Lew Bryson reports on the reopening of Victory’s restaurant and bar yesterday and fellow beer scribe Jack Curtin does him one better with a series of photographs of the revamped space.

Snatched from the jaws of defeat… [Seen Through a Glass]
The Day Victory Re-Opened [Liquid Diet]

Today the brew pub at Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown reopens. The doors swung open to the revamped space at 11:30.

Among the improvements are a new bigger kitchen, BBQ smoker and an event room with room for 70. The main restaurant and bar area will fit 150. And of course there will be Victory beer pouring forth.

And even better news to anyone who finds themselves in the area on a weekday, Victory will now be open for lunch every day. Free Wi-Fi can even make it a “working lunch.”

Victory Brewing Co. [Official Site]

In just four short weeks, Philly Beer Week–the most blessed 10 days in the life of Philadelphia beer drinkers–will start up its engines.

If you’re like us, you’ve been poring over the burgeoning beer week calendar, cross-referencing, calculating and wondering how you can be in two places drinking two different beers at once.

Until we solve that quantum physics challenge, we’ll be featuring a daily pick from the beerlicious list of events, starting today! Read the rest of this entry »

Victory Baltic Thunder debuts tomorrow at the Drafting Room in Exton and Joe Sixpack has the details and beer geeks have the shakes.

So, what is Baltic porter?

The story goes that the British introduced Russia’s Catherine the Great to their strong (or stout) porter. They fortified their dark ale with even more alcohol to survive shipment to freezing St. Petersburg, and imperial stout was born. Not all the beer made it to Russia.

Port cities in Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Poland and elsewhere took a swallow and then added their own twist. Showing their German roots, Baltic brewers reproduced the inky porter with lager yeast that ferments at cooler temperatures.

Joe Sixpack Victory Baltic Thunder arrives [Philadelphia Daily News]
Other bars with Baltic Thunder [Joe Sixpack]

The Brew Lounge tips us off that the Victory Brew Pub will be undergoing some major renovations starting in January.

A major, major renovation of the entire brewpub will most likely begin after the first of the year. The planned changes will be dramatic and give an entire different appearance to the bar/restaurant area. The current bar area will be gone….a new bar will be installed along the west wall in the new expanded dining area. The wall with the neon “V” sign will be removed to enlarge the dining area. The capacity of the bar and dining area will double from 120 to 240. There will be a combination of booth and table seating. There also will be a new entrance where the current hostess area is located.

Changes a-brewin’ at Victory [The Brew Lounge]

Wednesday at Capone’s in Norristown is going to be Victory Day. in celebration of the Victory Brewing Company’s recent medals at the Great American Beer Festival their turning all the taps over to Victory.

Expect 12 different Victory beers on tap.

Victory @ Capone’s [Beer Radar]

Local brewers did better than ever at the Great American Beer Festival last week and they did it with in lagers, harking back to the region’s brewing roots.

The fourteen medals won by Philly-area brewers last weekend at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver was the best showing ever for the locals. More than that, it was a tribute to some of the region’s classics.

Often, the awards go to fairly obscure brewpub varieties that are brewed especially for the competition. While those beers show off a brewer’s talents, you’d be hard-pressed to find them on tap.

This year, though, some old names – names that you might’ve forgotten about in the pursuit of the next new thing – brought home the hardware.

Joe Sixpack | At lager-heads at beer fest, and at last: Victory [Philadelphia Daily News]
Joe Sixpack [Official Site]

Pennsylvania has a great brewing tradition that continues today and this past weekend it was acknowledged at The Great American Beer Festival in Denver Colorado. Phoenixville’s Sly Fox Brewing was awarded a gold medal for Pikeland Pils and a bronze for their Instigator Bock. Downingtown’s Victory Brewing Co. picked up a gold medal for their seasonal Festbier and silver for their Prima Pils. Harrisburg’s Tröegs is enjoying the shine of gold for their Troegenator.

Local brew pubs also brought home some hardware with the McKenzie Brew House getting a gold and bronze medal. Rock Bottom King of Prussia received a gold for its Broad Street Barleywine and Iron Hill Media took home a bronze for its Kriek de Hill, a Belgian style sour beer.

Great American Beer Festival [Official Site]
2007 Medal Winners [Official Site]

The 3rd Annual Good Food, Good Beer and the Rest Is History event is taking place on Saturday July, 21st under the Headhouse Square shambles at 2nd and Lombard from 5:30 to 8:30 PM.

This Buy Fresh Buy Local food and beer tasting event will include food from Bridget Foy’s, General Lafayette Inn, James, Run for the Hills, Rx, White Dog, Xochitl and Zot. Brewers will include Dogfish Head, General Lafayette, Sly Fox, Stoudt’s, Triumph, Troegs, Victory and Yards.

The Philadelphia Convivium of Slow Food and its local partner Farm to City are co-sponsors of the event. The event is a fund-raiser for Slow Food.

Tickets are $30 for 5 sample food plates or $22 for 3 sample food plates. For advance tickets, call Slow Food at 718-260-8000 and ask for The Rest Is History event. Tickets will also be available at the entrance (cash only).

Local Food Philly [Official Site]
Slow Food Philly [Official Site]
Farm to City [Official Site]
White Dog Cafe Foundation [Official Site]

This Thursday a group calling themselves the Full Mooners is offering free beer from 8 to 10 PM at the Marketplace at East Falls. Among the beers being poured are Victory, Dogfish Head, He’Brew, Oskar Blues and more. A $20 donation to charity is requested.

We don’t have much more information than that but it certainly sounds intriguing.

Flyer after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »