So, I made it to Philadelphia in good time and I legged out to the Monk's Cafe. Wonderful old place with lots of crack and crevices. Philadelphia at its finest. Now, when you look at the menu, you will find absolutely no beers from the other side of the country - nothing to be sure from the Left Coast. But I wanted to be sure, so I asked, and yes, they do have brews from the West and proudly advertise them (in the front portion of the menu which mine was absent.)
So, the $64 question: could I have one? Pretty please - I didn't even say I was from the Left Coast - and the answer is "maybe." Yep, "maybe" is actually the correct answer because they are ruled by that oldest tradition - Blue Laws. Just when you thought that they were dead, the Blue Laws wrangle their ugly heads. Damn things have away showing up. So, you could drink them there is the Monk's Cafe, and but you could not take them out of the establishment. Not a drop could leave the place. They even had Pliny the Elder at the front bar but it could not leave.
I did what any red blooded American would do - I order one and drank it. And I have to tell you it was GOOD, really GOOD. Now they let me keep the bottle - they are only going to thrown it away - so there was a bit of solace in that - but it was tiny bit compared with bringing one home.
Now I know there are those among you who would have come up with someway of getting the bottle out of the bar and at least a little left in it, but I look at this as a long term relationship. At least we know where we can change to law and even if we can not change it in Philadelphia (or Pennsylvania as a whole) there is place that we can have friends, and where you can have friends, you can have allies.
Anyway, at least we know where we can have a cold Pliny in future.
Skal!
Brian
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