Craft Ale House, Habitat for Humanity and Beer & Food Bliss

Kelleigh and I did a rare Monday night out to support Habitat for Humanity at Craft Ale House.  All the usual suspects were in house for the charitable cause, to cheer on guest bar tender Matt Guyer and of course to imbibe on the special beers of the evening.

Being Christmas in July the evening was full of giving.  First I gave unto myself a magical pint of Troegs Barrel Aged Citra (Citra of Brotherly Love).  Lucky that I did since the firkin kicked about 20 minutes after I arrived. Serves me right for showing up late.  A few weeks back at TJ's I tasted the standard variety Citra during a tribute to PBW but this oaked out version was definitely a different animal.  It started fruity and hoppy but as it warmed the oak and vanilla took over in a big way. Nice flavor change going on. The hops rebounded in the end for a touch of bitterness that stayed on the tongue.  This is the kind of beer that makes you understand why cask ale is so good. 

After an amazing meal. I'd kill for the muscles with bacon anytime.  Kelleigh and I dove into the peanut butter pie and discovered the secret to wedded bliss.  Simply pair the pie with a glass of Great Divide Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti then vadda boom, instant happiness! It's combinations like this one, even as obvious as it is, that have me believing I've got a handle on food and beer match ups. My jumbled words won't do it justice but think sweet, rich, creamy chocolate and peanut blending with the smooth dark chocolate, malt and oak of the beer.  The right amount of sweet and bitter were present.  This was the perfect way to cap off a great Monday night.

Matt Guyer @ CAH Tonight

After trolling around my blogosphere I am following the lead of Last Bottle on the Left and Liquid Diet and recommending a stop at Craft Ale House for a good cause and good beer. Tonight the Beer Yard's Matt Guyer will guest bar tend 6-9pm with 30% of the sales going to Habitat for Humanity. 

When it comes to the beer look for a mingling of Philly and Xmas spirit in July. St. Feuillien Cuvee de Noel and Troegs Mad Elf for those who need a holiday fix.  The hometown collaborative touch is provided by Brotherly Suds 1 and Ex Porter. The evening's yummy bonus is a firkin of Troegs Oak Aged Citra (Scratch 31).  Go, enjoy and know that you are doing it for a good cause.  Cheers!!!

Hill Farmstead Brewery in Philly

  

Good afternoon Philadelphia. Today yet another new brewery is debuting beer in the area. Hill Farmstead Brewery out of Northern Vermont launches at Capone's with Edward Pale Ale and Harlan IPA.  The rest of taps will of course flow with a fine selection of hoppy and malty goodness.  11:30am start, PAYG and the brewery rep will be talking beer 7-9pm.

(A few words from the brewery site)

Edward goes to Philadelphia…

I’m not sure if my grandfather ever made it to Philadelphia (I have a lurking suspicion that he probably didn’t make it much further south than Connecticut…) but the beer that is now his namesake, our American Pale Ale, is en route to Philadelphia. This is our first shipment of beer outside of the Vermont marketplace (our next shipment to Denmark will leave at the end of July) and the entire shipment of 38 kegs is sold out before it even hits the city. Look for our beer at some of the following (but look quickly, because each place only received 5 gallons of beer…) :

For example: Monk’s Cafe, Memphis Taproom, Capone’s, Craft Ale House, Devil’s Den, Earth Bread + Brewery, Grey Lodge, Eulogy, Local 44, Teresa’s… and so forth.

Capone's Drafts 7-21-10

Cigar City Guava Grove Saison - sorry, no growler fills.

Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga - sorry, no growler fills.
Lost Coast Hop Juice Double IPA

Bear Republic Apex Double IPA

Petrus Aged Pale

Great Divide 16th Anniversary

Young's Double Chocolate Stout

Port Brewing Summer Pale Ale

Weyerbacher 15th Anniversary

Ithaca Flower Power - Very Fresh!

Avery 17th Anniversary

Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA
Voodoo Gran Met
Dock Street Rye Pale Ale
Rogue Captain Sig's Deadliest Catch
Dark Horse Plead the 5th Imperial Stout
Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel
Stone 14th Anniversary Ale
Ramstein Double Platinum Blonde
Roy Pitz Watermelon lager 16ozs
Früli Strawberry
East End Kvass
Brasserie des Géants Goliath Belgian Triple
Manayunk California Dreamin' IPA
 

Favorite Beer Menu of the Week

Teresa's Next Door 7-17-10

Wow what can I say?  This was a great one.  For those of you who have never been to TND shame, shame, shame.  No doubt one of the best beer stops in the burbs.  The 4 batches of Russian River Consecration (along with Supplication & Registration), Founders KBS , a couple options from Jolly Pumpkin and one from Cantillon are proof of that.                                                                                         

Since I was on my way to register for the mud run on Sunday, an afternoon of good beer wasn't on the schedule.  After one KBS I left the serious tasting to those who could handle it.  Dan from the smile on your face my guess is your day was a good one.

Down and Dirty on a Sunday

For those of you who thought I only made appearances at beer related activities, surprise!!!  Yesterday I participated in the Merrell Down and Dirty Mud Run in Fairmount Park.  Nearly 4000 people with nothing better to do on a Sunday morning ran trails, took on military obstacles and navigated a massive mud pit on a 5k course. 

It had nothing to do with beer other than once it was all over and most of the mud had been washed away I spent time with the wonderful Kelleigh relaxing outside at Iron Hill in Phoenixville. The Maibock never tasted better.

PBW Recap @ Teresa's Next Door

We can never have too much Philly Beer Week.  With places doing recaps of the best beer week that was there is no chance that we will be deprived of events that showcase an awesome collection of great craft beer.  Never a problem in Philly. This Saturday Teresa's Next Door breaks out the big beer guns and has us thinking back to the magical week in June. I can only speculate that if these gatherings continue throughout the year at some point Beer Week Recaps will bump up against Beer Week Preludes.  Oh, what wonderful collision that would be. Cheers.

TND RECAP

Sat July 17th

KBS, Registration Ale, a Consecration Vertical (yes, a vertical on tap), Interlude, Cantillon Cuvee Saint-Gilloise, Pozharnik, Bam Biere, Calabaza Blanca, New Holland's El Mole Ocho, the beer officially known as "Sierra Nevada ExPorter", Charlie & Ken's Imperial Bock, Supplication, Devil Dancer and more

A Full Pint in Pittsburgh

Today's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has an article running down the collaborative brewing efforts at  Full Pint Brewing Company located a few miles east of the city in North Versailles PA.  After a delayed launch the brewery is operational and producing three main beers; Chinookie Imperial Pale Ale, White Lightning (Belgian-style ale) and All-In (amber ale).  All are currently available on draft from western PA to State College.  Sorry Philly we will have to wait on this one.  Bottle are also launching in the same area. 

A sidebar to the article gives a nice little history on breweries in The Burgh. Yinz can check it all out here

If your travels have you in Pittsburgh today consider yourself lucky.  Head to the South Side and stop in at the Birmingham Bridge Tavern  for the Full Pint bottle tasting, 6-8PM.

Founders Nemesis

In an effort to help give the wonderful Kelleigh her fridge space back I've started clearing out some of those pesky beer bottles.  Since the purchase of a new and improved beer fridge is a day away I had no choice but to open the Founders Nemesis.  Darn the luck! 

As much as I surf the monster hop wave I currently can't get enough of the barrel aged brews.  I've totally embraced the current aging movement.  The popularity of beer done in former wine, rum, whiskey and numerous other spirit vessels is on a rise and I'm praying it's an upward trend that is here to stay.  Topping my list are beers done with bourbon. Oh Nemesis label you had me at "Maple bourbon aged wheat wine"

Come on, really? Maple and bourbon playing nicely with a wheat wine.  I went into this thinking liquid heaven and wasn't disappointed.  After some time in the glass to warm up the aroma hit big, big,big.  Everything from bourbon (go figure), hot buttered rum, vanilla and I swear buttered popcorn appeared. The taste isn't nearly as potent but does follow the aroma's lead.  Maple syrup, butterscotch and oak all mingle with the hot bourbon. The surprise is Nemesis is never overly sweet. Great balance.  Since the alcohol is very noticeable some time in the cellar is needed to make this one the perfect evening sipper.  Too bad I only had the one.

Favorite Beer Menu of the Week

The draft board from TJ's PBW Scraps event

Ok, so the event was last week, that's not what's important here. Petrus, Citra IPA (Scratch 31) , Dogfish 75 Minute (cask), Simcoe Hopped Big Eye IPA, Oak Aged Yeti (Espresso & Chocolate), Consecration and Registration Ale that's where you need to focus.