Conshohocken Brewing: new Phiily face I

Three miles outside the Philadelphia city limits, in the industrial suburb of Conshohoken, the eponymous brewery opened last April.  The old bicycle in their logo reflects their immediate propinquity to the Schuykill River Trail, a jog&pedal path stretching from the city center out to Valley Forge, 23 miles away.

The founding partners, John Remington and Ken Buonocore, found a common love of craft beer through home brewing contacts.  They entrust day-to -day operation of their new 15-barrel system to Andrew Horne, head brewer, and staff.  Conshy also started canning in December.

The taproom carries five regular brews (Brown, IPA, ESB, Stout, and a CDA--yes, our Cascades are remembered back east where the Poconos are what passes for mountains).  There is also a Single Hop Pale in which different hops take turns at the bittering job.  This month it was the Calypso hop. Seasonals, a couple at a time, occupy the other two taps.
My sampling began with the definitely drinkable ESB (5.2% abv), called "Puddler's Row" for reasons unknown to the servers, and then the seasonal Frosty's Nightmare, a fine alt brewed to 10.2%.  The Frosty's, pictured at the left, in the convivial taproom, has an aroma of complex splendour, malts and florals dancing around.  The toffee and chocolate notes the menu claims come mostly in the taste and the aftertaste; the mouthfeel recalls that of a great chocolate cake.
The cans (16-oz. 4-packs) are sold in the taproom and will eventually show up in the taverns and deli licensees that can sell beer at less than full case quantities, the most common way in Pennsylvania.  Seasonals like the Frosty's will only be available by growler fills or pints at a tavern.
(Visited 01/11/15)