Fredericksburg Pub To Become Park Lane Tavern

I've heard the rumors, but today the news was confirmed. The Fredericksburg Pub will soon become an independent operation called Park Lane Tavern. The management and employees will stay in place, according to an email from Fredericksburg Pub.

Between June 27th and June 30th the name of this establishment will change to Park Lane Tavern. In addition to the name change, you will notice exciting enhancements to our food and beverage offerings, which we know will add to your overall dining pleasure. We look forward to providing the same upscale service you have always enjoyed as ownership, management and staff remains in place.

The food and beverage menu is said to be "expanded beyond Britain to encompass all of Europe." The new food menu is posted here. I've found the beer selection at the Fredericksburg Pub to be interesting, but somewhat limited. I look forward to seeing what additions or changes they offer under the new theme.

Heavy Seas Loose Cannon

On cask.

This is a frequent cask selection at The Fredericksburg Pub. Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Hop3 IPA is a long-time favorite of mine, so how could I resist? Potent fresh hop aroma and flavor. The sticky foam lasts longer than the beer.

Yes Fredericksburg, there is cask beer here

Craft beer fans in the area have been "teased" with the prospect of fresh cask beer at a couple of local pubs for some time now. Unfortunately, we've seen very few casks being served locally. In all fairness to the proprietors, the logistics required to prepare, properly store, and serve cask beer are complex. Wednesday evening I joined a friend for dinner at The Fredericksburg Pub. I made my usual query, "Anything on cask?" Imagine my surprise when the waitress replied "Yes, we just got something." She reached for her notes and said "Loose Cannon, Hop3." Wow! One of my favorite Clipper City beers, and on cask!

The Clipper City Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale was served cellar temperature, with a sticky one-inch foamy head. As soon as the beer reached the table I got a whiff of the citrus and floral hops. The taste was crisp and very citrusy. Despite the attractive head, the carbonation level in the beer was low, as it should be. I've had Loose Cannon on cask several times in the past, but this serving seemed exceptionally fine. I enjoyed the Loose Cannon with a Pub Burger, savoring the aroma of the beer as much as the flavor.

I don't know how long it will be before this beer runs out, but I'm hoping to get back to the Fredericksburg Pub for more very soon.

The Fredericksburg Pub

The Fredericksburg Pub opened at the Spotsylvania Town Centre in January, but I had been unable to visit until recently. I finally was able to do so this weekend. When our party arrived was prime time - Friday evening at about 7:00pm and there was quite a crowd present so we opted to take seats at the bar instead of waiting for a table. The massive bar sits mid-restaurant and has seating around the perimeter. We were immediately greeted and offered a beer menu, and told that if we had questions about a beer we were welcome to a free sample. The beer menu lists about two dozen beers. Bass, Boddingtons, Guinness, Fullers, Hoegaarden, Smithwick's, Young's, Bluegrass Brewing, Dogfish Head were among the breweries represented. There was also a bottle list that I did not peruse this evening. I noted that there was a listing for a rotating selection on cask, pulled from a beer engine, or hand pump. The current selection is from Bluegrass Brewing Company in Kentucky, and was described by the server as "a double-hopped IPA."

After first trying a sample of the BBC cask ale, I ordered and received the beer in a 10 ounce snifter. Citrus hops dominated but I found the flavor well-balanced. Carbonation was light, and it was served "cellar temperature." This was a high-alcohol beer and I savored it for quite a while.

I didn't order any food this evening, however my companions did. The fish and chips platter that Jerry ordered looked very appetizing. He informed me it was very tasty and I look forward to trying it out for myself soon. Another group at the bar ordered a platter of the house-made potato "chips" covered in a wonderfully smelling barbeque sauce. The food menu lists other English pub fare such as bangers and mash and shepherd's pie.

We sat at the bar for a couple of hours and never felt ignored. The bar was well-staffed and the servers were very prompt and friendly. I didn't see anyone waiting with an empty glass unless by choice. The staff is well-versed on the beers and were often heard making suggestions to patrons. The bar also offers a tasting flight of five beers of the patron's selection if one is really stumped.

The Fredericksburg Pub serves most of their beers in the proper brewery-logo glassware. Twenty ounce "pints" are the norm, although you can also order 10 ounce servings. The pub pours a selection of black and tans, and from my vantage point at the bar, it appeared that the black and tans were quite popular. The pub has some beers on nitrogen taps as well. I saw both Boddington's Pub Ale and Guiness served with nitrogen cascades of foam.

The Fredericksburg Pub is described as an "authentic English pub." While there are bound to be certain concessions for the American audience, the draft selection, proper pours, the dark wood and brass decor, and pub fare make for a fun atmosphere. The male servers wear kilts, and the female servers wear very short, mini-kilts. I'm not sure how "authentic" that is, but the establishment does have an English pub feel to it. It's also family-friendly, and there were quite a few families enjoying dinner in a non-smoking atmosphere. Good beer, tasty food, friendly and knowledgeable staff; that's a good reason for a repeat, and more extended, visit in the near future.

Previous posts about The Fredericksburg Pub:
More Cask Ale for Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg's Missing Cask Ale

Fredericksburg's Missing Cask Ale

They say patience is a virtue. For cask ale fans in the Fredericksburg area, it's a necessity.

Back in October, I received a press release for a new pub chain coming to Fredericksburg. The Pub's beer selection is said to "include cask-conditioned brews, ales and domestics that change on a rotating basis." The Pub was scheduled to open earlier this month, but has been delayed by changes to the exit design required by the local health department. A January opening is now planned.

Oh, by the way, this new establishment is now properly known as "The Fredericksburg Pub." This change comes after the attorney for a nearby business, also called The Pub, notified the owners of the new The Pub that the name was already in use in Spotsylvanina County. So let's see if I can explain. The Fredericksburg Pub is the new pub, it's not located in Fredericksburg City, but in Spotsylvania County. The Pub is the long established business, just down the street, also in Spotsylvania. Got it?

Readers will recall when I made a visit to the then under construction Capital Ale House, I was shown the preparations being made to support two casks of fresh ale. I've been making inquiries weekly but, as of last night, these taps are still unused. Here too, the wait for local cask ale continues.

On a related note, be sure to check out Tom Cizauskas' post at Yours For Good Fermentables regarding fake cask ale being passed off as the real thing. Let's hope we don't have to deal with such a travesty locally.

Update, February 22: The Fredericksburg Pub is reviewed here.

More Cask Ale for Fredericksburg

The Cafaro Company, developers of the The Village at Towne Centre in Fredericksburg have announced one of their first tenants will be "The Fredericksburg Pub." The new establishment is described in a Free Lance-Star article as "An Ohio-based chain whose restaurants have exteriors modeled after the classic corner pubs of London. Their interiors include a handcrafted bar from which guests can sample a wide range of English, Scottish and Irish draft beers as well as cask-conditioned and domestic beers."

After making some inquiries, I received a reply from a manager for the new establishment that included a press release from the Cafaro Company. In part it states:

The heart of hospitality in every British neighborhood is its pub. So it shall be at the Village at Towne Centre. The Fredericksburg Pub will open its doors this November, offering a sensational array of brews, and savory dishes to satisfy hearty appetites. The Fredericksburg Pub is a warm, authentic re-creation of the a traditional British public house, with the subtle, casual flair of modern colonial influence.

The centerpiece of The Fredericksburg Pub is a stunning wraparound bar handcrafted in the United Kingdom, surrounded by beautiful, imported decor. “It’s a very authentic British Pub.”, said Tom Hoffman, Principal of the establishment. “There are 85 different beers from all over the world, mostly from the British Isles.” They include cask-conditioned brews, ales and domestics that change on a rotating basis. They are served up through “optic pourers”, inverted pouring systems that originated in Europe. The knowledgeable barkeeps also serve up an impressive variety of cocktails and wines by the glass or bottle.

I'm not familiar with this chain, but the prospect of cask-conditioned beers is itself appealing. What will the beer selection be like? How many fresh casks will be available? Real fresh ale or faux? The Pub is now reported to open by December 1, so we won't have long to wait until I can research for answers to these questions.

The Fredericksburg Pub is not to be confused with Fredericksburg's long-established "The Pub" which will soon have a brewpub onsite. Battlefield Brewing is slated to open this Fall inside the latter. Got it? Imagine the thrill of having two fresh ale pubs competing for our thirsts!

Update, December 2: The Pub's opening has been delayed two weeks due to a health department request to redesign a door leading to the outdoor patio.

Update, February 22: The Fredericksburg Pub is reviewed here.