The mood in Hamburg is high this October as the 1787 Brewing Company moves into Berks County’s good-time, great-eats lineup with stunning, carefully created stouts and ales and a culinary genius on board. Chef Terry Printz’s dedication to the food experience is unmatched, and 1787’s owners are well aware that they’ve started off with a proverbial bang by feeding crowds with the freshest brews and foods they possibly can in a congenial, open, historically nostalgic yet upbeat atmosphere.
Celebrate the harvest season with a Bavarian SUPER Pretzel and a flight of 1787’s compelling beers. That appetizer, listed under “Munchies,” can actually feed four at the table — that’s how huge the single pretzel is. And it is yummy all by itself — even before you tear off a hot piece and scoop it into velvety warm, cheesy sauce made from a truly beery blonde ale. A second dip is mustard sauce, made in-house (like most everything on the menu), a tad sweet and tangy-seedy, perfectly complementing the pretzel’s beer grains and sea salt.
Order a Flight…or Two!
Can’t make up your mind which beer to try first? Don’t stress. Simply ask the server to help you select a short variety of 1787’s offerings, each of which lasts only as long as it’s tappable. (And then the brewery just starts making more beer the very next day, so it’s as fresh as beer can be.)
The list of brews is enough to convey the impression that this is a smart person’s place to drink, dine and have fun. Read the menu: Each beer is thoughtfully crafted and named, with a history and goal behind its development. Here’s a sample flight, every one truly unique:
Etchberger’s Honor Oatmeal Stout, a superb dark that’s sweetly deep to the swallow, paying homage to Hamburg’s Medal of Honor recipient, Richard Etchberger.
Dunnerwetter Simcoe IPA employs the word for “thunderstorm” in Pennsylvania Dutch and yields that clean bitter zing favored in an IPA.
Towpath Mango Blonde Ale plays true to its name, with mango tones in each refreshing swig.
Fern Sholly IPA is labeled a very “easy-drinking IPA.” Indeed! It’s in a smooth league of its own. This hoppy but balanced beauty is a tasty tribute to Hamburg native Fern Shollenberger, third-base player in the All-American Girls Pro Baseball League from 1946-54.
Kaercher Stadt-Blackberry Porter is rich, roasty and berry-ful going down the hatch. Delish.
All beers mesh well with 1787’s Charcuterie Board, a nom-nom sampling of local and imported meats and cheeses, crackers, olives, pickles and grapes. There are two sizes, small and large — such a nice choice to have, as two people can enjoy the smaller, while the bigger size can be passed around by the family or group. Thin pepperoni wrapped around mozzarella is especially satisfying, spicy and cool and soft, while the Peter Brothers summer bologna from Lenhartsville is guilt-free with all flavor and hardly any fat.
For a heartier appetizer, go for Loaded Tata’ Tots enhanced by a beer cheese sauce, bacon and jalapenos.
1787 Special Burger
The Brewhouse’s menu is tightly focused. There are flatbreads and salads, various burgers, Beachin’ Crab Cakes, and Garden Cows — vegetarian burgers topped with Boursin. Each item is perfected through a series of trials and tests. The cole slaw — crunchy and tart, loaded with green and purple cabbage — took several tries to get exactly right, confesses Steve McBeth, one of the owners. And now it’s “perfect” for 1787’s menu. Basically, he explains, “We do simple things very well. That’s our motto.”
But beyond simple, every week features outside-the-box, mouthwatering specials. McBeth acknowledges that “with a chef like Terry, you need to build ‘give’ into your menus, to allow for specials of the day to blow your socks off. And that’s fun,” he says. “That’s always going to be worth the visit here.”
Patrons adore the 1787 Special Burger, a fully integrated food-sculpture of 8-ounce Angus beef covered with melting Swiss cheese, brown-caramelized sweet onion and wild mushrooms. Porter in homemade sauce lends a rich, earthy character. Even the bun is beautiful, gorgeously shiny with butter, black poppy seeds and onion bits.
The smoky mellowness of 1787’s pulled pork sandwich, the Piggly Wiggly, calls up memories of the deep South, topped with a signature BBQ sauce.
Tender French Fries are skinny, edged by potato skins, and encrusted with sea salt. Grab a fork and spear a group of these in between bites of your favorite entrée.
Chocolate Way-Har
Ice cream devotees must agree that 1787 has found an unforgettable way to proffer locally famous Way-Har chocolate ice cream, making it into a truly elegant, sumptuous event. Topping four generous mounds of ice cream are white and dark chocolate shavings, lavishly enriched by stout-infused chocolate sauce poured into the crevices. This ice cream ascends in status from milkmaid to royal lady. So rich, everyone will want a spoon. Prost!
1787 Brewing Company
43 S. 4th St., Hamburg
484.665.3032
Hours: Th: 11am-10pm
Fri & Sat: 11am-11pm
Sun: 11am-9pm
Take it to go! Love a beer you sample at 1787? You can get it to go. Growlers and refills are available.
