On Personal Growth & Craft Beer

As I grow, I continually strive for a better perception of my self-awareness. When it comes to areas for growth, one that I freely admit is my apprehension towards spontaneity. Especially during my free time, I find it daunting to throw caution to the wind and just trust that joy and frivolity will follow.

Cue last weekend. Anticipated as my LAST weekend of freedom- which in the restaurant business is as rare as a steak still mooing- for the foreseeable future. My husband had his heart set on seeing the changing leaves, but beyond that we had no direction. When I say “no direction” I mean that we got to the bottom of the driveway and flipped a coin on which direction to turn.

Our first stop was Penn’s Peak- the perfect place to visit if you want to see panoramic vistas and turning trees. I’ve never been before and the facility was GORGEOUS. The large wooden stage and two-story theatre reverberated in stillness because of COVID, but its walls echoed with the sounds of decades of legendary performances. The energy was palpable even in its silence. Outside, however, is a two-story balcony overlooking the gorge below with friendly service and acoustic music. After a quick bite, we descended the mountain into Jim Thorpe proper where we were unexpectedly met by tens of thousands of people. Apparently, the annual Fall Festival was officially “cancelled” but the visitors and the businesses persisted, and the crowds flooded the streets. As my first visit to the town, I was delighted by the architecture and history of the locale, but the crowds kept me firmly in my car. Our visit was brief, albeit memorable and I will most certainly be returning for a ghost tour of the jail.

Upon our escape from Main Street and overflow parking, we realized that we were committed in continuing in one direction as turning around and heading back to the chaos seemed ill-advised. “Where to now?” seems such a simple question- unless, like me, this spontaneity feels more like lack of planning and less like an adventure. As we banter about what might be near here when HERE is so remote the GPS can rarely find a signal, my husband suggests Bloomsburg as a beacon of civilization.

We head to Bloomsburg where we meet with the illustrious host of the Coarse Grind Podcast, Shawn Rosler and his talented wife, Greta. We caught up on two years of life over two hours and shared more belly laughs than I’ve experienced in two months. Afterwards, we headed to the Inn at Turkey Hill for a dinner, arranged by Mister Rosler, as he called the chef directly to snag us a Saturday evening reservation. The ambiance was delightful with a roaring fire, turn of the century wallpaper and antique décor. The food was spectacular for any locale but a shining star in remote Bloomsburg. The Jumbo Scallops in my entrée were so tender they fell apart, the duck skin was crispy and flavorful, and my husband licked the cranberry orange demi from the plate with such vigor that the server sent us home with our own soup cup of its delectable goodness.

During our meal, our gallant sitting room went from a private enclave to an environment of learning and sharing. This room was not originally designed to be a restaurant, and with the added space between tables required for indoor dining at present, as we were joined by two other couples, we could all easily hear each other’s conversations. By the end of our meal, we learned that we shared the space with a newlywed couple married less than two weeks and a golden anniversary couple married 54 years.

After polishing off our crème brulee dessert, we invited the newlyweds to join us next door at Turkey Hill Brewing Company. Crafted in an Amish built barn, and with the charm of a fall farmers market in the parking lot, this rustic locale boasts a warm and inviting interior that makes you feel like you’re coming home. What stood out to me in such contrast to many breweries I visit is the breadth and depth of their beer menu. The dozen beers on tap were not the unfortunate norm of half IPAs and a handful of lagers. Their draughts included a barrel aged doppelbock, Berliner Weiss, sour cherry tripel, and nitro coffee sour. Better than the variety is the quality! As our newlywed friends regaled us with stories of their wedding and amended honeymoon in the spirit of 2020, we sipped on samples of unique varieties hard to find in urban environments, let alone the more remote locales of rural Pennsylvania.

The Urban Abbey Brewing Company series of large format bottles takes some less conventional styles of beer and ages them in Oak Casks with Brettanomyces for a tart bite I often find that, when balanced, helps the true flavor and body of a beer to shine. The masters at Turkey Hill took classic styles like Bier de Garde, Grisette and Golden Ale and made them approachable to both beer novices and connoisseurs. These styles are less represented at many breweries due to the prominent popularity of hops amongst the masses, but my Beer Mistress heart is warmed to see them here and done so well! Indeed, I have read many a Cicerone Master tout the perfection of Bier de Garde when pairing with food. 

At an entirely respectable hour, we bid goodnight to our new friends and headed to our room where our weekend of escape would come to an inevitable end. But not before this skeptic glowed in the appreciation of how an uncertain and unprepared day could yield such a memorable and much needed escape. I enjoyed my visit so thoroughly that I would consider Turkey Hill Brewing Company and its environs worthy to be THE destination in the future. For those looking for an understated escape or a romantic getaway, the Inn at Turkey Hill and Turkey Hill Brewing Company will not disappoint.  

For more of my #CraftBeer adventures, reviews, pairings and private in-home dinners, follow me on social media: @BeerMistress www.highbroweventgroup.com/craft-beer-dinners