Back from San Francisco, with a few friends in tow

If you could come home with only 3 bottles in your suitcase (to keep it under the 50 pound limit), would you be disappointed with this take? Neither would/was I :)

Back from San Francisco, but first a note for Bill Brand

Over the next week, I'll share my thoughts of San Francisco's Beer Week.

But, first and most importantly, for those who have not heard the reports, one of the industry's respected voices was critically injured last Sunday evening after leaving a beer dinner in San Francisco.

William (Bill) Brand was hit by a San Francisco Muni Metro train after leaving the Homebrew Chef Beer Dinner at the 21st Amendment Brewery and Restaurant. For me, this came as even sadder news the following morning as I had shared a table with Bill and six others at what was a tremendous dinner of fellowship, food, and beer.

For someone with whom I'd only shared email correspondence in the past, Bill was quick to engage me as well as the others around the table. I was so pleased to finally meet him in person. He was an active part of everyone's dining experience at our table, even as he set about with his notepad to document the many facets of the evening. The beer was an equal part of the night, if not perhaps less so to him, with the food and the people and their stories. This was evident in the questions he asked as well as the frequent use of the "dump bucket" in the middle of the table.

The picture above is of him discussing the components of the evening with Sean Paxton (aka The Homebrew Chef).

After dinner, as he was leaving he made sure to turn back to me to say, "Bryan, I'll see you in Philly." I'm holding him to that and ask that we all keep him in our thoughts and prayers for a quick return to spreading the message of good beer.

For more complete coverage of Bill's progress, be sure to follow the sites listed below. As you'll see mentioned in more than one place, nightly toasts have been held in Bill's honor since Sunday. I participated in Toronado's on Monday, which was led by proprietor Dave Keane. I encourage others in the Bay Area and beyond to continue to do the same. Cheers Bill!

Bill Brand's and Jessica Yadegaran's Bottom's Up Bill's Facebook page (updated by his wife, from what I understand) Jay Brooks' Brookston Beer Bulletin Jesse Friedman's Beer and Nosh (with a great across-the-table picture of Bill at work)

Philly Beer Week 2009. Seriously? Seriously.

Somewhere in the ballpark of 500 daily events over 10 days at over 90 establishments in and outside of the city. You know where to find the updates. (UPDATED: 3/5/09) I've been fond of saying over these past weeks that this year's lineup is looking so solid that if you told me I could only go to one event and you'd spin the wheel to choose my event, there'd be little chance that I'd be disappointed in the outcome. Last year, there was a flurry of (sorry to say) "events" (term used quite loosely) at two-bit bars scheduled in the last minutes that probably didn't deserve to be riding the coattails of Philly Beer Week. I'm not seeing that this year and that's a very good thing in my estimation. But, still...how to choose? Party on...

Philly Beer Week 2009: Sly Fox Brewing Profile

Last year I did a profile for each of most of the local breweries in the Philadelphia region. I've updated them, but instead of once again spilling them out across the page here, I'll simply point you over to where you can find and download the profile.

Sly Fox has two locations, the original in Phoenixville, PA and the other in Royersford, PA. They continue to grow production and distribution, in both bottles and now more than ever...cans. Click here for a 2009 updated Profile of Sly Fox.

An addition to the profiles this year will be an interview with a key "player" at each establishment. Brian O'Reilly will be celebrating his 7 year anniversary with Sly Fox (hopefully no 7 year itch) and spent some time with me on a bit of Q&A.

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The Brew Lounge: Going into our second year of showcasing the region in Philly Beer Week, do you think the region gets fair props from other parts of the country?
Brian O'Reilly: I don't think people fully realize how great the beer scene is here in Philly. It is hard to explain our tavern culture to people that have not been here. When I try to explain it they seem to think I am talking about an old, corner bar. You have to experience the whole thing together to get it. This means sitting down, having some food and a conversation, not just looking at a beer list.

TBL: What do you think is one part of the brewing/beer industry that is missing from the Delaware Valley?
B.O.: Volume of local beer, but that is changing rapidly, all of the small production brewers are growing.

TBL: Successfully expanding brewing and distribution, continuing awards, contract brewing, more goats than ever. Are you having as much fun as you've ever had at work?
B.O.: My job is more complicated now, but I have much more help. It is a natural progression. My challenges are different, but it is rewarding working with such a great team of Owners, Brewers, and sales staff. I still have fun, but the stakes get bigger. There are a lot of people to think of every day. Our wholesalers, tavern owners, and direct customers are all partners in our growth.

TBL: How do you see the success of the Goat Races & Bock Festival continuing to grow?
B.O.: We hope it does not grow too much more too quick. We are still trying to work through parking and neighbor issues, but it is a great event! What more do you need? Goats, Bock Beer, food, family environment, and German oompah music?

TBL: The IPA Project had a long run, but you're morphing it into a similar project. Do you have much emotion for the end of the IPA Project?
B.O.: No, we were done. It had lost it's luster this last year. I'm really enjoying the Pale ales now.

TBL: Goat races, Bock Beers, IPA Project, Cans...there have been some pretty clever ideas. Share an idea or two that didn't make it off the drawing board.
B.O.: I have some ideas that have not come to fruition yet. We are looking at a couple collaboration brews, they may or may not happen. We are still experimenting with canning the O'Reilly's stout. I think I have it figured out, but the can manufacturer has such a big minimum order that the project would cost a small fortune.

TBL: What's the most clever euphemism or usage of the word 'can' that you've used or has been used on you?
B.O.: Cantacular Cantastic and Candemonium are old standbys in my pun repertoire. Have you seen this?

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Philly Beer Week 2009: Victory Brewing Profile

Last year I did a profile for each of most of the local breweries in the Philadelphia region. I've updated them, but instead of once again spilling them out across the page here, I'll simply point you over to where you can find and download the profile.

Victory Brewing is located in Downingtown, PA. They make an ever widening number of styles and brands and have been showcasing them in a recently-completed renovated restaurant. Click here for a 2009 updated Profile of Victory.

An addition to the profiles this year will be an interview with a key "player" at each establishment. At Victory, Bill Covaleski is one of the founding partners. He sat down to answer a few questions.

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The Brew Lounge: What is the most surprising thing to you about your school bus trip that got this big?
Bill Covaleski: Our audience's capacity to appreciate and support the full flavored creations that good craftbrewers are putting out. When we opened in 1996 it was with three beers, a Dortmunder, our Festbier, and this really crazy beer that we were proud of but expected no one to like, maybe for many years, HopDevil Ale. HopDevil was radical at that time and it has become a 'must have' beer in area bars. This is quite an accomplishment in 13 years, for the audience's tastes to have expanded so greatly, and of course, so correctly. We really are thrilled to be serving this audience. It's rewarding and fulfilling for both parties.

TBL: All told, you have what? 8, 10, 12 brewers? Is it difficult to manage a brewing staff of that size? Do egos get in the way?
BC: I count 9 brewers. The complexity of scheduling them exists in that there are three departments: brewhouse, fermentation and packaging. Fortunately those scheduling duties are in the very capable hands of Scott Dietrich, our Director of Brewery Operations. Scott also has a team of 3 Mechanics and 1 Plant Manger at his disposal. It's actually a lean staff and a great climate of teamwork has been fostered since the days it was just Ron and I doing it all. As two, the challenge was to set the next brewer up so he had LESS to do in his shift. If everyone works to accomplish that, great efforts get done. There is no other way it will work because this is still very much a demanding business.

TBL: What is the weekly Brewing Operations schedule? Do you foresee going 24x7 any time soon?
BC: Brewhouse and fermentation typically work two shifts daily and 1 in packaging. 24 hour operations will come before 7 day a week operations as we have always cleared weekends as time off, except for the weekly brewer that gets to take tank gravities that weekend. That duty rotates on a long term schedule so no one is surprised.

TBL: What's the next scheduled expansion (brewhouse, fermenters, etc.)?
BC: We just signed off for 4 x 400 bbl. fermenters from Germany today! We look to install them here in July after some renovations to a new space. I'll bet our President claims that his 'stimulus' made this to happen. Yeah, right...

TBL: At Victory, is it Bill & Ron, or Ron & Bill? Who's the more ambitious of the two of you?
BC: When we compared SAT scores in high school it was apparent that we had different strengths, and so it continues. We rely on one another to handle the tasks that that person was built for. I think you'd have to spend some time with us to determine if one is more ambitious than the other.

TBL: Is it time for a break yet?
BC: Nope. Lunch is over so the nose goes back to the grindstone. There is light at the end of the tunnel (happy hour) and it looks like golden liquid capped with pristine foam! Fortunately, we have built a very, very good supporting team and so we accomplish a lot, and drink a lot, together.

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What is Philly Beer Week?

All this Beer Week stuff is what, you ask? Philadelphia appears to have really kicked things into high gear in 2008 with a full ten days of almost 200 event across the region. Some get concerned why this shouldn't be defined as City Proper; I'm not so concerned about events in the city versus suburbs since I'm a firm believer that in the times we live in, neither can flourish without the other. In any case, Philly is back this year with almost 450 events scattered around the region and at least a dozen other city-regions around the country have attempted to do the same (e.g. one that I'll be indulging in beginning this weekend) If you missed last year's action in Philly, you might like to check out an index where I compiled everything that I did (but not everything I saw and heard, y'know protect the not-so-innocent ;-) We're almost at the four week countdown. Anything already on your "must-do list"?

Philly Beer Week 2009: Triumph Brewing Profile

Last year I did a profile for each of most of the local breweries in the Philadelphia region. I've updated them, but instead of once again spilling them out across the page here, I'll simply point you over to where you can find and download the profile.

Triumph Brewery is located in Princeton, NJ, New Hope, PA, and Philadelphia, PA. They make a wide-ranging number of styles, but concentrate a lot of focus on perfecting the perfect pilsner and other beers of the lager variety. Click here for a 2009 updated Profile of Triumph Brewery.

An addition to the profiles this year will be an interview with a key "player" at each establishment. At Triumph, Patrick Jones is the head brewer at Philadelphia's Old City location. He indulged me for a few questions.

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The Brew Lounge: Some major events in the last year include celebrating the 1st anniversary in the Old City location and the death of Jay Misson. I know this is a long first question, but here goes: What surprises have there been/what have you learned about brewing in Old City. And, how has the loss of Jay continued to be felt, but on the other hand in what ways do you feel that you/the company have moved on? (okay, sorry, that's more like 2 1/2 questions)
Patrick Jones: Well, it's interesting to look back and reflect on both fronts. First, I already knew that Philly, in general, was more beer-sophisticated than the burbs, but I was surprised by the product mix I saw week after week at Triumph (that's not a slam on the burbs, remember Triumph is in New Hope as well and wouldn't be there if we couldn't sell good beer). Honey Wheat is our lightest and driest beer and constitutes about 25% of sales of beer. Its the best-selling beer as a single brand. But, that also means that 75% is of the "other" brands. IPA, Stout, Pilsner, Tripel, Smoked, etc. So the majority of our guests that drink beer are drinking "the good stuff". The ratio was the most shocking. For the record, IPA is #2 for the bulk of the calendar year. Sometime seasonals take its place, like Hefeweizen, Oktoberfest, and Pumpkin Ale. Second, beyond the personal loss I felt with his passing (I met Jay in the spring of 2000 and we became friends by early 2002), he was student of the craft and ideally wanted everyone around him to become one as well. His day in and day out passion to oversee the production of the best beer possible will be sorely missed. Jay being a cheerleader of sorts has forced us as brewers to find inner strength and motivation to continue the good fight, and now rely not on him, but on each other for advise, support, and experience.

TBL: Do you find that your customer base appreciates and even demands the lager styles that you have become well known for?
PJ: I do to some degree. On the good side, I have noticed that the sales of our lagers have grown from about 20% to 35% of beer sales. Also, when other brewers from the area come in they almost always get a lager and more often than not, a Pils (since I carry at least one all the time). I hope its because they are really good and not because they think the other beers I make are sub-par. I guess you'll have to ask them. On the down side, I know that lagers in general do not have the same cache as Imperial "whatevers", Belgian styles, and barrel-aged beers. So in a way I'm going against the grain. I'm going to make an "Imperialized" Pilsner in a few weeks. Not sure what the name of the beer is yet, but hopefully it will satisfy the hop heads out there.

TBL: Do you have a personal favorite either the regular lineup or specialty brews that you do?
PJ: German Pilsner or Kellerbier and Hefeweizen. All German, I know, but admittedly I don't sip, I drink. I really enjoy the simplicity of a good, crisp, very dry Pils. It makes me want more and more and more. Hefeweizen can pack plenty of flavor and is very refreshing in the summer. Its also is great with fresh goat cheese.

TBL: When you're not putting back one of your own beers, do you have favorite(s) from others in the industry? Or how about liquid vices other than beer?
PJ: The two beers that I usually have in my fridge are Sierra Neveda Pale and Victory Prima Pils. My wife has the same taste as me, to some degree, and both beers are readily available.

TBL: You skipped GABF this year didn't you? Can we expect to see you back on the podium next year?
PJ: I was there. I go every year. Its usually a guys long weekend with friends from Nashville and Miami. So for the podium, I guess I'm always there in spirit, but hopefully in person next year. Keep your fingers crossed.

TBL: Okay, now I'm embarrassed. Of course I recall seeing you and talking about your beers that you entered. Let's see if I can move along here.
TBL: You've been writing about Cheese & Beer pairings in Ale Street News for a little while. Is this the most fascinating beer/food combination to you? Or is there a more "deserted island" pairing that you can think of?
PJ: It may not be the "most" fascinating, but it ranks right up there my book. Think about it. Simplistically speaking, beer comes from grain which is a grass. Cheese comes from milk but originated as grass. There just a cow (or goat, or sheep, etc.) in the middle, as Garrett Oliver would say. As for "desert island" scenario, my #2 would be the one listed above, but my #1 would be a North German Pils married with Montgomery's Cheddar. The Pils hopefully be my own (biased I know) and Montgomery's is rich and buttery but with just enough acidic tang to stand up to the dry finish of the Pils. Awesome!

TBL: Where do you see beer and food pairings in the general public's eye over the coming years?
PJ: The more restaurant owners see the monetary potential of carrying/selling craft beers and subsequently the more chefs learn that beer can be used in cooking and pairing with food the better informed the general public will be because of the immense exposure. Owners/chefs can be another driving force in the "battle" of food and beverage pairings. I watch Top Chef on Bravo with my wife and in the episodes that the chefs create menus and pairing them with wine, beer is never an option (unless I missed that episode). Until enough people get on board (owners and chefs), the public will not follow because of the lack of access to the beers and education about them, and also how well beer can pair with food. In some cases, it can pair even better. Try spicy Mexican with red wine. Yuck! Ok, I'm off my soap box now.

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And, on that note, let's move along and get to scheduling some visits to Triumph during Philly Beer Week. Next up in this year's Profiles will be Bill Covaleski of Victory Brewing in Downingtown, PA.

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Do you know your way to San Francisco Beer Week?

Well, if you don't, then you might wind up in San Jose. Not that there's anything wrong with San Jose, but they don't have nearly the craft brewing scene that the San Francisco Bay Area has. And certainly not nearly what will be taking place from February 6-15. So, you need a good planning tool to get you around San Francisco Beer Week. As did I. I'll be in the Bay Area and taking in a handful or so of events while there. But, as with my planning for Philly Beer Week, I had difficulty using the official SFBW website to plan anything for more than one day or one area in which to take in SFBW. So, I did what anyone with my tendencies would do and made a tidy little list of all events to aid with my planning...and shared it with you. I won't be twittering while there; so don't ask :) But, if you and I haven't already spoken with you about meeting up during SFBW, drop me an ol' fashioned e-mail.

Beer Dates In History: February Anniversaries

30 years Boulder Beer 20 years Free State Brewing Karl Strauss (San Diego) 15 years Blue Cat Brewpub Lagunitas 10 years Silver Peak

Go Super Bowl...yea...whatever

I'm a bitter, petty fan. I'm the type that wants to see the team that beat mine to be likewise beaten, times ten. That's just me, no apologies. Others want to know that their team lost to the ultimate championship team. But, a Cinderella story like the Arizona Cardinals. They were never really hateable, even when they were in the Eagles division. Not even when the Eagles almost moved to Phoenix, and barely even still now that the, uh, "city" of Phoenix has taken over Philadelphia in the mostly pointless debate about largest cities. So, who am I pulling for in this year's Super Bowl? Eh, flip a coin I suppose. Pittsburgh I suppose is where my heart would be. I enjoy at least one trip a year there for hockey and beer. The city's pretty decent, the people not so bad either...except for the rabid fans who really want to pretend to be like voracious Eagles fans ;-) A couple of years ago when the Steelers got their 'one for the thumb,' I wrote a little bit (by my standards ;-) about Pittsburgh. Most of which content still holds true. So, if you care to read about Pittsburgh and its beers and bars, then take the beer machine back a couple of years in time and check out what the 'Burgh has to offer. If that doesn't interest you, perhaps a compilation of someone's choice of the top 43 Super Bowl commercials will. (get it, right? Super Bowl 43 or XLIII) Maybe this year's Super Bowl will end with Kurt Warner's team being stymied on the half yard line; that'd be ironic, eh? Enjoy the weekend, however you may choose to do.

Vintage Beer + Breweriana Swap Meet at Memphis Taproom: 3/15/2009

The creative events. These will be one of Philly Beer Week's strengths in its sophomore go round. When it comes to creativity, Brendan and Leigh at Memphis Taproom (and, of course, Local 44 as well) lead the charge. Anyone can do a Meet & Greet...and they're fine as a chance to drink some beer and chat with a brewer that you admire. There are close to 50 of them during this year's PBW. There are some physical activities (shameless plug), a Partly Sunny in Philadelphia promotion, a dog (PAWS) event, and a cheesesteak contest. But, this event at the Memphis Taproom gets to a different part of the industry that I'm guessing counts many more members than most would believe. Collectors. Every industry has them, and the brewing industry is no different. Brewing equipment, books, labels, advertisements, caps, and bottles are some of the more commonly collected items. Memphis Taproom is looking for as many dealers/sellers to come out and show/sell/trade their wares (some may even contain "a liquid" as a bonus). And, hey, you don't have to be an actual, registered dealer...just someone with some beer stuff that you want to trade or sell. Here is the text from the Event's calendar listing... This is an open call for any vintage beer or breweriana collectors interested in setting up shop for the afternoon. The event will be held on Sunday March 15 from 12pm-3pm. This is a chance for seasoned collectors to buy/sell/swap treasures and an opportunity for the rest of us to try to get a hold of rare or never seen beer and beer-related stuff. There is no fee to join in, but space is somewhat limited, contact leigh@memphistaproom.com to reserve your place. (Act fast!)

How to use the Philly Beer Week 2009 Schedule

>> UPDATED: 3/5/2009 <<

** (If you don't care for my blathering, hop to the last paragraph to find a downloadable version of this year's Philly Beer Week Schedule) ** Do I ask for too much? Well, sometimes the answer could possibly be, yes. But, for the second year in a row, I'm struggling to make sense of the Philly Beer Week schedule on the official website. Last year's was downright impossible, so I put a little something together that made it easier for myself and I shared it with all of you. It was fine, but admittedly, not great. This year's version, it's a tad better, but still I've gone a step farther and made what I think is a very useful spreadsheet out of the calendar by copying all of the events off the website. Now, at a glance, we can ask some questions and get some very quick answers: ~ I can only go to PBW on Tuesday night after 7pm, how many events do I have to choose from? One click...done. ~ How many events is Tavern 17 having? One click...done. ~ I don't like the City, how many events are in Paoli or Wayne? One click for Paoli, one click for Wayne...final answer. ~ I'm on a strict budget and can only go 3/13-3/15, how many Free/PAYG events are scheduled on the last weekend of PBW? Two clicks, done. And on and on and on....I think those examples illustrate the point and get you thinking about how you can use a more practical calendar. With the website's current calendar, you pick a day, wait for the images to load, scroll up, scroll down, scroll all around until you find some event(s) that you are looking for, click the details to find more information, click the map...and on and on with the hunting and pecking process from day to day, back and forth, jotting down notes or however you find it convenient to make a list of things you'd like to do. Then, you forget what you do, or the schedule changes from one day to the next and you almost have to star over. Great, right? Only if you've got the time for that sort of thing. But, if a clean and concise list of all the events that you can sort and filter your way through is more your thing, you can either download it from here (then be sure to do File/Export/.XLS to complete the download....or just drop a note to me over here and I'll email a copy out to you. The list is sure to change over the coming weeks, and I'll update every few days or so. Until then, prepare thyself...it's coming, again.

One of Philly Beer Week's Most Improved Components in 2009

When asked for feedback after last year's Philly Beer Week festivities, one of my top suggestions to "The Committee" was related to transportation. Of the days I attended, if I recall correctly, all but two of them begun and ended on a train from and to the 'burbs. It worked out almost seamlessly each time. But, I was hoping for some involvement from SEPTA or private transportation company to provide some better transport around town to the various events. Like the transportation package deals that are arranged for other major conventions, like the annual Flower Show, discounted rates and more frequent service would make some sense. There was, at one point last year, some discussion about private shuttle buses of some kind to get people directly from one event to another. Apparently that never came to light. Getting to know and understand the bus service (with the lack of great inter-city SEPTA train service) can be tricky for those who aren't very familiar with it or the city's layout. So I thought the idea of these private shuttle buses was brilliant to literally get people from door-to-door once in the city. For example, I began one night at Bridgewater's at 30th Street Station, walked along a bus route to get to London Grill (hoping to hop the bus as it passed, but no luck), waited for and then took a different bus from London Grill to Old City where I went to The Khyber, then Triumph, before hailing a cab back to 30th Street Station. This was typical of other days as well where the Broad Street Subway was used to reach South Philly Taproom, the Market Frankford El got me to Johnny Brenda's and Memphis Taproom, and the Subway Surface Trolley got me to Dock Street Brewery. I wouldn't expect many out-of-towners to put this level of planning or learning into getting around the city. That's why some level of shuttle busing would sure have been nice. Especially where there are clusters of events that might make sense to promote as one. So where are we this year? I don't yet hear any chatter of private shuttles, but we do have a deal with SEPTA. $9??? Brilliant. Unlimited! All-day! Every form of SEPTA! Awesome. For a traveler looking to take in a day or two of events this might work out very well. If you're spending everyday in the city and looking to use SEPTA, a weekly pass might be a better plan (dunno since I didn't crunch the numbers). Whatever you do, make sure you check out SEPTA's offer. The PBW committee put a lot of effort in to securing this deal and when it comes to drinking and safety, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones (not to mention strangers on the street) to be responsible. Sip Safely with SEPTA, an unlimited, all-day, bus-trolley-rail pass that will be sold for $9.00, valid any one day between March 6 and March 15. This pass is valid on SEPTA services, to encourage PBW participants to travel safely, rather than driving from event to event. Sip Safely with SEPTA passes will be available for sale at most SEPTA locations starting January 30. For a complete list of sales locations, or to purchase a pass online, please visit www.phillybeerweek.org and click on travel.

Three Great-looking Upcoming Beer Dinner Menus

Here are a few upcoming beer dinners and their anticipated menus/pairings. Starting with tonight, we've got a Tröegs Dinner at the General Sutter Inn in Lititz, PA...a Stone Dinner at The Drafting Room in Exton, PA next month...and, in March, a Stoudt's Dinner at High Street Caffe in West Chester, PA. Tröegs Beer Dinner at General Sutter Inn Wednesday, January 28th @ 6:30pm 5 courses, 6 beers for $55 - does not include tax & gratuity Call 717-626-2115 Reservations required Social Time Tröegs Pale Ale First Course Tröegs Rugged Trail Ale paired with Thai Halibut with Coconut Curry Broth Second Course Tröegs Hop Back Amber Ale paired with Endive Spears, Stilton Cheese, Toasted Pecans and Sautéed Pears Third Course Tröegs Tröegenator Double Bock paired with Aged Filet of Beef Carpaccio Charred Tomato Oil Fourth Course Tröegs Nugget Nectar paired with Grilled Hanger Steak, Maytag Bleu Demi Glace Fifth Course Tröegs DreamWeaver Wheat Ale paired with Grilled Banana with Mexican Chocolate and Cherries

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Stone Beer Dinner at The Drafting Room/Exton Tuesday, February 10th @ 6:45pm $59.00 per Person (Tax & Gratuity Not Included) Call 610-363-0521 Reservations Required The Food Tasso Wrapped Shrimp, Blackberry Cider Drizzle, Corn Shoots Double Smoked Duck Breast, Pine Nut & Tillamook Ravioli, Mushroom Confit & Cherry Balsamic Syrup House made Buffalo Pastrami, Dijon Chive Reduction, Bacon, Onion & Brussel Sprouts, Shingled Potatoes & Herbs, Micro-Greens Steeped Mocha Torte, Salted Macadamia Crust, Winter Orange Crème, Raspberry Drizzle The Beer (all on Tap) Stone Pale Ale Double Bastard Ale (2006) Double Bastard (2008) Stone IPA Stone Imperial Russian Stout (2007) Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine (2007)

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Stoudt's Beer Dinner at High Street Caffe Wednesday, March 18th Call 610-696-7435 Reservations required Cost is $45 per person - does not include tax & gratuity Reception - Stoudt's Pils First Course - Stoudt's American Pale Ale paired with Crawfish & Andouille Bread Pudding Second Course - Stoudt's Mai Bock paired with Crab Nachos with Avocado Coulis Third Course - Stoudt's Belgian Triple paired with Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potato & Tasso Hash Fourth Course - Stoudt's Fat Dog Stout paired with Duo of Chocolate (Chocolate Flourless Torte & Chocolate Mousse)

Villa Capri in Doylestown, PA

Villa Capri was originally a pizza place and later, in 1983, expanded to a restaurant. The restaurant has been in the Mannino family for 41 years and Matt Mannino has been operating it for the past 18 years. Ten years ago, the bar was added. Recently, better beer has been popping up at the bar and in the cooler.

I caught their second attempt at introducing well-crafted beer to its customers earlier in January. They'd hosted Oskar Blues the first time around and are looking to have them back again, along with Dogfish Head and "something organic" over the next few months. The plan will be to do a craft beer night on the second Thursday of each month.

Our trip to Doylestown was a breeze considering the event began at 9pm. No traffic, no fuss...just a quick trip 35-40 minute trip from home to Villa Capri.

Lee Marren, late of Spinnerstown and Legacy Brewing, was on hand as Stone's (California) Mid-Atlantic sales rep. He was pouring Pale Ale, Smoked Porter, and Arrogant Bastard paired with slices of Villa Capri's Chicken Alfredo, Proscuitto & Artichoke, and Taco pizza. At $10, the price was just right. On top of the 5 or 6 (?) ounce tastings and the pizza, there was a bomber bottle of Stone given as a nice little takeaway as well.

 
I got a kick out of, in lieu of a missing case of Stone IPA, Peroni was instead substituted. This was just after I picked up a sticker from Lee's table of marketing schwag that reads: "Fizzy Yellow Beer is For Wussies." Not that Peroni is terrible, just in no where near the league of any of Stone's offerings.

Around 15 people were there to sample food and beer pairings. I figured for an establishment just beginning to do this sort of thing...and at 9pm on a Thursday night...that this was a respectable showing and bodes well for future tastings at Villa Capri.

They were the first pizza place in Doylestown serving Italian food. The ambiance is nice, too, for kicking back with some good beers and Italian food. They offer patio dining in the nicer weather and cozy fireside dining in the winter months. The ski chalet-like hearth keeps the fire burning to create a comfy dining environment.

They also cater and have a full service bar looking to expand to more craft beers. (In the cooler on the night of my visit was Flying Fish, Stone, Oskar Blues, and Sierra Nevada). Not to be left out, a wine tasting with Sand Castle will be conducted in February. Another reason to check out Villa Capri is the Live Piano taking place during First Fridays in Doylestown.

I have very little experience in Doylestown; this is one place I'd be comfortable in recommending.

Beer Calendar: What To Do in February 2009

February delivers the love with a San Francisco Beer Week of ten days sandwiched within the Bay Area's annual Strong Beer Month. Let's see how they measure up to Philadelphia's Gold Standard. Back here at home, there's plenty to do. Below is a good sampling. If I'm missing any that you feel should be on here, let me know. Enjoy! $20 and under, down to and including FREE...Pay As You Go (PAYG) also included here Philadelphia Mon. 2/2 - 2009 Groundhog Day Hawaiian Shirt Beer Breakfast and Lucky Cat Beer Prognostication @Grey Lodge, Philadelphia, PA (7am-10am; PAYG) Thu. 2/5 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (Schwarzbier)@Triumph, Philadelphia, PA (6pm; PAYG) Wed. 2/11 - La Chouffe Night @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7pm-9pm; PAYG) Thu. 2/12 - Sierra Nevada Promo Night @Earth Bread + Brewery, Philadelphia, PA (6:30pm; PAYG) Fri. 2/13 - Friday the Firkinteenth 18 @Grey Lodge, Philadelphia, PA (all day; PAYG) Sat. 2/21 - Bourbon, Beer, and Cheese @The Institute, Philadelphia, PA (4pm-6pm; PAYG) Sun. 2/22 - Oskar Blues Oscar Night Pajama Party @The Institute, Philadelphia, PA (7pm; PAYG) Wed. 2/25 - Stone Night @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7pm-9pm; PAYG) Fri. 2/27-Sat. 2/28 - Countdown to St. Patrick’s Day @McGillin's, Philadelphia, PA (PAYG) Philadelphia's close suburbs Tue. 2/3 - Long Beard Contest + Six Point & Mussels promotion @High Street Grill, Mount Holly, NJ (7pm-10pm; PAYG) Thu. 2/5 - Nugget Nectar Firkin @Teresa's Next Door, Wayne, PA (6pm; PAYG) Thu. 2/5 - Rogue Dead Guy Firkin and other Rogue specialties @The Drafting Room, Spring House, PA (5:30pm; PAYG) Fri. 2/6 - Friday Night Tasting (Sierra Nevada Torpedo) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (5pm-7pm; free) Fri. 2/6 - Be Mine on the Main Line (co-sponsored by Weyerbacher) @Blush, Bryn Mawr, PA (7pm-11pm; $10 charitable donation) Wed. 2/11 - Sierra Nevada Torpedo @Teresa's Next Door, Wayne, PA (6pm; PAYG) Fri. 2/27 - Final Friday Firkin Night (Tröegs Nugget Nectar) @High Street Grill, Mount Holly, NJ (PAYG) Greater Philadelphia Metro / Eastern Pennsylvania Thu. 2/4 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (Cherry Brown Ale)@Triumph, Princeton, NJ (6pm; PAYG) Thu. 2/6 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (Kellerbier)@Triumph, New Hope, PA (6pm; PAYG) Thu. 2/12 - Victory Brew & Pizza @Villa Capri, Doylestown, PA (9pm; $10)Thu. 2/12 - Thursday Night Tasting (Sierra Nevada) @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA (7pm-9pm; free) Thu. 2/12 - Firkin of Tröegs Nugget Nectar @Canal Street Pub, Reading, PA (PAYG) Wed. 2/18 - Beer 101@Triumph, New Hope, PA (7pm; $20) Sat. 2/21 - New Holland Tasting @Union Jack's, Boyertown, PA (7pm; PAYG) Thu. 2/26 - Thursday Night Tasting (Stone) @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA (7pm-9pm; free) Fri. 2/27 - Cask Ale Night (Tröegs Nugget Nectar & Lancaster Shoo Fly Porter) @General Sutter Inn, Lititz, PA (4:30pm-6:30pm; PAYG) Elsewhere Thu. 2/5 - Man's Best Friends: A Beer and Dog Pairing Art Show @Steinbeck's, Decatur, GA (7pm; PAYG) Fri. 2/6-Sun. 2/8 - Cask Head Festival @Brazen Head, New York, NY (Noon-close; no cover, PAYG) Fri. 2/6-Sun. 2/15 - San Francisco Beer Week @various locations around San Francisco Bay Area, CA (see website for detailed listings) Fri. 2/13-Sun. 2/15 - Belgian Beer Fest 2009 @Max's, Baltimore, MD (11am-2am; cash only, PAYG) Fri. 2/13 - Firkin of Tröegs Nugget Nectar @Fat Head's, Pittsburgh, PA (PAYG) Mon. 2/23 - Firkin of Tröegs Nugget Nectar @Pizzeria Paradiso, Washington, D.C. (PAYG) Events Over $20 Philadelphia Thu. 2/12 - Chocolate Dreams @Tria, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm-8:30pm; $60) Thu. 2/12-Sun. 2/15 - Love Stout and Oysters @London Grill, Philadelphia, PA (daily beginning at 6pm; $100/couple) Thu. 2/19 - Go Play in the Yards @Tria, Philadelphia, PA (6:00pm-8:30pm; $45) Philadelphia's close suburbs Sat. 2/7 - Winterfest @General Lafayette, Lafayette Hill, PA (12:00pm-3:30pm; $45) Sun. 2/8 - The Winter Beer Bus Tour 2009 @High Street Grill, Mount Holly, NJ (11am-8pm; $100) Tue. 2/10 - Stone Beer Dinner @The Drafting Room, Exton, PA (6:45pm; $59) Wed. 2/11 - Stone Beer Dinner @The Drafting Room, Spring House, PA (6:45pm; $59) Sun. 2/22 - Double IPA Day @Teresa's Next Door, Wayne, PA (11am; PAYG) Sat. 2/28 - First Annual Brewfest @Maggio's, Southampton, PA (1pm-5pm; $30/$35) Greater Philadelphia Metro / Eastern Pennsylvania Wed. 2/11 - Vertical Tasting of Fuller's Vintage Ale @General Sutter Inn, Lititz, PA (6:30pm; $28.50) Tue. 2/17 - Beer & Seafood Dinner @Union Barrel Works, Reamstown, PA (6:30pm; $40) Sat. 2/28 - Brewer's Winter Beer Festival @Stoudt's, Adamstown, PA (7pm-11pm; $30) Elsewhere Tue. 2/3 - Annual Barleywine Dinner @Falling Rock Tap House, Denver, CO (7:30pm; $50/$60) Fri. 2/20 - Night of the Barrels @The Cyclorama @ The Boston Center For The Arts, Boston, MA (6:00pm-9:30pm; $50) Sat. 2/21 - Extreme Beer Fest @The Cyclorama @ The Boston Center For The Arts, Boston, MA (1:00pm-4:30pm, 6:00pm-9:30pm; $40) Sat. 2/21-Sun. 2/22 - "Hell with The Lid Off" Barleywine Festival @Kelly's Bar & Lounge, Pittsburgh, PA (4pm-8pm, 1pm-5pm; $TBD)

A Matter of Principle

I won't be the one to presume that I should tell you what to do in the realm of right and wrong. What I will point out, however, is something that I've been sitting on for around a week or so. The topic is the Philly Craft Beer Festival, a festival that where hope was once heaped upon to become an annual eponymous Philadelphian oasis for beer lovers. I didn't say anything and I'm now off the hook as Phoodie.info and Jack Curtin have spoken up. See, in the beer rich region that I live and play in, I will rarely...if ever...be the one to break news in our wonderful world of beer. So when I came upon this piece of news, I didn't know exactly what to do with it. Let's just say that whenever possible, and within my humanly capable self, I try to be a principled person. So when I see or hear of others taking a stand for what they believe to be just, then I applaud them and want to bring attention to it. I'll say that I, like Jack, don't know a lot more on the subject than some of the first and first-and-a-half-hand knowledge that I have been provided. I trust these sources enough to say that this issue with the Philly Craft Beer Festival existed two years ago, it existed last year, and it appears to be bigger than ever issue this year, to the tune of many local breweries withdrawing their attendance. If I can get an exact count, I'll be sure to let you all know. As I pointed out above, in this beer rich region, there's little excuse not to know what's going on in the world of beer. There are more informed beer drinkers and beer writers around here knowledgably drinking and discussing the product...this includes everything from beer releases to the politics of beer. I believe it's a fairly good bet that there are more beer writers per capita here in the Philly region than anywhere else in the country....perhaps world? I'll leave this simply at the suggestion that you should look at all of the beer events during Philly Beer Week, look at their credentials (to the best of your ability...what's happening, who's benefiting, and how the business is being conducted) and determine who deserves your consumer dollars. As a consumer, you should demand no less....and remember that Philly Beer Week is much larger than any one event.

Beef 'n' Beer at South Philadelphia Taproom: 1/25/09

A lazy Sunday afternoon on the weekend before the Super Bowl. What else to do? Especially for a particular South Philly bar owner (that'd be John Longacre), the answer seemed obvious: Throw a Beef 'n' Beer event. And for close to 100 pub-goers, the answer seemed equally obvious. Thanks to Joe Beddia of South Philadelphia Taproom (and soon, but not "too soon" to be, Brew....just down the street at 15th) for reminding me of their event yesterday at SPTR and inviting me in. The starting time of 3pm was perfect. It gave those with cobwebs from the previous night a chance to clear them out, while all but guaranteeing, that with a 6pm finish time, it wouldn't be be late Sunday night. Great planning guys. I arrived with around an hour to go, fortunately the taps were still flowing all four gravity-fed cask conditioned beers. Close to 100 people had come out for this event. I'm not sure the last time I was at a Beef 'n' Beer where the customer was the beneficiary. And, benefit we did from the meat and potatoes laden buffet table and the beer. Chef Scott Schroeder had some hand-carved sirloin, short rib tacos, and steak tartare along with the appropriate sides and fixins. A firkin each of Yards ESA (is there any place this beer isn't showing up lately?), Sly Fox Burns Scottish (only one to-date in Philly proper), PBC Joe Porter (finally got my lips on this one and was not disappointed), and Nodding Head BPA (perfect as always on my palate). I'm drawing a blank on the "special hopping" for the Yards ESA, maybe someone can help to answer that question of mine. Reps from each of the breweries were there, though come to think of it I don't believe I saw anyone from Nodding Head unless they were there earlier. I hung around for a little extra longer to learn that the coffee should likely be flowing from SPTR's new venture, Brew, down the street before the beer is. Licensing, not the community, appears to be the delay...y'think? Exact date still TBD. And, also long enough to be reminded that I'd never been to one of the their Wheat Beer Fests. Last year, they had around 30 or so breweries representing with an estimated close to 1,000 attendees. This year should be at least as impressive with even more wheat beers and more careful planning for crowd control (read: porta johns). All in all, another good night spent in South Philly, one that will help me to forget a certain Monday night at SPTR when the World Series game was suspended. You know how I feel about up-to-date taplists. Wanna see SPTR's...here's a link.

Belgium Comes, Beers Go in West Chester

Let's see, it was something like 3pm when I arrived at Iron Hill in West Chester. If you don't what was going on, check back over here for details and a taplist. When I arrived, a good five or six kegs had already hit the road. The crowd was teeming and I was thirsty, so I grabbed an Otay (Nodding Head) from the front bar.

Great move on the part of Iron Hill to set up some brews at the front bar to give the impatient types (or agoraphobics) a chance to get a fairly quick beer. Both the front and back bars were packed, as was the main and side dining rooms. Everyone appeared to have a strategy: pick a table; pick a barstool; or pick a piece of standing room. Any way they went, everyone need to be ready to call out a beer, because they were flying off the taps quickly and furiously.

  When I left at 6pm, only a handful remained, including PBC's Fleur de Lehigh (with wormwood, no less) and a couple of Iron hill beauts (Heywood and Cannibal) in the far back. Other than this, what can I tell you? I only had 5 or 6 beers (and numerous "sips"), so it's difficult to tell you which were best of almost 30 beers.

I did really, really enjoy the Cannibal (of course), the Harpoon Hibernian, and General Lafayette's sour strawberry beer, called Bière aigre de fraise. Actually, after having been given several glassfuls, samples, and tastes of various "funked up" beers, the General Lafayette's beer, full of tart fruit flavors could have been right up there as my favorite of the day.

Oh, and in the spirit of not breaking any new news, you'll need to check over here for news (link forthcoming) that I may have been early to receive, but needed to wait in the pecking order to distribute. A tease of an Iron Hill shuffle (not to be confused with Lido, Icky, or East Street) for the time being will need to suffice.

p.s. Jack was there longer than I was (though better behaved than last year, so alas no incriminating pictures), so I'll link to his review when he posts it. oops, right on cue, here it is. It's a good read, with more newsy tidbits than I have but, then again, what else would you expect from a good beer journalist? (gotta get in a compliment every once in a while)

All the Philly Beer that's Fit to Drink

The New York Times covered most of the appropriate bases when they documented the current brewing scene in Philadelphia. In the article, they hit on Earth Bread + Brewery, Yards, and Dock Street, while the pictures covered these plus Triumph, Philadelphia Brewing, Manayunk, and Nodding Head. A good read. Just enough detail to make the article worth reading, while not going on too long for you short-attention span folks.