My Easter Treat

After Easter dinner with Kelleigh's mom, grandparents, niece and nephew I sat down to enjoy a bottle of Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse (Schneider version). I poured this into one of my favorite Weizen glasses and watched the murky orange brew form a huge pillowy white head. The aroma was of citrus, cloves and bananas. The hops make an appearance and add a nice spice to the nose. The taste was a blend of spicy grassy hops, wheat and maltiness. The banana that is in the nose is very subtle on the tongue. I was surprised that the carbonation wasn't more considering the size of the head when first poured. The finish was pleasantly hoppy. Overall this is a nice easy drinking beer and a good collaboration for Brooklyn and Schneider. Not a bad way to celebrate a holiday.

A quick heads up

The Drafting Room's Hop Fest is approaching. Although it isn't on their website I was at the Spring House location this weekend and noticed the info on the menu. Of course I forgot to take down the date (I think it is April 12th) and the beers. Sorry bad reporting on my part. If my memory is correct they are trying to bring in Pliny the Elder. More detail as it gets closer.

Philly Craft Beer Festival 08...Finally

I was going through the photos on my digital camera and realized I had taken pictures at this year's Philly Craft Beer Festival but never posted them. My original intent was to do an article on the festival but unfortunately I got tied up with work and never did the post. Since Beer Week is now history I wont go into a long diatribe on my views of the festival but I will make a couple quick notes.

I went to the first session and although the crowd seemed smaller compared to last year it was still a bit of a mob. I think one of the problems is the online ticket purchase. The organizers said that the number of tickets sold were limited however once at the event the ticket I purchased was never checked. My I.D. was checked twice in line to make sure I was 21 but once I got to the door my ticket was taken an tossed in a large bin and that was it. More than one person told me that they had copied the ticket they purchased online and passed them out to friends. A person I know had 4 people come in on a copied ticket. Although each ticket had the purchaser's name and a I.D. number it didn't matter because it was never checked at the door. Now I have no idea how many people came in with out purchasing a ticket but any number adds to the crowd and the so called limited ticket sale becomes a joke. I enjoy a good beer festival as much as anyone but the problem with most is the overcrowding factor. If your going to put steps in place to control the size of the crowds it helps if you enforce those steps at all levels.

Ok now that I got my rant out I want to focus on the positive. This years participation was great. I noticed several brewers I had heard of but had never had the chance to sample their beers. Three that stood out were Gritty's, Butternuts and Voodoo Brewing. Out of the three Voodoo from Meadville PA was my winner. While I have have had Voodoo Love Child it was my first time trying White Magick of the Sun. The spicy white ale starts off strong with orange, coriander and hints of juniper. The surprise is the spicy peppery warmth that picks up in the middle and continues through the finish. The combination of flavors really works. A few bottles of this will definitely make it to the beer fridge. Another high point was getting the chance to meet Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell. He, Lew Bryson and Bryan over at The Brew Lounge were my inspiration to start blogging and putting my beer thoughts down. I made sure to pick up a copy of his Philly Beer Guide as anyone who loves beer and Philadelphia should. I only wish that I could of made it to one of his other event during the week.

So much for a quick post about the festival. Time to cut this before it gets any longer. I think we will all look forward to Beer Week next year. Hopefully this event continues to grow and improve year after year.

March Madness Beer Weekend

Now that Beer Week is just a memory it’s time to look forward on the beer calender. Easter and March Madness will dominate the weekend but there are a few local beer happenings. Union Jack’s Inn on the Manatawny is hosting its Easter Hopfest on Saturday March 22. The event starts at noon and should satisfy everyone’s early spring hop craving. Check out the list of big beers and click on the link for more details.

Union Jack’s 3rd Annual Hopfest

Bells Hopslam
Stone Ruination
Southern Tier Gemini
Southern Tier Unearthly
Troegs Nugget Nectar
Stoudt’s Double IPA
Ithaca Double IPA
Boulder Mojo Risin
Lost Coast Double Trouble
Sly Fox Odyssey
Avery Maharajah
Mad River Steelhead Double IPA
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe
Victory Hop Wallop

http://www.unionjacksmanatawny.com/

Brooklyn had theirs at Mugs Ale House now it’s time for the Philadelphia Split Thy Skull. As usual it is at Sugar Moms (225 church street) in Old City. The festivities start at 1pm and with one look at the beer list a designated driver is a wise choice.

Sugar Mom’s Split Thy Skull

Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine
Breckenridge 471 IPA
Flying Fish Applejack Eis-Grand Cru
Founders Devil Dancer Strong Ale
Iron Hill Quadfather Quadrupel
Porterhouse Old Buck Old Ale
Sly Fox Ichor Quadrupel
Stone Old Gardian Barleywine
Stoudt’s Old Abominable Barleywine
Thomas Hooker Old Marley Barleywine
Victory Old Horizontal Barleywine

A quick look at next weekend shows that Weyerbacher is having its annual Open House on Saturday the 29th. Expect 8 plus kegs to sample from and enjoy a little beer talk with the guys at the brewery. The day starts at noon and continues until 3pm. This is a free event.

Prelude to Beer Week

Philly Beer Week is finally here. I have been looking at this week on the calendar for almost a year. Ever since I first heard the announcement last year at the Michael Jackson Tutored Tasting at the U of Penn I’ve been waiting with anticipation. Unfortunately to celebrate this wonderful week I proceeded to get a cold that knocked me off my feet for the weekend. However I did manage to get to the Meet the Brewer event at the South Philadelphia Taproom on Thursday and on Monday I snuck in for a late lunch at Capone’s to sample from a fantastic beer line up. It figures that my first visit to the South Philadelphia Tap room happened once I had moved out of the city. This warm corner bar located at Mifflin and S. Hicks street hosted a Meet the Brewer event with Founders Brewing. Actually the head brewer wasn’t there but cofounder Dave Engbers made the trip from Michigan to support his beers. Dave and a representative from Stockertown Beverage made the rounds meeting patrons and discussing the beers being poured. I was lucky enough to get the chance to talk with Dave for a few minutes. We discussed his trip that took him from Michigan through Pittsburgh on his way to Philly. During the stop in Pittsburgh he went to one of western Pa’s best bars, Fat Heads. The Southside bar has over 30 taps and a mix and match bottle shop making it a must stop for any beer fanatic who makes it to the other end of the state. We then discussed the new facility and distribution in Pennsylvania. From the sound of it the Philadelphia area is a big part of the expanding distribution range for Founders. So look forward to even more from the Michigan brewer. The line up of beers for the event was very impressive. Samples included Dirty Bastard, Centennial IPA, Red’s Rye, Devil Dancer, Rubaeus, Curmudgeon, Blushing Monk and Pale Ale. From the beers that I tasted the three standouts were Devil Dancer, Curmudgeon and Blushing monk. The Blushing Monk especially grabbed my attention. It was the first time I had the fruit beer and it impressed from the first pour. The color was a deep cloudy red and the small head quickly dissipated. The aroma was of fresh raspberry juice. The taste starts off as sweet raspberry then slowly slides to tart with a slight citrusy finish. The 12.3% ABV is very well hidden and although sweet it’s not cloying. This beer is a great sipper.

Having survived the Founders event on Thursday night what better way to celebrate Beer Week and take care of a cold than to spend the late afternoon at Capone’s eating a late lunch and tasting beer from the expanded tap list. How’s this for beers to choose from?

2006 Thomas Hooker Barrel-Aged Porter

2006 Dogfish Head World Wide Stout

Bell's Hop Slam

Old Rasputin (Nitro)

Climax 10th Anniversary

Stoudt's Birthday (rare)

Flying Fish Apple Jack Brandy Beer (aged in Apple Jack brandy barrels)

Rogue Double Dead Guy (Locker Stock)

Lucifer

Stone Double Bastard

Founder's Devil Dancer

Allagash Musette Dry Hopped

Breckenridge 471 Double IPA

Allagash Curieux.

As I always do when confronted with so many beers I have never tried I ordered a sampler. My four choices were Musette, Double Dead Guy, Apple Jack and Thomas Hooker. The World Wide was not available for sample. Unfortunately my cold affected the taste of everything. There is nothing worse than having good food and drink and not being able to appreciate all the flavors. Since Capone’s is doing the list, while it lasts, for beer week I plan on getting back once my head clears. I have only touched on a small part of what Beer Week is about. While I recover from my sickness make sure to get out there and support your favorite bars, brewers and breweries and enjoy all there is to enjoy.

Meet the Brewer Tuesday

Tuesday March 11th is the big day to meet some of the best brewers from around the country and Belgium. Most of the events are pay as you go and start during happy hour. So whether you stop at one then head home or make a night of it the evening is an excellent opportunity to taste some great beer and talk to the people who crafted them.

Meet The Brewer

Victory Brewing/ Bill Covaleski

The Standard Tap, 901 N. 2nd St.

5-7 pm

25 Years of Chimay/ Luc "Bobo" Van Mechelen

Monk's Cafe, 264 S. 16th St.

6-10 pm

Dock Street Brew Pub/ Rosemarie Certo, Scott Morrison, Micheal Fava and Ben Potts

Dock Street Brewery & Restaurant, 701 South 50th St.

6-10 pm

Bell's Brewing/ Larry Bell

Jose Pistola's, 263 S. 15th St.

6-10 pm

Sly Fox/ Brian O' Reilly

Johnny Brenda's, 1201 Frankford Ave.

6-10 pm

Yards Brewing/ Frank Winslow and Tim Roberts

Caribou Cafe, 1126 Walnut St.

6-9 pm

Yards Brewing/ Tom Kehoe

Bishop's Collar, 2349 Fairmount Ave.

Yards Brewing/ Tom Kehoe

Dawson St. Pub 100 Dawson St., Manayunk

6-8 pm

Philadelphia Brewing Company

London Grill, 2301 Fairmount Ave.

6 pm

Philadelphia Brewing Company/ Chris Morris

The P.O.P.E, 1505 E. Passyunk Ave.

6 pm

By the pint or special beer flights.

Schmidt's/ Jack Ehmann (former Brewmaster) & Rich Wagner (beer historian)

Triumph Brewing, 117 Chestnut St.

7 pm

Philadelphian brewing history.

Elysian Brewing & Rogue/ David Buhler (Elysian) & Sebbie Buhler (Rogue)

Nodding Head Brewery, 1516 Sansom St. 2nd Floor

7-10 pm

Blue Point Brewery/ Brian Flynn

Good Dog, 224 S. 15th St.

7 pm

Kasteel's/ Xavier Van Honsebrouck

Tria Cafe, 12th and Spruce St.

8:30 pm

Sierra Nevada/ Terence Sullivan, Assistant Brewmaster

O'Neal's Pub, 611 S. 3rd St.

8-10 pm

Stoudt's Brewing/ Carol Stoudt

McGillin's Old Ale House, 1310 Drury St.

Southampton Brewing/ Phil Markowski

The Belgian Cafe, 21st and Green St.

Southampton Brewing/ Spencer Neilbauer, associate brewer

Grace Tavern

2229 Grays Ferry Ave

Flying Fish

Tavern 17, 220 S. 17th St.

Troegs Brewing/ Chris and John Trogner

South Philadelphia Tap Room, 1509 Mifflin St.

7-10 pm

$35

Beer dinner pairing Troegs brews with fanastic local food.

Importer: Raven Import Co. (Gaffel & Jever breweries), Ed Raven

Race St. Cafe, 208 Race St.

6 pm, Free

Informal tasting of Kolsch, German pilsner and Austria lager. Food and free glasses.

Other Activities

Irish Music Night w/ Eric and the Quarrymen

Cherry Street Tavern, 129 N. 22nd St.

Irish music, Irish stew and drink specials

8 pm

Colorado Beer Night

Bridgid's Bar and Restaurant, 726 N 24th St.

Offerings of Great Divide, Oskar Blues, Boulder and Breckenridge.

6 pm

Abita Beer Tasting

The Sidecar Bar and Grille, 2201 Christian St.

Abita beers and Cajun/ Creole food.

Artisanal Imports Beer Tasting

St. Stephen's Green, 1701 Green St.

Lanny Hoff presents tastings of Koningshoeven, Urthel, St. Bernardus and other greats.

6-9 pm

Spaten Optimator Keep the Pint Night

Fox and the Hound, 1501 Spruce St.

7-9 pm

Tri-State Happy Hour

The Khyber, 56 S. 2nd St.

Drafts from PA, NJ and DE all $2.00

Affordale Weekday: Meet the Brewer Monday

The affordable activities continue with the start of the week. Monday begins a string of Meet the Brewer nights that will introduce you to great brewers and their liquid creations. It's just a matter of picking your favorite spot and enjoying what's on tap.

Monday March 10th

Meet the Brewer

• Harpoon Brewing

Grace Tavern
2229 Grays Ferry Ave.
5-8 pm
Inaugural testing of the 100bbl series. Steve Stewart's Firth of Forth Ale.

• Blue Point Brewing

The Bishops Collar
http://www.thebishopscollar.ypguides.net/
7 pm

• Flying Fish: Casey Hughes

The Standard Tap
http://www.standardtap.com/
5-7 pm

• Victory Brewing Meet and Greet

McGillin's Old Ale House
http://www.mcgillins.com/
No Cover

• Big Boulder Brewing Company

The Black Sheep
http://www.theblacksheeppub.com/
6-9 pm
Discount Brews and keep the glass.

More Beer Fun

Southampton Ales and Lagers Night
Bridgid's
http://www.bridgids.com/
6-9 pm

Brewery Tour and Tasting
Dock Street Brewery
http://www.dockstreetbeer.com/
7 and 8 pm
Free

Summit Brewing Happy Hour
Bridgewater's
30th St Station
5-7 pm

Ultimate Beer Trivia
Hosted by In Pursuit of Ale
Triumph Brewing
http://www.triumphbrewing.com/
8 pm
Big beer quiz to test your knowledge
Entry $5.00, RSVP by March 7th

Beer and Gourmet Meatball Slider Tasting w/ Garrett Oliver
London Grill
http://www.londongrill.com/
5-8 pm
Pay as you go
Chef Michael McNally prepares meatball versions of wild boar, duck, lobster and more.

Beers of Munich
Race St. Cafe
208 Race St.
Spaten Optimator and Franziskaner

Bar Exam
The Khyber
http://www.thekhyber.com/
8 pm
free
Team game play tests beer knowledge for fun and prizes. New beers from Philadelphia Brewing Co.

Flying Dog Brewing Co. in Honor of Hunter S. Thompson
The P.O.P.E.
1501 E Passyunk Ave
7 pm
Readings from Thompson's articles and books. A screening of, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas " and, "Where the Buffalo Roam". Beef and beer or stew will raise funds for the Gozo First Memorial