Philly Beer Girl

Happy New Year!

2012-01-08T10:44:00.003-05:00

The holidays are clearly over. I took the tree down yesterday. My neighbors have taken down their lights. Now we're just in to the swing of winter, and I have to say, there's no room for complaints. Yesterday it was nearly 60 here in Philly. I was outside in a t-shirt and pants and felt perfectly comfortable. I was complaining about the warm weather in December, saying it didn't feel like the holidays to me. Now that the holidays are over, I say bring on the warm weather! The only reason I need it to be cold at least one weekend day is because I bought a supercool, super heavy sweater that I can't wear to work (it's more casual than what I'd wear to work) and I'd really like to wear at least once!

I'm excited for the new year. Contrary to what a lot of my friends were posting on Facebook on NYE, my 2011 was a very good one. I had many good times with friends, John and I got even closer, we took a couple of fun trips, my job was stimulating and fulfilling. There were a couple of hiccups, but for the most part, it was a damn fine year. I'm looking forward to all that 2012 has to offer.

2012 is also the year I hit a milestone birthday. I'm going to be 40 in August. I can't believe it, no matter how often I say it or think about it. I'm not worried about it - I've always believed that age is just a number, and you're as young (or old) as you feel and act. I'm also fortunate that I don't really look my age. People are always surprised when I tell them how old I am. I bless good genes for that! However, hitting an age like 40 does get you thinking. I've never been one to plan out my life, and through all the ups and downs, I've been pretty happy with how my life is going.

This year, though, I think I'm going to take it up a notch. I've always been fairly healthy - despite my frequent Untappd posts about what I'm drinking. This year I'd like to be even better about my health. Take things a bit more seriously. My mom is dealing with some serious health issues right now, and I'd like to do what I can to make sure that the same doesn't happen to me. I really do enjoy running, and I want to make sure I keep up with that. I want to prove to myself that I can be healthy and still enjoy the things I enjoy (a big part of which is drinking). I've defined myself by my drinking for such a long time - hell, I even have this blog, Philly Beer Girl, which sums it up pretty well. This year I want to expand that definition to include all the other parts of Helene that help make me who I am.

I hope that as this new year kicks off, you set aside some time to decide what this year will mean for you. Who do you want to be, how can you add to who you are, to make sure this year is your best year yet? I believe we all have the answer inside of us. Good luck!

Midwest Road Trippin'

2011-10-17T22:22:00.008-04:00

This past weekend was a great one. Last Wednesday John and I went out to the Midwest - Iowa and Minnesota. I mentioned in a post last year that John is from Iowa. His parents recently moved back to the East coast, and we knew we wouldn't have many reasons to go back to Iowa, at least not on a regular basis. A friend's wedding in Minneapolis provided us just the opportunity we needed.

We flew in to Minneapolis, and drove down to Ames, where John went to college at The Iowa State University (as I was told more than once is the proper name). An incredible downpour forced us to hole up in Cafe Beaudlaire for hours - just like John used to do when he was in school. He got to show me around campus the next day, under a beautiful fall sky. It was so much fun walking around with him, having him point out to me all the places that helped him become the man I love today.

We spent the night in Des Moines, where I was able to find more than one place that served up some great craft beers. El Bait Shop, was a great place to spend a few hours - they have 105 taps! And I think their bottle/can list is even larger. One of the revelations I came across was Peace Tree Brewing, out of Knoxville, IA. I had a couple different beers - the Hop Wrangler, Hop Sutra, and Red Rambler. All were delicious. Right now it's only distributed in Iowa, but I'm going to start lobbying the guys to distribute here in PA. Try the beer, and you'll be lobbying with me.

The Hop Sutra is a fabulous double IPA. You have to try this beer! I wanted to drink it all day long, but it's a big beer and we had many things to do that afternoon. I had the Hop Wrangler at The Gas Lamp, where we went to see one of guys from the band The Nadas, performing solo.

Thursday had us heading back to Minneapolis. While there I had the Surly Furious. Talk about delicious! Extremely easy to drink. Another one that needs to be here in Philly.

I won't lie, though. One of the best parts of the trip was the awesome ride we got. John was able to upgrade us to a premium car for free. You can see our sweet ride at the top of the screen. That's right - we got to tool around the Midwest in a baby blue Crown Vic. Life doesn't get much better than that.

The most wonderful time of the year

2011-09-23T10:31:00.005-04:00

Today is the first day of autumn. My favorite time of year! The leaves change colors, the air gets cooler, sweaters come out. It's also Oktoberfest - and more importantly, to me - pumpkin beer time. I know some people complain about the fact that pumpkin beers are available at the beginning of September, saying it's too early. I don't feel that way at all. Bring them out in July and I'd be happy!

A couple of years ago, someone told me about Southern Tier Pumking, saying it was one of the best beers they'd ever tried. I had one and couldn't believe how good it was. It's become an all-time seasonal favorite for me. I think I have about 5 bottles waiting in the fridge right now. And one that I'm cellaring for next year, to try against the 2012 batch.

Last week at Hawthorne's I bought a bunch of pumpkin beers, so that I could try some new ones and enjoy some old favorites. It was quite the haul and I've been enjoying them nightly.

The ones that have really stuck out to me include Brooklyn Brewery Post Road, Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, Fegley's Devious Imperial Pumpkin, and Uinta's Punk'n. and the Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

Luckily, the season is far from over. So if you've been waiting for the right time to try a new beer, now is it! And if you have a recommendation on a beer I should try, I'd love to hear it.

It's a little dusty in here

2011-09-21T18:41:00.004-04:00

Hard to believe, but it's been just over 8 months - 8 months!! - since the last time I posted anything. Where did the time go? I wish I could say that I was backpacking through Europe, or studying with Tibetan Monks, or even gestating a baby (hey, it's been almost long enough), but none of that is the case. Somehow I just got out of the habit of writing. Life took over my life. Or something like that. I do see that I started to write three posts (they were saved as drafts, and never published. One was pretty good, and I question why I never hit the "publish post" button. I didn't do it now because it was a seasonal piece and would have made no sense. The other two were just a couple of lines along the vein of "I can't believe how long it's been since I've written!") but even the last of those was back in April.

If I'm honest with myself, I know that some of it was that I lost the focus of what I wanted this blog to be about. Judging by the name alone, I'd say beer. And probably Philly. But I didn't want to just write reviews - not that there's anything wrong with that, but there are so many people out there who do it - some well and others, well... - that I wasn't sure what was setting me apart from everyone else. People have told me they like my reviews because I just write about what I taste and smell. I don't use terms that only someone with an advanced degree in beerology can understand. But I wanted this to be more. When I started this blog a little over two years ago, I had big dreams of being THE beer girl in Philly. I did some online research and didn't really see anyone that was filling that niche in the area. What I learned is that my online searching skills needed some serious work, because there are a ton of girls (women, if you prefer) who love beer in and around the Philly area. Some of them have made careers of this, and one in particular has made quite the name for herself. I felt like I couldn't compare, and maybe I also felt like if I couldn't be best, I didn't want to be in it at all.

So why am I writing now? Maybe it's because the format of Facebook changed today, making me less enthused about spending hours on there every night and I need something else to fill my time. Maybe it's because I've missed the creative outlet that writing this blog afforded me. Maybe it was my conversation with John where I told him I need a hobby, preferably a cheap/free one, and he brought up my writing. Whatever the reason, I fired up the old computer and sat down to write this post. I'm not sure where it's going to go. I'm not sure I'm how often I'll write. And I'm seriously not sure exactly what I'll be writing about. For now, though, it felt good to blow some of the cobwebs out of the way and just tap fingers against keyboard without it being work-related, or on Facebook, or for an email.

Hopefully I still have some followers who will be happy to read something from me. And if you've missed me, hopefully you'll stick with me as I figure this out.

Brewing my own beer

2011-01-17T10:24:00.004-05:00

I believe I wrote last year about my first foray in to home brewing. It's been far too long since I last did that, and I'm excited to give it a try again. John bought me all the ingredients we'll need to brew our own IPA. Now we just need the equipment. There's a couple of home brew stores I'm going to check out and I'll be looking online, too.

If there's a particular site/store you swear by, please let me know. I need all the help I can get right now (since the last time I did this I was at someone else's house and they had everything we needed).

I'm going to follow the recipe that the guy at the store gave us, since I haven't done this before. I'm also looking for some good recipes that you've tried before. Obviously I'd like to get to a point where I brew without following someone else's recipe but I don't want to throw good money away by messing something up the first few times I do this.

I'll write about how things are going, once we finally get started!

New year, new job

2011-01-08T14:51:00.011-05:00

I think I've alluded more than once to the fact that there have been some changes in my life recently. Among the biggest is that I'm now working for DrinkPhilly.com, an awesome online resource for drink specials and happy hours in Philadelphia. There's also tons of great content, including drink reviews (not just beer!), bar/restaurant reviews, lifestyle and culture articles, and some great videos. I'm doing ad sales for them and am really happy to work with the great group of guys that I now get to work with.

I'm not sure that I've ever mentioned this, but up until about a year and a half ago I was a marketing director in charge of online advertising for pharmaceutical clients. I wasn't happy in that career, even though it was very lucrative and sounded good when I told people what I did. One of the best decisions for my sanity was walking away from something I didn't love.

For me, 2011 means embracing the fact that I'm out of that old world and have entered a new one. I've interviewed for numerous jobs that were in the same vein as what I'd been doing before and it never seemed to pan out. I'm finally taking the message that I left that career for a reason and it's okay to do something else. I'm also going to allow myself to believe that I can make money doing something that I love - even if the thing I love is beer (not that my job is about that exactly). What's not to love? I get to go out and talk to really cool people about something I believe in - something that keeps getting better, and more recognition, every day (the site has been exploding lately!). I also get to talk to my clients about their business needs and come up with solutions to help their business grow. I think there's a lot I can do in this position, and the best part is that the guys I work with want me to grow and shape it.

If you love drinking (and who doesn't?) be sure to check out the Drink Philly site. You're sure to find something good!

Cheers!

Some Philly Favorites of 2010

2011-01-06T20:38:00.004-05:00

Happy new year everyone!

I hope your holidays were as wonderful as mine. I finally got over my cold and joined John in the great Midwest. I met some wonderful new people, saw some old friends, visited a part of the country I'd never been to before, and got to try some great new beers. A terrific end to 2010 and a perfect beginning to 2011.

One of these days I'm going to have some real time to sit down and compile my end-of-year list. I'd like to write about my favorite beers, moments, songs, movies, etc from last year.

That day, however, is not today. I do have some intersting information to share, though, thanks to my good friends at PhillyTapFinder.com. Launched in September of last year, PhillyTapFinder.com is a great way for you to find out where your favorite beers are being served. As a matter of fact, I did a write up on the site that you can read here.

But back to the interesting information. Jared, the President of PTF, looked at the most popular beer and bar searches from the launch of the site through the end of the year. Below are his findings.

Top 5 beer searches:
1. Russian River Pliny the Elder (a favorite of mine whose review you can read here)
2. Troegs Mad Elf
3. Southern Tier Pumking (probably my favorite pumpkin beer. You can read what I had to say about it here)
4. Russian River Blind Pig (another one I've reviewed)
5. Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

All great brews! Obviously some of them are seasonal, and so the list is expected to change, but it's fun to see nonetheless.

The top 3 neighborhoods were Rittenhouse, Art Museum/Fairmount, and South Philly.

The top 3 beer styles were IPAs (YES!), porters/stouts, and sours/wild fermented ales.

Finally, the top 5 bars searched were:
1. Kraftwork
2. Devil's Den
3. Monk's
4. Eulogy
5. POPE

Probably no real surprises to anyone, and again, it will be interesting to see the difference at the end of 2011 when the site will have been live for over a year.

In the meantime, don't forget to check PhillyTapFinder.com (from your computer or mobile device) when you want to find your favorite beer on tap.

Cheers!

Good bye 2010

2010-12-27T19:39:00.003-05:00

This will be my last post of 2010. I know this because I'm leaving for Iowa tomorrow (joining John) and won't be home until after the new year. I'm also not bringing my computer, and that makes it even more certain I won't be writing while I'm there.

This will be short and sweet because every time I start writing about the year I find myself writing about things I don't really want to put down here. No, 2010 was not what I expected, but when is life ever what you expect? When it comes down to it, the good still outweighed the bad, and I'm thankful for the experiences that I had - even the ones that didn't turn out as I would have liked. At the end of the day, that's what life is about. Trying new things and learning from them.

As for the things I'm thankful for - it's the usual list. My good health (written as I'm coughing). The fact that my oldest and dearest friends are still my oldest and dearest friends. Meeting John and the wonderful friends I've met through him, and all of the incredible people I've met (even if just via computer) through Twitter and Facebook. My amazing family and the support they've given - and are giving - me. The good beers I've tried. The fun memories I've made. The optimism of knowing that the best is still ahead of me.

Yes, 2010 certainly had it's share of bad. But I choose not to dwell on that, and let the past remain in the past where it doesn't have the power to hurt me or bring me down.

I hope you all have a wonderful end to what was hopefully a wonderful year. And if it wasn't, remember that it's almost in the past and it's in your power to leave it there.

I'm excited to try some beers I haven't had before while I'm in Iowa and Minnesota, so be sure to let me know of any you think I should try while I'm out there.

Cheers! See you next year!

Christmas Day love

2010-12-25T18:02:00.003-05:00

I've been convalescing at my boyfriend's house. Since I'm in the middle of my move I have no furniture in myplace and even though he's not here, he's told me I'm welcome to stay. One of the reasons I'm happy to be here is his goldfish. Yes, his goldfish. Now, I had goldfish growing up but we kept them in small tanks and so they never got very big. Gustav (that's the goldfish) is so big! And he's very entertaining. When he's hungry he looks right at me and makes little fish faces. I've been told to ignore him, but I find it hard to. He also does tricks, like swimming on his back or on his side for me. What I think is my most favorite, though, is when I'm walking over to feed him. When he sees me coming, he wagshis tail like a dog. (I swear! Although it's more like an all-body wag). It's the cutest thing I've ever seen. He then swims to the top of the tank and splashes the water a bit when I'm putting the food in. I've told John (that's the boyfriend) that I think Gustav wants me to pet him, and John has implored me not to. So far I've been able to hold back, but I have to admit it's hard at times.

I'm writing all this because I've stayed in - by myself - for the past two nights and haven't done much more than watch TV - and Gustav. This is my third night in in a row. I can't remember the last time I was alone on

a Friday and Saturday night! Part of me is glad for the downtime, but I'm also starting to get the itch to get out. Now they're calling for a lot of snow tomorrow (I've heard varying reports, so am not going to quantify it at this point) and I'm afraid I might be stuck in again.

I'm going to run out in the morning and make sure I have food stuff to get me through. I've got some beers here that should take good care of me. And Gustav will undoubtedly be his usual fun self.

Here's hoping you've had a very merry Christmas full of good times with family, friends, cheer, and beer. Let me know what you did - and drank - to make it special.

Christmas Eve cold

2010-12-24T19:27:00.004-05:00

I'm nursing quite a cold right now. It started yesterday morning and got worse throughout the day. Unfortunately I'm in the middle of moving (and that's unfortunate for more than just the reason that I'm doing it with a cold) and had to pack and move stuff all day today. I finally got home and collapsed around 5 o'clock. I could remember being sick around this time last year and writing about it so I just looked through my posts and saw it was actually New Years eve eve, and now here I am sick on Christmas Eve. I guess the good news is that my family doesn't celebrate the holiday so at least I'm not missing out on any family time. The bad news is that my boyfriend does celebrate and so his home - in Iowa - with his family and I'm literally all alone in his house right now. I've decided there's nothing lonlier than a Jewish person who lives alone and is sick on Christmas Eve. At least if I felt good I could go out and grab some Chinese food with friends like I usually do.

I'm not writing this to complain, though (I can see the look of disbelief you're shooting me right now, given how this has started). I'm writing because I'm thinking of the good beers I want to be drinking. I'm friends with so many beer people on Twitter and Facebook that seeing how much fun everyone is having is making my speedy recovery seem that much more necessary. I know tomorrow night Devil's Den is featuring the '09 and '10 Mad Elf. I wonder if I'll be up for making it to that. And then Sunday I'm supposed to go to the World Cafe Live Winterfest Beer Tasting (which I attended last year and wrote about here).

Too many good things coming up for me to play host to this cold. With that, I'm off to take more medicine and maybe even tuck myself in for the night. Let me know your suggestions for my first drink post-cold.

Holiday Cheer and beer

2010-12-22T12:17:00.004-05:00

I can't believe that Friday is Christmas Eve. I can't believe that next Friday is New Year's Eve! Where did 2010 go?

What is an already busy time of year has turned even more so. First, I'm moving. I have to be out of my apartment by next Monday (less than a week!) as I'm leaving for Iowa on Tuesday (to spend New Years with my boyfriend and his friends, one bright spot in what is sure to be a stressful couple of weeks) and won't be back until after January 1.

Second, my sister gave birth to her first son - and the first grandchild in my immediate family - 10 weeks early. Luckily, he's doing great and she is, too. But it was a crazy time as they were trying to decide when to deliver her.

Luckily I have great friends and family and they're keeping me sane. I also have great taste in beer (if I do say so myself) and those beers have played no small part in getting me through these days. Not as a crutch, mind you, just as a reward at the end of a long day.

I had the great joy of drinking Victory's Dark Intrigue over the weekend. It was so tasty and perfect on a very cold winter's (well, at the time it was still technically fall) night. I've also gotten to enjoy De Ranke Pere Noel, which I loved, and the always-great Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre.

I hope your preparations for the holiday season have been as tasty as mine - minus the stress!

Bella Vista Night at Brady's American Pub

2010-12-15T10:05:00.003-05:00

This Thursday, December 16th is Bella Vista Night at Brady's American Pub in Feasterville. From 7 - 9 pm you can get special prices on Maduro Brown, Holiday Cheer and Obovoid on draft and Either, Or, Three French Hens, and Yulesmith in bottles. You'll also get free glassware.

Bella Vista is a specialty beer distributor in South Philly. They have some of the best (read: my favorite) beers including those from Ballast Point, The Bruery, Bavarian Barbarian, Sixpoint, Gritty's, and Cigar City.

Winterfest Beer Tasting at World Cafe Live

2010-12-04T12:21:00.003-05:00

'Tis the season ... for beer fests. And one of the best is being held at World Cafe Live on Sunday, December 26. Perfect timing for those that need a break from family and egg nog.

The event runs from 12 - 4 pm and features winter seasonal brews from both local and national breweries. You'll get to sample stouts, porters, and winter seasonals from breweries like Flying Dog, Left Hand, Dogfish Head, Corsendonk, Sly Fox, Flying Fish, The Bruery and many more (over 30 breweries will be represented!). Finger foods will be served and live entertainment will be provided. And don't worry about missing the game - the Eagles will be on!

I've been to this event in the past and can tell you they do a great of keeping the number of attendees down so that you're not standing in endless lines; to that end, tickets, which cost $45, are limited and can be purchased by clicking here.

So take off that sweater Aunt Mary knitted for you and come celebrate the end of fruit cake season. Happy holidays!

Randall the Enamel Animal at Tria

2010-11-30T18:31:00.006-05:00

So I'll admit - I've read before of the famed Dogfish Head invention Randall the Enamel Animal and didn't really give it much thought (thoughts like "what is this Randall the Enamel Animal?" and "why should I care about this Randall character?" ran briefly through my mind, but it didn't go much further than that). But then the email came from Tria that I would have the chance to taste Burton Baton after it had run through Randall, and I decided I needed to know more about it.

Here's what I found.

The first Randall was built in 2002 in response to a beer showdown between west and east coast brewers called The Lupulin Slam. Although DFH originally thought they would just build the one, beer lovers and other brewers asked for a Randall of their own; today Randalls are being used as far away as New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, and Japan.

The latest Randall - Randall 3.0 - debuted in September 2010. This is a new double barrel model that was built to reduce foam. Randall is a filter that you connect to the tap of your favorite beer. You fill the chamber with hops, and as the beer runs through the chamber, the alcohol in the beer takes the flavor from the hop oils and puts it in the beer. The result - an intensely hop flavored and smelling beer.

All of which explains why I'll be at Tria this Thursday, December 2 for the Burton Baton. The Burton Baton, in case you don't know, is a blend of an English Style Old Ale and an Imperial IPA. Both batches are brewed and fermented separately, then blended together and aged for a month in an oak tank. Sounds (and is) awesome, which is why I can't wait to try the Randall-ized version. It's sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Make sure to get there early, if you plan on coming. Event starts at 5 and the beer is sure to go fast. You'll also have the chance to meet Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head, from 5:30 - 6:30.

Cheers!

Varga Bar Calendar Release Party

2010-11-30T18:01:00.008-05:00

I'm not sure how things go for you, but every time I go in to Varga Bar with my boyfriend he can't stop looking at the paintings and pictures of the Varga girls. So much so that I actually did a photo shoot with the amazing Celeste Guiliano as a birthday present for him (and no, I'm not posting my pictures on this site! But I will tell you that he loved them).

Celeste and her wonderful team did what they do best - taking women and making them look just like Varga girls - for the Varga Bar 2011 calendar. And you get to reap the benefits. Next Wednesday, December 8 is the release party at Varga Bar. Drink specials and complimentary hors d'oeuvres start at 9 pm. There will also be a one-hour, complimentary open bar sometime during the night.

If seeing the models in the calendar isn't enough for you, you're in luck. Each of the girls will be introduced throughout the night, and they'll also be available for calendar signings.

So guys, bring your Sharpies. And girls, maybe you'll be inspired to do a photo shoot of your own.

For this I give thanks

2010-11-28T12:53:00.003-05:00

It's a couple of days past the holiday, but that doesn't mean the thanks have to stop. I had a great holiday, full of good food, laughs, family, and friends. There was plenty of turkey, potatoes, green bean casserole, pies, cakes - and of course, beer.

A few weeks before the holiday my Aunt, at whose house we always celebrate the holiday, had a health scare. Well, a bit more than a scare but everything is going to be fine. And there are a few things that are happening in my life that could lead (and have led) me in to crying fits. Then I take a few minutes and realize just how fortunate I am and how good I really have it, and so I've decided to share those things I'm most thankful for.

I'm thankful for an amazing support system - my parents, my siblings, my extended family, my friends, new and old. I honestly don't know what I'd do without them.

I'm thankful for my health - because without that, everything else would be so much harder.

I'm thankful for all opportunities in front of me - I may not be exactly where I want to be and I may not know exactly where I'm going, but I do know, based on everything I've been through in the past, that I'll appreciate and trust in the journey.

There are so many other things I'm thankful for - music; books; beer; a cloudless blue sky; a dark, starry night; movies; wine; new foods to try; my car; the Phillies; a warm bed on a cold night - so many things that are such a part of our daily living that we take it for granted. I'm going to try not to do that. I'm really going to try and show thanks, in some small way, every day for the incredible people and things that surround me. Your life may not always be what you expect it to be but that doesn't mean it's not exactly what it's supposed to be.

Black Friday at Capone's

2010-11-24T16:04:00.003-05:00

I have a tradition on Black Friday. It doesn't involve shopping (although one year I did buy a pair of Christian Louboutains. A very expensive purchase that I haven't regretted once, even though I've only worn them three times!). Unsurprisingly, it involves drinking. And my best friend. It started the way the best things do - unplanned. We went to lunch at Isaac Newton's in Newtown and had a couple of beers - including Bezelbuth, which, at almost 12% ABV, was something like the 2nd strongest beer in the world at the time. From there we moved on to the Richboro Pub, where Small Wonder was on TV. Well, that did it for us. It was officially the best drinking day ever! We knew this was something we had to replicate annually. I think I can count on one hand the number of times we haven't gotten together on Black Friday since then - and we're going back about 16 years!

This year we'll be spending the day in Philly. I think this will be our first time doing that. Mostly we've been in NYC or the Philly suburbs (we actually hired a driver to drive us around in the 'burbs last year. Hey, at least we're responsible) I'm looking forward to an incredibly good day.

Capone's in Norristown is obviously on the same pages as us. They're having their annual Black Friday beer event. Tap is 9 am, and they're running a brunch special from 10 am - 2 pm, as well as their regular menu. Feast your eyes upon this line up:

Bullfrog Old Toad "Barrel Aged Barleywine"

East End Gratitude

Victory Old Horizontal "Vintage 2006"

Bullfrog Busted Lawnmower

Bullfrog/ Bavarian Barbarian Collaboration Gothika "Schwarzbier"

Emelisse Russian Imperial Stout

Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel Imperial Coffee Stout

Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch "Weasel"

Boulder Obivoid "On Nitrogen"

Russian River Pliny The Elder

Russian River Blind Pig

Russian River Consecration "Vintage Batch 2 "

Petrus Oak Aged Pale "Sour"

Ballast Point Sculpin

Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree "Triple IPA"

Founders Devil Dancer "Triple IPA"

Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout ( KBS )

Founders Backwoods Bastard

Troegs Mad Elf "Vintage 2008"

General Lafayette Raspberry Mead Ale

Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Port Santas Little Helper

Avery Beast Grand Cru " Vintage 2009" 16.9%ABV 5.5oz pour only

Prism Red Zone ""Spiced Seasonal w/ ginger,nutmeg, allspice & maple syrup"

Spring House Kerplunk "Vintage 2009 Chocolate Stout"

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout "Vintage 2008"

Affligem Noel Christmas Ale "Vintage 2008"

Southhampton Pumpkin Ale

Terrapin Moo-Hoo Milk Chocolate Stout

Yards Brawler

I personally think this is a very good reason to skip the shopping crowds (there's always Cyber Monday to look forward to!) and start your own drinking tradition.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Beer and Holiday Dinner Pairings

2010-11-24T09:25:00.009-05:00

I can hardly believe that tomorrow is Thanksgiving, the official start to the holiday season (although a local radio station kicked the season off on Monday, when they started playing Christmas music non-stop).

I've been reading a lot about turkey and beer pairings and have decided I'm going to bring along some beer for my holiday dinner tomorrow night. Now, my family doesn't really drink. As a matter of fact, I think they've been wondering for years where this love of beer that I have comes from. They're not exactly tee-totalers, but my mom may have a glass of wine and my dad may have a glass or two. To his credit, my dad has been trying more beers of late and often calls me when he's out with his friends to ask for my recommendation; if he can't get in touch with me, he typically falls back on his standby - Heineken (talk about wondering where the love for something comes from).

Anyway.... while you could go crazy trying to pair each different food with an appropriate beer, it makes more sense to pair the courses with a particular style to complement the foods of that course.

Appetizer
Start off with some lighter flavors. Some suggestions include Belgian lambics, like the rasberry Lindemans Framboise. You could also try a Pilsner or Lager, such as Victory Prima Pils or Brooklyn Lager. These will help stimulate the taste buds without killing them.

Main Course
Saison seems to be a good choice here. Saisons are complex. They tend to be fruity and spicy in flavor with a touch of tartness as well; this tartness helps clear the palate, which is what makes it such a nice match for the often fatty flavors of the main meal. Try Saison Duponte or Ommegang Hennepin.

Dessert
I personally could just drink a Southern Tier Pumking and call that dessert. But if you're going to actually eat yours, barleywines make a nice pairing. These are big, malty, alcohol-y beers. Try Great Divide Old Ruffian or Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale.

Of course there are many different beers that you can try and I've listed only a very few. The point is to have fun with it. Try something new - but try a beer this year! I know that's what I'll be drinking.

12% Imports & Murray Cheese at Fork and Barrel

2010-11-17T12:02:00.006-05:00

I know I'm going to kick myself for missing this event (it can't be helped) and I don't want you to do the same. Tomorrow night Thursday, November 18th at 7 PM Fork and Barrel is presenting a rare beer and cheese pairing. Brian Ewing, Founder/President of 12 Percent Imports, will be bringing 11 new and very rare beers to be paired with 11 cheeses from Murray's in New York.

I don't know about you, but I love beer. And I love cheese. The two together are amazing. And this is sure to be an incredible event. Here's a sneak peek of just some of the beers you'll get:

* Dochter Oak-Aged Emrasse, 10% - blend of 2/3 Embrasse on cognac & 1/3 whiskey, very limited
* Emelisse Bowmore - aged Imperial Russian Stout, 12% - "probably the best beer we've ever touched", only 8 cases in the US
* Dochter Noblesse XO, 7% Belgian IPA - will be the first time pouring in the US, only 2 kegs in the US
* Hof Ten Dormal Amber - first time on draft / limited

$65 gets you in. Call Fork & Barrel at 215.848.1990 or email them at forkandbarrel@gmail.com to make your reservations.

And after, feel free to let me know the deliciousness that I missed.

Royal Tavern Sandwich Contest

2010-11-16T13:06:00.004-05:00

Consider yourself a bit of a MacGyver (able to take a hodge podge of ingredients and create something incredible with it) when it comes to making sandwiches? If so, you won't want to miss this. One of my favorite bars in Philly, the Royal Tavern, is turning 8. To celebrate they're running a sandwich naming/stuffing contest. To enter you just need to come up with a sandwich name, ingredients, and the beer that should accompany it. Not able to get to the Royal in person? Send your entry to royalsandwichcontest@gmail.com. Winners will be up on the specials board throughout the anniversary week.

The Gravity Tap at Bridgid's opens this Saturday!

2010-11-15T19:25:00.005-05:00

Brigid's, the original Belgian beer bar in Philly, is also home to the only gravity tap on the east coast. Not sure what a gravity tap is? In simplest terms it's an unpressurized sixtel that sits 3 stories above the bar. A tube runs through the building down to the bar where the beer comes out of the tap. Sound interesting? Want to see it in action? Then you're in luck.

The gravity tap can only be used in the colder months because of the distance the beer has to travel between the sixtel and the tap, and this Saturday, November 20th is the official opening! Tickets are being sold: $25 in advance and $35 at the door will get you unlimited pours of Yards beer from the gravity tap, $2 and $3 for any other Yards beers, and a food buffet. A very good deal, indeed!

The event runs from 2 - 4 PM. To buy your tickets online, click here.

Dave Matthews and rare beers on a Saturday night

2010-11-07T10:24:00.004-05:00

A couple of months ago I heard the announcement from the Dave Matthews Band that they weren't going to be touring in 2011. The news disappointed me, to say the least. I've seen them on tour multiple times a year since 1996. I'm up to over 80 concerts at this point. I'd seen them play over the summer at the Susquehanna Center in Camden (seriously one of the best shows I'd seen in a long time. They played so many old songs it was like 1997 again!), but I wanted to see them one last time before their hiatus. I felt like had I known that when I saw them in July I wouldn't see them again until sometime well over a year later I might have done something differently. What that "thing" was, I had no idea but I felt like the show would have been that much more significant to me.

A brief history on my love affair with Dave and the boys. I first heard "Crash" when I was in college. I liked a few of his other songs, "Satellite" and "Ants Marching", but "Crash" caused me to obsess in ways I thought I reserved only for boys that didn't like me back. If I still had my college notebooks you'd be surprised that I managed to graduate; rather than taking notes, I sat in class writing the words to "Crash" over and over and over again. As I listened to more of his music, I realized that many of the songs weren't just good, they were amazing. I love how he can take an ordinary situation and write about it in a way most people would never think to do. I also love that many of his songs are about enjoying life now, because we're only here for a short time so we may as well "eat, drink, and be merry" - words I try to live by. Anyway, since that fateful beginning I have been a loyal Dave fan - even if I don't love everything he comes out with.

Having said that, you can imagine my joy when I heard that more tour dates were announced for 2010. A quick look confirmed that he would be coming through Philly, and I jumped on the fan club site, The Warehouse, to put in my request for tickets as soon the request period opened. A few weeks later I was rewarded with tickets for what would be my last show until he comes back around in 2012.

Last night was the show. It was great - very energetic, including an absolutely incredible "Two Step" to finish off the night. They also played "Christmas Song", which, while I'm a tad annoyed with the fact that I'm already seeing Christmas tree displays and Christmas cards, was exactly what I wanted to hear to get the season kicked off right.

Just as good, in my mind, was how the night started. A Ballast Point Dorado (so rare!) and some Cigar City Rye Porter (excellent!). It's only available at the brewery but some good friends brought some back after a recent trip to Florida.

So while I'll miss Dave and the gang next year, I look forward to the excitement and anticipation news of the 2012 tour is sure to bring. And I know that I'll have some good beers over the next many months to help get me through.

Foobooz 2010 Top 50 Bars in Philadelphia

2010-11-04T10:33:00.004-04:00

Last year, shortly after I'd started this blog, I was asked by Foobooz to give my top 10 list of favorite bars in and around Philadelphia for a top 50 list that was being compiled. I was honored to be asked, and astounded when the list came out to see that I'd been one of the people thanked by name for their contribution. I'd only recently gotten in to the beer scene and, given the company I was in, I felt validated.

I was asked again this year for my list, and still felt the same excitement in being asked. The list is hot off the presses (just got posted a few minutes ago) and well worth a read-through. It sparked a lot of discussion in 2009 and is sure to do the same this year.

Although if you have comments I'd ask that you post them on Foobooz's site, I'm curious if you think any bars were left off that should be on and if there are any bars that you feel have no place being on the list.

Cheers!

Philly Tap Finder

2010-10-25T08:47:00.003-04:00

If you're anything like me, there are days that you just have to have one particular beer. Maybe it's something you've read about. Maybe it's something you've heard about. Or maybe it's something you've had before and want to have again. Whatever the cause for the object of your obsession, if you live in Philadelphia, it just got a whole lot easier to find what you're looking for.

The recently-launched PhillyTapFinder helps you find your favorite brews by searching on name, bar, characteristic, or style. You can also pull up a list of bars in a particular neighborhood to view their entire draft list.

The site, brought to the lucky denizens of Philadelphia by husband-and-wife team Jared and Kristy, focuses on pre-selected craft beer bars around the city. This helps the two ensure that they can keep up with the often-changing tap handles in our beer-loving city and give beer-seekers an accurate tap list. Users of the site are encouraged to share their Tap Tips (updated draft lists, pictures of draft boards, etc) via email, text, or a form on the site. Tipsters will be rewarded with one point per update; 5 points earns you a bottle opener, while 30 points will get you a PhillyTapFinder t-shirt.

Don't worry if you're out on the go when a craving strikes; the site is browser friendly for the iPhone and BlackBerry.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and enjoy all that Philly has to offer (at least when it comes to quenching your thirst). Cheers!

Prism is brewing!

2010-10-20T12:56:00.002-04:00

I'm excited to say that our first batch of beer - our fall seasonal, Red Zone - was brewed in the brewery almost 2 weeks ago and will be kegged this coming weekend. It's based on a red ale, and is done with pumpkin pie spices and maple syrup. I actually haven't had the chance to try it yet, but am looking forward to tasting it early next week.

We also brewed our porter last weekend. It's hopless and done with star anise. We'll be kegging that in the next couple of weeks, too.

Many good things to look forward to, and I'm excited to see more of our beers on tap. If you see our beer somewhere (or have somewhere you'd like to see it!) feel free to leave me a comment. I'd love to hear from you!

Red October

2010-10-18T18:53:00.006-04:00

It's October and - for the past few years, at least - that means one thing here in Philly: The Phillies are looking to make it to the World Series.

Now, I'm not going to lie. I'm not the biggest sports fan out there. I don't know all the stats, or histories, or even - at times - the names of the players on the team. To be honest, I sometimes forget who we just beat in the NLDS (without looking, right now I know it's the Reds. Ask me tomorrow and I may forget again). But that doesn't mean that I don't love watching the games. I really, really do. Especially out at bars with all the other fans. I even have some key phrases I like to shout at the TV as I'm watching the games to make it sound like I know what I'm talking about: "Wait for your pitch!" "Shake it off!" "Good eye! Good eye!" (Okay, I'm not so sure about that last one, but I know I sometimes say it when a player gets walked.)

The point is this, it's a great time of year. And not just because of baseball. The weather is cooler. The leaves are really starting to put on their show. Maybe best of all - the beers are terrific. I'll always love my IPAs, but I love the heartier beers (and foods) that are making their way on to local menus.

So even if your team isn't still in the hunt, get out there and enjoy yourselves.

Cheers!

Farmhouse Ale Dinner at South Philadelphia Tap Room

2010-10-15T09:49:00.002-04:00

This Sunday, the good folks at the South Philadelphia Tap Room are bringing you a Farmhouse Ale Dinner. Only $50 gets you all-you-can-eat (!!) dishes from Chef Scott Schroeder, Nick Marci and Sheri Wade (Southwark), and Gene Giuffi (Cochon). Even better, you get all-you-can drink (!!!) Farmhouse ales from Ommegang, Sly Fox, Saison Dupont, St. Feuillien, and more!

You can buy your tickets online, in person, or by calling 215.271.7787.

Great American Beer Fest Winners

2010-09-20T13:12:00.004-04:00

This years Great American Beer Fest has come and gone. Based on the tweets and Facebook status updates, it seems a great time was had by everyone. To be honest, I tried to limit my exposure to these since I knew it would do nothing but cause extreme jealousy. But it's over and life is returning to normal for those that attended (which will hopefully include me next year!).

Although California and Colorado took home the majority of awards (56 and 42, respectively. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking I need to move out west!), PA breweries rounded out the top 5 list with 9 medals. Congratulations to Iron Hill, Troegs, Triumph, McKenzie Brew House, and Stoudt's for their wins! I'd like to send out an extra-special congratulations to Weyerbacher for their win in the Field Beer category (even though they were up against Prism!) with their Imperial Pumpkin. If you've never tried this beer, you really need to and not just because they won at GABF. It's one of my favorite pumpkin beers and I imagine I'm going to be seeing it on a lot more taps with this exciting win.

On a personal note, I heard that traffic to the Prism booth was steady on both days and that the beer was favorably received. Best of all, I understand that the guys from Lost Abbey and Russian River specifically came by to try our beers. They said that both were really good and that they liked what we were doing! These guys are responsible for some of my favorite beers, and knowing that they appreciate the work that the Prism brewers are doing was great to hear. Hopefully next year I'll be writing about our wins at GABF!

In the meantime, for a full list of this year's winners, click here.

Tears in Our Beers

2010-09-15T15:31:00.004-04:00

The Great American Beer Fest (GABF) is upon us and sadly I'm not there. Last year I was really just starting to get in to the whole beer scene and so not attending didn't really affect me. This year is another story. So many of my Twitter and Facebook friends are there (or on their way) that I feel I may need to stay off of those two platforms until Monday or risk a disproportionate amount of jealousy. I mean, it's not like I can't enjoy a beer or two myself in my fair city.

To that end, some great minds on Twitter (@beerforthedaddy and @thedailypint) started discussing having a virtual toast for those of left behind on the fun happening in CO. It started off as a joke, but quickly caught on. I love the idea and plan on partaking. If you'd like to, too, here are the details:

When:
Thursday Sept. 16th at 7:30 PM EST
Saturday Sept. 18th at 8:30 PM EST

To join in, just check in on Twitter with the beer you're drinking and the hashtags #noGABF4us and #tearsinourbeerstoast.

Cheers!

Philly Beer (and beyond) Tweetup

2010-08-30T12:23:00.005-04:00

When I started writing this blog just over a year ago, I also joined Twitter. I quickly started following - and being followed by - a number of people as interested in beer as I am. Some are homebrewers, some are sales reps, some are bloggers, others just enjoy good beer. Regardless of where their interest (and future passions) lie, we all share a common bond in our love for craft brews.

So after a few months of tweeting back and forth, a few of us decided to (gasp!) meet in person. Needless to say, it was a huge amount of fun and we quickly decided to get more people together. The first "official" Philly Beer Tweetup took place at the end of April and was a huge success. (Okay, a lot of that was personal success in that I met the person I'm now dating there). Regardless, it was a fun day at Varga Bar in Philly, and we knew it was something we wanted to do again. Unfortunately, it took us several months to pull it together, but pull it together we did (or rather, Sarah did) and this past Saturday night saw around 20 Philly beer tweeps - plus one from Florida and two from New York - at Victory Brewing in Dowingtown.

It was a great night, with many fun brews consumed and lots of good food. Most importantly, there was a lot of great conversation - both beer and non-beer related. (For instance, I learned about the free (!) MapQuest app for my iPhone that saved me money on having to go out and buy a GPS unit for my car. Yes, the Maps app that comes with the phone is great, but the MapQuest app talks to you. Much easier than reading directions).

However, I digress.

There are a lot of fun pictures from the night, some of which are here and others that can be found at our resident photographer, Stephen's, Picasa Gallery. And then there's this cool video that Mike shot by putting his camera on the giant Lazy Susan in the center of our table. If you go to Victory and are at the Brewer's Table (as we were) I highly suggest you shoot a video like this yourself.

I'm definitely looking forward to another fun night with this great group of people - and others that I have yet to meet - soon!

My 10 in '10 - an update

2010-08-17T18:02:00.005-04:00

I was thinking the other day that we're half way through August. Which means we're over half way through the year. I remember a bright-eyed blogger with the same name as me who wrote her resolutions for the new year in early January. I remember her saying she believed in the power of words, and wanting to make sure there was a chance she would accomplish all that she set out to do before she put it down in writing.

Alas, we're half way through the year and I can say that pretty sure I'm not quite half way through those resolutions. There's one that I'm just not going to be able to accomplish (I ran Broad Street, but most definitely did not set a PR). So I'm going to take a quick stock and see what I think I can do - and what I have done - before the end of the year.

Let's take a quick look at what I said I was going to do, and after, I'll write the chances of it happening:

1. Shoot some webcasts and post them: Okay, I don't have a video camera but I'm sure I have a friend or friends that do that would let me borrow one. There's a chance I'll get this done.

2. Blog more consistently: Since my typical lag between posts has been averaging about a month, I'm going to say that up until now I've fallen extremely short of this goal. But I can do better between now and the end of the year.

3. Volunteer: Well, I did do one day of volunteering. I helped out with the Reading Olympics. And I was very hung over when I did so. I give myself extra credit for that. However, there's more volunteering that could happen before the end of the year.

4. Travel: This one isn't looking so good. I'm hoping I can squeeze a trip in before the end of the year, but so far the farthest I've been from Philly since the new year is Jersey and that's just not the cool destination I had in mind (sorry, Jersey-ans!).

5. Take more advantage of what Philly has to offer: I feel pretty good about this one. I've been to the museum twice. I've gone to places I hadn't previously been to (and not just bars). I've participated in events I hadn't participated in before. Yes, I feel good about this one.

6. Learn how to do more with my Mac: Um, definitely not doing well with this one. But I'm confident I can do something - make a video or learn PhotoShop, something! - before 2011.

7. Spend more time with family and friends: Hmm. I think this one is going pretty well. I've been trying to not spend as much time on my phone when I'm out with friends, but I can say that having recently bought the iPhone (after having a BlackBerry for so many years) is not going to make this one any easier.

8. Run a 1/2 marathon and Broad Street and set a PR in both: As mentioned above, I ran Broad Street but didn't do well at all. There were extenuating circumstances that kept me from training as much as I should have, so we'll just leave it at that. Not sure if I'll get a 1/2 marathon in, but I'm hoping.

9. Try new beers: Yes, I've done this! Just recently I tried a strong ale that I was sure I was going to hate and realized I actually really, really liked it. I've also tried a couple of sours that have confirmed I don't quite like those. During Philly Beer Week I tried a number of Belgian beers that were quite delicious. And I'm sure I'm not done trying new ones quite yet.

10. Figure out what I can do in the beer industry: Well, I've got this one done! I even wrote "Work for a brewery?" and that's exactly what I'm doing. Plus I'm writing for some beer-related sites in addition to writing here.

Okay, so maybe I'm not in as bad a position as I thought I was . Still, it makes me feel good to go back and assess where I am and what I need to do for the rest of the year to make me feel like 2010 turned out the way I wanted it to when it was just starting.

Founders Devil Dancer

2010-07-27T20:29:00.004-04:00

A beer review. It's only been - what? Two months or so since I wrote one? The thing is, I've said this before. I'm not so much reviewing beers as I am writing about their tastes. So if you haven't tried a beer and are wondering what it tastes like, you could easily check my blog and see. Of course I'm saying all this in justification of writing about a beer other than the ones I'm selling. It may sound defensive, but it's actually just explanation.

Founders is one of my favorite breweries. I really like the beers of theirs that I've had. Recently someone told me I had to try the Devil Dancer. It's a triple IPA, and it came so highly recommended that as soon as I saw it was available at Hawthorne's, I was there buying a bottle.

The pour is a amber orange. The smell is that of hops - piney and citrusy - which shouldn't be surprising given that it's dry-hopped with 10 hop varieties for 26 days. There are undertones of alcohol, as well, and some sweetness. What came through for me in the taste was a lot of the alcohol (the ABV is 12%, after all) and I think that's why I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked. I've had other big beers that don't taste as boozy as this one does. Although the taste was overwhelmingly that of alcohol, I also got some malt sweetness. It just didn't seem to balance it out as much as some other beers I've had.
This is definitely a bitter beer. While I usually don't mind bitterness, that, along with the big alcohol bite, resulted in my not enjoying it as much as I have other Founders beers I've had.

Devil Dancer is a seasonal beer. I may not consider it one of my go-to beers, but I've heard so much about it recently I knew it was something I wanted to try. A lot of other people really like this beer (see above: it came highly recommended) and you may want to grab a pint (or bottle) if you see it while you're out.

I'm a beer rep!

2010-07-23T13:29:00.003-04:00

Sigh. I feel somewhat defeated when I sign in here and see how long it's been since I've posted anything. Over a month? There's just no excuse. But I'll make excuses anyway. Part of the reason is that I'm lazy (and honest!). Part is that I've been thinking I want to change up what I write about. Still write about beer (of course!) but in a different way. And I guess that's where I've been getting hung up.

Regardless, I'm writing right now with some great news. When I left my job as a marketing director back in the fall - 10 long months ago - I said I wanted to work in the beer industry. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do, but had an idea I would like to be a rep for a brewery. I started going out (well, I continued going out) and making friends with the people who worked in the industry. I didn't do it to get a job - I did it because they're cool people and I enjoyed hanging out with them. And, of course, I hoped that one day an opportunity would present itself.

That day came a couple of weeks ago. A guy, Rob DeMaria, that I met at an event at the Grey Lodge Pub in February who is opening a new brewery based out of Lansdale contacted me because he was looking for a sales rep. We met a couple of times, talked about the opportunity, and I decided it was the right choice for me. I am officially the first sales person for Prism Beer, and (I believe) the first employee! I'm so super excited about this. It's what I've been saying I wanted to do for months. The beer is really good. And I get to spend my days talking about something I really do enjoy. As they say, do something you love and you'll never work a day again in your life. So here's to me not ever working again.

Philly Beer Week 2010 - Days 5 - 8

2010-06-12T09:49:00.002-04:00

Beer Week is drawing to a close, although there are still 2 good days left. What a week it's been! Yesterday was one of the best for me, but I'll get there in a minute.

After staying in Monday night, I was ready to go again on Tuesday. I started with a great event at Smokin' Bettys - Broads & Brews. It featured women owners and brewers from Stoudt's, Dock Street, Flying Fish, and Philadelphia Brewing Company. It was really interesting to meet all these great women, drink their beer (of course), and be able to talk to them about their start in the business.

From there I went to Zavino's Wine Bar (where they also serve beer). Although not part of PBW, I did drink some Dogfish Head. Ended the night at Varga Bar. I know I said before I'd write down all the beers that I had so I could correctly identify them, but I didn't do that at Varga and I honestly can't remember what I drank. I can, however, remember what I sang - a very mumbled version of "Wonderwall" and a very good version of "The Scientist". Suffice it to say it was a very fun night.

Wednesday was pretty devoid of any PBW festivities. I went to a BYO for dinner and had a Sierra Nevada Torpedo. After dinner went to McGillin's, which was the ending point for a bar crawl with local brewers that had been going on. I hadn't gone on the bar crawl, but was glad enough to be there when we were able to get pitchers of the Flying Fish Exit 6 (easily one of the favorite beers I got to try earlier in the week). Was there for the Flyers game, which while a great game, ultimately ended in a Flyers loss and the end of their Stanley Cup run. Still, made for a good evening.

I took Thursday off. Needed time to recharge my batteries. It was well worth it when I was able to go for a run Friday morning and get an early start.

As I mentioned earlier, Friday was a great day and I got to try some really different beers. I went to Monk's for their Belgian brewers lunch. I tried the St. Bernardus Abt 12, Abbaye Val-Dieu Grand Cru, and Brasserie des Rocs Grand Cru. All very different than what I typically drink and all very good. It was really interesting to meet the brewers, too. I love everyone from Belgium that I've met and it makes me more anxious to get there ASAP.

From Monk's, I went to Jose Pistolas for their Weyerbacher lunch (having not eaten at Monk's, it was time for some food). I had the Weyerbacher Verboten (loved!) and the Saison.

After I had my fill of chips and tacos, I headed over to Hawthorne's for a Brewdog meet-the-brewer event. What an event it turned out to be! I got to try two of the most extreme beers out there - the Tactical Nautical Penguin, which comes in at a whopping 32% ABV and the Sink the Bismarck, which comes in at... wait for it... 41% ABV!! I think this may be the strongest beer in the world. I only had a taste of each, but believe me, that's all I needed. I got to also try the Tokyo, which seemed fairly tame at just 18.2%, and the Punk IPA, whose 6% ABV hardly seems worth mentioning. Incredible beers from an incredible brewer.

The day didn't end there. Up next was Supper. Not a PBW event, but great happy hour specials got my attention. 1/2 priced apps (selected ones) and a 1/2 priced featured beer, which yesterday was the SlyFox Pikeland Pils. After a couple of those, headed over to Good Dog, where there was a kick-the-firkin (I think it was a firkin) competition being held. It was a SlyFox bitter vs. a Southampton beer (I don't remember which it was since I didn't have one, but I think that was a bitter as well). I believe my friend got the last SlyFox pour, handing them the win.

Whew! What a Friday! Actually, I wound up going to Continental after for some food, and then my night was officially over.

On tap today? Devil's Den at noon for the Franziskaner/Spaten lunch. Then off to watch the USA in the World Cup. Not sure what - if anything - will come after that, but it's a beautiful day here in Philly and I can only imagine fun times ahead.

Philly Beer Week 2010 - so far

2010-06-07T19:07:00.004-04:00

Philly Beer Week kicked off last Friday. The name is a bit misleading in that it's actually 13 days, which only makes it better in my mind.
I've been looking forward to this week for a while now. Last year Beer Week was in March, and I was just getting in to beer so didn't make it to many events. I actually think I only went to one or two. I also know I wasn't trying anything new and exciting.

Not so this year. I went to Opening Tap, which is where the picture is from. Unfortunately I got there late, so missed the actual ceremonial tapping with the Hammer of Glory that I'm holding in my hand in the picture. Maybe next year. I had a great time walking around trying a bunch of beers from local brewers. Saturday saw me at Varga Bar for their block party. I was drinking Great Lakes Holy Moses White Ale and Oskar Blues Gordon. I have to admit there were numerous other bars - and beers - after Varga, but because I didn't write the beers down, I don't know what they were.
*embarrassed* but that's just the way it goes sometimes.

Sunday I went to Tria where I had Hoevebrouwers Koekelaring. I'd never heard of it, and certainly can't pronounce it, but damn it was good! Best part was I got to talk with the brewers, a husband and wife team who brew in their home (the picture on the front of the Koekelaring is of their house). Super friendly and definitely know what they're doing when it comes to brewing beer.

From Tria I went to Good Dog for some Magic Hat Blind Faith, which was quite good. I ended the night at City Tap House with Deschutes. It was the first time Deschutes was available in Philadelphia, and the Hop Henge and Mirror Pond Pale Ale were both fantastic. Really looking forward to more of these beers in our area.

Tonight is Monday, and I'm taking a break. There are around 1,000 events taking place over the 13 days and I knew there was no way I would come close to making them all. Obviously. I'll be hitting up a few more tomorrow and will update the blog towards the end of the week with all the fabulous brews I got to try (since I'll be writing them down from here on out).

Founders Nemesis

2010-05-04T19:14:00.004-04:00

I know, I know. It's been over a month since my last post. I don't even have a good excuse. Because believe me, I've been drinking plenty of good beers. Right now I'm at home, watching one of my favorite shows (Golden Girls. And if you haven't heard, Betty White is hosting SNL this Saturday. You better believe I'll be watching!), and drinking a Founders Nemesis. I'm having such a good night I wanted to write about it. So here I am.

I picked up the Nemesis a couple of months ago. I knew it was a rare find. Here's why: it's part of a limited-release beer series, of which the 2009 release is the first. Each year's release will be limited, and in whichever style head brewer Jeremy Kosmicki chooses.

The 2009 Nemesis is a maple bourbon barrel aged wheat wine. It comes in at 12% ABV (good thing I'm just having this one). The beer was aged for 9 months in barrels that were in the brewery's storage space 80 feet underground in a gypsum mine.

I have to say when I read the description I wasn't sure I would like it (maybe why I've waited so long to try it?), but it's far exceeded my expectations, and is only getting better as it's getting warmer.
The pour is a nice, hazy orange. The smell is of bourbon, maple, caramel, and vanilla. There's some fruitiness, and a lot of booze, which had me worried. I should have known better than to worry, though. Founders knows what they're doing, and I've never tasted a beer of theirs that I didn't like. Nemesis proves no different. The taste is smooth - a touch of bitterness, and a nice sweet, fruit taste as well. The alcohol is present in a burning sensation, but isn't overwhelming at all. As with the nose, maple and caramel are in there, too.

Overall I think this is a complex beer. It's a sipper, but a sipper that I want to more than sip. It's really, really smooth and delicious. It may not be to everyone's taste. Believe me, I get that. But I have to say I already can't wait to taste the 2010 release.

Port Brewing Wipeout IPA

2010-03-19T14:49:00.003-04:00

If someone were to ask me my definition of heaven, right now I'd say I'm living it. It's an absolutely gorgeous Friday afternoon. I'm watching the basketball games on TV (even though I'm not doing quite as well in my pool as I would like) and I'm going to write about an incredible beer I had the other night. Plus, I have plans tonight that include a pedicure and then meeting the head brewer of one of my favorite breweries, Ballast Point. Do Fridays get better than this??

That all being said, let's get to the focus of this post - the Port Brewing Wipeout IPA. For those of you living in the Philly area, you've probably heard that Dave Ansill is now the executive chef at Ladder 15. If that weren't enough to make you run right over there, they also just relaunched their beer menu and have some incredible craft brews both on tap and by the bottle. It was at the launch party of this new menu that I got to try the Wipeout.

Wipeout IPA is everything that I love in an IPA. The pour is a golden orange. The smell is perfect with the hops (citrusy, piney) coming through strongest and some slightly sweet malts in the background. The taste is wonderful! It starts off a little bitter, but not overwhelmingly so. It's a great balance between the hoppy tastes (so, so good) and malt, making it very drinkable. The relatively low - 7% ABV - adds to the drinkability. I think this is a good IPA for someone who is wary of extreme bitterness to try (although one guy I was talking to that tasted it found it to be too hoppy. I should point out that his choice of beer that night was a Corona so maybe he's not the best person to use as a point of reference. In his defense - in case he reads this! - I got him to try a Left Hand Polestar Pilsner and he loved it.).

While not exactly a grail beer like Pliny the Younger was, this is a beer I've been excited to try and it didn't disappoint. Definitely looking forward to lots more of it!

Hello again

2010-03-17T07:27:00.003-04:00

I knew it had been a while since I'd posted, but seeing that it's been over two weeks makes me feel a bit ashamed. However, I think there comes a point in everyone's life where they (should) take some time to assess where they're at and where they're going. I did this back in the summer, when I made the decision to leave my job because I was so unhappy. And I did it a couple of weeks ago when I realized just how often I was going out and how often I was drinking. I guess that's one of the dangers of writing about beer!

I've always been a big drinker, ever since I had my first taste of beer back in college (and it was Natty Light! Eww!). Over the years, the drink - and quality - may have changed, but the quantity really hasn't. It's not something that I'm alone in struggling with - I've talked to others who write about beer who admit that at times it's overwhelming, especially living in Philly. There are so many beer events going on nightly, and there are so many great beers we want to try. Even Lew Bryson recently said on Facebook that he was "writing a column about how folks who drink craft beer are not immune to drinking too much of it...and thinking about what we can do about it". This wall post sparked a number of comments, so I guess it really is something people think about. (I'm interested in reading the article when it comes out.)

I didn't become a teetotaler for those couple of weeks, but I did stop going out nightly and tried to only go out once or twice a week. I also skipped a number of beer events I really wanted to go to (it helped that I had a stomach bug for a weekend, so had to miss some events). I have to say, I feel better about things than I did a couple of weeks ago and am ready to go out again.

I'm not saying this to be preachy. Everyone has different feelings about how much is too much. I'd just gotten to a point where I felt I was drinking too much too often. I'm proud to say I went out last night - to a craft beer menu launch at a restaurant - and had 3 beers in about 3 hours. I went out Saturday night and had 3.5 beers over 4 hours. Those are really good numbers for me, and ones I hope to continue with.

Sorry that my first post in a couple of weeks is about something that some people may not want to read about. But I wanted to be honest about why I'd been away, and what my thoughts have been. It's ironic that I'm posting this on St. Patty's Day, a day that I've typically devoted to drinking and celebrating my non-Irishness. I'll still be going out tonight and celebrating. It will just be with a couple of less beers than I've celebrated with in the past.

Slainte!

PS. Tomorrow I get back to beer reviews. I had the Port Brewing Wipeout last night, loved it, and can't wait to write about it!

Pliny the Younger

2010-03-02T09:25:00.005-05:00

Since getting in to craft beer over the past year, there are some beers that I constantly hear about. Pliny the Younger is one of them. It started over the summer when I wrote about Pliny the Elder. I received comments that if I liked Elder I had to search out the Younger. At the time I didn't realize just how rare Younger is. Actually, I never really gave much thought to the distribution or availability of any beer since those I was used to drinking (Miller Lite, Amstel Lite, etc) were available anywhere, anytime. I'm much smarter about things now.

Anyway, yesterday was a banner day for this beer drinker. Philly has been lucky enough to receive a number of kegs of the Younger. I know it's been tapped at a couple of places, and it kicks within minutes. I learned that a keg was going to be tapped at 11:30 Monday morning at Monk's Cafe. I'd heard that there would be a line, but I figured it was a Monday morning, people had to work, it wouldn't be too bad. Work seemed to be an afterthought for the folks who were lined up by the time I got there, a little after 11 am. The line wasn't too bad, though, and the doors opened promptly at 11:30. People piled in to the small front bar. It was packed, but the crowd was composed. All waited patiently for their chance to order a beer. And patience paid off when I was handed my first (and what would be my only) glass of the elusive Younger.

I was a bit worried that the beer wouldn't live up to my expectations. After all, this is the top-rated beer in the world! I'm happy to say it was all that I hoped it would be and more, starting with the pour. A beautiful golden, amber. And the smell - ah, the smell. An amazing hop smell that had me sniffing over and over again. Citrus, pine, it was all there. And the taste followed. Grapefruit, pine, and some sweet malt coming through to balance it all out. This is a big beer (11% ABV) but it is so well balanced that it's extremely drinkable - almost dangerously so. Funny side note, I was talking to a guy standing next to me and asked what he thought the ABV was. His answer? "Probably about 5 or 6%". I almost laughed out loud. Maybe I did laugh out loud. Really? A sessionable DIPA? Ha!

I was about 1/2 way through my beer when word went 'round the bar that the keg had kicked (about 30 to 40 minutes after it was tapped). I didn't think I was going to have another one (it was, after all, such a big beer) and I was so glad that I'd gotten my first taste. There are other events featuring the Younger throughout the next few weeks, so I'm hopeful to get another taste before it's all gone.

Another interesting note - it wasn't just the Younger that was tapped that morning, and that wasn't the only beer that brought the crowd. There was also Supplication, Temptation, and Consecration (barrel-aged sours) that had people swooning, and those all kicked before the Blind Pig or Pliny the Elder, which was fine with me since I had a Blind Pig to follow up the Younger. I've said it before and I'll say it again - Russian River does no wrong!

Three Sheets to the Wind

2010-02-26T08:57:00.006-05:00

Luckily, that title doesn't describe how I got last night. Rather, it was a celebration of Ballast Point beers at Sidecar Bar (and is also the name of Ballast Point's barleywine).

Regular readers of my blog know how much I love Ballast Point. Big Eye, Sculpin, Dorado - some of my favorite beers. Last night I got to try a few others, including the Three Sheets, Victory at Sea, and Sea Monster. I also had some great food: fish fry (I forgot how much I loved fried shrimp), mahi mahi tacos, and a margherita pizza. Sounds like I ate a ton, but all were shared around the table.

Three Sheets to the Wind is a barleywine, but it tasted unlike any other barleywine I've had before. It actually tasted more like an IPA. It had a very bitter finish. The other barleywines I've had have been much sweeter, more fruity. This was good, just not what I was expecting.

Victory at Sea is a coffee vanilla imperial porter. It's 10% but doesn't really taste that strong due to the nice balance between roasty coffee tastes, vanilla, and caramel malts. I really liked this one.

The Sea Monster Stout is (duh) a stout. A really, really good stout. Nice, thick, chocolatey, roasty goodness. I actually have a 22 oz bottle of this just waiting for me to drink it at home. Today would be a perfect day for it - snow on the ground, some snow still falling.

Sidecar Bar has a lot of great events coming up, so be sure to check out their site.

Port Brewing Shark Attack Double Red Ale

2010-02-25T09:43:00.003-05:00

Monday night was a good one at Memphis Taproom. Tomme Arther, head brewer at Port Brewing and Lost Abbey was on site. Sadly, I didn't get to meet him (it was packed and he was swarmed) but I did get to try a couple of great beers.

I had the Lost Abbey Carnavale, but literally only a taste. It was really delicious - a saison ale that was slightly spicy, slightly citrusy. I need to find it so I can have a real drink of it. I also had a taste of the Port Brewing Mongo, a double IPA that was quite good.

The beer I decided to focus on that night was the Port Brewing Shark Attack Double Red Ale. It poured a deep, dark red. The smell was nice and hoppy, but mixed with some sweet malt as well. The taste was sweet from the malts without much of a hop bite. There was also the taste of some dried fruit, and it wasn't overly bitter. It's a pretty drinkable big beer - 9% ABV - but the alcohol does come through a bit more when the beer warms, making it somewhat less enjoyable (unless you like that big alcohol taste). I think this is one worth trying.

I would like to point out that the other two Lost Abbey/Port Brewing beers I've had were not really to my liking, so I'm excited to find and write about the Carnavale. I'd also like to get my hands on some Wipeout IPA and Hop 15, because I've heard nothing but good things about both.

To remain a vegetarian or not, that is the question

2010-02-20T12:34:00.005-05:00

This post is not beer related. Well, it's somewhat related to beer. You'll see what I mean.

I've been a vegetarian for almost 6 years. I guess pescatarian, or vegaquarian, since I do eat fish. Lots of fish. I don't eat meat - no chicken, no turkey, no pork, beef, duck, rabbit. I don't drink milk, but I do eat cheese and on occasion, ice cream. I'm a selective vegetarian, I guess.

I choose to eat this way because I've never been a huge fan of meat. One of my earliest memories is of me spitting my meat in to my napkin at dinner because I didn't want to eat it. When I finally was old enough to make decisions about what I was going to eat, I stopped eating red meat and pork, but continued with chicken and turkey. Then a few years back I decided to do the Atkins diet and jumped back on the meat wagon in a big way. I ate meat at every meal and little to no carbs. That didn't last very long. I read a book - Skinny Bitch - that opened my eyes to the way animals were treated prior to being slaughtered, and that was it. I was back to not eating meat, only this time I threw turkey and chicken in there with pork and beef.

Here I am 6 years later. Over the years I've eaten a piece (bite) of steak here and there. But lately I've been feeling this urge for a burger. Or a whole steak. I feel like as I'm expanding my palette through my love of craft beers and good wines, I'm missing out on some really wonderful tastes. I'm not talking about things like McDonald's hamburgers (which I can say I've never eaten) or Kentucky Fried Chicken. I'm talking about delicacies. Great burgers (which there is no lack of in Philly). Rare steaks. Maybe try some pork belly. Or quail. Even rabbit. The other day at lunch I had half a trotter - yes, a deep fried pig foot. It was good, even though I felt a bit guilty as I ate it. I also had some braised short rib that I thought was fantastic.

My resolve is wavering. I've felt good over the past few years proclaiming myself a vegaquarian. But now I think I'm ready to proclaim myself a food adventurer, willing and wanting to try new things. At least in small portions.

Eisenbahn Defumada

2010-02-16T17:24:00.007-05:00

Was meeting a friend for lunch at Chifa today. We were supposed to meet at noon. I got there just before then, at just about the same time I got a text from her saying that she had to push it back to 12:15. Since I was already there, I decided to go in and have myself a drink. I don't always drink at noon on a weekday, but I justified it with thoughts of Mardi Gras (which made me think of when I actually would to go out drinking all day on Mardi Gras and some of the crazy, crazy times I've had. But that's another post. For another blog. That I would only write anonymously.)

Anyway, I decided to try something completely different (for me) - a smoked lager. It was called Eisenbahn Defumada, but some research shows that it also goes by Eisenbahn Rauchbier. It's brewed by Cervejaria Sudbrack Ltda in Brazil. No matter it's name, it was a tasty beer.

It poured a dark, clear amber. "Rauch" is German for "smoke" and the smoke was evident in the smell, but wasn't overpowering. Malty sweetness was there, too. The taste wasn't surprising given the smell - there were smoked flavors, and sweet caramel malt. It was very crisp. And it has a low ABV - 6.3%. I can't say I loved it, but I'm really not a huge fan of lagers. However, I found this to be more drinkable than other lagers, I think because the smokiness made it a little more interesting than the lagers I'm used to drinking.

A Beer Brainstorm - Left Hand Fade to Black

2010-02-12T09:30:00.008-05:00

Last week I posted a guest review from fellow beer blogger Josh who writes at LostintheBeerAisle.com. He mentioned that he'd previously done a "beer-brainstorm" with another beer blogger, and it sounded fun to me. So we chose a beer, a date, and a time. Last night it all came together and below is the repost of what Josh put on his site from our session. As Josh so rightfully points out, this was a hell of a lot more fun than drinking/reviewing alone - thank you, Josh!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Left Hand Fade to Black

Tonight I'm posting my second ever chat-based beer brainstorm. Tonight my co-reviewer is Helene, which you may recall runs PhillyBeerGirl.blogspot.com. Doing this kind of review is 100 times more fun than drinking and reviewing alone! Many thanks to Helene!!!

PhillyBeerGirl: hey
@Lost_in_Beer: Howdy
@Lost_in_Beer: Have you warmed the beer at all?
PhillyBeerGirl: I didn't really - I grabbed it out of the fridge just about 5 minutes or so ago
PhillyBeerGirl: how about you?
@Lost_in_Beer: only a few minutes more...maybe 10-15
@Lost_in_Beer: I've never had this before...have you?
PhillyBeerGirl: Nope - I'm excited though, because people seem to really love it
PhillyBeerGirl: What do you get when you smell it?
PhillyBeerGirl: I'm getting coffee, toffee, maybe some caramel
@Lost_in_Beer: I've got a crazy confession about the aroma
@Lost_in_Beer: The last two beers I've had were toffee flavored. Both times (this one included) I smell olives
@Lost_in_Beer: It's creepy
@Lost_in_Beer: I'm 99% sure that my nose interprets toffee oddly
PhillyBeerGirl: Are you smelling the burnt smell, too?
@Lost_in_Beer: Nope, none of that action
@Lost_in_Beer: i think I'm picking up the coffee aroma you mentioned though
@Lost_in_Beer: Much head on your pour?
PhillyBeerGirl: No, not really
PhillyBeerGirl: Yours?
@Lost_in_Beer: Ditto
@Lost_in_Beer: Not even 1 finger
@Lost_in_Beer: The pour was a little syrupy looking
PhillyBeerGirl: I completely agree - was thinking the same thing when I poured it
PhillyBeerGirl: Although now that it's been sitting in my glass for a few minutes, it doesn't look as thick as I'd originally thought
@Lost_in_Beer: I just tasted this puppy though
PhillyBeerGirl: Okay, I'm going in for the taste now
@Lost_in_Beer: Totally coffee
PhillyBeerGirl: Oh yeah, but some sweetness, too
PhillyBeerGirl: And definitely bitter
@Lost_in_Beer: yeah, interesting mix of bitter & sweet. Initially I think it's fairly well balanced
PhillyBeerGirl: I think so, too
@Lost_in_Beer: And although I didn't get burnt smell, I do think it's definitely smokey tasting
PhillyBeerGirl: It's a pretty strong beer - 8.5% - and I think you can taste some of that
PhillyBeerGirl: Not overwhelmingly - but maybe just a hint of it like a little alcohol at the end
@Lost_in_Beer: Thus far, you think it meets the hype you heard?
PhillyBeerGirl: I do think it lives up to the hype
PhillyBeerGirl: It's really drinkable and like you said nicely balanced between bitter and sweet
PhillyBeerGirl: Getting anything more as the beer warms a bit?
@Lost_in_Beer: I was about to say that the character isn't changing much
@Lost_in_Beer: Which honestly surprises me with a beer this dark
@Lost_in_Beer: not complaining....
PhillyBeerGirl: I feel like I'm getting some fruit flavors - maybe plum?
@Lost_in_Beer: Could be some dark fruit in there. If anything the beer gets slightly sweeter as it warms.
@Lost_in_Beer: Your opinion on carbonation / mouth feel?
PhillyBeerGirl: Yeah, maybe a little less bitter
PhillyBeerGirl: Not too heavily carbonated
@Lost_in_Beer: agreed
PhillyBeerGirl: But definitely not flat
@Lost_in_Beer: Yeah...not as syrupy as the pour appeared
PhillyBeerGirl: Yes! Like I said, when I first started to pour I thought it was going to be very syrupy
PhillyBeerGirl: And then seeing it in the glass and tasting it - it doesn't really go with what I thought I'd get from that first pour
@Lost_in_Beer: Have you ever had a super flat, thick beer?
PhillyBeerGirl: Um, I don't think I have
PhillyBeerGirl: I don't know that I'd really like that
@Lost_in_Beer: I had one once. I think it was Sam Adams Triple Bock.
@Lost_in_Beer: Straight down the drain
PhillyBeerGirl: It was that good, huh?
@Lost_in_Beer: hehe
@Lost_in_Beer: Tasted like it looked: black sludge
@Lost_in_Beer: Nothing like this beer :)
PhillyBeerGirl: Do you like beers that are bourbon-barrel aged?
@Lost_in_Beer: HELL YES
PhillyBeerGirl: You should try Port Brewing Older Viscosity
PhillyBeerGirl: Or Lost Abbey Angel Share
PhillyBeerGirl: You'd probably love them both
@Lost_in_Beer: I'll add them to my shopping list on the site
@Lost_in_Beer: See if I can get them here
@Lost_in_Beer: Any final thoughts on the Fade to Black?
PhillyBeerGirl: I would definitely buy it again and recommend it
PhillyBeerGirl: I think it's a solid brew
@Lost_in_Beer: Ditto
@Lost_in_Beer: Dark roasted malts and coffee deliciousness
@Lost_in_Beer: Perfectly balanced
@Lost_in_Beer: That's how I would sum it up
PhillyBeerGirl: We're in agreement then
PhillyBeerGirl: This was really fun!
@Lost_in_Beer: I love doing these
@Lost_in_Beer: So much more fun then drinking alone
PhillyBeerGirl: Totally agreed on that, too!
@Lost_in_Beer: Tonight I would have been stuck watching Oprah with the wife while reviewing :)
PhillyBeerGirl: haha - I'm glad I could save you from that (although I do love me some Oprah!)
@Lost_in_Beer: I'll be honest...it isn't that bad
@Lost_in_Beer: Unless it's one of those sappy-make-you-cry shows
@Lost_in_Beer: Then I tap out...
@Lost_in_Beer: (mostly because I'm a sap and I cry b/c of that stuff)
@Lost_in_Beer: LOL
PhillyBeerGirl: make sure you leave that in when you post this
@Lost_in_Beer: hehe...maybe
@Lost_in_Beer: Anyhow...I should eat before I end up in a booze coma on the couch
@Lost_in_Beer: Thanks again for doing this
PhillyBeerGirl: Have a great night! And thanks!
@Lost_in_Beer: Have a good evening Helene

Cane and Ebel Rye Beer

2010-02-09T11:21:00.004-05:00

Wanted to try something different the other night. I saw the Cane and Ebel Rye beer on the menu and figured that fit the bill (plus it came strongly recommended by the bartender). The beer is brewed by Two Brothers Brewing, in Warrenville, IL and was described as being brewed with rye and Thai palm sugar. Sounded good to me!

And good it definitely was. It was actually beyond just good - pretty damn great, if you must know. I could tell from the smell alone I would like it. It had that citrusy smell I love so well, as well as some spicy rye. The taste is delicious - rye spiciness balanced by grapefruit and orange from the hops. It's full-flavored and wonderful. It's a bit of a bigger beer - 7% ABV - but it's so smooth you'll never know it.

I seem to be a fan of the rye beers. I've had the Founders Reds Rye and these both are topping my list of favorites. Now I want to try more. I think I've mentioned before that some of my friends find the bitterness of the IPAs that I love so well to be too much. I think these rye beers are the perfect answer - they provide that hoppy taste (and some moderate bitterness) but are smoothed out well by the spicy/graininess of the rye. Definitely a must try!

Snowpocalypse Bar Crawl

2010-02-07T16:31:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was another big storm in Philly. Total snowfall amount in the city? 28.5 inches! That's just crazy.

Had a really fun afternoon, as my followers/friends on Twitter/Facebook know. I've started using foursquare to "check in" when I go places and the updates are sent to those two sites. I looked at my facebook page today and have to admit, it was somewhat obnoxious! Between the hours of 2 pm and 12 am I went to the Royal Tavern, Tria, Good Dog, Jose Pistolas, Bar, McGillins, and finally Varga Bar. Got around by walking, which is some good mileage. Especially in the snow. I guess that's why my legs hurt as bad as they did this morning!

I love the city during a snowstorm. First, there are almost no cars on the road. It's so quiet and peaceful, especially when the snow is still coming down. Everyone walks in the middle of the street, and it really looks like a scene from a movie where we're the only survivors of some horrific event (think zombie or alient attack). And everyone is so friendly! I had the same experience in December during another storm (a mere 23.2 inch snowfall with that one). Something about weather disasters that makes us all like each other, I guess.

Got to experience some great beers yesterday, too. I won't list them all (mostly because I don't want to recount all that I drank) but really enjoyed the Dogfish Head World Wide Stout (nice, big 18% beer that didn't really taste that big), Stone IPA, and the Southern Tier Chocolate Stout.

It was a fun day spent having a great time with great friends! Now you'll excuse me while I try to dig my car out from under all this mess.

Intercourse Blue Ball Porter

2010-02-06T12:29:00.002-05:00

Okay, let's get the elephant in the room out of the way - the name of the brewery (Intercourse) and the beer (Blue Ball Porter). Those not living in the Philadelphia area may not be aware that there is a town out in "Amish country" called Intercourse. Blue Ball, Bird-in-Hand, and Paradise are other nearby towns - and Paradise Pale Ale is another beer in Intercourse's line up.

Since we're in the midst of another major snowstorm (as of 12:45 pm there is close to 20" on the ground, maybe even more?) I thought I'd try the porter rather than the Pale Ale. I'll save that for another day.

I like this porter. Other people may feel differently, because there is the taste of blueberries mixed with the smokiness that you'd expect in a porter. For me it works. It pours a deep, dark brown. You definitely get the smoky malts in the smell, as well as the hint of blueberries. The taste is the same - smoke flavors mixed with some sweet from the blueberries. I don't usually like fruit-flavored beers, but I guess that the smokiness balances it out, making it drinkable to me. It's low ABV - 5.2% - adds to its drinkability.

Intercourse is a newish brewery, started in June 2008. Originally the plan was to brew in Intercourse but it turns out that's a dry town (the 12-year old boy I never was has some things he'd like to say about that) so the beers are being brewed in Wilkes Barre. Distribution is limited to Philly and the surrounding areas for now, so it will likely be hard for those not in the area to find one. However, if you do, I think it's worth giving it a try.

St. Peter's Organic English Ale - a guest review

2010-02-03T07:50:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned last week, I provided a guest review at www.lostinthebeeraisle. If you missed it, you can read it here. This week, Josh from Lost guest reviews for me. This is the first guest reviewer I've had, and I'm looking forward to doing this more. Read on for Josh's review.

Josh (a.k.a. Lost) from the state of Massachusetts is the author of LostintheBeerAisle.com. Although he’s enjoyed craft beer for a number of years, he only recently got serious about drinking and reviewing beer as a hobby. Josh created LostintheBeerAisle with the intent of creating an unintimidating and welcoming place for craft beer fans of all knowledge levels to come and discuss beer.

As I start this review of St. Peter’s Organic English Ale, I have to reflect on how good life has been lately. A new position at work. A raise. My MBA class is going well. Seats are filling up for the Boston Craft Beer tweetup that I’m planning, and I’ve already secured some excellent door prizes. LostintheBeerAisle has been very blessed with a recent influx of guest reviews, and finally, this week has marked the first time I’ve been asked to do a guest review for someone else’s site! Many thanks to Helene for inviting me to post on her blog.

I’ve had tonight’s beer in my fridge for a number of weeks. I’ve been waiting for the right moment to crack it open. For whatever reason, tonight seemed like the right time. St. Peters is out of Suffolk, Eastern England. This is the first time I’ve tried any of their beers.
The beer is a straight-up amber color. It poured with minimal head: 1 finger at best. Zilch in the lacing department. Given the dry air, my sniffer is still fairly dysfunctional. What I do pick up is some malty sweetness.

I let the beer warm up for a good 15 minutes. In part because I was booting up the PC and taking the pictures, but also in part because I had a hunch that the flavors would pop a lot better if this one was warm. I feel like I was right with my assumption. Cold, the beer is relatively characterless. Warm, it’s a different story. The taste starts malty like the aroma. Hops slowly turn the taste bitter, finishing with a hopiness that is obviously present, but not overwhelming.

This is definitely a beer I could picture drinking at the bar while I watched a hockey or baseball game. It goes down pretty easy, but isn’t boring at all. And l can’t forget to give credit for the beer being organic! Dear St. Peter’s: Consider my hat tipped. Love, Lost.

I was a guest reviewer!

2010-01-31T16:00:00.003-05:00

One of the best parts about writing this blog (and going out to try all the beers I try) is the cool people I've met that I otherwise probably wouldn't have ever come across. The craft beer scene is exploding and the people involved in it are - from what I can tell - extremely open and welcoming. We all have the same goal: get people out of their comfort zone of the mass produced beers and get them to try some of the amazing varieties that are available.

I'm on twitter and follow (way too) many people involved one way or another with craft beers. Brewers, bars, bloggers. You name it (and if it starts with a "b") I'm following. So when I saw that a fellow blogger at lostinthebeeraisle.com was looking for guest reviewers, I responded immediately.

Check out my review of Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout on his blog here.

And check back here next week for his guest review on my blog. We're also going to do a virtual beer tasting together sometime in the next couple of weeks, which he'll then post. I'll put the link to that up once we've completed it.

Have I mentioned how much fun I'm having with this all? I'm a lucky, lucky beergirl!

Stone Levitation Ale

2010-01-29T09:53:00.007-05:00

Stone Brewing is one that seems incapable of putting out a bad beer. I've liked everyone I've had, all varieties (porters, IPA, strong ales). Their IPA was #7 on my top 10 IPA list.

Levitation is another hit. It's a great session beer at 4.4% ABV, which is unusual from Stone. Stone beers tend to have a higher ABV than this one. It pours a clear, dark amber. Nice smell of hops - citrus, pine. And the same comes through in the taste, backed by some caramel malts. It's bitter, but not not that biting bitter that I get from some of my favorite IPAs. Actually, this is the beer I've been turning to when I want to continue drinking but need a break from some of the bigger tastes I usually go for.

I don't think this is a very complex beer and not overwhelmingly one way or the other, which is probably why I'm not writing as much as I usually would. Having said that, it's a very good, very smooth, very drinkable beer that is well worth trying.

Port Brewing Older Viscosity

2010-01-27T09:50:00.005-05:00

One of these days I'm really going to remove myself from Tria's email list. That email is to my eyes like the music of the pied piper was to the ears of the rats (and, I guess, the children). Every time I get one I find myself at Tria post-haste. It happened again this past Monday. I was ready (very ready, after the long Sunday night I had) to spend my night on the sofa in front of the TV. But when I saw that they were tapping a keg of Older Viscosity I knew I wanted to get there to try it.

Older Viscosity is the Old Viscosity (for those of you familiar with it) made stronger by six months spent in bourbon barrels. This is a big beer - 12% ABV - that tastes like a big beer. I took a seat at the bar next to a man who was drinking one, and I honestly thought it was wine he had, given how it looked in the glass.

The pour is an inky black. I could overwhelmingly smell the bourbon along with hints of chocolate, vanilla, and some dark fruits. I was a bit apprehensive to taste it. And for me, that apprehension turned out to be the right feeling. As I mentioned above, this tastes like a big beer. It's definitely a sipper, and if you're going to have one, you're likely going to have only one.

There's a lot of bourbon in the taste. But, much like the aroma, you also get chocolate, oak, vanilla, and brown sugar. Definitely not my cup of beer, but others seem to really like it. From what I can tell, if you're a fan of this type of beer this is one you'll want to try. It reminded me of the Lost Abbey Angel's Share. Interestingly, Port Brewing and Lost Abbey are brewed by and at Port Brewing Company, and are both overseen by the same head brewer. I want to try some of their other varities, because I think I'd really enjoy them and then wouldn't feel so badly about not liking the two that I have written about!

Emilisse Royal Imperial Stout

2010-01-21T15:13:00.006-05:00

When I heard that I could among the first people in the country (!) to taste a Dutch beer that was recently imported in to Philly, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Forget that I could tell I was getting sick and should probably stay home to get better. Some things are worth getting sick for.

The Emilisse Royal Imperial Stout turns out to be one of them. It's a big, roasty, toasty stout imported by 12 Percent Imports. It pours a deep, dark brown, and looks thick and creamy in the glass. The aroma is of coffee, chocolate, roasty malts. Like the last beer I wrote about, this is a strong one - 11% ABV - that hides its alcohol well. Chocolate, coffee, and molasses are the predominant tastes.

I like that this is a big beer that doesn't necessarily taste like a big beer. It's almost deceiving that the alcohol is hidden as well as it is. But as the saying goes - caveat emptor. Buyer beware. Always good to ask the question about what you're drinking so you don't pay the price the next day.

My understanding is that there will only be 10 kegs of this imported to the US. So it's definitely going to be hard to find. If you see it, you should grab one. And not just for the bragging rights.

Allagash Curieux

2010-01-19T12:41:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure that I would have tried the Allagash Curieux on my own. It's a bourbon barrel-aged tripel. Nothing about that says that I'm going to like it. It's not going to be hoppy. It's going to taste of bourbon. I like the tripel style but don't love it.

And yet, love it I did! I was at Monk's Cafe and was told this was a special beer and that I had to try it. Good thing other people have taste beyond IPAs and force me outside of my comfort zone.

It poured a nice amber color. The bourbon came through in the smell, but not so much so that I was afraid to try it (not being a huge bourbon fan). There was also some vanilla, oak, and fruitiness coming through. Taste was pretty much the same as the nose. This is a strong beer - 11% ABV (although, I actually thought it was 22%, so I'm relieved to find out it's not) - but the taste is not overpowered by the alcohol. I found it to be very drinkable. You can taste the bourbon but it doesn't completely overwhelm the palate, instead blending well with the vanilla, oakiness from the barrel and fruits that you would expect from a tripel.

I agree that this is a special beer and one well worth tasting.

Bell's HopSlam

2010-01-12T20:11:00.005-05:00

Oh. My. God. How have I not had this beer before? It is such amazing, hoppy goodness. Has anyone ever recommended it and I've not listened? I just don't understand.

I know I said I was going to try more porters and stouts, and I am. But when I got the news that The Foodery had the HopSlam in, it was a no-brainer. I needed to get my hands on some. And I am so glad that I did!

The minute I opened the beer - before I even poured it - I said out loud "I'm going to love this". The smell itself told me all I needed to know. It was that citrusy, grapefruity smell that is heaven to me. The taste didn't disappoint. If anything, it exceeded my expectations! This is a strong beer - it's a double IPA and comes in at 10% - but you would never know it from the taste. It has all the hop bitterness and attendant citrusy flavors, but it's so nicely balanced with the malt and honey sweetness that it's not overpowering at all. This is really an amazing beer - I don't know anyone who's tried it that hasn't loved it.

Unfortunately, it's an extremely limited release. If you live in the Philly area, I know it's on tap at North Bowl (or was on Thursday night when I was there). It's also available at the Foodery in NoLibs, as I mentioned above. Or, I should say, was available on Tuesday when I was there. I have a feeling this is going to go quick, so do what you can to get your hands on one before it's too late.

My 10 in '10

2010-01-11T18:03:00.004-05:00

Okay, okay. I shamelessly stole this idea from my friend's blog (btw, she's a great photographer if you're looking for one. Check out her blog and site). But I loved it and wanted to do my own "10 in '10" - ten things I'd like to accomplish this year.

Why so late, you're wondering?

Well, there's a few reasons. First, this isn't really a blog about me and my resolutions. Second, I like being fashionably late. And finally, I'm a procrastinator. (That last one is probably the real reason.)

Also, I believe in the power of words. Once you put something out there, you better be ready to back it up. So I wanted to make sure that if I say I'm going to do it, there's at least a chance it will really get done.

These are not in order of importance, by the way. Just kind of as they came to me. Not are all related to this blog, but all are related to my life and what I'd like to see happen this year.

1) Shoot some webcasts and post them

2) Blog more consistently. Not always about beer, but with that as the overall theme (I think this post counts towards that)

3) Volunteer! I've been saying for years I want to volunteer and I finally have the time to do it

4) Travel somewhere I haven't been before - hopefully international, but I'll settle for somewhere cool within the US, too

5) Take more advantage of all that Philadelphia has to offer (true confession: I lived about a 15-minute walk from the art museum for almost 5 years and never once visited. Pathetic!)

6) Learn how to do more with my Mac than just access the Internet and use the PC-compatible software

7) Spend more time with friends and family and less time with Twitter and Facebook

8) Run a 1/2 marathon and the Broad Street Run and set a PR in both

9) Try beers that I swear I'm going to hate only to realize how much I love them (or not, but at least I'll know for sure)

10) Continue to learn about beer and figure out how to really turn my love for good brews in to something I can do to support myself (open a bar? write a book? work for a brewery? Possibilities are endless!)

Okay, so that's it. Obviously there are some things that didn't make it on to the list that I hope will happen this year, but this is a good start.
Have any resolutions/intentions/whatever you want to call them you'd like share? I'll hold you accountable if you do the same for me.

Flying Fish Exit 1 Oyster Stout

2010-01-07T19:24:00.003-05:00

As I write this I'm sitting on my floor. That's because there's something wrong my my router, and I have to sit with my laptop connected to the router in order to get on the internet! This is crazy! I was on the phone with Comcast yesterday because my internet connection was so slow. So while my downloads are faster, now it only works if I'm directly linked to the router. Grrr! (if anyone has any suggestions on how this might be fixed, I'd appreciate hearing them!)

Anyway, since one of my last posts was about my newfound appreciation of stouts and porters I thought I'd write about one I've had a couple of times and really enjoyed - the Flying Fish Exit 1 Oyster Stout.

Before I write about the beer, though, I'd like to talk about the "Exit 1" part of the name. For those not living in the Delaware Valley, the beers take their names from the exits on the Jersey Turnpike. Each beer represents something about the exit it represents. Exit 1 on the turnpike is Carney's Point Township; it seems that the southwest bayshore (which I'm assuming falls in this township) has been responsible for supplying oysters to Americans since colonial times. While there are efforts today to save the oyster, hundreds of millions of oysters were harvested from this bayshore annually through the 1950s.

Another interesting fact is that oysters and stout had a long history in the UK, but eventually the pairing of the two fell away.

I, for one, thank Flying Fish for bringing it back. It mixes two things I love - oysters (mmm!) and beer. If only there were chocolate in it, it would be perfect. Oh wait. There is chocolate! This might literally be the perfect beer for me (even minus the hoppy bite).

The pour is a deep black. There's not a lot of carbonation, and it's really creamy. You can smell roasty malts and chocolate, as well as a hint of that ocean smell (anyone who has driven down the shore and rolled down their window to announce to their olfactory sense that they've arrived knows the smell of which I write). It's not - I repeat NOT - overwhelming and no one should be put off from trying the beer because of this. A lot of people don't smell this at all, as a matter of fact. And who knows, maybe I'm just imagining it because I want it to be there.

As far as the taste, it's a great combination of roasted coffee, chocolate, and a hint of brininess. I don't mind this taste (and a lot of others don't seem to, either). This is so good I could drink it all day! Or night. And given that it's only 7% ABV, that seems quite doable.

I think this is a great winter beer with just enough of a reminder of summer in there to lift my spirits through the cold, gray days. Seriously, try this if you see it. You won't be sorry you did (even if you swear you hate oysters).

A new year started off right!

2010-01-02T11:42:00.008-05:00

I started writing this a couple of days ago. And now we're really in to 2010 and you know how I can tell? Because I'm already remembering to write "2010" on my checks, instead of "2009". Although, I've only written 2 checks so I shouldn't be too proud yet.

I had an amazing New Year's Eve, and hope you did, too. I went to Varga Bar for their 5-course (mostly) Dogfish Head beer-paired dinner. It was truly a delicious meal. Below is what I had for each course, as well as the beer it was paired with.

Course 1 - roasted green meadow farm longneck pumpkin soup. This was an amazing soup - not overly pumpkiny, creamy, done with lemongrass, toasted cinnamon, and pumpkin seed oil. The kind of soup that makes you want to lick your bowl clean. It was paired with the 120 Minute IPA (way to kick things off the right way!).

Course 2 - there were 3 offerings and I chose the oysters, which were served with a citrus relsih and didn't disappoint. Luckily I also got to try the other two options - grilled hickory-bourbon smoked octopus and a crispy wild mushroom polenta. Both were outstanding. My friend sitting next to me had the polenta, and I'm pretty sure I heard her moaning as she was eating it. This course was the only paired with a beer other than Dogfish Head; it came with the Troegs Mad Elf.

Course 3 - the cheese course! No choosing here - everyone got a rogue river blue with cherry balsamic reduction, an aged gouda with spiced almonds & black olive caramel, and a Vermont cheddar with spiced apple-cranberry and almond compote. I'm pretty sure I was moaning while I ate this course. It was paired with Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine. I should point out that by this time the effects of the beers were making themselves known. We weren't getting full pints, but it didn't matter. These were some serious beers!

Course 4 - I had the roasted winter squash and three cheese ravioli. "Amazing" doesn't begin to do it justice. It was served with crispy polenta, pecan-sage brown butter, shaved parmesan, sautéed pea tops, and royal trumpet mushrooms, and it was paired with the Worldwide Stout. The other two choices were a grilled rib eye and maple-pecan crusted duck breast; given that I'm a vegetarian, I didn't try either of them, but my friends said they were terrific.

Course 5 (the dessert course, thankfully!) - I ordered the housemade pumpkin pie, but honestly didn't eat much of it. By this point the beers were doing their job and the food had done it's job - I was sufficiently stuffed and feeling pretty good! The dessert course was paired with the Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada collaboration Life and Limb (which I did manage to drink).

Anyone familiar with these beers will know that the lowest ABV among the bunch is 10%. That's right - that's the lowest.

If NYE was any indication, 2010 is going to be a year filled with good beers, good friends, and good times. But I think we all already knew that.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T08:18:00.003-05:00

Tonight is one of my most favorite nights of the year. I love the ending of one year and the beginning of a new one. It's so freeing. I'm not Catholic, and I've never gone to confession, but I imagine this is what absolution feels like - a chance to leave behind bad decisions, bad judgments and bad habits and start over with a clean slate.

2009 was a momentous year for many reasons. I quit a job, actually a career, that wasn't fulfilling to me to pursue something I've always wanted to do (writing). I became officially divorced. I moved. I got a new car. I made new friends and deepened relationships with old ones. I ran a 1/2 marathon. I went to Paris in the springtime. I didn't work out as much as I should have. I let go of things and people I really didn't want to let go of. I learned how to be honest about my feelings and to communicate them without hurting others (most of the time). I learned how to listen better. I started this blog. I followed through on commitments, even when I didn't want to. I did some things that scared me and felt stronger for having done them. Without overstating it, I started moving confidently in the direction of my dreams.

If I had to weigh the good and bad of the past year, the scale would definitely tip towards the good. And that's the best I can ask for in any year.

Here's hoping your scaled tipped to the good, too. And if it didn't, don't worry. Tonight is your chance to start all over again. Have a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2010!

I want.... a porter?

2009-12-30T13:32:00.004-05:00

It's been pretty damn cold here in Philly the past couple of days. On top of that, I'm nursing a nice cold. I stayed home last night for the first time in over 2 weeks and it looks like I'll be staying in tonight, too. That's all fine, because tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and I don't want to sit in by myself then!

Beer is never far from my thoughts, so even as I sit on my sofa, coughing and chugging all different kinds of cold medicines, I can't help but think about what I'd be drinking if I were going out. I find my thoughts turning towards stouts and porters, which surprises me. I was never one of those people who paired what I was drinking with what I was eating, except on rare occasions. For the most part, I drank what I liked. I guess that's why I'm surprised I'm reacting to something (weather) other than just my personal preferences. Maybe my palate is maturing?

Anyway, since I've had but a few of these types of beers, I'm asking you for some of your favorites and hopefully when I'll all better tomorrow (power of positive thinking) I'll be able to add a few new beers to my favorites list.

If you had to name one or two of your favorite stouts or porters, or even seasonal beers, what would they be?

Thanks!

Winterfest Beer Tasting

2009-12-28T10:27:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was an incredibly fun day spent trying many different beers at the Winterfest '09 Beer Tasting at WXPN. First of all, I love XPN and World Cafe Live. I've been a member for many, many years and credit them with my incredible (if I do say so myself) taste in music. They're constantly introducing me to new artists and expanding my musical horizons.

Now I can also credit them with expanding my beer horizons. I love beerfests, and not just because I love drinking beer. It's such an amazing way to try new things. And the people there are usually pretty cool, too. I mean, they're there to drink beer - how bad could they be?

The event lived up to my expectations. It was a fun crowd and there was a selection of over 80 different beers! The focus was on porters, stouts, winter seasonals, and special holiday ales. Below are some of the favorites I had, including their ABV and what type of beer they are:

Rogue Yellow Snow, 6.2% American IPA
Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, 4.7% American Porter
Breckenridge Christmas Ale, 7.4% Winter Warmer
Dogfish Head Burton Baton, 10% American Imperial IPA
Mikkeller Red and White Christmas, 8% American Strong Ale
Ridgeway Very Bad Elf, 7.5% English Pale Ale
Lakefront Holiday Spice, 9.5% Winter Warmer

So, you can see we had some pretty strong ones! All in all, a bunch of different tastes and a nice addition to my usual repetoire of IPAs (although I managed to sneak a couple of those in there). I highly recommend trying one of these on a cold winter's night.

Tonight I'm celebrating the holiday season with a couple of my girl friends and will be bringing a nice seasonal beer for them to try - now I just have to decide which one.

Bell's Winter White

2009-12-22T12:21:00.003-05:00

It seemed appropriate to try the Bell's Winter White Ale the other day, given all the white stuff I had to trudge through to get to a bar to watch the Eagles play. I seriously wanted to post signs around my neighborhood that read "It's called a shovel. Get one and use it".

However, I'm not writing to discuss the laziness of some people. I'd much rather write about the beer, because it was quite good.

According to Bell's, this is "a wheat ale brewed with American wheat and a proprietary blend of Hefe and classic Belgian-style yeasts." This is a nice beer for someone who likes witbiers, but wants something a little more complex in the colder months.

It poured a clear, pale yellow. The smell was fruity and spicy - coriander and clove. The taste was the same - citrusy with spiciness and coriander flavors coming in, too. There was also some bitterness from the hops, which added a nice touch.

For a lot of people, this may not be the winter beer they turn to on the coldest of days. But I guess not everyone faces the same winters we do here in the northeast, and this would be a great beer for a mildly cold day. Speaking of, a friend of mine lives in Florida. She told me that when it gets below 70, people pull out coats and hats. I think she said scarves, too. That's just crazy! I was shoveling in 20 degree weather without a hat on and felt fine. Then again, I was shoveling (which is some good exercise as attested to by the pains in my upper back and arms) and so was probably angry about the shoveling and not really feeling the cold. But still.

It may not seem like it, because what I wrote is pretty cut-and-dry, but I really did enjoy this beer. I was with a girl friend of mine, and she liked it a lot, too. It's extremely easy to drink - only 5% ABV - and is definitely worth trying.

A winter wonderland and Merry Monks Ale

2009-12-20T11:58:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was quite a blizzard here in Philly. I don't think I've actually heard anyone call it that yet, but according to the definition of a blizzard, it seemed to be one. We got more snow in one day than we got all of last winter. It was a blast! Started off with some really great Weyerbacher beers at my place, then went out and met up with friends. The bars were nicely packed and everyone was making merry. Nothing like a weather disaster to bring people together.

Speaking of making merry, one of the beers I enjoyed before heading out was the Weyerbacher Merry Monks Ale. I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's a Belgian Style Tripel. Not at all hoppy (which is why I was surprised), it's actually very fruity (banana, apple) in both the aroma and taste. There was also bit of peppery spice and some nutty flavor from the yeast. This is not a beer to be taken lightly - it comes in at a fairly hefty 9.3% ABV. I thought it was well deserved after some shoveling, and I wasn't disappointed. It tasted even better as it warmed slightly and the more complex flavors (from the combination of pilsner malts and Belgian yeasts) really came through.

Merry Monks is a bottle conditioned ale, meaning that some sugar and yeast are added just prior to bottling. Bottle conditioning helps extend the shelf life of the beer, but also ultimately changes its character as it ages because of the on-going fermentation. The good people at Weyerbacher recommend saving a few bottles to see the differences for yourself, and I wish I had. Luckily it's available year-round so I can pick some up and save it for the next snowy day. You should, too.

My Top 10 IPAs

2009-12-16T10:54:00.007-05:00

The other day a friend challenged me to name my favorite IPA (and he's written about his top ten faves, too). In his defense, I'm sure he meant it as a question rather than a challenge, but it's so hard for me to pick my favorite that it feels like a challenge.

After much thought and some scientific calculations of ratings based on aroma, appearance, and taste (okay, kidding about that last part) I've come up with my list of my 10 favorites. I'll caveat it by saying that I obviously haven't tried every IPA out there (yet). And also, some of these may be double IPAs or whatever other category they fall in to, but I'm simplifying it - if it has IPA somewhere in the name or description, it counts. If I've written a review of it, I'm simply going to link to that. If not, I'll give a brief overview - and then thoroughly review it another time. Hey, if it's on the list, it should be on the blog.

10. Victory HopDevil
I've written about the Yakima Twilight, but not the HopDevil. This was one of the first hoppy beers I had, and I can still remember how much I enjoyed it. Victory Brewing is in Downingtown, PA and they produce some fantastic beers. The HopDevil uses American hops and German malts, producing a balanced taste that's not too overly bitter. It has a 6.7% ABV, making it easy to enjoy more than one.

9. Founders Centennial IPA
Hmm, I've written about the Founders Reds Rye, but not the Centennial IPA. I wonder if I've written about any of my favorite IPAs? (Kidding.) This is a really drinkable IPA - even though it does have a 7.2% ABV. It's not overly bitter (even though I enjoy that), but still has the nice hoppy flavor that I so love.

8. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
This is the beer I credit with turning me on to craft beer. And I've actually written about it! You can read my review here.

7. Stone IPA
Wait for it - I've written about the Stone Cali-Belgique IPA, but not the IPA. Wow. This is an eye-opening exercise. I apparently need to do a lot more writing! Anyway, the Stone IPA has a big hop presence, in the aroma, taste and bitterness. This is not an IPA for those that don't like their beers bitter - the hops will get you! But if you do like them, make sure you try this. 6.9% ABV. That makes it almost sessionable!

6. Bell's Two Hearted Ale
Um, right. So, I've written about the Bell's Oberon, but not the Bell's Two Hearted. I'm embarrassed for myself at this point. The Two Hearted is a good beer for hop heads. It's definitely got a hoppy bite to it, but it's balanced well with the malt. It's on the stronger side - 7.1% ABV, but still very drinkable.

5. Green Flash West Coast IPA
Another fave that I've actually reviewed! Green Flash is a fantastic brewery in San Diego, CA. You can read my review of the beer here.

4. Ballast Point Big Eye IPA
I've not only reviewed this beer here, I've sung it's praises to people near and far. It's a great beer that is a must-try for hop heads.

3. Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA
I thought the trend was bucked, friends, but (for what I know is the last time) I have to admit that I've written about the Weyerbacher Winter Ale but not the Double Simcoe. Sigh. The Double Simcoe is fantastic. It's brewed using only Simcoe hops, which are known for their low "harshness" levels, allowing brewers to use a lot without creating a harsh-tasting beer. It comes in at 9% ABV, but is so flavorful you'll likely want more than one.

2. Russian River Pliny the Elder
Can't say enough good things about Pliny the Elder. It was one of the first beers I reviewed, and you can read it here. Piney, hoppy deliciousness in a glass.

1. Ballast Point Sculpin
All my internal battling about my favorite IPA has landed me here - the Ballast Point Sculpin. It's just amazing. As I wrote in my review, which you can read here, I'd live in a bottle of this beer if I could. Everything about it is just that good.

Whew, I'm thirsty! Writing about all this fabulousness has me questioning how long I'm going to be able to hold out on a drink today.

But tell me - what do you think of my list? What IPA do you think I'm missing? As I mentioned, I know there are a number of IPAs waiting for me to try them, so let me know your favorites that aren't listed. Doesn't necessarily mean I haven't tried them, but I'd like to hear.

Founders Reds Rye

2009-12-10T12:37:00.004-05:00

I think I'm on to a new type of beer that I love - the ryes. I've had a couple recently that I've really enjoyed. I think the reason I like them as much as I do is because the ones I've tried are pretty close to IPAs. Ryes tend to be less bitter than IPAs, but there's still a strong hop essence. I wonder what I would think if I tried a true Roggenbier (German rye beer).

Since I haven't had that pleasure, I'll concentrate on a pleasure that I had the other evening - the Founders Reds Rye. This is a fantastic beer! The pour was a nice, deep amber. Yes, you can smell the citrusy, piney hops but they're mixed with the aroma from the spicy rye. The taste, as expected from the smell, was hoppy, but really well balanced by caramely malts and spiciness from the rye. So good!

The ABV is about 6.8%. Not too strong and this is such a drinkable, enjoyable beer that you'll never realize it's that high.

Luckily this beer is available year-round. It's definitely way up on my list of favorites and I highly recommend you try one as soon as possible.

Weyerbacher Winter Ale

2009-12-08T09:28:00.006-05:00

As I wrote a couple of posts ago, now is a great time of year for Christmas beers. Last night I had the chance to try a Weyerbacher Winter Ale. I appreciated this ale for a couple of reasons. First, it's called a Winter Ale rather than a Christmas ale. Now, I love the holiday season as much as the next person and don't want to get in to a heated debate over whether you should say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays". But the bottom line is - I don't celebrate Christmas. And I do enjoy beer. So this seems very inclusive (which, I should point out, doesn't mean I won't enjoy a beer called a Christmas beer. It was just nice to see one that wasn't). Second, it's got a really good taste at a low ABV - both of which I'll get in to more below.

Weyerbacher is a great brewery located not to far from me in Easton, PA. They make one of my favorites - the Double Simcoe IPA (which I'll be reviewing soon). I've also had their Imperial Pumpkin ale (one of the best pumpkin ales I had) and the Harvest Ale, which is really wonderful and made from hops that they harvest themselves.

But back to the Winter Ale. It pours a nice hazy, deep brown that shows some red when held up to the light. The smell is that of winter - nutmeg, allspice, roasty chocolate malts. I really enjoy the flavor of this beer - I think it's nicely balanced and not overwhelming... anything, really. Some of the other Christmas beers I tried were so malty - a little too malty for my taste (which shouldn't be surprising, given my love for the hops!). This one is very, very drinkable to me. Notes of chocolate, some toffee, caramel malt came through with just a bit of hops in the background.

Earlier I mentioned the ABV - it comes in at 5.6%, making it very easy to enjoy more than one on those long, cold winter afternoons you're stuck inside. Not surprisingly it's only available November - January, so be sure to grab one while you can.

Home brewing

2009-12-06T10:27:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a fun day for me - I got to try my hand at home brewing for the first time. It's something I've been interested in doing for a while now. Brings to life the academics of what I've been reading about lately.

Also, yesterday was a great day for home brewing. We got our first "snow" of the season - big, wet flakes that didn't stick (at least not in Philadelphia proper; may have been different in the 'burbs) but were really pretty to watch fall.

Me and the boys - 3 friends who have been doing this for about 2 years and started Philly Beer Club - made a holiday porter. What I learned is that there's a whole lot of waiting that goes on. Waiting for the wort to be made. Waiting for the water to boil. Waiting for the water to cool down. And once all that is done, the longest wait of all - waiting for the beer to ferment and become something you actually (hopefully) want to drink. That's going to take a couple of weeks.

All of the waiting did, however, give us a chance to drink some beers. And that's when I knew this was something I could really get down with. We all brought some beers and some food, and spent the afternoon brewing, talking, eating and drinking - including a couple of beers the boys had brewed before. Doesn't get much better than that.

I'll be heading back over in a few weeks to help with the bottling. Then we'll let the beer age in the bottles - and then we'll finally be able to taste the fruit of our labors. I can't wait!

'Tis the season - Christmas Ales

2009-12-03T10:08:00.003-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year. And not just because of the holidays. Now is the best time of year because of all the great holiday beers that are available.

This is my first holiday season as a real craft beer drinker. Last night I had an introduction to a variety of these beers at the Tria Fermentation School's Hoppy Holidays class. It was led by Don Russell (aka Joe Sixpack), who did a great job of schooling us in the advent of Christmas beers, as well as imparting some interesting tidbits along the way (like the history of St. Nick, the origins of the first image of Santa Claus, some truly great vintage ads of Santa hawking beer). All this while teaching a class of students who became quiet loud and unruly as the tastings continued.

Here is the line up we had along with where they're from and the ABV of each:

Anchor Christmas Ale (San Francisco, CA) - 5.5%
Brasserie Dupont Avec Les Bon Voeux (Tourpes-Leuze, Belgium) - 9.5%
Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza (Dexter, MI) - 12%
St. Feuillien Cuvee de Noel ( Le Roeulx, Belgium) - 9%
St. Bernardus Christmas Ale (Watou, Belgium) - 10%
De Struise Tsjeeses (Woesten-Vleteren, Belgium) - 10%
Troegs Mad Elf (Harrisburg, PA) - 11%
Samichlaus (Eggenburg, Austria) - 14%

So after looking at the ABVs, you can probably figure out why we were all so boisterous towards the end of this class.

It was an eye-opening experience. These were much different tasting than my usual IPAs! But some of them - particularly, for me, the Dupont Avec Les Bon Voeux and De Struise Tsjeeses - were really awesome. I think I liked those two best because they were the most mild of them all. Many of the others were very malty, and, in the case of the Jolly Pumpkin, very funky - which is because the brewer uses a yeast that makes it taste funky on purpose (it's also fermented in wooden barrels and then the different barrels are blended together).

Any one of these beers would make a great stocking stuffer for the beer lover on your gift list. For the beer lover who likes to read (which perfectly describes me) pick up a copy of Don Russell's book Christmas Beer, which tells the story of Christmas beers and has a list (compiled last year) of the 50 best Christmas beers.

Here's to holiday cheer with some Christmas beer!

Victory Yakima Twilight

2009-11-30T15:13:00.005-05:00

The Victory Yakima Twilight - a dark IPA, and seemingly nothing to do with the movie Twilight - was the beer I had to kick off my Black Friday festivities. And what a good choice it was!

While it's a dark beer - it pours a deep, reddish brown - the smell of the hops really come through. You get that wonderful grapefruity/piney smell with a nice hint of toasted malt. The taste is overwhelmingly hoppy but I think nicely balanced with bready malts and even some chocolate. While I think it's very drinkable, it is on the bitter side and may be a bit much for some people - including my friend who tasted it, made a face, looked at me and said, while shaking her head, "Oh, Hel". She just doesn't get how I can take the bitterness of the beers I drink.

This is definitely a strong ale. It comes in at 8.9% ABV (which is why I only had one; I knew I was in for a long day of drinking). It's only available through January, so be sure and get one while you can.

Santa's Butt

2009-11-28T11:08:00.003-05:00

Is it blasphemous to talk about Santa's Butt? If it is, then I guess I'll be smited (is that even a word?) because I have to write about this beer.

My best friend and I have an annual tradition of spending Black Friday drinking. It started many, many years ago by accident. She was home from college for the holiday and we decided to get together for lunch. It turned in to a drinking lunch and we had what can only be described as one of the best days ever. I don't think it really turned in to an annual thing until years later (and there have been a couple of years here and there we've been unable to get together) but for the most part, we make it a point to keep the tradition going.

Yesterday was no exception. We had lunch at the wonderful Isaac Newton's. I've written about them before, but it bears repeating that they're one of the best beer bars I've found outside of Philadelphia. Their bartenders are really knowledgeable, and they always have an amazing array of bottled and draft beers.

Which brings me back to Santa's Butt. I had to try it because it sounded good, but also because of the name (I guess I was channeling my inner 12-year old boy). I'm glad I did!

Santa's Butt is brewed by Ridgeway Brewing, which is in the UK. It's a very drinkable winter porter - perfect for those cold winter nights that are almost upon us. It pours a nice, dark brown that shows some red highlights if held up toward the light. The smell is mostly of malts - nice, roasty malts. There's also some coffee, caramel and toffee. There's definitely a coffee taste to this beer, and even some chocolate. It was a bit hoppier tasting than you might expect, given the smell. I found that to be a good thing, which shouldn't be surprising to anyone. It's also only 6% ABV, making it easy to enjoy more than one.

There's an interesting explanation for the name of the beer: in England ‘butt’ refers to a type of barrel used for brewing - a very large barrel that holds 108 imperial gallons. Back in the day, breweries put their beers in a large butt for storage.

Bottom line (pun intended) - grab Santa's Butt if you see one. You'll enjoy it much more than a lump of coal in your stocking.

San Diego Brewery Tour

2009-11-19T20:46:00.005-05:00

Just got back on Tuesday from a nice 5-day vacation in beautiful San Diego. Had a great time. The weather was perfect - blue, cloudless skies every day. Temps in the 60s-70s. I even went for a nice, 10 mile run on the boardwalk by the beach and along the bay in preparation for the 1/2 marathon I'm running Sunday.

What really made the vacation perfect was the brewery tour I went on while I was out there. The tour included stops at Stone, Ballast Point, and San Diego Brewing. What an amazing day!

We started with a stop at Stone. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. The grounds are amazing and there's a beautiful garden in which you can enjoy your brews. They had some hops growing on the vine, although, admittedly, California isn't the best climate for growing hops. The main bar area is all light and huge windows overlooking the garden. We had 5 tastings there, including the Pale Ale, Porter, and IPA. I finished with an oak-aged Arrogant Bastard that was heavenly.

Next stop was Ballast Point. The best part about a brewery tour? Not worrying about driving yourself and roadies. Enjoyed a Sublimely Self Righteous on the way.

We were led on a tour of the brewery at Ballast Point. This is a much different brewery than Stone. Truthfully, it's a store front in an industrial park. (Actually, a lot of breweries are in industrial parks.) It reminded me of the post office or a FedEx location. I mean, obviously the coolest post office EVER since there were taps right there with some of the best beers, but it was a small window you'd walk up to and give the girl your order. I had some Big Eye, Wahoo and Yellowtail Pale Ale. I've mentioned before - Ballast Point can do no wrong in my mind, and being there proved it to me all the more.

Our final stop was San Diego Brewing, and I treated myself to the Ballast Point Sculpin for the ride.

San Diego Brewing Company is a restaurant/brewery. Here I had the wonderful Hopnotic and the San Diego Amber. I also, thankfully, had lunch! It was about time to get some food in me. I had a wonderful mahi-mahi sandwich. We'd made our food choices earlier in the day, and I'd chosen fresh fruit as my side order. As usually happens with a couple of beers, I decided to put healthy eating on hold for a bit and changed up the fruit for french fries. Wise choice!

This was a really great way to spend a day. Our guide, Mindy, was very knowledgeable and told us lots of fun facts about the breweries. She also put up with us as the day wore on and we got louder and - I can only imagine - more annoying. If you're going to be in the San Diego area, check out Brewery Tours of San Diego. You won't be disappointed!

Lost Abbey The Angel's Share

2009-11-04T12:48:00.004-05:00

Great back story to the name of this beer, which connoisseurs of whiskey may know, but I had never heard. When distillers of whiskey age their whiskey for many years, some of the whiskey evaporates. They refer to this evaporation as "the angel's share".

It's an apt name for this beer as the brewers at Lost Abbey age the beer for a year in a bourbon barrel, which is evident in the taste.

I decided to try this beer because I've been writing a lot about IPAs. I can't get over my love of them, but think it's only fair to write about all the wonderful varieties of beer available.

The Angel's Share is an American strong ale, which is a term that refers to a strong beer (greater than 7% ABV) that doesn't fit in to another existing category. Beers termed strong ale typically share certain characteristics - they're usually dark brown to black in appearance and have a strong hop flavor and bitterness that are balanced by sweet or caramel malt flavors.

The Angel's Share certainly lives up to this in terms of color. The pour is deep, dark brown. It looks almost syrupy. There's no carbonation in the beer, which probably adds to this appearance.

You can absolutely smell the bourbon, as well as some oak and a little bit of vanilla. No hops here!

The taste, to me, is overwhelmingly of the bourbon. Maybe because I'm not a huge bourbon fan (which is an understatement), I felt like it was all I could taste. I even got that burning sensation at the back of my throat like I get when drinking a bourbon, which admittedly I don't do very often. I was told by my fellow bar patrons that the warmer the beer got, the better it would taste as other flavors came through. But I have to admit, that for me, that just didn't happen. Some other flavors were evident - molasses, caramel, dark fruits. Even with all that, I couldn't shake the bourbon taste.

The Angel's Share is currently available on draft at both Tria locations. Even though I can't write that I loved it, I'm glad I tried it. After all, that's what this blog is all about - expanding my horizons. Obviously I can't love every beer I try. There were a lot of other people at the bar who were drinking it, and most seemed to really enjoy it - some had even had it before and were commenting on how it good it was. And while I didn't see anyone order a second, I'm going to attribute that to the hefty 12% ABV.

Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale

2009-11-02T09:43:00.007-05:00

There are some breweries that, in my mind, seem to be able to do no wrong. Yards, Ballast Point, Russian River are just a few that come to mind immediately. I'm adding Green Flash to that list. I love their West Coast IPA, and I can now add the Hop Head Red Ale to my list of favorites.

The name really tells you what you're getting with this beer. It's a red ale but so much more than just a red ale, as indicated by the addition of "hop head". It's a red ale for those people, like me, who love the hops.

The pour is what you would expect from a red ale - a nice, clear red.

According to the BJCP, the aroma for red ales should exhibit "low to moderate hop aroma from dry hopping or late kettle additions of American hop varieties. A citrusy hop character is common, but not required. Moderately low to moderately high maltiness balances and sometimes masks the hop presentation, and usually shows a moderate caramel character". And the aroma (and taste) is where the "hop head" of this beer really comes through. The smell of hops overrides that of the malt - it's just the way I like it, piney and citrusy.

The taste starts off hoppy, with some nice malt flavors coming in after. This definitely isn't what you would expect from a typical red ale. I guess that's why even the brewers beg the question "Is it red IPA?" I would answer emphatically and excitedly "yes!" followed by "give me another!"

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Double IPA

2009-10-26T20:53:00.006-04:00

The Torpedo IPA is brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, most famous for their Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I've heard a lot about the IPA, and finally decided to try it today. I bought it on my way home at the wonderful Foodery, where I would live if they let me.

This is a really good IPA, although a bit different tasting than what I normally find myself drawn to. For instance, while I can smell the hops - a nice pine and citrus aroma - it's not as strong as some others that I love (the Sculpin or Big Eye, for instance). It smells good, but doesn't want make me want to write on and on about it.

The taste is good, but again, probably not as hoppy or bitter as I might like it. Especially given that it's billed as an Extra IPA. I think a lot of my friends, who are sometimes put off by the bitterness of the beers I like, would like this one. It is good - I'll no doubt have it again. I just can't seem to bring myself to gush about it the way I have some other beers I've had.

ABV is 7.2%, which is actually surprising. Definitely doesn't taste like it would come in that high. I only had one tonight and could go for another, but I only bought the one (just one of the many great things about The Foodery - make-your-own-6-packs!) so am going to have to wait for another time.

An interesting fact about this beer - it was introduced at the beginning of 2009 (which, is anyone else surprised that it's nearly the end of 2009?? Where did this year go?) as the newest addition to the year-round roster of beers; most notably, it's the first full-production IPA from Sierra Nevada and the first change to their year-round available beers in over a decade!

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

2009-10-14T15:52:00.003-04:00

It's been a bit since I've posted, but not because I haven't been drinking some great beers! I've been kind of busy with a few other projects, but that's really no excuse. The Phillies making the playoffs - and winning the NLDS! - has given me nothing but good reasons to head out almost daily and I was going to write about some of the different types of beers I've been trying. But I can't stop thinking about the Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, so I'm going to have to go with that one.

I've written about the Ballast Point Big Eye IPA before (you can read it here), and Sculpin is - as I like to think of it - the big brother to the Big Eye. (They have another, bigger brother - the Dorado, but that's a review for another day. I'll just say if you see it, get it!)

I had the Sculpin the other night while watching the Phils take the NLDS (can you tell I'm excited about that?). I've had it before, and honestly, I could drink it everyday.

The smell of this beer can only be described as amazing. I want to jump in the bottle and live in there - that's how good it smells. It's all piney and citrusy and tropical-fruity. I would dab it on my wrists and wear it as perfume. (I think you get that I love the smell.)

Okay, so at some point you're going to want to stop smelling it and start tasting it, instead. And you won't be disappointed. This is a bitter beer (which, as we know, means nothing but goodness to me!). You can taste the citrus fruits right away - not surprising given the smell. It's all apricots, grapefruit, mango. But there's also just a enough of a malt taste (ever-so-slight) so you're not completely overwhelmed by the citrus. This is truly a phenomenal beer - and that might not even be a strong enough recommendation.

I just realized I didn't write about the color. Not that it's not beautiful - it is. A nice amber color out of the bottle. But for me the smell and taste is really what sets this apart from other IPAs.

Oh, and one last note - the ABV is only 7%! I know, I know. 7% is higher than a lot of other beers. But believe me, the taste on this will have you thinking it's much higher. I'm just thankful it's not, because I can definitely enjoy more than one (or at least the 22 oz. bottle I got served the other night) without worrying about the next morning.

Great American Beer Festival Winners - Congratulations!

2009-09-30T14:51:00.005-04:00

The Great American Beer Festival was held September 24 - 26 in Denver, CO. While I didn't go this year, you can bet I'll be there next year.

Pennsylvania did us proud by coming in 5th in number of overall medals (or 4th, depending, apparently, on where the Iron Hill brews were credited to - either PA or DE) with 12 (although, with the Iron Hill beers we took 14, which is what puts us in 4th). PA was the only non-west coast winner in the top 5. I call that an amazing feat! A big congratulations to all!

You can see the full list of PA winners here. If you're interested in the Delaware Valley winners, you can find them here. And finally, if you want to see all the winners, look no further than here.

I'd also like to send a big congratulations to Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, MD and Robert Malone (the brewer) for winning the 2009 Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year! They were the only non-west coast brewery to win in the brewing company or brewpub category. I've had their beers (and have written about them) and know that they are deserving of this recognition! Great job, guys!

Green Flash West Coast IPA

2009-09-27T18:39:00.004-04:00

I'd like to note that today is Yom Kippur. I'm not religious and haven't done anything even remotely religious in many years, but for some reason today I felt the need to try and fast. It's 3:38 right now, which means there's about 4 more hours until I'm going to eat. I won't lie - I did have a bowl of cereal this morning at 9:30. Still, that's many more hours than I typically go without eating. So if this post seems rambling or incoherent, I'm going to blame it on the lack of food in me.

I'm also watching The Happening. It's like a train wreck. It's not at all good (sorry, M. Night. You're a Philly boy and I love you, but this is just not up to par with The 6th Sense), but I can't turn away from it. And the worse it gets, the more I want to watch.

I feel like I should be reviewing a He'brew beer today, but I haven't yet had one so I can't do that. Instead I'll talk about Green Flash West Coast IPA. I've had it before, but had it most recently on Saturday at Isaac Newton's, which was part of an IPA lunch hosted by Lew Bryson. What a fun afternoon!

This IPA is quite bitter. So you can imagine this review is going to be quite good. It pours a nice coppery, orange color. The smell is what I love best (next to the taste): distinctly hoppy - citrusy and piney and just all over wonderful. The taste is nothing less than exceptional. All citrus and pine and earth with a nice caramely sweet finish. It's such a great beer - I could drink it all day, even with it's 7% ABV. Actually, I'm surprised - this is much lower than I thought it would be given the hoppy flavor of the beer.

I may have mentioned this before, so forgive me if it seems that I'm bragging. I'm going to San Diego in November (Eagles v. Chargers!) and am doing a brewery tour. I'm so lucky because Green Flash Brewery is one of the stops (along with San Diego Brewing Co and the incredible Ballast Point). Can't wait to do some reviews after that little trip.

Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial Triple Hoppy Ale

2009-09-17T20:02:00.003-04:00

Got news through Facebook (seems how I get a lot of news these days) that the great bar Isaac Newton's in Newtown would be tapping a keg of Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial Triple Hoppy Ale. An imperial hoppy ale? Moylan's speaks my language. Also, I grew up in Bucks County and while I've been to Isaac Newton's many, many times, I don't go as often as I might like given that I have to worry about getting myself home afterwards.

The beer made the trip - and the (sober!) drive home - well worth it. Need I mention that the beer is a nice, deep amber color? There's a nice hop smell - citrusy, grapefruity, piny - with a hint of caramel in the background.

The hops are plentiful in the taste, too. Having said that, the taste is nicely balanced with the malt so as strong as it is, it's still drinkable. It's definitely one of the most bitter beers I've had, but because I like my beers bitter, I don't have a problem with it.

This is a strong beer. You can tell that from the smell and the taste, and reading it should come as no surprise - 9.2%. Not a session beer, but one worth a try if you're in to intensely hoppy beers.

One note on imperial IPAs. "Imperial" is a fairly recently coined term that's been used to describe the big IPAs that American craft brewers have been brewing for those people - like me - who crave intense beers. Imperial seems to be an arbitrary term and doesn't have an official designation, other than to signify a stronger version of an IPA. The words "double", "extreme" or even "extra" mean the same thing.

Brooklyn Brewery Post Road Pumpkin Ale

2009-09-15T20:15:00.005-04:00

As I mentioned in my last post, fall is a great time of year. As the temperatures cool, everything becomes a little heartier. Food. The clothes we wear. And most importantly, the beer we drink.
In addition to the great Oktoberfest beers that are so prevalent this time of year, pumpkin ales make a strong showing now, too.

I had the great Brooklyn Brewery Post Road Pumpkin Ale last night at 12 Steps Down. Although I've lived just a couple of blocks from this bar for almost 4 months now, it was my first trip in. It won't be my last. You can read more about the bar here because right now I'd like to focus on the beer.

The beer is a nice orange/ amber color. It smells of pumpkin, which should be expected given that - according to the brewers web site - hundreds of pounds of pumpkins are used in the mash of each batch. This heralds back to the early American colonists tradition of using natural ingredients in their brews. Pumpkins were chosen because of their abundance, flavor and nutritional value. Lucky for us!

The taste is somewhat spicy - cinammon, nutmeg, clove. You can even taste real pumpkin. But the nice thing is that it's not overwhelmingly pumpkiny, as some pumpkin beers are. The pumpkin taste is really nicely blended with the malt, giving it an almost bready taste.

This is a nice, easy drinking beer. Given it's low ABV (only 5%), and low caloric value (best I can figure is about 150 calories per 12 oz) this is a beer even the Great Pumpkin himself would enjoy (sorry. I wanted to get that in there somehow. I'll try not to make it a habit when reviewing other pumpkin beers).

Flying Dog Dogtoberfest

2009-09-07T17:11:00.003-04:00

My first tasting of the great seasonal Dogtoberfest was at a fun event - Independents Hall's 2 year anniversary, which coincided with the 100th episode of Two Guys on Beer, both of which were celebrated at National Mechanics. Talk about a good night! Add to it that I was drinking such a good beer, and well, it was a perfect Tuesday evening.

Fall is my favorite time of year. There's something to be said about the hot, muggy days of the Philadelphia summer (although to be fair, this summer wasn't bad at all) turning to the cool, crisp days and nights of fall. Sweater weather! Is there anything better?

The other great thing about fall is what it signifies. Football, Oktoberfest, Halloween, Thanksgiving. So many fun things going on, it's hard not to love it.

All of this leads me to the beer, believe it or not. Fall is a great time for beer (well, all seasons are a great time for beer. But there's something about a good, hearty ale when it's a bit colder out that makes it even more appealing to me). Especially Oktoberfest beers.

The Dogtoberfest is a Marzen/Oktoberfest beer from Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, MD. If you live anywhere near the area, you should know that the second annual GonzoFest is being held at the brewery on Saturday, September 12. I'm going to be there. You should be too, if you can make it.

The brewers use 100% imported German ingredients to give this beer an authentic German taste. It pours a nice deep brown. Although not the tongue-scraping hoppy I usually like (I have to admit I got that from a Twitter friend, who described the beers he liked as such), I genuinely enjoyed this very drinkable beer. It comes in at 5.3% ABV. The taste is sweet - malty and caramely. Given its low ABV you can, and should, easily enjoy more than one of these. And the calorie-conscious will be happy to know this comes in at about 148 calories for a 12 ounces. Prost!

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA (60 minutes of heaven)

2009-09-02T19:52:00.001-04:00

I've mentioned before that I've just recently gotten in to the craft beer scene (and have been loving every minute of it!). One of the beers that helped pave my way here is the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. I can honestly remember tasting one for the first time and thinking how flavorful it was, and so unlike the beers I usually drank. I realized why people genuinely like beer and want to drink it for the taste (instead of just a means of getting drunk).

This is a nice amber beer (of course it is. Maybe I should just stop writing about the pour every time I talk about an IPA). There are obvious hops in the smell, citrusy and floral. The bitterness of the hops and the sweetness of the malt are really nicely balanced. There's also a nice citrusy flavor that comes through. Only 6% ABV and about 209 calories. So again, a bit more calories than you'd get in say a Miller Lite, but so much more flavor it's definitely worth it!

The 60 Minute is Dogfish Head's best selling beer - as they call it "the de facto session beer (that low ABV) for hop heads". It's easy to see where they got the name from - the beer is continuously hopped with 60 hop additions over 60 minutes.

Believe me when I tell you, it will take you much less than 60 minutes to realize what a great beer you're drinking.

Craft beer vs light beer

2009-08-29T09:52:00.001-04:00

I've recently started publishing the caloric content of the beers I'm writing about because I had a couple of requests to add that. I'm worried, though, that people (okay, women) are going to focus on that number and not be able to see beyond it. We women are a funny bunch that way. We get a number in our head of what's acceptable - be it a pant size, a bra size, the age we want to get married - and we can't seem to let it go.

The advertisers of the mass marketed beer will have you believe that the lower the calories the better. Nutritionists would agree. I, of course, see the rationale in this. I'm certainly not saying that calories don't matter. I really do believe in moderation in all things (oh, I can hear a lot of my friends laughing at that one).

But the difference is, these craft beers are so good that you should take the time to smell the beer, really let it sit in your mouth and get the full flavor rather than just mindlessly throwing them back the way you would whatever ice-cold "goodness" you've been enjoying up until now. Am I saying that I always only drink one or two? Anyone who knows me, reads this blog or follows me on twitter and sees some of my ridiculous, late-night tweets knows that's not the case. But I have learned to appreciate what I'm drinking, and think that you should give yourself the chance to, too. Regardless of what the number is that comes along with enjoying it.

Bell's Oberon Ale

2009-08-26T06:57:00.006-04:00

The picture on the bottle perfectly encapsulates (there's your SAT word for the day) the feeling behind the beer - golden, sunny, spicy.

Bell's Oberon is an American wheat beer brewed by Bell's Brewery out of Kalamazoo, MI (as a side night, they make one of my most favorite beers - the Two Hearted Ale. It's delicious!) This ale poured a nice light orange, with just a bit of haze. There's a wheat smell upon pouring, mixed with some hops and fruitiness. It smells good. It smells refreshing. And it is. The taste is a little bit fruity - orange - with a touch of spice, maybe some coriander. There's just the slightest bit of bitterness from the hops. ABV is 5.8%.

I've been trying to figure out where the name Oberon came from. Those of you English majors may recognize it from Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream. Oberon was a fairy god whose arguments with his wife caused changes in the weather. I guess this is somewhat fitting, as Oberon is a seasonal beer that's only available from March 30 - October.

Go and try one now, before the end of summer brings the end of this beer - at least for a few months.

Uh-oh, beer snobbery is not good

2009-08-21T12:54:00.002-04:00

Okay, just read this article that the Beer Babe posted on her facebook page and felt the need to write immediately.

It's not good to be a beer snob! And after reading the article, I'd like to think I'm not one. (Please someone agree with me!) I'm really not writing reviews and learning about beer so that I can make someone else feel inadequate in their knowledge. No, I'm doing this so that I can entertain and inform so that you can feel good about going out and ordering something different. I might on occasion laugh at someone's choice of favorite beer (yikes, sounds very snobbish to me) but I'm laughing with the person not at them (um, okay).

The thing is, I'm not really a beer geek either (not nearly knowledgeable enough). I guess I'm an aspiring beer geek.

And when was the last time a snob said they aspired to be a geek?

Case closed.

Am I a beer snob?

2009-08-20T12:15:00.008-04:00

I know the answer to this question and it's an emphatic YES. This was proven to me (again) last night. I went to Rembrandt's and ordered Great Lakes Brewing Company's Commodore Perry IPA. I loved it and am only not reviewing it because I didn't really drink it in a way where I'm ready to review it (meaning really paying attention to all that I would write about in a review. I just knew it was gooood!). Look for that in the future.

However, let me get back to the issue of my snobbery. A guy friend met me and ordered .... a Bud Light Lime. I started laughing and said that when I came in the first thing I did was look for the hoppiest beer the bar offered, which was in stark contrast to his ordering the shittiest beer they had (sorry Anheuser-Busch). I meant it as a joke (although I'm not going to lie about cringing when he ordered it) but it sparked an intense conversation between me and him and the helpful gentleman sitting on my other side who insisted that Miller Lite is the best beer around.

Now, I agree that there is room for everyone's taste. (Okay, I don't really agree with that but for the sake of trying to sound open-minded I'll at least write it. I'm talking flavor. Where is the flavor in a BLL or ML?) For instance, I'm not a huge fan of certain types of beers - sour beers, German style beers. But I feel that the ones that I've tried are at least craft beers. They're not just mass-produced mass-marketed drones of the beer world.

As I'm writing this, I think I'm gaining clarity on what I'm snobbish about. It's the "mass" part of this process. The genericism (is that a word?) of the big beers out there. There's something about a microbrew that to me speaks of someone who isn't content just to say "yes, a beer is made up water and malts and hops and yeast". No, they want to see what they can do with those ingredients to bring us a new taste, a new flavor.

The guy who waxed philosophically on his love of Miller Lite insisted that microbrews are just a phase. I tried explaining that when you had as many people making a living as are from microbrews, it was likely to be around for a while. He said that people don't like going to bars and trying something they know nothing about.

Which is a good point. Let's face it, as much as we'd like to believe we're all independent thinkers and in control of our every action, we are creatures of habit and suspect to outside influences. So let's think about this - who does the advertising? Whose billboards are plastered everywhere you look? It's not the microbrews of the world. And I agree that people are scared of trying new things (that whole "creature of habit" thing again). It makes sense that people believe they really like Miller Lite or Bud, because it's what they've been drinking and what they know and what they're told is going to make them sexy to the opposite sex.

So let's try to help me out, people. Help me avoid debates with friends and strangers alike, and maybe even get rid of the label "snob". Just try a new beer. Tell the bartender what kind of beer you typically drink and ask for a recommendation. As I'm fond of saying, you just may surprise yourself.

Lagunitas IPA

2009-08-16T09:44:00.001-04:00

No clever names here. The Lagunitas IPA gets straight to the point - it's an IPA from Lagunitas Brewing Company, and it's a great one. I've been drinking it for many months now. I had one last night and finally decided to write about it. I tried to take a picture, but my camera kept insisting I had to "change the battery pack". I hope that just means "charge the battery", which I'm currently doing. Then maybe I'll be forced to have another one today, so I can get my picture.

Lagunitas (or, as can be found on their web site LAH-GOO-KNEE-TUSS) is in Petaluma, CA. I'm thinking there's a trip to the left coast in my near future to visit all these incredible breweries. Maybe I'll take advantage of that Jet Blue All-You-Can-Jet Pass. But I digress.

This IPA pours a nice deep amber, just like you would expect from an IPA. The aroma is hoppy - citrusy, piney - which isn't surprising given that there are 43 hops in the beer. Taste is wonderful - a smooth bitterness from the hops mixed with a sweet maltiness that comes from 65 malts. ABV is 5.7%, nice and low. Comes in at about 180 calories.

I'll be as succinct in my wrap up as Lagunitas was in the naming of this beer - drink it. You won't be disappointed.

Stone Cali-Belgique IPA

2009-08-11T21:31:00.002-04:00

Ah, finally getting back to my true love - the IPA. Last night I was lucky enough to try the wonderful Stone Cali-Belgique IPA while at Tria. It was as good as I could have hoped. The Stone Brewing Co bills the Cali-Belgique as the "identical twin to Stone IPA that was raised in a Belgian culture". This is a fitting description, as it seems the main difference is the addition of a Belgian yeast strain.

The pour is a pale amber. (One of these days I'm going to remember to take my camera out with me everytime I'm going for a drink! You really have to see some of these beers to appreciate them. I take that back. You really have to taste these beers to appreciate them!) The smell is similar to the Stone IPA - hoppy, floral. The addition of the yeast gives this a "breadier" (I was trying to stay away from the word "yeast" again) smell, but the fruity aromas are definitely there. There's a bitterness to the taste, and as we know, that's what I like. ABV isn't too bad - 6.9%. For something this tasty, I'll take it!

The Cali-Belgique comes in a 22 oz bottle, and from the best I can determine that bottle has close to 400 calories. I'm trying to figure out if this is right, so will update if necessary. I had this on draft, so at best I had 16 oz. Still - remember - everything in moderation. I wouldn't pass this beer up just because of it's caloric content. Instead, I'd go for a nice long run and not think twice about it.

Victory Prima Pils

2009-08-09T12:32:00.001-04:00

Another lager! But it's a good one and I'm glad to be writing about it.

The Prima Pils is a German pilsener brewed by Victory Brewing Company, my neighbors in Downingtown, PA. This beer is highly regarded by critics and regular, every day beer drinkers (like me).

The pour is pale yellow. The smell is a bit grassy and citrusy with some floral in there as well. The taste is clean and crisp, just what you want from a pilsener, and more flavorful than most beers of this style. There's not much malt in this one, it's more about the hops, making it more bitter, but not overwhelmingly so. At 5.3% ABV, this is a great session beer. And even better, it comes in at only 150 calories. Not bad at all!

(I've included the calories because I've had a couple of requests lately to include this information. I think it's a great suggestion, especially since one of my goals is to promote drinking of good, craft beer. I hear a lot that women are afraid that drinking beer will make them heavy. I hate to break it to you, but too much of anything will make you heavy! Don't hate on the beer!)

Beer Glassware

2009-08-05T11:03:00.005-04:00

I just got back from an amazing weekend in Boston. My 4 days there included a bar crawl, sight seeing, shopping, celebrating my birthday and - to top it all off - seeing Coldplay in concert. Doesn't get much better than that, does it?

I stayed at friends of a friend's place the first two nights (then it was hotels). These two were as passionate about beer as I am, which led to some great conversation about beers, brewing and proper glassware. I'd never given much thought to the type of glass I used to drink a beer out of (and, until recently, would even just drink right out of the bottle).

Turns out it's not just a marketing ploy (as so much is these days. And I'm saying that as someone who makes a living from marketing!). There are real reasons that different glasses should be used for different beers. It doesn't just make the beer look prettier, it really can have an effect on the taste.

There are 6 main types of glasses that a beer enthusiast will want to own (I just ordered mine online).

Pint glass (for some fun, go to google.com. Type in "pint glass" and click on images. What??)
If you've ever had a beer on tap at a bar, you've likely had it in a pint glass. These are good, basic glasses and popular in bars because of their durability. The British-style pint glass, which is bulged near the top, is good for pale ales, bitter, stouts.

Pilsner glass
The pilsner glass is tall, slender and cylindrical. The shape of the glass helps focus the hop aroma, while helping the beer maintain its head. This is a great glass for lagers, including pilsners (obviously, given the name), maibocks, and dopplebocks.

Weizen glass
This is the perfect glass or enjoying weizen (wheat) beers. It's tall, with a slightly bowed-out shape and narrower top. These attributes help concentrate the aromas of this type of beer, while also allowing for enough room to accomodate the big heads associated with these types of beer.

Goblets (or Chalice)
There is a technical difference between a goblet and chalice; a goblet is thinner and long-stemmed, while a chalice is heavier and thick-walled. However, they're in the same family and both are great for heavier, malty beers (dubbel, tripel, quadrupel, Belgian IPAs) where the hop aroma doesn't play as important a role in the taste of the beer. The bowl on these glasses should be big enough to hold the entire beer, and are designed to hold the head.

Tulips
The design of this glass - tulip-shaped, with the top of the glass pushing out to form a "lip" and a bulbous body - is perfect for more aromatic beers such as strong ales, imperial IPAs, and imperial stouts.

Mugs
Clink with confidence with a mug! Mugs are sturdy, heavy, and come with a handle. They typically hold a lot of beer. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The large, open mouth allows for the release of the floral herbal bouquet, while also maximizing the malty aroma of the beer.

Now, I realize that not everyone is going to run out and buy a set of these different types of glasses. But the next time you're out at your favorite watering hole, pay attention to the type of glass your drink is served in. It really does make a difference!

Jever Pilsener

2009-07-30T20:56:00.007-04:00

I was out the other night at Eulogy (one of the best beer bars in Philadelphia, in my, and many other people's, opinion) and asked for a lager. I've realized that a lot of my reviews focus on ales, because that's what I love. But others may have different tastes, and it's only fair I try to give the lager lovers (I say that like it's the worst thing in the world to be!) something they may be looking for every once in a while.

I asked for a recommendation and the bartender told me about Jever Pilsener, because, as she told me, it has a bit more hops than most lagers. I was sold!

I'm happy, and not surprised, to say I really liked it. I took a lager class at Tria Fermentation School (which I wrote about) about a month ago, and liked everything I tasted - of course, some more than others.

The pilsener poured nice - golden and clear. The smell was citrusy - lemony - and a bit grassy. You can definitely taste the hops, more so than in other lagers, but not overwhelmingly so. It's a very refreshing beer - as most lagers are - and at less than 5% ABV, you really can't go wrong. This is a great beer for someone like me - someone who loves the flavor of ales but likes to switch it up every once in a while.

Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

2009-07-27T19:16:00.003-04:00

Yummy!!

I thought I'd get right to the point with this one. What a great beer! The Big Eye IPA is brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company in San Diego. (Side note - I'm going to San Diego in November for the Eagles/Chargers game and now know one place on my must-visit list!)

With an ABV of 7%, it's a bit on the stronger side, but, to me anyway, remains very drinkable.

The pour is a nice coppery orange. It smells as good as it tastes and looks - hoppy, citrusy, piney. Also a hint of caramel malt. The taste is great. Hoppy flavors that start off herbal and turn to citrus, but with a good malt flavor that helps balance the bitterness.

I've had this beer in my fridge for a couple of weeks now. I got it at Bella Vista Distributor when I bought a case of beer. They have an "exchange program" - buy a case and you can exchange one of the beers in the case for one that someone else has left behind from their case. Great idea and good way to try a new brew!

Summer Ale Festival

2009-07-26T14:25:00.005-04:00

Last night I went with a friend to the Summer Ale Festival at the Philadelphia Zoo. We had a really good time, and I realized how much I love the zoo - I don't think I've been to one since I was 13! I'm definitely going back again soon.

The funniest part of the night came when my friend decided to give me a plug on her facebook page. She wrote "At the Summer Ale Festival with Philly Bear Girl" BEAR, not beer. We didn't realize it until another one of our friends texted me and told me what was written. It was appropriate given that we were at the zoo (although there are no bears), but so hysterically funny. I'm still laughing out loud as I'm writing this. I told everyone to be on the lookout for my other blog, which will be about wild animals.

There were a number of local brewers at the event, and all featured at least two of their summer ales. In addition, there were several local restaurants who were onhand to provide some delicious eats.

Now, I don't like to complain, especially about an event whose proceeds went to the education and preservation efforts at the zoo. But my friend and I got there at 7 - the event started at 6:30 - and there were already a number of vendors who were out of food. What? People had only begun arriving 1/2 an hour before that, and they were already out? It was like there was no communication between the event organizers and the restaurants that were participating.
The other problem was the long lines. I really don't think anyone was properly prepared for the number of people in attendance, and lines wound round and round and up and down. It was made interesting because while you were waiting in line, you were typically near some sort of animal, but it didn't take away from the fact that there was a whole lot of waiting going on.

Having said that, the event was a lot of fun, even if I didn't get to try all the beers I wanted to (lines were just too long). I had the wonderful Weyerbacher Double Simcoe and a Hops Infusion. I paired the Hops Infusion with a fish taco, and it was fantastic! I also had the Victory Golden Monkey with a piece of banana bread, and the Victory Storm King Stout with a piece of banana chocolate truffle. Mmmmm! The River Horse Double Wit and Victory Whirlwind Wit were a hit with my friend. I enjoyed the River Horse Hop Hazard Pale Ale, Victory Hop Devil and Yards Pale Ale.

Wow, when I write it all out like that, you probably wonder how many other beers I could have wanted to try! But believe me, there were a number of them. However, we did get some really good ones in and - much like I want this blog to be - I think the night was an eye-opening event for my friend and showed her just how many different types of beers she likes.

A lovable (Elysian) loser

2009-07-24T12:44:00.006-04:00

I've loved some losers that embarrass me when I think about them to this day (my first boyfriend is a good example). But there's nothing embarrassing about loving the Elysian Loser Pale Ale, brewed by Elysian Brewery in Seattle, WA. I've been lucky enough to have enjoyed this beer at a few bars in Philly, although I believe I've heard it's a limited edition brewed to celebrate Sub Pop Records 20th anniversary.

The Loser is a bit darker than most pale ales - a coppery/reddish color. The taste is good, and drinkable, but it's not overly exciting. (I heard a woman who was drinking one say that it was the most unexciting good beer she's ever had.) And that's the thing - it's not going to make you exclaim how great it is, but you're going to find yourself drinking more than one and liking it. There's a good balance between the hops and malt, with the hops providing a touch of bitterness and the malt taste coming through as caramely (is that a word?) and bready. Alcohol is 6.5%, making this a bit of a stronger pale ale.

You might want to run from some of the losers you see sitting around you, but if you see this one, invite him over. You'll be glad you did.

Rare VOS

2009-07-16T19:46:00.002-04:00

One of the things I'm loving best about writing about beer is all the new beers I'm being introduced to. Up until recently I was content to ask the bartender for a new IPA to try. And while I'll still ask the bartender for a suggestion, I've opened up the list of beers I'll try to include - well, pretty much everything. I think I mentioned before just how many types of beers I've realized I really, really like. I would recommend that you do the same. Don't be afraid to try something outside your tried and true and you just might surprise yourself. Now that I think about it, that advice applies to life and not just beer drinking!

Now that I'm done telling you how to live your life - on to the beer!

Last week at Jose Pistolas, I was introduced to a rare treat - the Rare VOS from Ommegang. It's considered a dark ale, but pours lighter than one might expect. It's orange/amber in color and has a decent-sized head. There's the yeasty smell typical of Belgian beers, but you'll also catch hints of of spice/nuttiness, and fruit as well. The taste is wonderful - starts off malty but finishes with a hop taste. It's a little bit sweet and a tiny bit spicy. (Hmm, sounds a little bit like me.) Overall very refreshing and delicious! And not too strong - about 6.5% ABV.

Don't drink this beer on rare occasions - drink it as frequently as you can. It's that good.

Pliny the Elder

2009-07-11T12:31:00.005-04:00

I fell in love last night with an old man. His name is Pliny the Elder, and he is delicious! Seriously one of the best beers I've ever had. The brewers at Russian River Brewing certainly know what they're doing (they had me at Blind Pig IPA).

Pliny is an Imperial IPA. Now, for as much as I love the IPAs, Imperials are usually a bit too strong for me. There's something about their taste I'm not entirely in to - I think that for me, most tend to be too bitter. Not so with Pliny. I could easily have drank him all night (well, maybe not that easily since he comes in at a fairly hefty 8% ABV). But that taste! Citrusy, hoppy and not too bitter. Really a perfect balance here. The smell is wonderful - piney, grapefruity, floral. And what a pour - a nice deep orange with a good head.

The story of the real Pliny the Elder is interesting. He was a Roman naturalist, writer, historian - and, fittingly enough, he created the botanical name for hops with his contemporaries. He was killed in 79 AD while watching the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Pliny is somewhat difficult to find, but well worth looking for. When you do find him, you're going to want to make sure to order one immediately.

What's on tap at Jose Pistolas in July

2009-07-10T05:23:00.005-04:00

Last night I had the chance to enjoy some Ommegang brews at Jose Pistolas. I had the Abbey, Rouge and Rare V.O.S. Very different flavors, and I really enjoyed the Abbey and especially the V.O.S. I'll write more about each later.

For those looking for some cool beer events this month (and who isn't?), check out what's happening at Jose Pistolas in July.

Tuesday the 14th is New Holland Beer night. From 5 pm until the beer is gone, there'll be flights of New Holland's best beers paired with cheese.

Friday the 17th is a Bell’s Barbecue. Bell’s beer will be on tap (including a firkin of the Two-Hearted Ale - a wonderful IPA that I really love) and plenty of chicken, ribs and pork. Hey, I'm a vegetarian and I'll still make it to this event - you have no excuse not to come by.

Tuesday the 21st, in addition to being my dad's birthday, is Doc’s Cider night. Although it's not beer, Doc's Ciders are not to be missed. Considered one of the best cider makers in America, Doc’s will be available in a variety of flavors including pear, apple, and raspberry starting at 5pm.

Troeg's Sunshine Pils - a wonderful summer brew

2009-07-07T07:22:00.003-04:00

Up until recently, it seemed the sun had forgotten how to shine in Philadelphia. Which isn’t to say you couldn’t find some sunshine if you knew where to look.

Take, for instance, the Troegs Sunshine Pils from Troegs Brewing Company in Harrisburg, PA. This German-style pilsner is sure to brighten up any day. It starts with the pour – a nice, clear yellow in the glass. You can almost taste summer just looking at it! The smell is sweet – faintly citrusy, faintly herbal. Next comes the taste. Crisp. Smooth. A little hoppy but not overwhelmingly so. And not a lot of carbonation, making it very drinkable.
Another great thing about this beer is its relatively low ABV – it comes in at just 5.3%, which means you can easily enjoy more than one.

My advice? Don’t hold out for a day on which you need some sunshine – this beer is meant be enjoyed everyday. It's perfect for a hot summer day (I imagine having one after an afternoon spent mowing the lawn – if I had a lawn to mow!) or on one of those days when the thunderstorms come rolling in to break up the summer humidity. And since it’s only available May through August, make sure to get one while you can.

Session beers - another mystery solved

2009-07-03T17:49:00.005-04:00

I've been hearing a lot of talk about "session beers". I had an ill-defined idea of what this meant, so today I sat down for a session to figure it out.

In a nutshell, a session beer is one that is less than 5% ABV (alcohol by volume). The reason for this is simple - a session beer meant to be drunk over a period of time without the drinker becoming drunk, or having "their legs taken out from under them". Ostensibly, the lower the ABV, the more you can drink. Of course some of why alcohol affects people differently depends on factors outside of the alcohol content of the beer, but it's a good gauge and it seems that around 5% is a pretty good number for the majority of people.

Another feature of a session beer is a balance between the hops and malts. In addition to not getting the drinker drunk, a session beer is not meant to overwhelm the palate, which is where the balance of flavors comes in.

While session beers are a different breed than some of the more extreme beers available today (and you know I like plenty of them!), I'd like to point out that these beers - of which there are literally thousands - are quite tasty in their own right. They may not have you exclaiming about how wonderful they are while you're drinking it, but that's another point about them - you're supposed to be able to drink a session beer without feeling like you want to talk about it.

Finally, session beers are typically more reasonably priced than a lot of the big beers.

For my money, anything that I can drink for a while, without worrying about getting drunk, and at a decent price is something that I can stand behind.

What the firkin

2009-06-30T21:02:00.008-04:00

As I sat down to write this, I was (obviously) thinking about the word "firkin". It's a funny word. Which made me think of another funny "f" word (and no, it's not four-letters). Fartlek. Ever heard of it? Most runners probably have, and may know what it means:"speed play" in Swedish. And just so you can sound really knowledgeable, it's a form of interval training that helps improve speed and endurance.

But we're here to talk about beer and beer-related words, so on to the firkin.

Firkin is an old British unit of measure, usually equal to a quarter of a barrel. Beers that are matured in firkins (cask ales) are not pasteurized or pressurized with carbon dioxide - meaning that they're a lot "flatter" than what most American beer drinkers are used to (or, at least, what I'm used to). Beers served in firkins are also called "real ales" by "real beer drinkers".

I had some firkin beers on Sunday. They were good, but definitely different than what I typically drink. It's funny because I've always said that I can't drink ice-cold beers (it hurts my teeth) so I typically let them warm to room temp. That's pretty much what a beer from a firkin tastes like - a flat, room-temp beer - and yet I just don't really like it.

I'd also like to note that beer is not meant to be served ice cold - no matter what the advertisers have led you to believe. Beers are actually meant to be enjoyed at a warmer temp. This allows them to release more of their natural flavor and aroma, which to me, explains why a lot of beers are served so cold. They don't have a lot of flavor to begin with, so you're really not going to gain anything by drinking it warmer.

Have you tried a firkin beer? Do you want to? If you've had one, what are your thoughts on their taste and "texture" (flat vs. carbonated).

Flying Fish Belgian Style Dubbel

2009-06-27T08:50:00.006-04:00

Before I get in to the beer review, let's review this past week. What a week it was. I was out Wednesday night with a friend in NYC and he told me Michael Jackson had died. I'd been in a meeting all day, with no access to what was going on in the real world. At first we thought it was a rumor, but we quickly realized that it was true. Add to that the fact Farrah Fawcett had also died and you had a pretty surreal day (although, given how sick she was, it wasn't as surprising about Farrah). I have to admit, I felt badly that Farrah's death was so completely overshadowed by MJs. I know that happened once before, but I forget who it was. If anyone can remember the last time two celebs died on the same day - and one completely overtook the airwaves, with barely a mention of the other - post a comment and remind me.

No matter what you thought of Michael in recent years there is no denying the fact that he was an amazing talent and absolutely worthy of the title "King of Pop".

So, the beer. I went to the Royal Tavern (which I really need to write about - it's one of my favorite bars in the city - and not just because it's so convenient to where I live!) for dinner last night. Decided to try the Flying Fish Belgian Style Dubbel. I enjoyed it with my meal - a vegan sloppy joe (mmmmm!). It wasn't hoppy, but as I'm trying different beers, I'm realizing the incredible variety I really like.

It pours a nice amber color, with a pretty thick head that disappears fairly quickly. It's on the stronger side at 7.3% ABV. The smell is fruity and faintly spicy. You can taste the fruit when drinking this, as well as a bit of the spice (cloves?). It's definitely more malty than hoppy, meaning it's more sweet than it is bitter (hops add bitterness, and I love bitter beer!). While drinkable, I think two or three is the most I could have, mostly because of the maltiness. It's not terribly heavy, and would go well with a variety of foods.

Flying Fish Brewery is my neighbor, just over the bridge in Cherry Hill, NJ. I need to get myself over there for a brewery tour! Anyone want to join me? They do them almost weekly on Saturdays.

Russian River Blind Pig IPA

2009-06-21T19:07:00.007-04:00

Let me start off by saying I love this beer. I should also point out that it's not a Harp, even though that's what the glass says. I had one on Wednesday night at Local 44 in West Philly and then had another Saturday night at St. Stephen's Green in the Fairmount (or, as I always call it since I lived there for nearly 5 years, art museum) area.

It's brewed by Russian River, a brewery in Santa Rosa, CA.

This beer has what seems to me the perfect amount of hops - not overly hoppy and balanced well with the malt. It's got a great citrusy scent and pours a dark orange with a fairly thick head. It comes in at only about 6.1% ABV, making it very easy to drink more than one. And with this great taste you'll likely want to have more than one. It's also not too "heavy" - you don't feel like you're eating a meal on top of your meal - another reason it's a great drinking beer.

I highly recommend you seek out the Blind Pig, especially if you've been wanting to try a hoppy beer, but were afraid to.