The Boilermaker Sneaks In To Replace Blue Bear Tavern

 Talk about a fast turn-around.

The Blue Bear Tavern–which formerly lived at 216 S. 11th Street–was only dark for something like 9 days before the team from Farmers’ Cabinet got it (quietly) re-opened on Saturday as a craft beer/comfort food/medieval-gothic candle-lit shot-and-a-beer joint serving hot dogs and a menu of custom boilermakers. Which does not sound at all like a concept thrown together at 3am by a bunch of wasted line cooks hanging out behind a Wawa huffing oven cleaner, right?

Right?

Actually, take away the Easy Off and the paper bags and that isn’t too far from the truth. According to Farmers’ Cabinet exec Steve Forte, “We were having a great time putting together this menu because it reflects what my team and I feel chefs want to devour after a long day.” Meaning, of course, smoked meats, hand-carved roasts, rotisserie chickens and wieners.

Plus, it also represents the kind of room that vampires want to hang out in. And who doesn’t love vampires?

The new, 150-seat space is two floors, with 28 taps on the ground featuring American craft beers and 12 more upstairs dedicated to local drafts. The upstairs bar will also be running a cocktail program dedicated to “traditional American concoctions” like cobblers and sazeracs (and, one would hope, moonshine, tiki drinks, ridiculous pink things served in martini glasses and anything using Red Bull as a mixer–you know, just to keep with American tradition), while the whole joint will be focused on the art of the boilermaker, with unique beer and liquor pairings that I won’t make fun of at all because I think its an awesome idea (and about time). The place will also feature live music, late-night kitchen hours and an evolving food and drink menu which promises to become more “robust” (in press-release-speak) as the rushed crew get their legs under them.

Since I wasn’t really in the mood for a hand-carved roast eaten by candlelight in a candle-lit gothic cathedral on Saturday night, I missed the Boilermaker’s soft open. But by all means, if any of you out there in Hotcakesland managed to get in here for a drink, let the rest of us know how it went in the comments section.

Because the next time someone’s in the mood for a rotisserie chicken and a couple of Citywides to wash it down with, this might just be their dream bar.

Photo courtesy Phillybeerscene

What’s Next For Blue Bear Tavern? [Foobooz]