Flagship February daily feature - Victory HopDevil

Today's featured Flagship Beer of February comes from one of the Philadelphia region's most recognized and celebrated breweries — Victory Brewing Company in Chester County.

If you've been around long enough, you've seen Victory grow from "the brewery founded by two childhood friends that rode the schoolbus together" to one of the country's largest and most celebrated producers of non-macro beer (see, btw, how I'm experimenting with using a word other than "craft"?! It's a work in progress.)

There's plenty more to Victory's current status as well as their history than I could fit on a one-page profile and in attempt to keep things as brief as possible here, much will fall by the wayside. During our walk-down-history conversation, Covaleski reminisced making HopDevil as loud and brash and different in the flavor and aroma as they did in the colorful marketing materials. It was something that the drinkers he described in the Philly area as being part of Coors Light's largest market in the country not being ready for. He was shooting for a bold beer sought out by a niche of beer drinkers that might have only been able to find it in a beer from Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, or a handful of others at the time. "Bass with Balls"! Love it -- go read the feature profile for more of the background.

Today, Victory sports a massive brewery in Parkesburg that dwarfs the original in Downingtown by 2-3 times, a smaller 7-barrel brewpub in Kennett Square, and a partnership with Xfinity Live! in the south Philadelphia sports complex. In 2016, Victory was brought under the umbrella of Artisanal Brewing Ventures along with Southern Tier Brewing in New York. The Charlotte-based company just announced late in 2018 a similar acquisition of Sixpoint Brewing from Brooklyn, NY. They have exciting plans for Sixpoint, according to Covaleski, which I'm not yet cleared to share.

Thus far, it's been satisfying to see some of the old staples still being produced, such as Braumeister Pils, Storm King Stout, and Helios, in addition to the Flagships. My hope is that the ABV arrangement does as it's intended to do and that is preserve and grow its members to an even greater state than they did or could on their own.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Victory HopDevil.

If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. This beer was provided to me by the brewery while I sat and discussed Victory's history and beers with Bill Covaleski.

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

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Thankful for special beer releases this week: Philadelphia area

You say you like getting beer as fresh as it gets, sometimes standing in line for special bottle/can/crowler/draft releases? Well, then, this is for you.

I began noticing a flurry of special releases around the Philly area this week, so let's get to a simple summary of where you want to be, and when, to catch some hot releases as early as this afternoon. As you'll see, many breweries are double-dipping and releasing two special beers to further entice you to visit them.

Tue. Nov. 21
  ~ at 4 p.m., Saint Benjamin Brewing in Philadelphia is releasing Electric DIPA in cans.


Wed. Nov. 22
  ~ at 10 a.m., Victory Brewing in Downingtown is releasing Wisdom's Hour Barrel-aged American Sour and a "surprise" bottle during its annual Dark Wednesday event.

  ~ at 11 a.m., Saucony Creek in Kutztown is releasing (pre-sale only) its first crowler offering — Thorondor On A Stick NEIPA.

  ~ at 12 p.m., Weyerbacher in Easton is releasing its Quad.

  ~ at 12 p.m., Capone's in Norristown is featuring a lineup of Goose Island Bourbon County Brand vintages.

  ~ at 2 p.m., Evil Genius in Philadelphia is releasing both Trust The Process Oat IPA and Run By Fruiting IPA.

  ~ at 3 p.m., Locust Lane Brewing in Malvern is releasing their first canned offerings — Locust Lane Kolsch and Three Tun Citra IPA.

  ~ at 5 p.m., Bistro On Bridge in Phoenixville is hosting Hidden River and Levante breweries for a dinner where they'll feature their newly, and collaboratively, released Genetically Modified Visual Stimuli NEIPA.


Fri. Nov. 24
  ~ at 9 a.m., Exton Beverage in Exton will be selling bottles....; at 12 p.m., Alla Spina in Philly will have draft....; and at 11 a.m., Boathouse in Conshohocken will be selling bottles. The Boathouse, fyi, will have draft beginning at 11 a.m on Wednesday.....of.....2017 (and vintages in some cases, check individual event details for specifics, plus special raffles) Goose Island Bourbon County Brand beers.

  ~ at 12 p.m., Free Will Brewing in Perkasie and Lahaska (Peddler's Village) is releasing its big (both the beer, and the bottle) Ralphius Russian Imperial Stout and Ella.

  ~ at 12 p.m., 2SP Brewing in Aston is releasing Bourbon Barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout and Best Wishes Imperial Saison.

  ~ at 12 p.m., Spellbound Brewing in Mt. Holly is releasing a canned version of its Porter aged in Palo Santo wood.

  ~ at 12 p.m., Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing in Cherry Hill is releasing Lifeguard Off Duty Saison and Sword Juggler Belgian Lambic-inspired.

  ~ at 4 p.m., La Cabra Brewing in Berwyn is releasing Hipster Catnip American IPA and Feelin Thankful Double IPA.


Is this enough to be thankful for? Any I've missed?

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© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2017. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com

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Beer News You Should Know - Jan.-Feb. 2016

The pace of change in the beer world has never been greater. As the industry continues to move and shake, rattle and roll, and find its footing to move confidently into the future, the only constant is change.

On a somewhat regular basis, I'm going to attempt to keep you in the know with some of the most noteworthy news items happening. I'll focus primarily on the region (defined as I see fit) centered around my home turf of Philadelphia. And, considering I wrote a book about the PA, NJ, MD, and DE beer scenes and continuously stay abreast of changes within those four states, I'll likely cover newsy happenings from Erie to the Eastern Shore, Bayonne to Baltimore, and Pittsburgh back to Philly.

Let's try to knock off the first two months of 2016 in succinct bulletpoints and see where we go from there. Of course, if I missed anything you deem noteworthy, please hit up the comments below.

(in no particular order, seriously)

Mispillion River - as the Philly market continues to house one of the country's most diverse retail beer collections from around the world, it's great to see new ones available in the Philly market from just a few miles down the road in Milford, Del. Keep your eyes open for three-year-old Mispillion River Brewing Company and their excellent beers such as Beach Bum Joe (Belgian Pale) and Double Chin (Double IPA).  [Link to Philly Beer Scene]

Southern Tier - on the heels of announcing the joint venture/partnership/don't-call-it-a-sellout with Victory Brewing Company, a plan to open a brewpub in Pittsburgh's North Shore neighborhood was announced by Southern Tier Brewing Company. The Lakewood, NY-based brewery plans to set up along the bank of the Allegheny River in between Heinz Field and PNC Park and joins Penn Brewery, Grist House Brewing Company, and Draai Laag Brewing Company on Pittsburgh's increasingly popular North Shore across from downtown. [Link to STBC's news page]

Victory - speaking of that joint venture between Victory and Southern Tier, all short-term signs point to continued business as usual. Under the Artisanal Brewing Ventures holding company, Victory's 52 original investors get paid out in a combination of stock shares and cash and Ron Barchet becomes COO. According to VBC, the previously-planned brewpub for Leesburg, Va. is currently on hold. Will be interesting to see if they fold in any additional mid- to small-tier breweries in the coming months. [Link to Victory Brewing Company]

ShawneeCraft - ShawneeCraft Brewing Company is a standout brewing operation in northeast Pennsylvania on the doorstep of the Pocono Mountains. They recently announced that the grand opening for Scratch – their unique and collaborative food-beer retail operation inside the Easton Public Market in downtown Easton, Pa. – will be on March 18. [Link to Scratch's website]

Boaks - One of NJ's earliest homebrewers to turn pro, Brian Boaks and his Boaks beer have been around festivals and here and there for quite a few years. Now, he's decided to close up shop and deplete his inventory at a bunch of "Farewell Tour" upcoming events. The Great Beer Expo in Philly on June 4 will be one of the last chances to get his commercially brewed Boaks beer. [Link to Boaks' blog]

Susquehanna - the only time I visited Susquehanna Brewing Company, I was surprised such a beautiful brewing facility had no real tasting room. That's about to be rectified tomorrow, March 5, and that's a really good thing considering some of my favorite beers from them (thinking: Southern Rye IPA, Pils Noir, and especially the Goldencold Lager) that should be enjoyed by the glassful while sitting and chatting with others. [Link to SBC's tour page]

Saucony Creek - Also tomorrow, March 5, Kutztown, Pa. will see its Saucony Creek Brewing Company add on a gastropub, extending the experience of a visit to the brewery. Check out the announcement for all the festivities surrounding the opening and the brewery's third anniversary celebration. [Link to SCBC's press release]

Homebrewers - The Homebrew Con (formerly known as National Homebrewers Conference - can't imagine the need for name change, but I digress) is descending upon Baltimore, Md. from June 9-11. The most amazing confluence of education, events, vendors, and beer judging will take over the city's convention center and, I'm sure, dozens of bars and breweries for an unforgettable experience. I look forward to covering the excellent event in the excellent city of Baltimore; attendees are in for a treat. Maybe I should plug my book for advice of what to see/do! [Link to NHC event website]

New Jersey - I was surveyed and contributed to New Jersey Monthly's sweet 16 of brewery braketology with my top six breweries (ask nicely, and I might share that list with you). This is a mighty fine list from the Garden State. Now it's up to you to crown the best. [Link to New Jersey Monthly]

Sly Fox - Gosh, I recall ten years ago when the thought of merging running and beer events elicited hardly anything but scoffs and jeers. My running/beer events that I conducted were always wildly popular, but nothing like what breweries and bars have come up with these days. Case in point: check out the Sly Fox Fox Trot 5-K and accompanying Tap, Tunes, & Trucks festival. [Link to Sly Fox's event page]

Yards - Looks like Yards is ready to grow again. Hard to believe that the once-spacious building on Delaware Avenue is already reaching capacity. Read the article; stay away from the comments. [Link to Philly.com]

Meeting Of The Malts - Finally, a meeting of some of the brightest minds and most recognizable figures in the brewing industry are set up for a triple play of events in Bethlehem, Pa. on March 24. Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada), Jim Koch (Boston Beer), and Dick Yuengling (D.G. Yuengling & Son) will hold court from 7:15 p.m.-9:30 p.m. under the banner of Meeting of the Malts to discuss the current state of affairs in the business of beer. Bookending this event, at which time a five-course beer-pairing meal will be served, the Pennsylvania Brewpub Festival will happen from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. and a "Prohibition Party" will take place from 10:15 p.m.-12 a.m. at The Foundry Room in the Sands Casino Resort. Should be a fun, educational, and tasty night. [Link to Brewers of PA event page]

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20 is the new...thing. Victory and Sly Fox the latest to celebrate the milestone.

Victory Parkesburg

When I promised earlier last month that 2016 would be all about me getting back on the regular posting horse around here, I didn't necessarily say it would all be breaking news. For example, here in the Philly area, we have a couple of newly-minted 20-year-olds. Victory is turning twenty this month and it got me thinking back to November and the media luncheon/tour that I was invited to at the brewery's new, shiny massive brewing facility in Parkesburg, Pa. Then, in December I shared a dinner and few beers with the good folks at Sly Fox in their Phoenixville location as they celebrated twenty years on the Philadelphia region's brewing scene.

For the industry, twenty years has certainly its share of mostly ups, but also some downs, as what was mostly a fledgling niche segment of the industry at the time of Sly Fox's and Victory's openings, went through a "regrouping" set of years, before embarking on the last ten years of prosperity. This boom time for what has been typically referred to as the craft segment of the beer industry has seen dozens of breweries such as these two grow into regional powerhouses and to the point where many (including myself) argue that the term "craft" has outlived its usefulness.

Here's where I should attempt to awkwardly insert into this previously-written material that Victory today embarked on a "joint venture" with Southern Tier to be owned under an umbrella holding company run by a private equity holding company. Instead of mucking up the rest of this piece with the acquisition news, I'll simply link to an article over at Forbes.com instead.

Back to November, after many months of planning, digging, building, and fine-tuning, Victory was finally ready to unveil to the public what is promised to eventually nearly triple their previous brewing output capacity. Founding brewers, Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski, along with VP of Retail Operations Matt Krueger, hosted a media luncheon and tour that showcased the new facility and food menu along with nearly 30 Victory beers that have become the norm both at the original Downingtown location as well as the newer brewpub location in Kennett Square, Pa. which opened in Spring 2015.

The self-guided tour allows for guests to eat, drink, and meander at their own pace through the brewery with oversized windows looking into the brewing operations. Perhaps one of the most unique and fun aspects of the tour - complete with narration from locally-based beer and whiskey scribe Lew Bryson and story boards along the way - is the hop "exhaust" fan, or HopSniff if you will, which pipes whole leaf hop aroma into the tour hall corridor from inside the cooler.

See the demonstration of how to use the fan from Covaleksi himself in my picture gallery. Plenty of other peeks from inside the brewery in this gallery so grab a beer and check it out. Better yet, get yourself to Parkesburg to see firsthand what these two schoolbus-riding best friends turned homebrewers turned leaders of the brewing industry have put together in western Chester County.

On the northern end of Chester County, Sly Fox celebrated its own 20th anniversary with a weekend-long party back in December. They've been doing their own take on unique annual events for quite some time now.

Think: Robert Burns Night; St. Patrick's Day Boot Camp; and the more recent Can Jam Music Festival. The Bock Fest & Goat Races is the annual event that put them on the map as a special event destination all the way back in 2000. And, since opening the full-scale production brewery in Pottstown (along with well-regarded Manatawny Still Works across the street in the same corporate park), the possibilities for large-scale events have significantly increased. Bike races and road running races are just two examples.

Each year, the brewery hosts an anniversary party back in Phoenixville, across the street from where the original brewpub launched the last 20 years of brewing success. The 20th anniversary party rivaled the 15th with a breakfast, an overflowing list of beers throughout the weekend, live music, and contests/giveaways.

Dogfish Head, Yards, and Stewart's in Delaware hit 20 years in 2015 as well. Next up in 2016: Iron Hill and Flying Fish. The party keeps on....

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Beer News You Can Use, 10/24/2014

For your consumption, here's a mashup of what I've read, what I've heard, and what I've tasted in the past week. As I mentioned last week as I began to revitalize this feature, the primary focus will be on the greater Philadelphia region first, extending outward as it seems interesting or necessary.

Beer "of the week"
Sierra Nevada Tumbler. I don't recall how many years it's been now that Tumbler has been distributed to Pennsylvania, but after several years of thoroughly enjoying this beer, I'm pleased to see it continue to be sent within the variety case of fall-themed beers, including also the Oktoberfest, Lager, and Pale, each excellent in their own right.

This brown ale resists getting "all Americanized" with a big hop presence. Instead, it packs wonderful flavors of roasted and chocolate malts and is yet easy-drinking at 5.5% ABV with a moderate body weight. Solid brown ales, especially those leaning toward the classic English style, can be tough to come by in today's craft drinking US. Sierra Nevada flies in the face of the west coast hop-centric stereotype and delivers an enjoyable one.

Openings
2nd Story Brewing Company opened on this last Monday, October 21 in the former home of Triumph in Philadelphia's Old City neighborhood. Had wondered if Patrick Jones had been spotted lately and Joe Sixpack reported that he consulted with John Wible at 2nd Story in getting thing up and running.

And, Devil's Pocket Food & Spirits opened in the split-level space that used to house Resurrection Ale House.

Coming Soon
On the heels of closing Resurrection Ale House, the owners are eyeing up a new place just blocks from Local 44. [Philly.com]

Closures
Joe Sixpack also reports that Crabby Larry's in Chalfont has closed. Not that much press coming from that neck of the woods in quite some time, so it will be interesting to see how the next project there — Tower Hill Brewery — fares. [JoeSixpack.net]

Interesting reading
I think beer geeks are expected to be so conditioned to respond with acrimonious vitriol. I don't think that's necessary. Sure, Chang says some things that don't necessarily sync with his role in food and beverage and I can't tell if he's more put off my "tasty beer" or the snobbery that surrounds it. What are your thoughts? [GQ.com]

Major Announcements
Green Flash finally broke ground on its planned 100,000-barrel production facility in Virginia Beach. [WAVY.com]

Significant Releases
Moving Parts 02 — "the ever-evolving IPA' — has just dropped from Victory. I should have some tasting notes in the near future. [VictoryBeer.com]

Upcoming Events
The annual fundraiser at Monk's Café tomorrow will have tongues wagging once again for a very good cause. Note that it's a cash-only event. [Monk's Café]

If tomorrow, instead, you're west of Philly, the Pick Fest in Boyertown sounds like a very, very good time — with an after-party at The Other Farm Brewing Company.

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Brewers Plate 2014

Brewers Plate 2014

My schedule is way too crowded to do the wonderful Brewers Plate event any justice here in print. Yes, I did attend after putting in a full weekend of solid Delaware research time (very few of you already know to what I'm referring, but there'll be much more to come on this very soon, I promise). Yes, I left the event early. But, yes, in between I did stuff myself with some of the best food, beer, and food-and-beer-pairings that our rich Philadelphia region has to offer.

So, in lieu of the typical full-blown analysis/critique that I've done in the past - and, in the spirit of being timely - here is small set of pictures that should give you an idea of the continued excellence that this event delivers year in and year out. I think I've said it plenty in the past; if you've not attended the Brewers Plate event, be sure to mark March of 2015 on your calendar to do so.

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Band of Brewers played on at World Café Live: March 2, 2014

This event has the makings of becoming a permanent fixture on the annual Philly Beer Events calendar. I was not able to attend the inaugural version in 2013, but watched YouTube from afar (like... 3,000 miles afar) and was envious of all who got to see talented brewery staff take the stage to rock out and show another creative side of themselves.

Philly Beer Scene's Mat Falco again organized the raucous afternoon at the accommodating World Café Live where many beer events have been held over the years.

A few hundred came out to see seven breweries took to the stage (Victory, Sly Fox, Weyerbacher, Neshaminy Creek, Tröegs, Yards, and Philadelphia Brewing) and no one disappointed. Beers from each of the breweries were available as was a limited food menu from the kitchen.

The judging panel consisted of local beer luminaries Suzanne Woods (Allagash), Casey Parker (Jose/Sancho Pistola's), and Dennis Hewlett (the "POPE") along with JUMP magazine founder, George Miller.

They awarded third place to Neshaminy Creek, second place to Yards, and first place to Philadelphia Brewing Company. Check out videos from each of the brewery performers below.

Band of Brewers first place presentation by The Brew Lounge.

Weyerbacher's Band of Brewers by The Brew Lounge.

Neshaminy Creek's Band of Brewers by The Brew Lounge.

Yards' Band of Brewers by The Brew Lounge.

More from Yards' Band of Brewers by The Brew Lounge.

Tröegs' Band of Brewers by The Brew Lounge.

Sly Fox's Band of Brewers by The Brew Lounge.

Victory's Band of Brewers by The Brew Lounge.

Philadelphia Brewing's first place winning Band of Brewers by The Brew Lounge.

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More Victory Beer coming your way

(At their new Parkesburg, Pa. location, Bill Covaleski, left, and Ron Barchet, founding owners of Victory Brewing Company)
The school bus keeps on rolling…

I was not available to take in the media tour offered last week at Victory's new brewery operation in Parkesburg, Pa. They passed along the press release and some pictures that I can share with you here this morning. I'll need to get out there soon and do my own follow-up. Until then, here are some interesting points that I pulled from the press release for your early morning reading pleasure.

(Exterior shot of Victory Brewing Company's new Parkesburg location)

• 3127 Lower Valley Road in Parkesburg, Pa.
• More than 140,000 square feet set on 42 acres of rolling Chester County countryside
• Best-in-class German-built ROLEC brewhouse with production capacity of up to 200 barrels per batch
• A proprietary hop separator coined the HopVIC
• A hard-piped fermentation cellar featuring (16) 1,000 barrel fermenters.
• At full capacity, the brewery will able to brew 225,000 barrels annually – more than doubling the current capability in Downingtown.
• A state-of–the-art biological acidification system, which will allow our brewers to naturally optimize pH values throughout the brewing process, yielding cleaner and fresher tasting beer.
• Construction will continue on the 10,000 square feet of space where a full service brewpub and beer garden are planned, scheduled to near completion by the start of 2015.
• If stretched end to end, more than three miles of stainless steel piping is used to connect the brewery and CIP vessels.
• The custom glulam beams over the brewhouse span 80feet wide, 50 inches deep and weigh roughly 10,000lbs a piece.
• The lauter tun in the brewhouse is 23 feet wide, weighing 26,000lbs empty, and required a police escort from the seaport in Dundalk, Maryland to Parkesburg, traveling on a special "low-boy" trailer to fit under bridges.
• Speaking of the lauter tun, at full capacity it will be able to brew 200 barrels of wort every two hours for beers like Prima Pils, Summer Love and Golden Monkey. That's 6,200 gallons, or 400 x 1/2 kegs, or 2755 case equivalents, times 12 batches in 24 hours, to deliver 33,066 cases or 74,400 gallons of beer. You might need to bring a few friends.
• In just one week, the state-or-the-art yeast propagation system can cultivate about 80hL (approximately 2200 gallons) of yeast with more than 100 million cells per mL, which, in technical terms, is a boatload.
• In the fermentation cellar, the self-supported structure holding all 16 1,000 barrel fermentation tanks, was built on a mat slab concrete foundation that is roughly 840 cubic yards, running four feet deep. With the concrete walls, columns and roof added to that, there is roughly 1,600 yards of concrete surface in the cellar, which required 160 concrete trucks, each tank weighing 425,000lbs.
• 45,000 feet of wire is needed to connect and run the 600 foot bottling line.
• Each of the two largest bright beer tanks hold 1,000 barrels at once, which combined, is equal to 275 more barrels than the total number produced in Victory's first full year in operation.

Finally, if you want to see the new operation up close and personal yourself, until the day the full-service brewpub is opened at this new Parkesburg location (tentatively, early 2015), here are details of how you can get there now:

"We’re excited to offer an enjoyable package option that provides a behind the scenes look at the brewery, as well as food and beer component in the meantime.”

The tours, which are scheduled for Saturdays from 11am-2:30pm and 3pm-6:30pm, will depart from Victory’s Downingtown brewpub. Upon arrival in Parkesburg, guests will receive a welcome beer in the catering hall, followed by a guided tour of the brewery from the production floor, before meeting back in the hall to enjoy a chef-inspired food and beer pairing. Each session is limited to 40 people and all tour guests must be 21 years or older to participate. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will be available on Victory’s website, beginning Monday, March 3."

(Beer running through the bottling line at the new Parkesburg, Pa. location of Victory Brewing Company)

Philly Beer Week 2013, Day 3 Sights and Sounds: Sunday, June 2

(Links to video precede the pictures farther below.)

The opening weekend of Philly Beer Week 2013 came to a slightly cooler, interrupted by brief passing showers, end with festivities of every stripe going down around the city.

Early reports came in of some solid brunches being served up and I got mine in just before 3 p.m. at Kite & Key (great "stuffed" PB&J French Toast) as the Throwdown in Franklintown was warming up. I got roped into a couple of events so you may see some moving or still pictures (moving as in motion, not be confused with emotional) of me participating on the runner-up to the runner-up to the runner-up team.

Each year K&K does this event, a) it gets larger, b) it attracts more folks from the industry who want to participate in a couple hours of fun 'n' games, and c) it remains an event where you know, where you can trust, that K&K will do its job to secure great beer, but that isn't the focal point of the event. That last point, to me, is what differentiates truly special/unique events during beer week from the more run o' the mill types. Getting people involved, entertaining, and providing a fun atmosphere where it's not just beer geekerie sitting around, pontificating a beer's merits, and checking it into an app.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Usually.

So how about those beers, eh mister beer geek?

Yes, the beers were special (as would be expected) during the Throwdown at K&K. The two that stoodout and wound up multiple times in my hand were Allagash's FV-13 and Golden Brett, two beers aged in oak and treating folks to a wild ride of fruit and tart and sweet and rich. The Golden Brett comes across as cleaner and more refreshing, if you will, where the FV-13 has a wider range, and is a bit boozier, of flavors.

Also of note was my second Bell Ringer IPA from Victory. It was on CO2 and was just as enjoyable as the night prior at Johnny Brenda's where it was being served from a gravity cask. And, as their website warns "not to be fooled", I was. No way I'd guess this clocks in at 9% ABV.

The party rolled on with many moving into Center City and Nodding Head where owner Curt Decker and the team were hosting Tomme Arthur and his Red Poppy, Framboise, and several other tasty sours from southern California.

It was a bit of a sign of things to come when next Tuesday, if you haven't heard, Nodding Head will be doing a very special brew day with De La Senne and guest appearances by Vinnie Cilurzo (Russian River) and again Tomme Arthur. Breakfast bites will be available as well.

With time for just a quick stop at Standard Tap, we buzzed in and saw owner Willam Reed holding court with three huge GABF 2012 winners. Tröegs (Hershey) won mid-size brewery of the year, Devil's Backbone (Virginia) won small brewpub of the year, and Church Brew Works (Pittsburgh) won large brewpub of the year. They each had multiple beers of theirs pouring, most of which are not typically available in Philly.

They also had a beer that all three collaborated on brewed at Tröegs. It's a black rye IPA and it was being served on the handpump. Interesting beer with an earthy hop profile and definitely worth checking out should you see it around (apparently it's tagged as Scratch #97).

Great exposure at Standard Tap, one of the city's most comfortable pubs, for these two out-of-town excellent breweries and, as always, for our home-region Tröegs.

That might be about it for me for a few days. It may even turn out to be the first year where I essentially take off the full week from PBW events. Must keep the balance in life. Time will tell. In the meantime, check out the fun videos and pictures and let me know where you have been and what you've seen that's worth reporting.

p.s. Special thanks to Megan Moore of Evolution Brewing for passing along the picture of me keg racing at the Kite & Key event.

Link to video of the keg race (they were full, btw).
Link to video of tug o' war (Victory versus Dogfish Head, first match)
Link to video of tug o' war (Victory versus Dogfish Head, second match)
Link to video of jousting (Jim Kirk-Kite & Key versus Tom Kehoe-Yards Brewing, first match)
Link to video of jousting (Jim Kirk-Kite & Key versus Tom Kehoe-Yards Brewing, first match)
Link to video of jousting finals (Greg Lehman-Victory Brewing versus Tom Kehoe-Yards Brewing)



(A slightly cooler day, it's relative of course, brought larger crowd than ever for the annual Throwdown in Franklintown at Kite & Key.)

(The Yards Brewing team from Philly.)

(The Victory Brewing team from Downingtown.)

(Good thing I had sustenance to carry me through the keg race and tug o' war that I was recruited for.)

(Yours truly got recruited for the keg race.)

(Fergie Carey, temporary custodian, and loving/nurturing custodian at that, of the Hammer of Glory.)

(Curt Decker of Nodding Head welcomes Tomme Arthur from Lost Abbey to his Sour Happy Hour event on Sunday, June 2.)

(Standard Tap featuring the reigning Small and Large brewpub and Mid-size brewery GABF 2012 winners. The Black Rye IPA on the handpump was the collaboration between the three.)

(William Reed of Standard Tap and Johnny Brenda's, with the Hammer of Glory natch, played host at Standard Tap to Jason Oliver from Devil's Backbone in Virginia.)

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Writing this ship, Part II (all over the place, part 1)

If you keep up around here at The Brew Lounge on a regular basis, this may be an easy post to get through. In my continued effort to clear the backlog and bring us all up-to-date around here — and, in part, make amends for my perhaps perceived absence — Part II here focuses on a bunch of miscellaneous TBL activities from July 2012 through December 2012 mostly focused from New York through Delaware.

July
  - There was Ommegang's BCTC as has come to be a summer tradition since 2004. Of course, I wrote about it here at TBL as well as over at After Hours. They were both popular features and definitely gained some traction over there at TWT. Check 'em both out if you had previously not. Jury is still out whether I'll be making the trek again this year. The streak may finally be broken.

  - Also in July was the excellent Russian River beer dinner at the lovely Yardley Inn along the banks of the Delaware River. I wrote about it, as well, over at After Hours. I can only imagine that it was probably the only beer dinner where Russian River's beers were featured where there was a table that did not touch a drop of the five excellent beers set in front of them. They were close-minded wine people, whaddya want?

August
  - August brought an invitation to an excellent venue for a beer festival in Doylestown I'd not yet been to in the past. Certainly not your typical festival at not your typical place with not your typical beer festival people. I recommend keeping your eyes open for it this year if you've also not been.

September
  - You probably know that Sly Fox is up and running with their new production facility (and Tastin' Room) in Pottstown, Pa. The land around the brewery creates the perfect space for outdoor events. In September, they moved their Kan Jam from Phoenixville to Pottstown and added some excellent live music all day long.

  - Every year, the reputation of Yards' Smoke 'Em If Yous Got 'Em event seems to grow. It helps that craft beer lovers are finding their way to these unique beers more than ever. And, that there's excellent professional and amateur barbecue served up along side.

  - That was in September. So was the Dogfish Dash in Milton, Del. Good thing I do this running thing, especially when the the decadent Yards event was the week before.

October
  - As I was gearing up for the Harrisburg Marathon in November (well, actually, for the NYC Marathon, but I think we all know what happened there), there was one last beer dinner to squeeze in that'd been on my mind for quite some time at Anthony's Coal-Fired Pizza. Here's the recap of a dinner at their Horsham, Pa. location with Victory Brewing Company as the beer pairing companion.

November
  - Not much to share with you from the beer world in November as I finished training for what would become my new all-time best marathon finishing time at the Harrisburg Marathon. But, as I can recite, to the second, each of eight marathon finishing times, I can also tell you the first beer I had after each marathon. Typically, I aim for something local to complete the association of the the race, the place, and the beer. In this case, it was a post-Marathon lunch and beer at nearby Tröegs in Hershey and the beer was a Scratch #78 Fresh Hop Ale. What they're doing at the brewery simply adds to making Hershey the Sweetest Place On Earth. If you haven't been, add it to your short list.


December
  - December, like November, was a fairly quiet month for me in terms of getting out into the beer events circuit. One that I wouldn't skip, however, was the Sly Fox Anniversary breakfast. It was one of several things that I would find over many of the last several "lost months" that went undocumented here in the pages of The Brew Lounge. While there are many beer events that can justify taking vacation time from work, breakfast with the Sly Fox folks is one that will both entertain and nourish you. I've added a few pictures here for your enjoyment.

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Victory Beer Dinner at Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza in Horsham, Pa.

Anthony's Coal-Fired Pizza's Victory Beer Dinner

(click picture to see full gallery)
It's about time to get caught up around here, would you agree?

Let's start with Victory Brewing Company and Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza. A few weeks back, they invited me out to their Horsham, Pa. location, one of 34 across the northeast and southeast parts of the country. This was (selfishly-speaking) fortuitous for my wife and I as we've been looking for an opportunity to check out the appealing menu of foods, mostly all prepared by way of the coal-fired oven in the kitchen.

On September 20, the restaurant hosted Victory and its sales representative Adam Gladish as a way to highlight their support of craft beer. In fact, their tap list prior to the dinner boasted a well-varied spectrum of offerings from River Horse to Victory to Stoudt's and others.

The dinner was kicked off by store manager, Preston Russell, and Gladish who walked the roughly 25 attendees through the four courses of well-conceived plates of food and Victory beers. Anthony's took the approach — which I think is a great approach; similar to a brewery that takes an off-the-shelf beer as a submission to GABF — of basing the four courses around existing regular menu items. All menu items for this special dinner are available as regular menu items on any other day. As first-timers, this made a great introduction for us.

Roasted pork ribs and Meatballs with fresh ricotta....crispy oven-baked wings...salads....and, of course, pizza were paired respectively with Victory's HopDevil, Festbier (seasonal), Headwaters Pale Ale, and Prima Pils. To pick a favorite course would be tough, even in hindsight. The huge and perfectly prepared meatballs were made even more perfect with a dollop of fresh ricotta. The charred chicken wings were some of the best I've ever had, as were the charred and tender pork ribs. Salads were more than just your run-of-the-mill salads; one a tomato and fresh mozzarella and the other a traditional Italian.

But, the pizzas; oh my, the pizzas. Have you ever had cauliflower on your pizza? Coal-oven fired cauliflower? Before you turn it away, try it. Tell me it doesn't throw you for a loop...in a good way, of course. And the fresh mozzarella and tomato pie was equally pleasing.

All of this for a very reasonable $30. The menu concept at Anthony's is relatively simple and straightforward. Yet, filled with so much to please and fill you.

If you missed this dinner and would like to experience it for yourself, the Wayne, Pa. (Delaware County) location will be hosting the new Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company in November for a similarly-styled beer dinner. More details will be forthcoming.

BONUS: As a parting gift, stay tuned next week for an Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza gift card giveaway right here at The Brew Lounge.

More ways for Summer Love in 2012

After scoring critical success in 2011 and being named a top beer (okay, that was a shameful plug to my Top 10 list--but please click it anyway and register a click-visit to me over there), Victory Brewing is back with Summer Love even earlier in 2012.

This year, they've got more ways for you to enjoy this fine brew.

Basically you need a smartphone, a QR scanner, and the tiniest bit of effort to win beer-related prizes from Victory. Should be another summer of great beer.

Victory collaborates with German hop farmers on Terroir des Tettnangs

Some of the more astute of you out there may take on look at this title and wonder what kind of a time warp you're in. Yes, this event did occur over two months ago. And, yes, I am just sharing it with you all now.

The full writeup is over in The Communities section of The Washington Times.

More pictures are included here in the space below.

A Victory (and many more) for great beer

Sometimes it's better to let the press release speak for itself. Victory will be formally announcing later today their big plans for the next couple of years. I, like many of you, will be looking forward to adding this to my list of brewery construction projects to track and seeing even more of my Chester County-local beer in the market.

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Victory Brewing Announces Expansion Plans
Second brewing facility will create more beer and more jobs.

DOWNINGTOWN, PA – Victory Brewing Company is opening a second brewery in Chester County, Pa., which will allow the company to continue to create new, innovative beers and additional employment opportunities.

In 2012, Victory’s current brewery in Downingtown, Pa. will reach capacity. In order to keep up with consumers’ demand for full-flavored, high quality beer, Victory is forging ahead with expansion plans.

“Our thirsty fans have been asking us for more,” said Bill Covaleski, President and Co-Brewmaster of Victory Brewing Company. “In order to give them what they want, we need more space to make it happen.”

The new brewery location was chosen because of its similarities to Victory’s home in Downingtown. Just as the home brewery recycled an old Pepperidge Farm factory, the expansion brewery is being built within an existing complex in Parkesburg, Pa. The Downingtown location is situated a mere 14 miles from the headwaters of the east branch of the Brandywine Creek and the Parkesburg brewery will be just 17 miles from the headwaters of the west branch.

Environmental impact and water quality were major considerations for this expansion. Nearly eight months of water-quality research found that the mineral composition of the west branch water is nearly identical to the east branch.

In keeping with Victory’s “locally brewed, locally loved” motto, the choice to expand was not made lightly. The Parkesburg location will allow Victory to produce even more locally brewed and locally loved beer.

“Growing into a new facility will have some growing pains,” said Ron Barchet, CEO and Co-Brewmaster of Victory Brewing Company. “But once we are up and running, it will allow us endless opportunities to experiment with new flavors and re-create old favorites.”

Victory Chili Challenge- Feb. 26, 2012

I won't waste a lot of time trying to wrangle words, because it seems that they have been difficult to come by for me of late.

Instead here's a gallery of pictures that I took yesterday at Victory's Chili Challenge in Downingtown, Pa.

Over 800 people showed up at Victory for this tasty not-really-a-beer-event event. Mighty impressive for a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

All entrants were employees of the brewery and cooked in the kitchen under the guidance of Executive Chef Eric MacPherson. Beer, of course, was an ingredient.

Oh, and one takeaway that I can share with you? Stop in very soon to try the "collaboration" Eclat Chocolate Lager —on nitro. At roughly 5.5% ABV and with a moderate dose of wonderful West Chester-based chocolate, you might find yourself, as did I, asking for a second glass.

Weekly Brew Bits Update: 1/30/12

Again, quite a bit to share with you, so let's get right to it.

PHILADELPHIA
~ I took the easy way out with my most recent article at The Washington Times. Eight brewery and importer reps that you're used to hearing from at the bars weighed in with their thoughts of the 2012 beer season. Definitely worth the read, once again, if no other reason than to let 'em know at TWT that you like reading about good beer. Thanks, as usual, for the support.

~ Dock Street has a seasonal collaboration with and on display at The Four Seasons hotel off Logan Circle. Many of you may not recall that 18th Street was the original home of the brewpub way back in the late 80s and have come together with their old neighbors to showcase a very delicious (read my thoughts via this link) Truffled Old Ale.

~ Special of the Week, just gonna quote verbatim: "Come to Manayunk First Friday (6-9pm) and enjoy deals all down Main Street, anywhere you see the red flag! Here at Manayunk Brewery enjoy a free pizza buffet, and 1/2 off two of our favorite Sushi Rolls: Manayunk Roll and Main Street Roll.

~ Here's an interesting idea about bar closing times and city revenue in Philly. I wouldn't exactly say the streets are "clean" at 2 a.m. Plus, I'd love to see someone try to measure the marginal drunkenness. I need to hear more, but can't believe the going from a 2 a.m. close time to 3 a.m. will wreak that much more havoc in the bars and on the streets. And, don't tell me the after hours clubs are open. They're all private (right?) plus not usually the "scene" that most are comfortable in.

~ File along with a grain of salt, for sure. Thanks to Jack Curtin for slogging through the lists at RateBeer.com to discover which the raters deem worthwhile around our great beer-drinking region. Check it out, discuss, try not to argue about it.

EASTERN PA, NJ, DE, AND OTHER NEARBY PARTS OF MID-ATLANTIC
~ If you follow @TroegsBeer on Twitter, you'll see that Nugget Nectar is wrapping up production in Hershey and getting ready to hit the streets. Nicely spaced from the Bell's HopSlam release this year, beer geeks should have just recovered from their excessive slobbering in time for the February release of this hoppy treat.

~ Our own world-renowned, Lew Bryson, has reinvigorated his blogging ways. He obviously has sensed a void since I slowed things down around here. Either that, or he figured if he's making a show chronicling the American Beer Blogger, that he should do as he says. :-D That, for us all, will be a very good thing. He's out in Pittsburgh for a couple of days, but this posting here about Victory's Dark Lager is a good reason you should be reading along over at his blog. Here's another link for his notes on the new Delaware spot, Ernest and Scott, and a bit from London Grill.

~ Speaking of Delaware, our old friend, Ben Potts played the role of Silent Bob in this video (I kid, you know) where Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione discusses the highly-anticipated Noble Rot. Look for it on shelves soon. Thanks, as usual, to BeerNews.org for the link and the perpetual flow of, uh, beer news.

~ There have been some new happenings at General Sutter Inn. Did you know that the Sutter has a bit of a very cool new look in Lititz, Pa.? Now, when you've partied like a rock star at a cask festival or at the Bulls Head Public House next door, you can sleep it off like a rock star.

~ The inimitable, inevitable, and unavoidable Richard Ruch has struck again. This time with a fun and informative video (approx. 10 minutes) that he passed along. It shows the trip he took with Victory (Bill, Ron, and others) back in '07 to Germany and the Czech Republic. Has me looking even more forward to this week's Tettnang dinner at the pub.

~ Thanks to Ken who dropped a note to remind of the under-the-radar development up in Doylestown. The other end of the R-5 train line gets so much attention. Here in Doylestown, they're readying operations at Doylestown Brewing Company and even have an appropriately-named R-5 Lager. An IPA and a Light are also in the works for a February opening. Check 'em out and congratulations to the northern 'burbs on an ever-improving beer scene.

THE REST OF PLANET EARTH
~ After meeting "Chipper Dave" a few years back at GABF (and touring around Colorado), I've had his well-maintained Fermentedly Challenged on my blog reading list to stay abreast of beer news around his home state. Here, in this Bull & Bush article, I found the tableside dry-hopping unique enough to share with you.

~ I don't know why I seemingly continue to find this stuff interesting. Sure, binge drinking can be a problem. But, the wild definitions and the excessive hand-wringing, I'm not so sure. Anyway, here's a rebuttal to some material that I've linked to the in the past. If you're not up-to-date, don't worry. Main message: binge drinking is very, very bad and based on the definition, most of us do it…and, more frequently than you might imagine.

~ And, then. Oh yes, and then. Perhaps the biggest beer news story of the week centered around the craft segment pioneer, Sierra Nevada. The Chico, Calif.-based giant (and I mean that in the most craft-loving way) announced that they settled on North Carolina for its future eastern operations. So much has been written about this that I'll merely link to Sierra Nevada's press release posted on its website. And here is one video from Fox Carolina that nicely wraps up the announcement.

The next question on many's minds is: What of New Belgium's and Stone's plans to do something similar? Lew Bryson has also written of potential plans for New Belgium in Philly. In my own pea brain, the jury is still out on the hows and whys of this being a smart move.

In the meantime, have I mentioned that I've already got Sierra Nevada's Ruthless Rye IPA in my Top 10 beers of 2012?

Weekly Brew Bits Update: 12/19/11

Going into the new year, I need to do something about both getting more organized in the spirit of getting more information to all of you. Honestly, I'm not sure exactly where the future of "blogging" is, but with the likes of Facebook and Twitter looming larger than ever, it stands to reason that it's more difficult than ever for me to "keep up" with the rapid flow of information regarding breweries, beers, and events.

So as I attempt to take a step in the right direction, I'm planning to put up a weekly update each Monday morning of things that I (and you, perhaps) may have missed, or at least not drawn attention to, in the prior week. There'll be information, but not enough to warrant their own postings. I'll rely upon links to others that have more significantly reported on these things.

Is it the easy way out? Perhaps. But, the number of times I talk with many of you in "real life" and you express no idea about things that I'm aware of but just haven't written about tells me that I'm not doing a good enough job sharing these interesting tidbits of information with you.

Without further ado or agita, here's a handful of interesting things from the past week that you may find interesting as well. The focus will be, first, on the Philadelphia region and, then, beyond.

If you have suggestions for how I can make this the most effective delivery possible, by all means, feel free to let me know. Here goes.

~ Tired Hands Brewing Company owner, Jean Broillet, announced the details of his "Believer's Club". Membership details at the THBC website.

~ Forest & Main continues to gain steam towards its grand opening. Between its website and its Facebook page, you'll find (and see) all you need to know about one of Ambler's most exciting business projects.

~ Philly Food and Beer announced the First Annual "Grand Cru" Homebrew Competition in conjunction with Keystone Homebrew. It will be held on 1/5/12; deadline for entering beers is 12/28/11; all the important details at Philly Food and Beer.

~ Victory Brewing from Downingtown continues its phenomenal growth. It infiltrates South Philly with a reported spot inside the coming Xfinity Live! (planned opening: Spring 2012) with a German Beer Hall. Crossing Broad has a picture and some details from the press release.

~ Wheels of change in Pennsylvania vary their pace as promising signs went, once again, a bit dimmer. Check over at Lew Bryson's blog to learn more.

~ Apparently McKenzie Brew House is opening the doors on its third location in Devon, Pa. today. It's located along the northbound side of route 202 and has been the site of several restaurants, most recently Charlie Brown's, over the years. The Brew Lounge learned of this late last night via Twitter (thank heaven for Twitter, I mean how would I learn of these things otherwise?...it boggles) and has no further details at this point. UPDATE: The McKenzie Brew House homepage has a small blurb drawing attention to the 12/19 opening.

~ Jeff Bagby, head of brewery operations at Pizza Port, has announced his intentions to leave the 4-location southern California brewery after 6 years and strike out on his own. Bagby came up through the ranks with stops at Oggi's, White Labs, and various positions within Pizza Port and has won scores of awards along the way. San Diego Beer Blog has some details.

That's it for now. Anything else significant that I may have missed?

Controlled and organized craziness at Victory on Dark Wednesday

I went to Victory for a growler fill up and a sandwich to go...and to witness the throngs of beer enthusiasts lined up for bottles of Dark Intrigue, the barrel-aged Storm King Stout. Bottles? More correctly -- cases, which was the per person limit again this year. Since it seemed that more is the new more and more is always better. So, yes, it was mostly cases going out the door one at a time.

Any thoughts of taking even a single bottle home with me were quickly dashed when I heard the line started at 6:30 a.m. (headed up by Rob, you may know him better as Amish Rob) and swelled to at least a couple hundred by the time the doors opened at 11:30 a.m.

Reportedly, the Storm King picked up a few percentage ticks in ABV from the barrel, nearing the 13% mark this year. If you like your Storm King and you like your Bourbon, I think you're gonna like this. A little heftier in body than last year, it's a smooth sipper with big Storm King and big bourbon flavor, but yet not overly boozy. All around, seems that the balance they were looking for was pretty decently struck.

Select retail shops are getting it soon and it'll be on tap at Victory's pub until it's finished. Cases $180, 750mL bottles $15, 5-ounce samples at the bar $7.50. (last number not a misprint, btw)

Downingtown Dish, appropriately, has a quick summary of the mid-day's doings and some quotes from Amish Rob. (uh, er, and it looks like I've snuck into one of their pictures playing the delivery guy. Actually, there's a sorta funny story associated with that handtruck.)

(If stretched out, the line likely would have reached Acorn Lane)

(Lovers of Victory beer, and more specifically barrel-aged Storm King Stout, lined up at the crack of dawn and braved the elements to secure the tasty beverage

(They queued up for the beer and filed out one by one)

(Matt Krueger and other Victory staff manned the flow of Dark Intrigue out the door beginning at 11:30 a.m.)

(Kate and Bob, Victory and barrel-aged beer enthusiasts, enjoy a taste of Dark Intrigue at the bar)

(Everything was priced to move, including the barrels used to age the Dark Intrigue)