Sierra Nevada Brown Saison

Wandered in Brigid's last night just as they were tapping the Sierra Nevada Brown Saison. In a pint glass, this amber-brown brew was pretty clear with a nice tan head that lingered. Malts and cloves come through in the aroma, while the taste is sweet with strong overtones of roasted malts and some fruit. Not a bad taste, but to me not quite a saison. It I had tasted this blindfolded, I would have sworn it was a brown ale. It finished with a good amount of bitterness. Medium-bodied with decent carbonation and an overall good taste, just not what I was looking for. B-

Favorite Brewpub Chain Poll

The Beer Mapping Project did an online poll asking readers what their favorite brewpub chain was. Now as a frequent business traveler, I often fall back on many of these chains when a strong local venue does not jump out at me. While I am not familiar with all of the chains on their list, I do believe I have tilted a glass in the majority of them. To be honest though, many of them blend together after awhile. There is nothing inherently wrong with them, many are just are not that memorable.

My top picks would be: Iron Hill, Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch. Below are the top ten spots in the poll:

1. Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery | 18%
2. Pizza Port Brewing Company | 12%
3. McMenamins | 12%
4. Iron Hill Brewery | 10%
5. Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants | 7%
6. Great Dane Pub | 7%
7. Elysian Brewing | 7%
8. BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery | 7%
9. Capitol City Brewing Company | 4%
10. John Harvard’s Brew House | 4%

Flying Dog In-Heat Wheat

The first thing I noticed about this brew was the strong wheat aroma coming from the glass. It pours a golden color with almost no head. The taste is a bit thin but the flavors come through stronger on the back end: banana, cinnamon, nuts. There is just a bit of hops at the finish. Overall this was crisp and clean with light carbonation - all attributes that make this 4.7% ABV a good summer drinker. B

Yuengling turns 180

A celebration yesterday in Pottsville marking Yuengling's 180 years of brewing. I couldn't find a card for that one.

Video here.

Penn State benefit at Barnaby's

For all you Penn Staters out there in Delaware and Chester Counties:

The Chester County Chapter is proudly hosting a networking event to benefit THON on July 1st at Barnaby's in West Chester beginning at 6:30 p.m. The price is $15 per person and covers appetizers throughout the evening. Draft beer will be just $2 a glass and other beverages will be available at special prices. Barnaby's is located at 15 S. High Street, West Chester PA. If you can be there on Wednesday, July 1, please RSVP to info@psuchesco.com.

We invite you to come out to meet other Penn Staters from our area and enjoy watching the World Champion Phillies away game against Atlanta on the big screen TVs at the same time. All proceeds benefit THON. Get to know other Penn Staters, watch the 1st place Phillies beat Atlanta and support the fight against Pediatric Cancer.

National Mechanics

One of my favorite drinking spots in Old City is the lovely National Mechanics (on 3rd St between Market and Chestnut). A building full of charm and history, this environment would draw me in even without the scintillating kitchen and top notch tap listing.



This beautiful gothic structure was built by famed architect William Strickland in 1837 for Mechanics National Bank (hence this establishment's current moniker). The exterior looms larger than life in this block, exuding grandiosity and history like few other places in the neighborhood. Meanwhile the interior is softer and inviting, adding a eclectic new world feel to the time-honored setting.



The menu is a draw in itself here with a wide variety of choices (including many vegetarian options) that range from the standard pub far to old classics. The Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese is always a great fallback for me. The beer list is equally impressive. No, its not the largest list nor do they have most rotating taps but both the draft and bottle selections are outstanding choices with many hard to find brews amongst the standards.

All in all, a great location and fine venue for stopping for a few beers and some apps with the guys or a nice dinner with a special someone. A flexible spot that really stands out.

Stoudt's Abbey Triple

A really delicious looking beer with a lovely golden orange color although little to no head. The aroma was mild although some fruit, spice and malt seeped through. The spices come through much stronger in the taste. They meld with a sweet yeast flavor and a bit of hops. The flavor is brilliant: creamy, well-balanced with light carbonation and just the right amount of spices. Although the triple at 9% is not my standard session beer, this is one I could love all night long. A-

Bedlam in University City

Dianna Marder in the Inquirer writes on the history of the name of University City's newest pub, The Blockley:

Throughout much of the 1800s, the Blockley Almshouse, in what is now University City, was a charity hospital that did little more than conceal the city's outcasts - destitute women, orphaned children, drunkards, maniacs, and lunatics.

A fire in the institution's insane ward in 1885 killed nearly two dozen so-called inmates, prompting a decision to close Blockley and build a new institution where mental patients would be treated with dignity.

They named the new place Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry and . . . you know the rest. Soon, Byberry became as much a bedlam as Blockley had ever been.

Dock Street Taps Gluten-Free Beer

Dock Street Brewery has started serving a new gluten-free beer. Its an African-style Sudan Grass Sorghum Ale is available for a limited time on draft. Mat Falco from Philly Beer Scene describes it as "a mix of a cider and a mead and has a nice sour taste." I have not tried a good tasting gluten-free beer before, but I will definately be stopping by to sample this one.

Philly Beer Scene Premiere Party

Sunday from 3-7pm at World Cafe Live will be the Philly Beer Scene magazine launch party. They will be featuring live musical performances, a great selection of craft beers, Firkins, Laura Rea (the mag's Ales of the Revolution model) and a free snack buffet. There is a suggested donation of $10 at the door, which will include a ticket to receive one beer including the firkins.

Weyerbacher XIV

Stop by the Weyerbacher Visitors Center in Easton today to sample or purchase their new 14th Anniversary Ale. Fourteen is a wheat wine, 11.8% abv, amber in color, and silky smooth. Although any beer this strength can be cellared for a time, this beer is great right now. Stop in and check it out between Noon and 3p.m.

FYI - their next release, Riserva, is aging now in bottles. Best guess for release right now is mid-July or August.

Hops and Cops

On Sunday from 1-5pm, the folks at Yards will be raising money for the families of fallen Philadelphia Police Officers. $25 gets live music, great food from City Tavern and all the Yards you desire. They describe this as a family event with a “carny atmosphere.”

Brewers Art Resurrection

Mt. Vernon brewery, The Brewer's Art, has long been a favorite of my MD/VA friends. This week I was able to sample a few of Resurrection Ale while watching the college world series.

This Abbey-style dubbel pours a murky copper color with a very thick tan head. Some fruit in the aroma but not much else. The taste is bold, full of yeast and malt, with some fruit, candied sugar flavors and a little spice. Good body - crisp, clean and refreshing. A nice example of a Belgian dubbel - this made an excellent session beer for the evening. B+

Keep the Pint Night

Join the good folks at Merchantville's Blue Monkey Tavern for Victory keep the pint night tonight, featuring $4 draughts. On tap will be Prima Pils, Hop Devil IPA, Donnybrook Stout and Herkules IPA - the first keg to leave the brewery from a special batch Victory made for the Craft Brewers Conference in Boston.

Chasing Butterflies

Tomorrow night at 8:15, "Chasing Butterflies" will make its world premiere at Yards Brewery (901 N. Delaware Ave) as part of the Philadelphia International Film Festival. The movie follows three different storylines that interconnect. The premise is built on that theme that just one small change can alter history by changing the unending chain of events that result from that one small decision.

Penn State's own Rod Bingaman, a senior lecturer, wrote the script and directed the film while his wife, Maura Shea, also a senior lecturer, produced the film and served as sound editor through their company, Ma & Pa Pictures.

Tickets available here.

Drink Your Wheaties

Yep its that time of year again: Saturday is the annual Wheat Beer Festival at the South Philadelphia Taproom (1509 Mifflin Street). The Taproom will be pouring 30 varieties of wheat beer on draft from a slew of different breweries.



They'll be serving up the fun starts from 2pm until 11pm and at just $3 per pint all day.

Brauhaus Schmitz opening

Finally it looks like Monday June 29th will be the opening of Brauhaus Schmitz (718 South St).

The German beers on tap for opening:

1. Bayerischer Bahnhof’s Berliner Weisse
2. Jever Pils
3. Reissdorf Kölsch
4. Schneider Aventinus
5. Aecht Schlenkerla Helles
6. Ayinger Brau-Weiss
7. Franziskaner Hefeweizen
8. Franziskaner Dunkel
9. Paulaner Salvator
10.Spaten Oktoberfest
11.Spaten Optimator
12.Köstritzer Schwarzbier
13.Uerige Sticke Altbier
14.Warsteiner pils
15.Warsteiner Dunkel
16.Weihenstephan Kristall Weissbier

Bonk’s Bar Book Release Party

Join local author Daniel Putkowski in celebrating the release of his newest novel, "Bonk's Bar", from 5-7pm tomorrow at Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant.

Tommy Bonk, college student and casual piano player, never wanted his old man's bar. He wanted an education, a high-paying career, and out of his lower-class Philadelphia neighborhood. And then his brother John, a sergeant in the Marine Corps, is killed in Iraq. His father goes on a two-week bender, leaving Tommy the one thing he never wanted, a chance to run the family bar. Seduced by the financial success of his early attempts, he plunges in head first, thinking that he can outsmart crooked cops, the Russian mob, a clever local girl, and his own ambition. Along the way, Tommy faces realities he previously denied. He earns a degree in the ways of the world ... where the grading scale includes life and death ... where some things are important and others simply aren't worth a damn. --Hawser Press

The legend of Monk's extends everywhere

I guess I shouldn't be so surprised to stumble upon an article about Monk's in a Dallas beer column. Dallas Beer Examiner:

In the heart of downtown Philadelphia, mere steps away from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, you will find Monk’s Café. This little hole-in-the-wall establishment is truly one of the greatest beer destinations the U.S. has to offer.

Although the retail space is tiny (you could almost touch both walls with outspread arms), Monk’s is a giant in the craft beer community with one of the largest selections of imported specialty Belgian beers anywhere outside of Europe. I highly recommend a visit.

Why am I describing a Philadelphia beer bar in a Dallas beer column? Because Monk’s Café is so respected that owner Tom Peters convinced the Brouwerij Van Steenberge of Ertvelde, Belgium, to produce a Belgian sour beer branded exclusively for Monk’s.

And, being a good business, Van Steenberge bottles and kegs this beer and makes it available for the general U.S. market. It is only brewed once a year, and supplies are extremely limited.

And now Dallas has this beer.

Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale is properly described as a Belgian style known as an oud bruin (“old brown” in Dutch). This is a centuries-old, barrel-aged beer style brewed with Brettanomyces instead of the traditional ale yeast, which imparts a distinctive sour flavor to the finished product.

What you get is a brown ale with garnet highlights and very little carbonation. The nose has a strong malt vinegar odor that carries over into the taste, making you immediately crave fried foods. But the flavor has enough sweetness—almost a brown sugar or maple-syrup base, along with some citrus notes—that marry well with the sourness and keep the beer drinkable.

This beer is a love/hate experience and definitely not for everyone, but I do love the sour beers for their complexity and unabashed uniqueness. Its acidity needs to be paired with something rich and fatty like seared steak or lamb, or just sipped addictively afterwards as your cheeks continue to pucker.

Availability: No bottles spotted in our area, and only one commercial tap that I am aware of at the Ginger Man (Dallas). Expect to pay $5.75 for a half-pint, but I rate this one as an absolute must-try.

Cheers!

Witkap Tripel

This is a beautiful beer from Brouwerij Slaghmuylder in Belgium that came high recommeneded. It pours a hazy orange with a nice fluffy head. Sweet aroma of fruit and yeast is strong and enticing. The flavor is very crisp with fruit, malt and honey tastes on the palate. It is lightly carbonated and very drinkable - a beer you could fall in love with for the night. A

Jersey gets a sense of humor?

From njbiz.com:

The Flying Fish Brewing Co., located in Cherry Hill, last week made peace with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority over its Exit 4 brand of beer.

“The Turnpike Authority was concerned that people would think it is endorsing the beer; we were concerned that people would think we are responsible for toll hikes,” said Gene Muller, president and founder of Flying Fish. He said his firm took care of that with a disclaimer on its Web site, ExitSeries.com.

Aware that New Jerseyans consider the “what exit” joke a taunt, Muller said he decided to use that “to turn that around and celebrate New Jersey.”

Flying Fish plans more beers named after other Turnpike exits with appropriate themes, and Exit 11 is next.

“Exit 2 has a lot of farming, and so we may do something with honey or peaches,” Muller said. Northern New Jersey had many breweries in the early 20th century, so Flying Fish may recreate a historic recipe to go with an Exit 13 or 14 label, he said.

Exit 4 comes in 750-millileter singles, not six-packs, and each bottle costs about $10. It is based on a Belgian-style Trippel, Americanized with extra hops, and is a tad stronger than most domestic beers, with a 9.5 percent alcohol content, Muller said.

The Turnpike Authority did not return calls seeking comment.

Max's on Broadway

Baltimore's best beer bar (for my money) is Max's. 64 different beers on tap and hundreds of different bottles - including the wonderful Weyerbacher Zotten. That my friends is hard to beat. The staff is amazingly knowledgeable about their many beers and able to recommend different styles and pairings. Oh yes, and the food is not bad either!

15th Anniversary Ale

Tomorrow night at the Drafting Room in Exton, you can join those fine folks for the debut of the Drafting Room 15th Anniversary Ale. Brewed to their specifications by Tröegs, the unveiling will begin at 6pm.

Expect other Tröegs treasures to be available such as a cask of Nugget Nectar.

Ten Beers You Must Drink This Summer

This interesting list from TMR includes some of my favorite sumnmer beers and overall is a pretty good representation of styles, but i am confused to find Erdinger and Ommegang on the same list with PBR!

Clipper City Gold Ale

Down in Baltimore this week and trying some of the local brews (well as far as the hotel stocks so far). The Baltimore staple is of course Clipper City Gold Ale.

This ale pours a light golden orange with a one inch fluffy white head. Good bready/hoppy scent with a mellow taste of light malt, citrus, and a light bitter finish. Actually this a good summer beer, smooth and easy to drink. There's not alot here that's exciting, but it is a good session beer. B

Meet a Trappiste monk

Tomorrow night from 5-7pm Abbot Izaak, the head of the La Trappe (Koningshoeven) Trappiste Monastery, will make his first-ever stop in America at Monk's Café. Gisj Swinkles, the man in charge of brewing operations, will also be on hand. Don't miss this rare opportunity to meet a Trappiste monk. This is a meet & greet featuring their entire lineup of beers.

Wit on draft

Quad on draft

In Bottle:

Double

Triple

Quad

Bock

Happy Fathers Day!

Only in Jersey....

Hahaha - only Jersey can see a beer made as a tribute by one of its few homeland breweries and take offense!

Daily News: Flying Fish's Exit series of specialty beers - intended as an homage to the New Jersey Turnpike - has been flagged by the authority that runs the toll road.

"It's just not a good tie-in," said authority spokesman Joe Orlando. "A toll road and a beer company - it's not the right thing."

Flying Fish launched its Exit Beers in March with the intention of periodically releasing special ales named after each of the Turnpike's 18 exits. Its first, Exit 4, is a hoppy Belgian tripel, labeled with a generic white-and-green highway sign and a local road map.

Orlando said the authority has already asked the Cherry Hill, N.J., company to halt marketing the Exit series, and that the agency had consulted with an attorney to press its objections.

"We haven't heard back from [the brewery], yet, but they're still out there promoting it," Orlando said.

Flying Fish president Gene Muller confirmed that he'd spoken with the authority: "They told me they're not real happy with this because they don't want anyone to think the Turnpike is responsible for making beer. I said, 'That's good, because I don't want people thinking Flying Fish is responsible for all the toll hikes.' "

Muller said the series does not infringe on any Turnpike-related trademarks. He added, "We're celebrating the Turnpike, and they're confirming everyone's bad impression of New Jersey. You'd think all these well-paid people would have something better to do than go after someone who generates taxes for the state."

Gordon Biersch

The only nice thing about flying in and out of LAX is the small Gordon Biersch bar that helps kill the long hours stuck there. Last night before my redeye back, I had the pleasure of the Marzen and Hefeweizen.

The Marzen pours a deep amber color with ample head and a bold malty aroma. The taste is also very malty up front with a strong bitter finish. All in all a very refreshing lager indeed. I could have enjoy this all evening long if not for an impending flight. B+

A quick digression into the Hefe revealed a golden cloudy beer with a wonderful banana and lemon aroma. It has a well-balanced, fruity flavor - crisp and clean with a strong buttery finish. B+

A wonderful way to leave LA....

Trouble in Pottsville

THE DISPUTE: The Teamsters say the owner of D.G. Yuengling & Son threatened to close the brewery unless workers decertified the union. Yuengling says its employees got rid of the union on their own.

THE RULING: The National Labor Relations Board sided with the brewery, saying it found no evidence that Dick Yuengling Jr. pressured employees to leave the Teamsters.

THE BOYCOTT: The Teamsters, backed by the Philadelphia council of the AFL-CIO, wants members to boycott Yuengling products. But so far, the boycott appears to have fallen flat.

AP story here.

Also tomorrow

Tomorrow as well (what a full day - I am not sure where to drink first) don't forget about the 13th Annual Garden State Craft Brewers Festival on the Battleship New Jersey from 1 pm – 5 pm.

The forecast does not look great but the event will be held rain or shine under the tents on the fantail of the ship. Tickets are still available online through the ship’s website, www.battleshipnewjersey.org or by phone at 856-966-1652 X 107.

Popped! Music Festival

Tomorrow on 2nd Street from Spring Garden up to Germantown Ave will be closed for the Popped! Music Festival. In addition to lots of food, arts and live music, there will be several beer gardens set-up (including Standard Tap and 700 Club) for those of us so inclined. More details here.

Wheat Beer Fest

Tomorrow the Blue Ox in Fox Chase will be holding their Wheat Beer Fest from 1 pm to Midnight. Sounds like a great pre-Fathers Day festival!

Huntington Beach Beer Company

Last night I had the pleasure to stumble into Huntington Beach Beer Company, just a block from the pier on Main Street in....you guessed it, Huntington Beach, CA.

I got there rather late, just before the closing bell, so it was a quick choice on just a couple of their brews.




I started with the Golden Bear Brown Ale. It is a dark brown beer with a big head and generous lacing. A big malty aroma leads to a full bodied taste. Lots of malt, caramel and sugars. Smooth and light with a creamy after taste I rather liked. Not the best brown ever but it could be quite a nice session beer. B



I finished the evening with the IPA. A bit of an orange color with a thin head and a fruity aroma. The taste was very hoppy with little malt balance. Overall it was a bit thin and bland. I expected a little more POW from an IPA. C

Dodger Stadium

Everyone else headed home yesterday so what is a lonely guy to do in LA for a night? Yes, a Dodger game. I was anxious to see some inter-league play, grab a pizza and a beer. Unfortunately the Dodgers let me down.



They had the standard beers available: Bud, Bud Light, Coor Light and Miller Lite. Every stadium does. They had two Gordon Biersch beers available: a Marzen and a Hefe. Not bad. But their "Beers of the World" stand contained Tecate, Corona, Dos Equis and Heineken. Not exactly a stellar line-up. Three common Mexican imports and one standard Euro import - thats it for the whole world?



Thank god for the Red Trolley Ale on tap from Karl Strauss. The is nice red ale pours a clear amber color with a nice fluffy head. Not much of an aroma here in the ballpark but the taste was nutty and malty with a very dry finish. Not much hop presence but extremely drinkable beer. If I hadn't been driving myself home, I would have been back for another.

Red Trolley B
Dodger Stadium D

One Year Anniversary Bash and Hop-fest

June 20th starting at 1 pm at The Institute (12th and Green) they will be celebrating their one year anniversary. There will be a buffet of yummy food for you to enjoy with some of these stellar brews. Quite by accident they found themselves with lots of hoppy brews so fellow hop-heads: its a hop-fest too!

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
BeerVally Black Flag Imperial Stout
He'Brew R.I.P.A. aged in freaking Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey Barrels.
Yards ESA Firkin Dry Hopped with something good
12% Imports Tournay Blonde
Voodoo whatever Matt gives us. Do you really care? Its Voodoo!
Victory Mad King
Doc's Framboise
Boulder 30th annivesary Flashback Brown Ale( hoppy brown ale)
Rogue Latona Strong Ale
Wyerbacher Zotten Hopped Up Belgian Pale Ale
Something from Founders

Bonaventure Brewing Co.

Stuck in downtown LA this week and the absence of any type of brewery or brewpub is palpable. Luckily we stumbled upon the Bonaventure Brewing Co. which is well hidden on the fourth floor of the Westin Bonaventure hotel. What an odd place for a brewpub....but I digress.

With 23oz pints at just $5, we couldn't have been more happy to find this oasis in the city. We made our way through the Bonaventure Pale Ale, Bonaventure Blonde Ale and the Strawberry Blonde.

The pale ale was the best: nice copper color with a decent head and a fervent hoppy aroma. Biscuit and earth notes in the initial taste with a distinct bitter finish that was pleasant. Well balanced and tasty.

The blonde ale was not terribly memorable. Bland yellow coloring with grainy aroma. The taste had mild maltiness to it and little hops. Not awful, but really lacking in boldness and flavor.

The strawberry blonde was easily the worst of the three. The aroma and taste were overwhelmed by the strawberry flavoring, that to my palate seemed artificial. Been awhile since I had a beer I could not finish....that was one of them.

Follow the Liter

Starting at 6pm tomorrow evening, enjoy a bit of Bavaria at Victory Brewing Company. Celebrate with $5 liters of Festbier and feast on a German themed menu including Schweinshaxe and Oktoberfest giant pretzels. Try your strength in the Strong Arm competition. Wear your authentic German attire and get a free pretzel. Follow the Liter starting at 6pm in the Beer Hall at Victory Brewing Company.

Elmwood Zoo

Visit Iron Hill Brewery in Phoenixville (130 E. Bridge Street) tonight from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m., and 20% of your bill will be donated to the Elmwood Park Zoo. A very good cause to eat for and the beers not bad either!

Saison Beer Brunch on the Solstice

Come join the fine folks at Johnny Brenda's (1201 N. Frankford Ave in Fishtown) this Saturday for a Saison Beer Brunch on the Summer Solstice. From 11:30am-3:30pm they will feature 10 beers in the Saison, Farmhouse Ale, and Biere de Garde styles, including these on tap from local breweries:
Yards Saison
PBC Rowhouse Red
Sly Fox Saison VOS
Weyerbacher Muse
Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale
Clipper City “Heavy Seas Red Sky at Night”

They will serve their traditional brunch fare along with some French country specialties….fromages and charcuterie….et qui sait de plus?!

Harrisburg Brewers Fest update

Just heard that tickets are sold out for the Harrisburg Brewers Fest this coming Saturday.

Great Fathers Day idea

Next Sunday is Father's Day. We all struggle with what to give Dad on his day. Some are easier than others, but for the beer loving dad, what better gift than beer. But not just "here I bought you a case". Bring Dad on a craft beer tour in Old City.

City Food Tours will be taking us to taste 8 locally brewed Craft Beers and four Artisanal Cheeses in fun, casual hot spots in the heart of Old City Philadelphia. The tour is at 3:30 on Sunday and tickets can be purchased here.

Cream Ale

My first beer love was Genesee Cream Ale and Joe Sixpack has a wonderful piece in the Daily News on the history of the much-maligned cream ale.

A HARSHER CRITIC would sip a cream ale and sniff that the brewer had dumbed down a perfectly good pale ale by adding sugar and corn to the kettle.

Where are the hops? The body?

And he would have a point, because this often-overlooked summertime style is truly a compromise.

Head back to the late 19th century, when a wave of immigrant brewers perfected the newfangled American lager, and put yourself in the shoes of an old-time ale maker. Everywhere you look, your customers are drinking this confounded, brilliantly clear, crisp Bohemian-style lager, and you're still making dark, ponderous ales and porters.

What are you going to do?

Lighten up, of course. Use pale malts and add corn - it's completely fermentable, doesn't leave behind any proteins and even softens the body. Then you've got to knock down some of those fruity yeast esters produced by warm fermentation, so you condition your ale at a cooler temperature, like a lager.

What you get is fizzy and yellow, with only a nod toward the complexity of an ale.

Yes, it's tempting for the purist to shrug it off as lifeless, adjunct-filled factory swill. But take another gulp and understand that this is a whole 'nother kind of beer, a stylistic hybrid, an American original designed for simple refreshment.

That's what drove Clarence Geminn in 1960 to begin making what many regard as the classic modern version of cream ale at Genesee Brewing in Rochester, N.Y.

Garden State Craft Brewers Festival

CAMDEN, N.J. – The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial will host the 13th Annual Garden State Craft Brewers Festival on Saturday June 20 from 1 pm – 5 pm. The event will be held rain or shine under the tents on the fantail of the ship. This is the fifth consecutive year that the festival has been held at the historic ship museum.

The $40.00 Beer Fest ticket includes a self-guided tour of the battleship, a commemorative tasting glass, live music by the Cabin Dogs and beer samples from fourteen breweries from throughout the state of New Jersey. Food and non-alcoholic refreshments will be available for purchase. Tickets are now available online through the ship’s website, www.battleshipnewjersey.org or by phone at 856-966-1652 X 107.

The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild is a not-for-profit group of small NJ breweries. The breweries expected to provide samples this year include Basil T’s Red Bank, Cricket Hill, Flying Fish, Gaslight, Harvest Moon, High Point, Iron Hill, JJ Bitting, Pizzeria Uno, River Horse, Ship Inn, Triumph and Tun Tavern. For more info on the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild, visit www.njbeer.org.

Taxing situation

More talk of taxing beer to help fund healthcare reform. As if that isn't bad enough, now the tax may be levied according to alcohol content. That my friends is patently ridiculous. We don't tax sheets by thread count or cookies by calorie count. Why come down on brewers, ESPECIALLY when you know that the higher alcohol brews are all made by small companies.

Newjerseynewsroom.com:

As part of the healthcare reform deliberations, the U.S. Senate Finance committee is currently considering a proposal to increase and equalize the excise tax for alcohol beverages, an action that could cause some significant problems for small breweries, including several in New Jersey.

The proposal would triple the excise tax for beer with 4.5% alcohol content and impose even higher excise tax rates for higher alcohol beers, according to the Brewers Association a nonprofit group based in Colorado devoted to professional brewers.
"If such a proposal becomes reality, there is no question that many small brewery businesses will suffer, some will close and consumers will face higher prices and diminished choice in the marketplace," said Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association.

One reason it would especially hurt craft brewers is because they traditionally brew innovative beers that go beyond 4.5% alcohol. Mainstream beers like Coors Light, for example have 4.2 % alcohol that would make it exempt from the proposed tax.

Craft brewers are already fighting an uphill battle against the large breweries as they represent only 4% of the entire U.S. beer market by volume, with 95% of them being very small businesses producing 15,000 barrels or less per year.

Many brewers are still trying to recover from an increase in brewing ingredients, which spiked in 2008, and the Brewers Association said that even a $1 per case excise tax increase would likely cost consumers at least $1.69 due to successive mark-ups as the case moves from brewer to wholesaler to retailer.

Among the craft breweries in the state: Cricket Hill of Fairfield, Flying Fish of Cherry Hill and River Horse of Lambertville, all say the tax would hurt their bottom line and threaten business.

Bear Republic/Ballast Point Face-off

Tomorrow evening at TJ's in Paoli two of the west coast's finest breweries will face off in a steel cage death.....ok fine, its a head to head beer sampling competition.

On tap from Ballast Point:
Sculpin IPA
Dorado DIPA
Big Eye IPA
Navigator Doppelbock
Wahoo Wheat
Calico Amber

On tap from Bear Republic:
Racer 5
Racer X
Hop Rod Rye
Scotch Ale

Yunkers

I hate when a bar is preparing to open and the best you can glean from their PR is that it will be "full of character". What a load of crap. Tell me something about the place that will make me want to stop! Full menu or bar food? What kinds of beer? How many taps? Just a few bottles or quite a selection? Wine? Big TVs? Sports-oriented? Smoking or non-smoking? So you changed the name and gave the place a coat of paint? Why am I supposed to be interested? Come on people....this isn't that hard.

Michael Klein in today's Inquirer:

Tonic on Main, which has held court at 4421 Main St. for the last five years, closed after business Sunday.

After a few days' renovation -- owners are recrafting it into what they're calling "a time-worn space that is dark yet inviting, nestled in the gloom of many indiscretions and full of character" -- it will reemerge as Yunkers Pub & Lounge.

Yunkers' invitation-only party is 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday (6/11), with public hours afterward. It will be open nightly with food from Machismo Burrito Bar. Amenities will include a dartboard, billiards and wall pong.

Top 10 Imperial Stouts

Michael Hoster, the Suburban Philadelphia Craft Beer Examiner at examiner.com, gives us his Top 10 Imperial Stouts. I am not as big a fan of stouts as some other beer styles but I will agree with him that "Victory Storm King is the best locally produced imperial stout".

Sour beers

Wandered into Earth Bread + Brewery last night to sample the array of sour beers they have added as guest taps.

I started with the three year old Oud Beersel Oude Lambik. This is a murky yellow brew with almost no head. A strong aroma of sour grapes grabs your attention immediately. The taste follow suit with a very wine-like flavor: tart grapes, some citrus and a bitter finish with very little carbonation. Not exactly a session brew but well crafted. B+

Victory Wild Devil was up next. A pretty amber color with a huge head and strong citrus, hoppy aroma. A bitter, tart almost biting taste grabs you immediately. The finish is a bit spicy with a bread/biscuit mouthfeel. Not my favorite Victory brew. Not bad, but a little on the strange side. I am not sure I can reconcile all the things go on in this beer. B

The Dogfish Head Festina Peche was a beer I really wanted to like. It is an attractive golden color with a nice frothy head and warm citrus aroma. Wow the first sip made me pucker like I sucked on a lemon. Amazing flavor but perhaps a bit too much. It is crisp and light with a great level of carbonation. A bit more mellow taste and this would make a great summer beer. B-

Ommegang Rouge was perhaps my favorite of the night, a traditional Flemish Sour Ale. Bright reddish purple pour with strong sour fruit aroma. It is very tart tasting with raspberry and cherry flavors coming to the forefront. A little bit sweet but this is nicely balanced by the sour, dry finish. This is delicious and extremely drinkable. A

Wegmans Beer and Food Pairings

This Saturday the Wegmans on Rt 30 in Downingtown will be hosting a special Food and Beer Pairing from 11 -3. They will be featuring local brews (according to Jack Curtin they are Stoudt’s American Pale Ale, Victory V-12 and Sly Fox Rt. 113 IPA) with reps from each company there to help you pair up a specific beer with the food you want to grill!

Weyerbacher XIV

Dan Weyerbacher's post at Beer Advocate: Weyerbacher XIV will ship to the brewery’s distribution markets in late June or early July. If you can make it to American Craft Beer Fest, you will be able among the first to try the 11.8% Wheat Wine before it is released to the market. For brewery locals, there will likely be a Friday release party to celebrate the beer (and quite possibly the 14th anniversary for which it was brewed).

Here is the commercial description: “To honor 14 years of making craft beer we decided to brew a wheat wine. This unfiltered brew is made with over 50% wheat to give it a distinctly spicy character. Enjoy it now, or if you have the patience, give it some time in your cellar. When you are ready, expect to find notes of tart wheat and honey with crisp bitterness and carbonation. Recipe by Head Brewer Chris Wilson and Brewer Jeff Musselman.”

Long Trail Belgian White

Vermont's own Long Trail Brewing Company has long sought to create 'locally brewed alternatives to imported beer'. For my viewpoint they have succeeded with most of their endeavors and last year's summer release, Long Trail Belgian White, was no exception. I was overjoyed to stumble across it back on tap locally last night.

It pours a pale yellow with not much of a head but has a delicious aroma of citrus and spice. It goes down smooth with a crisp, refreshing lemon taste. Nothing odd or unusual about the brew, just a good example of a Belgian Wit. For those seduced by popular beverages like Blue Moon and Shock Top, I think you will find this to be more traditional with a subtler taste that doesn't overwhelm you with the fruit presence. The spiciness the coriander adds to this really puts it over the top for me. I could drink this all summer long.

A

MMA Famous Singles Pub Crawl

Coming up on Saturday is the MMA Singles Pub Crawl. No Covers, No Driving, No Worries. Meet Market Adventures brings you Pub Crawl Philadelphia!

Join a group of Single Party Goers as they crawl by bus to some of the best bars in Philly. They will meet at Public House at 6:30pm where they will get the party started. They will then crawl from there to experience bars with great music, vibe and atmosphere! At the end of the night, the bus will make a stop back at the initial venue Public House.

Price of $25 includes all covers, interactive ice breaker games, transportation, prizes, guides, taxes and lots of cheers!

Click here for more details.

Sierra Nevada

Patrick Mullin from Sierra Nevada will be at Local 44 tomorrow evening from 6-8 pm with a firkin of Stout that will be tapped and poured right off the edge of the bar. They will also be featuring other SN beers on tap: Southern Hemisphere, Brown Saison, Summer Fest.

Beer Lass

Suzanne Woods tackles six local brews in this week's Philadelphia Weekly: Nodding Head's Rudy’s Kung Fu Grip, Yards' Brawler, Sly Fox's new Dax Maibock, Weyerbacher's new Belgian Pale Ale called Zotten, Dogfish Head's Palo Santo Marron and Cannibal from Iron Hill Brewery in West Chester.

Delaware TweetUp

As much as I like blogging and my Blackberry, I have never been seduced by the idea of Twitter. To me it is a little too much info too often, BUT I understand I am not always the most cutting edge guy in town either. This event of local Twitter users coming up Thursday in Wilmington caught my eye:

Local users have organized the first ever "Delaware TweetUp" for the First State and surrounding Delaware Valley. The event will be held on June 11th, 2009, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Iron Hill Brewery on the Wilmington Riverfront.

Attendees will enjoy free food and non-alcoholic drinks, courtesy of Iron Hill Brewery and a variety of local sponsors.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Food Bank of Delaware, which is among many non-profits using Twitter to communicate with local residents - Delaware Business Ledger

Ramstein Maibock

Spent some time last night with a brew from New Jersey's own High Point Brewing Company, the Ramstein Maibock. High Point is the first exclusive wheat beer brewery in America and has always made very tasty German derived beers. The Ramstein name is derived from the town in Germany that houses the U.S. Ramstein Air Force Base. High Point wanted the name of its beers to reflect a marriage of German tradition and American innovation.

Their Maibock is a lovely example of this style. It pours a deep copper color with a decent head. The aroma is pretty strong: sweet and malty with a little hint of fruit. The taste echoes that scent with the strong malt flavor upfront and some lingering hops at the end. A bit of caramel and fruit comes through as well. It is pretty crisp and creamy with a good medium body.

While I thought this could have used just a bit more hops to balance out the malts, overall this was an excellent choice for the night. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of flvor in this as my experience with Maibocks has not always yielded that result.

B

Genesee Cream Ale!

The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle reports on the rebranding of High Point Brewery and the return of Genesee Cream Ale as a major brand:

Officials of North American Breweries, the new owner of High Falls Brewing Co., said Thursday that they're changing the name back to its traditional moniker — Genesee Brewing Co. — as part of a slew of initiatives including massive investment in the beer-making plant.

North American plans to spend a total of $10 million on repairs and new equipment at the St. Paul Street plant this year and next. More apparent to consumers will be a big marketing push for the Genesee, Genny Light and Genesee Cream Ale lines in the Northeast and Midwest, their traditional sales strongholds.

"When we do blind taste tests (against other beers), we win," said North American CEO Rich Lozyniak. "We just have to get people to try us. We have a great product, but we have to reposition it."

The name change is part of that repositioning. The company's name became High Falls in 2000 after a $26 million buyout by management.

North American and its parent company, New York City investment firm KPS Capital Partners LP, continue to look for other regional beer brands or breweries for purchase, Lozyniak said. KPS formed North American in February after purchasing High Falls; Labatt USA, the Buffalo-based importer of Labatt beer for the U.S. market; and the rights to the Seagram's Escapes line of wine coolers.

With the purchase, KPS instantly became one of the nation's larger brewers. High Falls in 2008 was the ninth-largest U.S. brewery based on sales.

Science on Tap

Every second Monday at Old City's National Mechanics:

The science café movement began in Leeds, England in 1998 when a local pub decided to foment a new kind of barroom brawl—a scientific debate. The idea took off as a unique way to advance public understanding of science. Now, there are locations from Maine to California where, for the price of a beer or a glass of wine or a cup of coffee, anyone can discuss scientific ideas with leading experts in their fields and learn about developments that are changing our lives.

This week Janet Monge, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, will present: "The Unknown Skeleton - Forensic Anthropology and the Unsolvable Case":

Sticky bits, bones, rotting flesh, mummified tissues - the stuff of forensic anthropology. The science behind forensic anthropology is explored using a series of case studies. Most people do not know that the probability of success in these cases is very low and the identity of virtually every one of these individuals remains unknown. The CSI catch-phase "There is Always a Clue" certainly does not apply.

Beer and science together again!

It's that time of year

I will doing a strange thing this afternoon as I provide beer to dozens of friends while drinking none. My daughter is having her graduation party today and as host I am willing to avoid the brew for the day in favor of a delicious glass of lemonade. Hopefully we will have everyone out of there and everything cleaned up by the first pitch of the Phils game tonight so dad can open a cold one.

Saturday night

Mmmmm, there's definitely something right about a warm evening, kids all out, your dog at your feet and a big bottle of Ommegang to enjoy!

Beers of Munich dinner

Join the Bowie Baysox at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Maryland for Spaten Brewery’s “Beers of Munich” Dinner on Thursday, June 18th beginning at 6pm.

While watching the Baysox (Class AA Affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles) take on the Reading Phillies (Class AA Affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies) from the luxury level restaurant, enjoy three hours of Spaten Munich Lager on draft, NEW Spaten Munich Dunkel, Franziskaner Hefe Weiss & Franziskaner Dunkel Wiess and two hours of great German food all for $41 per person.

For menu and other information, or to order your tickets, please call Janna Green at (301) 464-4886, or email at jgreen@baysox.com. Deadline for ordering tickets is 3pm on Tuesday, June 16.

JazzFest at Victory

Join the fine folks at Victory tomorrow for a Sunday afternoon full of music, brews and barbeque at JazzFest. This inaugural event will benefit Handi-Crafters of Chester County. Ticket cost of $50 includes live music by the Victory Jazz Orchestra, a barbeque buffet and of course Victory beer. Tickets are required and are only available here. Handi-Crafters is a not-for-profit that provides life transforming opportunities for people with disabilities. (Victory will be closed for regular business during the event.)

Trolley Car Diner

If you are in the Chestnut Hill area this Sunday, drop by the Trolley Car Diner from 6-9pm. Chris DePeppe from beerheads.com will be pouring free samples of greal local brews from the Diner's extensive take-out selection.

Harrisburg Brewers Fest

The Troegs sponsored Harrisburg Brewers Fest (Saturday June 20) is rapidly approaching. Up to 50 breweries will be participating including Sly Fox, Yards, Victory, Stoudt's, Lagunitas and the wonderful Magic Hat.

Last year's event sold out in advance, so I'd recommend advance tickets.

6-6-Sixpoint - Sixpoint South Philly Bar Crawl

Tomorrow night, join the bars of South Philly for a Sixpoint Brewery Bar Crawl. Each bar will be pouring a different Sixpoint beer. The participating bars are Devil's Den, 1601, POPE, Cantina & South Philly Taproom.

Manayunk Keller Beer Night

Friday night at the Great Northeast's Grey Lodge, they will have three Manayunk keller beers on tap: Keller Marzen, Krooks Keller American Pale Ale, and Keller Bill's Pils.

A German tradition, keller biers are unfiltered, super fresh beers. The name Kellerbier is German and literally means Cellar beer. These beers will be coming straight from the fermenters. You can even meet most of the brewers. There will be free glasses for the first 48 customers and Manayunk prizes.

12 months to go

Scotch Ales

Two Guys on Beer video from Philly.com where they review a domestic and imported Wee Heavy:

West Coast Brewery Night

Tomorrow night Exton's fine establishment, The Drafting Room, will be hosting West Coast Brewery Night. They will be featuring some of the Pacific time zone's best brews:

Sierra Nevada Chico IPA
Lost Coast Imperial Pilsner
Russian River Pliny the Elder
North Coast Brother Thelonius
Moylan’s Hopsickle
Anderson Valley 20th Anniversary
Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA
Speakeasy White Lightning
Sierra Nevada Stout (Firkin)

Lancaster Brewing Night

Tonight from 6-8pm come out to Teresa's Next Door in Wayne for Lancaster Brewing Night. You can meet the brewers who will will be bringing a fresh keg of Hop Hog with them to tap on the bar. It is also rumored that a keg of Old Sourpuss Gueuze will be coming out of retirement. They will have Triple and Milk Stout on Nitro as well. Other Lancaster Beers with food pairings too.

Beer is the new wine

There is a great article in today's Washington Times highlighting "beer as the new wine" as stated by Clipper City's Hugh Sisson. They go on to interview several brewers include Sam from Dogfish Head. My favorite quote in the piece though is from Hugh Sisson: "Once you start drinking craft beers, it's hard to go back."

Amen brother, Amen.