Take a Brews Cruise in British Columbia

Maple Leaf Adventures Overview Tall Sails & Ales Overview Itinerary Details First, I see that Mark is doing a Brew Cruise in the north Atlantic, then I get notice of this BC in BC. That is, a Brews Cruise in British Columbia. I don't know how long this concept has been around but, wow!, what a great combination of fun activities. This particular Tall Sails & Ales cruise is run by Maple Leaf Adventures and is the second year they've conducted it. In this 5-night trip, you can accomplish a remarkable sight-seeing tour along the stunning BC coast, a small-group schooner trip, and a tutored tasting of several of the well-renowned BC brews by Greg Evans. Over the past year, I've been hearing bits and pieces about the BC brewing scene as the guys over at Pacific Brew News have done some tastings and travels of this region. And, how much more timely can we get than this week's episode over at PBN. This sounds like a great excuse to witness it firsthand :) For further information, I recommend reading the links at the top (in the listed order). If it doesn't whet your appetite for a getaway vacation like this, I don't know what will! Oh, and by the way, they also run an eco-friendly business which means that their cruises make very little impact on the environment through which they are travelling. Kudos and Cheers!

Beer Dinner: Russian River at Monk's Cafe

Vinnie and Natalie rocked Monks again. Chef Adam worked his magic. Tom and Fergie were the hosts and George played master of ceremonies once again. What did Bryan and I do? Sat back and took it all in. Every last mouthful of the six courses paired with some "tion" beers and a fresh IPA. All tied together with a common theme and capped off with one of the best desserts I have ever had. You may recall our palate bending experience last year at the Russian River & Pizza Port dinner (part one & part two). How did this one compare?. Stay tuned we'll have the full account in a few days.

The Foodery (Northern Liberties) in Philadelphia, PA

Finally! I made way to the newest incarnation of much-ballyhooed Foodery in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. I'd been to the original location on Pine Street. All of the hype and praise finally, finally got me there this past Saturday after my visit to Yards (and Rich Wagner's presentation on the history of beer in Philadelphia's Bridesburg, Kensington, and Frankford neighborhoods). And, boy, was I not disappointed.

This is what I can imagine the new City Beer Store in San Francisco must feel like (ah, next trip to SF, I promise myself). The only thing missing is tap lines to serve draft beer from. Otherwise, you have a deli counter, a dozen or so coolers of beer, and other bodega-style goods to choose from.

Stationed behind the counter is Jeff. He's no longer taking the train out to Wayne to help out with Matt's business at Beer Yard. But, he sure has a good gig at The Foodery. Not only is it a bigger and cleaner version of the original. But, it's in one of my favorite neighborhoods of the city. This isn't to say, though, that I don't recognize it less and less every time I visit.

Sidebar: (I'm good at these, eh?!) When we lived in the city, it could be a downright sketchy proposition wandering through this 'hood in search of the random bar, restaurant, or Standard Tap. But, the vibe of this area has always been "real." It still seems to ooze with some of that feel. But, geez, with the omnipresent construction and slow but obvious gentrification (and harder to find parking spots!) it's not quite the same. Ah, all in the name of progress I suppose...

Trying to give you even a partial inventory of beers available in the coolers would be silly. Think of a domestic or Belgian beer available anywhere in Pennsylvania and chances are very good that they've got it. To my untrained eye, I didn't see any beers unauthorized for retail sale in the state....like some other establishments, ahem! (sorry, pet peeve.)

On the list for my next visit to The Foodery is to spend an hour or so having a bite to eat from their deli with a delicious bottle of exotic brew. Then, head over to the Standard Tap across the street (oh, so convenient) and put back a pint or two of local brew in one of the city's most venerable of better beer locations.

Today's Beer Event: Russian River at Monk's

Here's to hoping this day goes fast! Russian River at Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia tonight. We'll be sure to follow up with a full account. Tick tock...tick tock.

Beer Calendar: What to do in February 2007

And the beat goes on in February with some big (did I say BIG?) events. Here's just a sampling of upcoming events over the next several weeks, mostly in the Philadelphia area, that look interesting to check out. Let us know if you think you might be heading to one of these events or have been to one of them in the past. Not such a bad list of calendar events to keep the post-holiday mid-winter blues at bay!

Thu. 1/25 - Legacy Beer Dinner @Bridget Foy's, Philadelphia, PA (7pm; $45)
Thu. 1/25 - Erie Beer Tasting @The Foodery (Northern Liberties), Philadelphia, PA (5pm-7pm; free)
Fri. 1/26 - Victory Hop Wallop (cask) Night @Grey Lodge, Philadelphia, PA (6pm-9pm; pay as you go)
Fri. 1/26 - Friday Night Beer Tasting (Allagash) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (5pm-7pm; free)
Sat. 1/27 - Brewers' Reserve-Belgium Comes To West Chester @Iron Hill Brewery, West Chester, PA (4:00pm; pay as you go)
Fri. 2/2 - Groundhog Day Beer Breakfast/Lucky Cat Night Beer Prognostication @The Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA (all day; pay as you go)
Fri. 2/2 - Friday Night Beer Tasting (Troegs) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (5pm-7pm; free)
Sat. 2/3 - Zeno's XXL Fest @Zeno's, State College, PA (all day; $25 includes dinner)
Tue. 2/6 - Lost Abbey Dinner @Monk's Cafe, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm-10:00pm; $65)
Fri. 2/9 - Extreme Beer Fest-Night of the Barrels @The Cyclorama, Boston, MA (6:00pm-9:30pm; $45)
Fri. 2/9 - Victory Love Fest @Victory, Downingtown, PA (5:00pm-Midnight; pay as you go)
Sat. 2/10 - Extreme Beer Fest-Sessions One & Two @The Cyclorama, Boston, MA (1:00pm-4:30pm; 6:00-9:30pm; $32.50 each session)
Sat. 2/10 - 7th Annual Double IPA Fest @The Bistro, Hayward, CA
Fri. 2/16 - Troegs Nugget Nectar Night @The Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA (6:00pm-9:00pm; pay as you go)
Fri. 2/16 - Sun. 2/18 - Max's 3rd Annual Belgian Festival @Max's, Baltimore, MD (11:00am; pay as you go)
Sat. 2/17 - Sat. 2/24 - Toronado Barley Wine Festival 2007 @Toronado, San Francisco, CA (11:30am-2:00am; pay as you go)
Sat. 2/17 - Winterfest (Strong Beer & Great Food) @General Lafayette Inn & Brewery, Lafayette Hill, PA (Noon-3:30pm; $35)
Sat. 2/17 - War of The Worts XXII @Iron Hill, North Wales, PA (10:00am-5:00pm; Entry required at website)
Sun. 2/18 - Dogfish Head Chocolate Beer Dinner @Dogfish Head, Rehoboth Beach, DE
Wed. 2/21 - Beer Connoisseur Night @Capone's, East Norriton, PA (all day; pay as you go)
Fri. 2/23 - Firkin of Nectar @Union Jack's, Boyertown, PA (pay as you go)
Sat. 2/24 - Lager Origins in Philadelphia (Rich Wagner) @Yards Brewing, Philadelphia, PA (2pm; free)
Sat. 2/24 - The Best of 2006 @The Drafting Room, Exton, PA (12pm-???; pay as you go)
Sat. 2/24 - Beats, Brews & BBQ @World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA (1pm-5pm; $30/$35 or $50 VIP)
Sun. 2/25 - 5th Annual Victory Chili Challenge @Victory, Downingtown, PA
Fri. 2/23 - Sun. 2/25 - 11th 'Cask Head' Cask Ale Festival @Brazen Head, Brooklyn, NY (Noon-close; pay as you go)
Wed. 2/28 - Lancaster Home Brew Club Tasting @Lancaster Brewing Co., Lancaster, PA (7pm; pay as you go at the bar and BYO Homebrew)

Beer Tasting: Left Hand Warrior IPA

{NO PICTURE} The Beer: Left Hand Warrior IPA Style: IPA (fresh-hopped) Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Packaging & Date Stamping: 22 oz. brown bomber bottle; no date stamp From where & how stored: Purchased from Collier's in Cape May, NJ on New Year's Eve, refrigerated and consumed later that evening Pricing: $5.99 per bottle Availability: Fall seasonal ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 6.6% ABV, 60 IBU, 16.0 Plato -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bryan's Notes The Look: - deep, golden-bronze - 1-finger head, fades quite slowly - slickness on walls The Aroma: - holy hoppy aroma! - like standing in the hop room at Anchor, while crushing hops in your hands, and inhaling! The Taste: - wet (not watery) - hop bitterness throughout - surprisingly short finish - biting bitterness, like Arrogant Bastard, though not as slick/oily/cloying - reminiscent of Double Simcoe from Weyerbacher in its awesome hop presence - more malt-balanced than Victory's Hop Wallop The Verdict: I preferred this a bit on the cooler side just out of the refrigerator. This has some characteristics of Weyerbacher's Double Simcoe, Stone's Arrogant Bastard, and Victory's Hop Wallop. With these traits, how can you go wrong? Shoulda grabbed two :(

Rich Wagner, Yards Brewing, and bit of This 'n' That

Just another day in Philadelphia beer paradise. Take Yards the "city's brewery", open the doors for tours (as they do every Saturday), throw in a Rich Wagner presentation (preeminent Philadelphia Beer Historian) and you've got the makings of reason #6254 why the Philadelphia region is one of this country's leading beer destinations.

warning: this is my scatter shot approach today!

I'm not sure if I was surprised, or not, to see a fairly well-packed room of 100 or so better beer enthusiasts...or people with nothing better to do...nah, no one searches out Kensington's Yards Brewing unless they know exactly what they're looking for. Oh, and for a quick sidebar (did I mention scatter shot?!), Yards was serving up Château Kenso '07 the recently released brainstorm of the brewers. Oh yeah, and I saw John Rehm for a few minutes too. Since relocating to Yards from John Harvard's Brew House (Wayne, PA), he has been able to more comfortably unleash his inner brewer. Good to see you again John in a great brewing environment.

So....anyway....back, back, back.....

Why was I there anyway? Oh yeah, Rich Wagner's presentation. His reputation certainly precedes him; all you need do is check out his website to get a flavor for just how detail-oriented Rich is when it comes to collecting data and information about the role that history has played in bringing the Philadelphia beer scene to where it is today. If you know me, I'm sure you know that I appreciate letting my geek side out every once and a while...so the more details and numbers, the better :)

Rich conducts many speaking appearances. This one was entitled "Breweries of Kensington, Richmond & Bridesburg." (His next one scheduled at Yards is February 24th at 2:00pm and entitled "Lager Origins in Philadelphia.") This was the first of his presentations that I've attended. Rich has an engaging speaking style, making it easy to follow along with his presentation. Hey, and having a Pynk, Pale Ale, ESA, or C.K.7 fresh from the tap helps settle the crowd in for the 45 minute presentation!

His slides are intriguing and serve as a great backdrop for his stories. He has come in to so many interesting city street maps, brewery floor plans, topological and architectural renderings, postcards, advertising memorabilia, and on and on. I was tempted to take pictures of the slides as they were flashed up on the wall, but thought better of it. You'll just have to check it out for yourself sometime.

What else can I tell you? It certainly was a good time with travelling beer hounds Mark, Everett, and Woody there to provide extra camaraderie. We parted ways as they headed across the street to check out the bar across the street ("The Lost Bar"?) with the Yards sign emblazoning the window while I headed down to Foodery II for some goodies before hitting the road back home. Just another day...

Beer Tasting: Pyramid Snow Cap Ale

The Beer: Pyramid Snow Cap Ale
Style: Winter Warmer
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz. brown bottle; stamp on collar unreadable

From where & how stored: Obtained via holiday beer exchange in Dec. 2006; stored at 52F since then

Pricing: $x.xx

Availability: Winter seasonal

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 7.0% ABV, 1.071 OG
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- Dark brown
- Tan head
- moderate to little carbonation

The Aroma:
- alcohol notes
- light toasty, solid malt aroma
- light molasses in the nose and taste

The Taste:
- nutty, full flavor
- burnt flavor undertones too
- smooth body with slight cutting bitterness

The Verdict: A slightly bigger beer, but not intimidating. Drinkable, with identifiable roasted flavors, but not too complex. Worth a few more.
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Adam's Notes
The Look:
- pours with a thin head
- thin ring persists
- clear deep brown

The Aroma:
- wonderful roasty grain profile
- some fruitiness in the nose

The Taste:
- funny thing...didn't get much upfront taste
- tang in the middle
- slightly bitter after taste
- for a winter warmer this is drinkable
- surprisingly low alcohol presence on the palate
- wait for it to warm

The Verdict: I like the malt profile. I like the after taste. I don't remember it tasting this way. Hmmmm...This is a roasty drinkable winter warmer. If you like a dark roasty beer with a kick this is for you.

Tap List at Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA - 1/19/07

On an attempted regular basis, we'll post the tap list here to the Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA. We have no affiliation with the establishment other than living within 2 miles of it and appreciating the usual quality tap and bottle list. If you like this idea, please drop us a note and let us know.

On Draft as of 1/19/07
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA
Gouden Carolus Noël/Christmas
Lost Coast Indica
Lancaster Amish 4 Grain Ale
Pyramid Snow Cap Ale
Allagash Grand Cru
Stoudts Winter Ale
Anderson Valley Winter Solstice
Clipper City/Heavy Seas Winter Storm Category 5 Ale
Legacy Raspberry Wheat

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Tap List at The Drafting Room in Exton, PA - 1/19/07

We've gone to some effort to publicize on a regular basis the usual quality taps at Flying Pig in Malvern, PA. They need a bit of publicity because they have no web presence and the tap handles are constantly changing.

However, The Drafting Room in Exton, PA has a decent web presence and quite a huge reputation proceeding them. Though, to be honest, I've been disappointed on more than one occasion to show up after checking their website only to find that a particular beer their site listed was now kicked. Of course, at The Drafting Room there is usually no shortage of other decent brew on draft from which to choose.

Patrick and company do a great job of stocking the inventory. And, don't get me wrong, I understand the nature of frequently changing kegs and the near impossibility of keeping a website current. (Though, somehow Scoats manages to pull it off.) Patrick tells me that there may be something similar in the near future. So until then, we'll give it a try here to also post on a semi-regular basis the current tap list at The Drafting Room in Exton, PA.

What's on line as of 1/19/07? Funny you should ask.

Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale
Sly Fox O'Reilly's Irish Stout
Magic Hat Hi.P.A.
North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
Rogue Imperial YSB (Younger's Special Bitter)
Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale
Sly Fox Magnum IPA
Harpoon Munich Dark
Brouwerij Bavik Petrus Winterbier
Thirsty Dog Old Leghumper
Bell's Special Double Cream Stout

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Beer Tasting: Brooklyn Winter Ale

The Beer: Brooklyn Winter Ale [2006]
Style: Scottish-Style Ale
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz. brown bottle; notched as "Best Before Apr. '07"

From where & how stored: Obtained through holiday beer exchange; stored at 52F since then

Pricing: $x.xx

Availability: Winter seasonal

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 6.0% ABV
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- mild carbonation and thin head
- extremely smooth/slick looking (a bit oily)
- reddish hue to this brown ale

The Aroma:
- a big malty slightly peaty nose, alcohol not too present
- a bit of woodsy bark detected

The Taste:
- faint toffee
- slight bitterness in the finish (when cold)
- becomes more even and drinkable as it warms (but, not to room temperature)

The Verdict: A very easy-drinking, non-offensive beer. Thinner than I expected, but probably good for a variety of tastes and experience levels with beer. Could be paired with a variety of foods, stew especially (oops, does the label actually suggest that? honestly, I thought it before I read it :) Serve closer to, but not at, room temperature...say 50-55F
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Adam's Notes
The Look:
- nice dark amber brown

The Aroma:
- inviting nose
- malty & earthy

The Taste:
- Wow! What a flavor. I wasn't expecting that.
- This is subtle like a Belgian.
- very drinkable
- as it warms the subtle sweet malt reveals its identity as a Scottish Style Ale
- reminds me of St. Bernardus in a way
- holy crap! I want a case of this to pair with food!

The Verdict: Honestly though I'm having a hard time describing this. I would say that it is the kind of beer that doesn't take center stage, but, would be a good supporting actor in a meal with meats and other savory flavors. Clean malty nutty lightly sweet meal in a glass. I was drinking this thinking it was nothing like what I remember it as. A whole new level for Brooklyn Brewery really. I just read on Beer Advocate that its a new recipe this year according to Garrett Oliver. Ok, now I feel better. whew!

East End Brewing at Capone's in Norristown, PA

East End beats Pliny! Is this like David vs. Goliath, Villanova vs. Georgetown or what?! Last night at Capone's in East Norriton, PA was advertised as Russian River (& much more) Night. They featured on tap: Russian River's Pliny the Elder and Damnation, Nodding Head's BPA, Brewers Art's Resurrection, East End's Big Hop IPA and Black Strap Stout, Troegs' Mad Elf, Heavyweight's Lunacy, Stone Double Bastard, High Point's Ramstein Winter Wheat, and Rogue's Younger's Special Bitter.

Anyway, back to topic. This isn't so much about Capone's as it is about East End Brewing. They debuted a couple of years ago and I haven't been able to get my hands on any of it. I was on the fence about going to Capone's last night, but the inclusion of East End sealed the deal.

I finally got to savor what I've been longing for. And, boy, did it not fail to disappoint! Maybe it was because I knew what to expect from Pliny and perhaps it was because the Elder came out somewhat under-carbonated and lacking some of the flavorful hop punch that I recall from previous tastings.

Or, maybe just maybe it had nothing to do with Pliny and everything to do with East End's near flawless attempt at a beautifully crafted bountifully hopped beer.

So it seems that the future holds for me a visit to the brewery, some growler fillups, and a full-fledged review of what's going on out there at this up-and-coming brewery in da 'burgh. Oh, and by the way, they're another one of those responsible breweries with the whole environmental-friendly approach. Kudos to Scott and all of his volunteers!

Oh, and for those of you interested in stats, here they are for the Big Hop IPA from East End. 5.8% ABV, 1.054 OG, 70 IBUs

Still smokin'

Are you tired of it? Sorry, but I couldn't refuse this one more post about smoking policies and laws. I was looking for any new details on Max's Belgian festival in February, trying to sway me between General Lafayette and heading to Baltimore for the weekend of 2/17. {Put on your sarcastic voice for this one} And, lo and behold, what do I see? Heresy? Let consumers, owners, and employees of establishments decide what they want in terms of smoking or non-smoking? You mean if consumers won't go to a bar that allows smoking or if staff will look for work elsewhere, that a business owner may reconsider their smoking policy? Last time I checked it wasn't against the law to open a non-smoking establishment. Every month, more establishments are choosing themselves to change their smoking policy without getting the government involved. {Put on your best Guinness voice for this one} BRILLIANT! Looks like the Max's folks have got it right (or at least they agree with me, go on now!). This is just what I like to call commonsensical in these here parts...or at least in my tiny, insignificant corner of this world :) I said a couple of weeks ago that I would not be making a New Year's resolution. But, I'm rethinking that in light of more serious issues out there. While you see this is an issue I have strong feelings about, I'd like to ask that we all focus on an issue that deserves 1000 times more of our energy and passion. Baltimore, like Philly and this country as a whole, has a problem with gun control and gun-related crime. My question at the end of the day is: how are our legislators actually able to pass anti-smoking laws, but do not seem capable of passing strict, honest-to-God real, gun-control laws? Shouldn't we be demanding more of our legislators? Shouldn't we be demanding more of ourselves? We'll see where this thing heads next...

Beer Tasting: Penn St. Nikolaus Bock Bier

The Beer: Penn Brewing St. Nikolaus Bock Bier
Style: Münchener Dunkel Bock Bier
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz. brown bottle; no date stamp

From where & How stored: Received via a holiday beer exchange at work and refrigerated at 42F since then

Pricing: $x.xx

Availability: Winter seasonal (holiday)

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 7.5% ABV
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- deep mahogany, very dark near black color
- thin pouring
- 2-finger loose head of medium bubbles, thins quickly

The Aroma:
- difficult to detect an aroma; some basic malt aroma, a bit like an average lager nose

The Taste:
- dry, roasted malt flavor...lingers a bit in the finish
- just a bit of chocolate and tobacco (no, I wasn't smoking a cigar at the time...nor was I at a bar)
- somewhat thin, but crisp and clean
- kind of one-dimensional

The Verdict: Not overly anything. Just plain ol' drinkable. Not my favorite Penn beer, but certainly not bad at all. The old style St. Nick label puts you in the holiday mood.
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Adam's Notes
The Look:
- copper brown
- decent head
- dissipates to persistent thin layer of bubbles

The Aroma:
- not much nose

The Taste:
- roasted malt
- yeasty taste
- chocolate malt finish

The Verdict: A good session dark bock beer. If you like lager and you like dark beer then this is for you. This is one of those holiday beers that will not surprise you with spice. Good safe bet for the average beer drinker who wants to take a risk ;-)

Just a typical night in Phoenixville?-Part I

What more can I say about a night that featured the kind of beers and the kind of people that you'd like to hang out with? Well, there you have it. I said it all. That was the night in a nutshell. Last night at Sly Fox's Phoenixville, PA location was a night of Southampton Publick House's Grand Cru, Saison Deluxe, Biere de Garde, and 10th Anniversary Old Ale. All of these were brewed in conjunction with Brian O'Reilly at the Royersford location of Sly Fox. Don't know where Brian found the capacity, given that volume close to doubled 2005's output! Brian got his brewing start in Connecticut working with Phil Markowski and has stayed in contact over the years. Phil was back last evening to do a book signing and to sell the four previously mentioned brews in 750ml bottles. Oh, and there was a bit of surprise appearance of the Cuvee des Fleurs that Phil generously broke out from his personal stash. Uh, all I can say is WOW! (I feel like I've been blessed with a bevy of WOW! beers lately. Life is good!) This was such a beautiful, floral interpretation of the Saison, bursting with flavor unlike many I've ever had before. If you stumble across any of this, be sure to send some my way...after you've had a chance to try it first of course! Everyone around the table seemed to agree, as well as these people and these people too. Suffice to say that the beers and the company all contributed to a karma that couldn't be beat. I initially figured one hour total time to get there and pick up some to-go beer, get a book, and have a quick brew and perhaps a bite to eat. (It instead turned into 3 hours!) These kind of unplanned nights without too much hype often provide the most satisfaction. Little did I know that I would run into Patrick, Richard, Brian, Matt, Tom, Rick, Jeanne, Phil, Dell, Joe, and others that I couldn't just walk away from so easily. Thanks to all of you for a great night of camaraderie and great beer. I'll be sure to reciprocate soon. And thanks, Dell, for the 11.2 times 2 gift. You'll see it reviewed here soon.

Beer Tasting: Victory Moonglow Weizenbock

The Beer: Victory Moonglow Weizenbock
Style: Weizenbock
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz. brown bottle; "Best by 9/15/07"

From where & how stored: Purchased from Exton Beverage; stored in their cooler, then moved to my refrigerator at 42F

Pricing: $35/case of 24

Availability: Fall seasonal

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 8.7% ABV
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- one-finger of tight, creamy head with a few bigger bubbles peeping though
- reddish-purplish haze
- unfiltered for sure with yeast specs floating throughout
- dark, slick pour

The Aroma:
- banana
- medicinal band-aid
- candied alcohol aroma like a belgian dubbel or tripel

The Taste:
- pecan pie (nutty and molasses) upfront, citrus wheat in the middle, chased by an ever-so-slight bittersweet-ness in the end
- fades quickly to leave me wanting another taste

The Verdict: A heftier-bodied beer than an average wheat, but nice and smooth. A winner from a solid brewery.
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Adam's Notes
The Look:
- cloudy orange brown
- substantial head dissipating to thing layer of foam

The Aroma:
- fruity malt grain nose
- slight spice

The Taste:
- sweet tang
- wheat malt
- apricot
- fresh and clean
- flavor disappears during the finish

The Verdict: This is a very drinkable wheat beer with a wider grain profile. Drink it when its chilly out ;-)

Bethlehem Brew Works goes smoke-free

Now this is certainly good news to report. Bethlehem Brew Works' Steelgaarden Lounge has always been a pleasant place to have a beer...when no smokers were present. With such a nice selection of beer to choose from in their lower-level nook, the low ceilings virtually ruined any chance of enjoying your brew. The noise...fine. The dim lighting and close quarters...great. But, the smoke could just kill it. (You probably know my stance on smoking in bars, but smoking in close quarters...fuggeddaboudit!) It's been about 4-6 months since I've been there. There's been some chatter about BBW lately over at Lew Bryson's site and at Beer Advocate. So, it's come up my radar lately and I thought I'd check out BBW's website and see what's going on and plan a good time to pay a visit. I found this news article at the top of their home page! ==================================================================== THE BREW WORKS IS SMOKE FREE!!! On December 15th the Steelgaarden Lounge joined the Brew Works to create a smoke free environment. Wishing everyone a healthy and happy New Year!

Heavyweight Brewing Co. - update 1/14/07

Because we like Lew so much, it's only fair to quote him. (And because he has the more inside track than we obviously do on this subject :) =============================================================== The cat is almost out of the bag. Perkuno's Hammer will be brewed under license by an area brewery. As soon as everything's signed (and certain people start talking to me again...), I'll let you know what's up.

Tap List at Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA - 1/13/07

On an attempted regular basis, we'll post the tap list here to the Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA. We have no affiliation with the establishment other than living within 2 miles of it and appreciating the usual quality tap and bottle list. If you like this idea, please drop us a note and let us know.

On Draft as of 1/13/07
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA
Gouden Carolus Noël/Christmas
Lost Coast Indica
Lancaster Amish 4 Grain Ale
Pyramid Snow Cap Ale
Allagash Grand Cru
Stoudts Winter Ale
Anderson Valley Winter Solstice
Weyerbacher Oak-aged Heresy [2005]
Legacy Raspberry Wheat

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Proper way to pour a beer, Rube Goldberg-style

Admit it; you don't want to watch, but it's addictive. These Rube-style setups, especially this one, can be maddening to be sure. But, the end result is intriguing and, hey, when it involves pouring a beer, almost perfectly in this case, well it's a must-see. The camera's a bit shaky, but enjoy it nonetheless.

Joe Sixpack, Strippers, and Craft Beer

Yes, you read the title correctly. Only our award-winning, world-class, engaging beer scribe from right here in Philadelphia can seamlessly weave together a story that begins with strippers and g-strings, sets a, uh titillating (sorry), case for an ever-improving craft beer scene, and finishes with strippers. Preach on, brother! I'm sure the article got the attention of non-beer drinkers as well. Check it out for yourself, then we can all meet up with Lolita, Ashley, and Melody in South Philly ;-)

Beer Tasting: Founders Dirty Bastard

The Beer: Founders Dirty Bastard
Style: Scotch Ale
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz. brown bottle; top side of label notched on in the vicinity of May (2006)

From where & how stored: Purchased in May 2006 from Federal Wine & Spirits in Boston, MA; brought home via airplane and stored at 42F since then

Pricing: $1.99 per bottle (believe this was mis-priced, but...you know ;-)

Availability: Year-round

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 8.5% ABV; ~50 IBU
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- slick pour, no head..thin, thin ring
- reddish brown
- dark cola look and consistency (without the carbonation)

The Aroma:
- faint aroma of, ah never mind, it's too faint

The Taste:
- taste is nice
- somewhat barleywine-ish texture (smooth), just a shade of carbonation
- light chocolate flavor; slight licorice; bit of bark
- funny how no one flavor or aroma jumps right out...but they're there...tough to decipher
- noticeable bitterness in the finish
- significantly better as it warms...started off too cold at approx. 42F
- prunes

The Verdict: I'm somewhat left with indifferent feelings about it. It's decent, even a bit better than decent. Not left with a feeling that this in a best of style range. Though, coming from a brewery like Founders, it's worth trying again.
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Adam's Notes
The Look:

The Aroma:
- sweet malty nose
- reminds me of Heavyweight Brewing beer

The Taste:
- more malt than bitter
- sweet but not overpowering

The Verdict: may need to taste again; wasn't as impressed with this as their rye beer

Eagles, Saints, and a New Orleans Pub Crawl

Are any of our friends in New Orleans this weekend to see the Philadelphia Eagles play the New Orleans Saints? If so, you can hook up with an Abita pub crawl.

Beer Tasting: Sand Creek English Style Special Ale

The Beer: Sand Creek Brewing English Style Pale Ale
Style: English Pale/Brown Ale
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz. brown bottle; No date stamp

From where & how stored: purchased at Brennan's in Madison, WI in June '06; transported home by airplane; stored at 42F ever since

Pricing: $x.xx

Availability: Year-round

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: N/A
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- very little head even with aggressive pour; thins immediately
- pours kind of like an apple cider; looks a bit like tea
- fairly clear

The Aroma:
- not much aroma at all
- faint barley malt
- bit of nuttiness (peanut-y)

The Taste:
- taste is slightly bigger than the aroma, but not much
- light molasses
- carbonation helps bring a bit of life to the beer
- nice little bitter kick in the middle to end

The Verdict: This beer is not overly anything. But, while my opinion in the first few minutes was certainly underwhelming, it turned out to be a drinkable beer for sure, but lacking that certain flavor that I would have appreciated in this amber ale.
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Adam's Notes
The Look:
- cloudy when cold

The Aroma:
- very malt grain aromatic

The Taste:
- doesn't live up to the nose
- letting it warm up a bit
- suffers from some kind of off beer taste many brewpub beers have

The Verdict: Not too impressed. I wouldn't throw it out, but, I won't buy it again.

Topic of the week: Beer and Wine in PA Supermarkets?

I know some people in the world wouldn't understand this, but, here in Pennsylvania we can't usually buy beer in supermarkets. Archaic? Yes, but, it is something that is part of old PA culture. The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a story about this today. I'm excited because they mentioned that one store that might start selling beer and wine is in my area. Is this the start of something bigger? It may not be a revolution, but, we have seen some other signs as well. A few years ago the laws were changed so that some of the liquor stores could sell wine and liquor on Sundays. How SHOCKING! I know. Hey, we'll take what we can get. (by the way these stores don't sell beer) What do you think? Should the laws be changed? Is it tradition that we can just live with? Should we all move away to another state where beer is running rampant through the isles of grocery stores everywhere? Post a comment and let us know. Thanks to Dennis for passing the article along. NOTE: I added some links to some relevant PA state sites. I also decided to turn it into a topic of the week. We'll let it ride until next Friday. Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement

• License Types
• Special Permits

Bureau of Licensing FAQ

Beer Tasting: New Glarus Enigma

The Beer: New Glarus Enigma
Style: Fruit Beer
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz. brown bottle; No date stamp

From where & how stored: Brought in October 2006 as a gift via airplane by good friend Mark from Madison, WI; stored at 42F ever since

Pricing: $x.xx

Availability: One-time offering in November 2006 as part of their annual "Unplugged" series; "Unplugged" releases planned in 2007 for February, June, November; Next up: Belgian Quadrupel

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: N/A
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- murky brown
- what little head there is disappears quickly to creamy swirl

The Aroma:
- fresh cherries
- damp earthiness

The Taste:
- flavor not as intriguing as the aroma
- a quick punch of biting bitterness/sourness in the finish
- plum, too

The Verdict: This medium-bodied fruit beer is not as sprightly as the New Glarus Belgian Red. But, like the Red, this is more palatable when served colder. As it warms, it loses its appeal. Next up in the "Unplugged" series is a Belgian Quad due out in Feb. '07....can't wait!
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Adam's Notes
The Look:
- slightly murky brownish red
- big bubbles dissipating quickly

The Aroma:
- lovely sweet sticky malt nose
- wow what a figgy sweet nose
- after a taste I can detect the sour in the nose when swishing it around
- as I drink it I can detect a very faint vanilla

The Taste:
- watch out it's sour too
- don't let it warm too much
- less sweet sticky malt like the nose signals
- more of a cherry flavor
- think food pairing in a glass
- bread and cherry jam
- something softens the cherry, probably a vanilla note from the oak

The Verdict:
- an acquired taste
- one I would like to acquire
- still, this is for the adventurous soul

- lots of carbonation
- finish like rhubarb pie
- almost a pucker by the end of the bottle

Collection of Posts: An Account of Brewing Our Barleywine with Malt Extract

About 14 months ago Bryan and I decided to try to brew a barleywine using extract. Here is an account of the process and our notes along the way. We started at Home Sweet Homebrew in Philadelphia, PA with Nancy's suggestions. A few adjustments were made (because I forgot what she said ;-). Some friends were invited over to help and the rest is history. If you're interested in the recipe let me know. I'll add it to the notes.

• Making Beer: Altbier & Barleywine
• Making Beer: Altbier & Barleywine Update
• Making Beer: Barleywine...popped off again!
• Making Beer: The Fermentation
• Making Beer: Das Altbier & Barleywine
• Personal: Homebrewer's Blues
• Making Beer: Barley Wine, Altbier & Kolsch Brewing
• Brewing Beer: Quick update
• Brewing: Kolsch & Barleywine Sample
• Brewing: Barleywine ABV
• Brewing Beer: Kolsch is gone :-( What's next?
• Brewing: Wee Heavy, Imperial Stout & Barleywine
• Brewing Progress: Barleywine, Wee Heavy, Imperial Stout
• Happy New Year!
• Brewing Beer: Imperial Stout, Wee Heavy & Barley Wine
• Brewing: Barleywine
• Home Brew: Wee Heavy, Scotch Ale
• Making Beer: Tasting Our Barleywine After One Year

Interesting Read: Brown Ale over at All About Beer

Want to know more about what's so special about Brown Ale? I know I do. All About Beer has a nice little piece on Brown Ales including origins, characteristics and a few classic examples. Anybody have a favorite brown ale? (He asked knowingly ;-)

Brewing Beer: How do you separate the hop cones from the beer?

When dry hopping or fresh hopping how do you get all the hops out of the carboy? I really want to bottle or keg this fresh hopped ipa but I'm stuck. Here are my goals. ~ extract all the hop oils I can from the hop cones ~ minimize the leaves floating around in the final beer ~ minimize the oxygen exposure I guess I could just siphon it into the keg and be done with it, but, would I be getting the most hop oils from the cones? Maybe the oil has been dissolved by the alcohol in the beer and I have nothing to worry about. I don't know. Any suggestions? Can anybody share their experiences/thoughts/ideas? What would you do? (The picture above was taken right after I added the hops. Now the hop cones look all brown and bloated with beer. Kinda cool. I'll post a picture.)

Flying Dog Beer Naming Contest

Are you feeling creative? Would you like an all-expense paid trip to the GABF in Denver? Only about a week remaining to get your winning name in to Flying Dog.

'Topic of the Week': Week In Review; New Year Predictions

Year-end wrap-ups, resolutions, and predictions usually elicit some passion and spirited debate. But, not here at The Brew Lounge. No, sir-ee, you must all agree with me, save for Adam's comments. I suppose in that way, when all of these predictions come true, we can reflect back and all say in unison: "I told you so" :) Seriously, though, where would be without those seers of future things to come. Along with my lame attempts to predict the future, here were some others (much smarter than I, for the record) who have done similar articles in the past couple of weeks. Some have linked back to us and, for that, we appreciate. Joe Sixpack Jay Brooks wrapup Jay Brooks predictions Jay Hinman of Hedonist Beer Jive The Brew Site wrapup The Brew Site predictions Stan Hieronymous Alan McLeod Lew Bryson The Brew Site

Tap List at The Drafting Room in Exton, PA - 1/5/07

We've gone to some effort to publicize on a regular basis the usual quality taps at Flying Pig in Malvern, PA. They need a bit of publicity because they have no web presence and the tap handles are constantly changing. However, The Drafting Room in Exton, PA has a decent web presence and quite a huge reputation proceeding them. Though, to be honest, I've been disappointed on more than one occasion to show up after checking their website only to find that a particular beer their site listed was now kicked.

Of course, at The Drafting Room there is usually no shortage of other decent brew on draft from which to choose. And, don't get me wrong, I understand the nature of frequently changing kegs and the near impossibility of keeping a website current. (Though, somehow Scoats manages to pull it off.) So, we'll give it a try here to also post on a semi-regular basis the current tap list at The Drafting Room in Exton, PA.

What's on line as of 1/5/07? Funny you should ask.

Troegs Mad Elf Ale
Speakeasy Double Daddy Imperial IPA
Left Hand Smoke Jumper Porter
Erie Railbender Ale
Dominion Winter Brew
Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux
Koningshoeven Quadrupel
Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale
Flying Dog K-9
Sly Fox O'Reilly's Irish Stout
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

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Beer Tasting: Unibroue Ephemere

The Beer: Unibroue Ephemere (Apple)
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 12oz. bottle

From where & how stored: Purchased from Total Wine in Delaware, stored in basement since last year

Pricing: x.xx
Availability: Year-Round
ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 5.5% ABV
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Adam's Notes

The Look:
pour it and the head builds and disappates quickly
light orange

The Aroma:
crack the bottle open...I can smell apples, even before the pour
it has a bit an off nose...some sulfur?

The Taste:
the first tastes were not so good
I let it warm and it seeme to improve a bit

The Verdict
It isn't as good as 21st Amendment's Watermelon Wheat that was tasted the same night. In fact it isn't even on the same planet. I honestly don't think I'll ever buy this again. I was hoping it would taste better this time around. Interesting experience, but, not that interesting.

Making Beer: Tasting Our Barleywine After One Year

About 14 months ago I started brewing a barleywine. Not too long after this website was started. Since that fateful day when Bryan and I walked into Home Sweet Home Brew and asked Nancy about brewing a barleywine I wanted to taste my own homebrewed barleywine. Thanks Nancy! What a great start to the recipe.

When I brewed this beer I knew I would need to ferment for a longer period of time and store it for a long time before I could really know what it was going to taste like. Over the past six months a case of it has dissappeared. Some was for Bryan and some for Jeremy and I guess I could lay claim to a few of those empty bottles myself. Each time I crack one of these puppies open its like opening a birthday present. I have reached the time where I must ration the last 18 bottles. I would like to enjoy these for as long as I can. My plan is to drink one or two of these each year and record my impressions. I would like to stretch this out over 10 years. The following are my tasting notes.

Packaging & Date Stamping: 12 oz. brown bottle, oxygen barrier cap

From where & how stored: extract brew by Adam and friends 10/1/2005, bottled 12/14/2005, stored in cellar for the past year with varying cool temperatures

Availability: one off ;-)

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 11.5% ABV, IBU 90+

The Look:
dark cherry wood
substantial head thinning to islands of foam
very clear, nothing in suspension
hard to see through

The Aroma:
huge malt nose
figs, dates, licorice

The Taste:
wow that's strong
bitter, tang, not sweet
very bitter, but, smooth
slight butterscotch
well carbonated, almost more than I like
it helps spread the taste around, but, is somewhat distracting
the finish has lost the bitterness and gently lets you down with a nice malt carpet

The Verdict:
Well this just gets better and better. I tasted it on New Years Eve as well. It was dirtier that night, because, I jostled it around too much in trasport. What a shame :-( Lesson learned. This one however was very clean and clear! Everytime I taste this beer I like it. I'd like to think it is getting better over time. Overall it is a pleasantly bitter and malty barleywine with a huge malty aromatic nose.

I'll gather all the posts related to this beer together and post them tomorrow with a summary of the life of this beer from beginning to end. Ahh...there goes my last mouthful. :-)

Home Brewing Magazine: Zymurgy

The most recent issue of Zymurgy reminded me how much I enjoy this magazine. In this post I give a brief over view of the current issue and how I learned about the monthly magazine Zymurgy.

I was searching the internet for brewing stuff last summer and I came across Zymurgy. Now this isn't the first time I've seen this magazine. You might remember this story I wrote about how I started homebrewing. Frank from the story gave my Dad a bunch of Zymurgy magazines and he in turn passed them on to me. Armed with The New Complete Joy of Hombrewing and these magazines I began brewing my own beer. I still refer to them from time to time. Anyway, as was searching for beer stuff I decided to check out the American Homebrewers Association membership benefits. Well it turns out that a subscription to Zymurgy was included in the membership. That was just the push I needed to join the AHA. I have a real card and everything ;-)

Its a practical magazine with good solid helpful hints. This month is a prime example. They feature homebuilt brew tools. The projects include making a wort chiller, yeast stirplate, walk-in cooler, bottle filler, small kegging system, carboy drier, sanitizer/storage box for long items and carbonation cap. Some are very involved projects. Others like the carboy drier are much easier and could prove to be useful right away.

Each issue contains articles submitted by familiar beer industry writers. This month Stan Hieronymous author of Brew Like a Monk and Appelation Beer gave an account of the Pro-Am competition at the GABF. Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association, also has something to say. He speaks to beer style guidelines and their relevance to homebrewers and professional brewers.

If you want a grass roots, straight shooting beer brewing magazine check out Zymurgy.

Definition: Zymurgy

Beer Tasting: Firestone Walker 10th Anniversary

The Beer: Firestone Walker 10th Anniversary
Style: Oak-aged Strong Ale
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 22oz. brown bottle in a commemorative cardboard box; Special tasting notes from Matt Brynildson included; 10/25/06 date stamp

From where & how stored: Purchased from BevMo in Walnut Creek, CA in Dec. '06, transported home via airplane, and stored at 52F since then

Pricing: $9.99 per bottle

Availability: One-time release

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 12% ABV; 50-60 IBU
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- dark cola-like color and consistency
- minimal head; very small tight bubbles
- a bit of oiliness on the walls

The Aroma:
- alcohol, licorice, oak (no doubt!), vanilla, brandy

The Taste:
- rich flavors upfront, alcohol in the middle, bitter finish
- lives up to expectations from the aroma; bitter cocoa too

The Verdict: This smooth and medium-bodied ale is quite enjoyable and drinkable now, but can only imagine how extremely well this will age for years to come. Definitely putting a few aside for future tastings. This could be a WOW! beer of 2006.
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Adam's Notes
The Look:
- mahogany with thin ring around top

The Aroma:
- figs
- peppery nose
- vanilla too
- alcohol in nose and on the palate

The Taste:
- chocolate
- sweet, but not overly
- nutty but not dry
- tiny bit oily
- bitter chocolate finish

The Verdict: It doesn't taste like 12%. This should be aged. One of the biggest warm easy drinking beers you'll ever have.

Bock Bock, Who's There...Bryson & Guyer

A new magazine has debuted and covers the "Art, Culture, & Lifestyle" of the Main Line swath of affluent suburbs west of Philadelphia. The publisher is CBR Media (Andrew Cantor) which is responsible for Bucks Magazine, focusing on the northern suburbs of Philadelphia primarily Bucks County.

Tucked away nicely on pages 110-111 is a tribute by Lew Bryson to the bock style of beer and what local Philadelphia breweries like Victory and Sly Fox do to admirably prop it up. Also mentioned are Stoudt's and Troegs, both further west from the Main Line. The sidebar article spotlights Matt Guyer and his fine product that he peddles up at Beer Yard.

No word on whether beer will hold a regular spot in the bi-monthly magazine. Our consolation is that, while the article came after wine and food articles, it did at least place before the article on brewing tea and "The Last Word" on page 114. But, seriously, progress indeed. Nice job, guys (uh, guyer?)

Beer Tasting: Castle Brewery Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier (2005)

The Beer: Castle Brewery Eggenberg Samichlaus
Style: Doppelbock
Reviews: Beer Advocate Rate Beer
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Packaging & Date Stamping: 11.2 oz. brown bottle; "Bottled in 2005" stamp

From where & how stored: Purchased from Circle Liquors in Somers Point, NJ in Jul. '06, transported home, and stored at 42F since then

Pricing: $xx.xx per bottle

Availability: approximately 10 months after the annual brew date of December 6th

ABV, IBU, and Other Available Stats: 14% ABV
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Bryan's Notes
The Look:
- yellowish-orange color
- virtually no head
- brandy-looking consistency/texture

The Aroma:
- big alcohol nose; sweet raisins and figs as it warms
- are there notes of wood in the nose?

The Taste:
- taste doesn't match up with the aroma...not a bad thing
- weird, but I seemed to detect a bit of vegetable flavor
- but it disappears quickly into a burst of sweetness and alcohol
- barleywine smooth and just a touch of bitterness
- Definitely more rich flavors as it warms....is this really a lager?

The Verdict: Adam asked if I thought it is more like the d'extra or 120 min...I say d'extra. I can only imagine how age-worthy this beer would be....so I saved one (hm, but for when only time will tell).
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Adam's Notes
The Look:

The Aroma:
- cotton candy figs in the nose
- no sulfur to distract you
- like a brandy

The Taste:
- sweet malt fig consistent with the nose
- more like d'extra than 120 min
- reminds me of their ice bock we reviewed
- slight peppery tinge from the alcohol

The Verdict: I enjoyed this so much. A real standout from all the other seasonals. Hard to imagine this is a lager ;-) Thanks Bryan!

The Brew Lounge 'Topic of the Week': New Year's Predictions

Resolutions, I have none. 2006 on a whole, for me, turned out to be a pretty successful year. So, my resolution is to try to maintain the steady ship and if greater improvement happens along the way, then all the better for me. Now, on to predictions. And, thankfully for you all, I'll stick to beer and not what I predict will happen in the world of politics, Hollywood, music, or religion. #1 - My first prediction relates to a movement that I think might possibly be already underway. That is, a movement to smaller, yet still flavorful beers. The year 2006, in my humble estimation was the peak of bigger beers in the sense of Imperial Stout, Imperial IPA (Double, Triple, wait where's the Quad, Pent, hex, hept IPAs?), Imperial Pilsners, et cetera. No one can quite define what an imperial anything is other than to mean something along the lines of "more..." While these will continue to be produced and we will continue to experiment with them and enjoy them, I for one have grown a bit weary of the one-upsmanship of who can put more hops, grain, alcohol, and so on in their beer. Don't get me wrong, it can be interesting and sometimes fun to play around with these beers, but in the end most turn out to be closer to a trendy novelty than a mainstay beer. So, my first prediction for 2007 is that we will see more experimentation with flavors in "smaller beers." Finding yourself in a session beer should not be a bad thing. #2 - I predict that Adam and I will not succeed in cleaning out any of our refrigerators, coolers, cabinets, or anywhere else that we hide our beer. I'm not sure this is necessarily a bad thing ;-) #3 - My second topic may be more of a wish than a prediction. Over the past several years of attending festivals, I've noticed the soaring popularity of these one-price all-you-can-drink events. There have been some festivals where the size of the crowd has limited the ability to truly appreciate the beers that are being sampled. Either because the brewer is too consumed with pouring as much beer as quickly as possible for the lines of attendees, or the size of the crowd in the event's location makes it physically uncomfortable, or perhaps the brewer has only rolled out some their more pedestrian beers for the event, some festivals can be a letdown from a beer appreciation perspective. That's why I'd like to see more festivals broken into two groupings. One for the masses who simply wish to drink as much as they can for $20-$30. And, a second group, say for $30-??? where presumably it is less crowded, with more interesting beers to sample, and a more relaxed atmosphere in which to interact with the brewers/owners. You've probably seen this happening with certain festivals where they have a preceding "connoisseurs tasting" or something like it. This is something I'd like to see more of in 2007. #4 - I predict that Kathleen will score a 2007 version of the Punkin t-shirt from Dogfish Head. #5 - Next up on the prediction block is regarding unusual, far from mainstream beer styles. Any friends or family who think that craft beer, especially like those flavored with chocolate, pumpkin, licorice, etc., are wacky beers will certainly not understand barrel-aged bombshells and wild ales that are with increasing frequency being experimented with in the United States. My prediction for 2007 is that this segment of the craft beer industry will continue to grow as palates want to be increasingly explored and challenged. Experimenting with yeast strains is something that brewers and drinkers alike seem to be connecting with and appreciating. I do think there's a limit for how far brewers can go with this sort of style, but I believe we are still a couple of years away from hitting the peak. So, while I mentioned above a peaking of "bigger beers," here I am figuring that "different beers" will continue to fascinate the craft beer segment and show up in even greater variety in the coming year. #6 - Even in the face of a super expansion plan, Iron Hill will once again stake claim to the Large Brewpub of the Year award and take home 5 others for individual beers in October 2007. #7 - I hope to be surprised on this point, but I don't see a letup in carrying liquid on board aircraft in 2007. Judging by how slow the FAA and related air travel industries have been to move on other security-related measures (are non-travellers even allowed past security yet? will that ever change?), I'd be surprised if we're carrying growlers of fresh beer on board aircraft any time soon. But, like I said, it would be nice to be wrong about this one. Carefully packing bottles in my checked luggage and not being able to bring home fresh growler beer is a real letdown. #8 - The minimum drinking age will not be lowered to 18. It may, in fact be raised :-p but it will not be lowered any time soon, no matter how much sense this seems to make to logical-thinking folk. #9 - Saison as a style will come out from the shadows and become more appreciated and embraced as the food pairing-worthy beer that it is. #10 - I will continue to be punished for my curiosity for inane discussion thread topics over at Beer Advocate. I think I'll stop now. I've already provided you all with too many arrows to shoot back at me. Agree? Disagree? Post your comments and tell me why I'm right, wrong, or just plain crazy. I sprinkled in some lighter-hearted ones, so if you got this far, hopefully you found them all to be both a thought-provoking and fun way in which to look into the new year. May the new year be even better than the old one for you! Here's to a HAPPY NEW YEAR of BEERS & CHEERS! (and be safe in your celebrating)

Food & Beer: Sauerkraut and Pork

Today we're having sauerkraut and pork! This is one of my favorite meals. I guess it reminds me of my Pennsylvania Dutch (German) roots. Traditionally this was the meal my Grandmother, Mother and aunts would prepare on New Years Eve for New Years Day. This year I won't be with them to celebrate, but, we'll still enjoy it here at home. What beer should be paired with sauerkraut and pork? A German lager? A Saison?

Beer...er...Tasting: Scott Tastes Schaefer Beer

Have you tasted a Schaefer? Scott has. He says...ewh! Well, it could be that this one was at least three years old and we gave it as a gag instead of champagne in his champagne flute ;-) It started as a blast from the past a few years ago when we bought him a case. I saved one for posterity.

Anyway..have you tried this beer? I think their slogan is...

"Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one."

Well, they claim to be America's oldest lager beer. You might want to take a look at their history.