Tale of the Pie: Victory Brewing Company

What a day it was on Sunday!

Me and the missus, along with a number of our closest friends and the Little Man in jogging stroller, competed in Victory Brewing Company's Run for Ryan. I think this was some sort of charity, although I have no idea who Ryan is nor what his particular ailment is. All I knew is I was out there to run 3.2 miles, and when the race was finished I would be allowed to drink beer and eat barbecue. Yes, the lady allowed me to break away from my diet for this affair!

So with the lady relegated to the jogging stroller, I busted out of the blocks with Beastie Boys' Hot Sauce Committee Part II blaring! Thanks to my time-honored technique of pretending that masked revolutionaries had kidnapped my dog and threatened to kill him if I began to walk (it got me through the Broad St.), I ran the entire time through wobbly legs and rickety breathing apparatus. In fact, I sprinted the last quarter-mile like a man who would be handed a beer at the end of his toils...since I was. I finished the race in 23:59, pretty much a 7 and a 1/2 minute mile average on the button and good for 115th out of approximately 500 runners. Not bad.

Now about the beer! The good people of Victory gave us each a wristband that contained three tabs. Each tab was good for one beer or one sandwich. They were serving two different seasonal beers, Whirlwind Wit and Summer Love. The first one I enjoyed was the Summer Love. It was a nice crisp Pale Ale, perfect for a moderately temperate day and a horrifically trying run. For my second beer, I partook in the...Summer Love. This is because they had run out of the Whirlwind Wit. So I didn't get to sample that although I believe I have had it before and it is pretty decent. Personally, this was a little disappointing, although I was already bummed that they were only sampling two of their very fine beers during the post-race celebration. I truly cherish a variety when imbibing. (By the way: I, of course, figured out a way to finagle a few more of those beer tabs, so I drank about four of those Summer Loves. Yum!) As for the pulled pork sandwich that we shared with Saucy Jr., I can report that it wasn't really anything to write home about. It was dry and could have used a little more sauce. Then again, that barbecue pit was kind of intense with the head chef going crazy trying to keep the attendees fed so I should just be happy that I got any kind of nourishment. I've had it before in the brewpub proper, and it was much better.

So you are probably wondering, "You promised us a pizza review, yet you have been blabbering on for the last 600 or so words about running, beer, and mediocre barbecue. What gives?" Fair enough. I will get to the point: After the event, we adjourned inside with two of our buds to their very classy, spacious brewpub for dinner and another beer (or two, if I could drink fast enough). The wife and our buds each ordered a Golden Monkey, which should tell you all you need to know about that alcoholic marvel, while I, in the mood for an IPA, chose the lovely Hop Devil. When it came time to place the food order, the wife and I chose the pizza variety they call Red, basically a plain pie, only we ordered it with pepperoni. I'd love to say it was great, but really it was just a basic pie, the kind you really should expect from a brewpub. The cheese was oozy yet nondescript. The sauce was good enough yet indistinct. I sort of remember the crust being the best part. It was just the right texture for folding and you could feel the flour on your fingertips. I definitely don't remember the pepperoni. It was run of the mill. So yeah, basically the pie was OK. Average.

And I ate five slices. Hey man, whatever. I was like a sailor on shore leave. You think they are passing up a lady because she might have a little arm fat? No! You take what you can get! Plus, I was a little tipsy. Four Summer Loves, a Hop Devil, a Headwaters Pale Ale (shizz yeah, I got another), and some of a sampler, and I would have eaten some Route 422 roadkill! Don't get me wrong! This pie was much better than Route 422 roadkill. I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, thank you Victory for organizing a wonderful day. I hope this guy Ryan, who for all I know could be a stand-in for one of your kid's college funds, benefitted from the run. And don't worry, I will definitely be back periodically for your pizza...as long as you keep those beers flowing.

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Victory Brewpub

420 Acorn Lane

Downingtown, PA 19335

Pros: Nice crust. Thin, not doughy. Nothing particularly off-putting.

Cons: Indistinct cheese and sauce. Run of the mill pepperoni. Basic pub pie.