2009, In Their Words--Part 1

I started off thinking that I would receive snippets of thoughts that could be woven into a year-end wrapup and future looking post. It would prove, therefore (hopefully!), to be more interesting then just hearing/reading my thoughts. Was it also a way to off-load some of the work involved in a year-end retrospective? Well, I NEVER!! After soliciting the serious, the irreverent, the brief, the lengthy---what I received was mostly at least moderate in length and serious in nature. So, then what am I supposed to do with that?! It turned out that I made a lot more work for myself if I was going to now pick apart what was sent to me, choosing only bits and pieces to suit some sort of an article. And, I gotta tell ya, time is running a bit short on supply around here. (Hawaii posting, anyone???? anyone?) So finally I decided the best approach was to go back to my original statement to these individuals...that this would be the year-end wrapup in their words. This would ensure that nothing got lost in translation and that the full context was delivered. I am, though, cleaning up any obvious typos and grammatical errors...that's just the kind of guy I am...not just a cut and paste kind of guy!! And, I'd make it into linkedy-link fest...because, really, these folks are some of the best at what they do, so why shouldn't I help to bring attention to just that. Let's get on with it. Yesterday, you saw my personal review of 2009. Here comes (chosen in random order) Maureen Ogle, Carolyn Smagalski, Mike Scotese (Scoats), Jim Wiggins, and Nick Johnson. Please be sure to click the links and visit their sites. It shows that you came from The Brew Lounge and that you care about their work :)

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Maureen Ogle (Historian & Author) "My year-end update/roundup/prediction is something like: godhelpmebuti'mgonnafinishthisnewbookin2010ifitkillsmewhichitmay. So I'm totally out of the loop re. beer. Wish I weren't but there you go

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The Beer Fox-Carolyn Smagalski (Bella Online Contributor, Beer Connoisseur Journalist, to name just a couple) "2009 was a roller coaster of beer and whisky events, power-packed with enough fuel to keep the after-burners as hot as a hose-sass and my nose glowing as red as Rudolph's...or is that Rude Elf's? The Whisky Festival of Northern Netherlands celebrated the launch of International Whisky Day on the anniversary of Michael Jackson's birthday, 27 March, 2009 - to honor the Whisky Chaser himself and "...the many unsung heroes of the past and present, who have been crafting the King o' Drinks for centuries..." At the same festival, two important books were released: "Whisky & Jazz" written by Hans Offringa and dedicated to Michael Jackson, and "Beer Hunter, Whisky Chaser," with contributions by 13 international beer and whisky writers, for the benefit of the Parkinson Society of the UK. Philly Beer Week reaffirmed its reverence for beer in the Philadelphia area with the enormous success of 679 events and a promise for continued expansion. Jeannine Marois made headlines with the Mondial de la Biere in both Montreal, Quebec and Strasbourg, France. The Sam Adams Longshot in Boston and the Pro-Am Competition in Denver proved that homebrewers and professional brewers walk hand-in-hand in creative artistry. Under the big top - the Colorado Convention Center - The Great American Beer Festival, with an additional 92,000 square feet, continues to set records with sell-out crowds who spilled over into the Beer & Food Pavilion, Farm to Table, the Brewers Studio Pavilion, and the largest commercial beer competition in the world. Tap that off with "The Naked Pint" by Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune and a re-capping of Don Russell's Christmas Beer and life doesn't get much sweeter than that. Unless you're 2010. 2010 will bring continuous great beer with more intense flavor through environmental initiatives - our own terroir, the signature of the American Craft Brewer. In the meantime, this is the year of the World Beer Cup and yours truly, the Beer Fox, will continue to do her best to "taste and assess" as many beers as possible. Even if my nose does keep glowing red..."

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Mike "Scoats" Scotese (Publican & Lodgemaster-The Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA) "2009 brought craft beer in to the mainstream. It's hard to go anywhere in Philly and not find at least a half decent beer. A good beer focus now seems mandatory for any new establishment. Strangely 99.4% of all of new establishments in 2009 set up shop in South Philly. 2010 will bring more good things in small packages as session beers increase in popularity."

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Jim Wiggins (Origlio Beverage Sales, Craft & Specialty Brand Segment) "2010 will bring still greater number of interesting offerings as even big craft brewers continue to expand their limited production offerings (i.e. Sierra Nevada Life and Limb, Harpoon 100 Barrel Series and Ommegang Adoration). We will see more Breweries open up the SEPA market as these craft brewer's home markets get saturated and this region's rep continues to resonate thought out the beer world. New Belgium?"

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Nick Johnson (Tröegs Brewing Company, Sales-Eastern PA, NJ, DE) "2010---- Year of Local Craft Beer Movement and Steve Mashington.......... a hope that local craft beer takes back over the Philly taps which have been taken over by one-off-over-hyped-brews from out-of-state breweries.... get back to your roots everyone!!! On a totally unrelated note, 2010 will also bring the year that Steve Mashington graces the cover of GQ magazine sporting his once nicely well fitted red suit... and by the way not the GQ you are thinking of aimed at men who shave their chest (Casey Hughes) and wear tight pants (Mike Fava), we are talking Ginger Quarterly, the one and only print mag dedicated to Ginger folk!!! viva la red! See you all out at the bars! Cheers! Johnsonator, Tröegs Brewing Ambassador"

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Stop back tomorrow to read sage tidbits from (chosen once again in random order) Lew Bryson, Brian Yaeger, and Jennie Hatton.

2009, In My Words

2009, where has it gone? Heck, where has the decade of the aughts gone? Haven't we still not yet decided upon what to call the decade (the aughts, the naughts, the zeroes, the ohs, the two thousands, the....)? And in just a few short weeks it will be relegated to the history books. Many will argue that it has been an ignominious decade for the United States but I'll leave that one to the political, cultural, and sociological pundits. Before we go off the so-called rails already, I'm here to discuss the world of craft brewing and most will agree that it's been a good one for the industry of craft brewing and many of those involved. If I tried to take on the whole of the decade at this point, I'd probably never get around to sharing it with you. I'm closing out my second full decade of drinking this stuff that we think of as better beer in a year that has seen some ups and some downs. Between the world economy in general and the resource markets specific to beer brewing, 2009 brought more price fluctuations, industry expansion, and contraction than in the past. Some breweries/brewpubs made it and grew larger (some, much larger), while others didn't fare so well based on raw material costs, real estate market turmoil, and industry competition that is growing a bit more fierce. There will be plenty of others who will weigh in with industry analysis, so I think that I will leave that mostly to them...those that cover it more completely and intelligently than do I. Over the next few days, I will be sharing the Year 2009 with you in the voices of those who bring you the beer, the bars, and the written words. I'm beginning here today with my own perspective on 2009. It certainly was the year, in my opinion, when craft beer and events began filling in around the country in spots that once were lain barren and thirsty. With "popping of the caps" (states' ABV restrictions) and customer demand, it has become easier to find a beer dinner in Florida, homebrewing resources in Utah, and strong beer tastings in Alabama and South Carolina. Collaborations were as common as just about any other trend in the industry. This doesn't seem likely to subside any time soon. And, why should they? They're a fun insight into creativity and possibilities that beer embodies. Now I'll get a bit more personal. My 2009 went a little something like this: ~New Year's Eve/Day on a self-made NYC Beer-Hopping Tour, January '09 -->what in beer's name did this mean?: It meant finding a handful of new beer joints in NYC and enjoying a blistering-cold New Year's Eve with my wife and getting started in Philly at Local 44's grand opening on New Year's Day with a little hair of the dog -->read back links: 1/6/2009 (New Year's Eve in NYC, part 1 of 2) & 1/2/2009 (Local 44 debuts) ~Annual Beer & Hockey trip to Pittsburgh, February '09 -->what in beer's name did this mean?: It was only 2 guys for this year's trip but we still made the most of it with visits to Church Brew Works, Fatheads, and the new Hofbräuhaus. This coming February should be quite a story when we again head to da 'Burgh for the last Flyers/Penguins game in the Igloo. -->read back links: 3/25/2009 ~San Francisco Beer Week, February '09 -->what in beer's name did this mean?: A 10-day Beer Week in my second favorite city/region proved exactly what I expected them to prove. That they are one of strongest and most vibrant beer regions in the country. Unfortunately, I could only stay for half of the Beer Week's festivities. Good thing, probably, since I had my own hometown Philly Beer Week to prepare for less than a month after SFBW. -->read back links: 2/26/2009 (part 1 of 3) ~Philly Beer Week, March '09 -->what in beer's name did this mean?: It reinforced the meaning behind Philly being the first in the country to hold a 10-day extravaganza showcasing the best of what's around. Simply, there is no other region as deeply rich in the combination of brewing, importing, retailing, neighborhood pubbing, homebrewing, event-throwing, and personalities. -->read back links: 3/22/2009 (an index to writings and pictures) ~San Francisco Redux, June '09 -->what in beer's name did this mean?: That I just cannot get enough of my second favorite city/region in the U.S. A successful week of work rewarded each night with some of the best beer the region has to offer. A Magnolia dinner (one of the cities best breweries, imo) at Incanto in the Noe Valley was one of the highlights of the week, as was a meetup with beer writers and homebrewers at the house of author, Brian Yaeger. -->read back links: 6/29/09 (part 1 of 6) ~Ommegang BCTC, July '09 -->what in beer's name did this mean?: Just another year of great Belgian-inspired brewing at one of the country's most picturesque brewery locations. -->read back links: 8/5/09 ~New England Tour, Ebenezer's, & HomeBrewChef (2 Paxton dinners this year), August '09 -->what in beer's name did this mean?: It meant a gastronomical affair of the decadent hosted by Ebenezer's in Maine and The Home Brew Chef (Sean Paxton) of California. It also meant beer tripping through Portland, Maine, and Burlington, Vermont making for one of the best beer trips in recent memory. -->read back links: 9/21/2009 (an index to a 6-part series) ~Hawaii, October '09 -->what in beer's name did this mean?: it meant a whole bunch of stuff that I still haven't shared with you. Suppose this now goes to the top of my New Year's Resolution List. -->read back links: STILL UNDER DEV'T ~The Running of Two Marathons (Pittsburgh, Philly) & TRAINING, May & November '09 -->what in beer's name did this mean?: I did a lot of talking about how moderate beer drinking can go just perfectly fine with an athlete's training plan (although, I use the term 'athlete' very, very loosely). For me, that meant a can of Oskar Blues Mamma's Little Yellow Pils the night before the Pittsburgh Marathon in May and a pint of cask-conditioned Yards ESA the night before the Philadelphia Marathon in November. Following up each was Church Brew Works EKG IPA and another cask-conditioned Yards ESA after Pittsburgh and Philly, respectively. -->read back links: 4/28/2009 (a marathon beer-drinking guide to Pittsburgh) & 5/9/2009 (and a post-marathon wrap-up) & 11/25/2009 (a Philadelphia Marathon wrap-up) ~Somewhere around 340 Postings by year-end -->what in beer's name did this mean?: Not much really. Certainly not meant to be boastful...because I would trade 340 postings of empty ether for 1 posting of substantial value. (hopefully, I'm somewhere in between?!) But it is worth noting that in addition to everything else in my life, I continue to be a contributor to the Philadelphia Area Voice of Beer Writing (PhAVoBeW?! Let's work on that acronym!) That is something of which I will be unabashedly proud. -->read back links: eh, how about you begin with this one? It's about The General Lafayette and one of the most commented on of the year. ~Speaking of The General Lafayette and Running -->what in beer's name did this mean?: In addition to conducting a Beer Run during Philly Beer Week, I conducted a few others during the year as well. All more proof that responsible beer drinking can be an important part of active lifestyles. -->read back links: Here's one at "my local" that you can look back on ~Back into Platelets/Plasma -->what in beer's name did this mean?: Nothing really, except maybe that Lew does it too? and, it calls for a nearly-mandatory night or two off from the action. -->read back links: 10/24/2009 (an explanation of my distractions) ~Concerts: Jimmy Buffett, Elton John/Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, The Killers, The Cat Empire -->what in beer's name did this mean?: Saw and heard some great musical acts. Only confirmed that Citizens Bank Park still has the best arena craft beer selections around (included in these venues were the Spectrum, that Camden New Jersey ampitheatre, and Nokia Theatre in NYC.) -->read back links: couldn't track anything down that I wrote about music and craft beer, though with this past weekend's activities in NYC, that may change in the next week or two ~Miscellaneous Writing -->what in beer's name did this mean?: Like I had more time in my schedule (!), but I began taking on some extracurricular writing in the form of a press release for Artisan Homebrew and a Brewsletter for Exton Beverage. The content for Exton Beverage can be found both at the front counter at the distributor as well as online at http://www.extonbeverage.com (a free account required). Are you reading this and have an interest in me doing some craft beer writing for you? mailto:Bryan@BrewLounge.com. -->read back links: 10/13/2009 (Press Release) and 11/15/2009 (Grand Opening) It's probably only fair that I fess up and talk with you about what I dropped the ball on after the New Year's Ball of 2009 dropped. Two things come immediately to mind. I had planned to do a series of Bartender Profiles. I have a list, I've checked it twice and even have some Q&A scripts ready to roll. I just never got around to pulling it off. I've since seen a couple of other sources of food and beverage writing take this on...It won't stop me from still doing it, I just need to dedicate some time to it. And, that dastardly links table that I said I would do to organize all of the other wonderful sources for beer and beer-related information. Where is that anyway? It's not like it's all that big of a deal---I've got the list and and content. Content has never been an issue for me, it's the darned technical side of these things, like, uh, coding! We'll see; I know it's somewhat important and it's been such a while since I've done any sort of administrative cleanup around this Brew Lounge hangout...it's probably about time, eh? And, what is time anyway? Be well all of you. Enjoy New Year's Eve. Party hardy rock 'n' roll and be safe. See you 'round the watering hole. Tomorrow: A look back and forward with (chosen in random order) Maureen Ogle, Carolyn Smagalski, Mike Scotese (Scoats), Jim Wiggins, and Nick Johnson.

A Barrel Full of Beer Memes, #3

"I Once Got Busy with an A-B Salesgirl" It's been a while since I've passed a "beer meme" around to you. This one came to me the other day when I heard the lyrics "...I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom..." You remember that song, I know you do...go ahead it's okay, you can admit it! It reminded me of one of craft brewing's "rock stars" (so to speak---pun somewhat intended), Sam Calagione. He and his longtime brewer Bryan Selders mashed in and mixed up some beats as the duo called Pain Relievaz. And one of their songs/raps? "A-B Salesgirl" from 2004's just-missed-platinum Check Your Gravity. I transcribed some of the lyrics below for your enjoyment (couldn't find any trace of YouTube, Vimeo, or the likes to share video with you). If you need more, you can check out Let's Play Twister (down in Dewey), What Would Alan Pugsley Do?, and Brewer's Bling Bling. "I tried to explain it, she just looked surprised as if her brain cells had been pasteurized" "I've been rockin' fat beats since the boys at Mendocino were selling all their ales from a Chevy El Camino" "I said what do you want, she said a Budweiser; girl you must be on more drugs than my homies down at Phizer" "I said I'll show you dirty, slammed down the money took her to my crib we hottubbed in my undies. Feeling pretty fly, I had no sense of danger, so I stuck my brewers hose inside her heat exchanger" "I said I'll be your man, but I'll never be your hubby so I started buffing out her ass with a green scrubby. She tossed back her hair, fell into a frenzy, started barking out my name like she was Spuds McKenzie" That'll be the only time the name Spuds McKenzie will show on this website, I think it's pretty safe to say. Check back here for Beer Meme #2

Lew's Other Work

If I were making a list of common sense items (which I, as a matter of fact, do...especially while out on some of those ridiculously long runs that I do), this one would be real near the top. I may never have pointed out to you all the fine work that Lew Bryson does in attempting to illuminate the workings, the misworkings, and the oddball machinations of the entity that is the PLCB (Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board). He's been up to it (and up in it) now for a little over a year and a half. I typically tend to veer away from these topics because while I have the bandwidth to read about it, I certainly don't to explore, investigate, and write about it. Particularly when esteemed folk such as Lew cover the topic so well. I get bad customer service that's rooted in ignorance...and that's almost fine. If you don't know something, you don't know that you don't know...and some people get a bit flustered when challenged on things they don't know. But, customer service that lacks even the most basic ability to communicate on a human level with people that you want to purchase your products and services? That, I just don't get. But apparently it was so bad the State of Pennsylvania felt that it was a good investment to make earlier this year in training of staff to carry through on such basic human interactions as greeting and friendliness. If it was wine and spirits training, that might have made much more sense. But, this? Not so common. Anyway, the couple that I frequent the most (since I would never, ever...do you hear me?! ever!...go out of state for alcoholic purchases to be consumed back in Pennsylvania...except...) are located in Exton and Wayne. Generally, I know what I'm looking for and/or am comfortable searching around on my own to find whatever I may or may not be looking for. The times when I do need assistance, I have received very tepid if not even sometimes mildly un-grouchy service. Mind you, they're never quite bending over backwards to help, but they do when called upon. Case in point, last week I was looking for a bottle that once upon a time had been considered one of their so-called "Chairman's Selections." It was so good that we were considering a case or so of it to keep on hand for times like Thanksgiving dinners, etc. The store associate (is that their name, I don't know...I made that up, I believe) brought me into the office as he searched on the computer for other stores where it could be found. He printed a list of stores and their address from their intranet. He then offered to call them to either have the wine held or delivered to Exton. Not too shabby from a customer service perspective I must say. It turned almost into a chore to get him to stop helping me. I rarely ask for customer service interaction from PLCB employees save for actually paying for the purchase. So, I may not be the best qualified to speak on this topic, but generally I've found the service at the store locations that I frequent to at least be marginal or slightly better. This isn't to say the Lew is wrong on this topic. The idea of training basic human interactions as a form of customer service does seem to be a colossal waste of taxpayer money...no matter the total expenditure. And, on these matters, I must say that Lew is rarely wrong. If you haven't checked out his blog on Why The PLCB Should Be Abolished...you should.

In the 'My How They've Grown' Category

How many human years does 6 years in the restaurant business equate to? Don't ask Jeff or Teri Miller of TJ's in Paoli (map). They're celebrating six years of business. They haven't been a craft beer "destination" since day one, but they've been trying very hard at it for more than half of it. Real-time website draft lists, beer release events, Philly Beer Week, and now a birthday bash that should be listed among the best beer events of the year in the Philly region. I wonder if the tireless duo ever thought that jumping into the craft beer revolution would come to this. Hopefully they don't mind all of the attention and business. As we close out this year of an ever-brighter light shining on the importance of supporting local businesses and resources, I'd suggest that you stop in at TJs on Saturday (yup, that's tomorrow my friends) and thank Jeff and Teri for all they've done to provide northern Chester County with one of the region's best bar experiences. Have a beer, hang for a little bit, grab a bottle or two to go. If you can't make it Saturday, you could stop in Sunday when there may be some leftovers behind and a bit less of a crowd. That's what I'll be doing since I won't be around on Saturday. If I could only be in two places at once. ***Before we get to the tap lists, please be sure to participate in their annual gift basket for charity raffle as well. I won't go into details other than to say that 100% of the proceeds will be turned over to a very deserving, already-named, individual and his family. You can find out more details at the bar. For $3/raffle ticket, you'll be entered to win a basket full of the following: Ommegang Adoration; Port Brewing; Santa's Little Helper; Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti; The Bruery Rugbrød; De Proef Van Twee; Avery duganA; Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux; Scrumpy's Solstice Cider; Rochefort 6; Brew Works Rude Elf's Reserve; Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor; Poperings Hommel Bier; and Sinebrychoff Porter. Now that's a chance worth taking and a charity worth giving for. Take a look at the draft list schedule below. I really like the idea of staggering tap times to draw the crowd out a bit and perhaps lessen the craze that is sure to overcome the crowd. Nah, I'm sure that not much will diminish enthusiasm. You'll also notice that some of these are already on tap. So if you can't get there this weekend, but see something tasty, I can picture you figuring out a way to get there tonight. Hm, that has me thinking... Have fun and congratulations to Jeff, Teri, and the entire TJs crew! If you'd like to travel back to TJs 5th Anniversary, here's a link to a review that I wrote at the time. It was even distinguishably hung on the restroom wall for about a month or so. Tap Time 12:00PM (Noon) Ballast Point Barrel Aged Sea Monster BrewDog Bashah (Stone Collaboration) Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout Dogfish Head 120 Minute Duck Rabbit Rabid Duck Great Divide 15th Anniversary Heavy Seas Loose Cannon (Firkin) Lost Abbey 10 Commandments Meantime London Stout Moylan's Double Kiltlifter Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Port Brewing Hop 15 Rogue I2PA Russian River Blind Pig Russian River Pliny the Elder Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Terrapin Gamma Ray Tap Time 5:00PM Ballast Point Sculpin Cigar City Jai Alai IPA Ithaca Brute Life & Limb (Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head collaboration, the "bigger beer") Limb & Life (Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head collaboration, the "smaller beer") Russian River Temptation The Bruery Two Turtle Doves (Firkin)

Weekly Beer Calendar Update: December 3rd-December 9th

Did I say that a chill was in the air last week? Nothing compared to this week. Lots of great excuses here for eating well and drinking of good beer with good company instead of fighting the shopping mall mayhem. Check out the entire December 2009 calendar over here. Some tastings, some free, some PAYG @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Fri. 12/4 - Duvel Appriceciation Night (8:00pm; PAYG for Duvel draft & bottle specials & giveaways) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Fri. 12/4 - 12% (Imports) Fridays of December (7:00pm; PAYG for a keg tapping of Piet Agoras) @Exton Beverage, Exton, PA--- Fri. 12/4 - Friday Night Sampling (4:00pm-6:00pm; free tasting samples from Stoudt's) @Exton Beverage, Exton, PA--- Sat. 12/5 - Friday Night Sampling, on Saturday (12:00pm-3:00pm; free tasting samples from Weyerbacher) @Old Eagle Tavern, Philadelphia, PA--- Tue. 12/8 - River Horse Tuesday Nights (8:00pm-10:00pm; PAYG to meet & greet the brewers & beer reps & to taste the beers.) @Old Eagle Tavern, Philadelphia, PA--- Wed. 12/9 - Lagunitas Night (3:00pm-close; PAYG for select Lagunitas beers and giveaways. Food pairings as well.) @Old Eagle Tavern, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 12/10 - Tröegs Mad Dreams Party (3:00pm-close; PAYG get a Tapping of the Tröegs Mad Elf and Dreamweaver. Combine the two for a Tröegs "Mad Dream". Food specials and giveaways too.) @Pickering Creek Inn, Phoenixville, PA--- Thu. 12/3 - Craft Brew Night (6:00pm; PAYG for a great lineup of Tröegs goodies) @Triumph, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 12/3 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (6:00pm; PAYG for Dunkelweizen) @Triumph, New Hope, PA--- Fri. 12/4 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (6pm; PAYG for Winter Brunch) You all be careful out there now, you hear?! @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA--- Fri. 12/4 - Mad Elf/Happy You Night (6:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG for 2009 & 2008 Troegs Mad Elf, Dreamweaver, for making a Mad Dream half and half, Scratch 25, which is a hoppy rye beer, via gravity-pour firkin, and Hopback Amber on our beer engine. Plus, more fun than you can shake a Nick at: Get your picture taken with the elf; X-mas costume contest. Come dressed as an elf, reindeer, Santa, etc to win fabulous prizes! Joe Sixpack selling and signing his Christmas Beer book (great gift idea!) Mad Elf shirts for sale (great gift idea!)) @Iron Hill Brewery, West Chester, PA--- Thu. 12/3 - Holiday Party featuring bottled reserve tastings (6:00pm-8:00pm; PAYG to Sample our selection of 750 ML Bottled Beers; All bottles available for purchase only at Iron Hill. Preview Our Newest Big Bottle Release: Afternoon Delight, an Imperial Coffee Porter) @Iron Hill Brewery, Lancaster, PA--- Sat. 12/5 - Holiday Party featuring bottled reserve tastings (4:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG to Sample our selection of 750 ML Bottled Beers; All bottles available for purchase only at Iron Hill. Preview Our Newest Big Bottle Release: Afternoon Delight, an Imperial Coffee Porter) My how they've Grown @TJs, Paoli, PA--- Sat. 12/5 - 6th Anniversary Party (12:00pm & 5:00pm tap times; PAYG for more good beer than you can shake a Borgatta at) @Rattle 'n' Hum, New York, NY--- Thu. 12/3 - Mon. 12/7 - 1st Anniversary Party (PAYG for a never-ending cask list) Ring the Dinner Bell @Old City, Philadelphia, PA--- Sat. 12/5 - Craft Beer & Artisanal Cheese Tour (3:30pm-5:30pm; $45 gets you 15 minutes of walking, tasting of 8 craft beers, a selection of imported cheeses, and more) @Iron Hill Brewery, Lancaster, PA--- Thu. 12/3 - Brewmaster's Fall Beer Dinner (7:00pm; $60 for four courses Paired with Pumpkin Ale, Saison, Abbey Dubbel, and Baltic Porter) @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA--- Tue. 12/8 - Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner (7:00pm; $50 for 6-courses, 6-beers! We will be tapping a number of Sierra Nevada's more obscure creations and pairing them with gourmet fare.) @Teresa's Next Door, Wayne, PA--- Wed. 12/9 - Ancient Ales of Dogfish Tutored Luncheon (1:00pm; $45 for a private tutored luncheon with the Ancient Ales of Dogfish. Dr. McGovern will be attending this luncheon only to discuss the histories and resurrections of these truly unique ales. All five Ancient Ales will be served including, Midas Touch, Sah’Tea, Pangaea, Chateau Jiahu, and Theobroma. Others Dogfish beers will be poured as well. Expect no less than a five course, narrated pairing lunch with these fabulous ales.)

Some Vices can be Good

The Vice Blog is written with an edgy voice that many of us don't have. Some find it annoyingly brash. On the right day, I find it amusingly honest. Aaron checked out the VSK event at Blind Tiger and filed his report. Most have to admit that he can be spot on with some of his observations about us beer brethren. Though, I'm not so sure that he's as non-nerdy as he'd like us to believe.

Monk's Blood hitting Philadelphia-area shelves

When cans of Monk's Blood begin to show up on area shelves (kegs are out and about already), I shall be one happy man. The painstaking attention to ingredients that Sean Paxton put into this beer is rewarding in the final product from 21st Amendment. I've had the pleasure of this beer during San Francisco Beer Week earlier this year (the Monk's Blood Dinner, remember?) and then again in June when I was back in the Bay Area. If you didn't care for the Watermelon Wheat (send it to me, please), thought the IPA was just okay (ditto the mailing address), try Monk's Blood and tell me what you think. Which reminds me, when is my next trip? SFBW in February has a nice ring to it.

Beer Dates in History: December Anniversaries

290 years Belhaven 25 years Boston Beer/Sam Adams 15 years The Shed 1 year Old Forge

Beer Calendar: What To Do in December 2009

It's December, what could that possibly mean other than it tis the season for giving and getting. Let's explore how that can work from a beer perspective. If I'm missing any that you feel should be on here, let me know. $20 and under, down to and including FREE...Pay As You Go (PAYG) also included here Philadelphia Sat. 11/28 - Annual Holiday Open House @Philadelphia Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA (2:00pm-6:00pm; free) Sun. 11/29 - Annual Eagles v Redskins Pig Roast @The Artful Dodger, Philadelphia, PA (1:00pm-6:00pm; PAYG) Mon. 11/30 - Monday's Sixtel (Manayunk 2007 Knockthechilloff Barley Wine) @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA (PAYG) Tue. 12/1 - Stone & BrewDog Night @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; PAYG) Tue. 12/1, 12/8, 12/15, 12/22, 12/29 - River Horse Tuesday Nights @Old Eagle Tavern, Philadelphia, PA (8:00pm-10:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 12/3 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (December's selection: Dunkelweizen) @Triumph, Philadelphia, PA (6:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/4 - Mad Elf/Happy You Night @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA (6:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/4 - Duvel Appriceciation Night @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (8:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/4 - 12% (Imports) Fridays of December (Piet Agoras) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 12/9 - Lagunitas Night @Old Eagle Tavern, Philadelphia, PA (3:00pm-close; PAYG) Thu. 12/10 - Heavy Seas Yule Tide Cask and Winter Storm @The Belgian Café, Philadelphia, PA (PAYG) Thu. 12/10 - Tröegs Mad Dreams Party @Old Eagle Tavern, Philadelphia, PA (3:00pm-close; PAYG) Fri. 12/11 - Christmas Spectacular @Kite and Key, Philadelphia, PA (6:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/11 - 12% (Imports) Fridays of December (Hik Blonde) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/11 - Get Lit At Lunchtime Series (Meet the brewer with Christian Heim of Lancaster Brewing) @Jose Pistola's, Philadelphia, PA (11:30am; PAYG) Sat. 12/12 - St. Martin Abbey Brewery Meet & Greet @The Belgian Café, Philadelphia, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG) Tue. 12/15 - Dock Street Barrel-aged Barley Wine Release @Dock Street Brewery, Philadelphia, PA (PAYG) Wed. 12/16 - Dogfish Head Shiteload of Sixtels @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 12/16 - High Gravity @The Sidecar Bar & Grille, Philadelphia, PA (PAYG) Thu. 12/17 - Munich in Mayfair: Spaten Holiday Bock is Bock... er Back @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA (PAYG) Thu. 12/17 - Pretty Things Draft Release Party @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 12/17 - Brewery Night (Stoudt's) @The Sidecar Bar & Grille, Philadelphia, PA (PAYG) Fri. 12/18 - An Anchor Christmas Carol @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA (6:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/18 - Get Lit At Lunchtime Series (2nd Annual Winter Warmer Lunch) @Jose Pistola's, Philadelphia, PA (11:30am; PAYG) Fri. 12/18 - 12% (Imports) Fridays of December (Eedwaarde Pater) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; PAYG) Sat. 12/19 - Firkins For Our Furry Friends @The Khyber, Philadelphia, PA (1:00pm-8:00pm; $20) Wed. 12/23 - Kick the Keg Night @Memphis Taproom, Philadelphia, PA (9:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 12/23 - Christmas Kick the Keg Night @Local 44, Philadelphia, PA (9:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/25 - 12% (Imports) Fridays of December (a TBA special Christmas keg) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; PAYG) Sat. 12/26 - How Heather Helped the Grinch Pour Christmas! @The Institute, Philadelphia, PA (2:00pm; PAYG) Sat. 12/26 - Boxing Day Beer Festival @Memphis Taproom, Philadelphia, PA (8:00am-2:00am; PAYG) Philadelphia's close suburbs Thu. 12/3 - Holiday Party featuring bottled reserve tastings @Iron Hill Brewery, Lancaster, PA (6:00pm-8:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 12/3 - Craft Brew Night (Tröegs) @Pickering Creek Inn, Phoenixville, PA (6:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/4 - Friday Night Sampling (Stoudt's) @Exton Beverage, Exton, PA (4:00pm-6:00pm; free) Sat. 12/5 - 6th Anniversary Party @TJs, Paoli, PA (12:00pm & 5:00pm tap times; PAYG) Sat. 12/5 - Friday Night Sampling (Weyerbacher) @Exton Beverage, Exton, PA (12:00pm-3:00pm; free) Fri. 12/11 - Hop Project Day @Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA (11:00am; PAYG) Fri. 12/11 - Friday Night Tasting (Yards) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; free) beginning Thu. 12/17 - The Twelve Dog Days of Christmas @Teresa's Next Door, Wayne, PA (PAYG) Thu. 12/17 - Blues Brews 'n' BBQ @Ron's Original, Exton, PA (PAYG) Thu. 12/17 - Craft Brew Night (New Holland) @Pickering Creek Inn, Phoenixville, PA (6:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/18 - Friday Night Sampling (Sly Fox) @Exton Beverage, Exton, PA (4:00pm-7:00pm; free) Fri. 12/18 - Friday Night Tasting (Flying Fish) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; free) Sat. 12/19 - Friday Night Sampling (Sly Fox) @Exton Beverage, Exton, PA (4:00pm-6:00pm; free) Greater Philadelphia Metro / Eastern Pennsylvania Sat. 11/28 - Holiday Party featuring bottled reserve tastings @Iron Hill Brewery, Newark, DE (2:00pm-5:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 12/2 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (December's selection: Barrel Aged Scotch Ale) @Triumph, Princeton, NJ (6pm; PAYG) Wed. 12/2 - Specialty Keg Wednesday (Southern Tier) @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA (4:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 12/4 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (December's selection: Winter Brunch) @Triumph, New Hope, PA (6pm; PAYG) Sat. 12/5 - Holiday Party featuring bottled reserve tastings @Iron Hill Brewery, Lancaster, PA (4:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 12/10 - Sweet & Sour @Capone's, Norristown, PA (11:30am-'til they kick; PAYG) beginning Thu. 12/10 - 12 Days of Xmas @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA (4:00pm; PAYG) Sat. 12/12 - Back in Black Stout Fest @Union Jack's, Boyertown, PA (1:00pm-'til they kick; PAYG) Sat. 12/12 - Brewers' Reserve Cask Conditioned Ales @Iron Hill Brewery, Newark, DE (12:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 12/16 - Specialty Keg Wednesday (Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head) @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA (4:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 12/23 - Tröegs Yuletide (One On) OR Jolly Saint Nick And His Mad Elfs @Craft Ale House, Limerick, PA (6:00pm; PAYG) Elsewhere Thu. 12/3 - Mon. 12/7 - 1st Anniversary Party @Rattle 'n' Hum, New York, NY (PAYG) Tue. 12/15 - Winter Beer Extravaganza @Rattle 'n' Hum, New York, NY (PAYG) Events Over $20 Philadelphia Wed. 12/2 - Hoppy Holidays with Joe Sixpack @Tria Café, Philadelphia, PA (6:30pm-8:00pm; $45) Sat. 12/5 & Sat. 12/19 - Craft Beer & Artisanal Cheese Tour @Old City, Philadelphia, PA (3:30pm-5:30pm; $45) Fri. 12/11 - Xfest '09 @Penn Museum, Philadelphia, PA (6:00pm-9:00pm; $45/$55/$15) Tue. 12/15 - Annual Holiday Beer Dinner @Monk's Café, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; $75) Thu. 12/17 - Allagash: Gotta Have That Funk @Tria Café, Philadelphia, PA (6:30pm-8:00pm; $48) Sun. 12/27 - Winterfest '09 @World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA (1:00pm-4:00pm; $40/$15) Philadelphia's close suburbs Wed. 12/2 - Brewmaster's Winter Beer Dinner @Iron Hill Brewery, Maple Shade, NJ (7:00pm; $60) Wed. 12/9 - Ancient Ales of Dogfish Tutored Luncheon @Teresa's Next Door, Wayne, PA (1:00pm; $45) Fri. 12/18 - Brewmaster's Winter Beer & Wine Dinner @Iron Hill Brewery, Lancaster, PA (7:00pm; $70) Tue. 12/15 - Holiday Beer Dinner @Victory Brewing Co., Downingtown, PA (6:00pm-8:00pm; $50) Wed. 12/16 - 12 Beers of Christmas @Iron Abbey Gastro Pub, Horsham, PA (details TBD) Greater Philadelphia Metro / Eastern Pennsylvania Wed. 12/2 - Meet The Brewer Series Presents… (Victory Brewing) @Spinnerstown Hotel, Spinnerstown, PA (7:00pm; $55) Thu. 12/3 - Brewmaster's Fall Beer Dinner @Iron Hill Brewery, Lancaster, PA (7:00pm; $60) Tue. 12/8 - Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA (7:00pm; $50) Elsewhere

Weekly Beer Calendar Update: November 26th-December 2nd

A chill's in the air. The logs are on the fire and the beer scene is heating up in time for the holidays. Can you believe December is knocking? Check out just a few of these good looking events over the next week. Check out the entire November 2009 calendar over here. Some tastings, some free, some PAYG @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 11/26 - Tap a keg of Southern Tier Pumpking (7:00pm; PAYG for this decadent seasonal delight) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Tue. 12/1 - Stone & BrewDog Night (7:00pm; PAYG to try the newest collaboration form BrewDog & Stone, Bashah, a black Belgian IPA. We will also be pouring Stone Smoked Porter & BrewDog Punk IPA along with a selection of limited bottles from both breweries. The fireplace will be lit for the first time this season.) @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA--- Mon. 11/30 - Monday's Sixtel (PAYG for this Manayunk 2007 Knockthechilloff Barley Wine that has been aged for over 2 years.) @Iron Hill Brewery, Newark, DE--- Sat. 11/28 - Holiday Party featuring bottled reserve tastings (2:00pm-5:00pm; PAYG to preview our newest Big Bottle Release--Afternoon Delight, an Imperial Coffee Porter) @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA--- Wed. 12/2 - Specialty Keg Wednesday (4:00pm; PAYG for Jah-va Imperial Coffee Stout and Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout from Southern Tier) @Old Eagle Tavern, Philadelphia, PA--- Tue. 12/1 - River Horse Tuesday Nights (8:00pm-10:00pm; PAYG to meet & greet the brewers & beer reps & to taste the beers) @Triumph, Princeton, NJ--- Wed. 12/2 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (6pm; PAYG for December's Selection, still TBD) Open Houses are fun, especialy at PBC @Philadelphia Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA--- Sat. 11/28 - Annual Holiday Open House (2:00pm-6:00pm; free food, music by DJ DNA and live performance from Delco Nightingale, Santa, and plenty of delicious PBC beer. In the season of giving we are asking everyone to bring a donation ($$, cat food, fleece blankets) for Flatiron Wildcats) I don't know what goes on here, but for $55, I'm guessing this is more than your average Tuesday Night Sampling @Spinnerstown Hotel, Spinnerstown, PA--- Wed. 12/2 - Meet The Brewer Series Presents… (6:30pm-9:30pm; $55 for Victory Brewing, Bill Covaleski, and more) Food. Beer. Done. @The Artful Dodger, Philadelphia, PA--- Sun. 11/29 - Annual Eagles v Redskins Pig Roast (1:00pm-6:00pm; PAYG while dining on some delicious swine from Cannuli's! There will be great PBC beer specials and giveaways during half time.) @Iron Hill Brewery, Maple Shade, NJ--- Wed. 12/2 - Brewmaster's Winter Beer Dinner (7:00pm; $60 for a five-course meal Paired with Caprice, Pig Iron Porter, Munich Dunkel, Imperial Schwarz, and Winter Warmer)

Casey said there was calcium in it, so it must be good for me

The approach to this piece of writing has been a perfect summation of my last week: chaotic. Let's see, this is the...third (?) rewrite of these events. And, what has happened since then? The marathon of which I spake has now been completed. The restaurant at which we ate last Thursday that was the beginning of this particular posting is owned (now) by the Next Iron Chef. The beer of which we drank at Bridgid's is still of New Jersey (shhh, Turnpike) fame/infamy. And the last two beers that I drank before the Marathon, Yards ESA (once at Bridgid's and once at TJs, both cask), was the first beer that I drank afterward at Kite & Key...it was also on cask. Let's look back on some of the original and twice modified verbiage. Not my typical final days before a marathon, but then again these months of training have been anything but typical. So why not go out for a semi-decadent dinner at Distrito (Jose Garces' "modern Mexican" restaurant) in University City? Yeah, sure. A Dock Street Rye IPA was my one beer of choice with dinner. Then follow it up with a stop by Bridgid's for some Exit 1, Exit 4, and Exit 11 (and of course a gravity-fed Yards ESA for good measure) from Flying Fish. Definitely. The first words I heard from head brewer Casey Hughes when I walked in to Bridgid's (after "Thank you so much you wonderful and supportive beer writer/blogger guy for coming out to support my lovely beer-drinking event!"...or something like that) was "Aren't you training for a marathon? The Exit 1 has calcium in it, so it's good for your bones." Sold...cuz Casey said so. I suppose this means if today goes well, I'll owe a little nod to Casey and the bivalves of his Exit 1. And, the Exit 4, bottles of which took less than an hour to go through at Bridgid's. This beer continues to get more difficult to find. Well, let's see. This decadence of which I speak almost 48 hours prior to the race? Perhaps I'm (and Casey is) on to something. I registered my fastest marathon time ever by 2 minutes (almost a 1% improvement) and bettered my Philly Marathon time by 17 minutes (a 6.5% improvement). What else did I learn Thursday night in a bar full of brewers, writers, and reps? There's a brewery doing a new beer (a redux of sorts) that I'm betting will get people pretty excited. Still a little too early to write specifically about it. Yards will not be canning their beer anytime soon, though it would make for a convenient way to airline contract negotiations. And, the next of the Exit Series will not be a sour tomato hefeweizen. The rest is just purely conjecture. I leave the breaking of news to the big boys and girls of beer PR. Otherwise, come Monday, it'll be alright...and these sort of running-related posts will diminish. That should please some of you. Well, come Monday...most everything was okay. Feeling just a bit under the weather. Tuesday brought a little bit of muscle soreness. But, all in all, the recovery from this marathon (barring an x-ray confirming a stress fracture) was pretty a-okay. Thanks to everyone who "participated" along with me in their support! The chiropractor and massage therapist did their jobs; Patty did hers; I did some training; Mother Nature did hers; TJs did their job with, count 'em, two heaping plates of pasta; and you all who came out and cheered me on and joined me for brunch all did your part. There's no doubt that it was a big help to my psyche. Now I must get myself to planning some more fun beer runs. Oh, and have I mentioned that I have the best neighbors in the world?

Weekly Beer Calendar Update: November 19th-November 25th

Stressful holidays are right around the corner. Take some time for yourself now by checking out one (or more!) of the many local Philadelphia beer events over the next week. Check out the entire November 2009 calendar over here. Some tastings, some free, some PAYG @Bridgid's, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 11/19 - Exit Night (8:00pm-10:00pm; PAYG to try all three Flying Fish Exit Series beers in the same night---the Exit 1 (Bayshore Oyster Stout); Exit 4 (American Trippel); and Exit 11 (Hoppy American Wheat)) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Tue. 11/24 - Great Lakes Brewery Night (7:00pm; PAYG for a draft list still under development) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 11/26 - Tap a keg of Southern Tier Pumpking (7:00pm; PAYG for this seasonal goodness) @General Sutter Inn, Lititz, PA--- Wed. 11/25 - Cask Ale Night (5:00pm; PAYG for November selections of Flying Dog Doggie Style, Gonzo, and Snake Dog) @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA--- Fri. 11/20 - Goody, Goody Two Shoos (6:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG for both Shoo-Fly Mild and Shoo-Fly Porter as Scoats does his best to put the 'ass' in 'molasses') @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA--- Mon. 11/23 - Monday's Sixtel (Great Divide 15th Anniversary Ale) (PAYG) @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA--- Wed. 11/25-Thu. 11/26 - Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Night: Dogfish Head Punkin Ale Tapping (PAYG for your share of one 1/2 barrel of Punkin on Thanksgiving Eve and one for Thanksgiving Night) @Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA--- Fri. 11/20 - Cask Ale Series (all day; PAYG for November's Selection of Naked Wheat) @The Bards, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 11/19 - Yards Firkin (9:00pm-11:00pm; PAYG for a firkin of Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale...and Quizzo too) @Villa Capri, Doylestown, PA--- Thu. 11/19 - Victory Night (8:00pm-10:00pm; $10) Iron Hill loves Homebrewers, again @Iron Hill Brewery, Lancaster, PA--- Thu. 11/19 - Homebrewers' Challenge (5:00pm-8:00pm; PAYG where during the night Paul Rutherford, head brewer, will announce the winner of the Homebrewers Challenge. The winner will have his/her beer brewed in house with Paul) Good reasons for a party...and a D.D. @Drafting Room, Exton, PA--- Fri. 11/20 - Belgian Beer Promotion (6:00pm; PAYG for Sierra Nevada Belgian Triple, Iron Hill "Heater Room", La Trappe Isid’or, Koningshoeven Dubbel, Victory 8, Saint Somewhere Lectino du Chene, Duvel Green, Saison de Cazeau, Blanche De Bruxelles, Coronado Happy Daze Belgian IPA, and a firkin of Heavy Seas "Yule Tide") @Iron Hill Brewery, Lancaster, PA--- Thu. 11/19 - Imperial Coffee Porter Release Party (5:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG for Imperial Coffee Porter on Nitro and Cask, Oatmeal Stout, Baltic Porter, and featuring Mini Dessert Pairings...also for purchase are 750ml bottles of Afternoon Delight) @Spinnerstown Hotel, Spinnerstown, PA--- Thu. 11/19 - "Meet the Firkins!" and Tapas Bar (7:00pm; $48 for, uh, firkins and tapas) @The Kite and Key, Philadelphia, PA--- Sun. 11/22 - Yards Tailgate Party (4:00pm-10:00pm; PAYG for all sorts of beer, food, and debauchery) @Union Jack's, Boyertown, PA--- Sat. 11/21 - Allagash Extravaganza (1:00pm-'til they kick; PAYG to drink White, Dubbel, Tripel Reserve, Curieux, Black, Four, Victor, Fluxus, Confluence, Hugh Malone, Grand Cru, Burnham Road, and (for the hopheads) Ballast Point Sculpin and Ithaca Flower Power) Beer makes Food better, Food makes Beer Better @Old City, Philadelphia, PA--- Sat. 11/21 - Craft Beer & Artisanal Cheese Tour (3:30pm-5:30pm; $45 gets you 15 minutes of walking, tasting of 8 craft beers, a selection of imported cheeses, and more) @Ron's Original, Exton, PA--- Thu. 11/19 - Blues Brews 'n' BBQ (PAYG featuring Jimmy's BBQ from Frazer and lots of big beer to accompany) @The Pour House, Westmont, NJ--- Thu. 11/19 - Stoudt's Four-Course Beer Dinner (details TBD) @Victory Brewing, Downingtown, PA--- Thu. 11/19 - Follow the Liter (6:00pm-8:00pm; PAYG for good ol' fashioned German fun with liters of Festbier, Oktoberfest Giant Pretzels, and a strongarm competition)

Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner at The Drafting Room: 11/11/09

In a recession, people still have to eat. I just was not so sure that with a $69.99 price tag that the dining room at The Drafting Room would be full. Apparently I was more wrong than I was sure. (I suppose that this is where I should disclose that my meal was 'on the house' as a guest of TDR. I'm not real good about these things, since I believe either naively or arrogantly that my writing usually speaks well enough for itself in this regard without a bunch of disclosures, qualifiers, and disclaimers...I should, I realize, probably get more disciplined about this.) Between 50-55 guests turned out to see Patrick Mullin---but not necessarily hear Patrick given that this was a slightly raucous crowd---eat from a nicely crafted menu, and drink some pretty decent Sierra Nevada beers. Not long after arriving early for the published 6pm start time, I slid myself into the bar area where a pre-dinner gathering of sorts had begun to take shape. I joined Patrick (did I introduce him yet? he's the regional sales rep for Sierra Nevada and TDR alum), Tom Gannon (eastern U.S. sales director and Patrick's boss), and a few others for a pre-pre-dinner beer. The draft menu, as you can see in the picture below, was dominated for the night and the next couple of days by Sierra drafts...so, when in Chico...er Exton. I made my way into the dining room and pulled up seats with Greg and Sue Ramirez (Exton Beverage), Tom (the same Sierra Tom from the last paragraph), and a delightful couple for a table of six. A brown saison made its way along with me and before long I was tasting a Mascarpone and Crispy Pancetta Stuffed Date. It made me wish that I hadn't dawdled for so long in the bar, or I may have snared more than one of these scrumptious bits (they were being "butlered"). It went just fine with the Brown Saison, but I still haven't found an instance where I'm head over heels, or vice versa, for this beer. There's something about the mix of dark, grainy malts and the Belgian yeast characteristics (in addition to flavors of juniper, star anise, brown coriander, and orange peel) that just hasn't tripped my trigger. Not sure if it's just me or not...so, we're moving on... At beer dinners, I like to take the approach of saving enough of each course's beer to continue tasting throughout the remaining courses. This way, I get a chance to sample the beers at different temperatures as well as with different flavors. Most beer dinners that I've attended, a somewhat liberal free-pouring approach is applied and this will work well for my game plan. There have only been a couple where the pour size is so small and limited that this approach of mine didn't work out so well. In this case, the mildly wet-hopped (estate grown) brown ale called Edge of Darkness went wonderfully with the perfectly crafted mushrooms, tomatoes, goat cheese, and greens on the brioche (all some of my favorite things to appear at once a food plate). But, to me, this product from Beer Camp #12, of which TDR proprietor Howard Weintraub attended a few months back, went even better with the pork loin course which followed the sorbet that was served next. The tart and refreshing sorbet was just that and was perfect in and of and all by itself. The Trippel was something from the Chico Crew that I'd sworn I tasted before but became fairly well convinced that I had not. This is a slick, semi-sweet, and borderline high alcohol triple/trippel whose characteristics I occasionally find tasty and refreshing in the style...though, it must be drunk carefully at around 8% ABV. But, together, I didn't find the two parts of the course to mesh that well together; individually, they both stood out but together the flavors got sort of lost as the dominant flavors seemed to have difficulty standing out amongst each other. Eh well, that's fine because next up was a great stack of sliced pork loin with bacon and tender chunks of pumpkin. It was quite a flavorful and filling dish of meat that went real nicely with the 100% Estate Harvest IPA, sourced exclusively with brewery grown hops and grains (water and yeast too!). And while the bacon and pork loin went real nicely with the not-so-faint IPA, I thought the malty Edge of Darkness from earlier (by now at room temperature and still packing some of its noticeable hop flavor) went even better. Like I said, I could only figure this out because I kept at least a couple tastes of each beer around throughout the remainder of the dinner after they were served...give it a try sometime. Don't always rely on the beer dinner planners to figure out exactly what will work for your palate and preferences in terms beer and food pairings. Before we got into dessert, I'd caught wind ahead of time that there'd be a surprise. No, not the appearance of Joe Sixpack who wandered out from the city to check out this beer dinner. No, it was the baby brother of Life & Limb, the collaboration beer project between Dogfish Head in Delaware and Sierra Nevada on the other coast in Chico, CA. The big brother weighs in at over 10% ABV and this younger sibling, Limb & Life, is made from the second runnings of Life & Limb and brewed with honey and birch syrup (from the Calagione family farm in New England). After the story initially broke a few months ago of this collaboration project, I'll admit that I lost track of what was doing with it. Now, I'm glad to have been duly caught up and back in the know. This half of the project is a pretty easy-drinking beer with noticeable fresh hops and sweet honey flavors. Jay Brooks attended a debut dinner out in California and filed this report which contains some video of both Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada) and Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head) discussing the beers and the project. Then, oh then...we moved on to the grand-daddy of the dinner---the dessert course. What would you pick from Sierra Nevada's lineup to go with dinner's dessert course? I'll bet that more often than not, you'd pick the Bigfoot barleywine. This year's isn't quite ready yet, so it was 2008's installment that accompanied the nutty blintzes stuffed with a sweet blackberry jam and topped with crème anglaise. From the picture below, you'll probably notice how excited I was for this course. No, it wasn't Greg's paw that reached across to scrape at my plate. I fully cleaned off one of the blintzes before I remembered to take a picture. No worries about whether I had any problem finishing off the second one, Heather can confirm that answer for you. The verdict? This was a nicely-executed dinner on The Drafting Room's part. Not that I have much experience in the matter at TDR. In fact, the only other true, sit-down beer dinner that I've participated in at TDR was another Patrick Mullin/Sierra Nevada dinner. This one, in my opinion, was better in terms of food planning, beer lineup, and overall execution but I'm probably splitting just a few hairs. The beers, in this case, were a bit more rare than the "typical" Sierra Nevada lineup, especially given the one-time only, not to be found hardly anywhere else beers, like Edge of Darkness. This was a fun dinner as most are when you pair up a great brewery with great people at a great restaurant/venue. I'm not sure that The Drafting Room can continue to pull off strings of $70 beer dinners and pack the house each time, but then again I was wrong about this one. I would like to see, though, The Drafting Room doing more special events like this in between this price point and the numerous pay-as-you-go events that they routinely conduct. Follow-up: As of Wednesday, 11/18, you could still find the Brown Saison, Bigfoot, and Limb & Life on tap at The Drafting Room.

Me and My Marathon

It can be a lonely road out there, even with 20,000 other runners, perfectly built for plenty of introspection. This will be my fifth marathon I've run in the last 4 years. Even though it may not be true, I somehow feel less prepared physically and psychologically than ever before. Sunday's Philadelphia Marathon will tell. Until then, I need a pick-me-up. So, if you've got any shouts of encouragement that you can offer up here (or just general yelling if that's your thing).... Or if you'd like to come out Sunday morning to support me during the race.... Best yet, do both and join me afterward for a brunch at The Kite and Key pub just a few blocks from the Art Museum Finish Line. It's a mighty fine place for a Sunday morning meetup for some grub and grog. I'm looking for all the motivation and inspiration that I can gather up right about now. I'll be asking the crew at Kite and Key to hold some tables for me, so if meeting up for brunch sounds like something you'd like to do around 12pm-ish, drop an e-mail to me. One last way that you can join in support of my Philadelphia Marathon: come on out to TJs in Paoli on Saturday for the Early Bird Special around 5pm. That's when and where I'll be "carbing up" with my pre-long run ritual...Cajun Chicken Alfredo, French Onion Soup, Bread, and Salad...oh, and 1 (relatively) low-alcohol beer. I hope Jeff has a few extra bits of pasta in the kitchen on Saturday! Oh, and this here is just all too appropriate given the timing of the fall marathon season and the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street...enjoy a trip down memory lane! y'gotta watch it all, it's bound to bring a smile to your face and rub away any rough edges of your day.

Artisan Homebrewing Opens in Grand Fashion

When you show up as late as I do, you get pictures of a party near its end; so close to its end that most people are already gone and the host is packing things up. Well, it wasn't quite that late, but I did miss the cake, the music, and the cheesemonger. I did get a chance to taste some great homebrewed beer and mead, local wine, and catch up with some old friends. So, I took a few pictures of Artisan Homebrewing's Grand Opening and had Mike Hamara (proprietor) send me some more exciting ones from earlier in the day. You should be able to tell the difference. Artisan has been open for roughly a month now and while business has been going well, the Grand Opening certainly put them on the map with a steady stream of people coming through, enjoying the entertainment and brewing demos, and walking out with some new homebrewing purchases. Haven't been there yet? Check out the full press release that I wrote and posted back here. It's got all the details you need to know to find Artisan in Downingtown, PA. Tell Mike I sent you.

Looking forward to Sunday night on The Brewing Network

Tomorrow night I'll be one week away from celebrating the ending of Fall 2009 marathon training after Philly's marathon. Tomorrow night I'll also be listening The Brewing Network's Sunday Session, where the Bay Area's Jay Brooks will be a guest talking about the industry and his role in documenting it. Should be a great way to spend a cool autumn Sunday evening listening to a great bunch of people talking about a great industry.

Blind Tiger VSK---For the thrill-seeking beer geek in all of us

One might argue that there are VSKs (very special kegs) on tap day in and day out at Blind Tiger Ale House. Once a year, David, Alan, and company pull out all the stops they can possibly get their tap handles on and do a very special kleanout. Impressive indeed. Now if I can finagle a way to NYC next Wednesday (event starts at 4pm on the 18th and goes, and goes, and.....)---or catch some dregs later in the week? From Alan at Blind Tiger... VSK teaser list... Allagash Interlude '07 (just in case you haven't gotten your fill) Bear Republic Apex '08 (ouch) Blue Point 10th Anniversary IPA (a nod to the hops) Brooklyn Backbreaker (cask) (brand new) Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout '04 (this is a gift from Garrett) Brouwerij De Regenboog Wostyntje '08 (oh, come on guys!) Captain Lawrence Nor'Easter (thank Scott for this one) Chelsea Bourbon Aged Imperial Mild (a great twist on a great beer) Del Borgo/Dogfish Head My Antonia (a true VSK) Dogfish 120 '08 (via Randall) (take it easy) Dogfish Pangea (do I need to say anything?) Goose Island Demolition (I really wanted to keep this) JW Lees Harvest Ale aged in a Calvados Cask (Wooden Pin) Kuhnhenn All Hallows (the last of the Pumpkin Ales) Kuhnhenn Bourbon Barrel Barleywine (like I get a keg of this every week) Lagunitas Barrel Aged Ruben and the Jets (thanks to our Lagunitas family) North Coast Old Rasputin 10th Anniversary (it breaks my heart) Rockies Fresh Trak (new and special) Rogue Chatoe Rogue Wet Hop (our friends at Rogue rock) Sierra Nevada Limb and Life (in collaboration with Dogfish Head) (VERY, VERY SPECIAL) Smuttynose Big A IPA '07 (I can't believe I have to sell this) Southampton Saison (a rare treat from our dear friends) Stone Vertical Epic '06 (yes, 2006, like you find this everywhere)

Weekly Beer Calendar Update: November 12th-November 18th

The weather's beginning to turn and it looks like a bunch of upcoming events start to roll out the bigger beers and bravado. Check 'em out and be safe out there. Check out the entire November 2009 calendar over here. Some tastings, some free, some PAYG @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Wed. 11/18 - Cigar City Brewery Night (7:00pm; PAYG for drafts of Jai Alai IPA, Maduro Oatmeal Brown, & Marshal Zhukov's Russian Imperial Stout) @Earth Bread + Brewery, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 11/12 - Meet the Brewer, Keep the Pint Glass (Great Lakes) (6:30pm-8:30pm; PAYG for their brews, reps, and free pint glasses) @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA--- Mon. 11/16 - Monday's Sixtel (Weyerbacher 14) (PAYG) @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA--- Wed. 11/18 - Thursday Night Tastings (on Wednesday) (Tröegs) (7:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG for Mad Elf on draft and other goodies) @Old Eagle Tavern, Philadelphia, PA--- Tue. 11/17 - Coronado Tuesday Nights (8:00pm-10:00pm; PAYG to meet & greet the brewers & beer reps & to taste the beers) @Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA--- Fri. 11/13 - Hops Project 2009 Varietal Release: Amarillo (a firkin, then CO2) (11:30am 'til it kicks; PAYG for the November release in a year-long series of monthly single-hop Pale Ales) How do you go about describing these kind of events? @The Institute, Philadelphia, PA--- Sat. 11/14 - Battle Royale of Michigan Breweries (2:00pm; PAYG for big beers from Founders (Imperial Stout, Double Trouble IPA, and Breakfast Stout), New Holland (Dragon's Milk Oak Aged Stout, Chartooka Smoked Rye Doppel Bock), Dark Horse (Sapient Trip Ale tripel, 2008 1-Oatmeal Stout, and Percolator Coffee Doppelbock), and Bells (Two Hearted IPA and Rye Stout)...expect others in addition to these) @The Pour House, Westmont, NJ--- Thu. 11/12 - Victory Takes Over the Taps (PAYG for 18 taps and a firkin) @The Sidecar Bar & Grille, Philadelphia, PA--- Wed. 11/18 - High Gravity (PAYG for nothing under 9% ABV) I feel like this one merits its own category @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA--- Tue. 11/17 - Italian Street Fair with Italian Beers (7:00pm; $65 for an Italian Street Fair atmosphere with small Italian dishes and Italian beer samplings) Hungry Yet? @Iron Abbey Gastro Pub, Horsham, PA--- Wed. 11/18 - Yards Beer Dinner (6:00pm-9:30pm; details TBD) @Iron Hill Brewery, Maple Shade, NJ--- Wed. 11/18 - Brewmaster's Fall Beer Dinner (6:00pm; $60 for a five-course meal paired with Pumpkin Ale; American Brown Ale; Munich Dunkel; Quadrupel; and Vienna Lager) @Iron Hill Brewery, Media, PA--- Tue. 11/17 - Brewmaster's Fall Beer Dinner (7:00pm; $65 for a four-course meal paired with Saison, Ironator Doppelbock, Barleywine, and Raspberry Torte) @Iron Hill Brewery, Wilmington, DE--- Mon. 11/16 - Brewmaster's Fall Beer Dinner (7:00pm; $60 for a five-course meal paired with Vienna Lager; Saison; Munich Dunkel; Honey Do Wit; and Pig Iron Porter) @World Café Live, Philadelphia, PA--- Tue. 11/17 - Victory Beer Dinner (7:00pm; $40 or 2 for $65! gets you a 5-course meal paired with Victory beers like Helios, Moonglow Weizenbock, Fest bier, Baltic Thunder, and Yakima Twilight) Women & Beer @Fork, Philadelphia, PA--- Mon. 11/16 - The Naked Pint Book Release Party (6:30pm; $55 for a menu that you can see over here) Some things are beyond description and must be experienced @Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA--- Fri. 11/13 - Friday the Firkinteenth #21 (PAYG for 20+ bar-top casks starting at 11am)

San Francisco Brewing Company soon to be a memory

San Francisco Brewing Company is preparing to close for good. It was never a first stop or the most memorable stop, but always a stop as part of San Francisco's (more specifically, North Beach's) brewing history. A good stopping point on a walk from 21st Amendment/Thirsty Bear to Rogue Public Ale House/Church Key/La Trappe. Here was my initial review back in 2006. Most recently, during San Francisco Beer Week, Patty and I saddled up to the SF Brewing Co. bar and put back a couple of beers while being entertained by the singing bartender (a singer/musician...jazz/lounge, if I recall correctly) in the middle of a perfectly normal afternoon!

Tidbits from around the craft brew-niverse

Cleaning out my to-read list of the past week or so, I have a few good reads to share with you here, that if I don't they will quickly wind up in the dustbin. Plus, it passes the time while I'm in Columbus. Scoats shares a revealing story of meat and how it gets from field to your dinner plate at The Grey Lodge. Cathedral Hill closes in San Francisco with a song from Allagash and so does a chapter on beer dinners. I wouldn't suppose that it will be long for The Beer Chef to begin a new chapter. Am I more like Jack than I would have ever admitted? Does anyone but Jack really understand me (at least when it comes to love for the game of baseball)? I swear, Jack's take on the sport sounds a lot like arguments I've had with people (like a nimrod a few weeks back who said baseball wasn't a really sport because there's no strategy) about its merits. Check in over here for a good cause Aspen Street was a favorite of ours back when we lived in the neighborhood. Hopefully, a return to its glory days is in the cards once again.

The Brew Lounge does not tolerate the word that rhymes with, but does not taste as good as, ham

Nor will I allow it to alter the way we do business around here. Lately, spam has picked up in the comments to levels never seen before around these parts. Such is the way of the web I'm sure; still, I don't pretend to understand the point of it, regardless of whether it's human or robot sending out this value-less crap. I will not turn on "comment moderation"...which for those uninitiated means some form of cryptic password that you need to enter just in order to post a comment and some form of queuing up comments for me to "approve." That, in my opinion, takes away from the spirit of encouraging effective and efficient communication. Some days it flows around here and other days...not so much. But, I won't spammers get in the way of that sort of productive communication. So, keep on keeping on, Mr./Ms. Spam-a-lot. I can keep up. As fast as you put it out there, I delete it. Everyone else, please carry on with the work at hand. p.s. hm, on second thought, BrewLounge and Spam just became more highly searchable on the Web. ggrrr. (okay, so now I've changed the title to address that potential issue)