December Brew-Fer Two-Fer!

Each month, two guys from Burd’s Nest, Paul and Jacob, grab a couple of beers at two other local breweries to celebrate the great brewing of the Central PA region.  
 
What better way to spend a wet afternoon in December than by grabbing some delicious brews and food at two of Mechanicsburg’s well-respected breweries.  So, off we went to Wolf Brewing Company and Ever Grain Brewing Company.  We couldn’t have picked two better places to lift the gray away.  
 
Our first stop was Wolf Brewing Company.  Parking was easy and once inside, the host seated us right away.  The décor and the layout of the interior lent a feeling of coziness to what is actually a very spacious taproom.  The lit fireplace was perfect on a gloomy afternoon.  Our server dropped by the table almost as soon as we looked at the menu.  Here’s some of our other thoughts:

 Atmosphere & Space
Beautiful, clean-white space! Love the fireplace, gives a lovely community vibe. The "Now Brewing Sign" is a cute detail, encourages connections between brewer & guest.  What we also really appreciated about Wolf was its commitment to Pennsylvania.  Their flights of 4 four-ounce pours are part of Wolf’s “Flight for a Cause” and are not only presented on a tray in the shape of the state, but $1 from each purchase goes to a different charity each month.  In December, the charity is the Central PA Foodbank. Another great connection to the larger community.
 
 
Service & Hospitality 
Our server was very attentive without hovering.  He was also super knowledgeable about each beer on the menu and recommended some great food.    
 
Food
Clean digs, clean drinking! Freshness counts and Wolf is scoring 10/10 on that front. The pierogi appetizer with the sweet heat sauce shouldn’t be missed.
 
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​Best Beers!
We both thought the Thyme Lemon Saison was awesome!
Real crisp, easy drinking for both of us, and the barrel-conditioned character comes through with subtle complexity! Thyme comes through at the end as a fresh accompanying note to the hops! Paul also really liked the Irish Stout with its malty richness without the oily consistency that can plague some stouts.  

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With our check paid (and a visit to the men’s room), we were off to Ever Grain. After a quick 15 minute drive, we arrived.  The parking situation was slightly more challenging than Wolf, but we snagged a spot very close to the entrance.  We both appreciated the outdoor landscaping, which feels like a green, open space.  We had no trouble getting seated, even on a busy Saturday afternoon.  Here’s what we thought: 
 
Atmosphere & Space
Hey it's Ever Grain! Always dug their hometown vibe. Jammed packed with people though, but everyone was having a good time.  There weren’t any obnoxious “hop heads.” Instead, there were quite a few families, enjoying the space.
 
Service & Hospitality
We forget our server's name but we should’ve tipped her better....She came right to our table as we sat down, came back with waters and took our order.  She was back in five minutes with our beers.  The food was another five to ten minutes.  
 
Food
Give us more of those Korean Short Ribs please! Best food we've eaten in a while.  We could’ve polished off a few more servings of them, but with the global supply chain issues, we wanted to be considerate.  LOL!

Best Beers! 
Missile Toad. Ho ho ho, From Jacob:  “EG just dropped one motherload of a juice bomb on me. Too hazy to see through, good thing I'm not driving home! Triple IPA? Triple Threat - Tropical flavor suppressing fire, low-bitter battalion, and a stealth run of 10.5% abv!”  Yeah, it’s not for the faint of heart.  Paul’s favorite was also surprisingly the Missile Toad as well!  He’s a guy who likes his dark beers and while Ever Grain’s stouts were solid, he loved the citrusy flavors of the Triple IPA without having to deal with any bitter aftertaste. He also recommends the Banana Bow Thai Stout for its richness with hints of banana and maple syrup.

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​Our Brew-Fer Two-Fer prescription to break up a dreary afternoon is to head out to Mechanicsburg for good food, good beer and good vibes at two of the region’s best breweries — Wolf Brewing Company and Ever Grain Brewing Company!