Victory Opens Second Brewpub in Kennett Square

KENNETT SQUARE >> Two years after council created an ordinance specifically allowing brew pubs in the borough, Victory Brewing Co. opened this week at the corner of Cypress Street and Mill Road.

“We are personally thrilled to be welcomed into the Kennett Square community with the announcement of Victory at Magnolia,” said Bill Covaleski, Victory’s president and brewmaster. “Our commitment and support of our local economy have created a dedicated following of fans we hope to have for generations to come.”

Victory at Magnolia seats up to 220 guests for a la carte dining and will feature outdoor seating in late May. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The retail store features Victory beers for purchase as well as merchandise and beer-infused food products.

There are 30 different varieties of beers on tap, including the popular Hop Devil, Headwaters Pale Ale, Golden Monkey, and Victory Lager, among others.

“This is such an exciting time for all of us,” said Diane Desiderio, restaurant general manager at Victory Brewing Company. “We look forward to infusing the Kennett Square area with the hospitality and quality we are known for.”

It is the second brewpub for the local craft brewer, and it mirrors the Downingtown location. A third Victory outlet in Chester County – in Parkesburg – will debut later this year with a 10,000-square-foot brewpub and beer garden. It will be able to brew up to 225,000 barrels of beer annually, and was designed for more than just brewing. Beer aficionados can visit the new Parkesburg Victory Brewery on a chartered bus trip, tour and beer tasting. The three-and-a-half hour tour package includes a behind-the-scenes look at the brewery, plus food and plenty of beer, really offering beer enthusiasts a behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of the brewing process. Tickets, $58 per person, include a guided bus ride.

At Kennett, Victory’s seven-barrel brewery has a custom hop back and open fermentation that serves a rotating selection of Kennett brewed beer on draft. There are a couple of Kennett specific draft beers not available anywhere else.

Signature Victory items found on the chef-inspired menu include a hand-tossed Brewery pretzel served with spicy HopDevil beer cheese and Düsseldorf mustard ($5) and ‘Wings of Victory’ with house-made buttermilk bleu cheese dressing ($6). Kennett Square-inspired menu items include the Kennett Mushroom Sandwich – roasted portobello, spiced eggplant, tomato chutney, Boursin cheese and fresh sprouts on toasted ciabatta ($7) and the Kennett Burger – hormone and antibiotic-free certified Angus beef, pecan wood-smoked bacon, sautéed cremini mushrooms and melted Danish bleu cheese on toasted brioche ($7). Daily menu additions highlighting local, organic and seasonal ingredients will also be available.

A kids menu featuring hot dogs, hamburgers, baked mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches ranges in price from $4 to $5.

More than 800 reclaimed mushroom boards were incorporated throughout the design of Victory at Magnolia as wainscoting and the custom designed bar that weighs in at 2,500 pounds. A blazing Victory logo spans the 49-foot-long bar. Steps from the trailhead to Red Clay Creek, the scenic surroundings are highlighted in large factory-style windows, which usher in natural light through out the 8,134-square-foot brewpub.

Written by Fran Maye; Published by the Daily Local News; Photo credit: Fran Maye