Growth and Odd Contraptions

Last year I returned from my annual Gettysburg excursion and posted about how I felt the eastern side of Pennsylvania knew how to eat and the western side knew how to drink. I based all of this on my disappointment in the Gettysburg beer selection. Alas, I stood corrected by many and my trip last week surely contradicted my claim this year.

I've already spent some time this week detailing how the craft beer community has grown in the Gettysburg area. This is probably my last post explaining the subject. I also visited the Blue and Gray Bar and Grill last year and did once again this year. The bar is in the famous square in the dead center of Gettysburg. The craft selection within the bar has improved in this establishment as well.

I had to pose the Dogfish 60 Minute in front of it.

Last year, I came across a bit from Troegs and Roy Pitz from nearby Chambersburg. I'm pleased to report a tad more this time around. Not only that, but Dogfish Head Craft Brewery had a few appearances on the draft list as well.

I'm not entirely sure whether or not there was a beer-to-go cooler at Blue and Gray last summer, but I definitely noticed it this time. The cooler was stuffed full of six packs from Troegs just north of Gettysburg and a brewery called Starr Hill which I discovered is out of Virginia. Maybe some North vs. South action? A few of the Starr Hill offering found a way on the draft system. One was a pumpkin porter. Despite my feelings on pumpkin beer in the summer, I found this exciting.

Still, the table I was seated at had an interesting gadget built into it. Something I've never seen or heard of before. I had noticed it upon walking past the place and assumed it was just part of the bar's draft system. I was only half right.

Apparently it's something called a table tap. I'm not certain as to how it would work at other places, but at Blue and Gray you would get a wristband that gets scanned by the machine. You would fill your own glass of beer and the machine keeps track of how much was dispensed. Very interesting. I haven't seen many of these elsewhere nor around the places I frequent here in Pittsburgh.