Victory Brewing Company – Downingtown, PA
I have a love-hate relationship with brewpubs. Often I love the rich craft beer on tap but abhor the greasy burgers, limp fries and canned cheese-coated nachos on offer. Other times I adore the creative menu but loathe the insipid brew that’s served. At Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, Penna. I’ve found the best of both worlds — award-winning beers and really good grub.
Opened in 1996 by childhood friends and brewers Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, Victory features such signature brews as the pilsner Prima Pils, the hoppy Hop Devil Ale and the Belgian-style Golden Monkey. It also has over a dozen other draft and a rotation of cask beers. For those unfamiliar with cask beer, this is a British style of serving where the beer is unfiltered, is less carbonated and possesses a smoother, creamier texture than draft.
I might travel to Victory for the beer but I stay for the food. Eggplant fries dressed with marinara, black bean quesadillas dunked in blackened tomato salsa and Mad King’s tuna – seared, sesame-crusted tuna served over wontons and with seaweed salad and peanut sauce – are among a dozen standout starters. A creature of habit, I always order the hand-tossed pretzel with Dusseldorf mustard. With its warm, crisp crust and velvety interior this plump pretzel has become my must-have dish at Victory.
Every appetizer and entree has a suggested drink pairing. Take the jerk portobello mushroom grinder. Topped with gouda cheese and chipotle mayonnaise, this smokey sandwich goes well with Victory’s earthy Helios Ale. As luck would have it, my favorite salad of strawberries, goat cheese, cucumbers, toasted almonds and mesclun partners perfectly with my favorite beer, Golden Monkey. Truthfully, I would have paired the two together anyway but it’s nice to know that I’m choosing wisely.
Dessert? By the time I’ve finished my meal and a beer or two, I’m too full to contemplate another bite of food. Why not take a road trip this summer to Victory Brewing Company and get back to me on how dessert is. Chances are that you’ll be too dazzled by the beverages and bites to consider the dessert menu.
