Come February, most of us who live in central Pennsylvania are asking, “Ugh, will this winter ever end?”
Even someone who loves the snow as much as I do knows this feeling. We long for the light and warmth of spring and summer, but instead are forced to face another month of cold and darkness.
Yes, it is cold, it is dark, and, although it is the shortest month of the year (there is a reason for that), it feels like March will never come (and, in case you didn’t already realize, 2024 is a leap year, giving us one more long cold, dark February day. Extra ugh).
Welp, my friends, in my mind there is only one thing to do. Try to embrace it. Maybe even celebrate it.
For years now, my friends over at Elk Creek Café & Aleworks have been serving up a way to do just that. They have been helping me get through this most difficult of months with a Day of Delicious Darkness smack dab in the middle of it. It is a day when all the taps at the wonderful little brewpub out in Millheim go dark with specialty flavors of beers.
As has been well documented in my writings in the past, I am a fan of dark beers, and I often feel they do not get the love they deserve. We live in a world where IPAs still reign supreme, but I am here to say that dark beers like porters, stouts, and black ales can be just as diverse and interesting as their hoppy pale cousins. The Day of Delicious Darkness proves it.
Elk Creek’s selection of stouts and porters has always been a draw to me. During the Day of Delicious Darkness, those offerings are ramped up and paired well with food options that highlight the flavors.
Yes, from porters to stouts and beyond, Elk Creek brewer Tim Yarrington has been getting creative with his brews over the last eleven years during the Day of Darkness.
At the time of this writing, Tim was still planning for what all will be on tap for 2024, but patrons can expect Elk Creek classics to be served aged in bourbon barrels, providing a different experience to enjoy these wonderful beers.
Imperial style beers served in small glasses provide a wonderful tasting experience. The celebration usually includes short pours of these tasty and well-thought-out beverages. Enjoy single pours or try a flight so you can sample the many different flavors. Either way, beer lovers are sure to be happy with the offering. The bourbon-aged dark beers will help warm up those who are suffering from the deepest case of winter blues.
Before the event, oftentimes the line outside the brewpub files up and down the street with folks excited to try the different flavors. I think I have been to the Delicious Day of Darkness every year since the third go-round and I have never been disappointed. I have traveled through snowstorms and waited in line on balmy February days that felt more like April than February. One thing is for sure: I have had fun every single time.
Now, it has become a bit of a ritual for my friends, for us to celebrate the dwindling days of winter, and it comes at the perfect time of the year. After the Super Bowl in early February, we all need things to look forward to as we suffer through (I mean celebrate) the waning days of winter.
And beyond their beer, I am always happy to enjoy a meal out in Penns Valley, and the Elk Creek kitchen pairs the dark beer menu with flavors that match.
The tentative date at the time of this writing for the 2024 Day of Delicious Darkness is February 18. Keep an eye on social media for conformation, updates, and reservation information. Just don’t miss out on the fun.
But, if you can’t make it out to Millheim, many local breweries serve up wonderful dark beers that help take the bite out of this dreary month. And don’t forget, Saint Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so things will soon be getting greener and stouts will still be in season. Cheers to that! T&G
Vincent Corso enjoys drinking local and meeting new people at central Pennsylvania’s many interesting establishments.
