Lagers and Philly: Visits to two iconic Pennsylvania breweries

Human Robot and Forest & Main showcase the best in lagers and other traditional styles

Note: This newsletter is supported by Donnelly’s Public House, a wonderful canal-side establishment in the village of Fairport.

My wife and I recently got to travel to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, for a wedding between two of her college besties. And since Cass was in the wedding, that provided me ample time to visit some breweries that have long been on my wish list.

While we were staying about an hour outside Philadelphia, I knew I wouldn’t have a chance to drive into the city itself to check out some of the wish-list breweries (including Crime & Punishment, Fermentory Form, Brewery ARS, the latest Other Half location in Fishtown, and Human Robot).

Philly is one of my favorite beer cities in the country. No trip there is complete with a visit to the iconic Monk’s Cafe, a perfect spot to enjoy a rare Belgian beer or even something from California-based Russian River.

Photo: Two vastly different lager pours at Human Robot Brewing in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.

Knowing my window was limited, I set my sights on two spots I’ve been eyeing for years. Because there’s nothing like enjoying fresh local lager before lunch.

Human Robot

I got my first introduction to Human Robot Brewery a few years back when one of my best buddies Zach Clicquennoi, one of the nicest people in Rochester beer, shared some lagers from this Philly spot. I was immediately wowed and surely placed Human Robot among my favorite domestic lager producers.

Advertisement: Drink NY Craft is a wonderful new service that makes its super easy to have some of the best beer in the state delivered right to your front door. Details here.

But with this wedding being outside Philly, I didn’t expect I would be able to visit there finally. Thankfully (and I’m not sure how I ever overlooked this), Human Robot opened a second location in Jenkintown, Montgomery County, about 10 miles outside the Philly city center. It was a much more accessible spot and since it opened at 11 a.m., I was able to grab a breakfast pint.

Human Robot, while known widely for its traditional stable of lagers and other malty classics, also brews a range of modern styles, including hazy IPAs and fruited sours. But if you end up at Human Robot, you should just be concerned with drinking mug after mug of lager.

The brewery’s second location in Jenkintown is known as “The Haus.” I immediately asked the lovely bartender what she would recommend and she said I couldn’t leave without experiencing a milk tube, which is a play on the traditional Czech way of enjoying lager. It is basically a tube (or stange) of foam from the Lukr side-pull faucet. It’s known as a mlíko or milk pour and is meant to be chugged. As pioneering Pilsner Urquell points out, “This creamy pour looks like milk and tastes sweet and smooth. It’s meant to be drank all at once, like a shot. That way you can enjoy the hoppy aroma of the foam before it settles into beer.”

Needless to say, it was consumed rapidly.

Photo: The inside of Human Robot’s Jenkintown location, known as “The Haus.”

Alongside the milk tube, I got a mug of the Sedlec 12°, a beautifully crisp and dry Czech-style Pilsner. The beer also featured an insanely soft body for a lager. It was a morning well spent.

Forest & Main

Ambler, Pennsylvania’s Forest and Main Brewing has always been one of those mythical spots for me. Since I first experienced one of the brewery’s magical wild ales almost a decade ago, I had it in the back of my brain that I always wanted to visit.

Photo: How many places feature a foeder-aged English dark mild ale? And then put it on cask? Forest & Main is one of those places.

I had almost a spiritual attraction to Forest & Main after first enjoying a raspberry farmhouse ale from the kitschy spot. The brewery pioneered the slogan, “Believe in Saison.” And with a guiding principle like that, how could you not just love that devoted and hopeful outlook?

(I’ve also long been a huge fan of F&M’s labels. They’re lovingly illustrated and designed by brewery co-founder Daniel Endicott.)

I arrived early on a Friday afternoon and picked a seat at the bar between two friendly regulars. The conversation between us was easy and they shared why they loved this place so much. And after spending a few minutes there, I felt the same way. Forest & Main is cozy, comfortable, and unassuming. It kinda feels like you’re hanging out in an English pub. I’m sure that’s by design.

After enjoying the ever-loving heck out of a cask pour of the brewery’s foeder-aged English dark mild ale, I savored a pour of the brewery’s house lager.

Side note: I visited each of these spots on the same day they released a collaborative pale lager called Fäks. It really couldn’t have worked out any better for me.

Advertisement: Did you know the New York Kitchen in Canandaigua is about more than wine? Check out these upcoming beer classes at NYK: nykitchen.com/classes.

This was a day devoted to lagers and traditional styles. And it was followed by a really beautiful and memorable wedding. It made me appreciate the craftsmanship needed to produce these delicate and nuanced styles. And it also made me realize that one of the biggest holes in the Rochester beer scene is the type of spot with a heavy focus on farmhouse ales and lagers. Maybe when I open my metal-influenced brewery, that’ll be our focus.

Title sponsor: Donnelly’s Public House

This work is made possible through support from Donnelly’s Public House, 1 Water St. in Fairport. So make sure to get out to Fairport and support one of the best establishments in our area.

I remain open to sponsorships, sponsored content, and advertisements, especially if it’ll keep the newsletter free for readers. And if you have information about upcoming releases, events, or happenings, don’t hesitate to reach out. For more information, feel free to drop me a line at clevelandprost@gmail.com.

And if you enjoyed this edition of the Cleveland Prost, please subscribe and share! See you again soon.