All Day IPA: I Think I Love You

This week is Philly Beer week (or Billy Fear week as I like to call it) and my birthday.  Do you think they knew that when they planned it?  I bet they did.

On Tuesday, Brian took a half day and I met him in the city for lunch, a walk, some beer, basically a date.  We had lunch at the Belgium Cafe, owned and operated by the people from Monk's Cafe in Center City.  Monk's is known as one of the best beer bars in the world.  I kid you not.  The food was quite tasty but my jury is still out on our waitress.  She brought some unclean cutlery so we sent it back.  When she returned with supposedly new knives, she took a look at a knife then wiped it across her butt and placed it next to my plate.  I really wanted to say, "You know I'm right here right?"

After lunch we hit Eastern State Penitentiary.  When it was built it was the first of it's kind in America.  The idea was to give each convict time alone to reflect on his/her crime.  Each prisoner had a cell to himself and a small courtyard that he/she visited for 30 minutes twice a day.  The prisoners were not allowed to talk with anyone else during their stay.  Well, that didn't last as the crime rate flourished so prisoners had to share cells. Al Capone was held their for 8 months.  See, I can do culture with my beer.

We also, as you may imagine, hit a few beer bars in the area.  For the most part I'm a die-hard IPA drinker because they are so hopalicious.  Unfortunately, they are also big as in 7.8% or 8.6% or even 9% alcohol.  Not exactly a session beer.  Not exactly a beer that you want to drink on a hot summer afternoon.  But, at our 3rd bar, there he was....sitting innocently at the end of a row of taps.  "What's this All Day IPA?"  I inquired of the waitress (who, luckily didn't seem the type to wipe knives her butt).  "Oh, that's a new one from Founder's, out in Michigan, it's only 4.8% alcohol."

Well, that was a no-brainer on my part, I had to have a taste.  It was like the heavens opened up and a choir of angels began to sing.  A very delicious hoppy, dry taste that I just love in an IPA.  Granted, it's not the overpowering hops of a double IPA but it's also not the killer alcohol level either.

I'm in love!

Rest of the day didn't compare to that find.  We trekked down to checkout an IPA throwdown that was non-existent.  Shoulda stayed where we were.  But I'll find him again, that All Day IPA.  He can't hide from me for long.  It's true love.

I'd link to the song but let's face it, you're humming it, aren't ya?  Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba I'm sleeping and right in the middle of a good dream....