This article was written by Breweries In PA Contributor Paired Pints.
One of the biggest breweries in PA, Sly Fox has been a staple in my beer drinking of Phoenixville breweries. And while I’ve been drinking it for a while, Sly Fox has had their roots in Phoenixville for a lot longer. The Giannopoulos family, the founders, and owners of Sly Fox have called Phoenixville home for generations. The patriarch, Pete Giannopoulos, was a doctor in the town from 1962 to 1998, caring for the families of Phoenixville while raising his own family of five children. When it came time to decide on a location for Sly Fox’s original brewpub in 1995, it seemed only logical to build upon those local ties that had been forged decades prior. The family is deeply proud of how its hometown has grown and evolved into the resilient and vibrant community that it is today.
When asked what they love about the Phoenixville beer scene they said, “With the growth of the Phoenixville beer scene, that passion has only increased in magnitude. It’s obvious from the proliferation of small breweries and beer-focused restaurants and retailers that this town loves its craft beer. Phoenixville is now a beer destination, attracting visitors from not just neighboring towns, but other counties and states. We’re happy to have helped kick-start the trend that continues to build and strengthen the community. “
The Beer:
Haze Fix is Sly Fox’s first year-round Hazy IPA. This beer is pillowy-bodied, delivers bright notes of candied fruit, juicy hop flavors, and is super easy to drink. This smooth Hazy IPA comes in at 5.5% ABV. After testing 4 flavor combinations and a couple of nights of scratching my head, I found that flavors of cheesecake went really well with this beer. Needing something to bring the two together, even more, I added bold spices to my caramel which resulted in a wonderful pairing.
Graham cracker crust:
¾ cup graham crackers
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
• Preheat oven to 350F
• Mix all ingredients into a small bowl.
• Transfer ingredients into a greased 4” springform baking pan. Using the back of a spoon, smooth out the crust on the bottom and up the sides.
• Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Set aside while you make the cheesecake filling.
Cheesecake filling:
1 block cream cheese
1 cup sugar
sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1 egg
1 egg yolk
• In a large bowl (standing mixer with a paddle attachment is preferred) mix cream cheese and sugar on medium for about 4 minutes.
• Add the vanilla, sour cream until fully incorporated.
• One at a time add the egg and the egg yolk. Mix in but try not to over mix.
• Pour the filling over the crust, covering evenly.
• Wrap the bottom of the pan with two layers of aluminum foil. This will help keep the water out of the pan during the water bath.
• Place the springform pan into a larger pan. Then pour hot water into the pan until it is close to the aluminum foil line – do not allow the water to go above.
• Bake for about 60 minutes or until the center is close to set.
• Cool at room temperature and then transfer to the fridge for about 7 hours or overnight.
Caramel:
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cardamom
1.5 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup heavy cream
• In a large saucepan mix all of the spices and sugar with a wix.
• Set stovetop to low heat and heat the mixture until melted. Mix every 10 to 15 seconds – the process takes close to 10 minutes, just be patient.
• When everything is melted, remove it from heat, placing it on a folded towel. Immediately stir in the butter, don’t worry if it starts bubbling, that’s what you want to see.
• Pour in the heavy cream slowly while mixing then add the salt.
• Pour into a mason jar and all the caramel to cool.
• Using a spoon, drip the caramel over the top of the cheesecake.
• Optional: Add a little lemon zest by micro-planing a lemon.
