Our Fall Apple Picking Trip

This year I invit­ed our friends out to my old stomp­ing grounds for our annu­al fall apple and pump­kin pick­ing trip. We’ve been to Bucks Coun­ty sev­er­al times, where we’ve often found the orchards picked over. When I recent­ly learned that Fre­con Farms offered pick your own I knew that had to be our des­ti­na­tion. I grew up right down the street from their orchard!

It was a great trip. The apples were plen­ti­ful. So plen­ti­ful, in fact, that we bought 15 pounds! I can’t wait for all the autumn deliciousness.

The real sur­prise of the trip, how­ev­er, was a jaunt down mem­o­ry lane. My friend and old TLA com­rade Matt rec­om­mend­ed we try Union Jack­’s for lunch. When I searched it, I thought the Tiki Bar had been renamed. Not so, it turns out.

Union Jacks at the Inn at Man­atawny is a love­ly spot that once was a nasty bik­er bar across from the Pheas­ant­land Roller Rink. This place was a gem. The beer list was gar­gan­tu­an and our friends love to drink inter­est­ing beers. Every­thing on tap was aged in bar­rels or casks, going with a wood­en theme I can def­i­nite­ly appre­ci­ate on a love­ly fall afternoon.

I tried four beers, rang­ing from Left Hand Oak Aged Impe­r­i­al stout (deli­cious!) to the Founders Maple Moun­tain Brown (inter­est­ing!) As we enjoyed our lunch, I could­n’t believe that such a won­der­ful lit­tle restau­rant could suc­ceed amid the ram­pant sub­ur­ban­iza­tion Boy­er­town’s under­gone since my child­hood. I mean, these are beers you’d strug­gle to find in bars in Philly!

I’d say that the Left Hand brew was my favorite of the day, although the Pen­nichuck Pozharnik was a delight as well. I drank two tasters of the Founders Maple (very pro­nounced maple fla­vor; a bit too much for me, actually.)

More inter­est­ing was the St. Some­where Lec­tio du Chene. That one through a real curve at me. It’s like noth­ing I’ve ever tast­ed. It’s blend­ed wine bar­rel aged & young Lec­tio Div­ina, which is one of St. Some­where’s well-regard­ed Bel­gian Pale Ales. Be care­ful — it packs a wallop!

The food and ser­vice at Union Jack­’s were great and I’d def­i­nite­ly stop in there again. Some­times it’s great to redis­cov­er the place you grew up, huh?