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Victory Brewing

(Brewpub)

Last updated: November 26, 2000

420 Acorn Lane
Downingtown PA 19335

Phone: +1 610-873-0881
Fax: +1 610-873-0985

Opened February 15, 1996.
Brewer: Ron Barchet, Bill Covaleski.
8,000 bbl annual capacity.

Barchet and Covaleski have combined for five Hall of Fame beers: two from Baltimore Brewing, one from Old Dominion Brewing, and now two from Victory.

My friend Paris Cunningham visited Victory in March 1996...here's what she had to say about the place:

The place is big; it is a converted warehouse. The bar is a light wood as are the bar stools and all tables and chairs. There is no rail on the bar! The stools were hard for me to sit in, not made for women. They use only whole hop flowers. Hops from America, Germany, and Czech Republic. Beer is only sold in 12 oz. ($2.50) and 22 oz. ($3.25) glasses. ($2.50) and 22 oz. ($3.25) glasses. Samples were big, ~3-4 oz. Sample set was $5.00. Samples were big, ~3-4 oz. T-shirts were $8.00, $11.00, and $20.00. Got some beer mats, very few around the bar. No logo on their glasses. I had a 12 oz of the IPA, and one of the Dopplebock.

Alert Pubcrawler sends this November 1996 update:

Just wanted to let you know that Victory has added a foot-rail to their bar (!), the Fest has been made maltier and more authentic in style, they've added Sunrise Weiss (a hefe), Moonglow Weizenbock, an as-yet-unnamed Russian Imperial, and have their winter beer in the tanks, a 10%-ish barleywine called Old Horizontal.

My Opinion Of The Beers That I've Tried:
17.5 points overall

• Brandywine Valley Lager (bottled)
  Style 14 - German Light Lager
  • 19 points - Beer #32-2618, Chicago Beer Society, Chicago IL, April 2, 1998
    Golden-amber, nice head. Definitely got that Export nose...sulfury. Sweet and malty, big hop flavor all the way through.

  • 15.5 points - Beer #22-1920, Kamuela HI, at home, January 9, 1997
    Golden-amber, slight haze, not much head. Sweet aroma, spicy, a little bready. High carbonation, big body and bitterness. Pretty well-balanced, lots of hop flavor, long bitter finish. Thanks to for sending this bottle!

• Festbier (bottled)
  Style 17 - Vienna / Märzen / Oktoberfest
  • 16 points - Beer #32-2619, Chicago Beer Society, Chicago IL, April 2, 1998
    Amber-brown, great head. Some caramel aroma. Medium body, lots of brown malt, fairly sweet.

  • 17 points - Beer #22-1924, Kamuela HI, at home, January 10, 1997
    Amber, pretty clear, moderate carbonation, OK head. Spicy alcoholic aroma. Reasonably big beer, dark, rich, and bitter. Hint of black malt in finish. Thanks to for sending this bottle. Jim also points out "no black malt in the Festbier but its double decocted with Vienna malt".

• Hop Devil India Pale Ale (bottled)
  Style 5 - English-style Pale Ale
  • 17.5 points - Beer #32-2620, Chicago Beer Society, Chicago IL, April 2, 1998
    Brown amber, moderate head. Big citrus aroma, but not as big as dry hopping would lead you to expect. Big body, big bitter blast.

  • 20 points - Beer #22-1925, Kamuela HI, at home, January 10, 1997
    Amber-red, moderate carbonation, big head. Spicy grassy hop aroma. Big spicy bitter beer. Very tasty. Long spicy finish. Nothing wrong with this beer! Thanks to for sending this bottle.

• Old Horizontal (bottled)
  Style 1 - Barley Wine
  • 16.5 points - Beer #29-2384, Kaunakakai HI, at home, January 9, 1998
    It's been one year since I stored this bottle away! Bright amber, clear, fairly high carbonation, fairly low head. Very fruity aroma, alcohol, sweet, and maybe just a little oxidized...just a little. Big body, some carbonation bite. Very caramelly, fairly bitter (especially late) but not the Wall of Hops I remember from a year ago. It's blended very nicely...and we still have one stashed for next year!

  • 19 points - Beer #22-1921, Kamuela HI, at home, January 9, 1997
    Amber, clear, fairly high carbonation, nice head. Candy-sweet, citrusy aroma...like those gummy orange-slice candies. Real complex beer. Fine sweetness, caramel candy flavor, nice hop flavor and bitterness. A little warming and a little smoky in the finish. Alcohol dries the tongue, then numbs it. I'd like to taste this next to a Bigfoot! Thanks to for sending this bottle.

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