Just one week to go and we're all still Leuven On A Prayer! Last Friday, I promised you another update a week later and lo and behold here we are.
Before I get into the event schedule of May 29 to June 7, in case you haven't heard, the official Belgian collaboration beer of Philly Beer Week 2015 is called Leuven On A Prayer. I was honored to be a part of the traveling PBW contingent that paired up Free Will Brewing Company's John Stemler with Jef Janssens at Hof ten Dormaal (HtD) just outside Leuven, Belgium. The brew day went down on February 5 at the honest-to-goodness Belgian Farmhouse Brewery roughly twenty miles east of Brussels.
If you'd like to get caught up on more of the backstory, please check my excellent (humbly submitted) wrap-up from a few months ago. Plenty of pictures to go with the words as well.
Now on to the business the ten-day Philly Beer Week. Or, as I like to call it, an Imperial Philly Beer Week — because in Philly there could be no other kind. Last Friday, the official calendar of events at PhillyBeerWeek.org counted 501 events, which was up 170 events from the week prior. Today, it lists 755. And changing by the hour.
Let's again take a look this week at the delta. This past week saw 67 establishments listing new events. Here's a quick summary and then a rundown of what jumps out at me as the best new events listed on the official website, PhillyBeerWeek.org, since last Friday.
Cheer-ee-o, yo.
Number of listed events as of May 22
67 (+22) - Friday, 5/29
85 (+25) - Saturday, 5/30
91 (+32) - Sunday, 5/31
73 (+24) - Monday, 6/1
82 (+29) - Tuesday, 6/2
83 (+26) - Wednesday, 6/3
86 (+30) - Thursday, 6/4
75 (+28) - Friday, 6/5
69 (+24) - Saturday, 6/6
40 (+14) - Sunday, 6/7
Number of city-based events - 581
Number of non city-based events - 170
Number of unique establishments/locations - 116
Number of events at a brewery - 20
Number of events at a bar - 679
Number of events with "takeover" in the event name - 44
Number of events featuring Free Will and Hof ten Dormaal - 4
Number of Leuven On A Prayer kegs arriving from Belgium - Roughly 35 (to be confirmed)
Number of listed events at the Uno Family - 46
Number of listed events at Whole Foods - 38
Number of events listed as "free" - 6
Number of events listed as pay-as-you-go - 639
Most expensive event - $125 for "The Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen With Beer Dinner" at Sancho Pistola's
My personal Best Of List from new event listings between May 15 and May 22
Best way to meet some goats - Meet The Goats and check out the Sly Fox Penny Maibock at Bar on May 30, 5 p.m.
Best haul of new events - 24 new events at Varga and a mere 14 new events at Bru (and accompanying 11 downstairs at U-Bahn). Seems that if you're stuck at any point during the week, head to one of these places where it seems that there might always be something happening.
Best new crazed geek events on the list - Churchville Inn in Southampton doing events with Prairie, Jester King, Green Bench, Jolly Pumpkin, St. Somewhere, Hill Farmstead, Neshaminy Creek, Founders, Funky Buddha, Cascade, Cantillon, and more. Wipe that drool.
Best Brupper - Will Pumphrey is going to Bell's from DuClaw. City Tap House in University City is throwing a dinner, or a brunch, or a brupper in honor of him.
Best incorporation of catnip into an event - At Doobie's but of course. The Feline 500 with Philly Brewing on 6/2 at 6 p.m. will figure it all out.
Best mixer of drinking and religion - They're doing it again at Fergie's. A Rabbi, a Priest, and a Minister walk in to a bar again and again. Go in peace on 5/31 at 4 p.m.
Best mixer of uppers and downers - Also at Fergie's with Danya Henninger playing hostess to Coffee in the Beer Garden of Good and Evil on 6/3 at 4 p.m.
Best Locals - Big hit last year at Field House, this year on 5/30 at 8 p.m.
Best unveiling of the scene's longest best kept secret - Fiume. Just go read the list, then prepare for 45th/Locust to never be the same.
Best way to drink free beers from me - At Home Sweet Home Brew's extended hours tasting on 6/3 at 5 p.m. when I'll bring books to sell/sign as well as some interesting complimentary beers from my travels.
Best reunion tour - The group from the Free Will/Hof ten Dormaal collaboration brew gather at Jose Pistola's on 5/30 at 6 p.m. trying to recreate the madness of Brussels.
Best new brunch - Another Firestone Walker event with Jenny Hobbs, this one a good-looking barrel-aged brunch at Khyber Pass on 5/30 at 12 p.m.
Best throwdown - The original, the one and only in the 1900 block of Callowhill in front of Kite & Key on 5/31 at 2 p.m.
Best bitches - Their language, not mine. McCrossen's lining up a bunch of stuff including "Oysters Bitches and Fishes" with oysters and beers from Flying Dog and Flying Fish.
Best reason not to go Down The Shore - Cape May comes to Perch Pub on 6/5 at 8 p.m.
Best reason not to go to Lancaster County - Not that there's anything wrong with a lovely trip to LancCo, but Stoudts famed bread and cheese at The Greeks in Narberth on 6/5 at 5 p.m.
Best reason to go to my college dive bar where I watched Eagles games - Pitchers Pub in Manayunk never served these beers back in those days. PBW '15 has an event every day there featuring the likes of Alvinne, DFH, Maine, Hardywood, Terrapin, Cape May, and more.
Best ice cream (tie) - St. Benjamin's and Little Baby's on 6/5 at 5 p.m. at Little Baby's in Fishtown.
Best ice cream (tie) - Foodery is bringing in Victory's new flavors on 5/31 at 1 p.m. for free at all three locations.
Best event farthest from Philly - Sly Fox Taps Tunes & Trucks with food, music, and beer at the brewery on 5/30 at 11 a.m.
Best competition - Kingpin is a riotous piece of action at Standard Tap each year with 12 breweries via to be Kingpin....kicking their pin of beer first. Don't arrive late. 6/2 at 6 p.m.
Best play-doh event - Because every Beer Week needs one of these just like at The Institute with Brew Works beer on 6/4 at 7 p.m.
Best hide and seek - Irish Pol has moved locations but is taking all its events, every day, to the Market Street location.
Best Street Pub - the Deschutes Street Pub all day on 5/30
Best event revitalization - Don't see as many events as Tria used to put on throughout the year. Their new Taproom at 20th/Walnut is turning that around with a slew of tempting events all week.
Check back mid-next week as this best-of list will attempt to keep up with the master calendar of events as the Hammer of Glory's day in the sun draws ever nearer.
Showing posts with label Philly Beer Week 2015. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philly Beer Week 2015. Show all posts
Friday, May 22, 2015
Monday, May 18, 2015
Philly Beer Week 2015 - The changing faces
You know what's been really fun sitting in my position of covering the regional Philly beer scene for the past ten years? It's been the people. Well, most of 'em anyway! Watching them come and go, watching them grow up, and watching them change.
Can't recall exactly what it was the other day that got me to thinking about how the past five or so years has seen a significant amount of turnover at breweries. Not really all that surprising given the coinciding tremendous growth in the industry which opens up all sorts of opportunities across the country.
And, many have heeded the call to take on bigger challenges. While I do tend to keep some pretty detailed lists about all facets of the industry, I won't claim that this is all-inclusive. Rather the ones I do have plus a few courtesy of Jack Curtin and Lew Bryson that have covered the scene for an even longer period of time. As you'll see, I was quite generous in my "regional" interpretation.
So as you head out to events at Philly Beer Week this year and wonder where so-and-so went that you remember seeing back in 2010, here's my attempt at helping you with that.
Have I missed any obvious ones that you're aware of? Have I any wrong or even more recent updates than the ones I've listed?
(p.s. alphabetical order by last name)
Scott Baver from The Lion to St. Killian to Devils Backbone in Lexington, VA
Chris Brugger from Tröegs to Otto's in State College
Curt Decker and Gordon Grubb from Nodding Head on Sansom Street in Philly to Nodding Head in ??????
Mike Fava from Nodding Head to Dock Street to Oxbow in Maine (edit: thanks Nancy; the proper order is Dock Street first, then Nodding Head)
John Fiorilli from Stewart's, then to Flying Fish, now at Mountain Sun in Boulder, CO
Casey Hughes from Flying Fish to Coppertail in Tampa, FL
Guy Hagner from Berwick to Susquehanna
Jennie Hatton-Baver from Profile PR and Philly Beer Week personified to Crabbie's Ginger Beer
Terry Hawbaker from Bullfrog to Farmer's Cabinet now at Pizza Boy/Intangible outside of Harrisburg
Patrick Jones last spotted at Triumph-Old City
Chris Leonard from General Lafayette to Fort Bend Brewing (Texas) and now Heavy Seas in Baltimore
Brian McConnell from Rock Bottom-KOP to Sterling Pig Brewery in Media
Jeff McCracken from Manayunk to Tired Hands to Origlio
Ryan Michaels from McKenzie Brew House to Rinn Duin in Toms River, NJ
Scott Morrison from Dock Street to Barren Hill and various consulting gigs
Gerard Olson from McKenzie Brew House to Forest & Main
Max Pfeffer from Victory to Sly Fox to Manatawny Still Works
Ben Potts from Dock Street, then to Dogfish Head, and now Tired Hands
Justin Quinlan from Dock Street to Urban Family Brewing in Seattle and now consulting/brewing occasionally but otherwise out of the industry
John Rehm from Philly Brewing to Two Roads in CT
Bryan Selders from Dogfish Head to The Post Brewing in Lafayette, CO
David Wood from Free Will to Barren Hill
from the Iron Hill family
- Paul Rutherford from Lancaster to Chestnut Hill to Ardmore
- Collin Farrell from Lancaster to Tired Hands to Brewers Outlet
- Chris LaPierre from West Chester to Maple Shade to Chestnut Hill
- Jeff Ramirez from Maple Shade to Mountain Sun to Denizens in Silver Spring, MD
- Bob Barrar from Media to 2SP Brewing in Aston, PA
- Kevin Walter from Media to Lancaster to Voorhees to Regional Brewer
- Vince Desrosiers from North Wales to Dock Street
- Larry Horwitz from West Chester to Regional Brewer to Four String Brewing in Columbus
- Jean Broillet from West Chester to Tired Hands
- Doug Marchakitus from North Wales to Manayunk back to North Wales
from the world of Philly Beer Geeks
- Natalie DeChico (2011 Philly Beer Geek) still with Weyerbacher
- Steve Mashington (2012) from Yards to Rogue
- Jess Streeter (2014) is up and running with Naked Brewing in Huntingdon Valley, PA
Can't recall exactly what it was the other day that got me to thinking about how the past five or so years has seen a significant amount of turnover at breweries. Not really all that surprising given the coinciding tremendous growth in the industry which opens up all sorts of opportunities across the country.
And, many have heeded the call to take on bigger challenges. While I do tend to keep some pretty detailed lists about all facets of the industry, I won't claim that this is all-inclusive. Rather the ones I do have plus a few courtesy of Jack Curtin and Lew Bryson that have covered the scene for an even longer period of time. As you'll see, I was quite generous in my "regional" interpretation.
So as you head out to events at Philly Beer Week this year and wonder where so-and-so went that you remember seeing back in 2010, here's my attempt at helping you with that.
Have I missed any obvious ones that you're aware of? Have I any wrong or even more recent updates than the ones I've listed?
(p.s. alphabetical order by last name)
Scott Baver from The Lion to St. Killian to Devils Backbone in Lexington, VA
Chris Brugger from Tröegs to Otto's in State College
Curt Decker and Gordon Grubb from Nodding Head on Sansom Street in Philly to Nodding Head in ??????
Mike Fava from Nodding Head to Dock Street to Oxbow in Maine (edit: thanks Nancy; the proper order is Dock Street first, then Nodding Head)
John Fiorilli from Stewart's, then to Flying Fish, now at Mountain Sun in Boulder, CO
Casey Hughes from Flying Fish to Coppertail in Tampa, FL
Guy Hagner from Berwick to Susquehanna
Jennie Hatton-Baver from Profile PR and Philly Beer Week personified to Crabbie's Ginger Beer
Terry Hawbaker from Bullfrog to Farmer's Cabinet now at Pizza Boy/Intangible outside of Harrisburg
Patrick Jones last spotted at Triumph-Old City
Chris Leonard from General Lafayette to Fort Bend Brewing (Texas) and now Heavy Seas in Baltimore
Brian McConnell from Rock Bottom-KOP to Sterling Pig Brewery in Media
Jeff McCracken from Manayunk to Tired Hands to Origlio
Ryan Michaels from McKenzie Brew House to Rinn Duin in Toms River, NJ
Scott Morrison from Dock Street to Barren Hill and various consulting gigs
Gerard Olson from McKenzie Brew House to Forest & Main
Max Pfeffer from Victory to Sly Fox to Manatawny Still Works
Ben Potts from Dock Street, then to Dogfish Head, and now Tired Hands
Justin Quinlan from Dock Street to Urban Family Brewing in Seattle and now consulting/brewing occasionally but otherwise out of the industry
John Rehm from Philly Brewing to Two Roads in CT
Bryan Selders from Dogfish Head to The Post Brewing in Lafayette, CO
David Wood from Free Will to Barren Hill
from the Iron Hill family
- Paul Rutherford from Lancaster to Chestnut Hill to Ardmore
- Collin Farrell from Lancaster to Tired Hands to Brewers Outlet
- Chris LaPierre from West Chester to Maple Shade to Chestnut Hill
- Jeff Ramirez from Maple Shade to Mountain Sun to Denizens in Silver Spring, MD
- Bob Barrar from Media to 2SP Brewing in Aston, PA
- Kevin Walter from Media to Lancaster to Voorhees to Regional Brewer
- Vince Desrosiers from North Wales to Dock Street
- Larry Horwitz from West Chester to Regional Brewer to Four String Brewing in Columbus
- Jean Broillet from West Chester to Tired Hands
- Doug Marchakitus from North Wales to Manayunk back to North Wales
from the world of Philly Beer Geeks
- Natalie DeChico (2011 Philly Beer Geek) still with Weyerbacher
- Steve Mashington (2012) from Yards to Rogue
- Jess Streeter (2014) is up and running with Naked Brewing in Huntingdon Valley, PA
Friday, May 15, 2015
Philly Beer Week 2015 - We're now just two weeks away
Two weeks to go and we're still Leuven On A Prayer! Last Friday, I promised you another update a week later and lo and behold here we are.
Before I get into the event schedule of May 29 to June 7, in case you haven't heard, the official Belgian collaboration beer of Philly Beer Week 2015 is called Leuven On A Prayer. I was honored to be a part of the traveling PBW contingent that paired up Free Will Brewing Company's John Stemler with Jef Janssens at Hof ten Dormaal (HtD) just outside Leuven, Belgium. The brew day went down on February 5 at the honest-to-goodness Belgian Farmhouse Brewery roughly twenty miles east of Brussels.
If you'd like to get caught up on more of the backstory, please check my excellent (humbly submitted) wrap-up from a few months ago. Plenty of pictures to go with the words as well.
Now on to the business the ten-day Philly Beer Week. Or, as I like to call it, an Imperial Philly Beer Week — because in Philly there could be no other kind. Last Friday, the official calendar of events at PhillyBeerWeek.org counted 331 events, which was up 146 events from the week prior. Today, it lists 501.
What's new? Well, maybe, just maybe we're around halfway to the total event tally that 2015 will offer. Sure, there are a bunch of dollar-offs and rather basic attempts at tastings and/or "takeovers". That's fine. Something for everyone I suppose.
However, let's take a look this week at the delta. Here's a quick summary and then a rundown of what jumps out at me as the best new events listed on the official website, PhillyBeerWeek.org, since last Friday.
Cheer-ee-o, yo.
Number of listed events as of May 15
45 (+10) - Friday, 5/29
60 (+19) - Saturday, 5/30
63 (+25) - Sunday, 5/31
49 (+14) - Monday, 6/1
53 (+20) - Tuesday, 6/2
57 (+17) - Wednesday, 6/3
56 (+22) - Thursday, 6/4
47 (+17) - Friday, 6/5
45 (+16) - Saturday, 6/6
26 (+10) - Sunday, 6/7
Number of listed events at the Uno Family - 37
Number of listed events at Whole Foods - 35
Number of city-based events - 365
Number of non city-based events - 136
Number of unique establishments/locations - 83
Number of events at a brewery - 19
Number of events at a bar - 375
Number of events with "takeover" in the event name - 37
Number of events listed as "free" - 5
Number of events listed as pay-as-you-go - 435
Most expensive event - $125 for "The Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen With Beer Dinner" at Sancho Pistola's
Number of events featuring Free Will and Hof ten Dormaal - 4
Number of Leuven On A Prayer kegs arriving from Belgium - Roughly 35 (to be confirmed)
My personal Best Of List from new event listings between May 8 and May 15
Best Lineup of Events - Alla Spina is now on the board with 12 events ranging from $PAYG to $65, including dogs, "cage matches", spin the bottle, food, and plenty of great beer from the area and around the world.
Most New Events - Devil's Den has something, actually some thing*s*, every day for your gustatory pleasure. 20 events in total, all $PAYG.
Most Unique Events - Grey Lodge impresses with unique events throughout the year. They don't disappoint again during PBW '15, including yours truly with a book signing on Tuesday, June 2. All $PAYG
Best Opening Tap After Party - I've seen this Sly Fox-themed post party at Fergie's and it's definitely worth doing again this year. - $PAYG
Best Beer Garden - The "official" PBW Beer Garden was held at the Four Seasons the first couple of years. Now it's been at The Shambles at Headhouse Square for a few years and still as popular as ever. Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. - $PAYG
Best of The Best Of - Standard Tap is throwing what they're calling a super mega draft list party on Friday, June 5 with "our favorite limited releases, collaboration beers, and one-offs of Philly Beer Week". - $PAYG
Best Pig - "smoky pork treats and Oskar Blues brews" on Thursday, June 4 at Percy Street BBQ. - $PAYG
Best NJ Representation - I can't explain exactly what I like about Perch Pub, but I do. I also like what I learned about Carton Brewing (north NJ) and Cape May Brewing (south NJ, duh) during my book research. They'll be featured on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, during the week. - $PAYG
Best Reason to Go To Manayunk on Bike Race Day - Sure you can see the Bike Race in person. You can drink Yards beers. But, there's also a Pinewood Derby which means things could get real interesting at Old Eagle Tavern on Sunday, June 7. - $PAYG
Best Nod to Regional Beer History - It's at McGillin's, but of course. With Flying Fish on Tuesday, Stoudt's and Penn on Thursday, and Yuengling on Friday, they've got some of PA and NJ finest showing off their brews. - $PAYG
Best Pilsner and Wurst - All you need to know is right there in the title and it's right there at Hop Angel. If you still haven't been to Grey Lodge's sister spot, here's a great reason on Saturday and Sunday to close out PBW '15. - $PAYG
Best Way to Get Your Beer Geek On - You may not yet be able to pronounce Draai Laag (basically, "dray lawg"), but it seems that many are catching on to this relatively new brewery from Pittsburgh. I saw them firsthand during my book research and think you'll want to check them out at Devil's Den on Friday, June 5. - $PAYG
Best Pool Party - Oh no no no no no. No, this just isn't right. There's to be a "giant inflatable pool" with Jenny Hobbs (Firestone Walker) and Greg Lehman (Victory) as "lifeguards". Oh my, this will be something to see, I'm sure. Great beers, great fun. - $PAYG
Best Dr. Joel Sighting - Not sure if I've missed other events posted with New Holland, but our long lost friend (well, he's in Michigan now but comes around every now and then so he's not all that long lost) "Dr." Joel Armato will be visiting with his New Holland beers at Capone's on Tuesday, June 2 with some not-so-usual beers from the brewery. - $PAYG
Check back next week as this best-of list will attempt to keep up with the master calendar of events as it grows by the day.
Before I get into the event schedule of May 29 to June 7, in case you haven't heard, the official Belgian collaboration beer of Philly Beer Week 2015 is called Leuven On A Prayer. I was honored to be a part of the traveling PBW contingent that paired up Free Will Brewing Company's John Stemler with Jef Janssens at Hof ten Dormaal (HtD) just outside Leuven, Belgium. The brew day went down on February 5 at the honest-to-goodness Belgian Farmhouse Brewery roughly twenty miles east of Brussels.
If you'd like to get caught up on more of the backstory, please check my excellent (humbly submitted) wrap-up from a few months ago. Plenty of pictures to go with the words as well.
Now on to the business the ten-day Philly Beer Week. Or, as I like to call it, an Imperial Philly Beer Week — because in Philly there could be no other kind. Last Friday, the official calendar of events at PhillyBeerWeek.org counted 331 events, which was up 146 events from the week prior. Today, it lists 501.
What's new? Well, maybe, just maybe we're around halfway to the total event tally that 2015 will offer. Sure, there are a bunch of dollar-offs and rather basic attempts at tastings and/or "takeovers". That's fine. Something for everyone I suppose.
However, let's take a look this week at the delta. Here's a quick summary and then a rundown of what jumps out at me as the best new events listed on the official website, PhillyBeerWeek.org, since last Friday.
Cheer-ee-o, yo.
Number of listed events as of May 15
45 (+10) - Friday, 5/29
60 (+19) - Saturday, 5/30
63 (+25) - Sunday, 5/31
49 (+14) - Monday, 6/1
53 (+20) - Tuesday, 6/2
57 (+17) - Wednesday, 6/3
56 (+22) - Thursday, 6/4
47 (+17) - Friday, 6/5
45 (+16) - Saturday, 6/6
26 (+10) - Sunday, 6/7
Number of listed events at the Uno Family - 37
Number of listed events at Whole Foods - 35
Number of city-based events - 365
Number of non city-based events - 136
Number of unique establishments/locations - 83
Number of events at a brewery - 19
Number of events at a bar - 375
Number of events with "takeover" in the event name - 37
Number of events listed as "free" - 5
Number of events listed as pay-as-you-go - 435
Most expensive event - $125 for "The Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen With Beer Dinner" at Sancho Pistola's
Number of events featuring Free Will and Hof ten Dormaal - 4
Number of Leuven On A Prayer kegs arriving from Belgium - Roughly 35 (to be confirmed)
My personal Best Of List from new event listings between May 8 and May 15
Best Lineup of Events - Alla Spina is now on the board with 12 events ranging from $PAYG to $65, including dogs, "cage matches", spin the bottle, food, and plenty of great beer from the area and around the world.
Most New Events - Devil's Den has something, actually some thing*s*, every day for your gustatory pleasure. 20 events in total, all $PAYG.
Most Unique Events - Grey Lodge impresses with unique events throughout the year. They don't disappoint again during PBW '15, including yours truly with a book signing on Tuesday, June 2. All $PAYG
Best Opening Tap After Party - I've seen this Sly Fox-themed post party at Fergie's and it's definitely worth doing again this year. - $PAYG
Best Beer Garden - The "official" PBW Beer Garden was held at the Four Seasons the first couple of years. Now it's been at The Shambles at Headhouse Square for a few years and still as popular as ever. Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. - $PAYG
Best of The Best Of - Standard Tap is throwing what they're calling a super mega draft list party on Friday, June 5 with "our favorite limited releases, collaboration beers, and one-offs of Philly Beer Week". - $PAYG
Best Pig - "smoky pork treats and Oskar Blues brews" on Thursday, June 4 at Percy Street BBQ. - $PAYG
Best NJ Representation - I can't explain exactly what I like about Perch Pub, but I do. I also like what I learned about Carton Brewing (north NJ) and Cape May Brewing (south NJ, duh) during my book research. They'll be featured on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, during the week. - $PAYG
Best Reason to Go To Manayunk on Bike Race Day - Sure you can see the Bike Race in person. You can drink Yards beers. But, there's also a Pinewood Derby which means things could get real interesting at Old Eagle Tavern on Sunday, June 7. - $PAYG
Best Nod to Regional Beer History - It's at McGillin's, but of course. With Flying Fish on Tuesday, Stoudt's and Penn on Thursday, and Yuengling on Friday, they've got some of PA and NJ finest showing off their brews. - $PAYG
Best Pilsner and Wurst - All you need to know is right there in the title and it's right there at Hop Angel. If you still haven't been to Grey Lodge's sister spot, here's a great reason on Saturday and Sunday to close out PBW '15. - $PAYG
Best Way to Get Your Beer Geek On - You may not yet be able to pronounce Draai Laag (basically, "dray lawg"), but it seems that many are catching on to this relatively new brewery from Pittsburgh. I saw them firsthand during my book research and think you'll want to check them out at Devil's Den on Friday, June 5. - $PAYG
Best Pool Party - Oh no no no no no. No, this just isn't right. There's to be a "giant inflatable pool" with Jenny Hobbs (Firestone Walker) and Greg Lehman (Victory) as "lifeguards". Oh my, this will be something to see, I'm sure. Great beers, great fun. - $PAYG
Best Dr. Joel Sighting - Not sure if I've missed other events posted with New Holland, but our long lost friend (well, he's in Michigan now but comes around every now and then so he's not all that long lost) "Dr." Joel Armato will be visiting with his New Holland beers at Capone's on Tuesday, June 2 with some not-so-usual beers from the brewery. - $PAYG
Check back next week as this best-of list will attempt to keep up with the master calendar of events as it grows by the day.
Friday, May 08, 2015
Philly Beer Week 2015 - A first peek at the numbers and an early Best Of List
Whoa, we're more than half way there. Whoa-oh, Leuven On A Prayer!
Before I get into the event schedule of May 29 to June 7, in case you haven't heard, the official Belgian collaboration beer of Philly Beer Week 2015 is called Leuven On A Prayer. I was honored (lucky?) to be a part of the traveling PBW contingent that paired up Free Will Brewing Company's John Stemler with Jef Janssens at Hof ten Dormaal (HtD) just outside Leuven, Belgium. The brew day went down on February 5 at the honest-to-goodness Belgian Farmhouse Brewery roughly twenty miles east of Brussels.
The backstory of the brewery, the beer, and our trip was more multi-faceted than any previous PBW collaboration, largely thanks to the catastrophic fire at HtD in January. If you're not familiar with HtD or the fire, there'll be plenty of opportunities at Opening Tap, events during the week, and fundraisers during Philly Beer Week 2015.
Plus, check out Free Will TONIGHT in Perkasie for a great way to support Hof ten Dormaal and drink and win some great beer along the way.
If you'd like to get caught up on more of the backstory, please check my excellent (humbly submitted) wrap-up from a few months ago. Plenty of pictures to go with the words as well.
Now on to the business the ten-day Philly Beer Week. Or, as I like to call it, an Imperial Philly Beer Week — because in Philly there could be no other kind.
Last Friday, the official calendar of events at PhillyBeerWeek.org counted 185 events. Today, it lists 331. If you know my tendencies around here, then you won't be surprised to know that I took some time an effort to break it down....in a spreadsheet, but of course.
There's really no point in sharing the spreadsheet yet as we still have three weeks for the event schedule to build and shake itself out. Let's just do a bit of slicing and dicing to help get you through your Friday. Grab a beer, it always makes things better.
Number of listed events as of May 8
35 - Friday, 5/29
41 - Saturday, 5/30
38 - Sunday, 5/31
35 - Monday, 6/1
33 - Tuesday, 6/2
40 - Wednesday, 6/3
34 - Thursday, 6/4
30 - Friday, 6/5
29 - Saturday, 6/6
16 - Sunday, 6/7
Number of listed events at the Uno Family - 37
Number of listed events at Whole Foods - 35
Number of city-based events - 224
Number of non city-based events - 107
Number of unique establishments/locations - 55
Number of events at a brewery - 15
Number of events at a bar - 283
Number of events with "takeover" in the event name - 30
Most expensive event - $125 for "The Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen With Beer Dinner" at Sancho Pistola's
Number of events listed as pay-as-you-go - 276
Number of events listed as "free" - 2
Number of events listing Free Will and Hof ten Dormaal - 4
Number of Leuven On A Prayer kegs arriving from Belgium - Roughly 35 (to be confirmed)
My personal Best Of List from event listings as of May 8
Best Nod to Philly Beer History - Take a beer and history tour of Christ Church Burial Ground for $10 any day of the week at 5:30 p.m. - $10
Best Buzz for your Buck - Opening Tap at 23rd Street Armory on 5/29 - $46
Best Train Ride - After $2 Dogfish Heads (on 5/30) or Russian Rivers (on 6/4) at Teresa's Next Door - $PAYG
Best Bus Ride - From Bethlehem Brew Works to Philly on 5/30 - $55
Best Way to Firk Off - Johnny Brenda's stacks 'em high on 5/30 - $PAYG
Best Rugby Tailgating - Pretty sure there'll only be one this year, so if you want to tailgate a rugby match at PPL Park with Saucony Creek Brewing, this is it on 5/30 - $30
Best Pub Crawl - Numerous Passyunk Avenue establishments bursting at the seams with beer, food, music, and probably much more all day long on 5/31 - $PAYG
Best Dinner - Iron Hill descends on Good Dog every year for a killer dinner, this year on 5/31 - $50
Best Belgian - Focal brewery for 2015 collaboration beer, Hof ten Dormaal, is sending brewer Jef Janssens who will show up at least at Opening Tap, Standard Tap, Jose Pistola's, Memphis Taproom, and Monk's Cafe. He's also due to brew at Free Will in Perkasie. A real fun dude you want to meet. Lunch at Monk's is on 6/2 - $TBD
Best Geeky Commercial Brew - Meet Terry Hawbaker of Pizza Boy and Intangible Ales at Bottle Bar East on 6/2 - $PAYG
Best Local Benefit - Doobies does cat-related fundraisers each year, usally with Flying Fish. This year there are two on 6/2 - $PAYG
Best Returning Brewers - Buds, Casey Hughes (Coppertail, Florida) and Mike Fava (Oxbow, Maine), return to both host events at Jose Pistola's on 6/2 - $PAYG
Best Beer & Cider - I'm big on Other Farm and if you haven't had their beers and cider, check 'em out with live jazz at Time on 6/3 - $PAYG
Best Ice Cream & Beer - I'm also big on Bent Spoon Ice Cream from Princeton ever since they attended the Brewer's Plate several years ago. They team up with Weyerbacher on 6/3 at Uno's in Hamilton, NJ - $PAYG
Best Geeky Homebrew - Meet Randy Mosher at 2nd Story Brewing Company on 6/3 - $10
Best Nod to Philly Prison History - London Grill, Stoudts Brewing Company, and Eastern State Penitentiary have a long intertwined history. It all is on display on 6/3 - $40
Best SoCal-based event - Lucky's Last Chance in Manayunk is hosting both Ballast Point and Green Flash on 6/3 - $PAYG
Best NYC-based event - Brooklyn is nuts for Other Half. They're at Jerry's Bar on 6/4 and Local 44 on 6/5 - $PAYG
Best Reason to Head Downstairs - Conshohocken Brewing Company and Wyndridge Farm Brewery at U-bahn on 6/5 - $PAYG
Best Street Fest - Back to Fishtown for the blocks-long outdoor festival tying together Johnny Brenda's, Fette Sau, and Frankford Hall on 6/6 - $PAYG
Best Barrels - Check out Firestone Walker's Barrelmeister at Strangelove's on 6/6 - $20
Best Sours - You know they'll be at almost every turn of the tap handle. Check out Standard Tap's Sour Brunch on 6/6 - $PAYG
Best Way to find out what a Raingutter Regatta is - With Casey Hughes (Coppertail, Florida) and Dan Conway (Capt. Lawrence, NY), you can bet it will be a spectacle to behold on 6/6 - $PAYG
Best Music - Wrap up PBW '15 at Dock Street with a fun scavenger run and free local music fest on 6/7 - $PAYG
Best NorCal-based event - Each year ends with a Russian River event at Local 44, this year on 6/7 - $PAYG
Best Way to Get Your Wood On - Memphis Taproom again hosts All-Weekend Wood from 6/5-6/7 - $PAYG
Best Way to Multi-Task - Head to Whole Foods beer section at either Devon, Glen Mills, or Plymouth Meeting as, between the three of them, they have unique events scheduled each day of PBW - $PAYG
Check back next week as this best-of list will attempt to keep up with the master calendar of events as it grows by the day.
Before I get into the event schedule of May 29 to June 7, in case you haven't heard, the official Belgian collaboration beer of Philly Beer Week 2015 is called Leuven On A Prayer. I was honored (lucky?) to be a part of the traveling PBW contingent that paired up Free Will Brewing Company's John Stemler with Jef Janssens at Hof ten Dormaal (HtD) just outside Leuven, Belgium. The brew day went down on February 5 at the honest-to-goodness Belgian Farmhouse Brewery roughly twenty miles east of Brussels.
The backstory of the brewery, the beer, and our trip was more multi-faceted than any previous PBW collaboration, largely thanks to the catastrophic fire at HtD in January. If you're not familiar with HtD or the fire, there'll be plenty of opportunities at Opening Tap, events during the week, and fundraisers during Philly Beer Week 2015.
Plus, check out Free Will TONIGHT in Perkasie for a great way to support Hof ten Dormaal and drink and win some great beer along the way.
If you'd like to get caught up on more of the backstory, please check my excellent (humbly submitted) wrap-up from a few months ago. Plenty of pictures to go with the words as well.
Now on to the business the ten-day Philly Beer Week. Or, as I like to call it, an Imperial Philly Beer Week — because in Philly there could be no other kind.
Last Friday, the official calendar of events at PhillyBeerWeek.org counted 185 events. Today, it lists 331. If you know my tendencies around here, then you won't be surprised to know that I took some time an effort to break it down....in a spreadsheet, but of course.
There's really no point in sharing the spreadsheet yet as we still have three weeks for the event schedule to build and shake itself out. Let's just do a bit of slicing and dicing to help get you through your Friday. Grab a beer, it always makes things better.
Number of listed events as of May 8
35 - Friday, 5/29
41 - Saturday, 5/30
38 - Sunday, 5/31
35 - Monday, 6/1
33 - Tuesday, 6/2
40 - Wednesday, 6/3
34 - Thursday, 6/4
30 - Friday, 6/5
29 - Saturday, 6/6
16 - Sunday, 6/7
Number of listed events at the Uno Family - 37
Number of listed events at Whole Foods - 35
Number of city-based events - 224
Number of non city-based events - 107
Number of unique establishments/locations - 55
Number of events at a brewery - 15
Number of events at a bar - 283
Number of events with "takeover" in the event name - 30
Most expensive event - $125 for "The Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen With Beer Dinner" at Sancho Pistola's
Number of events listed as pay-as-you-go - 276
Number of events listed as "free" - 2
Number of events listing Free Will and Hof ten Dormaal - 4
Number of Leuven On A Prayer kegs arriving from Belgium - Roughly 35 (to be confirmed)
My personal Best Of List from event listings as of May 8
Best Nod to Philly Beer History - Take a beer and history tour of Christ Church Burial Ground for $10 any day of the week at 5:30 p.m. - $10
Best Buzz for your Buck - Opening Tap at 23rd Street Armory on 5/29 - $46
Best Train Ride - After $2 Dogfish Heads (on 5/30) or Russian Rivers (on 6/4) at Teresa's Next Door - $PAYG
Best Bus Ride - From Bethlehem Brew Works to Philly on 5/30 - $55
Best Way to Firk Off - Johnny Brenda's stacks 'em high on 5/30 - $PAYG
Best Rugby Tailgating - Pretty sure there'll only be one this year, so if you want to tailgate a rugby match at PPL Park with Saucony Creek Brewing, this is it on 5/30 - $30
Best Pub Crawl - Numerous Passyunk Avenue establishments bursting at the seams with beer, food, music, and probably much more all day long on 5/31 - $PAYG
Best Dinner - Iron Hill descends on Good Dog every year for a killer dinner, this year on 5/31 - $50
Best Belgian - Focal brewery for 2015 collaboration beer, Hof ten Dormaal, is sending brewer Jef Janssens who will show up at least at Opening Tap, Standard Tap, Jose Pistola's, Memphis Taproom, and Monk's Cafe. He's also due to brew at Free Will in Perkasie. A real fun dude you want to meet. Lunch at Monk's is on 6/2 - $TBD
Best Geeky Commercial Brew - Meet Terry Hawbaker of Pizza Boy and Intangible Ales at Bottle Bar East on 6/2 - $PAYG
Best Local Benefit - Doobies does cat-related fundraisers each year, usally with Flying Fish. This year there are two on 6/2 - $PAYG
Best Returning Brewers - Buds, Casey Hughes (Coppertail, Florida) and Mike Fava (Oxbow, Maine), return to both host events at Jose Pistola's on 6/2 - $PAYG
Best Beer & Cider - I'm big on Other Farm and if you haven't had their beers and cider, check 'em out with live jazz at Time on 6/3 - $PAYG
Best Ice Cream & Beer - I'm also big on Bent Spoon Ice Cream from Princeton ever since they attended the Brewer's Plate several years ago. They team up with Weyerbacher on 6/3 at Uno's in Hamilton, NJ - $PAYG
Best Geeky Homebrew - Meet Randy Mosher at 2nd Story Brewing Company on 6/3 - $10
Best Nod to Philly Prison History - London Grill, Stoudts Brewing Company, and Eastern State Penitentiary have a long intertwined history. It all is on display on 6/3 - $40
Best SoCal-based event - Lucky's Last Chance in Manayunk is hosting both Ballast Point and Green Flash on 6/3 - $PAYG
Best NYC-based event - Brooklyn is nuts for Other Half. They're at Jerry's Bar on 6/4 and Local 44 on 6/5 - $PAYG
Best Reason to Head Downstairs - Conshohocken Brewing Company and Wyndridge Farm Brewery at U-bahn on 6/5 - $PAYG
Best Street Fest - Back to Fishtown for the blocks-long outdoor festival tying together Johnny Brenda's, Fette Sau, and Frankford Hall on 6/6 - $PAYG
Best Barrels - Check out Firestone Walker's Barrelmeister at Strangelove's on 6/6 - $20
Best Sours - You know they'll be at almost every turn of the tap handle. Check out Standard Tap's Sour Brunch on 6/6 - $PAYG
Best Way to find out what a Raingutter Regatta is - With Casey Hughes (Coppertail, Florida) and Dan Conway (Capt. Lawrence, NY), you can bet it will be a spectacle to behold on 6/6 - $PAYG
Best Music - Wrap up PBW '15 at Dock Street with a fun scavenger run and free local music fest on 6/7 - $PAYG
Best NorCal-based event - Each year ends with a Russian River event at Local 44, this year on 6/7 - $PAYG
Best Way to Get Your Wood On - Memphis Taproom again hosts All-Weekend Wood from 6/5-6/7 - $PAYG
Best Way to Multi-Task - Head to Whole Foods beer section at either Devon, Glen Mills, or Plymouth Meeting as, between the three of them, they have unique events scheduled each day of PBW - $PAYG
Check back next week as this best-of list will attempt to keep up with the master calendar of events as it grows by the day.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Farm to Philly - Philly Beer Week 2015 goes to Belgium
 (click to visit full gallery of photos at Picasa) |
Figuring many of you catch my stuff in social-land, I'm gonna go out on a limb and presume that you're aware I just returned from Belgium.
Brussels, to be specific. With Philly Beer Week, Free Will Brewing, and a cast of characters exploring the Belgian beer landscape and brewing a collaboration beer at Hof ten Dormaal in Tildonk to be even more specific.
And if you didn't catch all the social love that I gave to this trip, you may have caught the Philly.com food/beverage blog — in conjunction with Philly Beer Week — that John Stemler (Free Will co-owner/brewer) and I contributed to while across the pond.
Rather than repeat here, below I've gathered a handy index that you can go exploring on your own. The one additional thing you get here, however, is many more pictures. Click above on our group picture at Cantillon to head over to Picasa for a much larger photo gallery than was included at Philly.com.
(link to) Pre-travel thoughts and planning
— The PBW/Philly.com crew thought it would be a good start to talk about some pre-trip thoughts, planning, expectations, etc. So we did. May not be all that riveting, but it set the groundwork.
(link to) En route
— Slightly more riveting than the first entry, this got into more of the trip across the pond and arrival.
(link to) Monday, Feb. 2
— Now things are really humming
— Moeder Lambic, Delirium Cafe, Grand Place
(link to) Tuesday, Feb. 3
— Bruges must be experienced up close and personal to be appreciated. Hopefully, we've helped with that.
— Le Pain Quotidien. Halve Maan brewery. Cambrinus. De Garre.
— Walking. Churches. Bridges. Canals. Food. Beer. Not exactly in that order or quantity.
(link to) Wednesday, Feb. 4
— I referred to this day as epic. In hindsight, I stand by that.
— Cantillon, Nuëtnigenough. Never enough. Indeed.
(link to) Thursday, Feb. 5
— The day that this trip was all about. Brew day at Hof ten Dormaal in Tildonk, just east of Brussels.
— And, back to Brussels for Le Coq, Cafe Bizon, and probably a place or two lost to the beer-soaked streets of Brussels.
(link to) Friday, Feb. 6
— More epictasticality. Boon, 3 Fonteinen, Lambics, trains. Classic Belgian/French dining.
(link to) John's review of Feb. 5-7
— Stemler takes a crack at knocking out three days of catch-up writing in one entry.
(link to) My post-trip wrap
— A huge shout-out to all involved, including the importer 12% Imports.
Friday, January 30, 2015
There's this little trip to Belgium next week
Post by The Brew Lounge.
Remember that raffle that I won in December from Philly Beer Week and 12% Imports? Well, it's finally here. Not that it snuck up on me all that much, but any ideas I had about preparing adequately to maximize my travels have all but evaporated at this point.
I know I have a flight, a hotel room, and a valid passport. The weather looks clear (and cold) leaving Philly and overcast/rainy (and not quite as cold) when arriving in Brussels.
Beyond that, oy.
That's not really true, though. The level of communication has been much higher than expected amongst all the principals involved in the trip. Brian Ewing of 12% Imports (the importer of the host brewery, Hof ten Dormaal) is picking up the travel tab for myself and the brewer I tapped, John Stemler of Free Will Brewing, and has been playing his liaison role between the brewing entities on both sides of the pond. This role has become even more critical in light of the devastating fire that HtD suffered earlier in January. They continue to work like crazy at their brewery just east of Brussels to prepare for our brew day on February 5.
The dialogue between the brewers, myself, Tom Peters (of Monk's Cafe), William Reed (Standard Tap), Casey Parker (Jose Pistolas), and others around the recipe specifications has also taken on a life of its own in long-running e-mail conversations. While it's still too soon to say with 100% certainty, you can bet we'll be talking about the recipe next week as we tweet, burp, share, post, blog, bleep, blurp, write, and take pictures along the way. The free-wheeling conversation leading up to the trip has been fun and educational for me as an outsider to the professional brewing world — or at least to the part that involves recipe formulation, ingredient planning and sourcing, etc.
Side threads have also sprouted in e-mail around other group excursions apart from brew day. Staying in Brussels, Cantillon is an obvious choice. Drie Fonteinen and Boon are also likely visits. As he has taken the lead in planning these additional visits, the respect that Tom Peters garners in his home away from home in Belgium is immediately obvious.
Finally, as Stemler and I will both be coming into Belgium prior to the larger group (we expect a total of 11 from Philly, I think is our last count, in the complete traveling group), he has been taking the lead in establishing other brewery meetups and possible brew days in order to further his professional relationships abroad during this trip.
So my rough count is that there have been over 130 e-mails over the past few weeks leading up to what should be a most-excellent trip. Now, it's time for me to count some Euros I have at my home desk and figure out if/how to get more. Set up my international data and calling plan. Figure out the best route into the city from the airport (likely the train). Determine which, if any, "gift beers" I'd like to pack for the new friends we make over there. Clothes, toiletries? Eh, minor stuff!
Oh, and the minor footnote of being 89% of the way through editing my 416-page book manuscript, due by the end of this week--is that today?! Separate story for a different day. Maybe I'll write something about it on the plane ride to Belgium.
While I'm in Belgium, expect to see updates here at The Brew Lounge. I'll also be forwarding some material to Philly.com for Michael Klein to include in his column. Philly Beer Week will also have some fun content that we'll be chipping in with along the way. And the usual social media outlets — The Brew Lounge on Facebook and The Brew Lounge on Twitter — should be alive and well during this trip and full of fun things found, heard, and tasted along the way.
Here we go....
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