Tria Wine Bar Walks the Beer-Wine Line with Gaverhopke Den Twaalf

Tria Wine Bar is an outrageous proposition. It's a wine-centered joint that takes wild chances with its beer list. It's a top-notch restaurant with no kitchen and a cozy-friendly pub in the middle of the achingly sophisticated Center City Gourmetland of Philadelphia. It's one of the few places in town that could feature a beer like Gaverhopke Den Twaalf.

This beer's first offense is its name. Are you hip enough to ask for a beer called Gaverhopke Den Twaalf? (If you think that's difficult for your average English speaker to pronounce, you can always call this beer by its more common name: 't Gaverhopke. ) Could you order it with a straight face? But wait, there's more: GDT, as we'll call it has 12% alcohol and a sharp, lightly sour finish. It also reminds most folks of wine as much as it calls up the taste of beer.

Here's why you should leap over the fence between Flemish and English and give this beer your serious attention: the flavor develops in your mouth slowly and sensuously, the texture is rich without becoming heavy. The aromas are lively malt and spice and the finish leaves you wanting nothing more than food and another sip of this incredible beer.

Want to find out more about outrageous beer and wine? Here's a pocket guide.