Congratulations, Wayne. You finally have possession of the long-awaited Next Door Bar of Teresa's. Tuesday's soft opening event proved that the parts are all in place for their anticipated public opening on June 11th. While they don't overtly say that they are a Belgian bar, some elements of the food and beer certainly do give you the right Belgian feeling. In the spirit of brevity, for which I'm so well known, here's a quick rundown. ~ No TVs. check ~ No smoke. check ~ 24 taps, 1 hand pump. check ~ More beer celebrities than you could shake a rake at. check, check, check, check, check, check (ha, did I get you with that last one?) ~ Matt Guyer (and keeping it in the family with bartender and sister, Carolyn) working the crowd. check ~ Mussels, a dozen Belgian tap handles, Waterzooi. check ~ Stylish decor and, yes, restrooms too. check After the 6/15 Grimbergen tasting at Beer Yard could be a fun time to stop in and see how they're doing on their first Friday night of business. I'll be in Media doing a 5 mile run, then likely stopping in at Iron Hill and/or Quotations...but you could go to Teresa's, now couldn't you?! Check back over the next few weeks, when we should have a full review. (And yes, my friends that is a picture of the restroom. Hey, it was a talking point during the night, so razz away, I can take it.) P.S. now that I've wasted your time here, go read a better report over here. I knew all of his fastidious note-taking would render a better review than mine.
With roughly seven weeks to go until Belgium Comes to Cooperstown 2007 we thought you could use some reminders of how much fun it was last year. Every Wednesday leading up to the event we'll post one of our favorite pictures from BCTC 2006. The week seven picture is...
Hey I think I found a new way to buy beer. Just use Consumer Reports!?
Consumer Reports Rates Light Beers » Hop Talk
(yes there is sarcasm here) Next thing you know they'll be rating bottled water. I can hear it now.
"X Brand tastes more watery. Y Brand has more traces of arsenic. Z Brand has marketing that makes people feel more important."
This long and winding road to an opening in Wayne appears to be finally drawing to a conclusion. Teresa's Next Door is being reported over at the Beer Yard as very close to opening. If the bureaucracy is behind them and only waiting on a computer system, that could be a very good sign indeed!
This will surely make for a convenient dinner stop after visits to the Beer Yard only a 1/3 mile away. And, with our friend, Mr. Guyer, consulting on the beer, that too is another very good sign.
On an attempted regular basis, we'll post the tap list here to the Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA. We have no affiliation with the establishment other than living within 2 miles of it and appreciating the usual quality tap and bottle list. If you like this idea, please drop us a note and let us know. On Draft as of 6/2/07 Bell's Oberon Wheat Stone Ruination IPA Anderson Valley Pale Ale Stoudts Smooth Hoperator Magic Hat #9 Felinfoel Double Dragon (cask-conditioned) Otter Creek Summer Ale Caracole Nostradamus Belgian Quad Allagash White Grimbergen Belgian Dubbel
These are from about a week ago. Bryan has some really awesome closeups too. I'll post them soon. Looks like the left side is recovering from my daughters accidental pruning. Also, see the new growth in the bottom picture? :-)
I've been to General Lafayette a couple times. I hadn't heard of it until Bryan pointed it out to me a couple years back. It really isn't that far away, but, it is toward Philly and well that's probably the biggest reason I didn't really know about it. I tend to shy away from the city.
Some brew pubs have good beer and some have good food. A few have both. That is the case with General Lafayette. I'm not just talking lagers, red ales, and stouts. I'm talking Chocolate Thunder porter, The Phantom Barleywine, and Emperor's New Clothes Belgian Tripel. There are plenty of selections for the adventurous. Oh, you want a session beer? They have that too. Try the Churchill Mild at 4.2%. It packs some flavor baby. I'm not a foodie, so I won't get too much into the food except to say that it is not standard fare. Definitely a step above the average pub fare.
My favorite beer of the night was the Churchill Mild on cask. It had a light roasty sweetness to it. What can I say? I'm intrigued by a good session beer these days. Ok...Ok...the bottle of Emperor's New Clothes was second on the list. We also tried this tripel on tap. The bottled version was more delicate and a slightly tart. Last but not least was the Grim Reaper on cask. Reminded me of the Chocolate Thunder porter and really stood up well served slightly warmer with less carbonation.
So there you have it. Good beer, good food, ambiance, history, a place to stay, good beer and, er, good beer ;-) This isn't the kinda place everybody has access too. I'm thankful that we do.
Hopefully, you readers out there don't mind me, Bryan, jumping in here. I don't have much more to add to what Adam's already said so well about The General. It certainly was a great place to a pay a visit to on our Drink Local day of The Session. Thanks to GFC for hosting it this month.
Funny how I mentioned 15 miles as the crow flies the other day. Because after we hopped in our car smack in the middle of rush hour on a summer Friday, it only took us about, oh, 50 minutes or so to get there!
After arriving, we bumped into both Chris Leonard and Russ Czajka who were more than happy to share with us the latest tappings and happenings at the pub. The dark pub and our little table in the corner provided just the perfect ambiance that you should expect when you go there. Exposed beams, nooks and crannies, and small rooms all contribute to the atmosphere. And, oh yes like Adam said, the variety of beers to cover the spectrum from session to high gravity, from fruit to hops, cask conditioned to CO2, and mead thrown in for good measure.
The food didn't disappoint. We started with Risotto Fritters and an olive tempanade. Then, we each had a sandwich and fries as a main course. To finish our meal we dug into bread pudding and creme brulee as a nice accompaniment to the '05 Tripel from their basement.
Often times we agree, but this time it looks like my order of favorite beers of the night is almost the opposite of Adam's. The Emperor's Tripel has to be at the top for me. Whether on CO2 or bottled and aged, the smooth and warming (but not so alcoholic) brew with the fruit that just jumps out as it warms was a knockout winner.
This was followed by the Ambassador IPA which delivered a nice hop blast in the flavor without much forewarning in the aroma. Yes, it might have been a touch "hot", but I must have been in the mood for that. Then, keeping with the hops theme I enjoyed the Pacific Pale and its nice fresh hop flavors. The Grim Reaper, depending how I think about it was anyone from 2nd to 4th. The nice roasty and bitter flavors layered nicely within this smooth cask conditioned beer. A bigger beer, but certainly not imperial, whatever that means! But, perhaps, I just wasn't in the mood for a bigger stout on this evening.
Lastly, if I was drinking one beer as a session beer for the evening, it would certainly be the Churchill's. It's only last here on my list because of the other more complex beers of the evening. But this mild was a nice beer that I enjoyed last weekend at Ortino's sessionfest and actually reminds me a bit of the Yards ESA or Pale Ale, with some nice fruit (apricot?) flavors in the finish.
Here's a rundown of what was on tap on June 1st along with The General's descriptions. Check the picture below for a listing of their vintage cellar-aged beers...also not to be missed.
Germantown Blonde, 4.8% ABV, 16 IBU A light, easy drinking German Blonde Ale, straw yellow in color. Similar in style to a Kolsh, this popular favorite has more malt flavor and less hop bite. Imported German malt as well as a special Alt yeast strain from Dusseldorf contribute to its incredible smoothness!
Raspberry Mead-Ale, 9.6% ABV, 9 IBU Brewed to emulate the Honey Meads of the ancient Celts. 80 pounds of whole raspberries are used in each batch of this newly reformulated brew. Triple fermentation adds to the complexity and subtleties of this tasty, but unusual beverage.
Sunset Red Ale, 5.9% ABV, 22 IBU As our brewmaster dreams of the sun going down over the Pacific, this medium bodied, malty Red Ale was his first brew at the General. Caramel and toffee flavors blend with imported English hops in this extra smooth ale. Consistently one of our top sellers, the brewer spends a lot less time dreaming of sunsets and more time trying to keep this beer flowing!
Pacific Pale Ale, 5.7% ABV, 37 IBU A Western, American-style pale ale. Drier, hoppier, turbocharged version of this house favorite. Hops from the Pacific Northwest provide the distinctive citrus flavor. A malty finish balances this incredible, quaffable ale. Trying to catch the Sunset Red, this has become one of our fastest selling beers (slow down people, I can't keep up!).
Churchill’s Mild, 4.2% ABV, 15 IBU The magical disappearing beer! A sip of this enchanting ale leaves you with, well, nothing. While similar to the mild ales of England, this brew does have more malt flavor and alcohol content than its British cousins. The nutty sweetness, light body, and delicate texture evaporate before your tongue and your pint is gone before you know it.
The Ambassador IPA, 7.8% ABV, 99 IBU Spreading hoppy good-will throughout beer-geek-dom, we’ve used a blend of American and English hops to bitter and flavor this classy brew. Nutty, robust imported Maris Otter malt contributes to a well mannered yet assertive beer of impeccable taste. Try our diplomatic offering to those in need of a serious hop fix. Cheers!
The Grim Reaper, 8.9% ABV, 65 IBU This strong, full-bodied Imperial Stout has come for you. Chocolate and roasty flavors blend with high alcohol and floral hop notes in this monster. Complex and elusive, each taste brings forth new flavor experiences. Served in a 14-oz glass only, we must limit you to three!
The Emperor’s New Clothes, 9.1% ABV, 35 IBU Spicy flavors produced by the Belgian yeast such as clove, white pepper, and coriander characterize this Belgian–style Trippel. Golden in color, high alcohol and a dry finish round out this sophisticated ale. Served in a tulip shaped glass, we must limit you to three!
RED VELVET Try this sublime blend of our Sunset Red Ale and Chocolate Thunder Porter.
Cask Conditioned Ale Try beer the way the Brits drink it! Served at cellar temperature (approximately 55 degrees), the beer is unfiltered and undergoes natural carbonation and conditioning in the cask. Due to the brewer's diligent struggle for beer nirvana, we now have a brand new, DOUBLE beer engine. This should allow us to serve two distinct cask conditioned ales at all times - brewer's body willing. Ask your server which styles of beer we are currently serving.
To further prepare for our visit to General Lafayette in Lafayette Hill, PA tonight, we have some background information for you on the establishment from brewer Russ Czajka. If you dive further into the history on its website, you'll see that the history of the Inn is quite fascinating.
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The General has been a brewpub for 10 years and the inn is 275 years old. We will be having a 10th anniversary celebration 9/1/07 and releasing our 275 Barleywine. The 275 will be our first bottled beer for sale and we will only bottle 275 bottles. At over 13% ABV it will be a keeper.
We probably make 35 to 40 different styles of beer and usually have 10 to 12 on tap, which includes 2 on hand pump and one black beer. We have 4 standards on tap all the time, Germantown Blonde, Raspberry Mead, Sunset Red, & Pacific Pale. The Chocolate Thunder Porter has also become a standard, but it is currently not on tap because we have an Imperial Stout on tap.
We brew our specialty beers by the season and are currently ending our Belgian brews and starting to brew summer beers. There is still one Belgian to be released which is the Lafayette's Biere De Framboises. The Framboises is currently still conditioning in the fermenter with 380 pounds of raspberries in a 7 barrel batch.
As you know, the food is as good as our beer. We have recently renovated our patio area and it is a great place to sit under the stars and the hop vines with a beer in hand. We also have a 5 room guest house behind the inn, and don't forget about the ghosts.
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two days in a row with another one that's getting a bit out-of-season, but it was taking up room in our dusty draftbin. whaddya gonna do? I could enjoy this any day of the year!
The Beer: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout Style: Imperial Stout Reviews: Beer AdvocateRate Beer -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz. brown bottle; winter 06-07 bottling stamp
From where & how stored: Purchased at Total Wine in Dec. '06 and stored at 52F since then
Pricing: $8.99 per 6-pack
Availability: Winter seasonal
ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 10.1% ABV; 1.096 OG; 24.0 Plato
Awards: World Beer Cup (2002 Silver; Imperial Stout) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bryan's Notes The Look: - thick, lumpy tan head that hangs around forever - serious lacing - enticingly dark brew
The Aroma: - whiffs of rich chocolate mixed with some roasted coffee/mocha - ripe fruit barely noticeable
The Taste: - dark chocolate, roasted flavors - a bit of overripe cherry too - hints of hop bitterness too - smooth, moderately thick mouthfeel - just a kick of carbonation, but not too much - bit of bitterness in the finish, but certainly not overwhelming
The Verdict: - Taste lives up almost exactly to the aroma....chocolate, cappuccino, very ripe even burnt fruit (figs?). Such a well-rounded happy drinking experience. A true "big stout". But, big enough that 2, no more than 3, are necessary. (Could it be a "big session" beer?!)
The Brew Lounge exists in cyberspace (aka everywhere?), but we (Adam and Bryan) live in southeastern Pennsylvania approximately 30 miles west of Philadelphia. Many of you have heard of and perhaps have access to Victory, Iron Hill, and Sly Fox, the three closest and largest breweries/brewpubs to us in the western suburbs. A bit further out from Philadelphia, you'll find Dogfish Head, Troegs, Appalachian, Triumph, Flying Fish, Legacy, Stoudt's, and Lancaster Brewing. In Philadelphia proper, Yards and Nodding Head dominate the city's brewing scene, amongst a very rich pub (esp. Belgian) scene.
If you're not familiar with the concept, every month in the beer writing, blogging, etc. world, the first Friday is reserved for conversation around a specific topic. The past three months have covered different styles of beer...Stout (March); Dubbel (April); and Mild (May). This month the host of The Session, Gastronomic Fight Club, has chosen 'Local Brews' as our topic for discussion. The guidelines have been set.
We here at The Brew Lounge have chosen a brewpub that we feel does not get as much attention as some of the other ones listed above, but is just as rich in brewing talent: General Lafayette (Inn &) Brewery. Chris Leonard, owner, pairs up with Russ Czajka in the brewhouse to create a wide spectrum of flavorful concoctions, including a very good raspberry mead.
On Friday, we will pay a visit to General Lafayette (15 miles, as the crow flies) to sample a few beers and discuss why visiting them should be on a well-made beer travellers list to the Philadelphia region. Why have we chosen to single out the General Lafayette? We already mentioned above that they tend to get overlooked amongst some of the names in the region that cast longer shadows.
Further, chances are that you will find at least a few of the many that were listed above in your hometown area. General Lafayette rarely bottles their beer and kegs are only available by special arrangement. Suffice to say, if you're not from the Philadelphia region, you probably haven't seen and may not have heard of them. You may not see them at GABF or WBC. And, when you go home, you won't find them there either. That's why we're heading there on Friday.
We've written some about General Lafayette in the past. Look below for several of our links. Check back tomorrow for a rundown of our time spent there and the beers that we sampled.
In the meantime, you may wish to check out the following links to various sources with more information about the General Lafayette brewery.
yeah, this might be a bit out-of-season, but it was taking up room in our dusty draftbin. Come to think of it, still have one more left from 2005 and it might just taste good right around now.
The Beer: Rogue Santa's Private Reserve [2006] Style: Red Ale (modified) Reviews: Beer AdvocateRate Beer -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Packaging & Date Stamping: 22 oz. brown bomber bottle; no date stamp
From where & how stored: Obtained via holiday beer exchanged and stored at 52F since then
Pricing: $x.xx
Availability: Winter seasonal
ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 6% ABV, 44 IBU, 13 Plato -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bryan's Notes The Look: - reddish mahogany; santa-colored?! - decent creamy head full of tiny bubbles that fades quickly - drapes itself all over the walls
The Aroma: - malt dominates the aroma and flavor - hops are there but not in your face
The Taste: - smoother, more well-rounded flavors than expected - past years had been hoppier
The Verdict: This is a very nicely done beer where the flavors are consistent with the aroma and the hops and malt play nice together.
Sometimes all is just a-ok in the world. Last evening was one of those times. An easy train ride into Philly and an easy one out. Nice weather for a walk through the city. Sandwiched in between was a couple of quality hours spent at Monk's Cafe enjoying some highly sought after Belgian lambic. Oh, and a bit of a hopblast from Nodding Head's IPA while awaiting my train ride home didn't hurt either.
The folks at Vanberg & DeWulf are on a U.S. tour of sorts with two unblended lambics (cask #17 & cask #52) from the Boon Brewery in Belgium. I can't hide the fact that I'm a relative newcomer to the world of lambics, esp. single unblended. My experience over the past few years has been limited to Cantillon, Hansens, Oud Beersel (as of this past weekend), and some U.S. interpretations. A big help to my experience was finding the Belgian offerings at last year's Ommegang BCTC event. But, last night, Boon was new to me.
The real treat, I suppose, was that I found something that I hadn't known to exist in lambics. That is, a soft, rounded, quite drinkable beer. Yes, you still need a taste for these "different" beers. After all, it's not an amber ale. But, seriously, the flavors I have grown accustomed to in, say, a Cantillon were there (or most lately, Iron Hill's Cassis). Both varieties presented last night, though, were quite muted in their sharp tartness. This left a beer that you could easily find the funkiness and the subtle fruit flavors, without the lingering mouth-puckering that can often be found in lambics....at least in my experience. The funny thing is that the tartness found in many lambics, gueuze, krieks, etc. is just exactly what I like in those beers. Just now, I've found another way to enjoy and appreciate lambics.
Apparently, from the literature passed out to the attendees, this is exactly what Frank Boon is going for. Just a couple of quick excerpts reveal that "...it is a strange idea for me to see the name "lambic" being used for any beer with fruit or lactic acidity...to know first hand the real thing...Lovers of Lambic in Belgium describe it as a drink that tastes between a chardonnay wine and fine whisky...this is the product I want to share with you..."
The beers were poured for each customer to drink individually. I'm thinking the serving size was around 5-7 ounces, but can't be certain. Perhaps someone else that was there could take a stab at that one. The combined price for both was $8.00. It was suggested to try each one on their own, then to experiment with some blending. It amazed me how soft and subtle the beers and their flavors were on their own. When mixed, though, the flavors and the barnyard funk made themselves much more noticeable.
The meet-and-greet was setup in the back bar area. Monk's kitchen offered up some plump mussels, smoked salmon pastries, sausage bites, and cheese to accompany the beer. It was helpful that there were a few friendly faces there who had much more experience with lambics than do I. The back room was full, but not crowded. That means there may or may not still be some Boon to find at Monk's. If you're in Philly today, it wouldn't be a bad decision to go check it out!
With roughly eight weeks to go until Belgium Comes to Cooperstown 2007 we thought you could use some reminders of how much fun it was last year. Every Wednesday leading up to the event we'll post one of our favorite pictures from BCTC 2006. The week eight picture is...
Oh, what do we have here? Looks like if I can get a train into Philly at the right time, I'll be checking this out tonight. Boon Lambic, c'mon now! 5-7pm tonight.
Here's something I picked up off BA's site.
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We have to limit the # of accounts getting the Single Cask Oude Lambic due to the extremely limited quantity. We are rolling them out in series so the accounts can present it to their clients in the most enjoyable way.SO...Right now we have the following bars scheduled to get the kegs:MayPublick House - Brookline, MA (22nd may)Monk's - Philly, PA (29 may)Moan & Dove - Amherst, MA (participation to be confirmed)JuneSpuyten Duyvil - Brooklyn, NY (date to be confirmed)Collins Bar - NYC (date to be confirmed)Brick Store - Decatur, GA (date to be confirmed)JulyHop Leaf - Chicago, IL (date to be confirmed)SeptemberLucky Baldwins - Pasadena, CA (date to be confirmed)Brouwers - Seattle, WA (date to be confirmed)Hope this helps. I will keep you posted when precise dates are set for the accounts above and as new accounts are added.The number of accounts country wide will probably not exceed 15.Don
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Do you like these kind of e-mails telling you of a mid-week event in NYC that you probably won't be able to get to...unless you live or work there? Well, here's an excerpt from Alan at one of NYC's great beer bars.
If you're passing through, check it out. Let us know how things go. At least it's fun to read about these sorts of things going on out there in our great, big, and wonderful craft beer world, eh?! (And, the two casks??? oh yeah, baby!)
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Thus, I have decided to have yet another Pacific Northwest Rogue & Oyster Event at the Tiger. You love oysters and you love Rogue beers…it's a no brain-er. In fact, I was so inspired by the Hollywood mentality that I have decided to make this sequel bigger and badder…
This Tues. May 29th & Wed. May 30th (we’ll start at 2:00PM), the Rogue Beer and Oyster Event returns to the Blind Tiger (281 Bleecker St)! This time it’s personnel! 1500 of the biggest, juiciest oysters paired with 20 of Rogue's finest brews…
The List:
Rogue Alt Beer
Rogue Brutal Bitter
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Rogue Dad's Little Helper
Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Rogue Half-e-Weizen
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
Rogue Imperial IPA
Rogue Imperial Pilsner
Rogue Latona Ale
Rogue Russian Imperial Stout
Rogue Juniper Pale Ale
Rogue Integrity IPA
Rogue Mocha Porter
Rogue Old Crustacean
Saint Rogue Red dry-hopped
Rogue Shakespeare Stout [nitro pour]
Rogue Uber Pilser
The Cask: Brutal Bitter (dry hopped with Amirillo) & Chocolate Stout
Are you ready?
Also, June 6 @ 4:00PM, we will be introducing Great Divide to NYC. And maybe, I’ll tap a cask of Ommegang Dry-hopped Rare Vos… Let’s see what happens…
Alan
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And, what an event it was. NO, there were no wine-barrel fermented concoctions. NO, there were no insanely-hopped IBU-busting ales. NO, there were no vertical aged tastings. NO, there were not whiskey- or wood-infused brews. That's not what this was all about. And, if that kept you away, then shame on you. Because, what was rolled out during these 3 days was a list of low alcohol, yet flavor-full, delights. What the crew at Ortino's managed to pull off was a support of Lew Bryson's crusade to bring attention to this as-of-late neglected end of the beer spectrum.
By the time all was said and done on Saturday, I'd done my share of sampling much of the list. From my perspective, the newest and most interesting beers included Oud Beersel's Framboise, East End's Fat Gary Nut Brown, Rock Bottom's Czech Mate Pils, and Nodding Head's Prudence Pale (cask). Not quite as new to me, but still just as much fun, were General Lafayette's Churchill Mild, Nodding Head's Berliner Weisse, and Church Brew's Pious Monk Dunkel.
Somewhere in the midst of all this great beer fun was a cookoff between Legacy's and Scott BaverOrtino's John Ortino. The natives who arrived early were getting a bit restless waiting for the release of all the smoked meats and accompaniments around 5pm. I think I noticed the drinking had even slowed down in anticipation of the meal...or maybe not. Well, apparently the preparation and smoking began the night before, with Scott only staying a few miles away for the night. And, the wait certainly paid off.
The end result? One word...wow! I thought that the Thursday night dinner was a treat...and it was. But, something in the competition must have brought out the best in both Scott's and John's cooking. I'm not too proud to say that I took care of two (filled) plates of food, that's how good it all was. All the major meat groups were represented. Chicken, beef, pork prepared in a variety of ways (ribs, brisket, pulled) with different accompanying sauces. Who won? Well, the voting never "officially" took place. Unofficial speculation claims that the 'away team' took home the fan favorite award, but who knows for sure. Honestly, it didn't really matter to all of us who turned out to be the realy winner on the receiving end of the great food, beer, friends, and atmosphere.
To make the day even more interesting, during Liquid Fringe's rocking set (sorry Sarah, you didn't rock on Saturday like these guys did. You'll just have to settle for beautiful and intelligent.....who was it that said those words....hmmm?) the thunderstorms rolled in and John and company sprung into action securing the patio. Now, if I only had the picture of Scott firing up and riding his bike off into the distance, literally right off the back patio, that would be a picture to have.
Well, I'm not feeling very literate today and need to get ready for the Monday Night Tasting Session of not-so-session beers. Plus, just read what Dan wrote over here or Jack over there if you need some other opinions of how great this 3-day event really was. Here are a few extra pictures.
Sarah tries to convince Dan that while tap handles may lie, bartenders never do.
John battens down the hatches with the thunderstorm clouds rolling through.
Jack made an appearance. Interesting, though, how his "blonde from the train" showed up later...but only after Lew had left.
Scott talks about his barbecue and how he stayed the night before at the local Tuck 'Em In motel.
The Drafting Room in Exton, PA has a decent web presence and quite a huge reputation proceeding them. Their beer turns over quite quickly. So, in the spirit of service, whenever we get to The Drafting Room, we'll post the current tap list.
What's on line as of 5/27/07? Funny you should ask.
Congratulations, Wayne. You finally have possession of the long-awaited Next Door Bar of Teresa's. Tuesday's soft opening event proved that the parts are all in place for their anticipated public opening on June 11th. While they don't overtly say that they are a Belgian bar, some elements of the food and beer certainly do give you the right Belgian feeling. In the spirit of brevity, for which I'm so well known, here's a quick rundown. 
~ No TVs. check ~ No smoke. check ~ 24 taps, 1 hand pump. check ~ More beer celebrities than you could shake a rake at. check, check, check, check, check, check (ha, did I get you with that last one?) ~ Matt Guyer (and keeping it in the family with bartender and sister, Carolyn) working the crowd. check ~ Mussels, a dozen Belgian tap handles, Waterzooi. check ~ Stylish decor and, yes, restrooms too. check 
After the 6/15 Grimbergen tasting at Beer Yard could be a fun time to stop in and see how they're doing on their first Friday night of business. I'll be in Media doing a 5 mile run, then likely stopping in at Iron Hill and/or Quotations...but you could go to Teresa's, now couldn't you?! Check back over the next few weeks, when we should have a full review. (And yes, my friends that is a picture of the restroom. Hey, it was a talking point during the night, so razz away, I can take it.) P.S. now that I've wasted your time here, go read a better report over here. I knew all of his fastidious note-taking would render a better review than mine. 
