TRIUMPH BREWING COMPANY - Winning Ingredients for Great Beer and Good Times

Of the great warriors in history, some fought for power, some fought for freedom and some fought for…beer. Eighteen years ago, Adam Rechnitz and Raymond Disch wanted only one thing: to brew their own beer and serve it on the same premises in the state of New Jersey. When they attempted to make their vision a reality, they ran into a slight problem. Brewing your own beer and selling it on-site was against the law. But instead of letting their vision of cold pints and happy revelers fall victim to regulation, Rechnitz and Disch took action. The two hired lobbyists to help change the laws, and history was made. The duo was “triumphant” and, in a “light bulb moment,” christened their new brewery and restaurant.

The Triumph Brewing Company, located at 400 Union Square in New Hope, is one of three locations, joiningits counterparts in Princeton and Philadelphia. But with geography seemingly not on their side, general manager David Tyler and sales manager Dan Weintraub instinctively knew what it would take to turn the “slightly off Main Street” address into a draw. “We definitely wanted to make this the most entertaining place in town,” Tyler says. And for the duo, the formula is simple: Great beer, great food and abundant music and nightlife ensure there is never a dull moment.

It’s hard to get a fresher beer than one that was brewed only a few feet from your seat. At Triumph, each location has their brew master to guarantee the process runs smoothly. “Brendan Anderson [in New Hope] is on-site five to six days a week,” Tyler says, on the full-time responsibilities of a resident brew master. Employing a five-step process that takes 12 days for each batch, the procedure is all science with some definite creative leeway. “The Bengal Gold India Pale Ale (IPA) and the Amber Ale are probably our most popular,” Weintraub says, “We are going to start experimenting with different beers this summer. A honey blonde with a hint of orange is in the works. We can go through 300 gallons of our most popular beer in just a few weeks.”

With great beer, great food is never far behind. Enter Chef Brian Weidlich. A relative newcomer to the Triumph family, Weidlich is taking the restaurant in a slightly different direction. “When I came here, the menu was traditional pub food but with an upscale twist,” he says. “We’re now featuring a seasonal menu that will showcase local produce, cheeses and meats.” Tyler adds, “Since we’re using as many locally grown products as possible while those items are in season, our menu will be very flexible, changing on a weekly, maybe even daily basis.” And while Weidlich, Tyler and their team are excited to offer fresh, innovative food and support the local agricultural community as well, Weidlich is quick to point out that Triumph favorites will still be featured on their lunch, dinner and late-night menus, including their classic beer-battered fish and chips and the popular Brewhouse Burger, stacked with onion rings and topped with an IPA barbecue sauce, applewood bacon, cheddar and pepper-jack cheeses.

“Triumph used to be a place where people would come to dine or have a few drinks and then go out,” Weintraub says. “I think we have been successful at changing that.” Every Thursday night features local bands with no cover charge. Fridays and Saturdays offer up live music from local favorites to national touring acts while select Sundays are home to an open mic night. Triumph’s music calendar is available on their Web site.

“We try to keep everything as low cost for the customer as we can. I want people to leave here knowing they had a good time, and their money was well spent,” says Tyler, also noting that many of the bar activities are free, including pool, darts and video trivia, which can be played at the bar and virtually against quizmasters from across the country. Tuesdays are home to the popular Wii Bowling Tournaments, also free of charge, and $3 pints all day. For those who might want to make a buck, Mondays and Wednesdays feature Triumph’s Texas Hold’em Poker Tournaments with first place taking home $200.

And even if you don’t appreciate exceptional beer, great food and some of the best music in the area, Weintraub offers up one last enticement, a certainly unique vantage in New Hope: “We actually have our own parking lot.”

Go online at triumphbrewing.com or become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/triumphnewhope