The Brew Lounge: Delaware

Showing posts with label Delaware. Show all posts

Friday, March 01, 2019

Index + Wrap-Up of Flagship February Beers [Philadelphia edition]

Weeelllll, that was the longest 28-day month ever! I made 28 PDFs to accompany 28 posts that featured 28 flagship beers after getting in touch with 28 breweries and putting my lips on 28 beers. 14 beers were consumed at the brewery and 14 were consumed at home. Every brewery had personal input, but I had 12 in-person conversations and 2 phone conversations to aid in building the profiles. It was more than 28 beers, as you might imagine, because some got left by the wayside, but the work was put in and I wouldn't trade a day or a beer for any of it. I can't tell you how long it's been since I've been so proud to be part of a group undertaking such as this in the beer industry.

See below for the full inventory and all the links to the individual beers and features. The style breakdown is as follows: IPA/DIPA (6); German-/Czech-style Pilsner (4); German-style Lager (3); Amber/Pale Ale (3); ESB (2); Porter (2); Stout (2); Barleywine (1); Belgian-style Dubbel (1); Belgian-style Tripel (1); Kolsch (1); Saison (1); California Common/Steam (1)

And hopefully you didn't miss the real reason this all got started -- FlagshipFebruary.com. While I featured Stoudts Gold here on Feb. 21, that was also the date where my full story about the Stoudt family and the Stoudts Gold Lager was featured amongst 27 other beer writers from around the world. Our project was to bring attention to the "beers that got us here". There was representation from Europe, South America, and North America. It was an incredible honor to be listed amongst them.

Go read up on the tag-team finale posting from Stephen Beaumont and Jay Brooks, the two primary guys behind the organizational undertaking that it was to corral 28 writers for 28 consecutive days.

Then let's meet up for a beer and we can talk more about the past, the present, and the future of great beer.

Fri. Feb. 01, 2019  -   Flying Fish Abbey Dubbel  -   [Link to my Flying Fish feature]
Sat. Feb. 02, 2019  -   Conshohocken Puddlers Row ESB  -   [Link to my Conshohocken feature]
Sun. Feb. 03, 2019  -   Second District Bancroft Beer  -   [Link to my Second District feature]
Mon. Feb. 04, 2019  -   Love City Lager - [Link to my Love City feature]
Tue. Feb. 05, 2019  -   Tired Hands SaisonHands  -   [Link to my Tired Hands feature]
Wed. Feb. 06, 2019  - Victory HopDevil  -   [Link to my Victory feature]
Thu. Feb. 07, 2019  - Yards Extra Special Ale (ESA)  -   [Link to my Yards feature]
Fri. Feb. 08, 2019  - Iron Hill Pig Iron Porter  -   [Link to my Iron Hill feature]
Sat. Feb. 09, 2019   - Neshaminy Creek Trauger Pilsner -   [Link to my Neshaminy Creek feature]
Sun. Feb. 10, 2019   - Crime & Punishment Space Race IPA -   [Link to my Crime & Punishment feature]
Mon. Feb. 11, 2019   - Yuengling Black & Tan -   [Link to my Yuengling feature]
Tue. Feb. 12, 2019   - Root Down Bine IPA -   [Link to my Root Down feature]
Wed. Feb. 13, 2019   - Manayunk Monk From The 'Yunk -   [Link to my Manayunk feature]
Thu. Feb. 14, 2019   - Lancaster Milk Stout -   [Link to my Lancaster feature]
Fri. Feb. 15, 2019   - Tröegs HopBack Amber -   [Link to my Tröegs feature]
Sat. Feb. 16, 2019   - Dock Street Bohemian Pilsner -   [Link to my Dock Street feature]
Sun. Feb. 17, 2019   - La Cabra Hipster Catnip IPA -   [Link to my La Cabra feature]
Mon. Feb. 18, 2019   - Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot -   [Link to my Weyerbacher feature]
Tue. Feb. 19, 2019   - Workhorse Vienna Lager -   [Link to my Workhorse feature]
Wed. Feb. 20, 2019   - 2SP Baby Bob Stout -   [Link to my 2SP feature]
Thu. Feb. 21, 2019   - Stoudts Gold Lager - [Link to my Stoudts feature]
Fri. Feb. 22, 2019   - Free Will The Kragle IPA -   [Link to my Free Will feature]
Sat. Feb. 23, 2019   - Sly Fox Pikeland Pils -   [Link to my Sly Fox feature]
Sun. Feb. 24, 2019   - East Branch Der Bach -   [Link to my East Branch feature]
Mon. Feb. 25, 2019   - Philadelphia Brewing Kenzinger Beer -   [Link to my Philadelphia Brewing feature]
Tue. Feb. 26, 2019   - Sterling Pig Big Gunz Double IPA -   [Link to my Sterling Pig feature]
Wed. Feb. 27, 2019   - Anchor Steam Beer -   [Link to my Anchor feature]
Thu. Feb. 28, 2019   - Sierra Nevada Pale Ale  -   [Link to my Sierra Nevada feature]

© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Index of Flagship February Beers [Philadelphia edition]

Welcome to the home page of my Flagship February endeavors. Each day during February 2019, I'll share a featured Flagship beer from the greater Philadelphia area, along with a few from outside the market. Ambitious? I tend to do that sort of thing.

If you missed the intro to this, check back via this link to my preceding post for all the details.

This post will serve as the index page for each beer I feature. In some cases, I expect you'll say something like "duh, yeah, that's still a great beer" and in other cases, you might say "wow, I haven't thought about that in a while and I didn't even know they're still making it."

Either way, I hope you enjoy this daily feature. (As you can imagine, there was just a bit of work that went into this, but all for the love of it, my friends, all for the love!) I'll be focusing not only on the older breweries across eastern Pennsylvania, southern NJ, and Delaware that helped get us to where we are today, but those younger ones as well (those with Flagships, of course) for whom they laid the groundwork. And, I hope that it inspires you to order one of these next time you see it on a list at its home brewery on at a bar.

I'll reveal the brewery and beer names as each day passes, showing you the style spectrum for the time being. Oh, and hey, let's not make this one-sided, whether you agree or think I'm off my rocker, let me know in the comments or on social media.

Fri. Feb. 01, 2019  -   Flying Fish Abbey Dubbel  -   [Link to my Flying Fish feature]
Sat. Feb. 02, 2019  -   Conshohocken Puddlers Row ESB  -   [Link to my Conshohocken feature]
Sun. Feb. 03, 2019  -   Second District Bancroft Beer  -   [Link to my Second District feature]
Mon. Feb. 04, 2019  -   Love City Lager - [Link to my Love City feature]
Tue. Feb. 05, 2019  -   Tired Hands SaisonHands  -   [Link to my Tired Hands feature]
Wed. Feb. 06, 2019  - Victory HopDevil  -   [Link to my Victory feature]
Thu. Feb. 07, 2019  - Yards Extra Special Ale (ESA)  -   [Link to my Yards feature]
Fri. Feb. 08, 2019  - Iron Hill Pig Iron Porter  -   [Link to my Iron Hill feature]
Sat. Feb. 09, 2019   - Neshaminy Creek Trauger Pilsner -   [Link to my Neshaminy Creek feature]
Sun. Feb. 10, 2019   - Crime & Punishment Space Race IPA -   [Link to my Crime & Punishment feature]
Mon. Feb. 11, 2019   - Yuengling Black & Tan -   [Link to my Yuengling feature]
Tue. Feb. 12, 2019   - Root Down Bine IPA -   [Link to my Root Down feature]
Wed. Feb. 13, 2019   - Manayunk Monk From The 'Yunk -   [Link to my Manayunk feature]
Thu. Feb. 14, 2019   - Lancaster Milk Stout -   [Link to my Lancaster feature]
Fri. Feb. 15, 2019   - Tröegs HopBack Amber -   [Link to my Tröegs feature]
Sat. Feb. 16, 2019   - Dock Street Bohemian Pilsner -   [Link to my Dock Street feature]
Sun. Feb. 17, 2019   - La Cabra Hipster Catnip IPA -   [Link to my La Cabra feature]
Mon. Feb. 18, 2019   - Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot -   [Link to my Weyerbacher feature]
Tue. Feb. 19, 2019   - Workhorse Vienna Lager -   [Link to my Workhorse feature]
Wed. Feb. 20, 2019   - 2SP Baby Bob Stout -   [Link to my 2SP feature]
Thu. Feb. 21, 2019   - Stoudts Gold Lager - [Link to my Stoudts feature]
Fri. Feb. 22, 2019   - Free Will The Kragle IPA -   [Link to my Free Will feature]
Sat. Feb. 23, 2019   - Sly Fox Pikeland Pils -   [Link to my Sly Fox feature]
Sun. Feb. 24, 2019   - East Branch Der Bach -   [Link to my East Branch feature]
Mon. Feb. 25, 2019   - Philadelphia Brewing Kenzinger Beer -   [Link to my Philadelphia Brewing feature]
Tue. Feb. 26, 2019   - Sterling Pig Big Gunz Double IPA -   [Link to my Sterling Pig feature]
Wed. Feb. 27, 2019   - Anchor Steam Beer -   [Link to my Anchor feature]
Thu. Feb. 28, 2019   - Sierra Nevada Pale Ale  -   [Link to my Sierra Nevada feature]

Saturday, June 02, 2018

Dogfish Head - still going and still growing

While Dogfish Head is on my mind, particularly after dabbling in its Philly Beer Week annual collaboration with a Belgian brewer — in this year's case, it was Browerij De Brabandere — it reminded me to pass along one of the more recent press releases I've received. This one announcing the current status of DFH's growth in its home state of Delaware over the last three years. If you visit Rehoboth Beach, you likely are already aware. If not, read on.

Dogfish Head Celebrates Completion of Three-Year Journey Bringing Together all the Goodness in Rehoboth
Opening of new courtyard, merchandise store and brewing and distilling systems

Rehoboth Beach, Del., May 29, 2018 – After 23 years of serving original beers and spirits, wood-fired food and world-class music, Dogfish Head is embarking on a new era of creating more goodness as they celebrate the completion of a three-year journey at the location where it originally began on Rehoboth Ave. The beautifully landscaped courtyard, new brewhouse and distillery operations, and Off-Centered EmPOURium store is the final stage in bringing together the downtown restaurants, Brewings & Eats – an off-centered brewpub, and Chesapeake & Maine – a geographically inspired seafood restaurant, and establishing it as the heart for all things Dogfish.

The project commenced in 2015 when they first began construction on Chesapeake & Maine, then went on to build a new, world-class Brewings & Eats in the former parking area. Dogfish then tore down the original pub to make way for the new courtyard and operational enhancements. “From the world-class stage to the killer brewing and distilling program, guests can truly experience 360° of Dogfish in the same place we first began our story in 1995 as the smallest craft brewery in America,” says Sam Calagione, CEO and founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. “I’m most proud that over the years we’ve been successful in building our Rehoboth restaurant brands as top beer destinations in the Mid-Atlantic region, and by coming together, and connecting our beer, food, spirits, music and merchandise – we can provide a world-class, panoramic, multi-sensory experience for folks to enjoy at our downtown properties.”

The charmingly landscaped, dog-friendly outdoor patio area seats 36 guests and serves as a passageway connecting Brewings & Eats and Chesapeake & Maine. The menu offers a full selection of food and drink offerings from the pub. With a rustic wooden exterior and large glass windows framing the courtyard, the gathering space offers behind-the-scenes views into the brewing and distilling production areas along with allowing guests to see bartenders and mixologists serving drinks and chatting up customers through the windows of both restaurants. Nestled in the corner of the patio is a beautiful, 14-barrel mash tun dating from the late 90s. Handcrafted in the UK, this wooden relic was Calagione’s dream mash tun back in the day when he first opened the doors for business in Rehoboth. When the opportunity to purchase the brewing equipment became available, Calagione jumped at the chance to bring it home to Dogfish and plans to incorporate it into the off-centered outdoor garden as a beer-inspired rain barrel of sorts.

The new, fully-manual five-barrel brewhouse system includes five fermentation tanks and five serving tanks. These enhancements allow for increased brewing production capacity enabling Bryan Selders, Dogfish Head Brewing Ambassador, the ability to create a significantly higher volume of ingredient-driven, inventive brewpub exclusives. The new 50-gallon still allows Graham Hamblett, Lead Distiller at Dogfish Head Distilling Co., to experiment with creating culinary-inspired spirits which will be served at the Rehoboth restaurants.

To celebrate the opening, Dogfish Head Distilling Co. is debuting Lemon & Peppercorn Vodka, a spirit that captures the essence of both restaurants as it contains the quintessential seafood seasoning found at Chesapeake & Maine, with a wood fire smoked twist done at Brewings & Eats. Using Analog Vodka as the base, they distill dried lemon peel and a medley of peppercorns. This citrus-peppery spirit is used to macerate hand-sliced, wood-fire grilled lemons from Brewings & Eats. Lemon & Peppercorn Vodka will be exclusively available in the restaurants.

For those looking to take a little bit of the Dogfish Head universe home, guests can swing into the Off-Centered EmPOURium to purchase Dogfish merchandise, including exclusive Rehoboth t-shirts, hoodies and hats. Folks can also find keychains, stickers, coasters and glassware. Keeping the spirit alive from the original Brewings & Eats, the counter top in the Off-Centered EmPOURium is the old bar top from the 1995 pub. Bike racks and stroller parking are also available.

For more information about Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, Chesapeake & Maine and the Off-Centered EmPOURium, visit dogfish.com.

Dogfish Head:
Dogfish Head has proudly been focused on brewing beers with culinary ingredients outside the Reinheitsgebot since the day it opened as the smallest American craft brewery 23 years ago. Dogfish Head has grown into a top-20 craft brewery and has won numerous awards throughout the years including Wine Enthusiast’s 2015 Brewery of the Year and the James Beard Foundation Award for 2017 Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional. It is a 300+ coworker company based in Delaware with Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, an off-centered brewpub and distillery, Chesapeake & Maine, a geographically enamored seafood restaurant, Dogfish Inn, a beer-themed inn on the harbor and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, a production brewery and distillery featuring a tasting room and food truck. Dogfish Head supports the Independent Craft Brewing Seal, the definitive icon for American craft breweries to identify themselves to be independently-owned and carries the torch of transparency, brewing innovation and the freedom of choice originally forged by brewing community pioneers. Dogfish Head currently sells beer in 42 states and Washington D.C. and will expand into additional states in 2018. For more information, visit www.dogfish.com, Facebook: @dogfishheadbeer, Twitter: @dogfishbeer, and Instagram: dogfishhead.

© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2018. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com

Monday, December 28, 2015

2015 Year-end Clearout Special

These last couple of years have been, well, something else. So much so that as I was putting the wraps on my ten-year-commemorative postings the other day, I decided to clean up the many dozens of unpublished drafts of material that I'd begun throughout the years but never ultimately shared with you. Many involved pictures, many others were news events and/or op-ed style responses to the news.

Some don't matter anymore and have therefore been deleted in an effort to begin 2016 with zero previously unpublished material. The rest I'm including in random order below as a laundry list of things you may find interesting that were stewing around in my draft folder for way too long — some bits since 2008!

Now, with this piece of the deck cleared, I can begin 2016 clean and fresh and ready to get this ship writed [sic] in the Year of the Return of the Independent Beer Blog.

Pyramid Beers. They sent me some in 2009. I drank them. I liked them. The Haywire especially. I probably did some social posting about it and lo-and-behold, they later win a Gold medal for it at the Great American Beer Festival. Something similar happened last year with Four Seasons in western Pa. and their Dark Side Oatmeal Stout winning a GABF silver medal. I do what I can...

In the Aughts' middle years, I found myself in Texas (esp. Dallas metro area) quite a bit. I've long known of the Flying Saucer chain of nearly 20 beer bars across the south from other cities where I've stumbled in and out of. This was my first visit to the Addison, Tex. location. Some pictures if you please...

February of 2008 found me in northern California (as do many Februaries as my travel log will testify) and at the 20th anniversary party of Celebrator Magazine. As the handful of pictures below suggest, it was a splendid time. The rest of the photos can be found over at Picasa via this link. Below, you'll see The Trappist in Oakland, only recently opened at that time. In my unfinished posting, I described it as a new Belgian bar in an unlikely place (Oakland, which at the time was beginning to pull increasingly more habitants over from skyrocketing real estate of San Francisco) with a high ceiling, yet cozy feel and a small, but great list of beers. They're still doing it well eight years later.

Ah yes, Pittsburgh. Every year sees me there at least once for work, hockey, running, or beer. Well, let's be honest, beer is included in every trip. In 2008, you may recall a Flyers/Penguins playoff series. I negotiated a little wager of beer from brewers and bar owners between the two cities and, well, I needed to make the cross-state trip to pay up. The settlement was made at the rather new Bocktown Beer & Grill in Robinson Township, near the Pittsburgh airport. It still exists (along with its sister location in Monaca) as one of the beer destinations in the Pittsburgh region. The first four pictures below are from Bocktown and the last seven from the Creekside location of the Sharp Edge Beer Emporium.

Back to Dallas again. This time, a handful of pictures from the Dallas location - est. 1992 - of the Ginger Man mini-chain of beer bars. No longer associated with the NYC and Conn. ones, this one in the McKinney section of the Big D is one of six in Texas. One of my favorite bar settings/atmospheres. A comfortable two-story homey feel inside a likewise comfortable backyard. At the time, there was a bartender named Courtney Love; I made her show me her driver's license to prove it.

Then there's the pride of Victory and Chester County, Richard Ruch, Amish Rob, and Co., at the center of this Oktoberfest-themed video.

And while on the topic of videos, there's this short episode that I'd forgotten completely about that I stumbled upon live at Monk's Cafe in Philly back in 2010.

Keeping with the lighter theme of things, yes let's please do remember TO NOT BE A DOUCHE. I'm pretty much on board with 100% of all of these and even throughout my entire book researching, writing, promoting, and selling have always endeavored to keep them in mind. Yet, there does seem to be a disturbingly growing minority of them.

From 2010 at Brauhaus Schmitz on South Street in Philly, this German-themed beer dinner with owner Matthias Trum of Aecht Schlenkerla still ranks as one of my favorite and most informative beer dinners ever attended. Pictures here via this link and video below of a very engaged Trum.

Love was in the air at McKenzie Brew House?

Ray Deter passed away in 2011. He was central to the success of dba in NYC and New Orleans where the beer, wine, tequila, and whiskey were way ahead of the curve. I'd copied down Tom Peters' (Monk's Cafe) sentiments that he'd posted on the website while Deter was still in the hospital. Perfect words for a man that certainly left his mark on the world of great beverages...

"Ray is a beer pioneer…dba was one of the first real beer bars on the East Coast....I remember sitting on dba's back patio one early Fall evening a few years ago with Ray, Dennis and beer writer, Michael Jackson. We were discussing jazz, beer, wine, and of course, talking some smack about Philly vs New York as the better beer town. Ray has always been delusional in thinking that New York has it going on beer-wise. Michael and I felt that Philly was the ultimate beer town in the US....Ray is the consummate host. He makes everyone feel at home, from the casual beer drinker to the most obsessive beer geek....Ray was beer before beer was cool."

This was weird. But maybe nothing compared to the litigation looniness of today.

This, on the other hand, was fun and informative. Iron Hill only had nine locations and Bob Barrar was not yet at 2SP Brewing Company.

These were enlightening quotes from 16 Mile Brewing Company in Georgetown, Del. circa 2012. I should check back now, four years later, and see how they match up with what I learned and captured in my book...
"We are bold sessionable ales with a strong local feel....They are all English in heritage but with a America craft beer style. We are going to do two very interesting things that really set us apart. One is a whole series of beers for charity, one a year round brand the others will be limited edition....We have a stage for political speakers, live small bands, chefs, to even farmers a soap showcase to talk and people to learn. We are asking people to come in and unplug and talk with others and learn....We even have kitchen prep area so gourmet chef can come by and prepare killer foods for guests....The goal of this brewery is to really just me a local beer for people living within around a hundred miles of us, and that is it. We do not even want to go to Philly, DC, or even in Baltimore where we are we want to be small there so we can be big in the other markets."

In 2013, I was attempting to get caught up — sort of like I'm trying to do again here. Here are some links back to The "Intro", Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, and Part VIII.

I had at least four more installments focused on other parts of the country that I never got around to. You'll find them scattered around this posting — Dallas; Pittsburgh; NYC, Washington DC; etc.

Oh, right. Speaking of Washington, DC. This was in the time roughly of 2009-2010...

(White House portico)

(WH from Pa Ave)

(Straffe Hendrik at Brasserie Beck)

(Antigoon made for BB by Brouwerij De Musketiers)

(Troubador at Brasserie Beck)

(Antigoon...made for BB by Brouwerij De Musketiers)

(ChurchKey)

(Fried mac and cheese egg rolls at ChurchKey)

How about Virginia? Yes, Virginia. Back in 2012, I "discovered" Hardywood Park on edge of Richmond and VCU's campus. Not sure I ever shared with you and am not going back to check. Here are a few pictures that begin to show off this very special East Coast brewery with what should be a very promising future.

Let's also not leave out Providence, RI. Not sure I've praised Julians (est. 1994) in print, certainly to many of you in person, but these pictures come from 2010 and Julians continues to still represent as well as ever today. If I had pictures, I'd also share my love for Track 84, just across the street and down a short almost alley-like road from the airport. Alas, though, not only are my pictures nonexistent, this last summer also saw them close. Bummer and a loss for the local beer scene for sure.

I began to take on the craft vs. crafty debate across many paragraphs and pages, but then wasn't satisfied that it really mattered enough to me. This was the hub-bub of 2012 and showcased the pains of growing in an industry segment like this one. And if I couldn't get it to matter enough to me, I wasn't going to share it with you. But, here are a few words that I salvaged...

"They've made a list (and presumably checked it twice) and cited the naughty list of those that are not craft brewers....Fact is, or at least I believe that most will take this as fact, even some of our darling micro-est of microbreweries look anything like a "hand-crafted" brewery when you step into their operations....in the sense of what happens when Boston Beer, Dogfish Head, Victory, New Belgium, or any of the others beginning butting up against the BA-defined six million barrel threshold? (Which, by the way, used to be only 15,000 barrels. Recall those quaint, old days?)....As the aging "craft" brewing industry begins to look at succession plans, not to mention as more of the "macros" want to buy into the "craft" segment and their big money is too much for some to turn down, regardless of how true to the original recipes and mission statements the "craft" brewer remains....I've taken a lot of words here (hopefully) to point out that this is all beyond inside baseball for most and silly to many. Some predict that if the beer geeks grab a hold of this, the damage could be worse than predicted....What does craft really mean anyway? What does it mean to you?"

Well, that seems as good a place as any to end. My draft folder is cleaned out and I'm ready to begin 2016 anew and without the ghosts of draft posts past.

That was fun for me and a bit healthy going through that cleanse and purge! Have you enjoyed any of this or has this all left you rather (un)comfortably numb?!

Friday, July 24, 2015

Stewart's Big Blowout Festival is tomorrow - so here's a fun look back

Here on the eve of the 20th Anniversary Festival at Stewart's Brewing Company in Bear, Del. my tunneling around the archives of The Brew Lounge uncovered these goodies that will help get you in the proper state of mind for the party.

First up, circa 2008, an interview with Ric Hoffman - brewer of roughly 15 years at Stewart's - one of the self-determined better interviews that I did over the years. Maybe not; but you be the judge.

Then, let's take a short musical interlude courtesy, once again, of Mr. Hoffman. Trust me, this doesn't disappoint.

Lastly, let's check back a mere five years ago to see how Stewart's celebrated the big 1-5.

Saturday, October 04, 2014

List of 2014 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) winners in DE / MD / NJ / PA

Depending upon when you read this, the title might be a bit of a gotchya. If you're reading this before dinnertime on Saturday, Oct. 4, the list may not be complete. (Though, it may also depend upon when you consider dinnertime.)

Nonetheless, as the annual awards are doled out at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver today, I will keep as real-time as possible updated list of winners from what my upcoming book (pre-order plug) will cover: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware.

The festival and concurrent judging is bigger than ever. And, with an industry sporting more brewers with more beers than ever, the competition has never been greater. During the three-day festival, the organizers at Brewers Association estimate roughly 49,000 attendees will cross the convention center floor to visit nearly 800 breweries and their 3,500+ beers. 5,507 beers from every state are being judged by around 222 judges who are tasked to award medals in 90 categories. Good luck to all and enjoy the post parties.

Delaware
Silver
Indigenous/Regional Beer — Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, Choc Lobster, Rehoboth Beach
Pumpkin Beer — Dominion Brewing Company, Spiced Harvest, Dover

Maryland
Gold
Smoke Beer — Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Rauchbier, Annapolis

Silver
American-Belgo-Style Ale — Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Belgian IPA, Rockville
German-style Sour Ale — Union Craft Brewing Company, Old Pro Gose, Baltimore

Bronze
Chocolate Beer — DuClaw Brewing Company, Sweet Baby Jesus!, Rosedale
Golden or Blonde Ale — Heavy Seas Beer, Gold, Halethorpe

New Jersey
Gold
Classic English-Style Pale Ale — Flying Fish Brewing Company, HopFish, Somerdale
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout — Kane Brewing Company, A Night To End All Dawns, Ocean

Silver
Extra Special Bitter — Flying Fish Brewing Company, RedFish, Somerdale
Belgian-style Tripel — Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Bedotter, Maple Shade

Pennsylvania
Gold
Baltic-style Porter — Earth Bread + Brewery, Perkuno's Hammer, Philadelphia
Old Ale or Strong Ale — Fegley's Brew Works, Artic Alchemy, Allentown
Belgian- and French-style Ale — Sly Fox Brewing Company, Grisette, Pottstown
Bock — Tröegs Brewing Company, Troegenator, Hershey
Belgian-style Tripel — Victory Brewing Company, Golden Monkey, Downingtown

Silver
Oatmeal Stout — Four Seasons Brewing Company, Dark Side Of The Pint, Latrobe
Rye Beer — Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Rye Of The Tiger, Media

Bronze
Belgian- and French-style Ale — Barren Hill Tavern & Brewery, Barren Hill Biere de Extra, Lafayette Hill
German-style Sour Ale — Fegley's Brew Works, Berliner Weiss, Allentown
English-Style India Pale Ale — Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Burton IPA, Media
Bock — Triumph Brewing Company, Winterbock, New Hope
Historical Beer — Yards Brewing Company, Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce, Philadelphia

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Beer and Bocce and Iron Hill

Beer and Bocce at Iron Hill-Wilmington

Not much to add other than it was a near perfect day to be lounging around with a long list of great beer from local breweries at the Wilmington site of Iron Hill. Summer Love (Victory), Black Raspberry (Sly Fox), Pilsner (Fordham), Ich Bin Ein Berliner Weisse (Nodding Head), and even a Chai Tea Porter (from Brian Finn, host brewer at IH-Wilmington) were some of the memorables of the day.

With their outdoor patio and lawn, it made for great sitting, socializing, and drinking for people and (our) dogs alike.

Nice to see Ric Hoffman (Natalie and Sage too) from Stewart's. Even nicer to see him win. Strange though how I didn't capture him in any pictures. But, then again it was strange that I forgot the camera battery on the charger. No worries, that what the "simple cameras" are for :)

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Mostly Iron Hill news

Haven't checked in with our favorite Beer Lass in a while. Here's what she's helped a) catch me up on, and b) remind me for later this week.

While I was out: it's difficult to trade anything for a weekend of gallivanting through NYC, but it wasn't easy missing the annual Iron Hill Bocce Challenge at the Wilmington Waterfront. Nodding Head won again - wrap-up and pictures at Suzy's site.

In two days: Celebrate Iron Hill and see if Medal Machine Bob can pull a Nodding Head and defend his title. What title is that, you ask? Well, Suzy's reminder post (complete with all 8 IH beers that will be pouring) had me digging through the archives whereupon I found one of the more enjoyable pieces that I put together.

Read about Iron Hill at Earth Bread + Brewery last February. Lots of snow and lots of fun with great beer and people.

I've already predicted which I think will kick first. That said, don't come on Thursday; I don't want it to be too crowded ;-)

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Wilmington Beer Week: Domaine Hudson's Belgian Beer Tasting, 7/10/11

Note: For more about Wilmington Beer Week, a mini wrap-up of a Belgian Beer Tasting at Domaine Hudson's, and pictures, head over to The Washington Times Communities section, where I filed a column.

On almost-a-whim, we took a lovely drive to Wilmington last Sunday. It was the second day of its inaugural Beer Week and I figured if there'd be any day I stood a shot from July 9-16 of taking in an event, it would be that particular Sunday.

We saw on the event schedule that there was a nice looking $25 Belgian Beer Tasting event at Domaine Hudson, on the northern edge of downtown. I like the idea of checking out places that don't automatically sound like the typical beer spots to see how they approach beer and beer events.

Tom Hudson, owner of Domaine Hudson, got into the restaurant business around six years ago after toiling at the desk as a CPA for twenty-odd years. Big into wine, he ventured into beer nearly two years ago.

Now he and ten or so other restaurant-focused establishments banded together for Wilmington Beer Week from July 9-16. Some might ask, as did I, where one of the city's originals — Iron Hill — was in the mix of WBW (doesn't quite flow off the tongue like PBW, y'think?). The answer only matters based on whom you speak with, but suffice to say that this was WBW's first crack at a Beer Week and we may be able to better judge the long-term viability after a second year under its belt. My own personal opinion says that Wilmington Beer Week can not truly be Wilmington without Iron Hill included.

In any case, firkin pourings, beer dinners, celebrity spotting (he of Calagione fame, e.g.), classes, and meet 'n' greets are ruling the 24-event week thirty miles south of Philly.

That's enough, go read the rest and check out the other pictures over at The Washington Times Communities section where I filed the rest of the story.