PBW 2008 - Tuesday March 11th Schedule

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Here is a slimmed-down view of just the events scheduled for Tuesday the 11th. It's one last opportunity to change your mind! I will also denote where I will attempt to be during the day.

I've taken liberties to modify the descriptions for each event to conserve space. As always, refer to the official schedule of record over at PBW 2008 website for complete details.

** Where to find The Brew Lounge on 3/11:**

I may take the night off or....

....if the spur-of-the-moment mood strikes me, I may head into the city and bop around to a few meet 'n' greets

5pm-7pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Bill Covaleski of Victory Brewing @ Standard Tap
Featuring Victory President and Brewmaster Bill Covaleski.


5pm-7pm free
Heavy Seas Tasting @ The Foodery II
Tasting of Heavy Seas beers


5pm-7pm PAYG
Tri-State Happy Hour @ The Khyber
All drafts from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware are $2.


8pm PAYG
Road Show to Center School Spring Food Festival @ The Blue Ox
Penn Distributors Presents Food Pairings with Michelob Amber Bock and New Castle Brown Ale


6pm-6:30pm (cocktail hour: open to the public); 6:30pm $65 (dinner)
Beer Dinner with Yuengling Brewmaster Andrew Frantianni @ City Tavern
Join City Tavern's Chef/Proprietor Walter Staib and the brewmaster of America's oldest brewery for a special dinner.


6pm-10pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: 25 years of Chimay @ Monk's Cafe
Luc "Bobo" Van Mechelen will be on hand to celebrate Chimay's 25 years in the United States. Monk's Café was the first establishment in the United States to pour Chimay on draft.


6pm-10pm PAYG
Meet the Brewers: Rosemarie Certo, Scott Morrison, Michael Fava and Ben Potts @ Dock Street Brewery


Meet the Brewer: Phil Markowski of Southampton Brewing @ The Belgian Cafe
This man brews some of the best Belgian-style beers in the United States. We'll be pouring a few of his draft beers throughout the evening.


6pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Philadelphia Brewing Co. @ London Grill
Join the head brewers from Philadelphia Brewing Company and sample their new lineup of brews.


6pm-10pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Larry Bell of Bell's Brewing @ Jose Pistola's
Meet Larry Bell and drink many of his best beers.


6pm-10pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Sly Fox @ Johnny Brenda's
Sip on Brian O’Reilly's collaboration with Johnny Brenda’s William Reed, Standard Ale, and American ESB poured on the hand pump. Also featuring Seamus Red Ale, Ichor, an abbot style Quad, and Pikeland Pilsner, the 2007 Great American Beer Festival gold medal winner.


6pm-8pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Yards Brewing @ Dawson Street Pub
Parings of Yards ales with tapas style servings to showcase the complex flavors of these fine local ales with Q&A with owner and head brewer Tom Kehoe.


6pm PAYG
Meet the Importer: Raven Import Co. (Gaffel & Jever breweries) @ Race Street Café
Independent beer importer, Ed Raven, will lead an informal tasting of real Kölsch beer, authentic German Pilsner, and one of Austria’s most famous lager beers. Food paired by Race Street Café and a souvenir glasses to match.


6pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Philadelphia Brewing @ The P.O.P.E
Meet the Enabler, Chris Morris, to discuss Philadelphia Brewing's assortment of hand-crafted ales. Pay as you go or buy a specially priced flight ticket and try one pint of each of their four-beer line-up.


6pm–9pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Yards Brewing @ Caribou Café
Join Frank Winslow and Tim Roberts from Yards Brewing Co. as they tap a pin of cask conditioned Extra Special Ale.


Meet The Brewer: Yards Brewing @ Bishop's Collar
Join Tom Kehoe of the Yards Brewing Co. for tasting's of all the Yards brands, and an informal Q&A.


Meet The Brewer: Flying Fish @ Tavern 17


6pm-9pm PAYG
Meet The Brewer: Chris Leonard from General Lafayette Inn & Brewery @ Aspen Restaurant
Chris will be presenting his Abbey Blonde and debuting a new General Lafayette offering.


6pm-10pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Ryan Fewell of Summit Brewery @ For Pete’s Sake
Stop in for a taste of some of Minnesota's finest.


6pm PAYG
Colorado Beer Night @ Bridgid’s Bar and Restaurant
Featuring Boulder, Breckenridge, Great Divide and Oskar Blues.


6pm-9pm PAYG
Artisanal Imports Beer Tasting @ St. Stephen's Green
Join Lanny Hoff of Artisanal Imports for tastings of Koningshoeven, Urthel, St. Bernardus, St. Feuillien, and other world class beers.


Abita Beer Tasting @ The Sidecar Bar and Grille
A beer tasting with Abita brewing, from Louisiana, and supported by a Creole/Cajun food menu.


6:30pm $45
A Man's Brewery is His Kasteel @ Tria’s Fermentation School
Xavier Van Honsebrouck will share his wide range of Belgian brews and rich lore from the family’s Medieval castle.


7pm-9pm PAYG
Spaten Optimator Keep the Pint Night @ Fox & Hound Smokehouse
Enjoy the classic German double bock, and bring home an authentic pint glass.


7pm $65
Pairing Traditions: Celebrating a Centuries-Old Tradition of English Food and Beer @ The Whip Tavern
Join local writer and beer expert Jack Curtin at The Whip Tavern for a seven-course dinner and pairing.


7pm-10pm $35
Meet the Brewer: Tröegs Brewing @ South Philadelphia Tap Room
Join Chris and John Trogner for a Beer Dinner pairing all current beers with some great local food.


7pm Free
Meet the Brewer: Local beer historian, Rich Wagner and Schmidt's Jack Ehmann @ Triumph Brewing
A walk down memory lane with visiting brewery historian Rich Wagner, and former Brewmaster for Schmidt’s Brewing Company Jack Ehmann.


Meet the Brewer: Carol Stoudt of Stoudt's Brewing @ McGillin’s Old Ale House
Join the First Lady of Brewing and the rest of the crew at Stoudt's. We’ll be pouring our McGillin’s Real Ale and Genuine Lager plus other specialty brews.


7pm-10pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: The Buhlers of Elysian & Rogue @ Nodding Head Brewery
Join David Buhler, from Elysian Brewing in Seattle, and his sister Sebbie Buhler, from Rogue, for an evening of beer and merriment.


7pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Long Island’s Blue Point Brewery @ Good Dog
Brian Flynn pours a firkin of Blue Point's IPA and maybe even giving away some goodies.


Meet the Brewer: Southampton Ales & Lagers @ Grace Tavern
Meet associate brewer/raconteur Spencer Neibauer for a lively evening of fine beer and colorful conversation.


Tasty Tuesday Pairing Menu @ Teresa's Next Door
Enjoy a specially prepared menu with dishes paired with special beers from Oregon's Rogue Ales.

7:30pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Urthel @ ZoT
Representatives from Urthel and B United will be on hand for beer lovers to meet and question.


8pm
Irish Music Night Featuring: Eric and the Quarrymen @ Cherry Street Tavern
Stop by The Cherry Street Tavern for a night of eating, drinking and dancing!


8pm-10pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Sierra Nevada @ O’Neal’s Pub
Come meet Terence Sullivan, Assistant Brewmaster of Sierra Nevada and discuss some of the unique steps Sierra Nevada has taken to produce the award winning beers that have made this brewery such a pioneer in the brewing industry.


8:30pm PAYB
Meet the Brewer: Kasteel's Xavier Van Honsebrouck @ Tria Cafe
Xavier Van Honsebrouck will be on hand to discuss and enjoy with you some of his wide range of excellent Belgian brews.


8pm-10pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Corsendonk @ Eulogy Tavern
Featuring Mike Wildermeersch with Corsendonk Brown and Pale ales. George Saxon from Phoenix Imports will also be attending this event.


8pm PAYG
Meet & Greet with B. United International Imports @ Eulogy Belgian Tavern
This event will feature selections from Brasserie La Rulles, Brouwerij de Glazen Toren, Brouwerij de Regenboog in conjunction with specialty food plates.


8pm PAYG
Italian Beers and Cheeses @ Beneluxx


8:30pm-10pm PAYB
Delicious Royalty: Xavier Van Honsebrouck of Kasteel Brewery @ Tria
Xavier Van Honsebrouck will be on hand to discuss and share with you some of his excellent Belgian brews such as Kasteel Rouge, Kasteel Donker, and Brigand Blonde Ale.

PBW 2008 - Day 2 Wrap-Up

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Day 2 Report

Background: More cats, dogs, and cows falling from the sky. Postponed the 5 Mile Run through the city to Dock Street to next Saturday, March 15th.

Where to: Patty and I trained on in to Tir Na Nog to meetup with friends for a 30th birthday pub crawl celebration. Not necessarily PBW related, since they started at Flannery's, afterward heading to Tir Na Nog, then to Fado. Patty and I ducked out and went to Good Dog's tapping of a Yards firkin of ESA. Tried to get them stop in with us, but they chose not to.

Why: Figured things couldn't be all that bad starting with Tir Na Nog. Afterall, they have a couple of events scheduled during PBW. When we spotted Sly Fox Saison Vos bottles on the menu, well we knew things were gonna be alright afterall.

Took the opportunity to introduce my friend's sister-in-law to the V-12. She's a Miller Lite girl through and through. But, this was the first time I'd given her a beer that she said she actually liked. Some of the residual malty sweetness made it more palatable for her. Helped to fulfill my quota for the day of introducing craft beer to newbies. Also, talked about Sly Fox with a Budweiser/Black Sambuca drinking Irishman. Went over okay, but didn't seem overly convinced.

What to drink: The Saison and a bottle of Victory V-12 at Tir Na Nog wet our whistle just fine, but the most satisfying thirst-quenching delight of the night was the cask-conditioned ESA from Yards. It's been a few months since I last had a freshly poured ESA so this simple gathering at Good Dog over a firkin was quite a happy treat for me.

Also had the chance to dip into the newly brewed Kenzinger from Philadelphia Brewing. This now makes two days in a row with Yards and PBC sightings at the same bar. From a consumer's point-of-view I must say we should all be delighted. Oh, by the way, the Kenzinger seemed to be a decent beer and I'm looking forward to trying it again soon, but it's a lighter crafted beer that got lost a bit in the middle of my few ESAs. Uh-oh, that sounded like an unintentional stoking of the fires. No, not today. But, I will stoke the fire with Flying Fish. 44 minutes 'til empty firkin. Casey, your response?

Who to share a drink with: The entire fun bunch crew from Yards was holding court at the far side of the bar. Andrew Horne, Yards cellarman, was pumping 'em out left and right behind the bar. In fact, at one point down the bar all I could see (after the goofballs with the PBR and Miller High Lifes left...they must've come from the Erin Express) were freshly poured pints of ESA.

Speaking of Flying Fish, Casey showed up. Suzy came in after a long day with the out-of-town Beer Journalists. And, the Iron Hill lads (Chris and Jean) were mingling as well. I'm feeling like I'm missing someone else, but I think you get the picture.

After missing the 8:45pm train, we vowed to catch the 9:45pm and headed out with Tim Roberts (now with Yards, formerly of Independence and Dock Street) and had an enjoyable ride back to Paoli with him, where we parted ways...at least for 20 hours or so.

Reaction: Two for two! The Yards meet 'n' greet was exactly what I was expecting and the ESA went down oh so nicely. The Saison and V-12 at Tir Na Nog and hanging out with friends old and new made it all the better. We took care to take it easy, since we didn't want anything to get in the way of our enjoyment of The Brewer's Plate on Sunday night.

PBW 2008 - Monday March 10th Schedule

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Here is a slimmed-down view of just the events scheduled for Monday the 10th. It's one last opportunity to change your mind! I will also denote where I will attempt to be during the day.

I've taken liberties to modify the descriptions for each event to conserve space. As always, refer to the official schedule of record over at PBW 2008 website for complete details.

** Where to find The Brew Lounge on 3/10:**

Bridgewater's Summit Tasting

Meatball Sliders with Garrett

Quizzo at Triumph

Could a stop-in at Bishop's Collar happen too?

5pm PAYG
Halfway to Oktoberfest @ The Blue Ox
Oktoberfest German beer special.


5pm-7pm
Meet The Brewer: Casey Hughes of Flying Fish @ Standard Tap
Meet Brewmaster Casey Hughes from Flying Fish.


5pm-7pm
Summit Brewing Happy Hour @ Bridgewater's
Pints from Minnesota’s favorite brewery, sponsored by Stockertown Beverage.

5pm-7pm free
Rogue Brewery Tasting @ The Foodery


5pm-8pm Free
Meet the Brewer: Harpoon Brewing @ Grace Tavern
Inaugural tasting of Harpoon’s award winning 100 bbl series on tap.


6pm-8pm Pay as you go
Beer and gourmet meatball slider tasting @ London Grill
Garrett Oliver hosts a special beer and gourmet meatball slider tasting of venison, wild boar, duck and foie gras, and shrimp and lobster. Other plates will feature London's house-made charcuterie and artisanal cheeses.


6pm free
Meet & Greet with Victory Brewing @ McGillin's Old Ale House
Local microbrew started by two childhood friends on the back of a school bus and now serving full flavored beer in 22 states.


6pm
Duvel Moortgat Beer Dinner @ St. Stephen's Green
A four-course Belgian beer dinner featuring the beers of Duvel Moortgat.


6pm $65
Whisky Tasting @ Monk’s Café
John Hansell will lead a tutored tasting of very special whiskies from demolished distilleries.


6pm-9pm
Southampton Ales & Lagers night @ Bridgid's
World –class brews plus small batch limited releases, sponsored by Stockertown Beverage.


6pm-9pm
Meet the Brewer: Boulder Brewing Co. @ The Black Sheep
Discounted pints all night, Keep the glass.


6:30pm Tix TBA
That's not Belgian! @ Chick's Cafe
Lew Bryson will be on hand to pair an array of these French, Italian, and Spanish beers with food from their respective homelands.


6:30pm $65
Beer Dinner @ Alison at Blue Bell
Alison at Blue Bell will host Yards Brewery for a special beer dinner.


6:30pm $45
Go Yeast, Young Man @ Tria’s Fermentation School
Legendary craft brewer Larry Bell explores yeast.


7pm
Meet the Brewer: Blue Point Brewery @ The Bishop's Collar
Sample the Toasted Lager, and other fine beers from this award winning Long Island brewery.


7pm $45
The Extreme Beer Homebrew Challenge @ Jose Pistola’s
Meet & greet with Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione, Home Sweet Homebrew's George Hummel and award-winning local homebrewers. Some edgy homebrews will pour and you'll have a chance to pick up brewing tips from some of the area's most knowledgeable homebrewers.


7pm
Flying Dog Brewing Co. in Honor of Hunter S. Thompson @ The P.O.P.E.
A reading of excerpts from Dr. Gonzo's classic articles and books, with a screening of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "Where the Buffalo Roam," as well as a documentary about Hunter. A beef & beer and beer 'n' stew will raise funds for the erection of of the Gonzo Fist Memorial.


7pm PAYG
Keg night @ Capone's
2006 Thomas Hooker Barrel-Aged Porter, 2006 Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, Bell's Hop Slam, Old Rasputin (Nitro), Climax 10th Anniversary, Stoudt's Birthday sixtel (rare), Flying Fish Apple Jack Brandy Beer (aged in Apple Jack brandy barrels), Rogue Double Dead Guy (Locker Stock), Lucifer, Stone Double Bastard, Founder's Devil Dancer and more to come, including a session brew or two.


7pm and 9pm $25
All-U-Can-Eat Mussels and Beer School @ ZoT
Includes salad and one house beer. Add our Beer School for additional $5. Let Charles explain how beer is made and the main classes of beers.


7pm & 8pm Free
Free Brewery Tour and Tasting @ Dock Street Brewery


7pm-9pm $35
Stoudt's Beer Dinner @ South Philadelphia Tap Room
Four courses paired with the following beers from Stoudt's: Pils, Winter, Smooth Hoperator, Mai Bock and Double IPA.


7pm-9pm
Beers of Munich @ Race Street Cafe
Spaten Optimator and Franziskaner paired with traditional German festive food delights.


7pm-10pm
Meet The Brewer: Voodoo Brewery @ Aspen Restaurant
Aspen will be offering this Meadville, Pa. brewery's White Magik of the Sun; Gran Met Belgian Strong Ale aged with 100 year old yeast; Love Child; and Pillzilla, a Keller Pilsner with 13 varieties of Hops.


8pm free
Meet and Greet Artisanal Imports @ Eulogy Belgian Tavern
Artisanal Imports continues to be one of the most respected providers of foreign libations to the United States. Come and join a celebration with offerings from the likes of Deus, Koningshoeven Trappist, St. Feuillen, Triple Karmeliet, and Grotten.


8pm
Ultimate Beer Trivia @ Triumph Brewing
In Pursuit of Ale, Philadelphia’s women’s beer club, will co-host a quiz with Johnny Goodtimes to separate the guzzlers from the geeks as they test your beer brains to win cash prizes.


8pm $25
Double Bock Bonanza with Joe Sixpack @ Dawson Street Pub
Joe Sixpack explores one of his favorites styles: Double bock paired with sausages and other German delights.


Global Brewers Beer Dinner tasting menu @ Teresa's Next Door


Bar Exam @ The Khyber
8 p.m. Free
Teams pit their brains and livers against one another on all things beer. The night will feature four beers on special from Philadelphia Brewing Company.


8:30pm-10pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Larry Bell of Bell's Brewery @ Tria
Eight stellar Bell's beers will be available including two that will make their PA debut at Tria. No reservations needed.

Joe Sixpack Podcast

The Philly Feed Podcast has a new podcast up this week with a segment including Joe Sixpack. I've added this over on Joe Sixpack's Profile that I put up yesterday. If you don't wish to listen to the various other content, start the clock at 18:26 and listen up to 29:43 for Don's take on drinking beer and PBW 2008. This guy has all the angles covered for sure. If you haven't bought his new book yet, check it out.

We're still running for beer, just Not Today

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Wowzy! We are thrilled that around 70 of you have now replied to this Philly Beer Fun Run. This gives us more ideas for how we can expand on this concept next year. It's great to see that so many of you take your physical fitness as seriously as you do your love for well-crafted beer.

But, fellow runners and beer lovers, as much as it pains us to say this, we must. For the past 72 hours now, the weather forecast for today has been consistent, calling for at least an 80% chance of rain. Earlier this week, it was due to be dry, but chilly. Now, it's looking to be warmer, but stormy. If it was just showers we'd say, On On! But, with the words "torrential", "possible flooding", and (worst) "thunderstorms" we can't in good conscience lead you out on this run. (see: http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USPA1276?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared )

Dock Street has graciously said that they'll accommodate us instead next Saturday, 3/15, if we'd like to still do it then. So, next Saturday it is. Those of you who have already replied are on a distribution list and have received details. If you've already replied, there's nothing more to do. Except show up next Saturday at 10am. We'll get started around 10:30am. Yes, we've moved the time up to make room for the MJ Tasting at Penn in the afternoon.

PBW 2008 - Day 1 Wrap-Up

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Day 1 Report

Background: Long day of work and a complicated doctor's visit mixed in. Weather is crap. Raining cats and dogs, and that cow from Twister too. Roads and traffic are a mess. But no worries.

Where to: I and partner in crime, Patty, will make it to Grey Lodge for some food and beer to kickoff PBW 2008.

Why: Looking back on my "guidelines" for choosing PBW events, this one qualifies because I: Hung with a Different Crowd & Searched Out A New Beer. Different crowd for sure. A lot followed the big lights of Joe Sixpack (still kind of wish I stopped by there too for the "official" kickoff) and Standard Tap (the other official kickoff), but I was still able to hang out and chat with several people that I've known but not had the pleasure of seeing in quite a while. Plus, even though Sprecher will begin to be found here on a regular basis very soon, it was still fun to see it being poured from the taps at our local watering holes.

What to drink: Sprecher from the great beer state of Wisconsin is now being imported to Pennsylvania. My experiences with Sprecher before were memorable both in Wisconsin and New York City at the Collins Bar. The Black Bavarian was pouring a nicely roasted, slightly burnt, but had a smooth character that made it a very easy drinking beer. A couple worth actually, considering the 6% ABV. And the Winter Lager from the bottle was also a decent-bodied beer with nice flavor.

Also noticed that Yards Pynk and Philadelphia Brewing Wit are on tap. The Wit is a nicely subdued wit with all of the expected flavors, just not in an "imperial" way that too many breweries are trying to make their wits into. Look how nicely these two can coexist. Who would've thought otherwise?

Who to share a drink with: Well, the Mayor was not in attendance. Despite my invitation, he responded to another call. Scoats, of course, was pulling yeoman's work, but hiding out and shootin' the breeze with me. Carlosd74 of Beer Advocate fame was on his way home from work enjoying a Sprecher and a local Victory. A friend of a friend was there (the picture will test how often and how closely he reads this stuff). And, a friend of Patty's from many moons ago was there to talk of shared friends and beer.


Reaction: Success! This was exactly what I was looking for on this first day of PBW 2008. Of course, I could have stopped by Standard Tap for a Sly Fox Standard (which I presume to stumble across sometime in the very near future) or Joe Sixpack's event in East Falls. But, as some of you may know, after a long week of work I don't often fair too well on Friday nights. Saturday nights tend to be my night for fightin', so a low-key event with ne'er too often found, but way excellent, Sprecher was just the order. And, check off the first of four styles of PBC beer that I expect to have over the next week. So far, so good from these guys.

The 75 minute trip on the way down? Couldda down without. The 35 minute trip home to have this last bottle of Sprecher Doppel Bock (do they make anything that sucks)? Priceless. Now to rest up for Day 2.

PBW 2008 - Sunday March 9th Schedule

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Here is a slimmed-down view of just the events scheduled for Sunday the 9th. It's one last opportunity to change your mind! I will also denote where I will attempt to be during the day.

I've taken liberties to modify the descriptions for each event to conserve space. As always, refer to the official schedule of record over at PBW 2008 website for complete details.

** Where to find The Brew Lounge on 3/9: The Brewer's Plate**

10am PAYG
Lost Abbey Brunch @ Drafting Room Taproom & Grille in both Spring House & Exton locations
We'll be pouring Red Barn, Avant Garde, Lost and Found, Devotion, Judgment Day and pairing them with Belgium menu items like: Mussels in a lager beer broth, waffles served with a cherry lambic syrup, Belgian cheese fondue, roasted garlic steak frittes with garlic chive aioli carved maple porter glazed pork loin, and Stout spiked chocolate cake.


11am
Brew? You? @ Home Sweet Homebrew
Join Home Sweet Homebrew’s own award winning brewer and Mid-Atlantic Brewing News Homebrew columnist George Hummel as he shows you how to become your own brewer.


11:30am-2:30pm $30
Colorado Beer Brunch @ Jose Pistola's
Buffet-style brunch featuring Colorado-based craft brews hosted by Jim Meiers and Ed Friedland of Origlio Beverage.


12pm-3pm
Sweet & Savory: Craft Beer & Chocolate @ Devil's Alley
A five-course tasting with savory BBQ prepared with cocoa and chocolate and paired with fine craft beer. Special guests: Carol Stoudt, Stoudt's Brewing; Jim Javenkoski, Unibroue; Lucy Saunders, author of "Grilling with Beer."


1pm-4pm
Lancaster Brews All Afternoon @ Johnny Brenda’s
Specials on Lancaster Brewing's best.


2pm $25
Belgian Beer Basics Class with Tom Peters @ Monk’s Café
Tom will talk about Belgian Beer Culture and tutor a tasting of 5 totally different beer styles.


5pm-8pm $80
Pennsylvania Breweries & Game Dinner @ Grey Lodge Pub
Lew Bryson brings beers from some of the smallest and newest breweries in upstate Pennsylvania, paired with game and grain dishes.


6pm $60
Urthel Dinner @ Monk’s Café
With Hildegard & Bas van Ostaden


6:30pm-9pm General Admission; 6pm-9pm VIP Admission
The 4th Annual Brewer's Plate Fundraiser @ Independence Visitor Center
Craft beer matched with gourmet food of 21 Philadelphia area craft breweries with 21 Philadelphia area restaurants.


8pm free
Meet the Brewer: Iron Hill’s Paul Rutherford @ Good Dog
Paul Rutherford makes the trek from Lancaster to crack open a firkin of Iron Hill’s finest.


9pm free
Movie Night @ The P.O.P.E.
Blue Point Brewing Co. presents a Double Feature of Big Lebowski and Barfly on large projection screen with free popcorn.

Mondo Italiano

I'd been to a B United sneak preview tasting of the Italian Beers that they're bringing into the country. I was mesmerized with some of the new flavors I'd never experienced before in a beer. Just a bit of poking around over the past few weeks shows that there's a whole lot of excitement around these sometimes unusual beers. The Experts Agree - Italian beer is where it's at (joesixpack.net) Great interview of Italian home brewer and beer podcaster Tony Manzi (basicbrewing.com) Stan gets caught up in the excitement too (appellationbeer.com) Lots of content and firsthand knowledge from Stonch at his blog (stonch.blogspot.com)

The Path To Philly Beer Week 2008: Joe Sixpack

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Am I really doing this? Am I really taking up a space in my little feature called The Path To Philly Beer Week 2008 (spotlighting area breweries and brewpubs) for a beer writer? Well, when the class of beer writers in the Philly area is so rich and one of the leading spots is taken by a man named Don Russell, who will be at no less than an event a day during PBW 2008, then I think I must do so.

Instead of following the format that I applied to the brewery and brewpub writeups, just head on over to Mark Lisheron's article to get a fun look at what it takes to be the one and only Joe Sixpack in Philadelphia.

And, culling through the PBW calendar that he maintains over at the official site and some email notes from him, here's where I can surmise he'll be found during PBW 2008.

(Added: Philly Feed Podcast with Joe Sixpack)

Friday 7th - Joe Sixpack's Philly Favorites (kicking things off with Mayor Michael Nutter)
The Marketplace at East Falls; 3747 Ridge Ave. Philadelphia, PA
7-10 p.m. $60

Saturday 8th - Drink Your Wheaties! Wheat Beer Brunch (and book signing)
Grey Lodge Pub; 6235 Frankford Ave. Philadelphia, PA
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. price a la carte

Sunday 9th - Most likely a sighting at The Brewer's Plate

Monday 10th - Double Bock Bonanza
Dawson Street Pub; 100 Dawson St. Philadelphia, PA
8 p.m. $25

Tuesday 11th - Paired Beer Tasting (and book reading)
Johnny Brenda's Tavern; Frankford & Girard Avenues Philadelphia, PA
7 p.m. $25 Tix here

Wednesday 12th - Day off; but if you spot him, mention The Brew Lounge and he'll buy you a beer....go ahead, try it, let me know how that works

Thursday 13th - A Bitter Bite with Joe Sixpack
Jose Pistola’s; 263 S. 15th St. Philadelphia, PA
Time/Tix TBA

Friday 14th - Michael Jackson Tribute dinner

Saturday 15th - Michael Jackson: The Man and His Legacy (featured speaker)
Chinese Rotunda and Upper Egyptian Gallery at Penn Museum Philadelphia, PA
$45 per guest; $40 for Museum members
Sessions at 1, 3:30 and 6 p.m.

Sunday, March 16th - Probably Real Ale festival

PBW 2008 - Saturday March 8th Schedule

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Here is a slimmed-down view of just the events scheduled for Saturday the 8th. It's one last opportunity to change your mind! I will also denote where I will attempt to be during the day.

I've taken liberties to modify the descriptions for each event to conserve space. As always, refer to the official schedule of record over at PBW 2008 website for complete details.

** Where to find The Brew Lounge on 3/8:**

5-Mile Run To Dock Street (weather permitting; RAIN DATE: 3/15 10am)

Then a non-PBW pub crawl for a friend's 30th birthday

Meet the Brewer at Good Dog

And, maybe a hookup with the crew doing the South Philly Pub Crawl, but only a remote chance

11am free
5-Mile Run In Pursuit of Hoppiness, concluding @ Dock Street Brewery
Meet Bryan of The Brew Lounge and Suzanne of "In Pursuit of Ale" at the Art Museum for a 5-mile run through the city concluding with beer and food at Dock Street Brewery.


11am-2pm no cover; PAYG
Drink Your Wheaties! Wheat Beer Brunch @ Grey Lodge Pub
Enjoy wheat beer, in all its glorious styles with a beer breakfast and all sorts of wheat beers, including Victory Moonglow, Yards Pynk and Tröegs Dreamweaver on tap plus varieties of bottles, and various types of pancakes. Beer authors Lew Bryson, Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell, and Duane Swierczynski will be selling and signing copies of their books.


11am PAYG
Lancaster Brewing Brunch @ Standard Tap


2pm-5pm free
Weyerbacher Tasting @ Watson Kunda and Sons, Inc.


2:30pm-4:30pm $35
Pennnsylvania's German Beer Heritage with Marnie Old @ The German Society of Pennsylvania
Discover how local German roots made Pennsylvania a brewing center before the devastation of Prohibition, and how craft brewers are reviving the region's beer reputation by focusing on quality ingredients according to German tradition. The Philly RollerGirls will be on hand to pour beer from Victory, SlyFox, Yuengling, Stoudt's, Tröegs, Warsteiner, Paulaner, Kostritzer, Ayinger and Spaten breweries.


6pm $12
South Philly Pub Crawl
Check out the growing South Philly beer scene with a tour including the P.O.P.E., 1601, SPTR, The Dive, and Ray's Happy Birthday Bar. Tickets for sale give you one free pint at each location.


6:30pm-8pm $45
Porter & Stout—A Bright Dark Line @ Tria’s Fermentation School
Lew Bryson will discuss the difference between Porter and Stout.


7pm no cover; PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Yards Brewing @ Good Dog
Yards Brewing Company will roll out a firkin of cask ESA.

The Path To Philly Beer Week 2008 - A Profile of Flying Fish Brewing Company

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

They can be forgiven for locating across the river on "the other side", but it doesn't mean that they are any less a part of the Philly Beer Scene than other places that I've given you the rundown on so far. In fact, in some ways they can be more so.

Around town, it's not all that difficult to spot the ESB, XPA, and Dubbel regularly on tap. And when you're extra lucky, you'll find the Grand Cru, Porter, and HopFish. Some of these will wind up cask conditioned on any given night or perhaps at a special event like Friday the Firkenteenth at Grey Lodge.

With these beers readily available on tap and by the bottle, and Casey ready at the bat to rip up the town, they're representing New Jersey practically by themselves....and doin' it well.

As you ready yourself for Philly Beer Week 2008, study up on some background notes on Flying Fish and consider yourself lucky to be part of such a vibrant and rich beer region that PBW 2008 will celebrate.

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Name: Flying Fish Brewing Company
Location: 1940 Olney Avenue, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
Phone: 856-489-0061

People

Gene Muller; Founder & Owner

Casey Hughes (Director of Brewing Operations & Head Brewer); John Fiorilli (assistant brewer)

Drew Perry (Brewer & Cellarman); Jim Brennan (Packaging Supervisor); Tobe Foxhill (Packaging Lead)

Major Brands

Belgian Abbey Dubbel; ESB; Extra Pale Ale; HopFish; Porter

Awards

Abbey Dubbel

Gold (Chicago Real Ale Festival) 1998

BlackFish

Gold (Chicago Real Ale Festival) 2000

Farmhouse Summer Ale

Best Of Show (Manayunk Brew Fest Extravaganza) 2007

Porter

Best of Philly (Philadelphia Magazine) 2001

Distribution

PA, NJ, DE, MD, D.C.

Production

Roughly 12,000 bbls/year

History & Tidbits

Opened the production facility in September 1996 as the first microbrewery in southern New Jersey

Has since tripled production and is now the largest microbrewery in the State

Michael Jackson visited in 1997 and Prince Albert drank the ESB in 1998

Brewed their millionth gallon in May 2002

In 2005, began serving their beer in Camden's Campbell Field (home of the Atlantic League's Riversharks baseball team)

Won Nodding Head's Royal Stumble in 2007 with their Farmhouse Summer Ale

Major Yearly Events

Open for free tours and tastings every Saturday at 1pm

Where to Find Flying Fish During Philly Beer Week

Joe Sixpack's Book Launch will include the Farmhouse Summer Ale

Will participate in The Brewer's Plate food pairing event at Independence Visitor Center on the 9th

With XPA (dry-hopped) in tow, on Friday the 7th Casey will be at Good Dog for a Meet & Greet, on the 10th at Standard Tap, and on the 11th at Tavern 17

GoodFish (HopFish dry-hopped with Simcoe) will be on tap at Good Dog Bar all week

Will attend the cask ale festival event at Triumph on the 16th and highlight their Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter

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PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Tap List at Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern, PA - 3/5/08

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 3/5/08
Bell's HopSlam
Bell's Third Coast Old Ale
Brasserie Des Géants Goliath Belgium Tripel
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Brouwerij Verhaeghe Duchesse De Bourgogne
Castle Brewery Eggenberg Samichlaus
Clipper City/Heavy Seas Weizen Doppelbock
Corsendonk Christmas
Flying Fish ESB
Lancaster Brewing Hogs Milk (part Milk Stout/part Hop Hog IPA) (cask)
Legacy Euphoria
Thomas Hooker APA
Wild Goose Snow Goose

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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Is It Really That Time Already?

Can't we get past Philly Beer Week first? Then, I'll think about planning my beer events that are 7 months down the road. I mean, I'm a planner and all, but... Or, maybe it's just me. If you'd like to get started on your fall festival planning in Kennett Square, be one of the first to jump on over here.

PBW 2008 - Friday March 7th Schedule

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

The first official day of Philly Beer Week is finally upon us. After all the hype of the last year, or maybe the hype of the last couple of months, we're gonna finally find out what it's all about. Question is, will the real stories only be told after midnight? (sorry, that wasn't great, but I won't delete it)

So begins my daily reminder to you of what is scheduled two days forward. Trust me, I sympathize. The schedule is so overwhelmingly large to try and make sense of everything going on as you attempt to narrow it down to the one or two events you eventually try to get to. This will hopefully give you a slimmer view of the schedule and one last opportunity to change your mind! I will also denote where I am attempting to be each day.

I've taken liberties to modify the descriptions for each event to conserve space. As always, refer to the official schedule of record over at PBW 2008 website for complete details.

** Where to find The Brew Lounge on 3/7: Grey Lodge's Sprecher Event **

5pm-7pm no cover; PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Sly Fox @ The Standard Tap
Brewmaster, Brian O’Reilly from Sly Fox and his new "Standard Ale."


6pm-9pm no cover; PAYG
The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous... Again! (Sort Of) @ Grey Lodge Pub
Sprecher Brewing's (from Milwaukee, WI) Black Bavarian on tap and opportunities to win some Sprecher gear.


7pm-10:30pm $60
Joe Sixpack's Philly Favorites @ The Marketplace at East Falls
Join Joe Sixpack for a one-of-a-kind beer sampling with specially selected kegs from 22 local breweries and brewpubs.


7pm PAYG
Meet the Brewer: Flying Fish @ Good Dog
Head Brewer Casey Hughes and a firkin of Flying Fish dry-hopped XPA; GoodFish (HopFish dry-hopped with Simcoe due to be on tap all week)


7pm no cover; PAYG
Yards Brewing Beef 'n' Beer @ The P.O.P.E.
Special menu items include: beef stew using Yards ales, of course. And a vegetarian chili option for the non-meat eaters.


7:30pm-9pm $50
Beer and Cheese: A Victorious Combo & Tria’s Fermentation School
Victory Brewing Company's Bill Covaleski and Tria's Michael McCaulley to taste Victory's brews paired with artisanal cheeses.

Philly Beer Geek Finalist amongst us

Congratulations, Dell! I'm sure there are many who are now adding the Championship event to their PBW calendar as we speak.

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(from slyfoxbeer.com) MASSEY WINS PRELIMINARY "BEER GEEK" ROUND AT SLY FOX PHOENIXVILLE, WILL COMPETE IN CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS AT JOHNNY BRENDA'S ON MARCH 13 Wardell Massey, a financial planner and self-described "Sourhead from the sparkling town of Spring City and warrior poet," won the right to participate in the First Annual Philly Beer Geek finals by winning a preliminary round at Sly Fox Phoenixville on Monday, March 3. Massey, who is a Sly Fox regular and the defacto head of the infamous Monday Tasting Group, is also an award-winning homebrewer, taking second place at the 2008 War of the Worts for his Belgian Quad spiced with star anise. He will be pouring his Flemish Red ale Jose Pistolas on Monday March 10 for the Extreme Beer/Homebrew Philly Beer Week event with Dogfish Head. The 2008 Philly Beer Geek will be selected in a championship round to be held at Johnny Brenda's on Thursday, March 13. The winner. "the individual who exhibits the greatest universal knowledge and passion for Philadelphia Beer," will receive a Grand Prize of more than $1,000 in gift certificates, cash and prizes, and will be chosen by a celebrity panel of judges consisting of Carol Stoudt of Stoudt's Brewing, Tom Dalldorf of Celebrator Beer News, Suzanne Woods of Philly's In Pursuit of Ale Women's Beer Club, Larry Horwitz of Iron Hill Brewery, North Wales, Dave Alexander of the Brickskeller in Washington DC, Tom Kehoe of Yards Brewing and local beer writer Jack Curtin. Hosts for the event will be Jason Harris of Keystone Homebrew and Carolyn Smagalski, the "Beer Fox" of BellaOnline.

Podcasting Alert: Pacific Brew News & Craft Beer Radio

Is Rick Sellers in cahoots with Philly Beer Week 2008? Take a listen to the first 20 minutes of the latest episode of Pacific Brew News. If you have doubts about the Philadelphia region's greatness in the beer world, take a listen to this guy (who has a pretty impressive resume, by the way, and a damn good guy who just happens to live a few thousand miles away) wax poetic about our great beer city/region. After gushing the likes of which I've rarely heard (even by locals), he got on to the next 35 minutes or so of describing where he visited. He stopped in at 18 different places, including Nodding Head, Good Dog, McGlinchey's, Jose Pistola's, McGillin's, Tria, Johnny Brenda's, Grey Lodge, 700 Club, The Foodery, The Abbaye, Standard Tap, Triumph, The Khyber, Monk's Cafe. He also talked about his run-ins with John's Roast Pork (cuz I guy's gotta eat too!), Yards brew crew, Joe Sixpack, Suzanne Woods, Jennie Hatton, Sly Fox canned beer, Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron, Italian Beer Scene via B United, And, you'll notice that considerably less time was spent on New York City. 6th borough, ha! Rick....wow! Congratulations on making the most of your trip to Philly! Hope to see you during Philly Beer Week. ***BABY ALERT*** While I'm on a podcast plugging session, please join me in congratulating another damn fine guy, Jeff Bearer and his wife Heather, on the arrival of their first born. I thought the guy was busy before; it'll be interesting to see how long it is before we hear from him again on Craft Beer Radio. Don't worry Jeff. You take care of the important things and we'll be there for you when you return.

The Path To Philly Beer Week 2008 - A Profile of Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

I admittedly don't know much about the history, people, or beers of Manayunk Brewery. My nephew's girlfriend who worked there probably knows more than I do. (Truthiness is a comforting tenedency of mine.) Ironically, I'd lived in Manayunk during and after college, but moved into Center City before the brewery opened beneath what was then the Manayunk Farmers Market.

Nowadays I often find myself avoiding the Schuylkill Expressway and heading out to the western suburbs from Center City via Manayunk. The usual line that I pull out is something like: "If there's an open parking spot on the street in front of the building, then a stop-in is meant to be." More often than not, there are no available parking spots. Funny how fifteen years makes a difference in finding parking in Manayunk.

In any case, when I have been to the brewery, there's usual a couple of beers on tap that pique my interest and the food has also been interesting to make a meal at the restaurant a good move. Pair that with the spacious and comfortable environs and the canal-side deck and you usually have a winning combination. They also carry a limited number of varieties available by the bottle to take home.

As you ready yourself for Philly Beer Week 2008, study up on some background notes on Manayunk Brewery and consider yourself lucky to be part of such a vibrant and rich beer region that PBW 2008 will celebrate.

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Name: Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant
Location: 4120 Main St, Philadelphia, PA 19127
Phone: 215-482-8220

People

Harry Renner; Founder

Chris Firey (head brewer); Bill Young & Bradley Basile (assistant brewers)

Major Brands

Bohemian Blonde; California Dreamin'; Krook's Mill; Manayunk Lager; Schuylkill Punch; Triple Lindy

Awards

English Style India Pale Ale

Bronze, WBC 2002

Best Place to Meet Singles

Main Line Times Reader Choice Awards 2003

Best Brew Pub

Main Line Times Reader Choice Awards 2002

Main Line Life 2006

Best Jazz Brunch

Main Line Times Reader Choice Awards 2004

Best Beer Selection

AOL City Guide 2006

Runner-up; Philadelphia Style Magazine 2006

Best Alfresco Dining

Main Line Today 2006

Distribution

Draft and 12 ounce bottles at brewpub only

Production

Roughly ?,??? bbls/year

History & Tidbits

Textile Mill opened on the location in 1822

Current building, opened in 1912 as Krook's Mill, with a cornerstone of the former mill

Krook's Mill closed in 1992, making way for the opening of the existing brewery and restaurant in late 1996

Outdoor deck expanded in 2003

Major Yearly Events

Mile of Meet (Valentine's Day)

Manayunk Brew Extravaganza (April)

Where to Find Manayunk Brewing During Philly Beer Week

Joe Sixpack's favorite beers event on the 7th will include their Guest Alt

Will attend The Brewer's Plate food pairing event at the Independence Visitor's Center on the 9th

Will attend the cask ale festival event at Triumph on the 16th

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PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

My Two Cents for how to Approach PBW 2008

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

As overwhelming as it may seem, once you break down the schedule for PBW 2008, it gets a bit simpler (well, just a bit). If you are still weighing all of your options, allow me to throw four recommendations at you which may assist in making a decision.

Go Somewhere New. You've been to {insert bar name here} a dozen times. You'll be going there again next month, I'm sure. Why not use this chance to visit a new location? Whether it's South Philly Tap Room, Johnny Brenda's, or The Whip Tavern, use PBW as an excuse to expand your beer horizons away from the same old same.

Educate a Newbie. Better Crafted Beer ain't gonna survive if we keep it all to ourselves and act snobby about it. Take someone who might be curious but a bit gun-shy to a lowkey event where you can show them the ropes to understanding what makes craft beer a great alternative.

Hang out with a Different Crowd. This is a mix of the first two suggestions, I suppose. If every other week of the year you hit enough of the usual locations and the big buzz events around the brewing circuit, you'll often run into a lot of familiar faces. Take this suggestion to meet some new people (not that I don't love all of you Usual Suspects, mind you) by going to an event that's not getting all of the press and the attention of the BAs and RBers. In this way, you'll be spreading around the support for these 150-ish PBW events and you'll be spreading around the beer knowledge. We don't want all of the beer geeks concentrated at only 2 or 3 events a day, now do we?

Search out a New Beer. Drie Fonteinen hard to be found (3/16 @ Monk's Cafe)? Sprecher not speaking your language (3/7 @ Grey Lodge Pub)? Ever hear of the award-winning Elysian (3/11 @ Nodding Head)? Still at a loss for Lost Abbey(3/9 at The Drafting Room)? These can all be found at various events across town where you won't necessarily need to climb over each other to get a beer. Remember, every other day of the year, many beers you don't need a special event to try. Make sure you attend a special event and drink a memorable beer.

There you go. A few helpful tips for different ways you might go about choosing an event to attend during PBW 2008. If you've got a different approach, do share! Now get planning.

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Hangovers

Shortest title ever at The Brew Lounge?

As Philly Beer Week bears down upon us and we all attempt to figure where we'll be and when, you may want to review some hangover tips (prevention and "cures") for the inevitable struggle between moderation and day-after grogginess. Here are some links to recent articles on the subject.

The Mayo Clinic files the subject matter under 'Mental Health.' Perhaps their sneaky way of saying that you've got mental issues if you drink so much that you suffer from a hangover? "Go Back To Bed" is a favorite treatment approach.

While I'm sure some of you will give this statistic a run for its money during Philly Beer Week, try not to. I don't think you want to suffer from flame hemorrhages, now do you? This interesting article describes.

Jane Marshall, at BeerExpert across the pond, weighs in with some tips which include an egg, tomato, and fatty meat meal.

Me? For starters, I stick to my normal daily vitamin routine. When I know I have a big event looming, I try to exercise a bit more (not for any scientifically-proven reasons...it just makes me feel better/stronger), drink an extra 25% or so of water per day (I already consume around 2-3 liters a day), and get a bit more rest if possible (since I know the sleep after drinking won't be as beneficial).

During the event I try to stick to as small of glassware as possible (I gave up drinking from Das Boot back in college) and keep the hyperactivity in check (much easier said than done, of course). Then, before bed, at least one tall glass of water. The next morning? Salty, sugary, and fatty foods have always seemed to work well for me. (What'd you expect me to say? Go for a run? Well, it has been done, but it's not always a pretty sight!)

In the end, hangovers are tricky things to avoid. So many different variables seem to come into play from what you're drinking, to how you're drinking, to the mood you're in, to the physiological state that you're body is in at the time. With that said....good luck during PBW 2008!

What tips/tricks have worked for you in dealing with hangovers?

We Run For Beer This Coming Saturday

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Here is the last posting that I did on the subject. This is all coming together rather nicely. I did a test run today and I must say that the route is pretty awesome. It's right around 5 miles. I tried to run it the way the group might. It should take us right around an hour to get to Dock Street, including rest and hydration stop(s).

The route starts at the top of the Art Museum steps. We meetup at 11am and leave sharply at 11:30am. We'll run past several beer-type locations, talk good beer conversation, and get some unparalleled views of the city (and views of bland American lager billboards).

Drop me a note at beerguys@brewlounge.com if you're interested in learning more.

This is gonna be fun guys (and gals).....Looks like a clear weather forecast at this point (knock wood?)

I'M BACK - While we were apart

Fortunately, I've not had the venue here for you to hear the profanities of my angst from the last few days. Actually, the venue was still here and I continued to publish stuff that only the e-mail subscribers could get to. But, the site was not available via the WWW. Whatever the heck that means. This was the first tech "incident" at The Brew Lounge since Adam left last year. Now I can poke around and understand the site setup, etc. with the best of the novices...maybe even intermediate illiterates, but this was quite the exercise in understanding http, www, dns, ip, domain, cname, and probably a dozen other words and abbreviations of this great Internet that you don't even realize are important until they're not working correctly. Thanks to Adam for taking some time to help me debug and troubleshoot. It turned out to be a bug/glitch at Google's Blogger where most of the TBL content is hosted. Let's hope the fix they put in won't result in this kind of outage again. Ssssoooooo, while we were apart, many of you missed the following posts that I put up. Here are some handy-dandy links to take you straight to them. Be sure, also, to check out the Philly Beer Week index that I've been keeping up-to-date with some interesting content up there in the (almost) top-right corner. Good to talk with you all again...Cheers! PBW profile of Trimuph Brewing - 3/1 March Anniversaries of Beer - 3/1 Calendar of Beer for March 2008 - 2/29 Tap List at The Drafting Room in Exton, PA - 2/28 What I drank at Blind Tiger Ale House - 2/28 Pictures from Orval - 2/27 24 Hours in Pittsburgh - 2/27

Where Am I on a Saturday Night?

This isn't Where's Waldo? But, really, smoke-free on a Saturday tasting my Dogfish Red & White, Allagash Tripel, Founders Devil Dancer, and Lagunitas Brown Shugga on tap for all they were worth?

TJs in Paoli, PA of course! Here's the rest of their tap list. Unbeatable, as usual.

The Path To Philly Beer Week 2008 - A Profile of Triumph Brewing Company

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Triumph as always been one of those places for me that was just a little too far. Princeton was someplace I went in the 90s with my buddies on a night out and I discovered Triumph for the first time. Then, later with Patty to Triumph's New Hope location while shopping and strolling around the town. Up until recently, I've probably drunk more of their beer when they've shown up at festivals like the Brewer's Plate event and others in the Philly area. Their Bengal Gold IPA, Pilsner, and Kellerbier varieties were always highly sought after and they pair especially well with food. Now with their arrival to Philly, I've been to Triumph more in the past year then I've been combined over their first 12 years in business.

Their lager light is shining brighter than ever since they arrived in Philadelphia. They've kept the utilitarian/industrial interior design (don't ask me, I'm not a designer) similar to the New Hope location and are attracting quite the crowds. The times I've been there I seem to observe that it's quite the trendy crowd (duh, you say? it's Old City!) enjoying the well-made beers. Though, you can still usually spot the occasional "usual beer geek suspects" hunkered down at the bar. As the craft beer demographic changes and grows (or grows and changes...is there a difference in the emphasis?), this is likely a good thing and I'm happy to see Triumph be a part of it in Philadelphia proper. Especially so, considering that they are putting out flavorful and well-made lager style beers, something that could take the trendy crowd a bit by surprise.

As you ready yourself for Philly Beer Week 2008, study up on some background notes on Triumph Brewing Company and consider yourself lucky to be part of such a vibrant and rich beer region that PBW 2008 will celebrate.

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Name: Triumph Brewing Company
Location: 117 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: 215-625-0855

People

Adam Rechnitz (Owner)

Jay Misson (Director of Brewing Operations)

Patrick Jones (Philadelphia head brewer)

Tom Stevenson (Princeton head brewer)

Brendan Anderson (New Hope head brewer)

Major Brands

Bengal Gold IPA; Honey Wheat; Amber Ale; German Pilsner, along with over 70 other styles brewed in the past

Awards

Bengal Gold IPA

Bronze; GABF 2006

Dunkel Lager

Silver; GABF 2005

Honey Wheat

Gold; GABF 2005

Kellerbier

Gold; GABF 2004

Pilsner, German

Bronze; GABF 2005

Pilsner, Czech

Silver; GABF 2005

Rauchbier

Silver; GABF 2004

Distribution

Draft only at the brewpub locations

Production

Roughly 2,800 bbls/year (combined production for all 3 locations in 2007)

History & Tidbits

First location opened in Princeton in 1995 at the edge of Princeton University

Triumph led the way in New Jersey, lobbying the State for brewpub licensing that had not previously existed

Second location opened in 2003 across the river in popular New Hope, PA

Triumph responded to years of cries in Philadelphia for a new brewpub by opening the Old City location in 2007

Major Yearly Events

Monthly tapping of special firkins (first Thursdays at Philly location)

Where to Find Triumph During Philly Beer Week

Their Rauch Bock will be highlighted at Joe Sixpack's event on the 7th

Will host Ultimate Beer Trivia on the 10th with the women’s beer club In Pursuit of Ale and Johnny Goodtimes

Playing host to former Schmidt’s Brewmaster Jack Ehmann & beer historian Rich Wagner on the 11th

Lew Bryson brings his Lager Gala to Triumph on the 13th

Will co-host Real Ale Festival with Yards Brewing on Sunday the 16th featuring 30 casks from 25 different breweries

Also look for Triumph at Joe Sixpack’s Philly Favorites at the Market Place in East Falls on March 7th, The Brewer’s Plate on March 9th, and the Michael Jackson Tribute at the U of Penn on March 15th

PHILLY BEER WEEK INDEX @ THE BREW LOUNGE

Beer Dates In History: March Anniversaries

20 years Brooklyn Brewery 10 years Mad Anthony 5 years Greenpoint Beer Works