In the better late than never category, Village Whiskey (20th and Sansom) looks to finally be opening this Thursday. Grub Street gives us a look at the non-whiskey portion of the menu.
While a nice variety of styles has been assembled here on the beer side, the pricing on many of these other items leaves me cold (and lets not get started on the ridiculous whiskey pricing). I think I'll stick to the Dogfish Head Indian Brown and call it a night.
Coming up this Labor Day weekend is the return of the wonderful Mystery Beer Weekend to the Memphis Taproom (2331 East Cumberland Street).
They are tapping 33 beers over 3 days and its up to us to identify them all. Ballots must be turned in by 4pm on Sunday, September 6th. The winning ballot (the one with the most correct answers filled in) will win a beer-filled prize package and bar-wide fame.
The categories will include:
Hop Bomb
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
IPA
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Spiced/Herb
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cask
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
American
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
German
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Brett
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pils
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Wood
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dubbel
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Belgian Style
Less than two weeks away is the beginning of New York Craft Beer Week, a celebration across the five boroughs of the craft beer community in NYC. It boasts a fantastic assortment of venues (although Blind Tiger is strangely missing).
I am pleased to see a good number of beer walks on their calender too. What a terrific way to enjoy new beer and see the city.
The timing is bad for me but the event list makes it most appealing!
Thanks for the emails about the pumpkin beer. Yes it is indeed strange how popular this fall brew has become. I stumbled across a great article about just this subject this week that really gets to the heart of it:
When it first became popular in the late '90s, Dan Weirback, of Weyerbacher Brewing in Pennsylvania, was as skeptical as the next guy.
"One of our best wholesalers had been bugging us, 'You've got to make a pumpkin beer,'" Weirback said. "I was just scratching my head — it won't last. I thought the (wholesaler) was just jumping onto a trend."
After holding out for several years, Weirback gave in and turned out a superb Imperial Pumpkin Ale that's deliciously spiced and contains a warming 8 percent alcohol.
It was an immediate hit, and sales have increased every year. Weyerbacher brewed the equivalent of 6,500 cases of it last year, making the ale one of its most popular seasonals.
"It just boggles my mind," Weirback said. "It's developed a following all its own, and you have to say it's on merit, not just for kicks."
Weyerbacher is hardly the exception. Take a look at the beer shelves this week and you'll find dozens of versions from well-known craft brewers, including Buffalo Bill's (the originator), Dogfish Head, The Bruery and Wolaver's Organic. Even the big boys are harvesting pumpkins: Coors makes Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale and Anheuser-Busch pours Jack's Pumpkin Spice.
Why did the flavor catch on?
Michael Kuderka, who tracks bottled beers and publishes "The Essential Reference of Domestic Brewers and Their Bottled Brands" (MC Basset), offers a few theories.
First, Kuderka said, "Tell me what is more American than pumpkin at Thanksgiving. It is a truly American beer style ..."
Second, he said, "At this time of year, there are really only two major styles competing for seasonal popularity and, between the Oktoberfest beers and the pumpkin-flavored brands, I think pumpkin beer wins hands down for uniqueness and flavor."
Finally, he added, "Brewers can practice a ton of creativity when it comes to the pumpkin beer style. Some pumpkin ales purely rely on natural pumpkin flavors, while others are highly spiced and take on the pure delight of liquid pumpkin pie."
I had the first foray into the fall lat night at Bridgewaters Pub at 30th St Station. The Imperial Pumking is a delicious pumpkin ale from New York's Southern Tier brewery.
A small white head tops a glass of deep red ale. The smell is amazing, like a big old pumpkin pie. Tons of spice and vanilla.
The wonderful taste falls right in line with the aroma. Lots of pumkin pie flavor, brown sugar, spices and a wave of sweetness with a nice bite at the end.
For a beer that's 9% ABV, I found this to be very drinkable, with good body and excellent carbonation.
This may be the best pumpkin ale I have tasted. B+
Coming up soon on Saturday, September 19 is the second annual Philly Oktoberfest, sponsored by Spaten Beer. This year’s event will be held in the historic 23rd Street Armory (between Market and Chestnut Street) with two drinking sessions (first session from 1pm to 4pm, second from 6pm to 9pm).
The list of participating breweries includes:
- Spaten
- Franziskaner
- Dock Street Brewery
- Yards Brewing Co.
- Slyfox
- Dogfish Head
- Brooklyn Brewery
- Ayinger
- Victory Brewing Co.
- Flying Fish Brewing Co.
- Stoudts Brewing Co.
- Elysian Brewing Co.
As you would expect there will be authentic German food, Biergarten seating and the always popular Oom-pah Music!
General admission tickets are $40 ($50 at the door), includes unlimited samples + 1 lg. cup of Spaten
V.I.P. admission are $75 which includes buffet, filled souvenir liter, unlimited samples, one-hour early admission
Tickets can be purchased here.
Felicia D'Ambrosio of the City Paper investigates the rapid disappearance of Chimay from taps across the region:
The 10-ounce glass that cost the consumer $5 seven years ago is now $8. “That’s just too much for me to feel comfortable charging for a glass of draft beer, especially in this retracting economy,” says (Monk's owner Tom) Peters. “My keg sales went from 16-20 kegs per week a few years ago, down to around 8-10 per week these days. The consumer has spoken, and we have listened. We will run Chimay on tap occasionally, just no longer on a daily basis.”
Tomorrow at the wonderful General Lafayette Inn (646 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill) there will be a Outdoor Beer ‘n’ Barbecue from 1-4pm.
They will be featuring a full BBQ-style buffet: Chicken, Burgers, Dogs, Salads, Desserts, etc. General Lafayette Beers will be flowing including the release of their Barrel Aged Sour Brown Ale.
Cost is just 31.99 all-inclusive (rain or shine).
I've been meaning to post a review of this English style sweet stout for awhile. It pours a dark, dark brown - almost black. The head is big and tan with some nice lacing.
My favorite part of this beer may be the aroma: nuts, chocolate, coffee, roasted malts. It is just wonderful, not overwhelming, but deliciously enticing.
The taste is light and creamy which is a surprise. Strong flavor of the roasted malts to start, with coffee and some bitter chocolate coming through. A nice amount of hops and some bitterness at the finish.
This is a really well balanced beer. Definitely one of my favorite stouts and the one I always recommend to introduce the style to newbies.
Dan Gross from the Inquirer has the scoop (as usual):
"I NEVER PUT the pub on the market, but when the offer came I just felt maybe it's time for me to fade into the sunset," says Barry Sandrow, the longtime owner of Doc Watson's Pub (216 S. 11th).
Sandrow yesterday signed an agreement of sale with a few local buyers he declined to identify. They must now get financing, as well as approval from the state Liquor Control Board, to operate the bar.
"This time I'm selling the whole works, lock, stock and barrel," said Sandrow. "This time I'm going out. I guess I'm just getting old," says Sandrow, 77, whose long list of past doormen includes boxer/actor Randall "Tex" Cobb, comedian Dom Irrera and Villanova basketball star Fran O'Hanlon, now coaching at Lafayette.
A quick note for all my fellow Nittany tailgaters: no more bottles of Yuengling at your pre-game BBQ. Calling it a safety issue, Penn State has banned all glass bottles from any of its grass parking lots.
"The broken glass that gets embedded in the fields there is dangerous for the livestock that uses those fields the rest of the year," Penn State spokeswoman Annemarie Mountz said. "Also, the fields that get parked on are used during the week by sports groups and the Blue Band. It's really a safety issue."
And no, I know what you're thinking, but even pouring the your bottle into a cup and recycling that glass won't please the police. They will be issuing $300 tickets for violators.
I haven't tasted it yet, but Troegs just released their new JavaHead Stout. This brew is a blend of locally roasted espresso and Kenyan coffee beans by St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown, PA.
This recipe is based off of their original 2005 oatmeal stout. After the boil the hot wort passes through the hopback vessel packed full of whole leaf hops and a bed of coffee beans - akin to a French press - intensifying the coffee nose and releasing hints of coffee flavor. The result is a lush oatmeal mouthfeel balanced with cocoa, roast and subtle coffee flavors.
Available only in 22 oz. bottles.
I am looking forward to this and the re-release of Joe by Philadelphia Brewing.
Philadelphia Brewing Co® has released their new brew BiBerry - a fruit beer with Blackberries and Raspberries. They are producing this one in kegs only, so you will have to seek it out in your favorite beer bar while the warm weather is still with us.
They also annouced that the second coming of Joe, their delicious coffee porter, is in the tanks and will be available in bottles and kegs in early September.
The 1st Publican National Committee (PNC) Beer has arrived at Monk's. The PNC is a group of like-minded Publicans, otherwise known as bar owners, that is passionate about beer. Now they are venturing into beers that are created exclusively for the five bars. Vinnie & Natalie from Russian River Brewery agreed to brew the first ever commissioned beer for the PNC. The members of the PNC are: Denver’s Falling Rock, Portland Oregon’s Horse Brass Pub, Seattle’s Brouwer’s Café, San Fran’s Toronado and of course Monk’s Café.
Publican is a Saison (8%) that is golden in color and a strong yeast aroma with mild aromas of barnyard and leather from the Brettanomyces. Flavor’s of malt and spice dominate the palate with a dry nutty (malt) character mixed with a funky Brettanomyces finish. The hops are dominate but well placed with-in the brew.
Not that I ever need a reason to visit Monk's but.....
It looks like our neighbors to the south are getting in on the action too. The inaugural Baltimore Beer Week kicks off October 8th with 10 days and 150 events designed to celebrate "All things beer in the Land of Pleasant Living".
I am especially looking forward to the Brewers Association of Maryland Oktoberfest October 10th when 12 Maryland breweries pour some 75 beers at the Timonium Fairgrounds.
That sounds worth the drive down 95.
I saw one of these little gallon kegs of Newcastle Brown Ale when I was in California earlier this summer. It would be a great tailgating addition (OK maybe a few of them would) but it seems to be not available anywhere on the east coast. That seems extremely odd to me considering the Anglophile nature of the Mid-Atlantic area.
At any rate, here is a more detailed description of the new small keg.
Local 44 is slowly becoming a regular stop for me.
Tomorrow night they will be unveiling four special firkins from our favorite Royersford brewery, SlyFox. The Robbie Burns Scottish Export and Phoenix Pale Ale will pour off the edge of the bar for just $3 and Palisades Pale Ale and Rt. 113 will pour on the engines for just $4.
Local breweries start producing Octoberfest beers in late August. Instead of storing it for a month - McGillin's Olde Ale House (1310 Drury St) will start pouring the coveted seasonal brews tomorrow. Adding to the festivities Tuesday, American Crime Novelist Duane Swierczynski will be on-hand to discuss the newly-released trade paperback about Frank Castle's escapades in Philadelphia for Marvel Comic's "The Punisher."
Besides modeling the décor of the pub in his comic book after McGillin's, Swierczynski is also well-versed in its beer, having written The Big Book o' Beer: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Greatest Beverage on Earth. In fact, he plans to buy a pint of McGillin's 1860 IPA for anyone who buys his book that night.
The event on August 25 featuring Swierczynski and German beers begins at 6 p.m. No cover. Pints of the newly-released McGillin's 1860 IPA by Stoudt's Brewing reduced to $2. Plus, McGillin's newly installed and truly beautiful beer tower will be stocked with Stoudt's Festbier, Flying Fish's Octoberphish, Victory's Fest, Jack's Pumpkin Spice, plus a variety of rotating Octoberfest and other seasonal beers.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
NPR highlights Yards' Ales of the Revolution and cast some light on just what ol' George was concocting with his "Small Beer" recipe. You can listen here.
Tommorrow night at West Philly's Local 44, they will be celebrating the end of summer with a "Kick the Keg" night. Everything on draft (and it is Local 44 so everything on draft is so good) is just $3, while it lasts.
My that is a dangerous end to the weekend. It could make Monday morning a challenge.
My dad picked up this bottle knowing nothing about it but stating "This looks like something you'd like". I'm glad I have him well trained!
This German brew pours a beautiful clear yellow with loads of carbonation and a big fluffy white head. Aroma is fruity with some hops and spices. This one goes down easy. It is light and very flavorful. Sweet on the front end with apple and lemon tastes mixing with the malts and a slight bitterness to finish.
The balance seems a little off and it could use a wee bit more hops but otherwise an truly outstanding lager.
A
From Supermarket News:
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Wegmans Food Markets here has nearly doubled its beer selection in the last year or so from about 450 brews to 800, according to the retailer. Many of the new additions have been craft beers representing a range of colors, flavors, aromas and even drinking occasions.
"Absolutely there are beers that complement a sweet finish to a meal," said Mark Spagnola, who oversaw the beer expansion for Wegmans, in a statement.
Take for instance Brooklyn Chocolate Stout—"an imperial stout the color of dark chocolate with a caramelized honey sweetness and hints of bitter chocolate and espresso coffee that make it a perfect partner for ice cream or cake," according to Wegmans. Lindeman's Framboise, a rose-colored Belgian beer with a raspberry aroma, can also be enjoyed with dessert. It complements frozen treats like sorbet, noted the retailer. Pairings suggestions like these are helping uncover some of the mystery surrounding obscure, specialty brews.
"We're making a real effort to help customers with an interest in craft beers learn more about them," said Spagnola. "We've organized our product assortment by geography – East Coast, West Coast, Mid-Atlantic, Europe, the UK, Ireland, Belgian, and so on. We've supported that by adding educational shelf signage, we've published beer and food pairing brochures, and we offer occasional tastings to customers."
I am not making this up:
SANDPOINT — Football season is just around the corner, but customers at one local sports bar will have to find new accommodations if they planned on watching any Philadelphia Eagles games or drinking any Coors Light.
Steve Coffman, owner of Slates Prime Time Grill and Sports Bar, is boycotting the Eagles and its corporate sponsors — including the makers of both Coors and Miller beer — until the team releases Michael Vick, its newly acquired quarterback. Vick, who spent two years in prison for his role in a dog fighting ring, signed a two-year contract with the Eagles late last week.
An animal lover with three dogs of his own, Coffman said he was disgusted by the Vick case and the NFL for allowing him back into the league. When he learned of a national boycott called “Sack Vick,” Coffman decided to join the cause.
“I’ve just about had it,” he said. “When you look at some of these sports players and what they do and what they get away with ... and we as consumers just seem to turn a blind eye every time this goes on. I think I’ve just reached a point where I said, ‘I’ve had enough of this.’”
With the boycott, Slates will no longer carry its most popular beer, Coors Light, and will not air any Eagles games.
As the Phillies get set to invade NY and play the Mets, let me advise you that while Citi Field is a beautiful new ballpark, it is not a beer lover's paradise.
Like Yankee Stadium and unlike Citizens Bank Park, most of the concession stands feature only the usual suspects. 
God bless the Phils for locating good craft beer and LOCAL craft beer all around the park. What a rare treat that truly is...
Now the Mets' big beer stand "Big Apple Brews" does sport a nice bottle list, but it is located way out in CF behind the scoreboard. Not only is it a hike for those with seats in the upper deck in the infield, but you CANNOT SEE THE GAME FROM THERE.
Truly idiotic.
If you haven't yet had the chance to enjoy the sudsy veriosn of the David vs Goliath story, Beer Wars is now available on DVD. If you are a fan of craft beer at all, you will find this a fascinating look at the people behind some of your favorite beers and the tug of war going on for the soul of the American beer drinker.
This Friday come join the folks at the High Street Grill (64 High Street, Mount Holly) in celebrating their 5th Anniversary.
They will host a 5th Anniversary Victory Beer Dinner, featuring Victory brewing Co. of Downingtown, PA. The dinner will start at 7 pm, and be hosted by Dr. Timothy Wadkins of the brewery. Reservations can be made by calling 609-265-9199 or logging on to the website at www.highstreetgrill.net . Trivia prizes, take home glassware and an evening of celebration will be followed by live Irish music in the bar from 9 to 12 midnight.
Tomorrow night head over to Roxborough's Old Eagle Tavern (177 Markle St) for Franziskaner End of Summer Party.
Yes I know, summer still has a whole 'nother month to go but they can call it an early Christmas celebratio if they want to give me dicounted Franzisakner drafts along with Franzikaner Giveaways & Contests.
Tomorrow night at Brigid's in Fairmount they will be featuring a number of Lancaster's finest (Summer Rye Ale and Milk Stout) and the highlight will be a rare firkin of the wonderful Hop Hog. Get there early for that treat!
Arcadia's Hop Rocket is one of my favorite brews so finding the HopMouth on tap at Brigid's this week got me excited.
This Double IPA pours a hazy copper color with a fat tan head that leaves some pretty lacing along the top. Smell is rich with lots of pine and fruit. Wow, the taste is a big hop onslaught. Very bitter upfront with a nice balancing malt sweetness on the back end. Nice smooth, crisp and dry finish with a lingering bitterness on the tongue. Pretty good all around. Not as robust as the Hop Rocket but definately very drinkable. I think I will like this even more as the evenings start getting cooler.
B+
Stumbled across this great quote in Washington City Paper from Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione describing the difference between a Beer Geek and a Beer Snob:
There’s beer geeks and there’s beer snobs, and I’m a card-carrying, dyed-in-the-wool member of the beer geek community. How I differentiate between a beer geek and a beer snob is this: they could have an equal amount of knowledge about beer; they could have equally awesome palates; [they] can articulate everything about the qualities of beer; [and they can] tell you the history of brewing styles. Their knowledge might be the same. But a beer geek loves beer because he or she loves beer, and they want to learn more always, try new beers, and share that with the people they love. Whereas beer snobs try to know as much as they can about beer as a power point and to lord it over people, or to stick out as an expert in a field of neophytes.
Thursday from 6-9PM at The Belgian Café (21st & Green Sts), UEE (Urban Eco Electric) is hosting a solar energy party.
Bring your PECO bill and UEE will buy you a beer. No PECO bill, no free beer.
Bring a friend with a PECO bill and they'll buy you another beer & your friend gets one, too. I think I will be bringing a whole lot of friends. How about you?
UEE installs solar panels on flat roofs in Philadelphia at no cost to the homeowner. That will surely get your attention.
Visit them at www.go-uee.com for full details of their program.
Come out to the Devil's Den (1148 S. 11th St) all week long where they will be pouring all things sour, tart & funky. You'll have your choice of Flemish Reds. Flemish Bruins, Guezes, Lambics, Wild ALes & Beliner Weisses.
This week's draft list looks like this:
Itchegems Grand Cru
Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge
St Louis Gueze
Dock Street Dunkle Berliner Weisse
Cantillion Gueze
Monk’s Café Flemish Sour
Ballast Point Sour Wench
Doc’s Sour Cherry Cider
Oud Beersel Framboise
Avery Sixteen
Dogfish Head Festina Peche
Petrus Oud Bruin
Duchess de Bourgonge
Russian River Consecration
Rodenbach Grand Cru
Bacchaus
Chris DePeppe brings back his great BeerFest at the BallPark. Come watch the Phils pound the NY Mess and enjoy some quality beer.
Rick Nichols in today's Inquirer takes a look at the revolution in craft brewing that is occurring these days.
When the latest figures from the Brewers Association, craft beer's Boulder, Colo.-based trade group, are published tomorrow, they'll confirm what insider's already know: Second-quarter volume spikes of 20, 30, 40 percent are common among its top 50 brewers.
The nimble independents see themselves as the guardians of beer's virtue (hewing only to barley and wheat, not flavor-diluting rice and corn) - the anti-Bud (and -Miller and -Coors), which together control 78 percent of the $100 billion U.S. beer market.
But if Big Beer's flattening sales continue - and it doesn't wise up - says Nima Hadian, who manages Shangy's, the specialty-beer distributor in Emmaus, Pa., the Big Three could face a shrunken future: By 2015, he sees crafts grabbing a 15 percent market share.
For beer guru Tom Peters, the owner of Monk's Cafe on 16th Street in Philadelphia, the downfall of what he calls "that yellow fizzy stuff" can't come soon enough.
In the last six months, he noted, sales of Philadelphia Pale Ale, the flagship brew of Yards Brewing, have tripled.
To him, that's like sunshine on a cloudy day.
Packed house last night for the 13th anniversary party for the venerable Grey Lodge. 
Esquire Magazine named GL one of "America's Best Bars" and they showed why with an amazing rotating tap list that literally changed by the minute. I have never seen turnover like that.
A great crowd, a tight Phils game and a hot band led into an exhausting celebration. I look forward to being exhausted again next August!
Happy Anniversary Grey Lodge!
Next Sunday, Teresa's Next Door in Wayne will be hosting a Beer Geek Summer Brunch starting at 11am.
I love any excuse to dive into some special beers in the AM.
Nice article in Fast Company magazine this week regarding the new wave of cans among micro-brewers. They throw a little love towards our own local canner Sly Fox.
I have to admit, I didn't love it at first but the cans are growing on me.
Starting Sunday, our nation's capital will be celebrating DC Beer Week. All the details are here.
It kicks off with an all-day Unity Jam kick-off concert at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Located in the Atlas District, one on the new beer destinations of DC, the Hotel will feature a concert with a broad array of bands: The Jeff Wells, band a reggae funk band; See-I, a reggae dub band; The Blackjacks, a rock band and The Laura Tsaggaris Band, an indie band.
The Delaware Business Ledger is reporting that the pride of Delaware, Dogfish Head, will be teaming up with Sierra Nevada this fall to release two new collaborative beers. Limb & Life - a draft-only beer - will debut in October; with Life & Limb 24oz bottles and limited draft to follow in November.
I like this new era of collaboration between breweries. It can only bring us good things!
The Beer Lass reminds us that it is Sly Fox night at Memphis Taproom:
Tonight- I hope you'll come to the MEMPHIS TAP ROOM and throw a few Sly down around 6 or so.
We've got 4 beers from the brewpub on tap
Grisette
Abbey Extra (Belgian golden single-Monk's table beer)
Whitehorse Wit
and Dunkelweisse
They'll be $4 all night.
There is a great section of Flying Fish's Exit Series website, allowing folks to give their own opinions on what future Exit releases should be.
Some of my favorites:
* Exit 9 must be red as it is the exit for Rutgers
* Exit 3 (Runnemede) either a White Horse Weiss Ale or a Black Horse Stout
* Exit 10 (Edison) is the birthplace of the electric light, so a light beer
* Exit 6 (Closest to the Pine Barrens)Pale Ale.... use a "piney" strain of hops.
* Exit 7A (Shore Points) as a summer pale lager (Mexican style).
Next Thursday, August 20, the staff members from West Chester Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (3 West Gay Street, 610-738-9600) will compete in a one-of-a-kind Saison-A-Thon, a playful competition in which teams of employees will season their own Saison-style beers and present them to a public audience of beer lovers, who will rate the offerings in a variety of categories. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., customers will pay $5 per person for a 4 oz. taste of each beer and a note sheet for scoring them in the various categories.
Each beer will use five gallons of Iron Hill’s own Saison as a base for their recipe; teams are then invited to ‘season’ their brews with any combination of fruit, spices, vegetables, brewing bacteria or other potables. At 7:30 p.m. at the event, after the audience has tasted each beer, every team will have three minutes to put on a “sales presentation” for their beer, after which the audience will judge them in such categories as “People’s Choice,” “Best Name,” “Best Logo,” “Most Creative Use of Spice or Special Ingredient,” “Best Sales-person-ship” and more. The People’s Choice winner will be produced and sold at Iron Hill; other prizes, including a free keg of the winning beer, are also planned for winners in other categories.
“Here at Iron Hill, our staff is one of our greatest assets. We are looking forward to the tasting and to sample what one-of-a-kind combinations they’ll create,” says Head Brewer Larry Horwitz. “For all we know, one of these special Saisons may be our new favorite beer.”
Hot nights are made for a good Hefeweizen. Popped the top on the Hacker-Pschorr Sternweisse and poured the murky yellow brew into a glass. It has a nice big fluffy head (that didn't last) and a wonderful aroma of banana bread emanating from it. Sweet taste of banana and caramel and spice. It finishes very dry with a surprising bitterness that complimented this tasty experience just perfectly.
A
Tomorrow night from 6:30-8:30, enjoy Flying Fish Night at Earth Bread + Brewery. Mmmm, I am imagining one of those delicious Mexican flatbreads with a HopFish. Ooooh or maybe a Sundried Tomato flatbread with a FF Dubbel.
Ok, gonna stop this....making myself REALLY hungry.
This Thursday at 6pm come out for the Philadelphia Ale & Arts Adventure presented by the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and World Cafe Live for a fun night of Yards beer, art and live music.
The adventure begins at World Cafe Live with complimentary beer from Yards Brewing Company, soft pretzels, and a tour of the artworks in the building, followed by a trolley tour of Philadelphia’s public murals. There will be an “intermission” at Yards Brewing Company, where visitors will receive more complimentary beer before continuing the mural tour and ending back at World Cafe Live for more beer and munchies. Guests will also receive complimentary admission to that evening’s musical performance on the Downstairs Live stage.
There is even FREE PARKING available after 5:30, in the lots at the end of 31st Street off of Chestnut.
This beautiful German hefeweizen pours just like a cloudy glass of lemonade (well except for the giant fluffy white head). The delicious wheat aroma is matched by the tart wheat taste. The fruit flavor of lemon and banana stays subtle and does not smack your tastebuds like some hefes. It finish light and dry with a lingering grapefruit aftertaste.
This one goes down so smooth and easy, it is easily one of the best examples of this style.
A
This great little pub is tucked away right off the Parkway at 1836 Callowhill St. Not a big place nor a hole in the wall, K&K gives you almost the perfect neighborhood bar. The wide open access to the place through the sprawling front doors is wonderful on a nice day. It provides easy interaction with the outdoor world (which is the opposite of most places that barely have windows).
A beautiful looking place loaded with dark mahogany, it gives a roomy feel in the daytime but fills up and gets jumping in the evening.
The menu is seafood heavy but with decent variety and some eclectic choices. The selections I have tried have been terrific and decently-priced.
The real joy of K&K though is the beer. Well tended by a great staff who know their stuff, the rotating taps always feature some of the best beers available in the city. From Bell's Two Hearted Ale and Ommegang Rare Vos to local gems O'Reilly's Stout and Troegs Nugget Nectar.
Not just worth a stop if you are in the neighborhood, but a great destination in general.
Was looking forward to a big hoppy beer this weekend and plowed into Flying Fish's HopFish IPA.
This ones pours a pretty bubbly golden orange with an average white head. The aroma is all citrus: grapefruit, orange and lemon. Just wonderful.
It boasts a sweet and very citrus oriented taste with a nice dry, bitter finish. It has a nice balance that I appreciated: enough hop flavor to please a "hop-head" like myself but easy enough for those who are "hop-phobic" to enjoy.
I say this alot about FF brews: this is not the best IPA I have tried but it is a very solid beer and one I could enjoy all night long.
B
OK the music is pretty lame but if you have never been to Pottsville, this YouTube video gives you a great perspective on the old place.
Great story in the Baltimore Sun about the joys of visiting breweries during your shore vacations. It focuses on three in particular: Dogfish Head in Milton, Del., Evolution in Delmar, Del., and 16 Mile in Georgetown, Del.
Wow - The Grey Lodge is really lining up quiet a shindig to celebrate their 13th anniversary next Saturday:
* 11am: Dock Street Triskaidekaphilia Premier and Ente Wurst Breakfast. To kick off the day, we will be premiering Dock Street Triskaidekaphilia Dunkel Weisse and serving it in a breakfast of champions format (no, not Wheaties) with duck sausage and a Philly soft pretzel. A Philly take on a Munich tradition. Dock Street Keller Bohemian Pilsner will also be on tap.
* 12pm: Levity (Comic) & Levitation (Stone). Erin Mulville will be lightening things up with some stand-up comedy and will be MC'ing a best bar jokes contest. Lightening up the beer selection will be Stone Levitation, a nice session beer (it'll be a long day folks), as well as Cali-Belgique, not so light. Both will be on draft, and Stone 13th Anniversary will be in bottles.
* 1pm: 101 at 1pm with Philly Brewing. Darts have always been a mainstay at the G-Lodge so how could we celebrate 13 years without it.? Beat Philly Brewing's Chris or Dean at 101 (double in/double out) to win a Philly Brewing T-shirt. They will also have a gravity-pour firkin of Mayfair IPA with them. Philly Cheesesteaks will also be well represented in this hour with Carolyn Wyman, author of The Great Philly Cheesesteak Book, on hand to sign and sell copies as well as a Cheesesteak special during the hour.
* 2pm: Brooklyn Stout Hour. 2008 Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (draft), 2009 Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (draft), Brooklyn Intenified Coffee Stout (draft) will all be on draft. The other details of this event are still being hashed out in the lab.
* 3pm: Still be Figured out Weyerbacher Event. Something with Weyerbacher, which will probably include their 13th Anniversary beer on tap. More details to come.
* 4pm: Pils and Phils with Victory Keller Prima Pils and Really Really Old Old Horizontal. The Phillies have also been a mainstay here over the years as well as Victory Brewing so what better way to celebrate than with Phils and Pils? A special keg of Keller Victory Prima Pils will be on hand along with 23 bottles of Old Horizontal that we have been aging since 1997, which we will be breaking out for our 13th Anniversary. There was a full case, but we tried one to make sure it is still drinkable (it is). We'll be serving it by the glass. Free Victory pint glass to anyone sporting some Phillies gear.
* 5pm: Grey Lodge's Bar Mitzvah with Stoudt's. We will be putting the bar in Bar Mitzvah with some help from Stoudt's. Stoudts Keller Pils gravity pour firkin will be accompanied by CAKE! Lots and lots of cake. You can't turn 13 (we're an adult bar now?) without cake and birthday games to celebrate, right?
* 6pm: Six Sixpoint Sixtels at Six. Six different beers from our friends at Sixpoint, Sweet Action, Apollo, Righteous, Bengali Tiger, Brownstone, and something else. More details to come.
* 7pm: Flashback with Boulder Flashback. Boulder Flashback will be on tap while a computer projects flash backs of the Grey Lodge's 13 years. There will also be a chance to win one of 20 Boulder Flashback Shirts with an anniversary Grey Lodge stuff for anyone who buys a Flashback from 7pm to 8pm.
* 8pm: Yards Crazy 8's at 8! We'll have Yards Thomas Jefferson (8% ABV) on draft and Yards Cape of Good Hope IPA (also 8%) in firkin. Magic 8 Ball will determine who gets giveaways, Crazy 8 card games.
* 9pm: Sly Fox Chicken and Egg Party. We'll have a special barrel of Sly Fox Keller Pikeland Pils. We will also have special Sly Fox Chicken Wings, recipe courtesy of Suzy Woods. Suzy, Sly Fox's Beer Lass, will have a basket of plastic eggs. Some will be winners. Some won't.
* 10pm: It's Always Sunshine-y at the Grey Lodge. Keller Troegs Sunshine Pils and Troegs Naked Elf bottles will be accompanying It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia games and contests.
* 11pm: Flying Fish Exit 11 at 11. We'll have Exit 11 on draft and Exit 4 in bottles. We'll also be having some fun with Fish head brewer Casey Hughes. Casey will be wearing a traffic cone on his head (this was his idea, though he may have been not 100% sober when he came up with it). Get 1 out of 3 rings on the cone, get a prize. This will be the 13th event in the 13th hour. Casey will probably be here all day and most likely quite wobbly by then, adding to the difficulty level.
The Poconos' Blue Mountain Ski Area hosts their second annual Wine and Beer Festival tomorrow from 12-5. In addition to the alcohol flowing, the resort will also be giving an advanced look at their new disc golf course. Entry to the festival is $20 and disc golf will be just $5. Details are here.
The festival's breweries will include:
Bethlehem Brew Works
Yuengling Brewery
Bavarian Barbarian
Weyerbacher
Victory Brewery
Dogfish Head
Magic Hat
Don't you hate when you are really looking forward to something and it does not live up to your expectations? I was very excited to hear that a location of the French micro-brew chain, Les 3 Brasseurs, was opening on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto across the hotel I usually favor.
It is a great downtown location with a simple French-influenced bar menu. Their flatbread pizzas called "flamms" are really wonderful, but thats not what you want to hear about.
The brews of choice were a Red, Blonde, Brown and White. I dove quickly into the Red which had good coloring but no head and little aroma. The taste was annoyingly average. Dry and clean but not much in the way of flavor. Not bad per se, just boring, which to my mind is worse for a place like this that markets itself as a brewer first and foremost.
The White was a little better but still annoying ordinary. For a much ballyhooed chain from Europe, I expected more. I expected amazing beer. I expected to be blown away. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I'll take the brews of General Lafayette Inn anytime.
One of the things that has always disappointed me about Philadelphia's bar scene is the plethora of faux Irish pubs. You know the joints I mean: Kildare's, Finnegan's Wake, The Irish Pub, Plough & the Stars, Paddy Whack, Tir na Nog....you get the picture.
It is not just a Philly-thing though and it has its effects back in Ireland too. A recent NPR story highlights the issue:
When writer Bill Barich moved to Dublin, he set out first thing to find the local pub, which he hoped would be magically Irish. In A Pint of Plain, he reveals that that experience is getting tougher to come by in Ireland.
A stop at the pub is still part of Irish culture, as 85% of Irish people still make the trip once a month. But the traditional Irish music one might expect with one's pint is much less prominent than it used to be.
The big business, now, is the exportation of the Irish pub experience as a commodity. The Irish Pub Company has built approximately 500 "authentic" pubs in 45 countries.
OK if you've read this blog long enough, you know my preferences for Belgian style brews so I was really looking forward to diving into this beer last night (for review purposes only of course).
Pouring this into a glass it appears a rich brown-reddish color with a decent head that dissipated rather quickly. The aroma is an amalgam of sugars, malts and some fruits.
Mmmm this is a big, rich, creamy beer. Flavors of the Belgian malts, some caramel, fruit and clove. Very little hop presence here but it does have a sweet, creamy and even warm finish.
This is not the best dubbel ever, but it is very pleasant and definitely very drinkable at 7% ABV. It doesn't replace any of my favorite Belgians but it is a very high quality attempt and well worth your time.
B
Wednesday Morning 11:30am - 'til they're gone.
Just off the truck: 4 drafts from Tomme Arthur's breweries. Tomme was three time winner of Best Small Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival. He also won that honor at the World Beer Cup more than once. Tomme has won dozens of medals at both these prestigous events. This guy is the real deal.
Monks will serve Lost Abbey Devotion (a devilishly good Belgian-style golden ale), Lost Abbey 10 Commandments (a 9%, big, malty, Belgian-style dark ale), Port Brewing Hop 15 (their Double IPA with an amazing amount of hops crammed in there - 10%abv) & Port Brewing Wipe Out IPA, their easy-drinking, well-balanced, 7%abv American IPA)
They will tap all four of these amazing beers at 11:30AM. This is his first shipment of his kegs to the East Coast. Don't miss this opportunity to taste some of Tomme's best beers.
Hoegaarden’s Summer Gaarden Party Series continues tomorrow night, so if you find yourself in the Graduate Hospital area and are in the mood for a terrific Belgian white beer, stop in to enjoy Hoegaarden tastings and giveaways:
Finn McCool’s
7-8pm
118 S. 12th St.
215.923.3090
Ten Stone
2063 South St.
215.735.9939
Grace Tavern
8-9pm
2229 Grays Ferry Ave.
215.893.9580
Tomorrow night at McGillin's, a book signing with JOE SIXPACK (a.k.a. Don Russell). In his book, Joe Sixpack’s Philly Beer Guide: A Reporter’s Notes on the Best Beer-Drinking City in America, Russell calls McGillin’s “loud, noisy, and fun downstairs, quiet room upstairs, good beer everywhere.” $2 pints specialty beer. No cover.
What is the Publican National Committee? I have heard bits and pieces about it and it got me curious. Tremendous beer bars teaming up with a great brewer to make new exclusive beers? Wow.
The founding members of the Publican National Committee include Philadelphia’s own Monks, Brouwer’s Cafe (Seattle), Falling Rock (Denver), Horse Brass (Portland), and Toranado (San Francisco). The Publican National Committee also has their own website that you should check out as well.
Here’s a quote from the Web site that will give you the gist of their union:
“Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing, along with Matt Vandenberghe, Matt Bonney, David Keene, Chris Black, Tom Peters, and Don Younger who are the founding members of the PNC, got together back in the beginning of May to brew a special beer for our first release of many to come. You can expect to see this beer in the next couple of weeks exclusively in our Pubs.”
When you pour a Flying Fish ESB Amber Ale you get a golden-orange brew with a small but steady white head. The aroma is a faint whiff of hops and oranges. Tasting reveals a very well-balanced beer with spicy hops and sweet malts in almost perfect alignment. Very pleasant tasting with a creamy feeling and a long dry, bitter finish.
I had never had this particular FF beer before and was very pleasantly surprised.
B
The Grey Lodge Pub, Northeast Philadelphia's semi-world famous beer bar and restaurant, is celebrating its 13th anniversary on August 15, 2009. As part of the festivities, The Grey Lodge has teamed up with Dock Street Brewery to create Triskaidekaphilia Dunkel Weisse. The name (hopefully) translates as "love of the number 13", which is The Grey Lodge's lucky number. Friday the Firkinteenth, The Grey Lodge Pub's internationally known cask ale event takes place every Friday the 13th. The number 13 also ties into many other Grey Lodge events and promotions.
The Grey Lodge requested a chocolaty dark wheat beer and Ben Potts, head brewer at Dock Street, delivered. Ben drew up the grain bill and once the recipe was hammered down, the two collaborators got brewing. Triskaidekaphilia Dunkel Weisse was brewed using German Hallertauer Tradition hops and some of the finest imported malts including malted wheat from Germany, caramel malts from France, and a dash of English chocolate malt. It was then fermented with a unique Hefeweizen yeast strain.
Technically, the beer was brewed with 13 different ingredients - 8 different malts, 1 hop variety, water, yeast, yeast nutrient, and Irish moss. The beer also had an original gravity of 13 (well, closer to 12.8 or so, but close enough!). The result is, well, just what Scoats asked for – a dark wheat beer with a huge nose of bananas and chocolate backed up by spicy clove notes. The flavor follows suit: chocolate covered bananas with caramel up front followed by delicate layers of cinnamon-clove spice and subdued herbal hops lingering into the finish. Final ABV clocks in at 5% alcohol. This limited one-off brew will be available both at The Grey Lodge Pub and Dock Street Brewery and Restaurant starting August 15th while supplies last - about 8 or 9 kegs for both locations.
In order to properly kick off the 13th Anniversary, The Grey Lodge will be holding the Dock Street Triskaidekaphilia Wurst Breakfast at 11am on Saturday Aug. 15th. A Philadelphia take on a Munich tradition, The Grey Lodge will be serving a .5 liter of Dock Street Triskaidekaphilia Dunkel Weisse, with two sausages, and a Philly soft pretzel for one low price. Following that will be 12 other Grey Lodge events. 13 events in 13 hours? Triskaidekaphilia.
