Prohibition Tap Room

Welcome back.

Last Friday I went to look for the "Prohibition Tap Room", for lunch. We'll just say it should have been a 5 minute trip from where I was delivering. It ended up taking me about 20 minutes. I just love the gerrymandered streets in Philadelphia. Anyways, this is one of those "Philly Insider" types of places. But in all actuality it's really just a great local bar with some of the best beer and food around. Website: http://www.theprohibitiontaproom.com/.

I took the photo from their FaceBook page because it was a lot better then the one I had. The outside of the building is really simple with just a simple "BAR" sign to let you know it's a bar. Don't think that it's just any corner bar. Like the saying goes, "Don't judge a book by it's cover". It's all a part of it's mystic. Once inside, the wood working alone is extremely beautiful. The "Fanged" bar seats about 24, and there is about 8 tables with chairs and bench seating along the wall. The wait staff is polite, talkative, and I will also say very easy on the eyes.

Julianna was the name of my bartender. What can I say, I was a little smitten. What I mean to say is that, how can I not like a women that loves beer, a strong intellect, and is not afraid to speak her mind. I wrote the above mentioned comments to state a point. The reasons that you go to a bar is because of the connection you have with a place. One of the major points to having a successful bar is having a great staff. This place has it in spades.

So before I get to the beer reviews, and the real reason I came to this place was to get some lunch. I asked Julianna what I should choose, and before I could say anything else she told me that I should try the burger. So I did. A burger with Jack BBQ sauce, Cheddar cheese, onion, lettuce, and what I didn't hear was grilled mushrooms. I really don't care for most mushrooms, but I wasn't going to hold it against the burger. It also came with really thin shredded french fries.

I was a little leery with my first bite because of the mushrooms. Juilianna offered to send it back to the kitchen to have them make me another burger, but I wasn't going to "puss out" because of mushrooms. WOW! Is all that came to mind. The tang from the BBQ sauce hits you first, then its sweet tomato flavor. Then the rich Cheddar cheese, the crunch of the lettuce, and finally the rich juicy meat of the burger. And those mushrooms that I was so worried about, added a slight bit of earthiness to balance the flavor. A well constructed burger. I moved onto the crispy fries and the pickle. Now most people would say that the fries are a little salty all by themselves, but what they don't realize is the way they mix with the taste of the burger and the beer, to bring out a more intense flavor. The pickle was a nice finish to the layers of flavors and textures in this meal. It was truly a great lunch. With 3 beers and the meal, my bill was under $30. So a good price for a fantastic meal.

Now onto the beers. Note that the picture on the Planet Porter is almost empty. I was enjoying myself here so much I forgot to take the picture before drinking it. OOPS!

Sapient Trip Ale from Dark Horse Brewery Co. The color was a cloudy deep orange. The nose of this was sweet malt, some orange, and a hint of that Belgian funk. The mouth fell was a little fizzy and light to medium body. The taste was a little earthy, some orange flavors, coriander, and a nice bitter on the hump of the taste. This is a nice beer to have just a beer to enjoy. I would put this beer up against something really hearty. like good stew or Sliced Grilled Lamb over a Micro Green Salad with a Lemon/Mint Vinaigrette.

Website: http://www.darkhorsebrewery.com/

Hand Pulled Hoppy Lil Hudson made in house at Prohibition Tap Room. It was named after the owner's daughter. I love beers with a story to them. The smell was extremely hoppy, like grass and grapefruit. The mouth feel was creamy and smooth. The taste was hoppy all around. Also some hints of citrus, grass, earthy notes, and a nice even bitter. The hop bitter hangs around for a bit after drinking. If you like hoppy beers this is a must try. I did learn this beer is constantly evolving by the changing of the finishing hops. I love a place that is always experimenting with their beer. I was drinking this with the above mentioned burger and it went perfect with it.

Planet Porter by Boulder Beer Co. It had a roasted malt and chocolate hints in the smell. The mouth feel was creamy smooth, little carbonation, and a medium body. The taste was of roasted malts, a little earthy, some chocolate in the background, and no heat at all from the alcohol. The bitter hits you on the back end and finishes really nice. Another one of those beers I'd like to make a "Beer Float" out of. A good beer to use in a chocolate porter cake or meat pie. Food pairing for this is pretty much anything. A nice Blackened Steak and a Baked Potato.

Website: http://www.boulderbeer.com/

If you ever get around to visiting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this is a must see. A place for that nice lunch, night out, or just for the beer. So I hope you enjoyed this review. In my next review I visit "Rock Bottom in King of Prussia". As always, "Be Well, and Drink Well!"