Immediately this brewery scores so many points for its unique setting. As the name suggests, this brewery is located in a former St. John the Baptist Church. You would never know from the front that it was a brewery. In fact, when I approached I was convinced that the smaller building next to it was the brewery and the large 8,000 square foot building was an actual operating church. I was totally wrong. The entire church is the brewery. As you walk inside there are pamphlets like those you might find in a church, but these tell all about the brewery. The inside is set up as a church too! The tables are set up where the aisles would be. There is a church organ in the back and beautiful stained glass windows along the side of the structure. In the front, in place of the pulpit are the huge brew tanks. To continue church theme, they have beers such as Celestial Gold, Pipe Organ Pale Ale and Pious Monk Dunkel. The building is really beautiful and one of the most remarkable backdrop for beer drinking.
I sat at the bar and had a beer flight so that I could sample as many of their beers as possible. On this particular day there were eight for me to enjoy. My beer coaster had the motto "On the eighth day man invented beer". I appreciate when a proper beer establishment like this one also posts a giant board with the name of each beer as well as the ABV and IBU of each one. The beers were all superb and had a nice twist on the norm. The wit beer had all kinds of spices and the porter had a hint of coconut to separate them from the usual suspects you may find at other bars. Church Brew Works sells growlers, bottles and even mini kegs. They also provide a sweet stainless steel growler option.
The food was terrific too which is always enjoyable to pair with beer. And it was not the typical greasy "bar food" fare, but actual "restaurant" food. I had the opportunity to try my first ever pierogie and it was super.
Church Brew Works is easily in my top ten of overall worldwide breweries.
Meet up as SFLHops to the next beer event at http://www.meetup.com/Craft-Beer-in-the-Tri-County-Beer-its-Good-for-You/