Tuesday, January 03, 2012

A new year, A new Iron Hill

For the first time, I can tag an Iron Hill-based posting here with the "Philadelphia" tag. As of tomorrow, 1/4/12, Iron Hill will have nine locations. From Newark, Del. to Lancaster, Pa., over to Maple Shade, NJ, and now to Philly's last westerly neighborhood, Chestnut Hill, in the city of wonderful neighborhoods.

The brewery family of perennial award-winning brewers has been hosting soft-opening "practice" lunches and dinners in expectation of the grand opening this week.

I was invited to stop by for dinner and check things out. Veteran fans of the brewery and restaurant will find many parallels in keeping with the company design, decor, and delivery.

What they'll also notice is a menu of beers that head brewer, Paul Rutherford, and assistant, Derek Testerman, have brewed themselves, save for the long-running favorite, Pig Iron Porter. For a grand-opening, they certainly timed the schedule of the brewhouse quite well. Rutherford's brewery has something the other IH brewers don't...a hopback. For opening night, expect to see the "standard" house five and three other specialities. Plus, a lineup of six more to come.

More to come, for sure. Enjoy, Chestnut Hill!



(Exterior facing Germantown Avenue)




(Interior front bar and dining room)




(Proud brewers, Derek Testerman and Paul Rutherford, standing in their shiny new brewhouse in front of a brew kettle and the hopback)




(Back restaurant dining room)

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