Cox Brewing Company: Back to Their Roots
Our Trip To Cox Brewing Company
It was in between rain downpours we got to stop by the Cox Brewing Company yesterday. It was the hardest weekend to try to plan with this everchanging weather in Central Pa. But somehow it worked out in our favor and we got to enjoy a quick afternoon in CBC. With our 5-month-old in tow we decided to stop in.
We tried the Tropic Lightning and The Big red one. You know me, I couldn’t resist a snack to go with the brews. We shared the Gene Wenger’s meats and fine foods snack pack. It was the perfect combination of sweet bologna and Colby jack cheese. This was part of the offering for the “garage snacks” menu.
Tropic Lightning
From Untappd:
Beer: Tropic Lightning
Brewery: Cox Brewing Company
Style: Sour – Fruited
ABV: 4.3%
IBU: 11
Untappd Description: This tropical fruity kettle-sour ale made with passion fruit, mango, and pineapple purees (contains lactose).
The Tropic Lightning was light and fruity. From Untapped: This tropical fruity kettle sour ale made with passion fruit, mango and pineapple purees (contains lactose). With a 4.3% ABV it doesn’t kick your butt much. And on the muggy day it was on Saturday it was incredibly soothing. And while snacking it paired very well with the sweet bologna.
The Big Red One
From Untappd:
Beer: The Big Red One
Brewery: Cox Brewing Company
Style: Strong Ale – American
ABV: 7.5%
IBU: 68
Untappd Description: (Blank)
The Big red one was a good change from the kettle sour, this was strong and tad higher of an ABV at 7.5% according to Untapped. It had a great combo of tastes that tossed me back and forth between malty but roasty at the same time.
Cox Brewing Company – The Garage
We have been to the Elizabethtown (Pizza Town) location a couple of times, and Ben has been to the garage a few times in the past, but this was my first time visiting the garage in Rheems.
Enjoying our nibbles and the brews we were tucked in a garage bay in Rheems, PA. There was pub style seating, seating at the bar and some regular seating as well. It brings you back to the feelings of kicking back in your friends’ garage and enjoying some beers together. Their spot at the garage is friendly and you feel like you are part of their cheers meet choppers vibe.
From Ben’s article:
The garage in Rheems is their original location, and for many old school Cox Brewing Company fans and patrons they’ll remember it fondly. Its a big large open venue with an inside garage that feels very much like Cheers meets Choppers. I have fond memories of some of their anniversary events hanging out with Ron Bell and others at the garage. Looking forward to getting to come back out to the old shop.
You’ll be able to find the brewery up on the hill, back behind the house, in a garage / building bay. The address is:
276 Heisey Quarry Road, Building 1 – Bay 5
Cox Brewing Company Returning to Their Roots
Rheems / Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
We decided to end our visit with a B-52 Belgian Dubbel and this was a decision we knew we made very well. To top off the visit with the toe-curling B-52 was perfection. It is listed on Untapped with an ABV of 8% and it is so smooth you’d never know. And to quote our long lost writer, Josh Doncevic: “For having such heavy flavors and notes, this is a beer that disappears from your glass and you’re left wondering where it all went and why it’s all gone.” I sit here regretting my choice to not get a crowler fill before we left.
(You can read Josh Doncevic’s B-52 Belgian Dubbel review here: Beer Review: B-52 Belgian Dubbel (Bottle-Conditioned, 2017) – Cox Brewing Company (CBC).)
It’s 2017 and a friend of mine has asked me to join him and his father at a small brewery in Rheems, PA. Back then I had never heard of Cox Brewing Company, much less tried any of their beer. However, it’s local brewery and I’m more than willing to check a new place out. We pull into an industrial and farm looking part of town and up to what appeared to be a hole in the wall. The kind of place that only those that were “in-the-know” frequented. And there we were, walking into a crowded and cramped garage that was abuzz with conversation. The whole time I was wondering just how good the beer was, but after the first sip, all doubt fled through that same garage door and I began enjoying myself. Spent a few moments scanning the chalkboard menu and spotted something very interesting. I was going to choose by name, and then I noticed the style. WOAH! “Dubbel” Now there’s something you don’t find very often. While being very happy to see the style, I have to admit I was still a bit of a sceptic. My personal experience with US brewed Belgian styles has been a bit spotty at best. Not many breweries seem to be able to replicate the unique taste found in Belgian beers. So naturally, I did what any beer nerd would do: I ordered a pint. I remember being very glad I was sitting down as much fresher versions of the flavors I’ll depict later washed over me. I enjoyed it so much that I vowed then and there that I would be back to buy two bottles, because only a fool would buy one. I returned a week later, making good on my promise. One of those bottles was had two years ago, and thought it unlikely that it would get any better.
Beer Review: B-52 Belgian Dubbel (Bottle-Conditioned, 2017) – Cox Brewing Company (CBC)
I would recommend to put CBC on your list of brewery stops and more than once. With the friendly atmosphere, slamming beers and yummy snacks it is good parts of what we all hope to find in a brewery.
Drink More Beer!
– Amy
For More Information on Cox Brewing Company
For more information on Cox Brewing Company – check out their Social Media Platforms. But first, Untappd describes Cox Brewing Company thusly:
Cox Brewing Company is a micro brewery from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. It has 144 unique beers and over 13,300~ ratings. It has a global average rating of 3.76 (as of 4.16.23). It’s Untappd description reads: “Cox Brewing Company (CBC) is a veteran-owned brewery located in Elizabethtown, PA in the village of Rheems.”
Find them on social media at the following:
- Cox Brewing Company (CBC) – (Untappd)
- Cox Brewing Company – (Facebook)
- Cox Brewing Company – (Instagram)
- Cox Brewing Company – (Twitter)
- Cox Brewing Company – (Official Website)
For More Articles From The Beer Thrillers
For more articles from The Beer Thrillers that we’ve written about Cox Brewing Company, check out the following:
- Beer Review: B-52 Belgian Dubbel (Bottle-Conditioned, 2017) – Cox Brewing Company (CBC)
- Rally Point – Cox Brewing Company – Taproom Opening Friday, September 4th 2020
- Multiple Beer Reviews: Tattered Dreamz (Tattered Flag), Twin Mount .50 (Newfangled Brew Works), Government Spending 2019 (Tattered Flag), Seven.Point.Six.Two (Tattered Flag), 556 Stout (Cox Brewing Company)
- Beer Review: 556 Stout (Cox Brewing Company [CBC])
- Cox Brewing Company Returning to Their Roots
The Battle of the Breweries (2023)
Cox Brewing Company had a fantastic showing in this year’s Battle of the Breweries; losing to fellow veteran owned brewery – Tattered Flag Brewery and Distillery in the Conference Finals.
Voting is still going on (for about three more hours) for the tournament finals. You can vote here:
- The Battle of the Breweries (2023) – Finals Fatal Four Way (Voting Page)
- The Battle of the Breweries (2023) – Conference Finals (Results Page)
Amy’s Column Series
Since getting back to writing for the blog after a short hiatus, Amy has started up a weekly column style writing for the blog. You can find these articles here:
- I’ve Missed Drinking (A Look at Non Alcoholic Beers)
- Beer and Pretzel Review: Legends and Lore (St. Boniface Brewing Company) and Garlic Parm Pretzels (Pretzels.com)
- Peanut Butter Eggs, Easter, Beer, and YAH Brew’s Shimmy Shake (Beer Review)
- Cox Brewing Company: Back to Their Roots
- You can find all of Amy’s articles here: Amy’s Archive of Articles.
Thank You For Reading
Thank you for reading everyone! (B. Kline jumping in again to close out the article.) We always greatly appreciate everyone reading our posts, and Amy has been so thrilled by the responses and comments her column posts have been getting.
I want to once again point out The Battle of the Breweries (2023) is wrapping up tonight at 11:59:59 PM EST. But you can still vote (well… until midnight anyway), check out the following to vote:
- The Battle of the Breweries (2023) – Finals Fatal Four Way (Voting Page)
- The Battle of the Breweries (2023) – Conference Finals (Results Page)
We have lots of great new articles here on the blog, a detailed look at each of the breweries involved in the Finals Fatal Four Way:
- Tattered Flag Brewery and Distillery
- Allusion Brewing Company
- AleCraft Brewing Company
- Mad Chef Brewing
We’ve also wrapped up the Map of Vermont breweries, so that brings us up to three maps done so far. You can find them here:
- Map of Maine Breweries
- Map of New Hampshire Breweries
- Map of Vermont Breweries
Thank you all very much for reading. If you enjoyed the article, don’t hesitate to like, share, or comment, and make sure you subscribe and follow and bookmark the blog and site!
Cheers All!
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