“I’ll take some Hogshead, Blueberry Wheat, Crabby Granny and an English Setter, please.”
That’s not a list of hard rock CDs. It’s a solid order for a flight of drinks — four 5-ounce glasses — for an adventurous taste test at The Other Farm Brewing Company, on Main Street in downtown Boyertown. It’s one of the best ways to let your hair down, try out homemade ales and hard ciders that come right from Berks County, and chill out at the end of a long day or week. Now that it’s deep into autumn, there are peach and raspberry brews to try as well. Perhaps the nicest part is knowing that all the hops and fruit in these artisan beverages are plucked from Frecon Farms’ ample orchards nearby.
Just keep in mind that this bar-eatery and live music establishment is a year-round haven of fun and good times — and seasonally savvy. (When summertime comes, you’ll want to try the freshest of drinks, the Tart Cherry Saison — lip-smackingly fruitful with a cherry pie twist.)
IN GOOD COMPANY
Getting back to business — that is, good times, good eats, good drinks. It’s about being connected, people to people. On a typical evening as customers start drifting in, they laugh and call out to each other in greeting, with what seems to be an equal mix of regulars from the community and newcomers. It’s all part of a unique scene, grounded in The Other Farm’s identity and inscribed with the mantra: “Community, Drink, Music, Food.” On the wall at the end of the natural bar, made from a stunning 200-year-old white oak plank that fell down on the Frecon family’s property, is a big, colorful poster: “How to Build Community,” which reads: “Turn off your TV; Leave your house; Know your neighbors…” etc. And it seems that’s exactly what’s happening here.
For example: On the first Thursday of every month, musicians gather for drinks and dinner, and then break out saxophones, guitars and what have you for a jazz jam and blues night with Henry Frecon, the family patriarch and a fine musician. Weekends feature comedians, singers and musical entertainment. On Wednesdays between 5 and 8pm is Yappy Hour, when 50 cents of every beer sold goes directly to the Humane Society of Berks County. Sometimes there’s the sweet smell of smoky barbeque in the air: that’s when you know a local vendor is on deck, serving up his specialty and adding to the regular menu. The Greek yogurt is made locally.
In short, this bar-restaurant’s style has been to seek out, invite, and put forth the talents of neighbors, an innovative tactic that draws in friends, family, and the just plain curious, which ends up benefitting everybody.
FOOD AND DRINK WITH CHARACTER
Wherever you look, there’s character. Character in the building, the people, the food. Everything and everyone has a story to tell. Brewmaster Bryan McDonald tends toward the classical, so his traditional ale is named English Setter — and yes, of course, that’s the kind of dog he owns. Jamie Bock wears a plaid shirt like the other fellas, and his passion is all about cider-making, but not so long ago he was halfway around the world, serving as a Peace Corps worker in West Africa. Hank Frecon does blended ciders, putting fruit and beer and hops and cider together: “We use the raw fruits and let them do their thing, a natural infusion,” he smiles. He and brother Steve started the business endeavor, with Hank involved as overarching director and Steve handling the details and operations. Their nano-brew approach is personal, focused on on-site consumption.
Memorable flavor experiences include:
Hoppy Man: Produced with hops grown here, this is a crisp, delicious, winelike, almost citrus-y cider with a nice finish; it’s that trustworthy friend you’re always glad to run into.
Frecon Farmhouse Saison: Beer-y, dry, hangs in your mouth like an unexpectedly nice compliment.
Old McDonald Rye: Heavy, very bready, tantalizingly sour — strong and distinctive, like a big, tall man with a long life and a tall tale to tell.
The Other Farm Fromage Panini: This toasty-hot sandwich chases the chill away, with smoked Gouda mingling with three harmonious cheeses – Havarti, aged Cheddar and young Pecorino. It’s topped with fresh onion and luscious red tomatoes, smothered with locally sourced greens.
Stomach-warming soups: best ordered when you walk in, before they sell out. Try the creamy cheddar broccoli, chili, potato, an old-fashioned split pea and ham, or ham and string beans — whatever’s on tap.
Pairing Plates: The Red House is one of the restaurant’s many unique meat-and-cheese plates that are truly a taste of Europe transported to PA. A Pinot Noir provides the right edgy dryness to bites of an elegant prosciutto and chorizo alongside Asiago, Pecorino, and a smoothly warm Farmhouse Cheddar.
Before a last bite or final sip, don’t forget to ask the obvious: “So, why do you call it the ‘Other Farm?’” Stick around. It’s a good story...which leads to more stories…
THE OTHER FARM BREWING COMPANY 128 East Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown | 610.367.1788 | theotherfarmbrewingcompany.com
BY MARIAN FRANCES WOLBERS | PHOTOS BY HEIDI REUTER
