Knees up is what you'd imagine.. its basically the way cockneys used to dance, with a high hopping knees up style....in fact the ladies in long skirts used to have to hold them up can-can style...to be able to do it..
It also come from the Londoners Party Song.. Knees Up Mother Brown.
"Knees up Mother Brown!
Knees up Mother Brown!
Under the table you must go
Ee-i-ee-i-ee-i-oh!
If I catch you bending,
I'll saw your legs right off,
Knees up! Knees Up!
Don't get the breeze up,
Knees up Mother Brown!
Oh My! What a rotten song!
What a rotten song!
Oh, What a rotten song!
Oh My! What a rotten song!
What a rotten singer too!
Knees up Mother Brown!
Knees up Mother Brown!
Under the table you must go
Ee-i-ee-i-ee-i-oh!
If I catch you bending,
I'll saw your legs right off,
Knees up! Knees Up!
Don't get the breeze up,
Knees - up - Mother - Brown!
Ow's yer farver? All right!"
and so on...usually sang while half drunk, to a vamping honky tonk piano..
so a Knees Up is a kind of Jig and what we call a rowdy Pub Party.
go to:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knees_Up_Mother_Brown
Sir D ( back to the bar ) of O
the things we learn on here!
I just wish I could hear you singing it : )
taking a quick pool break (Sir Bowie managed to beat me all three games)
and now we're heading back out to the firepit for hot dogs, marshmallows and a warm toddy or two
Lady Suzanne of Greenbriar
(with the clean yard and smoke curling up in the air)
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