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Victory Brewing Co.

Downingtown, Pennsylvania
420 Acorn Lane, 610-873-0881

They sent us a map, and we still had a little trouble getting there. Acorn Lane is just off Chestnut Street, which runs through the center of town (take the bypass for U.S. 30 and look for Lancaster Avenue, you may have to veer onto State Route 113). It's best to ask for directions or call. Once you get on Acorn Lane, take the first right into the industrial park and drive south until you see the Victory Brewing sign.

About the beer

Victory Brewing Co. is our favorite new micro of 1996. Its HopDevil IPA is a delightfully hoppy American IPA wonderfully balanced with a solid dose of malts. You want a great lager? Try the Victory Festbier. The Brandywine Valley Lager is the other regular. Seasonals include St. Victorious Doppelbock, Prima Pils, Milltown Mild and Old Horizontal Barleywine. 12-ounce glasses $2.50.

About the food

The Smoked Gouda Cheese Loaves ($4.95) are right at the top list of our favorite brewpub menu items. The wedges of cheese are combined with whole-grain mustard and wrapped in puff pastry, and served with marinated roasted red peppers and balsamic vinegarette. The appetizer menu includes other items such as deep-fried brie or goat cheese ($6.95), grilled Portabello mushroom ($6.50) and deep-fried potato pierogies served with red pepper coulee ($4.95). Pizzas and calzones are prepared in wood-fired hearths -- which, like the brewing equipment, are on display. The 12-inch pies cost $6.95-$9.95 and are available on beer-enhanced brewery crust, sourdough crust or wheat crust. Some of the choices include Mykonos (Victory sauce, plum tomatoes, black olives, onions, feta and Romano cheese), Liguria (pesto, roasted peppers, plum tomatoes, grilled chicken, mozzarella and goat cheeses) and Napoli (garlic oil, sun-dried tomatoes, assorted grilled mushrooms, mozzarella and Romano cheeses). Calzones include grilled shrimp with roasted peppers, spinach and roasted garlic for $8.95 and grilled sausage with mushrooms, roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes for $6.25.

About the place

A reader wrote, "Good food, reasonable prices, *zero* atmosphere. I love the place!" Zero atmosphere might be a bit extreme, but when we tell you the brewery is located in a former Pepperidge Farm bakery you might expect more. The pub has a warehouse feel, with very tall ceilings, kind of like a rec center. The bar itself is nice, there are hop sacks scattered about, and the brewing equipment is on display, but there's nothing intimate about the place. That doesn't stop up from giving it two stars -- our top rating.

Some vitals

Plenty of free parking. Smoking throughout (but smoke is not a problem), wheelchair accessible. Pool, real darts.