Sly Fox Brewery
Encyclopedia
Sly Fox Brewery is an award winning Pennsylvania
brewery
. It was founded by the Giannopoulos family at its original Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
, location on December 20, 1995. The name of the establishment came out of a family meeting from the tradition of fox hunting
in the Chester County
area, where the first Sly Fox location resides.
Sly Fox opened a second location on November 8, 2004, in Royersford, Pennsylvania
, right off Route 422
, northwest of Philadelphia. Plans to move the Phoenixville location "across the street" in 2009 were delayed until 2010.
In addition to the traditional take-home growlers of beer, Sly Fox started bottling
their beers in late 2005 and started canning
in early 2006.
.
Each visit to Sly Fox earns the participant two raffle tickets and a stamp on their Boot Camp card, and participants can visit both locations. Starting in 2005, raffle tickets are given out on Wednesdays in Phoenixville and Thursdays in Royersford. After eight stamps, participants are given a Boot Camp t-shirt and ten additional raffle tickets.
's greatest poet. The event marks the release of Gang Aft Agley Scotch Ale and Burns' Scottish Ale and features readings of Burns' poetry by attendees, bagpipes, and a menu of Haggis
and other Scottish treats.
An all-day event held annually at Phoenixville, typically on the first Sunday in May, the Bock Beer Festival and Goat Race celebrates Bock
-style beers and a traditional German menu. After two years at a now-closed local brewery, brewer Brian O'Reilly brought the idea with him to Sly Fox in 2002. The event is held inside the pub and on the outside patio and parking area.
The event also features a multi-heat goat race competition in the adjacent parking lot. Owners run with the leashed animals but may not lead or pull them toward the finish line. The victorious goat earns the reward of having the brewery's annual Maibock named in its honor.
The 2005 event was greeted by sunshine, clear skies and spring temperatures, after a number of weeks where the area saw inclement weather. The good weather brought out an unexpected, record crowd of 1,000-plus people, a record 24 goats in the race, and the pub poured 13 barrels (403 gallons) of beer, putting a strain on the staff, supply of glasses, and restroom facilities. After learning some lessons in 2005, the festival in 2006 was greeted again by bright, warm sunshine and went smoother despite seeing nearly double the crowd from the previous year.
In 2005, the IPA Project was repeated with nine varietal IPAs with nine new hops plus a reformulated Odyssey. The IPA Project celebration poured 12 different IPAs: Rt. 113 IPA, the nine varietals, and both the 2004 and 2005 Odyssey. The day-long event also marked the release of Rt. 113 IPA in 22oz bottles.
IPA Project 2006 repeated the best three single hop IPAs each from 2004 and 2005 and introduced four new ones, for a total of ten varietals. This year's day-long celebration in December was topped off with the first release of Odyssey Imperial IPA in 22oz bottles.
The 2007 version was hindered by a massive warehouse fire that occurred in October in Yakima, Washington, which destroyed roughly two million pounds of U.S. grown hops and has left several varieties in short supply or completely sold out for the year, but Brewery Operations Manager Tim Ohst announced that they planned on brewing eleven total varietals but in smaller batches. The IPA Project Day was held on December 14, 2007.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
. It was founded by the Giannopoulos family at its original Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
Phoenixville is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Philadelphia, at the junction of French Creek with the Schuylkill River. The population is 16,440 as of the 2010 Census.- History :...
, location on December 20, 1995. The name of the establishment came out of a family meeting from the tradition of fox hunting
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
in the Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
area, where the first Sly Fox location resides.
Sly Fox opened a second location on November 8, 2004, in Royersford, Pennsylvania
Royersford, Pennsylvania
Royersford is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, northwest of Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill River. The town drew its name from the location of a ford across the Schuylkill River, which happened to be adjacent to land owned by the Royer family...
, right off Route 422
U.S. Route 422
U.S. Route 422 is a long spur route of US 22 split into two segments in the U.S. states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The western spur begins in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and ends at Ebensburg, Pennsylvania...
, northwest of Philadelphia. Plans to move the Phoenixville location "across the street" in 2009 were delayed until 2010.
Awards
Awards for Sly Fox Brewery include:- Sly Fox Amber IPA was voted Philadelphia Favorite Beer at a judging in the spring of 1996
- Sly Fox ESB won Gold medal as Best Bitter at the annual State College Microbrewers & Importers Exposition in 1998
- French Creek Helles won Bronze medal at the Great American Beer FestivalGreat American Beer FestivalThe Great American Beer Festival is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado, in mid to late September or early October. This year, 2011, the festival runs from 29 September through 1 October. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more...
in 2002 - Pikeland Pils won Bronze medal at the Great American Beer FestivalGreat American Beer FestivalThe Great American Beer Festival is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado, in mid to late September or early October. This year, 2011, the festival runs from 29 September through 1 October. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more...
in 2003 - Voted Third Best Brewpub in the country at BeerAdvocate.com in July 2003
- Named Philadelphia’s Best Brewery by PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia (magazine)Philadelphia is a regional monthly magazine published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Metrocorp....
magazine in July 2004 - Pikeland Pils earned a top ranking in the April-May 2005 issue of Celebrator Beer News
- Rt. 113 IPA was named best India Pale Ale in the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast region at the 12th Annual Summer United States Beer Tasting Competition in 2006
- Pikeland Pils won Gold medal in the German-Style Pilsener category at the Great American Beer FestivalGreat American Beer FestivalThe Great American Beer Festival is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado, in mid to late September or early October. This year, 2011, the festival runs from 29 September through 1 October. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more...
in 2007 - Instigator Doppelbock won Bronze medal in the Strong Bock category at the Great American Beer FestivalGreat American Beer FestivalThe Great American Beer Festival is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado, in mid to late September or early October. This year, 2011, the festival runs from 29 September through 1 October. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more...
in 2007 - Saison Vos was named the best Saison in the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast region at the 13th Annual Summer United States Beer Tasting Competition in 2007
Brewers
- John Giannopoulos 1994-20??
- Brady Van Duff 19??-19??
- Bob Waterman 19??-????
- Bill Moore 2000-2001
- Brian O’Reilly 2002–present
- Assisted by:
-
- Tim Ohst - Brewery Operations Manager
- Steve Jacoby
- Keith Barnaby
-
Bottling and canning
Beer bottle
A beer bottle is a bottle made to contain beer, usually made of glass.Bottled beer has been in use since as early as the 16th century. Beer bottles come in various sizes, shapes and colours....
their beers in late 2005 and started canning
Beverage can
A beverage can is a tin can designed to hold a specific portion of a beverage. Beverage cans are made of tin-plated steel or aluminium.- History :...
in early 2006.
Beers in caged, corked 750ml bottles
- Saison Vos
- Christmas Ale
- Ichor Quadruple
- Incubus Tripel
- Black Raspberry Reserve
Beers in 22oz bombers
- Rt. 113 IPA
- Instigator Doppelbock
- Oktoberfest
- Odyssey Imperial IPA
- Gang Aft Agley Scotch Ale
Beers in 12oz cans
- Pikeland Pils
- Phoenix Pale Ale
- Dunkel Lager
- Royal Weisse
- Route 114 IPA
Incubus Friday
On the first Friday of every month, and only on the first Friday, a single keg of Incubus Tripel is tapped at noon at the Phoenixville location. The Incubus is poured until it kicks, which has occurred fairly early for this popular event.Firkin Fest
Started in Royersford in October 2005 but moved to Phoenixville in June 2006, a fresh firkin of a different cask conditioned Sly Fox beer is tapped on the bar on the third Friday of each month and poured until it runs out.St. Patrick's Day Boot Camp
Dreamed up in 2003 by Corey Reid, the Phoenixville location's bar manager, the St. Patrick's Day Boot Camp is a nine or ten week program leading up to St. Patrick's Day that allows participants to earn raffle tickets for a drawing conducted on St. Patrick's Day. Starting in 2005, the grand prize is a trip for two to IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Each visit to Sly Fox earns the participant two raffle tickets and a stamp on their Boot Camp card, and participants can visit both locations. Starting in 2005, raffle tickets are given out on Wednesdays in Phoenixville and Thursdays in Royersford. After eight stamps, participants are given a Boot Camp t-shirt and ten additional raffle tickets.
Robbie Burns Birthday Bash
Sly Fox's Robbie Burns Birthday Bash, held in January at Phoenixville every year since 2003, honors ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
's greatest poet. The event marks the release of Gang Aft Agley Scotch Ale and Burns' Scottish Ale and features readings of Burns' poetry by attendees, bagpipes, and a menu of Haggis
Haggis
Haggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' , minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach.Haggis is a kind...
and other Scottish treats.
Bock Beer Festival and Goat Race
Bock
Bock is a strong lager of German origin. Several substyles exist, including maibock or helles bock, a paler, more hopped version generally made for consumption at spring festivals; doppelbock, a stronger and maltier version; and eisbock, a much stronger version made by partially freezing the beer...
-style beers and a traditional German menu. After two years at a now-closed local brewery, brewer Brian O'Reilly brought the idea with him to Sly Fox in 2002. The event is held inside the pub and on the outside patio and parking area.
The event also features a multi-heat goat race competition in the adjacent parking lot. Owners run with the leashed animals but may not lead or pull them toward the finish line. The victorious goat earns the reward of having the brewery's annual Maibock named in its honor.
The 2005 event was greeted by sunshine, clear skies and spring temperatures, after a number of weeks where the area saw inclement weather. The good weather brought out an unexpected, record crowd of 1,000-plus people, a record 24 goats in the race, and the pub poured 13 barrels (403 gallons) of beer, putting a strain on the staff, supply of glasses, and restroom facilities. After learning some lessons in 2005, the festival in 2006 was greeted again by bright, warm sunshine and went smoother despite seeing nearly double the crowd from the previous year.
Previous winners
- 2004: Weird Beard
- 2005: Savannah
- 2006: Han
- 2007: Sundae
- 2008: Jasper
- 2009: Dax
- 2010: Dax
- 2011: Peggy
IPA Project
Started in 2004 as a year-long celebration of brewery's ninth year in business, Sly Fox created a series of eight varietal IPAs, each brewed with a single hop. All eight of the hops were used to brew Odyssey, Sly Fox's first Imperial IPA. The event culminated in an all-day festival at the Phoenixville location in December where the brewery's flagship Rt. 113 IPA, all eight varietal IPAs, and Odyssey were all available on tap.In 2005, the IPA Project was repeated with nine varietal IPAs with nine new hops plus a reformulated Odyssey. The IPA Project celebration poured 12 different IPAs: Rt. 113 IPA, the nine varietals, and both the 2004 and 2005 Odyssey. The day-long event also marked the release of Rt. 113 IPA in 22oz bottles.
IPA Project 2006 repeated the best three single hop IPAs each from 2004 and 2005 and introduced four new ones, for a total of ten varietals. This year's day-long celebration in December was topped off with the first release of Odyssey Imperial IPA in 22oz bottles.
The 2007 version was hindered by a massive warehouse fire that occurred in October in Yakima, Washington, which destroyed roughly two million pounds of U.S. grown hops and has left several varieties in short supply or completely sold out for the year, but Brewery Operations Manager Tim Ohst announced that they planned on brewing eleven total varietals but in smaller batches. The IPA Project Day was held on December 14, 2007.
Hops used
- 2004: Amarillo, East Kent Golding, Centennial, Styrian Golding, Cascade, Target, Simcoe, Fuggle
- 2005: Glacier, Ahtanum, Northdown, Willamette, Progress, Galena, Challenger, Santiam, Chinook
- 2006: Cascade, Newport, Warrior, Northdown, Vanguard, Palisade, Simcoe, Nugget, Magnum, Challenger
- 2007: Galena, Phoenix, Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin, Chinook, First Gold, Centennial, Southern Cross, Target, Pacific Jade, Magnum