Sunday, July 06, 2008

Beautiful Sunday for Beer & Running with the General Lafayette



Well, I woke up Sunday morning
With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt.
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad,
So I had one more for dessert.
Then I fumbled in my closet through my clothes
And found my cleanest dirty shirt.
Then I washed my face and combed my hair
And stumbled down the stairs to meet the day.
-Sunday Morning Coming Down; Johnny Cash


You may have felt this way this morning, given your activities last night. If so, your day may just about be getting started. Not so for the Brew Lounge runners, or whatever it is that we're calling ourselves. At least the Fishtown Beer Runners have a name for themselves. I stuck to a couple glasses of 3.7% Fat Gary's from East End last night (growler from last weekend's visit to the brewery in Pittsburgh), so I was more than ready to go this morning.

Speaking of Fishtown, founder David showed up to join me and a handful of others from Philadelphia and local areas to run 3.5 miles. It was a beautiful run that began and ended in the parking lot of General Lafayette Inn & Brewery in Lafayette Hill, PA. The route wandered down into Fairmount Park along Forbidden Drive before heading back out and through a neighboring community.

At the end we noshed on the General Lafayette's brunch and hydrated with some of their beers and mead. The weather wasn't all that bad temperature-wise, though the humidity helped sap us a bit. The brunch seems like a good deal, considering it's a buffet and the quantity of food from eggs/bacon/sausage/potatoes to smoked salmon/bagels to fruit and even shrimp cocktail.

It's always nice to help introduce newcomers to a brewery or beer that they'd not previously had. That was the case at Dock Street back in March and again today at General Lafayette. The folks new to GL were impressed with the mead, the Chocolate Thunder, the Sunset Red, among others. Most of us were also quite pleased with the Lafayette Escape (the 1.9% ABV beer) that you could serve in good conscious to your designated driver. Even a couple of them...beers, that is. Certainly one of the most flavorful low-alcohol beers I've come across. Reminded me of a pleasant similar experience at Magnolia in San Francisco, or the aforementioned one from East End.

After digging into the brunch buffet and putting back a few beers (growler fills, too), we were all unanimous in wanting to plan out some more beer runs centered around good beer (of course) and brunches. Maybe a joining of Fishtown Beer Runners with the Brew Lounge Runners too. I'll have to see what I can do about that.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Sunday Mornin' Coming Down" may have been performed by Johnny Cash but it was written by, won a Grammy for, and best performed by, Kris Kristofferson.

You kids don't know nothin'.

Bryan Kolesar said...

I knew I was courtin' trouble by listing a performer, the one to whom I happened to be listening at the time. At least I kept it in the family and didn't mention that, among others, this tune of the same name (albeit different lyrics) was also performed recently by Grumpy Old Men.

Kevin said...

I went to the GL three time last week. I really enjoy the Sunset Red from the cask. The Brune (Le Tete Fontaine) is always a favorite of mine (even when something happened that even Russ can't figure out that made it more of a Flanders Red/Bruin which was awesome that he still put it on tap). The matrimoniale was a delight as well. I could go on and gush about all of their beers but I will spare you.

PS - Jack, I take offense to your shot at us youngsters. I do believe that when Kris Kristofferson accepted the Grammy he was wear a sweet denim leisure suit just like the one I am sure that you have in you closet just waiting for the right time break out.

kmudrick said...

Awesome time... Can't wait till the next run!

Unknown said...

Eric knows how to run, I'm shocked. May have to join you next time.

Bryan Kolesar said...

He looks and sounds like a guy who's gonna run the Half on 9/21 in Philly.

I'll try to get the next run planned very soon. Hope to see you. Stay tuned...

Bryan Kolesar said...

Kevin, Parsing JC's words a bit more closely and I see that he's actually complimenting us by saying we "don't know nothing", which as practitioners of the English language means we know (at least) something.

Don't me started on "couldn't care less" versus "could care less"

Merry Christmas in July, Jack!

eric said...

In defense of my slacker image I have to admit I had a pretty hard time walking this morning.
Non-functioning legs and all, I'm looking forward to the next one.

DNA said...

Jack, you leaving early made me the old man amoung the kids.

I was born the running kind
With leaving always on my mind
Home was never home to me
At anytime
Every front door found me hoping
I would find the back door open
There just had to be an exit for the running kind

Within me there's a prison
Surrounding me alone
As real as any dungeon
With its wall of stone
I know running's not the answer
Though, running's been my nature
And a thing in me that keeps me moving on

I was born the running kind
With leaving always on my mind
Home was never home to me
At anytime
Every front door found me hoping
I would find the back door open
There just had to be an exit for the running kind

I was born the running kind
With leaving always on my mind
Home was never home to me
At anytime
Every front door found me hoping
I would find the back door open
There just had to be an exit for the running kind

--lyrics by Johnny Cash

Unknown said...

Hey - Nice hat!

Sheez, look at what you've done. You've spilled East End all over this site!

Cheers,
Scott

Bryan Kolesar said...

Get ready for more....still have to tell these fine folks about bottling Gratitude....great pix too, coming soon!