There's definitely something in the water at Flying Fish

I was looking for the hidden message in this picture sent to me yesterday. I like pizza. I like oysters. I like beer. (turtles, not so much) Looking at the oyster shell formations, the arrangement of the pizza slices. Maybe there was no hidden message afterall. Just a brewer's attempt at getting my attention. Got my attention, now where's my lunch? Dad always said there was no such thing as a free lunch. This Casey Hughes guy sure knows how to use this new-fangled media. Twitter, e-mail, Facebook, company website. All seem to point to a new Flying Fish Exit 1 beer (an oyster stout) debuting in November. I think we're gonna have fun with this one. Looks the brewery already is.

On the Road with The Brew Lounge, Part 2

PARTS 1 & 2 pictures

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A Solid Maine Dinner I'd discovered Local 188 online while doing my homework before our trip north. From their website, it seemed to be the kind of place that I wanted to make sure that we checked out at least for small nibbles and drinks. We got a second opinion from the Brynldson Party of Two that it was a top recommendation from the crew over at Allagash as well. In this case, no one was wrong. The restaurant is billed as having a Spanish Tapas approach, with a focus on locally-sourced food ingredients and drink. The atmosphere is a smart casual one, but really just about anything goes. Some more Shipyard, a Dogfish, and Unibroue all went well with the Grilled Scallops and the flavor-bursting Paella dish. But, our travels and non-stop activity was taking a toll on us; we were fading. Plus, we knew we had a big day ahead of us with a trip to Allagash and finally to Ebenezer's where more food and drink was awaiting us. We knew we'd better rest up. So, we grabbed our blueberry crisp to go, got a couple of glasses of port from the rooftop lounge to take back to our room and called it a night. Novare Res Bier Café would have to wait until next trip. This was one last place that I wanted to check out in Portland. Partly for the stellar looking beer list, but maybe even more so for its "hidden" location, tucked away behind and underneath the tall downtown buildings of Portland. I suppose that's why they invented "next times". The Rest of Portland Speaking of nexts...The next morning, I took off on a 6 mile run around Portland, hoping to see more of the "real" Portland. I'm sure many of you have heard me say that when I travel I try my best to stay away from the more touristy side of the city. I go for a run, I attend a local baseball game, and I visit the bars and brewpubs. These are all ways that help me to identify the real soul and see what an area is really made of. After my run which took me past Shipyard, Patty and I packed up our things and checked out of the hotel. We made a quick stop at Shipyard (wow, what a gift store), then headed down to the water where we did the touristy thing (well, sometimes you've just gotta play the game!) and grabbed some lunch of seafood and Allagash White. A more perfect lunch I've not had in a while. Plus, there were local union workers and others that just come in off the water to suggest that we had chosen the less-touristy of the waterside restaurants (phew, I feel better about myself now!!) When in Portland... Now the clock was really ticking. We still hadn't stopped at Allagash...and this was an absolute must. I mean, seriously, what beer traveler goes to Portland and doesn't stop at Allagash? Skipping Novare the night before, fine. Missing Allagash, no way. We decided enough was enough and finally settled up on our lunch tab and left the idyllically charming lunch. By the time we got to Allagash, Rob and Jason's chauffeur was waiting. Yes, my friends. Some brewers are living the high life. You've heard the term rock star before, right? You know what that means, right? Ah, but I kid. They were doing the responsible thing. They needed to get back to Portland still that evening. So, when you're heading to this kind of feast that Ebenezer's was hosting, the responsible thing to do was to have a driver. Still, it was fun when we pulled up to Allagash to find the Town Car waiting out front and Patty said "I'll bet it's here for Rob!" We had enough time for Jason to give us the 5-cent tour. Typical brewery? Perhaps...until we were led out back to the spontaneous fermentation building. Check out the pictures on their website (use that little linky thing that I put in the last sentence). You'll see a local Philly guy (Mr. Peters) in there helping with some of the brewing process and, of course, the quality control. To call it a building might be a bit generous. A room? Maybe that's better. In any case, it's home to the Cool Ship (koelschip if you want to sound really kool) that was installed a couple of years ago for a bit of experimentation to find out what might be found in the cool Maine air on the outskirts of Portland and how it might help the character of some of their beers. With that and a few beers from the retail shop, we were off. Ebenezer's, Are We There Yet? Our trip to Ebenezer's from Portland seemed to indicate that life in Maine may proceed at just a bit of a slower pace. With two-lane roads and traffic that generally stayed at, or just below, speed limits, we realized that we weren't going to be getting to Ebenezer's nearly as early as we had hoped. This was not good. Too much was riding on this dinner at Ebenezer's to be strolling in late. The drive from Allagash to Ebenezer's in Lovell took a little over an hour and we pulled up a little less than 45 minutes prior to the dinner's "official" start. I say official because there were some pre-dinner rare beers being passed around. We needed to set up our "campsite" before the evening's debauchery, get changed, and mingle with Sean Paxton, Chris Lively, and the scores of other industry folk, beer geeks, and foodies that had gathered for this monumental event. I put some more juice in the camera's battery while I changed clothes, then was shown the way to our dining table seats as the night was about to officially begin.

PARTS 1 & 2 pictures

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On the Road with The Brew Lounge, Part 1

PARTS 1 & 2 pictures

link forward to Part 2

The plan called for Patty and I to leave home around 6pm, with a possible dinner stop at Willimantic in Connecticut along the way, if all went well. All did go well. With leaving home an hour later than expected at 7pm, the traffic was even thinner still than anticipated as we sailed north on the Jersey Turnpike to the GW Bridge. In 2 hours, we were cruising through the Bronx and into Connecticut. A bit of road crew delays on I-95 (when isn't there, right?!) slowed us down but still got us past Hartford in 4 hours. At this rate, we just wanted to get to our hotel stopover and crash. We had some snacks in the car to get us through, arriving in Worcester, MA in just under 5 hours from home. Smooth Sailing So we went to bed beer-less in Worcester, and that was just fine. There'd be enough beer drinking in days to come. If we had some more time to spend, we may have done as Lew did recently and gallivanted a bit more through western Massachusetts. Or, gone a little farther north towards Amherst, where The Femme Fermental will find herself planting her barstool for some time to come. We had another couple of hours of driving in the morning to get to Portland, ME. We were off just after rush hour and sailed straight into Portland two hours later. Well, perhaps just a bit more than that as we were snared by the siren calls of the New Hampshire State Wine & Liquor Outlet just across the New Hampshire border. Liquor Outlet, eh? Why not...some wine and the Powerball ticket that we forgot to buy before we left from home and we were good to go (update: still not millionaires). Maine, finally. Of all the New England states, Maine was the one I had never visited. Surprising, given that family and friends relentlessly rave about the food, the culture, and the scenery. We were about to find out for ourselves. Patty and I stayed at a non-chain hotel in Portland, the Eastland Park Hotel. Or, who knows, maybe it is part of a larger hotel group; sometimes these days it's hard to tell. In any case, it carries 75 year's worth of history and is located in the West End/Arts District, a 10-20 minute walk from the farthest Port District point that you might want to visit. An Iconic Watering Hole After getting an early check-in and an upgrade to the top floor at the hotel (these things can be attempted but are not always explainable), we were off to explore the city. With 30 years of history, it seemed that it might make sense to start at The Great Lost Bear located about a mile outside of downtown Portland. So we drove, figuring that after this lunchtime visit we could put the car away for the remainder of our stay. The Great Lost Bear has an interesting and varied menu of solid pub grub and more high quality beer from both near and far than any one person really needs. I'm not sure what exactly makes this bar both large and cozy at the same time. It could be the multiple rooms but the low ceilings; the cluttered walls of bric-a-brac but the orderly menu of good food and drink; and the location on a bustling street but the trademark friendly and intimate Maine service inside. When in Maine, it's hard to escape notice of blueberries everywhere, particularly in mid- to late-summer. So, it was without hesitation that I ordered up a Sea Dog Blueberry Ale...perfect start. I then moved to the opposite end of the spectrum and dove into another local, Shipyard, and their recent take on a non-Diacetylized 'XXXX IPA.' Glad that I was happy with this beer as one of their brewers was in from across town, presumably having an end-of-day brew and taking up residence just a couple of barstools away. But, in case he wasn't at the end of his workday (and not knowing the company rules about such things) I won't share his name here in this space. We discussed Shipyard, Mr. Pugsley, and other such things of local flavor. We figured it was just about time to head back downtown. With so much that Portland has to offer, we could have blown up our whole plan to see more of the city by staying put on our barstools. Just as we were heading out, Firestone Walker's head brewer Matt Brynildson and his friend Allison (sheesh, I hope my memory's working correctly with her name) walked in. They were on a bit of the same trek that we were. They flew into Boston, drove up to Portland but started at Allagash then for lunch at The Great Lost Bear. They were heading, also, to Ebenezer's Belgian Beer Dinner/Fest and making a night of it first in Portland. We kibitzed for a bit then moved on, my gut telling me that this wouldn't be the last time that we ran into them. After all, they asked for hotel recommendations and we shared the name of ours. A Walk-About Once we dropped the car back at the hotel, we were off for a typical tourist's walk around the port area and its shops, restaurants, and bars. After hitting up some shops, we made our next beer stop at Bull Feeney's. A historic landmark of sorts, you can certainly feel the air of the old port activity when sitting at the bar that weaves its way between two rooms. Lots of brick and lots of wood make for an Irish Pub-like visit. Ghosts of Portland's past, both savory and unsavory, seem to ooze from the walls here. Definitely, a place I wouldn't have minded spending more time. The beer selection is not extensive but decent and carries many of the requisite locals. The service on this particular afternoon was marginally adequate, but that was fine given our one-and-done. My 'one', speaking of diacetyl, was Shipyard's Export Ale. I'm no stranger to this beer and it seemed to match my memories of it. I shouldn't take diacetyl's name in vein. It has its place in some beers, and not in others...so be it. We criss-crossed the street to then head into Gritty McDuff's. But, first, Brynildson Party of Two was just leaving. We traded some more notes, confirmed they were also staying at Eastland Park, and referred them on to Bull Feeney's. Had another quick 'one' (this time the Best Bitter) at Gritty's along with a plate of Fried Jalapeno Mac & Cheese. Of course, had to snap a picture of the dish and send along to Mr. TJ/Mr. Mac & Cheese with a recommendation for some R&D back in Paoli. The ambiance is relaxed at Gritty's. Where Bull Feeney's was a cozy pub-like stealaway, Gritty's had large windows looking out to the Bay and large wooden tables with communal bench seating in a side room behind the bar. With spending no more than a half hour or so at each of these spots, I can't share much more with you other than a recommendation to check them out for yourself if you find yourself wandering around Portland streets in need of a frothy one. By the time we made it through our casual tourist meanderings and shopping, we headed back to the hotel looking for a couple of hours of downtime before our dinner reservation at 8:30pm. It was good downtime, but obviously not enough. By the time we made it through our dinner and a few drinks, we'd lost the energy to head to our last planned stop in Portland. More about that later.

PARTS 1 & 2 pictures

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Resurrection Ale House set to Open

Another 10 days until the Grays Ferry neighborhood will benefit from the talents of proprietors Brendan Hartranft and Leigh Maida. Resurrection Ale House has a set date for opening of September 23rd. Here from this afternoon's email announcement:

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Wednesday, September 23 at 5pm Resurrection Ale House will open it's doors for business. Resurrection Ale House is a neighborhood corner beer bistro, brought to you by the folks who brought you Memphis Taproom in Kensington and Local 44 in West Philly. Come out and grab some turf early for the opening night bash... Resurrection Ale House features 12 drafts beers, one beer engine, and about 40 bottled beers. Sneak previews of the menu will be offered all night long. Starting Thursday, September 24, the full kitchen menu will be available. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 12noon to 2am, Saturday and Sundays from 11am-2am. Weekend brunch is served from 11am-3pm. (The full brunch menu will be available in the coming weeks.) The kitchen kicks out food until Midnight, seven days a week. Visit www.resurrectionalehouse.com for details about the opening draft beer list and to get on the event mailing list. Resurrection Ale House is located at: 2425 Grays Ferry Avenue (Corner of Catharine & Grays Ferry) Philadelphia, PA 19146 Telephone: 215-735-2202 Email: info@resurrectionalehouse.com Online: www.resurrectionalehouse.com

A Promise for This Week with The Brew Lounge

When this week is over, you'll be able to stop asking me about my trip to New England and Ebenezer's Belgian Beer Feast with The Home Brew Chef. That's because, finally, after almost 4 weeks I'm ready to unleash a multi-part series of these doings upon you. I figure, it took Sean Paxton roughly a year to put together the 12-course dinner menu and pairings. That should help justify the month or so that it's taken me to get through all of my notes to assemble something at least half-coherent for your reading pleasure. I'm sure you'll be glad you asked.

Weekly Beer Calendar Update: September 10-September 16

Wow! After a couple of "slow" weeks around the Philly area (y'know, nothing but good beer to found almost anywhere you look...just not very many "special" events), The Calendar is back in the swing of things. Kids are back in school, now go and polish up on your beer studies and find something fun to do. Check out the entire September 2009 calendar over here. Free or PAYG is a great way to learn about beers you haven't had before @Blind Tiger Ale House, New York--- Tue. 9/15 - Brewery Night with Dogfish Head (4:00pm; PAYG) @Blind Tiger Ale House, New York--- Wed. 9/16 - Brewery Night with Elysian (4:00pm; PAYG) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 9/10 - Arcadia Brewery Night (7:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Fri. 9/11 - Terrapin Release Party (8:00pm; PAYG) @Drafting Room, Spring House, PA--- Sat. 9/12 - HopFest (12:00pm 'til they kick; PAYG) @Exton Beverage, Exton, PA--- Fri. 9/11 - Friday Night Tasting (Great Lakes) (5:00pm-7:00pm; free) @Hulmeville Inn, Hulmeville, PA--- Thu. 9/10 - Lancaster Brewing Night (6:00pm; PAYG for Oktoberfest, Milk Stout, and a cask of Amish 4 Grain) @Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA--- Sat. 9/12 - Pils Picnic (all day/all night; PAYG) @Jose Pistola's, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 9/10 - Tröegs ushers in a new football season (7:00pm; PAYG for Mad Elf and a Firkin of Nugget Nectar) @Jose Pistola's, Philadelphia, PA--- Fri. 9/11 - Wake and Bake Lunch with Terrapin Brewery (11:30am; PAYG for Substance abuse from 2006 that has been aged in Jack Daniels Barrels for 6 months. Also pouring the Rye Pale, Maggies Farmhouse Saison, & the Big Hoppy Monster) @Market Cross Pub, Carlisle, PA--- Thu. 9/10 - Sly Fox Sampling (PAYG) @The Sidecar Bar & Grille, Philadelphia, PA--- Mon. 9/14 - A Firkin Two Hearted Ale (5:00pm; PAYG) @Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA--- Fri. 9/11 - Hops Project 2009 Varietal Release: Argentine Cascade (a firkin, then CO2) (11:30am 'til it kicks; PAYG) @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA--- Thu. 9/10 - Weyerbacher Riserva 2009 Debut (6:30pm-8:00pm; PAYG to meet Dan Weirback and taste this American Wild Ale, aged in Oak barrels with red raspberry puree and Brettanomyces) @The Khyber, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 9/10 - Ballast Point Happy Hour (5:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG for a bunch of Ballast Point including Sculpin and Dorado) How 'bout a Party? The Terrible Twos @The Belgian Café, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 9/10 - 2nd Anniversary Party with Yards (7:00pm; PAYG for a bunch of great beer and people including Yards Cape of Good Hope IPA on cask) And, if you'd like something a little bigger, there a few festivals too @West Avenue Grille & the Town Square, Jenkintown, PA--- Sun. 9/13 - Jenkintown Jazz & Brewfest (see website for time and price details) @Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY--- Sat. 9/12 - Ommefest: Celebrating the Harvest (12:00pm-6:00pm; PAYG for local foods, drinks, music, arts, and crafts) @Meade Street, Pittsburgh, PA--- Sat. 9/12 - Steel City Big Pour (12:00pm-3:00pm, 5:00pm-8:00pm; $45) Beer, Food, Rinse, & Repeat @The Sidecar Bar & Grille, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 9/10 - Southern Fried Hippie Hoedown (with Terrapin and Hippie Food) (5:00pm; PAYG for the following drafts: Big Hoppy Monster, Rye Squared, Gamma Ray, Depth Charge, Maggies Farmhouse, Reunion, Sun Ray Wheat, Rye Pale, and Indian Brown) @Spinnerstown Hotel, Spinnerstown, PA--- Wed. 9/16 - End of Summer Barbecue with Victory Brewing (7:00pm-9:00pm; $45 gets you 4 courses of beer and food pairing including Kölsch, Festbier, Baltic Thunder, and Hop Devil cask) @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA--- Wed. 9/16 - Beer Dinner with 12% Imports (7:00pm; $55...currently sold out) Some mixed fun and learning @Canal Street Pub, Reading, PA--- Sat. 9/12 - Sly Fox versus Tröegs Dueling Firkins (2:00pm-8:00pm; PAYG for Johnson versus Woods) @Philadelphia Brewing, Philadelphia, PA--- Sat. 9/12 - Rich Wagner Presents: "Ortlieb's, Brewers by Birth Since 1869" (2:00pm; free for a history-rich presentation and beer sampling from the brewery)

The Belgian Café provides better relief than Brad Lidge

I'm going to keep this one short, because I'm in deep with the Ebenezer's crew and Sean Paxton for still not sharing all the goodness that was my New England journey and Ebenezer's Belgian Beer Feast/Festival. This Monk's review will now be the second food/beer event that I've covered since returning from Maine. I promise that one day very soon you'll get to hear all about it. Just think, all of the internet hubbub will have died down by then and you'll be all refreshed and ready to hear about it all over again! In case you lost track, after the tragedy above Monk's Cafe (which, emphasis added, had nothing to do with Monk's itself) over a week ago, Monk's was reopened this past weekend but didn't want to impact its customer base yet another day. So, the scheduled dinner with Scott Vaccaro of Captain Lawrence in West Chester county New York was moved to its sister restaurant, The Belgian Café. Scott's a great speaker who brought a lot of energy, passion, and expertise to the beer dinner. After being introduced by Fergie Carey (proprietor) and George Hummel (emcee...but, had never had a Captain Lawrence?!), Scott jumped into his background in brewing and the history of the brewery. Having started homebrewing at 17, making his way through UC Davis brewing school, and making a pitstop at Sierra Nevada, Scott opened Captain Lawrence on a shoestring budget in 2005. Fast forward a few years and Scott and his team are making some of the country's most interesting and celebrated beers...beers that often involve less-than-ordinary ingredients, collaborations with other brewers, barrel-aging, and blending. It didn't take long for his brewery to be recognized for its award-winning brews at the Great American Beer Festival in both 2007 and 2008. Like I said, I'm going to keep this (relatively) brief. Suffice to say that this was an all-star dinner of brewers, writers, beer geeks, and...well, who else would there be? I've sprinkled a few pictures below, and I'm sure you'll recognize some of the rock stars. Without further ado, here's the menu with some shorthand notes from yours truly. Enjoy... First Course Grilled Watermelon; basted w/Cuvee de Castleton, thai basil, orange zest & ginger ~ paired with Cuvee de Castleton; made with muscat grapes & brett. aged in oak Notes: Batch #3 of the Castleton; watermelon done grilled didn't tickle me much in any way, but the beer was perfect and actually went even better with the dessert (read on) Second Course Lancaster County Frittata; with local eggs, corn, tomatoes, & zucchini ~ paired with NY3; a 6% dry hopped amber farmhouse collaboration ale (between Southampton, Ithaca, and Captain Lawrence) Notes: I love me some breakfast for dinner, so the frittata worked very well for me; this beer, brewed for NY Beer Week, sourced with New York State hops and honey, dry-hopped with Willamette, and finished a "Belgian Yeast that Phil Markowski found" got better as it warmed, losing its initial ash-y taste and letting the honey come through a bit later on Third Course Roasted Quail; stuffed with wild rice, walnuts, & local peaches; lacquered with xtra gold and pureed peaches ~ paired with Xtra Gold; a 10% Triple that has tons of hops Notes: "tons of hops"? sure thing...as in Amarillo. Even though I'm not always a fan of picking apart a small bird, sifting through its bones, this was a tasty dish. Another beer that might actually had been better paired with the dessert. Fourth Course Cioppino; local tomatoes, clams, mussels, shrimp, & cod ~ paired with Captain's Reserve IPA; an imperial IPA Notes: Though this IPA might have gone better with the quail than did the Triple, this here was probably my favorite pairing of the evening. The pineapple sweetness and bursting hops were nicely balanced, barely disguising this as an "imperial" IPA. Chinook, Columbus, Cascade, and Amarillo if I have my notes correct. Fifth Course Pear Tart; w/ bleu cheese crust ~ paired with Smoke from the Oak; smoked porter aged in apple brandy barrels Notes: 125 cases were made and its official release will be at the brewery this coming Saturday, 9/12. Nice beer, went pretty well with the dessert, the crust bursting with bleu cheese. In my opinion (is this where I put FWIW? or IMO?), the Cuvee de Castleton and its fruit flavors and moderately funky edge went even better with the fruit tart and its funky bleu cheese crust. Oh, and since I really didn't comment above about The Belgian Café's ability to pull off this dinner, allow me to do so right about here and now. This dinner cruised along nicely with an ending time just shy of two hours after its beginning. The staff worked the square room effortlessly and efficiently. Perhaps the only drawback was the at-times overbearing din of the high decibel crowd. But, at the same time, have you ever seen everyone who attended the same Monk's Beer Dinner as you? With the dining crowd stretched out from the "exclusive" front window seating to the sometimes-participating back room at Monk's, and the tables in between, you just never will see everyone attending the dinner all at once. That was no problem at The Belgian Café. Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind more dinners moved up the Art Museum neighborhood to mix things up from time to time at Monk's.

Friday Night's Alright for Beer Running

[Insert Great Picture of Bryan, Eric, and Kevin after a Great Run] When I recover the picture (i.e. never), I'll post it up here. Due to my jackassery, I obviously don't know the difference between 'OK' and 'Cancel' when asked if I want to format my memory card in the camera. For those who don't know, it basically means to say goodbye to the stored photos on memory card when you choose 'OK.' So, we're left with the pleasant memories of a challenging but rewarding 7.1 mile run through the nearby Main Line country roads with a couple of Fishtown Beer Runners who swam upstream to TJs in Paoli to join me on this, my latest, Beer Run. I said 6 miles, it turned into 6.4, and then wound up at 7.1 miles by the time we returned. We dove into lots of rehydration and nourishment in some sandwiches, mac & cheese, pasta, and salads...La Trappe Isid'or, Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA, Dark Horse Oatmeal Stout, and a few other goodies. Another great Beer Run in the books. There'll be more to come sooner rather than later, so Stay Tuned.

Monk's Café has Reopened Today

I've opted out of the Monk's Café news over the past week. There wasn't much more to say than was reported on the news wire and other local beer sources were filling us all in with the little bit extra they may have heard. Here, from an email earlier this afternoon, is the official reopening notification from Tom Peters, co-proprietor of Monk's. A well-written and classy note that should answer most questions you may have still had.

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We are OPEN! The City of Philadelphia told us that we could open our doors at 11:30AM today. All the City officials that we dealt with were amazingly helpful. So we want to give a big thanks to Bart, Scott, Mrs. Ward and everyone else for their extraordinary efforts. Philadelphia Rocks! The workmen our landlord hired worked long hours to get us reopened. Our landlord has been on-site for 20 hours each day...seriously. He has spared no expense getting the apartments back up to code in as expeditious a manner as possible. For those few that are not aware of what occurred, I’ll give the Cliff Notes version of the events. But first I’d like to make it totally clear that we do NOT own the building. We are tenants in the building, just as are the apartment dwellers upstairs. 1. Near the end of our Saturday evening’s business (just before our 2AM closing time), one of the upstairs tenants fell from the fire escape tower. He had a third floor apartment and he and a friend apparently were leaning on a metal railing when it gave way. They both fell several stories. He died and she miraculously is already out of the hospital. We are devastated about what happened. Our landlord knew the gentleman that fell. He is also heart broken. 2. Philadelphia Department of License & Inspection decided to close the building until a structural engineer could do an inspection and certify that the building was safe. They also required our landlord to update the safety systems in the entire building. 3. The landlord has already received the engineer’s certification, but updating the apartment section of the safety systems will take several more days. The restaurant portion of the building is already approved. Since our back bar area’s emergency exit is under the apartment’s fire escape tower, we cannot open the back bar today. We expect the landlord to have everything finished by next Friday. When his work is done, we will be able to open the back bar to the public. The Front Bar and the Front Two Dining Rooms are Open! The Kitchen is Open! Hopefully that information answers most of your questions. Thank you all for your support during this very difficult time. We hope to see you soon. Tom Peters

Jamaican Food & We Tastin’ Craft Beer (Mon) at Philly Kitchen Share: 9/2/09

I knew I'd heard of Philly Kitchen Share somewhere before and I've definitely heard of Rolling Barrel Events. But, until last night, I hadn't experienced anything from either of them. Thanks to an invitation from Corey Krejcik (a founding father of RBE), I found myself on a train into Philly and continuing on to a pleasant walk over to 15th and South Streets on yet another in a string of beautiful evenings that we've been experiencing of late. Of course, with a little extra time padded into my schedule, I felt the need to meander by Monk's, looking forward to a dinner there next Tuesday (or up at Belgian Cafe, depending upon the status of the building after last week's tragedy). Then, a block over to Jose Pistolas for a quick one. The 'one' turned out to be Flower Power IPA from Ithaca, though in hindsight perhaps it could have or should have been Allagash's Confluence. Did I really think I'd return after the dinner at Philly Kitchen Share? After a chance encounter with The Beer Lass, who had just left the weigh-in at Nodding Head, I moved on to South Street. Speaking of Ms. Woods, has anyone ever spotted her sleeping? I'm just asking because wasn't it just the other day that she was hop-scotching (sort of a pun?) around Michigan? Turns out, she'd just driven back and was already back into the Philly Beer Scene (the actual Scene, not the magazine). There's not many people that you need to get up before in order to get a jump on the Scene...she's one of 'em. Anyways, what was this all about? Oh yeah, Local Beer...Local Food (via Jamaica via New Jersey and across the Ben Franklin Bridge). Chef Janet Davis of Scotch Bonnets in New Jersey was preparing a 4-course meal and tutoring the attendees along the way. Just the name, Scotch Bonnets, was enough to make my mouth water and make my decision to attend even easier. The beer? Well the beer added the extra incentive, but of course you already knew that. Emily Pollack, half of the husband-wife team at PKS, and Corey Krejcik (Rolling Barrel) kicked things off introducing the concept of the Kitchen and the objectives of the evening. They turned things over then to Chef Janet Davis who jumped right into the first course. As Chef Janet was guiding us through the preparation of the Tropical Salad, made with typical salad greens and Lemon Juice, Orange Juice, Olive Oil, salt, and avocado, Corey discussed the pairing with PBC's Kenzinger. Not one of my favorite beers (and I know that I tend to be in the minority with that statement, just my personal taste talking) but it did work nice and cleanly with the salad, not allowing it to overpower the tropically citrus flavors of the salad. Could have a saison, a wheat, or a lambic worked better? Perhaps, but still not a bad pairing. If I had any quarrel with the first course, things only got better from there. Prima Pils from Victory is such a great beer on its own; pairing it with food can really enhance it. In this case, it was salt-cured cod formed, with paprika, scallions, and other things I didn't keep up with ear to pen to paper, into lightly floured codfish cakes. These tender delights were straight out of the feeding of fish and loaves...in that I lost count around 3 or 4 of these that I had, as the Chef's rations went farther than expected. I'm sure you know that I wasn't about to complain! The saltiness and gentle spicing from the paprika played nicely against the spicy hops in the Prima Pils. Oh, did you ask how many people were there? I recall hearing somewhere around 16 or 18 is the maximum for one of these events; there was just over half in attendance for this holiday week event. Not bad, given the timing, I figured. I am not a bum, I'm a jerk. What Jamaican meal would be complete without some requisite jerk seasoning...in this case, on the chicken? And in this case the dish and its beer pairing tied for the best pairing of my evening's dining experience. The subtle sweetness in the jerk seasoning and the malty sweetness in the beer played nicely with each other while at the same time alternatingly against pepper heat from the jerk seasoning and the bright hops in this reborn Philadelphia Pale Ale from Yards. Rice and beans soaked in coconut milk on the side made for the perfect accompaniment. Winner, winner...yeah, you know. Then there was sweet dessert, yes sweetness...punctuated by rum and beer. I often say that if you don't do chocolate in a beer pairing dinner's dessert course, you better make sure you hit a home run. Well, how do raisins soaked in Jamaican white rum and combined with powdered ginger sound? And give them a little a la mode treatment and, yeah, it was like that. But wait, how about an organic Brown Ale from Appalachian? Now you've got the wow factor working. Something in the raisins was really helping to bring out the roasty goodness of the brown ale. This shows that I'm a little behind in my Appalachian studies, but I hadn't realized that they had a Pennsylvania-certified organic beer on the market. This course, if you couldn't tell tied atop my list of pairings for the night along with the chicken course. This event did not leave much room for improvement. The handoffs between promoter, proprietor, and chef were seamless and it was evident that some thought went into the pairings and preparation. It was a nice touch to have the beers laid out on a tastefully printed menu. I'd like to think that the food items would have been printed up and described as well, but yet just another minor point. And even with the dustup over at Phoodie.info earlier today, I don't mind saying that it was clear from this event that Rolling Barrel events deserve to be on a beer lover's radar. And, Philly Kitchen Share, though I haven't said a whole lot here about this shared use commercial kitchen, has a calendar that you should keep an eye on as well. Some classes are more hands-on than others; all sound well worth checking out.

Coming Soon...Artisan Homebrew

Philly's suburban homebrewers in northern Chester County have suffered without a homebrew supply store long enough. Mike Hamara has decided that the time has come to keep local homebrewers happy and to give them more time with their hands in the mashtun rather than on the steering wheel. If you think you know the name Mike Hamara, it's because he's been one of the handful of beer savvy guys behind Greg Ramirez at Exton Beverage. There always a chance that you'll seem him as well at local watering holes like Victory, The Drafting Room, Flying Pig, Sly Fox (not all in the same night...usually!) Chances are, though, that in the coming months, there will be only one place that you can usually find him. October will see Mike open a homebrew shop in the heart of Downingtown, PA at 128 East Lincoln Highway. The official date is still being worked out, but you know that I'll let you know as soon as I do. So, let's see now...Downingtown. Firecreek (nice lineup of beers from near and far), Victory (world-class, award-winning brewpub), and now Artisan Homebrew. A nice cap to the end of a Route 113 Beer Tour.

Weekly Beer Calendar Update: September 3-September 9

Labor Day is as late in September this year as the calendar will ever allow it to be. But, the Beer Calendar isn't phased. In fact, here's a bunch of good times to keep you humming right along into King Ludwig's wedding celebration. Check out the entire September 2009 calendar over here. Take a sample, give a sample (what does that mean, I can't say) @Earth Bread + Brewery, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 9/3 - Meet the Brewer, Keep the Pint Glass (6:30pm-8:30pm; PAYG for some of the lesser travelled beers from Ryan Michaels at McKenzie Brew House) @General Lafayette, Lafayette Hill, PA--- Wed. 9/9 - Firkin Night (7:00pm-11:00pm; PAYG to meet the brewers of both Sly Fox and General Lafayette and drink of their British Pale Ale and Griffin's Mild, respectively) @Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA--- Fri. 9/4 - Incubus Friday (11:30am 'til it kicks; PAYG to drink early, leave, return, repeat) @Tria Café, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 9/3 - Bring on the Belgians (6:30pm-8:00pm; $45, currently sold out...you know the drill; give them a call just in case) @Triumph, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 9/3 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (6:00pm; PAYG to double down with Double Witbier) @Triumph, New Hope, PA--- Fri. 9/4 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (6pm; PAYG for hits off the barrel of Altbier) What's more fun than guessing what you're drinking? Maybe winning prizes for guessing correctly? @Memphis Taproom, Philadelphia, PA--- Fri. 9/4-Sun. 9/6 - Mystery Beer Weekend (all day/all night; PAYG for 3 days of sippin' and guessin' from 33 kegs) Food, glorious Beer @Monk's Café, Philadelphia, PA--- Tue. 9/8 - Captain Lawrence Beer Dinner (7:00pm; a few seats remain, status of the restaurant operation still undetermined) @Monk's Café, Philadelphia, PA--- Wed. 9/9 - An Homage to Fromage (cheese) paired with Foamage (beer) (5:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG for 5 ounce portions of selected beer paired with some of Tom Peter's favorite cheese, including a beer & cheese fondue and a Welsh Rarebit prepared with beer. Expect to spend between $3 and $7 to enjoy each pairing.) @Nectar, Berwyn, PA--- Wed. 9/9 - Victory Beer Dinner (5:00pm; PAYG for 5 course meal, each paired with a beer from Victory) And here's a beer mecca that I just haven't found myself to yet, that will change one day very soon @Stewart Park, Ithaca, NY--- Sat. 9/5 - Ithaca Brewfest (3:00pm-7:00pm; $30/$40/$50/$75/$95, a rate plan for everyone is Gorgeous Ithaca) Oktoberfest can never come soon enough for some @Cannstatter's, Philadelphia, PA--- Sat. 9/5-Mon. 9/7 - Cannstatter's 137th Volksfest Oktoberfest (see website for details)

Beer Dates in History: September Anniversaries

20 years Drake's Sarasota Brewing 10 years Taps Fish House

Just another day at TJs (Dark Horse, La Trappe, and Woody)

We apparently showed up between Wave 1 and Wave 2 of the Dark Horse day long celebration at TJs. We needed dinner, so this seemed like a natural fit. After convincing the dogs to "do their thing" in the torrential downpour, we headed up the road. Indeed, not a familiar face save for proprietors Jeff and Terri. Of course, it didn't take long for a few others to nudge in our hightop table. You probably recognize one of those guys, whose celebrity status just went up another 1/2 notch with his profile in the current Imbibe issue on magazine stands. Otherwise, what can I tell you about the brews from Dark Horse? One: that both the Scotty Karate scotch ale and Boffo brown ale (but particularly the scotch) went very, very well with the Pulled Pork sandwich. Two: Of the beers we sampled, though there were no clunkers, the black ale and brown ale stood out as two of the best of the day. Three: the "aphrodisiac" qualities of the Rod/Red ale will not be discussed here (!) other than to say the beer was smooth and tasty, but probably don't warrant more than two per session...which means I'll hope to be back later this week to try some more along with the oatmeal stout and raspberry ale that we never got around to trying....because.... ...because I switched over and gave the new, very drinkable, La Trappe Isid'or a try. It's been brewed to commemorate the brewery's 125th anniversary and its first brewmaster, Brother Isidorus. And, somehow I managed to stay away from the Racer 5 on the handpump. And, what else? (you're right, this posting may just meander and wander straight into dinner hour, hold on) A license application in the window (forgot to snap a picture, but you know what they look like), suggests that outdoor dining is coming just in time for some cool fall weather dining at TJs. And, speaking of dining, if you like their traditional mac & cheese, and if you like food with a bit of a "kick", then you absolutely must try the new Jalapeño-Green Onion Mac & Cheese...created with a nod to The Brew Lounge as a thank-you for the TJs Profile Picture, ahem. Just another day at TJs.

New Belgium, a simple primer

This short article hit the news circuit a while back and it fell into my rainy day dustbin of content. If you're only vaguely familiar with New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO) only as far as Fat Tire goes, you'll want to check this out. And, if you find yourself in Colorado it's difficult...as in Pennsylvania...to meander too far without bumping into a quality brewery along the way. But, if you don't make it to Fort Collins to see the New Belgium story first hand, then you're really missing out on one of the country's best. Patty and I were there during last year's GABF and I never got around to telling the story of our visit to the brewery. One of these days, that will need to change. For the time being, enjoy the article.

Beer Calendar: What To Do in September 2009

September means Back to School, a few big holidays, one last blast of summer heat, and more beer events than you can shake a slide rule at. 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 Tue. 9/1 - Dark Horse Brewing Company Comes to Philadelphia @The Khyber, Philadelphia, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG) Tue. 9/1 - Yards Brewery @The P.O.P.E., Philadelphia, PA (6:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 9/2 - Dark Horse Brewery Night @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/3 - Meet the Brewer, Keep the Pint Glass (McKenzie Brew House) @Earth Bread + Brewery, Philadelphia, PA (6:30pm-8:30pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/3 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (September's selection: Double Witbier) @Triumph, Philadelphia, PA (6:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 9/4-Sun. 9/6 - Mystery Beer Weekend @Memphis Taproom, Philadelphia, PA (all day/all night; PAYG) Sat. 9/5-Mon. 9/7 - Cannstatter's 137th Volksfest Oktoberfest @Academy & Frankford, Philadelphia, PA (see website for details) Wed. 9/9 - An Homage to Fromage (cheese) paired with Foamage (beer) @Monk's Café, Philadelphia, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/10 - Arcadia Brewery Night @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/10 - Southern Fried Hippie Hoedown (with Terrapin and Hippie Food) @The Sidecar Bar & Grille, Philadelphia, PA (5:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/10 - 2nd Anniversary Party with Yards @The Belgian Cafe, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/10 - Ballast Point Happy Hour @The Khyber, Philadelphia, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/10 - Tröegs ushers in a new football season @Jose Pistola's, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 9/11 - Wake and Bake Lunch with Terrapin Brewery @Jose Pistola's, Philadelphia, PA (11:30am; PAYG) Fri. 9/11 - Terrapin Release Party @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA (8:00pm; PAYG) Sat. 9/12 - Pils Picnic @Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA (all day/all night; PAYG) Sat. 9/12 - Rich Wagner Presents: "Ortlieb's, Brewers by Birth Since 1869" @Philadelphia Brewing, Philadelphia, PA (2:00pm; free) Mon. 9/14 - A Firkin Two Hearted Ale @The Sidecar Bar & Grille, Philadelphia, PA (5:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 9/18 - The Sly Gang @Blue Ox Bistro, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/24 - Philly Brewing Pin Night (Joe Porter) @Old Eagle Tavern, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; PAYG) Philadelphia's close suburbs Fri. 9/4 - Incubus Friday @Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA (11:30am 'til it kicks; PAYG) Wed. 9/9 - Firkin Night (SF's British Pale Ale and GLI's Griffin's Mild) @General Lafayette, Lafayette Hill, PA (7:00pm-11:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 9/9 - Victory Beer Dinner @Nectar, Berwyn, PA (5:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/10 - Lancaster Brewing Night @Hulmeville Inn, Hulmeville, PA (6:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 9/11 - Friday Night Tasting (Great Lakes) @Exton Beverage, Exton, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; free) Fri. 9/11 - Hops Project 2009 Varietal Release: Argentine Cascade (a firkin, then CO2) @Sly Fox, Phoenixville, PA (11:30am 'til it kicks; PAYG) Sat. 9/12 - Sly Fox versus Tröegs Dueling Firkins @Canal Street Pub, Reading, PA (2:00pm-8:00pm; PAYG) Sat. 9/12 - HopFest @Drafting Room, Spring House, PA (12:00pm 'til they kick; PAYG) Thu. 9/17 - Follow the Liter @Victory Brewing Co., Downingtown, PA (6:00pm-8:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 9/18 - Friday Night Tasting (Southern Tier) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; free) Sun. 9/20 - Oktoberfest (as part of Radnor Fall Festival @Teresa's Next Door, Wayne, PA (1:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/24 - Weyerbacher Brewing Promotional Night @Drafting Room, Exton, PA (6:00pm; PAYG) Fri. 9/18 - Friday Night Tasting (Southern Tier) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; free) Fri. 9/25 - Friday Night Tasting (Terrapin) @Beer Yard, Wayne, PA (5:00pm-7:00pm; free) Fri. 9/25 - Firkins of Duck-Rabbit and Iron Hill @Teresa's Next Door, Wayne, PA (PAYG) Greater Philadelphia Metro / Eastern Pennsylvania Wed. 9/2 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (September's selection: Barrel Aged IPX) @Triumph, Princeton, NJ (6pm; PAYG) Fri. 9/4 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (September's selection: Altbier) @Triumph, New Hope, PA (6pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/10 - Weyerbacher Riserva 2009 Debut @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA (6:30pm-8:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/10 - Sly Fox Sampling @Market Cross Pub, Carlisle, PA (PAYG) Wed. 9/16 - End of Summer Barbecue with Victory Brewing @Spinnerstown Hotel, Spinnerstown, PA (7:00pm-9:00pm) Wed. 9/16 - Specialty Keg Wednesdays (Moylan's Hopsickle) @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA (4:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/17-Thu. 10/1 - Homebrew Competition @Market Cross Pub, Carlisle, PA (see website for details) Wed. 9/23 - Turn to Stone @Craft Ale House, Royersford, PA (6:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/24 - Tomme Arthur Tapping...and More?! @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA (3:00pm; PAYG) Thu. 9/24 - Thursday Night Tastings (Stoudt's) @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA (7:30pm-9:30pm; free) Fri. 9/25 - Cask Ale Night (September selections: Lancaster Brewing Hop Hog, Amish Four Grain, Shoe Fly Porter) @General Sutter Inn, Lititz, PA (5:00pm; PAYG) Sat. 9/26 - Oktoberfest @Ortino's Northside, Zieglerville, PA (Details TBD) Elsewhere Wed. 9/2 - Brewery Night with Kuhnhenn @Blind Tiger Ale House, New York (4:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 9/9 - Brewery Night with Blue Point @Blind Tiger Ale House, New York (4:00pm; PAYG) Sat. 9/12 - Ommefest: Celebrating the Harvest @Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY (12:00pm-6:00pm; PAYG) Tue. 9/15 - Brewery Night with Dogfish Head @Blind Tiger Ale House, New York (4:00pm; PAYG) Wed. 9/16 - Brewery Night with Elysian @Blind Tiger Ale House, New York (4:00pm; PAYG) Events Over $20 Philadelphia Wed. 9/2 - Jamaican Food & We Tastin’ Craft Beer (Mon) @Philly Kitchen Share, Philadelphia, PA (6:30pm; $45) Thu. 9/3 - Bring on the Belgians @Tria Café, Philadelphia, PA (6:30pm-8:00pm; $45) Tue. 9/8 - Captain Lawrence Beer Dinner @Monk's Café, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm) Fri. 9/18 - The Heart of Dark Chocolate @Tria Café, Philadelphia, PA (6:30pm-8:00pm; $55) Sat. 9/19 - Philly Oktoberfest 2009 @23rd Street Armory, Philadelphia, PA (1:00pm-4:00pm, 6:00pm-9:00pm; $40/$50/$75) Sun. 9/20 - Farmhouse Ale Dinner (all you can eat/drink) @South Philadelphia Tap Room, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm; $75) Wed. 9/23 - Victory Beer Dinner @Rembrandt's, Philadelphia, PA (7:00pm) Philadelphia's close suburbs Sun. 9/13 - Jenkintown Jazz & Brewfest @West Avenue Grille & the Town Square, Jenkintown, PA (see website for time and price details) Sat. 9/19 - Oktoberfest @Elmwood Park Zoo, Norristown, PA (5:30pm-9:00pm; $40/$45) Wed. 9/23 - Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner @The Buck Hotel, Feasterville, PA (7:00pm; $45) Sun. 9/27 - Bike Fresh, Bike Local (choose from 25, 50, 75 mile route beginning/ending @Victory Brewing Co., Downingtown, PA ($35/$40; see website for more details) Greater Philadelphia Metro / Eastern Pennsylvania Wed. 9/2 - Meet The Brewer Series Presents…Flying Dog Crab Boil @Spinnerstown Hotel, Spinnerstown, PA ($42) Tue. 9/15 - Beer Dinner @Union Barrel Works, Reamstown, PA (details TBA) Wed. 9/16 - Beer Dinner with 12% Imports @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA (7:00pm; $55) Sat. 9/19 - Capital City Invitational Beer Festival @Appalachian Brewing, Harrisburg, PA (12:00pm-3:00pm, 4:00pm-7:00pm, 8:00pm-11:00pm; $30/$35) Sun. 9/20-Fri. 10/9 - Oktoberfest @Appalachian Brewing, Harrisburg, PA (see website for details) Tue. 9/22 - Mamma Mia Italian-Style Beer Dinner @Union Barrel Works, Reamstown, PA (6:30pm; $40) Sat. 9/26 - Lunch with Lew Bryson @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA (12:00pm-1:30pm; $30) Sat. 9/26-Sun. 9/27 - Oktoberfest @Stoudt's Brewery, Adamstown, PA (see website for details) Elsewhere Wed. 9/2 - Six-course Beer Dinner (with Moonlight Brewing) @Monk's Kettle, San Francisco, CA (5:30pm; $85) Sat. 9/5 - Ithaca Brewfest @Stewart Park, Ithaca, NY (3:00pm-7:00pm; $30/$40/$50/$75/$95) Sat. 9/12 - Steel City Big Pour @Meade Street, Pittsburgh, PA (12:00pm-3:00pm, 5:00pm-8:00pm; $45) Thu. 9/17 - Beer & Cheese Regional Pairing (Pacific NW) @Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, Escondido, CA (7:00pm-9:00pm; $30) Thu. 9/24-Sat. 9/26 - Great American Beer Festival @Colorado Convention Center, Denver, PA (see website for details)

Want to join me for a Run and Food & Beers at TJs in Paoli, PA?

A 6 mile run and replenishment at TJs in Paoli. Anyone interested sometime in the next week or two? Here are some details. Email privately to me if you're interested and give me an idea of your preferences. Majority will rule. Date: Could be Tues. 9/1, Wed. 9/2, Thu. 9/3, or during Labor Day weekend...or the following week Time: 6:30pm during the week, or mid-afternoon on a weekend Distance: 6 miles of western Main Line country roads Payoff: Great beer and food at one of Philly's preeminent beer bars

First official business of The Brew Lounge at Craft Ale House last night with Tröegs

Though I'd been there once before for a short visit after some outlet shopping in Limerick (call it a not-so-dry-run), this seemed to qualify as my first official business at the relatively new, but oh-so-successful Craft Ale House in Limerick/Royersford, PA. (Why have I used so many hyphenated adjectives in these 7 short paragraphs?)

With Nick Johnson running the show for Tröegs, or maybe the promised appearance of Meg and Tara, the word got out and thirsty patrons beat a proper path to the door and filled the joint. Well, all except for a few notable locals, X, Y, and Z.



Mr. Big Dan covered the beginning of the evening at Craft Ale House and has captured a few nice pictures that you can check out over at the CAH blog. I showed up a few minutes later and fortunately not any later. The bar-top firkin of GABF-prepared Nugget Nectar was kicked in 51 minutes. That beer, I'll tell ya, is one tasty treat that typically peaks in the bottle earlier in the summer. But, being freshly made for GABF next month and being firkin fresh on top of that, it was rockin' everyone's worlds best I could tell from chit-chattering with the Vox Hopuli. Some guy named Foley, though, is still not impressed.

The quick kicking of the firkin shouldn't have been surprising given the not-a-space-to-be-found parking lot and the packed house inside. (It was a crowd for CAH, not Ace Hardware, in case there was any confusion.) Along with the Nugget Nectar and the Naked Elf, the usual complement of Tröegs brands were flowing as were a bunch of other stellar goodies that Craft Ale House is known for stocking in the cooler.

I used the evening to give myself a preview of Dark Horse things to come this Saturday at TJs back closer to home in Paoli. The Crooked Tree was a nice drinking IPA that I probably would have dipped into for another one, maybe two, if it wasn't for the 25 minute ride back home.

Now I know why I don't see my old friends quite as often in the 'burbs closer to Philly. With stellar joints like Ortino's, Union Jack's, and now Craft Ale House dotting the farther hinterlands, there's less reason for them to venture as far from home as they used to.

By the way, some suspicious behavior by someone cavorting in an Exton Beverage t-shirt did not go unnoticed. Question is, who is this guy? The 'someone' is not Greg Ramirez, by the way. Any guesses?

Weekly Beer Calendar Update: August 27-September 2

The summer is coming to a close? Really? While this hasn't seemed like a "normal" summer here in the Philadelphia region, this is a weekly calendar that also doesn't feel "normal." Just a few events to share with you, albeit some very good looking ones. Dark Horse, yet another solid brewery hailing from Michigan, has landed and will make its mark felt quickly. That, and a handful of other goodies, should keep you interested well into the Labor Day holiday weekend. Check out the entire August 2009 calendar over here. No freebies this week, but here are some nice looking PAYG sampling events @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Thu. 8/27 - End of Summer Party with Franziskaner (7:00pm; PAYG with $1 off Franziskaner Drafts along with Franzisakner giveaways) @Devil's Den, Philadelphia, PA--- Wed. 9/2 - Dark Horse Brewery Night (7:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG for Draft versions of Scotty Karate, Raspberry Ale, One Oatmeal Stout, & Crooked Tree IPA) @General Sutter Inn, Lititz, PA--- Fri. 8/28 - Cask Ale Night (August selections: Pratt Street Ale House) (5:00pm; PAYG for a great session and 3 others: Summer Ale hopped with Bramling Cross; Pale Ale; Porter with Vanilla; and Golden Wheat with Root Ginger) @The Khyber, Philadelphia, PA--- Tue. 9/1 - Dark Horse Brewing Company Comes to Philadelphia (5:00pm-7:00pm; PAYG) @The P.O.P.E., Philadelphia, PA--- Tue. 9/1 - Yards Brewery (6:00pm-9:00pm; PAYG for several of their beers along with a Firkin of their newest creation, Cape of Good Hope IPA) @TJs, Paoli, PA--- Sat. 8/29 - Dark Horse Chesco Release Party (all day; PAYG for 8 draft brands including Rod; Sapient Triple; Crooked Tree IPA; Boffo Brown; One Oatmeal Stout; Scotty Karate; Raspberry Ale; Special Reserve Black) @Triumph, Princeton, NJ--- Wed. 9/2 - Brewer's Reserve Barrel Tappings (6pm; PAYG for September's selection of Barrel Aged IPX) I take it back, there is something free, and it's tonight, 8/27 @Isaac Newton's, Newtown, PA--- Thu. 8/27 - Palm/Steenbrugge Tasting (7:00pm-9:00pm; Free tasting samples of beers from the Palm & Steenbrugge lines, including the Tripel...plus, giveaways) And, for a fun take on food and beer, head on up Route 309 to Spinnerstown @Spinnerstown Hotel, Spinnerstown, PA--- Wed. 9/2 - Meet The Brewer Series Presents…Flying Dog in a Crab Boil ($42) A great year-round style, made even better in the late summer will be featured @Tap and Table, Emmaus, PA--- Fri. 8/28-Sun. 8/30 - Saisons, Saisons, and more Saisons (all weekend; PAYG for a Saison List still TBA) There should still be some Belgian specialties left in Maine @Ebenezer's Pub, Lovell, ME--- Thu. 8/20-Sat. 8/29 - 5th Annual Belgian Beer Festival (see website for details)

Blind Tiger and Sierra Nevada set to do it once again

Hard to believe that it's been a year since the last Blind Tiger/Sierra Nevada mashup. I'm bummed that I couldn't arrange to be there tomorrow when the taps start flowing. Tomorrow should be a great day to be in NYC. If you live or work in or around the city, it seems to be the wise move to stop in and share some Sierra with the Blind Tiger crew and the boys from Sierra Nevada.

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I couldn't think of a better way to knock-out all those people who think Sierra Nevada only makes Pale Ale. So, join us this Wednesday August 26th @ 4:00PM, as the Tiger celebrates one of the cornerstones of the craft beer movement - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. The List: Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Scotch Ale (Cask) Sierra Nevada Torpedo (Cask) Sierra Nevada Vienna Lager Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest Sierra Nevada Brown Sierra Nevada Belgian Triple Sierra Nevada Double Debockel Doppelbock Sierra Nevada Crystal Wheat Sierra Nevada Stout Sierra Nevada Blonde Sierra Nevada Brown Saison Sierra Nevada Vintage Bigfoot (2006) Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Sierra Nevada Bitter Sierra Nevada Porter Sierra Nevada Kölsch Sierra Nevada IPA Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Sierra Nevada Celebration 2008 Sierra Nevada Anniversary Sierra Nevada Summerfest Sierra Nevada ESB Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (you know, we had to do it) Twenty three? Not too bad, for only making pale ale.