The Brewer's Plate 2008 lineup

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

There's not much doubt in my mind that The Brewer's Plate food and beer pairing event is one of the shining gems in the Philly Beer Calendar each year. Following a twenty year history of the highly successful The Book and the Cook series in Philadelphia, The Brewer's Plate takes Garrett Oliver's passion and marries the wonderful local agriculture, talented chefs, and handcrafted beer.

If there's any doubt that Philadelphia is a premier dining destination in this country, I'd suggest attending this event. It proves that Philadelphia has a fully-rounded restaurant scene to compliment its high-end dining establishments. I'd recalled an article from Stephen Beaumont a while ago, and I was happy to be able to track it down in his archives to share with you.

In the fourth year running, the event showcases the best of food and beer and demonstrates the matrimonial merits of the pairing. Hosting the event at the Reading Terminal Market further enhances the event. During Philly Beer Week, the event will be held at the new and polished Constitution Center in the historic Independence Mall area; but, in the fall the event will return to its more natural roots at the also-historic Reading Terminal Market to give us a double-dose of The Brewer's Plate in 2008.

I'll have more to say about the event as we get closer to PBW. For now, check out the list of local restaurants and brewers that will be on display at the event in March. Tickets are currently on sale over here. If you'd like to check out my reviews of the last two year's installments, check here for 2006 and here for 2007.

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Participating Restaurants
Abbaye 215-627-6711

Ansill http://www.ansillfoodandwine.com/

Bar Ferdinand http://www.barferdinand.com/

Belgian Café http://www.thebelgiancafe.com/

Cantina Los Caballitos 215-925-4471

Fork Restaurant & Fork Etc. http://www.forkrestaurant.com/

General Lafayette Inn & Brewery http://www.generallafayetteinn.com/

Iron Hill http://www.ironhillbrewery.com/

London Grill http://www.londongrill.com/

Manayunk Brewing Co. http://www.manayunkbrewery.com/

Restaurant Alba http://www.restaurantalba.com/

Rx http://www.caferx.com/

Sazon http://www.sazonrestaurant.com/

Siam Lotus http://www.siamlotuscuisine.com/

The Sidecar Bar & Grille http://www.thesidecarbar.com/

Snackbar http://www.phillysnackbar.com/

Southwark Restaurant & Bar http://www.southwarkrestaurant.com/

Tinto http://www.tintorestaurant.com/

Tria http://www.triacafe.com/

White Dog Café http://www.whitedogcafe.com/

Zot http://www.zotrestaurant.com/

Participating Breweries
Appalachian Brewing Company http://www.abcbrew.com/

Climax Brewing Company http://www.climaxbrewing.com/

Cricket Hill Brewing Company, Inc. http://www.crickethillbrewery.com/

Dock Street Brewery http://www.dockstreetbeer.com/

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery http://www.dogfish.com/

Flying Fish Brewing Company http://www.flyingfish.com/

General Lafayette Inn & Brewery http://www.generallafayetteinn.com/

Iron Hill http://www.ironhillbrewery.com/

Lancaster Brewing Co. http://www.lancasterbrewing.com/

Legacy Brewing Co. http://www.legacybrewing.com/

Manayunk Brewing Co. http://www.manayunkbrewery.com/

Nodding Head Brewery http://www.noddinghead.com/

Philadelphia Brewing Company http://www.philadelphiabrewing.com/

River Horse Brewing Co. http://www.riverhorse.com/

Sly Fox Brewery http://www.slyfoxbeer.com/

Stoudt’s Brewing Co., Inc. http://www.stoudtsbeer.com/

Triumph Brewing Co. http://www.blogger.com/www.triumphbrewing.com

Tröegs Brewing Company http://www.troegs.com/

Victory Brewing Company http://www.victorybeer.com/

Weyerbacher Brewing Company http://www.weyerbacher.com/

Yards Brewing http://www.yardsbrewing.com/

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Philly Beer Week 2008: What To Do

If you read last week's post closely enough (and, to the end!), you may have caught a link to a spreadsheet-based calendar of events for Philly Beer Week 2008 that I posted. I found the calendar at the official site a bit too difficult to navigate for my own planning purposes, so I put the events in a spreadsheet and shared with all of you in the case that it's also helpful for you. Lew mentions last night that the site has been experiencing some difficulties and that they should have it worked out soon. In the meantime, I've been trying to keep up with various notes from here and there, from whom I'd expect the information to be most correct. The spreadsheet's not the prettiest, but it works for me....gets it all on one sheet with the pertinent information. And so it goes. More to come, I'm sure...

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Construction Across The Way: Lagunitas

Piggy-backing on my last post about Philadelphia-area construction, here's an update on some happenings from the other side of the country. Jay has posted some great pictures over at his site. More capacity means more Lagunitas, right?! Good stuff, thanks Jay!

Ron's Original Bar & Grille: Construction Update 1/21/08

This came via e-mail update from the folks at Ron's. It's finally off the ground; Add this construction project to the list. Let's see, this makes West Mt. Airy (Earth Bread & Brewery), Downingtown (Victory), Philadelphia (Yards), and now Uwchlan Twp/Exton. I'm probably missing some brewery/brewpub-related construction project here in the Delaware Valley, but these alone give us promise that the flow of better beer in this region will continue through 2008. Ron's Original Bar & Grille, aka Ron's Schoolhouse Bar & Grille, has been talking about this long-anticipated expansion for some time now. For the beer lover in all of us, this should be a welcome addition to the area. Tom M. and company already bust their butts to stock the to-go coolers with great bottled beer...soon there'll be 16 taps a-flowing with draft beer. Can't wait!

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To Our Loyal Customers: As you may have heard, we are about to start a new era in our restaurant life. The extensive remodeling project that we have all been waiting for is finally upon us! We will remain open throughout most of the construction and will only close when it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. During this phase there may be times when we run low on certain food, beverage or condiment items - please be patient with us, the end result will be well worth it. Ron would like to stress, as he has already to many of our guests, that the food itself and our prices will NOT change. During this exciting time we will communicate as best we can through signage and our website if and when we will be closed. Be sure to visit www.ronsoriginal.com if there is any question as to whether or not we will be open. Or call 610-594-9900 for updates via a daily message about the progress of our construction. Thank you for your continued support. Ron's Original Bar & Grille

Victory Renovations Picking Up Steam

First, the newsletter...then, a brief stop at Victory this past Saturday afternoon to, by chance, see the starting cuts being made in the future entrance way. Inside, the joint was jumpin' as usual and I made off with some to-go beer for me and friends. Didn't expect to be taking pictures, so these cell phone pictures will have to do for now.

Beer Calendar: What To Do In February 2008

Many of you have expressed the importance and value of the calendars that I put up with event information each month. In an effort to get information to you sooner, in the future I will send the calendar of events closer to the middle of the preceding month, rather than in the last few days before month-end. So, let's give this a try. Of course, I'll keep it up-to-date with new events as I learn of them. Here are some selected upcoming February events that should keep the winter chill off. Can anyone say 'beer dinners'? Mon. 1/28 - Stout Dinner @Birreria Paradiso, Washington, DC (seatings at 6:30pm & 9:30pm) Tue. 1/29 - Firestone Walker Beer Dinner @JJ Brewsky's, Camarillo, CA (7pm; $50) Wed. 1/30 - This One Tastes Like Wine (Tom Baker) @Tria Cafe, Philadelphia, PA (6:30pm-8:00pm; $45) Thu. 1/31 - Thursday Night Tasting (Boulder Brewing) @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA (7pm-9pm; free) Fri. 2/1 - Incubus Friday (first Friday) @Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA (12pm 'til it kicks; pay as you go) Sat. 2/2 - 2008 Groundhog Day Hawaiian Shirt Beer Breakfast and Lucky Cat Night Beer Prognostication @The Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA (7am-close; free entry, pay as you go) Sat. 2/2 - 20th Anniversary Celebration @Anderson Valley Brewing, Boonville, CA (4pm-???; $65) Thu. 2/7 - Bigfoot Vertical Tasting ('06, '07, '08) @The Drafting Room, Exton, PA (6pm; pay as you go) Thu. 2/7 - Victory Beer Dinner @General Sutter Inn, Lititz, PA (6:30pm; $55) Thu. 2/7 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tapping (Nuit de Folie (Night of Madness)) @Triumph Brewing, Philadelphia, PA (6pm; pay as you go) Fri. 2/8 - Stout & Porter night @TJs, Paoli, PA (pay as you go) Fri. 2/8 - IPA Project Varietal Beer Release (Horizon) @Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA (12pm-???; pay as you go) Sat. 2/9 - Sweet and Sour-Bretts, Bocks, & Scots-No Hops @Zeno's, State College, PA (3pm-8pm; $30 or $5 cover & pay as you go) Sat. 2/9 - Annual Double IPA Festival @The Bistro, Hayward, CA (11am-7pm; no entry fee, pay as you go) Sun. 2/10 - Wild Game Dinner @Ortino's Northside, Zieglerville, PA (5:30pm; $59) Tue. 2/12 - Mardi Gras Beer Dinner @Union Barrel Works, Reamstown, PA (6:30pm; $35) Tue. 2/12 - Lost Abbey/Tomme Arthur Dinner @Monk's Café, Philadelphia, PA (7pm; $60) Thu. 2/13 - Winter Chef & Brewer's Dinner @Rock Bottom, King of Prussia, PA (6pm; $39.99) Fri. 2/15-Sun.2/17 - Belgian Beer Festival @Max's, Baltimore, MD (11am-close; free entry, pay as you go) Sat. 2/16 - Annual Barleywine Festival @Toronado, San Francisco, CA (12pm-???; no entry fee, pay as you go) Sat. 2/16 - Winterfest @General Lafayette Inn & Brewery, Lafayette Hill, PA (12pm-3:30pm; $45) Sun. 2/17 - Fancy Brew Dinner (Chocolate! Chocolate!) @Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, Rehobeth Beach, DE (6:30pm; $47) Sat. 2/9-Sun.2/17 - Beerapalooza 2008 various locations around the Bay Area, CA (visit website for more details) Sat. 2/16-Sun.3/2 - Belgian Beer Festival @Lucky Baldwin's, Pasadena, CA (details TBD) Thu. 2/21 - Bell's Beer Dinner @The Drafting Room, Spring House, PA (6pm; $45) Fri. 2/22 - Stoudt's Bomber Night (get it? 22 ouncers?) @The Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA (pay as you go) Fri. 2/22 - Friday Night Tasting (Boulder) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (free) Fri. 2/22-Sun.2/24 - 'Cask Head' Cask Ale Festival @The Brazen Head, New York, NY (12pm-close; free entry, pay as you go) Tue. 2/26 - Brew Master’s Dinner @Bethlehem Brew Works, Bethlehem, PA (7pm; $60) Fri. 2/29 - Cask Ale Night (Tröegs & Ridgeway) @General Sutter Inn, Lititz, PA (4:30pm-6:30pm; pay as you go) Fri. 2/29 - Friday Night Tasting (Gritty McDuff) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (free) Fri. 2/29 - Quebec's Finest Cheeses & Beers @DiBruno Bros., Philadelphia, PA (6pm-8pm; $45)

Philly Beer Week 2008 is almost here

I haven't yet said much about the fast-approaching Philly Beer Week. The fact is that it will be here very, very soon. Up until just a few weeks ago, not much had been planned, at least not officially planned. So, I didn't feel that there was much to add to, or opine on, the topic. From what I gather, there had been much in the way of fragmented discussion but nothing really pulled together until the last couple of weeks or so. The marketing arm of Philly Beer Week (as in, the 10 days of events) is Philly Beer Week (as in, the promotional group) which is comprised of around twenty beer industry folk, publicists, and lawyers who are promoting the 10 days through the website, print material, and radio spots. Last week, a large group of interested brewers, proprietors, luminaries, and the like gathered at Nodding Head to banter about various events that were at varying stages of planning. During the last couple of weeks, the website finally started posting actual dates, times, and prices for the events that were further along in the planning stages. Not surprisingly, hosting a good number of events during these ten days is the Monk's Cafe family. Michael Jackson is a presence that will be seen throughout the 10 days, given his propensity to enjoy the Philly beer region, the way in which he extolled the virtues of it, and his overall impact on the region. No less than three events will carry some influence of the late MJ. Though, in reality, much of the region's and industry's success throughout the past 30 years can be at least indirectly attributed to his life's passion for well-crafted beer. While the PBW website does keep an up-to-date listing of events, I found it to be a bit cumbersome to aid in my own personal planning of to-do events. So, I took the liberty of putting the events in a spreadsheet and sharing it with all of you. You can access it through this link, download it, and print it out. I will do my best to always keep it current with dates and times as they may change. Though, for the most reliable details, you should probably stay in touch with the PBW website and/or the individual hosting establishments. There's no doubt this is going to happen. What remains to be seen is the degree of participation from all of my fellow beer lovers. Will this be primarily a regional event? Will beer lovers come from across the country to take part in the many festivities? Will the shuttles around town make the various venues all easily accessible? Who will be the most frequently spotted beer celebrity around town? Will Lew's Main Line Express ever leave Bridgewater's? What will be the most talked about aspect of PBW 2008? Will it occur again in 2009? Will it eventually rival some of the country's foremost beer festivals and gatherings? Will Bryan ever stop with his questions? Will Bryan shut up and conduct his own PBW event? Hm, now there's an interesting question. Stay tuned for more information on the last question, since that's the only one that I can definitively answer.

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Upcoming Victory Beer Dinner at General Sutter Inn in Lititz, PA - 2/7/07

Year of the Rat, nah. Year of the Beer Dinner! Paul has sent along the details to this good looking beer dinner in February at the General Sutter Inn. Do the folks in Lancaster County know how good their beer scene is becoming? (has become?) Wish I could check it out, but it doesn't look like this one is in the cards for me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Victory Beer Dinner, Thursday, Feb 7, 6:30 5 Courses, 5 Beers, $55 First Course Victory Lager ~Hors d'Oeuvres to include canapés, cheese and assortment of brochettes, i.e. chicken, beef, pork~ Second Course Victory Hop Wallop ~Roast Duck Ragout with wild mushrooms~ Third Course Victory Prima Pils ~Butter Poached Diver Sea Scallops over Organic Greens with Confetti Vegetables and Citrus Vinaigrette~ Fourth Course Victory Cask-Conditioned Hop Devil ~Grilled Lamb Noisette with Cabot Sage Potato and Root Vegetable, Roasted Garlic Jus~ Fifth Course Victory Golden Monkey ~Goat Cheese Cake with Mixed Berry Compote~ We are extremely honoured to have Bill Covaleski, founding partner of Victory Brewing speaking at this dinner. Don't miss this great event. Call 717.626.2115 to book your reservation.

The Inaugural Brew Lounge Meetup

Meetups. Are they the fashionable thing to do for groups of people normally accustomed to only talking through the Web? It's been something I've considered for some time now, but it just never took priority. Well, I figured it was about time to host an inaugural meetup of The Brew Lounge community and see how it goes. Not gonna overplan this first one; nothing special for this first gathering. Let's just get together and drink some good beers. And, if the turnout is decent and we seem to like the idea, perhaps we'll make it a regular occurrence. How about we say Wednesday, January 30th at TJs in Paoli, PA? Show up anytime you like; I'll get there sometime around 6pm or so. While you don't need to RSVP, if you let me know you're coming, I can give Jeff (1/2 the ownership) a rough count and he may put together a special area for us to gather. Use the e-mail link on the right (or just click here) to send a private message letting me know if you think you can make it on 1/30.

Upcoming Wild Game Dinner at Ortino's Northside

Wild Game sure is getting tamed as of late. There'll be such a dinner during Philly Beer Week. Union Barrel Works hosted one last month. Somehow I wouldn't be surprised if the SAVOR event in D.C. this coming spring would do something along these lines too. (Oh yeah, and I make an award-winning venison chili, thanks for asking.) John, Dan, Sarah Rocks, and the rest of the Ortino's crew are ready to put out their take on Wild Game and pair it with their finest Belgian beer stash. Passed along by Mr. Bengel and hand-typed by yours truly (dude, thanks for the jpeg, ggrrr), here's the menu that just might get me driving up route 29 to Zieglerville in February. For those uninitiated, be sure to follow route 29 north through Zieglersville to get to Zieglerville ;-) Or just follow this map. The time is 5:30pm, the dress is casual, and seating is limited....so give 'em a call at 610-287-7272 and make a reservation. Happy Hour Buffet - Fire Roasted Pig stuffed with Venison Sausage glazed with Beer BBQ sauce with gourmet mustards and breads - Belgian cheese course served with an array of fresh fruits and crackers Salad Course - Pheasant Confit on top of Baby Greens with Celriac Candied Hazlenuts tossed with Raspberry Framboise Vinaigrette Entree Course - Beer Braised Buffalo Short Ribs, Barley Risotto, and Witte Kerke Sauteed Leeks, Turnips, and Brussel Sprouts Dessert Course - Gulden Draak Raisin and Plum Rice Pudding with Baked Drunken Apples

Union Barrel Works Seafood & Beer Dinner - 1/15/07

Congratulations to Tom, Amy, and David Rupp at Union Barrel Works in Reamstown, PA. Thanks to The Brew Lounge, they successfully hosted their first sellout. Okay, partial thanks to The Brew Lounge. Okay, I shouldn't kid myself, they can only thank TBL for getting me there. Even my table mates would have gone with out me. Humbling, for sure :)

But, on a much more serious note (because if beer's gonna be the "new wine", it's gotta be serious, right?! How am I doing at being smarmy?), UBW's third official beer dinner was another well-crafted combination of Tom's recipes from the brewhouse and son David's seafood creations in the kitchen. The first back in October may be best described as an all-American feast. Before taking a month's break to focus on the holidays, November's dinner focused on wild game.

Truth be told, the menu this time around intrigued me the most. Seafood and beer, how would it be done? Would it be done well, or would it leave us reaching for the nearest glass of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay? The consensus around the room seemed to be agree that the sea-food received an A.

Speaking of around the room, as I mentioned earlier this was a full house. The dining room was filled with a rough count of at least 60 diners, including a certain someone, who if he doesn't start working soon (tomorrow, I believe?), I'm going to put in a vote that we give him the name "Wanderin' Patrick". This guy's been on a tear during his little working hiatus. Come to think of it, though, this could boomerang and raise questions about my own itinerary.

If I may head straight into my rankings, my favorite dish of the evening was the stuffed lobster tail. We all wished, natch, that it was a WHOLE lobster but then the dinner price might have been more like $80 instead of $40. But, with the chunked lobster meat interspersed with the spinach and crab, it was quite the delicacy. The scallops ran a close second where the meaty bacon helped accent the honey glazed mollusk. The bed of risotto made this quite the welcome kickoff to the meal....the usual amuse bouche, it was not.

As for pairings, I'm going to stick with that first course. On paper, it sounded to me like it would be a winner, and it didn't disappoint. While the scallops were certainly cooked, my dining companions agreed that it was much better than the alternative of being undercooked. The flavor coming from the bacon and the honey, held up by the starchiness of the rice paired so perfectly with the honey-nuanced mai bock. On its own, the mai bock is one of my favorites at UBW; paired with this dish, the beer became deeper and more flavorful.

The lightly battered calamari rings with the lager was a surprise pairing that also pleased. The simple, perfected flavors of the lager matched nicely with the light oil/fry flavor and the tomato dipping sauce. Pairing with tomato is no easy feat.

I wouldn't normally comment on a sorbet course, but the coffee sorbet with the dry, roasty Round Boy Stout was a very nice match.

I normally end most beer dinner reviews with some high praise, and a picture of course, for the decadent chocolate dessert. Well, you get the picture here at the bottom but, surprise!, this time no chocolate was involved in the dessert. Whether it was rum, brandy, or some other liqueur drizzled through the sauce and ice cream it was a delicious end all the same to a great meal. The Wobbly Bob, perhaps my second favorite UBW brew, was paired with it, though I think it secretly longed for a chocolate companion ;-)




Appetizer
Honey Scallops
Wrapped in wild boar bacon and served over artichoke Risotto
~Paired with Mai Bock~

Soup
Catfish Etouffe
Served with white rice
~Paired with Pale Ale~

Interim
Coffee Stout Sorbet
~ Paired with Round Boy Stout~

Pre-Entrée
Beer Batter Calamari
Served with a plum tomato dipping sauce
~Paired with Lager~

Entrée
Lobster Tail
Stuffed with spinach and crab and topped with a truffle Beurre Blanc sauce
And potato herb pancake
~Paired with Kölsch~

Pre-Dessert
Lemon Raspberry Mousse
~Paired with Octoberfest~

Dessert
Barrel Bananas Foster
UBW’s version
~Paired with Wobbly Bob~



The next dinner is already set for Tuesday February 12, 2007. The theme is Mardi Gras and reservations are required by calling 717-335-7837.

Quick Review of The Belgian Cafe in Philadelphia, PA

I want to like Monk's sister cafe, The Belgian Cafe, across town. I really do. Why? Maybe to invalidate Craig Laban's recent review, finding it hard to believe that the Monk's duo could be stumbling in their Art Museum neighborhood foray. Maybe because I previously lived just two blocks away and would like to think the former Tavern on Green would be turned into something where I could envision myself a permanent fixture if I still resided in the area. Maybe it's because given Philadelphia's and Tom Peters' preeminent position in this country's Belgian beer scene, success for the new establishment should be a fait accompli?

Let's see, how did this all work out? Well, we stopped in late on Saturday afternoon after the Flyers overtime loss to the Bruins in a modern-day display of almost Old Time Hockey. Perhaps it wasn't the most fair time of day to stop in for a review. We sat at the bar and stayed for some beers and a dinner. This took around 90 minutes, or so.

To the first point above, Laban's criticism was mostly pointed at the vegan side of the menu. For starters, I should say that this would not be my natural inclination. Not that I have a problem eating soy, plant, or other non-animal products; it just is not usually my first choice. Vegetarian meatloaf (an oxymoron if I ever heard one) just doesn't jump off the page at me. Saying that, we opted for mussels and a salad to start with, then the beef stew for me and the ham & cheese sandwich (more interesting than it sounds) for Patty.

The mussels were decent. Around average size, I'd say, for this time of year. Plump and firm enough and they carried some of the flavor from the Herbes de Provence and Piraat that they were lounging in. Some of the rosemary sprigs could have been chopped a bit finer, since using them as toothpicks was not my preference. Providing a nice texture to the dish was the addition of chunked sausage.

The beef stew that I had was a decent sized plate full of chunked beef (mmm, more chunked meat! told you we didn't go for the vegan options) surrounded by vegetables and topped with a generous dollop of mashed potatoes. The beef was just a couple of minutes away from being cooked too long for my preference, but overall, this was a satisfying and tasty bowl of stew for what would be a chilly evening.

And, the ham and cheese sandwich that Patty ordered? It came out with each of the toasted sides of the sandwich open-faced, both layered with both ham and cheese, which was perfect for her to spread a knife of dijon mustard across. It was a really tasty, yet simple, sandwich. We would have liked to have had a bit more flavor, though, in the unremarkable slaw served as the sandwich's side.


The beer? Oh, you want to hear more about the beer, eh? They've got a dozen taps pouring beers and on this particular day they ranged from Chimay to Rogue to St. Bernardus to Brooklyn to local faves Tröegs and Sly Fox. And, while it's only a subset of what's available at bigger brother Monk's across town, the bottle selection lists most of the requisite beers from around the world focusing, of course, primarily on Belgium and the United States. Our selections were drafts from Rogue Hop Heaven, St. Bernardus 12, Chimay Cinq Cents, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, La Chouffe, and a bottle of Maredsous 8. All were poured and presented properly in fitting glassware.

The service was fine too. It was sufficiently friendly, but certainly not aggressively in our face and not always on top of our needs. We were there, as I'd mentioned, in the late afternoon nearing shift change. Things might have been a bit more disorganized than they would be, say, three hours later. Plus, we sat at the bar and did not get the full dining room experience.

Overall, The Belgian Cafe measured up just fine. Let's go back to my checklist in the opening above.

A) Our food experience seems to have been better than Laban's;
B) Based on the trendy edge, or shall I say edgy trend (I couldn't quite put my finger on whether they're going for a particular vibe), that they seem to be exhibiting, I'm thinking that Bridgid's would be a more likely every-other-day hang out for me, if I still lived in the neighborhood; and
C) Tom & Fergie have done well opening this new location, but will be interesting to see the long-term viability of it in the Art Museum neighborhood. The changing demographic of the area will help to determine.

It certainly deserves a full review after another visit and a chance to test out more of the menu and service.

Blind Tiger Loves Heavyweight Loves Victory Loves Beer

In NYC this Wednesday? Now's as good as chance as any to check out what's flowing from their many tap handles. Direct from Alan's e-mail update... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Heavyweight Brewing Company, an old Blind Tiger staple, has been closed for over a year now... And even though we may still have some bottles kicking around, the draught list always seems a little empty without the ol'Heavyweight tap handle showing up every now and then. Luckily, the craft beer community is more of a family than just a bunch of small business owners trying to make a quick buck. In the true spirit of family, brewers in this small group love to share; whether it's ideas, stories, insight or even recipes... When I heard that Heavyweight founder Tom Baker was talking to Bill Covaleski (president and head brewer of Victory Brewing Company) my beer senses started tingling. I knew that the two of them together could do something to keep at least one of the phenomenal brews from Heavyweight within our grasp...and as rare as it is, I was right! This Wednesday Jan. 16th @ 4:00PM the Blind Tiger will proudly introduce Victory's homage (not a replica) to Heavyweight's Perkuno's Hammer...called Victory Baltic Thunder! This deep complex Baltic Imperial Porter has a beautiful symphony of flavors... Think deep roasted malts, with notes of chocolate, hits of coffee bitterness, and a finish that will have you begging for more. And just to make things even better, I will be putting on some of Victory's classic brews like the Hop Wallop, Hop Devil, Golden Monkey and the Donnybrook Stout. Oh, yeah, and I guess you guys might even appreciate a keg of Heavyweight...right? So, I'm going to let go of (and this is very difficult for me) the only keg of Heavyweight's Uncle Bob's Bog Weisse - a tart cranberry wheat... So come by, have a Victory...have a Heavyweight...heck, have both! And if we get lucky, we may even share a pint with Heavyweight's very own, Tom Baker.

Tap List at Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA - 1/12/08

On an attempted regular basis, I'll post the tap list here to the Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA. I 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 me a note.

On Draft as of 1/12/08
Allagash White
Avery Hog Heaven
Black Sheep Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale (cask)
Brouwerij De Koninck Winter Koninck
Gouden Carolus Noël/Christmas
Lancaster Brewing Milk Stout
Left Hand Snowbound Ale
Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat
Scaldis/Bush Noël
Verhaeghe Echte Kriekenbier
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe
Wild Goose Snow Goose
Young's Winter Warmer

And the usual suspects...
Blanche De Bruxelles Witbier
Chimay White
Coors Light
Guinness Stout
Harp Lager
Plzensky Prazdroj Pilsner Urquell
Smithwick's Ale
Stella Artois Belgian Pale Ale
Victory HopDevil
Yuengling Traditional Lager

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A Breath of Fresh Air at Sly Fox

My first visit of 2008 to Sly Fox in Phoenixville, PA last night brought a pleasant surprise. I had forgotten that they planned to go smoke-free on January 1st. Within the first five minutes at the bar chatting with Wanderin' Joe and other beer buddies, I had to interrupt when I realized what was different. No clouds of carcinogens were wafting my way and the only thing drifting up my olfactory were the components of the beer that I was meant to taste and smell. Too bad this trip to Sly Fox was only due to last about 30 minutes. And, we actually stuck to it! The main objective was to sample the 5-year-old Ichor (quadrupel). This big beer was put away back in 2003 and made its way out to the bar yesterday at noon time. It seemed to have held up pretty well. It was starting to show its age a bit with some vegetal flavors, but they were not very noticeable in amongst the other things going on in this dark beer...nice malty profile and dried out dark fruit sweetness to it and roughly 10% ABV help to mask and minimize any deterioration. Overall, it was a nice drink. I topped it off with a small glass of the Burns Scottish Ale (nicely roasted malt and dry, faint smoke flavors). Patty enjoyed the always perfect Oatmeal Stout. Good times, as usual, at Sly Fox. And now, not so hazy and less laundry to do when we get home.

Hops Shortage - Can This Wait?

I'm on a hop trip lately. The last month or so, I just can't get enough of HOPS. Funny thing is, I'm not a huge "hophead," but I do from time to time love me my hops. Alan's got the same thinking going on up North of the Border. Lew seems to be thinking in the same vein. Suzanne, too. William Brand, Eric Asimov (though not totally sure which side of the fence he's coming down on), Jon, and Jay. Even the scientists are getting in on the action. I just so happen to be writing this while enjoying (immensely) the Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA from Shmaltz. Such a friggin' great beer! Kind of takes me back to that memorable meetup with Mr. Bryson back in March '07. Between my Imperial IPA homebrew, Southern Tier's Unearthly IPA, Deschutes Hop Trip, Dock Street Rye IPA, Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale, and other hop beauties from Victory, Sly Fox, and Avery, I just can't seem to get enough of the Humulus Lupulus. Was it the Sly Fox Odyssey Project in December or all the news lately about hop shortages in the coming few years that did it to me? Dunno, can't explain it. But, I've got a bunch of stouts, barleywines, and other strong ales in the waiting. Well, at least there'll be hops in them there beers too!

Philly's New Mayor and Philly Beer Week

A new day has dawned here in Philly, for sure. I figure that if he doesn't want to take the First Mayoral Sip, or tap the First Firkin, Michael Nutter can at least team up with ?uestlove and The Pain Relievaz and lay down a PBW Welcome Rap. Michael? Sam?

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Tap List at Teresa's Next Door in Wayne, PA - 1/9/08

For those who have not made their way to Teresa's Next Door, here's the tap list as of 1/9/08 and it's fairly typical of the quality and diversity that can be found there. Keep in mind, that these are the drafts. The bottle selection is just as good, but ten fold. Did I mention just how much I hate living in this region?

Allagash Tripel
Arcadia Cereal Killer
Atomium Grand Cru
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
Brasserie Des Géants Goliath Belgium Tripel
Brasserie Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux
Brouwerij De Ranke Pere Noël
Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat Maredsous 8
Brouwerij Slaghmuylder Witkap Pater Tripel
Chimay White
Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre
Flying Dog Double Dog
Founders Breakfast Stout
Fuller's London Porter
Hoegaarden Witbier
Koningshoeven La Trappe Quadrupel
Kulmbacher Brauerei EKU Pils
Lindemans Framboise
Rodenbach Grand Cru
Stoudts Gold
The Lion Brewery Stegmaier Winter Warmer
Thomas Hooker IPA
Tröegs Pale Ale
Sly Fox Oatmeal Stout (hand)
Victory Hop Wallop (hand)
North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout (nitro)

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The Thunder Finally Rolls at The Drafting Room : 1/5/08

The Tale of Two Beers. Maybe that's what this past Saturday should have been called at The Drafting Room in Exton, PA. There was the Perkuno's Hammer that some were tasting for the first time and describing as having a pleasant fruit tartness to it. Huh?! Then, there was the originally intended Perkuno's Hammer that many have tasted before which was not available on Saturday. It was, fortunately, available with my dinner at home the prior night from a 12-ounce bottle. It had kept perfectly well and was only slightly diminished in overall flavor and fullness. Luckily for me, I've still got another 5 bottles from that same case.

But it was the Baltic Thunder from Victory Brewing that lured most people to TDR on Saturday. Victory's rebirth (or perhaps better stated...recrafting) of the Perkuno's Hammer from the now-defunct Heavyweight Brewing (formerly of Ocean Township, NJ) was delayed for months for reasons ranging from legal to packaging problems. Patrick Mullin, über Suburban Beer Guy that he is, had been given the courtesy of hosting the event at TDR.

Now, in the final twist to this new beer's quirky legacy, Patrick had his last day of work at TDR on December 31st. But, that didn't stop him from dropping in for a couple of hours before heading off to his new employer's, Sierra Nevada, company meeting. With tap handles in tow, it almost looked as if he'd never left, helping with some of the setup. But, before long he had beer glass securely in hand and looked just like the rest of us. Even laughing with Jack Curtin, what a sight!


Unfortunately, anyone heading to TDR looking for a Baltic Thunder vs. Perkuno's Hammer showdown left disappointed. Unfortunately, the Hammer's kegged beer had turned and only left a sharp, sour taste which I'd mentioned above that some people actually enjoyed. I suppose my expectation for what the beer should taste like (rather, did taste like a year or two ago) was skewing my preference. Across the room, several pints were returned while others grinned and beared it. The same could be said for the Baltus O.V.S. whose time had also passed. Though, in my opinion, if one beer was more suited to the sourness, it was the Baltus.

The Heavyweight beer for whom the light was still shining was the Lunacy. And, oh how happy I was, for this was the first Heavyweight beer to show me Tom Baker's brewing magic back in the early 00's.


Uh, back to the Thunder. I seem to be jumping around quite a bit here, eh? Well, to me the Thunder was just nicely done. It wasn't a big wow beer, but then, my hopes weren't set that high. Considering the time in the tank, the blending that they had done, and the promise that this would not be Perkuno's Hammer #2, I was figuring it would be a quaffable, yet flavorful and interesting, beer. Just not an overly complex or boo-ya beer. Of course, this could change with the next batch, and I do expect it to be a tad bigger and livelier. But, some around the room could be heard poo-pooing the current version. C'mon now, does everything have to have the impact of wasabi paste? Does sushi really have to be drowned in soy and wasabi to make it enjoyable? (Actually, that sorta reminds me of a Pete Brown article from a few days ago.)

So, what else....what else? How about the Scaldis Noel and the Bear Republic Racer 5? In a draft list that included all of the Victory and Heavyweight treats, and more delights in the bottle (Jackeldricka, Biere de Garde, Black Ocean, and Slice of Bread), I guess it wasn't so difficult to overlook the Scaldis and the Racer 5. Normally, either could easily be the first choice off a draft list. (Oh wait, when we arrived and the specials weren't flowing yet, I did have a Racer 5 and it was just right!) So when a glass of Scaldis was presented to me in my last minutes before leaving, it was a fitting and wonderful conclusion to the day.


Tom and Peggy arrived not long before I was heading out so I only had a few brief words with them. And, a picture snapped by everyone's buddy Richard. I guess this calls for a visit to West Mount Airy in the coming weeks to see how things are going at Tom's newest project, Earth Bread & Brewery. How nice it would be to see the construction come along quickly enough to be serving some beer during Philly Beer Week. Seems optimistic, but let's keep our fingers crossed...

Another Round for REUNION Beer

As the crew promised, they're back in '08 with a new REUNION Beer. I'm glad that they decided to hold true and continue this concept. I'll be anxious to try this year's version of an organic Red Rye. The story behind the beer and the beer itself was something I discussed a few times last year. Here's a link back.
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• The second annual release of REUNION - A Beer for Hope will take place during the week of February 17, 2008. This year's beer celebrates the life of Virginia MacLean, the inspiration and one of the founding partners of the REUNION beer collaboration.
  
• This year's beer is an Organic Red Rye Ale, once again brewed in cooperation with Bison Brewing in Chico, CA. It is a reddish-amber colored beer, with a pronounced malt forward profile balanced by the delicate spices of the hops and rye. It is 6.5% alcohol by volume.
• The beer will be distributed through the SBS-Imports distributor network, to approximately 20 states, suggested retail price of $4.99-$5.99 per 22 ounce bottle.
• Consumers may also mail order (starting mid-February) via the Michael Jackson Rare Beer Club
  
• 100% of the profits generated by SBS-Imports will benefit the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (IMBCR).
• Donations to IMBCR accepted via REUNION Beer or directly at the IMBCR site
  

2007: And On One Last Note, Part 2

Click back here for the beginning of this story.

The General Sutter Inn is a, may I use the word lovely?, charming inn supplying food, drink, and lodging...pet-friendly lodging too. I plan to return sometime soon and learn more about the history of the Inn and explore more of the nooks and crannies. You'll get a full report on the General Sutter when I do. The town of Lititz is equally charming and would provide a nice little overnight getaway. Oops, let's get back to topic.


In the front door and down the steps to the left found us greeted by a laid back room full of happy real ale imbibers. Paul Pendyck, the cordial host, was in the corner gravity pouring the cask conditioned Yards ESA and Yards Love Stout. He was pouring both short glasses and full pints. And, trying not to sound like a giddy schoolgirl, they were perfect. As time passed, I found myself chatting with some homebrewing folks (Karen & Frank, or MugHugger & HomebreWing if you'd like) from the Lancaster County Brewers (LCB...not to be confused with that other LCB), who are hosted by the Lancaster Brewing Company in.....Lancaster.


So, after 90 minutes or so of cask delights and pleasant company, we headed back east again. I dropped off my wingmen, had some pizza, and pointed myself further east to Chester County. Unfortunately, the rainfall was picking up at this point and made the trip home a bit more challenging. So, I did what anyone would do and made a pitstop at Ron's Schoolhouse Grille in Exton, PA to peruse the selection and let the rain pass :)

Paul Pendyck (r) with Bryan Kolesar

I cannot understate the job that Paul and the General Sutter folks are doing to bring great beer experiences to the heart of Lancaster County PA. For folks in the Philadelphia area, this may be a bit of a hike for you. But, I strongly suggest you at least make a trip out to the General Sutter for one of their cask events, scheduled the last Friday of every month. You shouldn't be disappointed. They also have their first full-fledged beer dinner coming up in February, a 5-course Victory Beer Dinner.

Believe it or not, that wasn't the grand finale of 2007 for me. Just when I thought the year would end on a high note for me on that wonderful Friday evening, little did I know that 60 minutes at The Drafting Room on New Year's Eve would put the exclamation point on it all for me. It was a well-deserved farewell for Patrick Mullin, who as you all know by now has moved on to become regional sales representative for Sierra Nevada.

While the conviviality was busting the joint apart, I came across the final entry in my year's most appealing new beers to me. What do I speak of? Did you catch the TDR taplist that I posted last week? I mentioned liquid chocolate. Oh yes, the liquid chocolate called Chocklat from Southern Tier in New York. Yowzah! You've got to experience it to understand it. It's chocolate first and a beer second, unlike many chocolate beers like Chocolate Stouts which typically are beer first chocolate second.

Let's see. In the last few days of the year...a solid establishment find (General Sutter), an awesome day trip through Berks & Lancaster Counties, a wowza beer (Choklat), a sendoff for a friend (Patrick from The Drafting Room), and we didn't even talk about the stroke of twelve midnight on New Year's Eve.

That's it for 2007. Stick a fork in it.

2007: And On One Last Note, Part 1

Spending my last vacation day of 2006 in NYC was so enjoyable that I thought I'd try the concept again this year. When faced with what to do with that one last vacation day (at my company, we don't carry unused vacation days from one year to the next), why wouldn't I spend it on something beery and cheery? Unlike last year, this year I had a co-conspirator...Dennis the Lancaster County Correspondent and his brother-in-law Steve. We'd thought of heading to Yuengling first for their morning tour, but were afraid of looking like Bryson copycats.


Instead of heading north, this year I headed west to meet the guys at Canal Street in Reading. The main goal here was to start the day with lunch and a few Legacy beers. It wasn't long before we thought things had gone terribly wrong. Apparently, the only thing that had gone wrong was something in the relationship between the restaurant and their downstairs neighbors. Don't get me wrong; the food, beer, and service were just fine at the bar. Actually, very good. But, we just couldn't figure why the only Legacy beer being poured (draft or bottle) was the Reading Pils. Though, this was a nice starter, all the same.


The bartender went into great detail about how proud they were of the beer list and how they've replaced the Legacy tap handles over the past year. As if to suggest that they just didn't fit the model of building the most impressive list of biggest, baddest, novelty beers that they were trying to achieve. Of course, the beers on the list were nothing to sneeze at. All the biggest and "most interesting" beers from places like Anderson Valley, Avery, Bells, Dogfish Head, Great Lakes, Green Flash, Heavy Seas/Clipper City, Ithaca, Chouffe, Lagunitas, Moylans, Ommegang, Rogue, Sierra Nevada, Sly Fox, Southern Tier, Stone, Stoudt's, Victory, and Weyerbacher. The bartender was sure to go out of his way to point out how big the beers were, either for their hops or their alcohol. But, it's not like they were avoiding all local breweries. Still it was disappointing that when one of the greatest things about craft beer is drinking it fresh, Canal Street has gone out of their way to ensure that it won't happen at their pub.


Okay, I'll stop now; you get the point. We did what any rational person would do next. That is, pay the bill and head downstairs where three glasses were waiting for us and fresh Hedonism, Midnight Wit, and Nor'easter. A quick pull from the taps over in the corner and we were sittin' pretty with what we came for.


We chatted for around 20 minutes or so, enough to pass the beers around and sample them all. Funny how for the three of us, we each had a favorite of our own. We talked about Legacy's plans in the somewhat near future to start on a riverfront 2nd street project. Initial plans would be for a brewery with minimal front-of-the-house operations (a la Tröegs, perhaps?) and then hopefully moving to a brewpub type of establishment. What a score for Berks County (and Reading) this would be. Net score for our first stop: 9...that would be a minus 1 for Canal Street and a 10 for Legacy and Dave. Moving on...


We made our way southwest out of Reading into Lancaster County. Back in Reading, we would have liked to check out the Speckled Hen or Northeast Tap Room, but both apparently don't open until dinnertime. NETR couldn't be confirmed since their phone had been disconnected, changed, or whatever. In hindsight, we learned that the Ugly Oyster may not have been a bad stop either. But, we were now a bit short on time, since our ultimate goal was Lititz, PA and the General Sutter Inn's cask ale tasting event.


After, a 15-20 minute drive out of Reading, we wound up at Stoudt's in Adamstown, PA. What a difference the newly constructed route 222 bypass makes. Growing up in that area, I recall how long it would take along that route by following business route 222 through Shillington and other such small towns. Bet we must have saved close to 10 minutes of stop 'n' go traffic.


We were hoping to have time for at least 2 beers at Stoudt's and the opportunity to sit and shoot the breeze with Carol, Ed, Eddie, John, or whomever would return the favor. But, once again, with our eyes set squarely on Lititz, I looked through Ed's renowned bread shop (no luck, all sold out by this time of day....3pm), chatted with Carol (who was so overwhelmingly happy as she doted on grandchild #5), and put back an Old Abominable Barleywine (spot on, hoo-ra!).

It was just our luck that as the brew crew was wrapping up for the day, we needed to head out. Though, this is been a trend for the last few times that I've been there...always somewhere else to be. This will have to change soon, with at least a couple of solid hours spent at Stoudt's. Mmmmm, takes me back to a perfect trip that I had a few years with good friends Mark & Susan just before they moved out of state. It included many hours at Stoudt's, an overnighter at the next door Black Forest Inn, and oh well...that's another story for another day.

After consolidating cars at Dennis's house in Reamstown, we were off on a 20-30 minute drive to the General Sutter for some fabulous cask conditioned (aka real) ale from Yards Brewing. Oops, I ruined the surprise.

Click here for the second part of the story

Craft Beer in the Mainstream Press

Nothing too heady here this morning to report. Just a nice way to start my Sunday by perusing the Philadelphia Inquirer to find the restaurant reviews to focus for a second straight week on local better beer haunts. Last week it was Craig Laban rendering his not-so-favorable impressions of the new Belgian Cafe. This week it is Rick Nichols taking his turn, giving a decidedly more favorable review of the new Dock Street Brewery in the Cedar Park neighborhood. Though, to be fair, the kudos were given as much, if not more so, to their daring entry into the rough fringe neighborhood than for the food and beer, which were given decent if not lukewarm reviews. Still, it's looking like 2007 began to give us quite a view of the place that craft beer and its brewpubs will continue to have in mainstream press in 2008. This is happening across the country from the New York Times (Eric Asimov) to the Contra Costa Times (William Brand); There are too many examples to cite. But, at least here in the Philadelphia region, no less than the Philadelphia Inquirer (the Daily News too, of course with Joe Sixpack), Philadelphia Weekly and City Paper, and Philadelphia Magazine have made these types of articles a regular occurrence. Stay tuned for more...

De Proef/Port Signature Coming Around Again

This was scooped up from the comment bin over at Hedonist Beer Jive. The Signature collaboration was one of my favorite beers of 2007 (it wound up on Jack's top list too), so I will no doubt be thrilled to find this in Pennsylvania in 2008! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tomme, Dirk, and I were so pleased with the response to this beer that we have decided to keep brewing it. Look for batch #2 to arrive in March (it will be identified as B2 near the gov't warning). Cheers, Alan Shapiro SBS-Imports

My Personal Beer Agenda of 2008

I would not necessarily call this a resolution or prediction list, rather looking into what I might be doing on the beer scene during 2008. I might say that my 2008 beer year officially begins tonight. As a prelude to tomorrow's Baltic Thunder unveiling at The Drafting Room in Exton, PA, I will knock off a Perkuno's Hammer or two and maybe a Lunacy for good measure. Come to think of it, there's several OTOP and off-the-wall goodies from Heavyweight on my shelf too. Then, tomorrow brings the official public release of the highly anticipated Perkuno's Hammer step-brother. All reviews to date have been promising. Check Lew's, Jack's, or Don's site for their impressions. Then, January really gets rolling with a Union Barrel Works dinner, a Robbie Burns celebration at Sly Fox, a cask night of Tröegs at General Sutter, and the Iron Hill Belgian event in West Chester. February sees a year of Monk's dinners kicked off with Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing in California. Also, the General Lafayette Winterfest, and (if I can get myself to CA) some Bay Area festivities at Toronado, The Bistro, 21st Amendment, and Magnolia. Pasadena also welcomes Belgian Beer Fest to Lucky Baldwin's. There's a very outside chance that I could get there. The only thing howling louder than March winds will be Philly Beer Week. From cask tastings to tours to food pairings to lectures to Michael Jackson tributes, the 10-day event will be one of the industry's highlights in 2008 and I can't wait to be a part of it. It's amazing how fast the time has flown since the concept was first announced close to a year ago. During these first few months of the year, Earth Bread & Brewery, Philadelphia Brewing, Yards will all be getting their new legs under them. It will be interesting to watch them grow into their new spots in the industry and I'm sure their fans will be anxiously waiting to taste the goods. I'm especially anxious for EB&B to add to the NW Philly beer scene and the return of the much-missed Tom Baker. I'm sure that I'll need some drying out time after the first half of March is over. The big question will be whether we will be going to Ommegang or not this year for their annual beer festival-goer's rite of passage, Belgium Comes To Cooperstown. We had a family wedding to go to that particular weekend, but now, unfortunately, that seems unlikely to happen. We had considered that given the wedding, we would fly to Portland for the Oregon Brewers Festival. It's been long on my list to get to Portland and discover what everyone is talking about when Portland is often named as one of the country's top beer cities. Another option for that same weekend would be to find out the other hot festival everyone seems to talk about...this one in State College, PA. Then, we get into the fall and that is much too far out to talk about planning at this point. Oh, wait, except for the Kennett Square festival in October, of which I'm confident the overcrowding issue of 2007 will have been resolved. Finally, where does Belgium fit into all of this year's planned activities? Many of you have heard me talk about how Belgium was quickly moving up the travel list. It won't be in the first few months of the year. Will it be in the fall? Will it be in the winter time, around Christmas? (Greg and Paula say it's a lovely time of year over there!) So, there you go. For those of you who claim that I never give any warning where I'm heading for a beer event, this is the best roadmap that I can give you as of right now, at this moment, as best as I can foresee. All subject to change...of course! The one thing we all do know is that 2008 will offer no less options than 2007 gave to us. And, if the overall quality is better than last year? Then, even better for all of us. Cheers to a Happy New Year!

Pennsylvania Brewers Guild

For all my grumbling of how there isn't a brewers guild around these parts to further promote the rich eastern Pennsylvania beer scene, it seems as if there was/is a Pennsylvania Brewers Guild in existence. However, judging by some of the folks in the biz that I've mentioned this to, it's not all that well-known or at least it seems that they may not be doing a whole lot to date on the marketing side. My griping and grousing about PA started a couple of years ago after traversing the San Francisco Beer Landscape with a handy little brochure from the San Francisco Brewers Guild which directed me to various brewpubs around town. Then, I looked around and saw what similar organizations have done in places like Michigan, Portland, Minnesota, Indiana, and so on. Why can't a region as rich and diverse as Pennsylvania, esp. eastern and more specifically Philadelphia, do at least as much if not more to promote itself? Where there seems to have been a lot of action with the PA Brewers Guild is on the less enviable, less enjoyable side of the business. The side that takes the Guild's members to places of legal discourse and disagreements. A place of legislative lethargy and a place of morality meanderings. And I say, God bless 'em for it. It can't be easy. It only takes away from their passion in the brewhouse and with customers. According to Jack's recent posting over at the Beer Yard website, the group has been more actively involved in representing themselves on the always very important, interesting, and challenging legal side of the business. Lew has recently taken to the subject as well, proclaiming involvement with the Guild as one of his goals for 2008, but also from the legal side. My question, though, still comes back to the marketing side. I'd like to see this organization, or one like it, take on more of a marketing angle for the region. Perhaps that indeed is already in the cards for Philly Beer Week the Organization. That would be right on target. It would be a shame to see all of this concerted effort of Philly Beer Week the Event to be lost on a small sliver of time in March 2008. Or for that matter, a 10 day period once a year. From my perspective, it's long overdue for an organization to proudly represent Philadelphia and its greater MSA. If Philly Beer Week as an organization becomes that long-term apparatus for spreading the good word, then it should be a year-round daily mission to holding the region together as one of the best in the country and promoting it as such. According to Jack's article, the current managing committee consists of: Artie Tafoya of Appalachian Brewing serving as president; Bill Covaleski of Victory Brewing as vice-president; Sean Casey of Church Brew Works as secretary; and John Trogner of Tröegs Brewing as treasurer.

Tearing Down Walls at Victory

Or should this be retitled: "Is Bigger Better?" Here's the official announcement that was issued by Victory yesterday, passed along by Richard. "Please pardon appearance as we bring you a bigger and better Victory. It's our goal to minimize any inconvenience to our customers during this transition. For a portion of our construction time we will be reducing seating by 80% and offering an abbreviated menu. The pool tables and video games will not be available during this period. Partial shutdown is anticipated to be from February until April. The retail center will be open during this time. Total shutdown is anticipated to be from April until May. We expect to re-open in May. Some of our new features will be: a brand new kitchen with an authentic wood smoked barbecue pit, copious booth seating, a 15-ft projection TV, two 60-inch LCD TVs, a state of the art tap beer system and full size pool tables that will be available free to the public Monday thru Thursdays."

Substituting Hops When The Hops You Want Aren't Available

In my great year-end office cleanup at home this past weekend, I came across some scribbled notes regarding hop substitutions. I can only imagine that I jotted them down while reading a magazine, cruising the Web, or listening to a podcast. They are meant to be recommendations for substitutable hops that may be easier to find in the next couple of years as the hop market's supply/demand continues to unravel and adjust. So, without proper credit being given to the original source, I'll list below the substitutions that were given. For all of you homebrewers (or commercial) out there, it could serve as a good reference point for what is already presenting itself as a hop shortage in the homebrewing world too. If you have disagreements with any of these, or additional recommendations of your own, feel free to add them below in the comments section. Substitute... Sterling for Saaz Vanguard or Liberty for Hallertau Glacier for Willamette Santiem for Tetnang Autunum for Cascade, Centennial, and Amarillo

Tap List at Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA - 1/2/08

On an attempted regular basis, I'll post the tap list here to the Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA. I 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 me a note.

On Draft as of 1/2/08
Avery Hog Heaven
Avery The Czar
Black Sheep Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale (cask)
Corsendonk Christmas
Flying Fish Extra Pale Ale
Founders Pale Ale
Gouden Carolus Noël/Christmas
North Coast Le Merle
Smuttynose Winter Ale
Southern Tier Winter Ale
Tröegs Mad Elf
Verhaeghe Echte Kriekenbier
Victory Storm King (cask)
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe

And the usual suspects...

Blanche De Bruxelles Witbier
Chimay White
Coors Light
Guinness Stout
Harp Lager
Plzensky Prazdroj Pilsner Urquell
Smithwick's Ale
Stella Artois Belgian Pale Ale
Victory HopDevil
Yuengling Traditional Lager

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Bocephus or Bryson?

I showed you one of my favorite pictures of the past year just the other day. Here was one that got lost in the shuffle.

Of Liquid Diet Riddles

9-2=7 ... What was Victory involved in that used the number 7? 7 grains, 7 hops, 7 yeasts, 7 fermentations, 7 days and nights? 7 has always been a magic number, but in this case it was none of the above. But, what I do recall after fishing through old issues of Ale Street News and Mid Atlantic Brewing News follows below. 7 Threads Symposium Ale was a blended porter made with Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale, Flying Fish Porter, Independence Brewpub Oatmeal Stout, Iron Hill Pig Iron Porter, Nodding Head Grog, Stoudt's Fat Dog Stout, Victory Storm King Stout & Yards India Pale Ale. At 6.8% ABV & 50 IBUs, it was blended and bottled at Stoudt's Brewery to commemorate the Brewers Association's Craft Brewers Conference in Philadelphia April 13-16, 2005. Is 7-Threads the answer to Jack's question? We'll see, come this Saturday at The Drafting Room.

What's On Tap at The Drafting Room in Exton, PA - 12/31/07

The Drafting Room in Exton, PA has a decent web presence and quite a huge reputation preceding them. Their beer turns over quite quickly. So, in the spirit of service, whenever I get to The Drafting Room, I'll post the current tap list.

What's on line as of 12/31/2007?

Harpoon Winter Warmer
Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale
Radeberger Pilsner
Scaldis/Bush Noël
Southern Tier Choklat (LIQUID CHOCOLATE!!)
Stegmaier Holiday Warmer
Tröegs Nugget Nectar
Tröegs/The Drafting Room's 13th Anniversary Lager
Victory Braumeister Pils
Victory Hop Devil (cask)
Wild Goose Snow Goose
Sly Fox O'Reilly's Stout
Legacy Midnight Wit
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Lindemans Pêche
Amstel Light

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We All Deserve A Round Of Applause!

On behalf of brewers and consumers and everyone in between, let's give ourselves a round of applause for a highly successful year in craft brewing. To continue the phenomenal success and growth in the coming years, we'll need to stay as focused as ever as hop and malt shortages will test the agility and strength of the industry. Happy New Year to All! The Worlds Fastest Clapper Watch more free videos