One night in Bethlehem, and we ventured to the Bethlehem Brew Works. They had a great beer menu, ranging from a tasty wit, a couple of different IPAs (of varying strengths and styles), a really tasty pale ale and even a blueberry beer that was truly fantastic, and I am very skeptical of berry flavored beers.
I got a flight of six beers, all nice 4-5oz pours. They had about ten on the menu, plus some special bottles. All of the six I tried were enjoyable, particularly the Alice Mae session IPA, Hop Regime IPA, Steelgarden Wit and the Blueberry Belch.
I must also say that the brewery’s artwork and labels were truly fantastic. Each label was humorous and creative. I hear the graphic designer behind them works for Crayola, which is just down the road from the brewery!
I’ve visited a lot of breweries and craft beer establishments, but would have to rate the Bethlehem Brew Works as one of the best, primarily because of the amazing staff who served us, and our bartender Mikey in particular. He was friendly, went out of his way to take care of us, and was a truly knowledgeable beer host. There is nothing more frustrating than a bartender (especially at a brewery!) who doesn’t know a lot about beer and doesn’t have a passion for it. Mikey was awesome, and made the visit so much fun. He offered suggestions and was able to recommend different styles for us to try, and even told us about the craft beer scene in Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley area.
If you get a chance to visit this place – and I sincerely hope you do – make sure you get an order of their house made pretzels and beer cheese soup dip. Holy cow. I think I died and went to gooey in the middle crispy on the outside bread heaven when I took my first bite. They were the perfect addition to a night of craft beer tasting!
Go to Fegley’s. And ask for Mikey – he will make your day even more enjoyable!
Teardrops & Ales 