Dr. Joel Armato, a 'doctor' with a different discipline. He's a 'Beer Ambassador' for New Holland Brewing and he's our own from here in the Philadelphia suburbs. But that, by no means, hems him in. His territory takes him to the western stretches of this State, down to the Carolinas, and so many other places in between and not.
He's been following the scent of great beer and food for many years now and has met many interesting folks along the way.
Last year, he attempted to document everything he ate throughout the year. Everything!
This year he's taken on the challenge of posting an interview each Friday with an interesting person that he's met in his beer travels.
Go check it out. Each one is worth the 5-ish minutes that it will take to read. In this short-attention span era that we live in, it will be good for you :)
Here is a list below of whom he's interviewed through almost the halfway point this year. In my opinion, the great thing about this list is that there are names that you recognize on there and there are names, I guarantee, that you will not recognize. More praise for those not in the direct and bright spotlight of the industry, but play a significant role nonetheless.
Stay tuned in coming weeks as he promises to reveal bits about me that you may find surprising....if I first respond to him.
~ Matt Simpson
~ Jason Ingram
~ Nancy Maddaloni
~ Jon Brandt
~ Gina Talley
~ Dan Becker
~ David Turley
~ Stan Hieronymus
~ David Gonzalez
~ Darrin Pikarsky
~ An Bui
~ Sean Lily Wilson
~ Billy Mellon
~ Dean Browell
~ John Haggerty
~ Audra Marotta
~ Maaike Brender A Brandis
~ Dustin Walker
~ Erik Lars Myers
Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
All Station Taproom. All Great.
This is my mondo Station Taproom review with a little bit of everything — Beer Dinner Event, Anniversary Party, Interview.
In a way, it's a huge make-up posting for all that I've missed writing about at Sean's place over the past year. Hope it all makes sense by the time I finish spilling it out here.
The Background
Station Taproom was opened in April 2010 by Sean McGettigan, formerly of The Drafting Room in Exton, and his business partner who has since left the partnership. Based on conversations with both Sean and some of his regular customers, most would argue that the Taproom has hit its stride and is turning out food, beer, and good times better than ever as it celebrates its first anniversary.
The Trois Enfants Beer Dinner
First up, the Trois Enfants Beer Dinner on March 27 featured beers from three rising stars on the Philadelphia brewing scene: Jean Broillet (currently of Iron Hill, soon to be opening his own Tired Hands Brewing Company); Ryan Michaels (numerous award-winning brewer at the growing McKenzie Brew House); and Jon Defibaugh (brewer at Earth Bread + Brewery).
They may call themselves the 'three children', but the beers they brew individually as well as collaboratively are anything but juvenile. All three demonstrate a deftness for skilled brewing, particularly the not-so-typical beers.
Defibaugh and his boss at Earth, Tom Baker, make a pointed effort to rarely brew the same beer, constantly incorporating combinations of hops, yeast, and assorted other ingredients for spicing the beer differently than most beer drinkers are accustomed to.
Michaels, in his 5+ years at McKenzie, has blossomed into a superbly-skilled head brewer soon to be overseeing production at three locations along the Route 202 corridor in Chester County. His Saison Vautour has won GABF gold in three of the past four years and his constantly rotating specialty menu of beers keeps regulars as well as newcomers to McKenzie interested and delighted in his very well-made beers.
Broillet's success has been well-documented from his early days at Weyerbacher to the past five or so years brewing at Iron Hill's West Chester location. He loves himself some hoppy beers and some farmhouse ales. Those will be two primary areas of focus at his Tired Hands Brewery coming soon to Ardmore, Pa.
The three brewed a beer called Trois Enfants, which can be loosely described as a dark saison. Upon arrival at Station Taproom for the beer dinner, guests mingled with a glass of this tasty beer with a generous dosage of malted rye, weighing in at just under 7% ABV.
The dinner was held on a Sunday, beginning at 4 p.m.— which, by the way, I consider a stroke of genius and a start time that I'd like to see others follow. After owner Sean McGettigan officially welcomed the sold-out room of dining guests, Jean described the concept for the dinner, described the first couple of beers, and we were off and running.
But, the dinner never felt like a sprint, nor like a snooze. Chef Tim Smith talked about each course along the way next to the brewer and his beer being served at each course. Smith proved that he can not only balance a busy, and small, kitchen while conducting a beer dinner for roughly 40 people, but he can adroitly work the crowd with ease as well. It's obvious that Chef Tim has made friends in the dining room during his time thus far at the Taproom.
Two of the most important aspects that many, and I, value in a beer dinner are pacing and interaction. The many individuals involved in this undertaking collectively nailed both. The interaction with the attendees, I already discussed. The pacing, though, was remarkable given that this was the first major beer dinner event undertaken by Sean, Tim, and the staff at Station Taproom. Each course was roughly separated by 20-30 minutes and the presentation and mood in the room was so perfectly relaxed to make for an enjoyable dinner all around.
But, yes, what about the food and beer you may ask? I'll bet you thought I'd never get to it. It's not a stretch, and maybe a bit easy to say, that each of the dishes and the beers in and of themselves were very well done. As for pairings, the first course of salad greens with a spicy chorizo went real nicely with the hop aroma and spiciness of Broillet's Hop Hands.
Yet, the beer and cheese pairing (a point in the beer dinner that can really shine) may have taken top honors for pairing at this dinner. For my palate, the Birchrun Hills Fat Cat and the McKenzie Irma created the most pair-worthy (or 'funk'-worthy?) combination. In northern Chester County, this farm and this brewery are two can't misses.
The party, even after the dinner was officially over, did not want to stop. The early start time allowed guests to stay for 1 or 3 or 5 or more beers to continue the casual celebration until it was time to finally head home. Sean, Tim, and staff hung around as well to the delight of all.
(see the end of this posting for a full dinner menu description)
>> The picture gallery gives you a glimpse into the people, the plates, and the beers of the evening.
The 1st Anniversary Party
On Saturday, April 23, Station Taproom hosted great beers for its great customer base developed over the past year. There's actually not much to say about the anniversary event since they basically did what they've done for the last 12 months — that is, serve great beer and locally-sourced plates of interesting food in a comfortable environment. Anything more, and I'd just be making up words for the sake of adding words.
Well, I do feel compelled to at least mention one of my favorite beers, hailing from Montreal, Dieu de Ciel's Péché Mortel, which made an appearance on tap and I'd like to thank everyone for complying with my wishes to leave some on tap for me when I arrived late in the afternoon. A draft rarity, to be sure, and a mighty tasty one at that.
>> Click over to Picasa for a gallery of some photos from the anniversary party.
The Interview — A Look Back
This is my first major foray into video. As many of you know, I'm quite enamored with the Kodak video recorder that I picked up last year prior to our European trip. It appeared to me to be a better value than the popular Flip camera, and thus far has not let me down.
I stopped by Station Taproom the day prior to the 1st Anniversary Party and took some time to interview owner Sean McGettigan. I was originally aiming for 5-7 minutes, but as things tend to go around here it stretched out — to the tune of around 12 minutes. For future interviews, I'll work to corral myself and the questions in order to keep the duration (and your attention spans) under control.
Plus, the audio may have been better served if I'd used an external microphone. You should be able to hear most of the interview, but there are times when ambient noise from the bar and kitchen can be heard in the background.
Enough apologies...
All in all, though, it was nice to sit down with McGettigan to pause for a look back on his last 12 months of operation in Downingtown, Pa. living out one of his long time dreams.
Trois Enfants Beer Dinner Menu
Welcome Beer — Trois Enfants
First Course — Winter Greens and Chorizo Salad
paired with Tired Hands Hop Hands
Second Course — Espresso & Chili Rubbed Pork Loin
paired with Earth Bread & Brewery Libertine Black Lager
Third Course — Cheese Plate (provided by Birchrun Hills Farm)
paired with McKenzie Brew House Irma Extra
Fourth Course — Sticky Toffee Pudding
paired with Tired Hands Desert
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Q&A with Jose Garces and Garrett Oliver
Ten years ago, Jose Garces was part of the growing Stephen Starr empire of Philadelphia restaurants. He was barely thirty years of age and was making a name for himself in the culinary world.
Not quite 40, Garces is now growing his own empire of restaurants in Philadelphia. In just the last five years, he has opened seven restaurants in the city and has been named Iron Chef on The Food Network, which he can count amongst numerous other accolades.
Ten years ago, Garrett Oliver was continuing to grow the Brooklyn Brewery reputation for well-crafted American beer and furthering his own reputation in the intersecting culinary world. He was in the midst of finalizing what many would come to call a hallmark book, The Brewmaster's Table, and traveling the world in search of great beer and food, spreading the message along the way.
Tomorrow night, January 20, 2011, these two larger-than-life figures in the world of food and beverage come together at Garces' Chifa Restaurant in Philadelphia to create a six-course, chocolate-themed dinner. This dinner was originally scheduled in August 2010. The postponement gave guests another five months to even more eagerly anticipate this dinner.
I recently had the opportunity to ask questions of both Garces and Oliver and the conversation follows below. Thanks to Jennie Hatton of Profile PR for facilitating this Q&A.
Check back next week for a full wrap-up of what promises to be a memorable dinner. Until then, you can check out the planned menu via this link. And, by the way, if you're thinking you'd like to still get in on this dinner, the restaurant has said that they began working a waiting list in light of a few cancellations--so, you may wish to call the restaurant.
Bryan Kolesar/The Brew Lounge: How much time did the two of you personally spend together constructing this dinner?
Jose Garces: I've wanted to collaborate with Brooklyn Brewery ever since we started our beer dinners at Chifa. In terms of menu planning and coordinating our schedules, it was a challenge to bring two such busy people together--it took several months to get everything lined up and settled on a date that worked for us both.
TBL: Do you have a history together or has this been the most you've worked together to-date? Where did the idea for this dinner event come from?
Jose: Philadelphia is a beer-loving town, and we've hosted a very successful series of beer dinners at Chifa, pairing our Latin-Asian cuisine with various craft beers, rather than wines, to introduce our guests to the delicious potential of artisanal beer and how beautifully it complements food. Brooklyn Brewery was a natural choice, both because they're located relatively nearby and because I've always been a fan of their beers. Garrett and I previously worked together on a successful, sold-out beer dinner at Amada, and I'm thrilled to work with him again.
Garrett Oliver: It happened pretty quickly by e-mail. Unusually, though, at our last beer dinner together at Amada, Jose spent almost the whole beer dinner at our table, which was nice.
TBL: Chocolate jumps out as an obvious theme in this dinner. Where did this particular inspiration come from?
Jose: Both Garrett and I use chocolate in unusual ways, and when we started conceptualizing the menu for this meal we found that we both had chocolate components in mind - so we ran with it as a theme from there.
TBL: Was there much taste-testing to prove out the concept?
Garrett: It wasn't necessary, because I've eaten at Chifa a number of times--I understand chef's approach to flavor.
TBL: Are there other inspirations/themes in the menu that we may not pick up on?
Jose: I think the driving influence behind the whole meal is coupling flavorful food with flavorful beer - exploring how they can highlight each others' tastes and make the meal more satisfying.
TBL: You've got quite a resume to your name and Garrett literally wrote the book on Beer and Food. There's quite an excitement leading up to this dinner. What are your expectations for the night as a whole? Is there a course that you expect to be a grand slam?
Jose: I think it's going to be a very special and delicious evening. It's always great to be able to interact with my guests and share interesting food and beverage pairings with them, and I think that having Garrett on hand will make it that much more exciting.
TBL: For you personally, where do your beverage tendencies fall or are you an equal opportunity imbiber?
Jose: As with food, I'm a fan of many different beverages, from craft beer to great wine to bourbon. What I drink on a given day depends on a lot of things, including what I'm having to eat (and what I need to get done that day!).
TBL: Garrett, regarding your book which is nearing ten years since its first printing, what gaps do you feel you've left in covering the subject and are you planning a follow-up?
Garrett: Right now I'm finishing up "The Oxford Companion to Beer" which will be published this year by Oxford University Press. It will cover 1,172 subjects, and I'm editor-in-chief. After that, I think I'll just make beer for a while.
TBL: Jose, you've begun building your own resume of beer dinners. Talk about the complexities of making a "collaborative" dinner like this happen. For example, challenges, lessons learned, etc.
Jose: I'm not always available to cook personally for our beer dinners, but my chef de cuisine, Natalie Maronski, and general manager, Marc Grika, are both beer lovers who do a tremendous job of facilitating these special meals. It can be tough logistically to coordinate with a brewer and select a particular date for their event, but it's always worth it to be able to bring in extraordinary products and create a menu that spotlights them. My team and I also put in extra time to make sure that each course pairs well with the beers that the brewer has chosen to share with us, but again--it's worth it to create a menu of fun, unusual dishes.
TBL: Can you name a beer that you find the most versatile in cooking?
Jose: It depends so much on what I'm cooking that I don't think I could name just one. I'd pair totally different beers with the tapas at Tinto than with the seasonal American plates at JG Domestic.
TBL: And, Garrett, you do numerous beer dinners every year around the country. How do you expect this one to be different than any in the past?
Garrett: I like the fact that we're doing almost tapas-like small plates. The chocolate theme is unique--I've never done that before, though I've done a lot of straight "beer and chocolate" tastings. And Jose's seasoning style is balanced, but really punchy.
TBL: Do you have a favorite, or most memorable, beer dinner to-date?
Garrett: After 700 beer dinners in 10 countries, that's pretty tough. Per Se was a highlight, as was Mathias Dahlgren (Grand Hotel, Stockholm) last year. Beer dinners can be hard to compare, though - we've done great beer dinners in small neighborhood restaurants too.
TBL: Along the same lines, do you have a can't-miss beer and food pairing recommendation for newbies?
Garrett: I wrote a 360-page book about that, and you want me to pick one?! Well, you're not going to go wrong with good smoked salmon, fresh cream cheese, good bread, and a nice Belgian-style witbier, I'll tell you that.
TBL: To what level of experience and/or interest do you have in the restaurant industry/commercial kitchens?
Garrett: I cook regularly in front of audiences, but I am not a trained chef and have never cooked for a living. Two of our brewers have, though, and we've started a series of dinners where three Brooklyn brewers cook a really serious meal for about 20 people, paired with our beers.
TBL: On the other hand, Jose, do you ever have conversations about a "house beer" brewed just for GRG restaurants?
Jose: Creating or collaborating on a "house beer" is something of a dream of mine, but it can be really tough, partly because the restaurants are all so different and the menus change seasonally.
It's definitely something I'd consider, and we've dipped our toes into that pool before, bringing in new or unusual beers that are only available in Philadelphia at our restaurants, such as Inedit, a Spanish beer that we debuted exclusively at Amada.
TBL: Where/how do you feel beer shines with food and stands apart from other beverages and where do you think beer comes up short?
Jose: The incredible diversity of beer styles and flavors means that there's almost always a spot-on pairing for any given dish. The challenge, as with wine, is finding the pairing that complements both the dish and the beverage and helps you to discover new aspects of them both, without overwhelming them.
Garrett: Beer does harmonious pairing better because it has a much wider range of flavor than other beverages, from light and lemony to heavily roasted. Beer can come up short against big concentrations of sugar and/or acid, which some wines can handle more easily.
TBL: Describe a major pet peeve of yours when it comes to matter of taste.
Jose: It drives me crazy when people insist that restaurants be hyper-formal places where fun is secondary to a thousand nit-picky steps of service.
We're serving food and drinks - effectively, we're throwing a party every night! - and it should be a fun, convivial affair that leaves people satisfied and happy. There's a time and a place for fine dining, but there's also a time and a place for simple, delicious food served by people who are happy to be doing so, and that's the kind of place where I'd like to eat. The kind of place where the substance of the meal (the food) isn't overshadowed by fussy details.
TBL: Are there other areas of creative dining where you feel either people in your own kitchen or guests in the dining room don't get it and you'd like to scream "why don't you get it?!"
Jose: I've been very fortunate in my career so far that my guests have pretty much always been willing to come along with me for the ride, so to speak, starting with tapas and small-plates-style dining at Amada and right up to our daily-changing menus and meticulous ingredient sourcing at JG Domestic.
Philadelphia is a terrific place to be a chef, because diners here are pretty well educated about food and very adventurous - they're eager to eat well, and that means they're generally eager to try new things and see if they'll like them.
TBL: Speaking of pet peeves, Garrett, how do you respond to something like "pairing beer and food is pretentious"?
Garrett: The very idea is of beer pairing being "pretentious" is absurd, because the purpose of pairing is pleasure. Pleasure is never pretentious--pleasure is elemental. And such a statement pre-supposes that all beer is supposed to be simple. I like my beer the way I like my food and my music--tailored to my mood at the time. Sometimes I want foie gras, sometimes I want a greasy slice of pizza. Beer is like that too--it's a human thing.
TBL: Has cooking with beer been a part of your training and, in turn, part of your tutelage of others? Or has it been more of a recent phenomenon that has made you and other restaurateurs and chefs take notice?
Jose: The current interest in craft beers has inspired me, but I've always looked at beer as a solid choice to complement a great meal.
There's such complexity of flavor there, and it's every bit as effective as wine in enhancing a dish and making different flavors come to the forefront.
TBL: Most beer dinners tend to showcase creative cuisine from the kitchen. Have you witnessed any beer dinners featuring, how shall we say, "everyday food for the common person" that helps people with how they can work with beer in their own home kitchen and food that they might normally prepare?
Garrett: That's exactly what we do when we cook dinner for people. We make some great dishes from scratch and really feature the ease of preparation. Sometimes the chef wants to show off his or her chops by making the beer dinner a fireworks display, but it doesn't have to be. There's a lot to be said for a perfectly cooked lamb chop.
TBL: Give us a glimpse into the last meal you ate.
Garrett: Last night was a beer dinner at Colicchio & Sons. Partridge, venison, turbot, scallops, Fosterkase cheese--it was pretty awesome!
TBL: And, Jose, what does a typical night look like in your home kitchen?
Jose: We love to cook at home, which people sometimes think is strange since I cook all day for a living. But it's a family affair in our house, and dinnertime is an opportunity for all of us to come together and create something delicious while spending time together, both preparing and eating the meal. Last night, my kids and I whipped up waffles for dinner - it's one of their favorite treats to have breakfast at night, and I love that they both enjoy preparing food with me, just as I did with my mother and grandmother growing up.
TBL: Thanks very much to both of you for taking time out for this in advance of the dinner. I probably speak for all your guests when I say that I'm looking forward to an enjoyable night.
Not quite 40, Garces is now growing his own empire of restaurants in Philadelphia. In just the last five years, he has opened seven restaurants in the city and has been named Iron Chef on The Food Network, which he can count amongst numerous other accolades.
Ten years ago, Garrett Oliver was continuing to grow the Brooklyn Brewery reputation for well-crafted American beer and furthering his own reputation in the intersecting culinary world. He was in the midst of finalizing what many would come to call a hallmark book, The Brewmaster's Table, and traveling the world in search of great beer and food, spreading the message along the way.
Tomorrow night, January 20, 2011, these two larger-than-life figures in the world of food and beverage come together at Garces' Chifa Restaurant in Philadelphia to create a six-course, chocolate-themed dinner. This dinner was originally scheduled in August 2010. The postponement gave guests another five months to even more eagerly anticipate this dinner.
I recently had the opportunity to ask questions of both Garces and Oliver and the conversation follows below. Thanks to Jennie Hatton of Profile PR for facilitating this Q&A.
Check back next week for a full wrap-up of what promises to be a memorable dinner. Until then, you can check out the planned menu via this link. And, by the way, if you're thinking you'd like to still get in on this dinner, the restaurant has said that they began working a waiting list in light of a few cancellations--so, you may wish to call the restaurant.
Bryan Kolesar/The Brew Lounge: How much time did the two of you personally spend together constructing this dinner?
Jose Garces: I've wanted to collaborate with Brooklyn Brewery ever since we started our beer dinners at Chifa. In terms of menu planning and coordinating our schedules, it was a challenge to bring two such busy people together--it took several months to get everything lined up and settled on a date that worked for us both.
TBL: Do you have a history together or has this been the most you've worked together to-date? Where did the idea for this dinner event come from?
Jose: Philadelphia is a beer-loving town, and we've hosted a very successful series of beer dinners at Chifa, pairing our Latin-Asian cuisine with various craft beers, rather than wines, to introduce our guests to the delicious potential of artisanal beer and how beautifully it complements food. Brooklyn Brewery was a natural choice, both because they're located relatively nearby and because I've always been a fan of their beers. Garrett and I previously worked together on a successful, sold-out beer dinner at Amada, and I'm thrilled to work with him again.
Garrett Oliver: It happened pretty quickly by e-mail. Unusually, though, at our last beer dinner together at Amada, Jose spent almost the whole beer dinner at our table, which was nice.
TBL: Chocolate jumps out as an obvious theme in this dinner. Where did this particular inspiration come from?
Jose: Both Garrett and I use chocolate in unusual ways, and when we started conceptualizing the menu for this meal we found that we both had chocolate components in mind - so we ran with it as a theme from there.
TBL: Was there much taste-testing to prove out the concept?
Garrett: It wasn't necessary, because I've eaten at Chifa a number of times--I understand chef's approach to flavor.
TBL: Are there other inspirations/themes in the menu that we may not pick up on?
Jose: I think the driving influence behind the whole meal is coupling flavorful food with flavorful beer - exploring how they can highlight each others' tastes and make the meal more satisfying.
TBL: You've got quite a resume to your name and Garrett literally wrote the book on Beer and Food. There's quite an excitement leading up to this dinner. What are your expectations for the night as a whole? Is there a course that you expect to be a grand slam?
Jose: I think it's going to be a very special and delicious evening. It's always great to be able to interact with my guests and share interesting food and beverage pairings with them, and I think that having Garrett on hand will make it that much more exciting.
TBL: For you personally, where do your beverage tendencies fall or are you an equal opportunity imbiber?
Jose: As with food, I'm a fan of many different beverages, from craft beer to great wine to bourbon. What I drink on a given day depends on a lot of things, including what I'm having to eat (and what I need to get done that day!).
TBL: Garrett, regarding your book which is nearing ten years since its first printing, what gaps do you feel you've left in covering the subject and are you planning a follow-up?
Garrett: Right now I'm finishing up "The Oxford Companion to Beer" which will be published this year by Oxford University Press. It will cover 1,172 subjects, and I'm editor-in-chief. After that, I think I'll just make beer for a while.
TBL: Jose, you've begun building your own resume of beer dinners. Talk about the complexities of making a "collaborative" dinner like this happen. For example, challenges, lessons learned, etc.
Jose: I'm not always available to cook personally for our beer dinners, but my chef de cuisine, Natalie Maronski, and general manager, Marc Grika, are both beer lovers who do a tremendous job of facilitating these special meals. It can be tough logistically to coordinate with a brewer and select a particular date for their event, but it's always worth it to be able to bring in extraordinary products and create a menu that spotlights them. My team and I also put in extra time to make sure that each course pairs well with the beers that the brewer has chosen to share with us, but again--it's worth it to create a menu of fun, unusual dishes.
TBL: Can you name a beer that you find the most versatile in cooking?
Jose: It depends so much on what I'm cooking that I don't think I could name just one. I'd pair totally different beers with the tapas at Tinto than with the seasonal American plates at JG Domestic.
TBL: And, Garrett, you do numerous beer dinners every year around the country. How do you expect this one to be different than any in the past?
Garrett: I like the fact that we're doing almost tapas-like small plates. The chocolate theme is unique--I've never done that before, though I've done a lot of straight "beer and chocolate" tastings. And Jose's seasoning style is balanced, but really punchy.
TBL: Do you have a favorite, or most memorable, beer dinner to-date?
Garrett: After 700 beer dinners in 10 countries, that's pretty tough. Per Se was a highlight, as was Mathias Dahlgren (Grand Hotel, Stockholm) last year. Beer dinners can be hard to compare, though - we've done great beer dinners in small neighborhood restaurants too.
TBL: Along the same lines, do you have a can't-miss beer and food pairing recommendation for newbies?
Garrett: I wrote a 360-page book about that, and you want me to pick one?! Well, you're not going to go wrong with good smoked salmon, fresh cream cheese, good bread, and a nice Belgian-style witbier, I'll tell you that.
TBL: To what level of experience and/or interest do you have in the restaurant industry/commercial kitchens?
Garrett: I cook regularly in front of audiences, but I am not a trained chef and have never cooked for a living. Two of our brewers have, though, and we've started a series of dinners where three Brooklyn brewers cook a really serious meal for about 20 people, paired with our beers.
TBL: On the other hand, Jose, do you ever have conversations about a "house beer" brewed just for GRG restaurants?
Jose: Creating or collaborating on a "house beer" is something of a dream of mine, but it can be really tough, partly because the restaurants are all so different and the menus change seasonally.
It's definitely something I'd consider, and we've dipped our toes into that pool before, bringing in new or unusual beers that are only available in Philadelphia at our restaurants, such as Inedit, a Spanish beer that we debuted exclusively at Amada.
TBL: Where/how do you feel beer shines with food and stands apart from other beverages and where do you think beer comes up short?
Jose: The incredible diversity of beer styles and flavors means that there's almost always a spot-on pairing for any given dish. The challenge, as with wine, is finding the pairing that complements both the dish and the beverage and helps you to discover new aspects of them both, without overwhelming them.
Garrett: Beer does harmonious pairing better because it has a much wider range of flavor than other beverages, from light and lemony to heavily roasted. Beer can come up short against big concentrations of sugar and/or acid, which some wines can handle more easily.
TBL: Describe a major pet peeve of yours when it comes to matter of taste.
Jose: It drives me crazy when people insist that restaurants be hyper-formal places where fun is secondary to a thousand nit-picky steps of service.
We're serving food and drinks - effectively, we're throwing a party every night! - and it should be a fun, convivial affair that leaves people satisfied and happy. There's a time and a place for fine dining, but there's also a time and a place for simple, delicious food served by people who are happy to be doing so, and that's the kind of place where I'd like to eat. The kind of place where the substance of the meal (the food) isn't overshadowed by fussy details.
TBL: Are there other areas of creative dining where you feel either people in your own kitchen or guests in the dining room don't get it and you'd like to scream "why don't you get it?!"
Jose: I've been very fortunate in my career so far that my guests have pretty much always been willing to come along with me for the ride, so to speak, starting with tapas and small-plates-style dining at Amada and right up to our daily-changing menus and meticulous ingredient sourcing at JG Domestic.
Philadelphia is a terrific place to be a chef, because diners here are pretty well educated about food and very adventurous - they're eager to eat well, and that means they're generally eager to try new things and see if they'll like them.
TBL: Speaking of pet peeves, Garrett, how do you respond to something like "pairing beer and food is pretentious"?
Garrett: The very idea is of beer pairing being "pretentious" is absurd, because the purpose of pairing is pleasure. Pleasure is never pretentious--pleasure is elemental. And such a statement pre-supposes that all beer is supposed to be simple. I like my beer the way I like my food and my music--tailored to my mood at the time. Sometimes I want foie gras, sometimes I want a greasy slice of pizza. Beer is like that too--it's a human thing.
TBL: Has cooking with beer been a part of your training and, in turn, part of your tutelage of others? Or has it been more of a recent phenomenon that has made you and other restaurateurs and chefs take notice?
Jose: The current interest in craft beers has inspired me, but I've always looked at beer as a solid choice to complement a great meal.
There's such complexity of flavor there, and it's every bit as effective as wine in enhancing a dish and making different flavors come to the forefront.
TBL: Most beer dinners tend to showcase creative cuisine from the kitchen. Have you witnessed any beer dinners featuring, how shall we say, "everyday food for the common person" that helps people with how they can work with beer in their own home kitchen and food that they might normally prepare?
Garrett: That's exactly what we do when we cook dinner for people. We make some great dishes from scratch and really feature the ease of preparation. Sometimes the chef wants to show off his or her chops by making the beer dinner a fireworks display, but it doesn't have to be. There's a lot to be said for a perfectly cooked lamb chop.
TBL: Give us a glimpse into the last meal you ate.
Garrett: Last night was a beer dinner at Colicchio & Sons. Partridge, venison, turbot, scallops, Fosterkase cheese--it was pretty awesome!
TBL: And, Jose, what does a typical night look like in your home kitchen?
Jose: We love to cook at home, which people sometimes think is strange since I cook all day for a living. But it's a family affair in our house, and dinnertime is an opportunity for all of us to come together and create something delicious while spending time together, both preparing and eating the meal. Last night, my kids and I whipped up waffles for dinner - it's one of their favorite treats to have breakfast at night, and I love that they both enjoy preparing food with me, just as I did with my mother and grandmother growing up.
TBL: Thanks very much to both of you for taking time out for this in advance of the dinner. I probably speak for all your guests when I say that I'm looking forward to an enjoyable night.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Aecht Schlenkerla Beer Dinner at Brauhaus Schmitz, 11/18/10
Link to Photo Gallery of Aecht Schlenkerla at Brauhaus Schmitz
That I consider this a top five event in my personal calendar of 2010 beer events makes it all the more strange that I've taken almost a month to get around to sharing the story with you all.
Nonetheless, this is a top five event of 2010 for me. Oh wait, I've already mentioned that. Sorry, I still get a little excited talking about what a great beer...dinner...event this was at Brauhaus Schmitz on November 18.
I arrived at the restaurant after a short visit to City Tap House's media preview event of their new pop-up brewery weekend concept (the inaugural one featured Sixpoint from Brooklyn) and a quick cab ride across town. And, I arrived with enough time to order up a delightful glass of Jever Pilsner as something of a palate reset-er between some of Sixpoint's adventurous brews and Schlenkerla's smoked beers.
The full menu listing follows below. For a rundown of the Aecht Schlenkerla dinner plus an insightful Q&A with owner and brewer, Matthias Trum, please visit After Hours at The Brew Lounge, hosted at The Washington Times Communities section.
But, before you leave--or after you come back, if you will--how about a few tidbits of fun Bamberg and Schlenkerla trivia? You'll never know when it will come in handy on Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit :)
-> To schlenker means to stagger around, almost drunk-like. It's the inspiration behind the brewery's informal name. Read more here. The official brewery name is Heller-Bräu.
-> The brewery's pub was known as the "House to the Blue Lion", circa 1877, where proprietor Andreas Graser was known to schlenker about
-> The sausages of the first course were invented by Chef Thiel and the only ones known to incorporate smokemalt into the recipe.
-> Matthias Trum is the a 6th generation family brewer, the company's 15th since 1405.
-> The lager uses a base pilsener malt and really doesn't emphasize the smoke.
-> All Schlenkerla beers use beechwood in the smoking process, except the Eiche Doppelbock which uses oak for its different burning temperature for a smoother, less pronounced smoke flavor.
-> Refrigeration was a Franconian invention.
-> The northern Franconia region is home to 344 of 670 Bavarian breweries and has roughly one brewery for every 5,500 residents.
-> Wanna know what the meaning behind these following two pictures? Read through the Q&A with Matthias Trum over at The Washington Times. (pictures courtesy of Matthias Trum/Aecht Schlenkerla)
Welcome Bier ~Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock ---a stronger version of the original smokebier
First Course Schlenkerla House-made Smoked Sausages with Sweet Cabbage and wrapped in Pumpernickel Bread ~ Schlenkerla Rauchweizen ---a noticeable apple flavor as it warms; as a result, it went nicely with the dessert course
Second Course Cream Soup of Horseradish Root and Parsnips with Smoked Trout Dumpling ~Schlenkerla Helles Lagerbier ---a more "standard"-tasting German lager
Third Course Bamberg-Style Onion stuffed with Ground Pork and Bacon with Mashed Potatoes and Smoked Beer Sauce ~Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen ---a wonderful bier that was so perfectly paired with the Bamberg Onion
Fourth Course Gingerbread Mousse with Carmelized Apple Slices ~Schlenkerla Eiche Doppelbock (Oak Smoke) from a Wood-Clad Gravity-Poured Keg ---smooth, slightly boozy dessert bier that went perfectly with the decadently rich chocolate mousse
That I consider this a top five event in my personal calendar of 2010 beer events makes it all the more strange that I've taken almost a month to get around to sharing the story with you all.
Nonetheless, this is a top five event of 2010 for me. Oh wait, I've already mentioned that. Sorry, I still get a little excited talking about what a great beer...dinner...event this was at Brauhaus Schmitz on November 18.
I arrived at the restaurant after a short visit to City Tap House's media preview event of their new pop-up brewery weekend concept (the inaugural one featured Sixpoint from Brooklyn) and a quick cab ride across town. And, I arrived with enough time to order up a delightful glass of Jever Pilsner as something of a palate reset-er between some of Sixpoint's adventurous brews and Schlenkerla's smoked beers.
The full menu listing follows below. For a rundown of the Aecht Schlenkerla dinner plus an insightful Q&A with owner and brewer, Matthias Trum, please visit After Hours at The Brew Lounge, hosted at The Washington Times Communities section.
But, before you leave--or after you come back, if you will--how about a few tidbits of fun Bamberg and Schlenkerla trivia? You'll never know when it will come in handy on Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit :)
-> To schlenker means to stagger around, almost drunk-like. It's the inspiration behind the brewery's informal name. Read more here. The official brewery name is Heller-Bräu.
-> The brewery's pub was known as the "House to the Blue Lion", circa 1877, where proprietor Andreas Graser was known to schlenker about
-> The sausages of the first course were invented by Chef Thiel and the only ones known to incorporate smokemalt into the recipe.
-> Matthias Trum is the a 6th generation family brewer, the company's 15th since 1405.
-> The lager uses a base pilsener malt and really doesn't emphasize the smoke.
-> All Schlenkerla beers use beechwood in the smoking process, except the Eiche Doppelbock which uses oak for its different burning temperature for a smoother, less pronounced smoke flavor.
-> Refrigeration was a Franconian invention.
-> The northern Franconia region is home to 344 of 670 Bavarian breweries and has roughly one brewery for every 5,500 residents.
-> Wanna know what the meaning behind these following two pictures? Read through the Q&A with Matthias Trum over at The Washington Times. (pictures courtesy of Matthias Trum/Aecht Schlenkerla)
Welcome Bier ~Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock ---a stronger version of the original smokebier
First Course Schlenkerla House-made Smoked Sausages with Sweet Cabbage and wrapped in Pumpernickel Bread ~ Schlenkerla Rauchweizen ---a noticeable apple flavor as it warms; as a result, it went nicely with the dessert course
Second Course Cream Soup of Horseradish Root and Parsnips with Smoked Trout Dumpling ~Schlenkerla Helles Lagerbier ---a more "standard"-tasting German lager
Third Course Bamberg-Style Onion stuffed with Ground Pork and Bacon with Mashed Potatoes and Smoked Beer Sauce ~Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen ---a wonderful bier that was so perfectly paired with the Bamberg Onion
Fourth Course Gingerbread Mousse with Carmelized Apple Slices ~Schlenkerla Eiche Doppelbock (Oak Smoke) from a Wood-Clad Gravity-Poured Keg ---smooth, slightly boozy dessert bier that went perfectly with the decadently rich chocolate mousse
Saturday, December 04, 2010
TJs turns Seven...and you're all invited
For all of you outside the Philadelphia area, you should forgive my extremely local posting here this morning. But, as I get chores out of the way so that I may have lunch at "my local", TJs in Paoli, I feel inclined to share with you the anatomy of a seven-year-old beer bar in suburban Philadelphia that continues to improve with age. In the ever-competitive Philadelphia world of great beer, this is no easy feat.
If you are local to Philadelphia and are in search of a good beer today, than a car or train ride to Paoli should be at the top of your list. And, to be clear, I don't stand to benefit anything from these effusively glowing words (...no free beer...no free cajun chicken alfredo...mmm, cajun....chicken...alfredo.....must...focus) I write this solely in support of the good people at TJs that are serving up great beer, food, and a special toast at 7pm with a couple of very large bottles of Allagash Tripel (pictured above with Jeff and Teri). They've been doing this sort of thing for many years now and they certainly deserve the attention.
A pictorial review will follow tomorrow. But, as usual, I digress.
I sat down recently with Jeff Miller and tried to wrap up what the last seven years has meant to him and Teri (the first half of TJs....it just wouldn't sound right as JT's now would it?).
Bryan Kolesar/The Brew Lounge: What have been the most noticeable changes in the last seven years?
Jeff Miller, co-Owner TJs: The most astounding change is the sheer number of restaurants/bars within a small radius of TJ’s that have closed or changed hands in the past seven years. It’s over twenty!
TBL: How have you seen the pursuit of craft beer change either for the better or the worse over the past seven years?
JM: There was a period of beer-chasing for us. Having to have the latest and greatest to prove ourselves in the market place. Although we get our fair share of extraordinary beer, I think that we’ve moved away from beer-hunting and into just making sure we have a constant list of quality and diversity. Our guests have come to trust that we aren’t going to put “crap” on tap.
TBL: Has the changing distribution landscape greatly impacted your business plans?
JM: We made a conscious decision ahead of the grocery stores selling beer to shift away from take-out and concentrate towards on-premise sales. We reduced our bottle selection down to one hundred and increased our drafts to twenty-six. The results have been quite remarkable. While I knew our take-out sales would drop, I hadn’t anticipated the draft beer sales increasing so dramatically. We just kicked our 1000th keg of this year a few weeks ago.
TBL: Do you recognize any customers that date back to Day 1 of your opening?
JM: Dick came in about a week before we opened 7 years ago, introduced himself and he’s been coming in at least once a week ever since.
TBL: How has your staff reacted to the surge in craft beer popularity at your bar?
JM: The staff has really embraced the changes over the years. They realize we are constantly improving and there’s something to be said for working somewhere that actually increased its sales during the economic downturn.
TBL: What's been the most challenging aspect of keeping up with the Craft Beer Revolution, or whatever we're calling it?
JM: Staying ahead of the pack and figuring out how to continue to stand out when more and more establishments are embracing the craft beer movement?
TBL: I feel like a reporter asking this question of former President George W. Bush, but here goes: In a period of self-reflection, what has been your biggest mistake and what has been your proudest success?
JM: Outdoor dining was my biggest misstep. We spent several thousand dollars adding it to our liquor license, buying tables, chairs and umbrellas only to find that a very small populace would actually use it.
We are most proud that we have been able to succeed in a location that so many others had failed. We are the sixth restaurant to occupy this space and we are the process of negotiating an additional ten-year lease to expire in 2024.
TBL: What would you change today about your current bar/restaurant operation if you could?
JM: I would eliminate the three smaller dining rooms and make the bar area larger. Our bar area and three dining rooms have an equal number of seats. However, if the bar is absolutely packed four people out front and four people in the back can handle it. If the dining room is full it takes double that number to do the same sales and it’s twice as much work.
TBL: What's the most bizarre thing you've dealt with on the other side of the bar (i.e. customers)?
JM: The “war-room” stories are endless…
TBL: Wow! How to follow that up? So, given those war-room stories, do you prefer the kitchen, the bar, the floor, or your office?
JM: I’m an operations guy. I always have been. Tweak this. Fix that. How can we do this better? While I attempt to make the rounds out front from time to time, my mind is always telling me “you should be doing this or that needs to get done. What are you doing out here? Get back to work!”
TBL: What's your beer du jour? What are you looking forward to trying the most on Saturday that you haven't tasted before?
JM: Goudenband! I’ve got a case of the new batch coming in this week and I have two bottles of the original. I’m looking forward to a side-by-side tasting at the end of the evening. I REALLY hope the new stuff lives up to how I remember the original.
TBL: You know your beer geeks pretty well. What do you think will be the first keg to kick?
JM: Ballast Point Dorado or the Sculpin firkin. The Dorado was a last minute surprise from the Bella Vista boys. It’s a rare sixtel and sure to be a favorite of the evening.
TBL: Will there be any extracurricular activities like body shots or dancing on the bar?
JM: Those were fun times, but TJ’s has long since moved past them. We recently instituted a “no-shot” policy to further enhance the experience of the audience we have built over the past several years and to dissuade the audience we don’t want.
TBL: I should let you go now; you have a lot of work before Saturday. I hope you have some time to enjoy it with your customers.
JM: See you then. It’s going to be nuts.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Philly Beer Week 2009: Earth Bread + Brewery Profile
Last year I did a profile for each of most of the local breweries in the Philadelphia region. I've updated them, but instead of once again spilling them out across the page here, I'll simply point you over to where you can find and download the profile.
Earth Bread + Brewery is getting its brew kettle footings firmly under itself as it comes up on its first year anniversary later this year. If you can't find a Yards beer or employee during this year's PBW, you're doing something way, way wrong. Click here for a 2009 Profile of EB+B.
An addition to the profiles this year will be an interview with a key "player" at each establishment.
The Brew Lounge: Earth? Bread? Brewery? Now a few months into the pub's operation, which of these three are you having the most fun with?
Tom Baker: Bread - the restaurant portion of this venture has been challenging and rewarding.
TBL: How do you "give back" to the community and "give back" to the Earth?
TB: We recycle, compost, reduce our garbage, pay a living wage, hire locally, buy locally whenever possible.
TBL: Nyack, NYC, or Philadelphia? We know which you ultimately chose, but is there any, even tiny, bit of "what if" still lurking?
TB: noooooooooo
TBL: Have you found that most of your fans from Heavyweight have found you on Germantown Ave? Have you heard displeasure from any of them with your new direction?
TB: Alot of them have found us. But we don't really care if they're displeased. Heavyweight is done. We're doing what we want!
TBL: Which is more fun? Coming up with a recipe and brewing it, or naming it?
TB: Coming up with the recipe is fun. The names change as the brew evolves.
TBL: Which is your favorite name thusfar?
TB: All of the names are ridiculous and favs.
TBL: What can we expect from you one year from now? Or maybe better asked, What do you hope from yourself?
TB: More involved in the community. We like what we're doing. More of the same.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Philly Beer Week 2009: Yards Brewing Profile
Last year I did a profile for each of most of the local breweries in the Philadelphia region. I've updated them, but instead of once again spilling them out across the page here, I'll simply point you over to where you can find and download the profile.
Yards Brewing is getting its brew kettle footings firmly under itself as it comes up on its first year anniversary later this year. If you can't find a Yards beer or employee during this year's PBW, you're doing something way, way wrong. Click here for a 2009 updated Profile of Yards.
An addition to the profiles this year will be an interview with a key "player" at each establishment. Only problem is, I'm still trying to determine exactly who it was at Yards that sent these responses to me. Kehoe, Mashington, or some combination thereof? The words are put together too well for it to be a random word generator.
The Brew Lounge: During last year's PBW, you guys were just getting your legs under you. Has the last year met expectations for the first year of operations? What level of capacity are you guys at by now?
Tom Kehoe, maybe: We are just now hitting the 6 month mark for full production since the move and we couldn't be happier. We are about to re-open some of our old markets (NJ, Pitt, etc.) which is a great thing for some of our neighboring areas. We have increased our capacity from our previous facility and we have a lot more room to grow in our new facility.
TBL: What's been the biggest surprise and, if any, disappointments?
Yards: The Phillies winning the World Series and the Eagles losing to the Cardinals? We haven’t had too many surprises since construction. There are always unforeseen hiccups in production, but those are anticipated surprises (check Websters for that!). No disappointments that I can think of, unless you count when Mashington cut his hair into a mullet.
TBL: Have you been getting mostly positive feedback? (i.e. seeing Yards again, cask ESA, etc.)
Mashington, huh?: The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We have had countless compliments on the improvements in the beer, especially the ESA. Our brewing staff has done a fantastic job and I’m really happy to see the firkins gaining popularity around town.
TBL: The industry is full of characters. Name some of your favorite characters you encounter around town...owners, bartenders, reps, brewers, etc.
Yards: Well, Fergie is always quite the character. His quick wit and humor are always appreciated. Wendy from Dogfish has an obsession with the quesadillas at the Bishops Collar which manifests itself rather comically. Tom Buonano from Muller might be the epitome of the word character. Just look at our brewery, that place is full of interesting characters. We’ve got a diverse crew who all share the same passion. The individuality of all the personas in this industry is what makes the craft beer segment so fun.
TBL: How about back in the brew house? What gets you guys through the day? Who's keeping it loose and who needs to loosen up? Do you brew to music and who gets to choose the genre?
The Night Watchman: Our guys love what they do and that is what keeps them motivated. Everyone who works at Yards has the same dedication and commitment. They all realize that everyone is responsible for the finished product and they all take it very seriously. Otis keeps it looser than anyone, that’s why we bought him suspenders. Sometimes I have to remind Andrew to loosen up a bit, but his love for death metal and German beers keeps him focused. We don’t brew to music, but we do make boxes and keg with a radio in the background. The guys choose their own music, which is funny. Half of our staff listens to jam bands (Grateful Dead, Phish, moe, etc) and the other half listens to metal. I listen to the 80’s. The running joke is that creates the balance. I know Tim used to wait until some of the metal guys were up on the scissor lift painting and then switch it to the Grateful Dead.
TBL: Has the yeast bank project begun yet? What are your expectations in that regard and who will be in charge?
Yards: It hasn't started yet, but it will sometime this year. Frank will be handling that and our entire lab related concerns.
TBL: The Smoke 'Em event looks great as, of course, does the Real Ale celebration. Is there anything in particular you'd like to share regarding these events? And, is there anything else around town that you're especially looking forward to during this year's Philly Beer Week?
Kehoe, probably: Smoke ‘Em is going to be a blast. I was a little apprehensive when Mashington came up with the idea, but it’s turning out to be a great event. We have something like 22 smoked beers! The Real Ale is going to be even better this year. We have nothing but impressive casks lined up and we’re limiting ticket sales again. I’m thrilled about it. With respect to all the other events, where do I begin? City Tavern is doing a great dinner feature every night. I’m not gonna lie to you Bryan; I can’t wait for the wrestling match with Jim Kirk. We have some of the IPA’s dressing up like Geishas and I’ve been in training for two months. He’s gonna get pained! We’re also doing a beer dinner at the Four Seasons that I think is going to be incredible.
TBL: Will there be any Mini-Mash t-shirts this year? Or are we on to a new theme?
Yards: God, I hope there are no more Mini-Mash shirts! One is more than enough! Mike Fava, Casey Hughes, and Mashington have been working on a shirt. Fava has a local artist doing some cool sketches and the shirt is going to look awesome. That is going to be one heck of a night; hopefully I can catch up with those guys at McGillin's.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Philly Beer Week 2009: Flying Fish Profile
Last year I did a profile for each of most of the local breweries in the Philadelphia region. I've updated them, but instead of once again spilling them out across the page here, I'll simply point you over to where you can find and download the profile.
Flying Fish continues to crank out some of the regions most dependable beers and this past year was awarded justly by its peers at the Great American Beer Festival. Click here for a 2009 updated Profile of Flying Fish.
An addition to the profiles this year will be an interview with a key "player" at each establishment. Casey Hughes, lead brewing artist at Flying Fish, spent a few minutes for some questions with me.
The Brew Lounge: Let's start off with the obvious. How did it feel winning this year at GABF? And other than winning, what was your favorite part of this year's Festival?
Casey Hughes: Winning is always nice, it's nice to be honored by your peers in brewing with a medal. The best part is seeing all of my fellow brewers in the area winning and showing people from the rest of the country that we have so many skilled brewers in this area that win medals in so many different styles.
TBL: Did you have anyone searching you out at the Festival with a job offer? But, seriously, answer this one honestly. Given comparables and a relocation package, where would be the one region/country that you would take a brewing job other than in the Delaware Valley
CH: I've always wanted to go back to the Keys at some point and open a small production brewery where I can take my boat to work and enjoy summer all of the time. That said though, there is nowhere better than this area to brew beer; we have the best breweries, bars, brewers, and drinkers in the country.
TBL: Speaking of job offers, brew news of late has John Fiorilli heading west. Do you have plans that you can share for replacing him
CH: Yup, John is heading out west to be Head Brewer at Mountain Sun Brewing in Colorado. He is going to be impossible to replace, Mountain Sun doesn't know how good of an employee they got, his personality, work ethic, and brewing knowledge are all top notch. I can't wait to go to Denver this year and see him on stage getting a medal from Papazian.
TBL: Is there any other change in the works at Flying Fish that you care to share at this point? I know there have been some brewhouse modifications/additions that you and John have been working on, right?
CH: We just installed a new brew kettle with an internal calandria that speeds up our brew days (and looks beautiful!) and I will be putting in a HMI (Human Mechanical Interface) to control all of our tanks and bottling line and it will give me the option of checking/changing tank temperatures from my phone where ever I'm at.
TBL: That will be one valuable phone!...Last year's Philly Beer Week was, by most accounts, a smashing success. What stood out most for you last year and what are you looking forward to the most this year?
CH: All of the events at Beer Week were great, I'm amazed that everything went off so well since it was the first year and this year is looking to be even better. There are so many great events but I always look forward to the Local Brewers Center City Bar Tour, with so many events going on during week this is the one event that a bunch of us brewers/brewery reps can get together and drink some beers together. I'm also looking forward to the Klash of the Kaisers event because Patrick Jones and I got to brew a beer to honor our great friend Jay Misson who we lost last year.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Philly Beer Week 2009: Sly Fox Brewing Profile
Last year I did a profile for each of most of the local breweries in the Philadelphia region. I've updated them, but instead of once again spilling them out across the page here, I'll simply point you over to where you can find and download the profile.
Sly Fox has two locations, the original in Phoenixville, PA and the other in Royersford, PA. They continue to grow production and distribution, in both bottles and now more than ever...cans. Click here for a 2009 updated Profile of Sly Fox.
An addition to the profiles this year will be an interview with a key "player" at each establishment. Brian O'Reilly will be celebrating his 7 year anniversary with Sly Fox (hopefully no 7 year itch) and spent some time with me on a bit of Q&A.
The Brew Lounge: Going into our second year of showcasing the region in Philly Beer Week, do you think the region gets fair props from other parts of the country?
Brian O'Reilly: I don't think people fully realize how great the beer scene is here in Philly. It is hard to explain our tavern culture to people that have not been here. When I try to explain it they seem to think I am talking about an old, corner bar. You have to experience the whole thing together to get it. This means sitting down, having some food and a conversation, not just looking at a beer list.
TBL: What do you think is one part of the brewing/beer industry that is missing from the Delaware Valley?
B.O.: Volume of local beer, but that is changing rapidly, all of the small production brewers are growing.
TBL: Successfully expanding brewing and distribution, continuing awards, contract brewing, more goats than ever. Are you having as much fun as you've ever had at work?
B.O.: My job is more complicated now, but I have much more help. It is a natural progression. My challenges are different, but it is rewarding working with such a great team of Owners, Brewers, and sales staff. I still have fun, but the stakes get bigger. There are a lot of people to think of every day. Our wholesalers, tavern owners, and direct customers are all partners in our growth.
TBL: How do you see the success of the Goat Races & Bock Festival continuing to grow?
B.O.: We hope it does not grow too much more too quick. We are still trying to work through parking and neighbor issues, but it is a great event! What more do you need? Goats, Bock Beer, food, family environment, and German oompah music?
TBL: The IPA Project had a long run, but you're morphing it into a similar project. Do you have much emotion for the end of the IPA Project?
B.O.: No, we were done. It had lost it's luster this last year. I'm really enjoying the Pale ales now.
TBL: Goat races, Bock Beers, IPA Project, Cans...there have been some pretty clever ideas. Share an idea or two that didn't make it off the drawing board.
B.O.: I have some ideas that have not come to fruition yet. We are looking at a couple collaboration brews, they may or may not happen. We are still experimenting with canning the O'Reilly's stout. I think I have it figured out, but the can manufacturer has such a big minimum order that the project would cost a small fortune.
TBL: What's the most clever euphemism or usage of the word 'can' that you've used or has been used on you?
B.O.: Cantacular Cantastic and Candemonium are old standbys in my pun repertoire. Have you seen this?
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Philly Beer Week 2009: Victory Brewing Profile
Last year I did a profile for each of most of the local breweries in the Philadelphia region. I've updated them, but instead of once again spilling them out across the page here, I'll simply point you over to where you can find and download the profile.
Victory Brewing is located in Downingtown, PA. They make an ever widening number of styles and brands and have been showcasing them in a recently-completed renovated restaurant. Click here for a 2009 updated Profile of Victory.
An addition to the profiles this year will be an interview with a key "player" at each establishment. At Victory, Bill Covaleski is one of the founding partners. He sat down to answer a few questions.
The Brew Lounge: What is the most surprising thing to you about your school bus trip that got this big?
Bill Covaleski: Our audience's capacity to appreciate and support the full flavored creations that good craftbrewers are putting out. When we opened in 1996 it was with three beers, a Dortmunder, our Festbier, and this really crazy beer that we were proud of but expected no one to like, maybe for many years, HopDevil Ale. HopDevil was radical at that time and it has become a 'must have' beer in area bars. This is quite an accomplishment in 13 years, for the audience's tastes to have expanded so greatly, and of course, so correctly. We really are thrilled to be serving this audience. It's rewarding and fulfilling for both parties.
TBL: All told, you have what? 8, 10, 12 brewers? Is it difficult to manage a brewing staff of that size? Do egos get in the way?
BC: I count 9 brewers. The complexity of scheduling them exists in that there are three departments: brewhouse, fermentation and packaging. Fortunately those scheduling duties are in the very capable hands of Scott Dietrich, our Director of Brewery Operations. Scott also has a team of 3 Mechanics and 1 Plant Manger at his disposal. It's actually a lean staff and a great climate of teamwork has been fostered since the days it was just Ron and I doing it all. As two, the challenge was to set the next brewer up so he had LESS to do in his shift. If everyone works to accomplish that, great efforts get done. There is no other way it will work because this is still very much a demanding business.
TBL: What is the weekly Brewing Operations schedule? Do you foresee going 24x7 any time soon?
BC: Brewhouse and fermentation typically work two shifts daily and 1 in packaging. 24 hour operations will come before 7 day a week operations as we have always cleared weekends as time off, except for the weekly brewer that gets to take tank gravities that weekend. That duty rotates on a long term schedule so no one is surprised.
TBL: What's the next scheduled expansion (brewhouse, fermenters, etc.)?
BC: We just signed off for 4 x 400 bbl. fermenters from Germany today! We look to install them here in July after some renovations to a new space. I'll bet our President claims that his 'stimulus' made this to happen. Yeah, right...
TBL: At Victory, is it Bill & Ron, or Ron & Bill? Who's the more ambitious of the two of you?
BC: When we compared SAT scores in high school it was apparent that we had different strengths, and so it continues. We rely on one another to handle the tasks that that person was built for. I think you'd have to spend some time with us to determine if one is more ambitious than the other.
TBL: Is it time for a break yet?
BC: Nope. Lunch is over so the nose goes back to the grindstone. There is light at the end of the tunnel (happy hour) and it looks like golden liquid capped with pristine foam! Fortunately, we have built a very, very good supporting team and so we accomplish a lot, and drink a lot, together.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Philly Beer Week 2009: Triumph Brewing Profile
Last year I did a profile for each of most of the local breweries in the Philadelphia region. I've updated them, but instead of once again spilling them out across the page here, I'll simply point you over to where you can find and download the profile.
Triumph Brewery is located in Princeton, NJ, New Hope, PA, and Philadelphia, PA. They make a wide-ranging number of styles, but concentrate a lot of focus on perfecting the perfect pilsner and other beers of the lager variety. Click here for a 2009 updated Profile of Triumph Brewery.
An addition to the profiles this year will be an interview with a key "player" at each establishment. At Triumph, Patrick Jones is the head brewer at Philadelphia's Old City location. He indulged me for a few questions.
The Brew Lounge: Some major events in the last year include celebrating the 1st anniversary in the Old City location and the death of Jay Misson. I know this is a long first question, but here goes: What surprises have there been/what have you learned about brewing in Old City. And, how has the loss of Jay continued to be felt, but on the other hand in what ways do you feel that you/the company have moved on? (okay, sorry, that's more like 2 1/2 questions)
Patrick Jones: Well, it's interesting to look back and reflect on both fronts. First, I already knew that Philly, in general, was more beer-sophisticated than the burbs, but I was surprised by the product mix I saw week after week at Triumph (that's not a slam on the burbs, remember Triumph is in New Hope as well and wouldn't be there if we couldn't sell good beer). Honey Wheat is our lightest and driest beer and constitutes about 25% of sales of beer. Its the best-selling beer as a single brand. But, that also means that 75% is of the "other" brands. IPA, Stout, Pilsner, Tripel, Smoked, etc. So the majority of our guests that drink beer are drinking "the good stuff". The ratio was the most shocking. For the record, IPA is #2 for the bulk of the calendar year. Sometime seasonals take its place, like Hefeweizen, Oktoberfest, and Pumpkin Ale. Second, beyond the personal loss I felt with his passing (I met Jay in the spring of 2000 and we became friends by early 2002), he was student of the craft and ideally wanted everyone around him to become one as well. His day in and day out passion to oversee the production of the best beer possible will be sorely missed. Jay being a cheerleader of sorts has forced us as brewers to find inner strength and motivation to continue the good fight, and now rely not on him, but on each other for advise, support, and experience.
TBL: Do you find that your customer base appreciates and even demands the lager styles that you have become well known for?
PJ: I do to some degree. On the good side, I have noticed that the sales of our lagers have grown from about 20% to 35% of beer sales. Also, when other brewers from the area come in they almost always get a lager and more often than not, a Pils (since I carry at least one all the time). I hope its because they are really good and not because they think the other beers I make are sub-par. I guess you'll have to ask them. On the down side, I know that lagers in general do not have the same cache as Imperial "whatevers", Belgian styles, and barrel-aged beers. So in a way I'm going against the grain. I'm going to make an "Imperialized" Pilsner in a few weeks. Not sure what the name of the beer is yet, but hopefully it will satisfy the hop heads out there.
TBL: Do you have a personal favorite either the regular lineup or specialty brews that you do?
PJ: German Pilsner or Kellerbier and Hefeweizen. All German, I know, but admittedly I don't sip, I drink. I really enjoy the simplicity of a good, crisp, very dry Pils. It makes me want more and more and more. Hefeweizen can pack plenty of flavor and is very refreshing in the summer. Its also is great with fresh goat cheese.
TBL: When you're not putting back one of your own beers, do you have favorite(s) from others in the industry? Or how about liquid vices other than beer?
PJ: The two beers that I usually have in my fridge are Sierra Neveda Pale and Victory Prima Pils. My wife has the same taste as me, to some degree, and both beers are readily available.
TBL: You skipped GABF this year didn't you? Can we expect to see you back on the podium next year?
PJ: I was there. I go every year. Its usually a guys long weekend with friends from Nashville and Miami. So for the podium, I guess I'm always there in spirit, but hopefully in person next year. Keep your fingers crossed.
TBL: Okay, now I'm embarrassed. Of course I recall seeing you and talking about your beers that you entered. Let's see if I can move along here.
TBL: You've been writing about Cheese & Beer pairings in Ale Street News for a little while. Is this the most fascinating beer/food combination to you? Or is there a more "deserted island" pairing that you can think of?
PJ: It may not be the "most" fascinating, but it ranks right up there my book. Think about it. Simplistically speaking, beer comes from grain which is a grass. Cheese comes from milk but originated as grass. There just a cow (or goat, or sheep, etc.) in the middle, as Garrett Oliver would say. As for "desert island" scenario, my #2 would be the one listed above, but my #1 would be a North German Pils married with Montgomery's Cheddar. The Pils hopefully be my own (biased I know) and Montgomery's is rich and buttery but with just enough acidic tang to stand up to the dry finish of the Pils. Awesome!
TBL: Where do you see beer and food pairings in the general public's eye over the coming years?
PJ: The more restaurant owners see the monetary potential of carrying/selling craft beers and subsequently the more chefs learn that beer can be used in cooking and pairing with food the better informed the general public will be because of the immense exposure. Owners/chefs can be another driving force in the "battle" of food and beverage pairings. I watch Top Chef on Bravo with my wife and in the episodes that the chefs create menus and pairing them with wine, beer is never an option (unless I missed that episode). Until enough people get on board (owners and chefs), the public will not follow because of the lack of access to the beers and education about them, and also how well beer can pair with food. In some cases, it can pair even better. Try spicy Mexican with red wine. Yuck! Ok, I'm off my soap box now.
And, on that note, let's move along and get to scheduling some visits to Triumph during Philly Beer Week. Next up in this year's Profiles will be Bill Covaleski of Victory Brewing in Downingtown, PA.
Friday, July 18, 2008
International Brewers Day- A Conversation with Ric Hoffman
Any excuse would be poor; I've known about 7/18 being tagged International Brewers Day by Jay Brooks since he announced it almost 2 months ago. But, I let it go...didn't even put up a banner for it until this week. Now, I'll attempt to make up for my tardiness.
This is a worthy way of recognizing brewers and the work that they do. So, to participate, I put together a list format of typical questions that could (hopefully) be answered by a willing brewer. I took all the brewer names I have in my address book, stuck 'em in a spreadsheet, and used a random number generator to select my profile.
Given only two days notice, I graciously thank well-accomplished and highly-regarded Ric Hoffman of Stewart's Brewing Company for agreeing to sit down and answer some questions about himself and his occupation. He went over and beyond in thoughtfully and completely answering my questions. Secretly, I was hoping that random number thingy chose Ric because in an industry full of great folks, he's near the top.
If you're not familiar with Ric's product, I've included an abbreviated list of products and full list of awards during his tenure at Stewart's Brewing Company in Bear, Delaware (and you thought Delaware only played host to that other crazy brewery...there's plenty of crazy to go around in Delaware!)
As you read through this, think about the last time you thanked your brewer for the work they do to provide you with the beverage you love so much. Send Big Cheers and Thanks today to all brewers around the world!
Awards
Dunkel Rico (GABF 2006 Bronze)
Stewart’s Barleywine (GABF 2003 Gold)
Stewart’s Irish Red Ale (WBC 2000 Bronze)
Stewart’s Oktoberfest (GABF 2007 Silver; GABF 2003 Bronze)
Stewart’s Smoked Porter (GABF 2006 Bronze; GABF 2001 Bronze)
Stumblin’ Monk Abbey Trippel (WBC 2006 Bronze; WBC 2002 Silver)
Windblown Blonde Kölsch (WBC 2008 Gold)
A few other Beers to list
Abbey Hoffman (Abbey Dubbel)
Lockjaw Double IPA
Pacific Coast Porter
Gudneitzenbock (Weizenbock)
Blue Rocks Pilsner
Mcbride's Strong Ale
Saison de l'Ours
Q&A with Ric Hoffman
TBL: How did you get interested and started in brewing?
RH: I was living in Tucson in 1996, working a phone sales job (read: minimum wage), and was really poor. I loved good beer, but my budget only included one 12 pack of Weinhard's per week. Obviously that wouldn't do, so I thought about making my own.
The first thing I did was actually wine: I had a pomegranate tree in my backyard, and you can only eat so many pomegranates... so I made 10 litres of pomegranate / apple wine. Not bad, but you couldn't really drink it day to day.
So, I walked into the local homebrew shop (Rillito Creek Homebrew supply, if they're still out there) and told them I liked Sierra and Anchor.... what could they do for me? I walked out with the basic 2 bucket kit and some extract and malt.
A year later, a friend of mine was running a brewery in North Carolina, knew I was homebrewing, and offered me a $5.00/hr job if I could be there in a week. I was a day late.
TBL: What was your first batch?
RH:
1) Amateur: (see above) California Common, fermented Tucson-style (80 degrees)
2) Professional: (my first pro recipe) English Brown
TBL: Was there anything memorable about it?
RH:
1) Amateur: So memorable. It was actually an OK beer, but the most amazing thing was opening that first bottle, hearing the carbonation, pouring the beer, seeing the foam form, and most amazing of all... IT TASTED LIKE BEER! IT'S ACTUALLY BEER! Like an epiphany.
2) Professional: Not so memorable (the English Brown). Pretty pedestrian, if not downright bad.
TBL: Do you still homebrew?
RH: I don't really homebrew anymore, if just for the fact that if I want to do 5 or 10 gallons, it's much easier to do it at work where I have more resources available to me. The last true homebrew I did was brewed was a 10 gallon batch in 2004 with my wife Natalie, a Double Chocolate Imperial Stout (the Double Lovin' Spoonful) for our wedding favors, in nip bottles. And we still brewed that out back of the restaurant. And, it must be said that she pretty much brewed most of that by herself, as I was actually brewing at the pub that day too (it's still drinking OK, believe it or not... some bottles are falling off a little, but some are surprisingly robust).
TBL: Favorite book (or other resource) related to brewing
RH: Randy Mosher's Brewing Companion; I still use it.
TBL: Role model in brewing; Role model in life
RH: There are a lot of brewers I look up to, I'm just not sure I want to be like them or make beers like they do. I guess the same is true in life.
TBL: Worst advice ever given regarding brewing:
RH: I can't really think of any.... The standard answer you give an aspiring brewer is 'don't bother, you can't take it', and then you see if they come back the next day. I had the good fortune of not knowing any professional brewers until it was too late.
TBL: Do you attempt to follow market trends when deciding upon the next new brew, or do you follow your own preferences...hoping the market follows you?
RH: We're the restaurant that started an all-you-can-eat pasta night at the height of the Atkins trend, are you kidding? So no, not really. The one concession I made was 'Double IPA'. I thought it was the dumbest thing I ever heard of at first, and I resisted for two years or so, but I went ahead and did it eventually... and now it's one of my favorite beers; go figure.
And if we followed local market trends, we'd make lite beer. Now they drink Oktoberfest like Bavarian fishes. So no, definitely not local trends, and probably not so much industry ones either.
TBL: Favorite book, not beer
RH:The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever (I have to say something, right?)
TBL: Favorite beer movie
RH: If Strange Brew doesn't count, and I hope it doesn't, I'll have to say American Beer, if nothing else than for Dave Hoffmann's stellar performance.
TBL: Favorite movie, not beer
RH: Any and all Star Wars, Cool Hand Luke, Barfly
TBL: Music to brew by
RH: I like it quiet so I can hear the pumps, but I let Eric (assistant brewer Eric Boice) play his death metal when he needs to.
TBL: Music to party with
RH: Whatever Jam is happening at my house at the moment. Also the Grateful Dead, always and forever.
TBL: You're at the bar buying the next round and faced with only "non-craft" beers to choose from...which brand do you choose?
RH:Bourbon, Tequila.... I like wine a lot too. I guess if it was a beer that I had to choose, it would be Original Coors, just because the guy who trained me would only drink that if nothing else was around. But no, I'm going to say Bourbon or Tequila.
TBL: Least favorite style to brew
RH: Honestly, they all brew the same. Maybe you just care a little more if you know it's something you'll love to drink, but for the most part, the work is all the same.
TBL: Least favorite style to drink
RH: Golden Ale, Irish Red, boring malty beers. (Don't get me wrong, I like interesting malty beers.)
TBL: The perfect beer trip/vacation consists of...
RH: Drinking beers from tiny breweries I can't usually get, and seeing mega production sites that blow my mind.
TBL: Which accomplishments/awards are you most proud of....& why?
RH: Really, just being able to make anything on the piece of crap brewery (maybe a nice way to say it is 'on the limited equipment') I have to work with (Sorry Al, but you're due for an upgrade). We've won some awards, but they don't pay the bills, or my salary.
The cool thing is that in our area, we've opened a lot of peoples' eyes to real beer, people who never would have tried anything if we weren't the corner bar. I've got people who drink Coors all year until Stumblin' Monk comes on tap, and then they can't get enough of it.
That being said, the major awards are a nice affirmation. Especially for lager styles (or anything but a Ringwood traditional English Ale), which by all rights we shouldn't be able to brew, right?
TBL: What advice do you give a young aspiring brewer?
RH: If you're smart enough to do it, you can make a lot more money in another field. If you're tough enough to do it, go join a union, and make a lot more money. If you're still here tomorrow, here's a deck brush. Show me what you can do.
And on one last note, Here's a happy picture over at Stewart's website
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