Just recently I got the chance to re-visit one of my favorite bars and I was pleasantly surprised. The bar was the Hulmeville Inn and the reason for my suprise was the beautiful sunroom off the side of the bar. While I had been here many times in the past, it was usually for a loud meet up with friends or co-workers or to watch the Phillies on one of the HDTV's around the bar.
This time, I took the opportunity to visit on a weekday afternoon while it was less full than usual and was able to chat a little with the owner, Jeff Lavin. Let me start by saying that this bar has one of the finest selections of craft beer in the area, hands down, at some of the best prices I have ever seen. The menu is brand new and has some really interesting new items such as stromboli quesadillas and philly cheese steak egg rolls in addition to old favorites like the fried green beans and pierogies. The building is clearly Jeff's labor of love as it is constantly being updated, upgraded, and added to. Situated on Trenton road, the Hulmeville Inn was - amongst other things in it's past - a stop for coaches on the way between Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey. Deeds for the building go back to 1810 and tax records go back even farther to 1790. This bar ranges from the neighborhood bar where you can meet the same locals every weeknight to trendy central where young adults meet up on weekends and pack the place full of new faces. The bar is also home to the ALEiens homebrew club - Jeff really thanks these guys for generating a lot of interest in the craft beer bar and putting it on the map. There is always a good time to be had thanks to the friendly atmosphere which stems as much from the bartenders as it does the patrons and the side room replete with pool tables, classic arcade machines and a window bar. Often times, you'll find Jeff here, enjoying a few beers with his patrons, such as his current tapped favorite - Oscar Blues Gordon. The tap and bottle lists are both extensive and can be found on the bar's website (along with links to ratebeer for the draft). They aren't just extensive, but also filled with good beers. Sure, you'll find Miller Lite, Yuengling Lager, Guiness and a bunch of other standards but you'll also find some strange brews such as Dogfish Head's Palo Santo Marron and Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA on their beer engine. One thing that people may be split over is the smoking factor. The Hulmeville allows smoking which on one hand may put off some who are sensitive to it. On the other hand, those of us who have smoking friends won't have to wait for them to come back while they smoke outside and won't have to deal with the constant opening of the doors during the extreme cold or hot weather. All in all, the Hulmeville Inn has some really great things going for it. The beers, menu, and friendly service are likely to keep you coming back again and again.