Still Catchin' Up: New Holland & Calkins Creamery @ CAH

A little over a week ago the perfect storm of beer and cheese took over Craft Ale House in Limerick.  Dr. Joel Beer Ambassador for New Holland Brewing and Jay Montgomery of Calkins Creamery brought together some of their best offerings for the evening.  The tasting included 5 cheeses paired with appropriate beers and bread. What else does one really need to survive?  All were great but for me there were two standouts. The Noble Road w/The Poet and Udderly Hot Havarti (infused with chilies, super chilies & habanero) w/El Mole Ocho.

(Bryan Kolesar The Brew Lounge & Dr. Joel New Holland)

The Noble Road, a semi-soft raw milk cheese aged for 60 days, was mild and earthy which worked nicely with the roasted earthiness of the Poet Oatmeal Stout.  I'm still learning my beer and cheese combinations but it makes sense that the mushroom notes of the cheese would mix well with the semi-sweet, chocolate and wood flavors of the beer.  As good as it was my favorite match-up put the complex chili, cocoa and coffee convergence of  El Mole Ocho along side the Hot Pepper Havarti. With peppers as a common theme you might of expected big, big heat but it never went past pleasant warmth on the tongue. I heard a few people complain about the pepper bite of the cheese but for a spice fiend like myself it was heaven on a plate. I highly recommend you search out the El Mole Ocho and if you're in the Philly area head to Whole Foods (Plymouth Meeting) for Calkins cheese. Cheers!

I Got Some Catchin' Up to Do: NYC Ginger Man & Rattle N Hum

I realized that I am slowly falling behind in my beer life.  With Philly Beer Week just around the corner and the tremendous amount of events scheduled, if I don't pull it together before launching into the best week ever I'll never catch up. First up NYC.

It's been almost three weeks since I trekked up to Citi Field to watch the Mets pull one out against the Giants. The beauty of this last journey to NYC were the quirks in the day that weren't beer related. I arrived at Penn Station smack in the middle of the National Train Day celebration. Who knew? And how do you celebrate NTD?  Apparently by giving out free cupcakes and inviting actor Taye Diggs (GO, House on Haunted Hill, How Stella Got Her Groove) to stand in front of a giant cake replica of a Manhattan trainscape created by the Cake Boss's Buddy Valastro. That fun was followed later by a bomb scare in Times Square. Luckily nothing major. Fortunately all the other surprises in the day were beer related.

I deviated from my usual first stop out of Penn Station, Rattle N Hum, and took a left at the Empire State Building to hit Ginger Man.  Although I like my bars a bit grittier, Ginger Man has a classic New York feel. The place is a true craft beer paradise. Over 70 taps and a monster bottle list prove that.  The problem in a place like this is choosing what to have.  I started my day with a beer I had never experienced from a brewery I had never heard of Thomas Sykes Old Ale (cask) from Burton Bridge Brewery. 

The more I experience it the more I love good cask ale. Thomas Sykes qualifies. It started off by looking great in the glass. Clear medium brown with a thin white head served in a snifter.  The sweetness of the beer never hides.  The aroma is boozy, dark fruit and toffee and the taste follows the same route.  Delicious bourbon qualities, breadiness and 10% abv make it a smooth sipper.  Not the best beer for a warm afternoon but certainly appropriate for a start to a laid back day in the city.

After walking back to Penn Station to meet a friend we headed down 33rd to Rattle-N-Hum.  All respect to Ginger Man, RnH has won over my craft beer soaked heart.  The ginormous draft list written in chalk, the warm wood surroundings, swag covered ceiling & walls, impressive taps, spicy bartenders, and the broken in feel even though the place isn't that old all make for a good beer destination.  More reasons I never skip it when I'm in the city. Sticking with the try a beer I've never had theme I ordered Captain Lawrence, Captains Reserve Imperial IPA. 

I am ashamed to admit that I hadn't met the Captain sooner.  I've had plenty of opportunities to purchase various bottles from this NY brewer but passed. For shame! No more excuses.  The Captain's Reserve was a  bit of a surprise.  The hoppy citrus/grapefruit/tangerine, some bitterness along with a touch of pine and grassiness were all expected. The twist I got was whiskey. Oddly enough there seemed to be a sweet subtle herbal whiskey flavor.  Wow, definitely different, in a  good way, from a typical DIPA. I hope the whiskey thing wasn't just in my head or a remnant from the previous stop.  I'd love the opportunity to try it again either on draft or from the bottle to explore it a little more.

The Dr. Will See You @ Craft Ale House

The always knowledgeable Dr.Joel Armato (New Holland Beer Ambassador) will steer his road show towards home with a night of beer and cheese at Craft Ale House.  On Wed night (5/19) he and Calkins Creamery owner Jay Montgomery will offer up delicious beer and cheese pairings. 

Calkins Creamery located in Honesdale, PA is where Jay and his wife Emily Bryant, "...specialize in fine, artisan cheeses, using only the freshest milk possible from our very own herd of registered Holstein cattle." Of course the good doctor is bringing in only the freshest from New Holland and promises to have a special, first time tapped in the area, beer. So expect nothing less than a tantalizing taste opportunity. PAYG, 6pm-???. Cheers!!!

Happy American Craft Beer Week

Here in Philly the focus, as expected,  is on the upcomming Philly Beer Week (6/4-6/13). However not to be overlooked is BA's American Craft Beer Week (5/17-5/23).  After all Congress did desiginate this an offical celebration of craft beer/micros.

(from ACBW site)
A House of Representatives resolution, H.R. 1297 (PDF file), was introduced on April 22 to recognize and support the goals and ideals of American Craft Beer Week. This Congressional effort highlights the valuable role that small and independent craft brewers play through community citizenry, economic contributions—including the estimated 100,000 jobs in the industry–and the resurgence in a rich brewing culture not seen since before Prohibition.

Nationally bars, breweries and brew pubs are running specials to cheer the occasion. Check out the American Craft Beer Week site for full details.

On the Road to NYC

Good-bye Philly hello NYC.  The last time my journey to the apple was for a Yankee's game in the new park.  This go around it's Citi Field, home of the now second place Mets.  Before anyone thinks I have a thing for the NY teams understand that my true baseball heart died years ago when the Pittsburgh Pirates decided to transform into a minor league team and give up any chance of winning.  Being here in Philly I've thought of cheering on the Phillies but my heart isn't in it.  It doesn't seem right to jump on now that they are king of the hill.  Therefore, I place myself in baseball limbo.  Any team, any time just give me an amazing baseball experience:  food, beer, an exciting game and good friends. At this point the uniforms on the field are secondary. As long as they can play ball I'm good. 

The plan is to hit the city early then make our way out to the game in the evening.  I'm sure a few interesting stops are in order for the day.  Can you say Rattle N Hum and The Ginger Man? Oh yes you can.

Rattle N Hum’s Beer List

05/04/10
1. Founder's ′Centennial IPA'
2. De Ranke ‘XX Bitter’
3. Bear Republic 'Racer 5’
4. Cigar City 'Jai Alai IPA’
5. Founder's 'Double Trouble IPA'
6. Sierra Nevada 'Pale Ale’
7. Dogfish Head ‘90 Minute IPA'
8. Weyerbacher 'Double Simcoe IPA’
9. Founders ‘Pale Ale’
10. Rodenbach 'Grand Cru’
11. Ballast Point 'Black Marlin Porter'
12. Ballast Point 'Bourbon Barrel Aged Black Marlin’
13. Speakeasy ‘Holiday Spice’
14. 21st Amendment ‘Golden Doom’
15. Founder's 'Cerise'
16. Climax 'ESB’
17. Weihenstephan ‘Heff Weiss′
18. Captain Lawrence 'Captain's Reserve DIPA'
19. Green Flash 'Hop Less'
20. Founder's 'Porter’
21. Founder's ‘Red Rye PA’
22. Captain Lawrence ‘Brown Bird’
23. Southampton ‘Double White’
24. Sixpoint ‘Otis’
25. Ommegang ‘Rare Vos'
26. Victory ‘Prima Pils’
27. Founder's ‘KBS’
28. Hofbrau ‘Maibock’
29. Goose Island ‘Pepe Nero’
30. Harpoon 'Cider’
31. O'Hara's 'Irish Dry Stout'
32. Dogfish Head ‘Paulo Santo Marron’
33. Founder's ‘Curmudgeon’
34. Pretty Things ‘Jack D'Or’
35. Oskar Blues ‘Ten Fiddy’
36. Climax 'Hoffman Helles'
37. Founder's 'Dirty Bastard’
38. Climax 'Nut Brown'
39. Mikkeller ‘Beer Geek Breakfastr’
40. Climax 'Cream Ale'
Cask:
1. Williams Brothers 'Midnight Sun Porter'
2. Williams Brothers 'Joker IPA'
3. Two Brothers 'Cane & Ebel'

The Power of Collaboration: Dogfish Head/Victory/Stone Release Saison du BUFF

Yesterday the collaborative powers of  Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head), Bill Covaleski (Victory) and Greg Koch (Stone) unleashed Saison du Buff. The brew commemorates the short lived, Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor (BUFF) formed by the three brewers back in 2003. 

The Belgian farmhouse style ale breaks away from the norm with some creative herbal touches.  A unique blending of sage, rosemary, thyme and parsley is sure to keep this from being a ho-hum saison. You sure wouldn't expect anything from these guys to get labeled run of the mill. The beer is being brewed at all three breweries. The current batch was done at Stone Brewing and the next brewings happen during Philly Beer Week. First up is Dogfish Head on June 6th (release July) and then Victory Brewing  on June 10th (release August). 

A few words from the guys who do the brew


Dogfish Head / Victory / Stone Saison du BUFF from stonebrew on Vimeo.