2015 Winter Edition

TOP 10 CELLaRABLE BEERS

draught lines winter issue 2015

WILL RUN FOR BEER

Shaun O’Sullivan st 21 Amendment Brewery

Mark Your Calendars Beats, Brews & BBQ | Philadelphia, PA February 21, 2015 - World Café Live Craft Beer Festival | Philadelphia, PA March 7, 2015 - Navy Yard

A Few Words From The Editors...

Dear Beer Aficionados, This is an exciting time for us. Far beyond the brand new logo, we went back to the drawing board and started from scratch to bring you a totally new Draught Lines!

The new design and layout showcases all the beer info you have come to expect, but in a format that is (in our humble opinion) so much more engaging and reader friendly.

Brewer’s Plate | Philadelphia, PA March 8, 2015 - Kimmel Center Craft Brew Express | Philadelphia, PA March 14, 2015

For more information about these events, visit our website: www.origlio.com

For an electronic version of this publication, visit: www.origlio.com Like us on Facebook facebook.com/origliobeverage Follow us on Twitter @origliobev

Clean and modern, yet warm and inviting, the redesign creates a totally immersive reading experience. The magazine has been expanded to 32 pages to allow for layouts with room to breathe, artistic photography and the inclusion of engaging, interactive elements like web extras and a Flashback page dedicated to recent happenings on social media. As we mentioned before, the Draught Lines logo has been modernized, and its softer, more streamlined color scheme has been incorporated into the interesting typography used throughout.

We hope you agree that the new design conveys the essence of what we are – a magazine dedicated to the craft beer experience.

Let us know what you think of the new look on Facebook.com/ Origliobeverage.

We would like to give extra special thanks to our extremely talented graphics department, without which this project would have never come to fruition. Your hard work and dedication is greatly admired and appreciated.

Follow us on Instagram @origliobev Check us out on YouTube youtube.com/user/origliobeverage

Cheers,

The Draught Lines Editorial Staff

draught lines winter 2015 12

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contents 12 TOP 10 CELLARABLE BEERS BY STEVE HAWK 15 THE BOOKSHELF BREWED AWAKENING: BEHIND THE BEERS AND BREWERS LEADING THEW WORLD’S CRAFT BEER REVOLUTION BY JOSHUA M. BERNSTEIN

16 SHAUN O’SULLIVAN OF 21st AMENDMENT BREWERY GETS DRAUGHTED 24 WILL RUN FOR BEER Editor in Chief Maryanne Origlio

Contributing Writer Julie Kovaleski

Art Director/Photographer Loren Leggerie

Guest Writer Steve Hawk

Senior Editor Maureen McCoy

Contributing Writer Meredith Rebar

Art Director/Photographer Michael Kuchar

Guest Writer Garrett Lee Williams

draught lines

is a publication of Origlio Beverage. All rights reserved.

3000 Meetinghouse Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154

Mark Your Calendars Beats, Brews & BBQ | Philadelphia, PA February 21, 2015 - World Café Live Craft Beer Festival | Philadelphia, PA March 7, 2015 - Navy Yard

A Few Words From The Editors...

Dear Beer Aficionados, This is an exciting time for us. Far beyond the brand new logo, we went back to the drawing board and started from scratch to bring you a totally new Draught Lines!

The new design and layout showcases all the beer info you have come to expect, but in a format that is (in our humble opinion) so much more engaging and reader friendly.

Brewer’s Plate | Philadelphia, PA March 8, 2015 - Kimmel Center Craft Brew Express | Philadelphia, PA March 14, 2015

For more information about these events, visit our website: www.origlio.com

For an electronic version of this publication, visit: www.origlio.com Like us on Facebook facebook.com/origliobeverage Follow us on Twitter @origliobev

Clean and modern, yet warm and inviting, the redesign creates a totally immersive reading experience. The magazine has been expanded to 32 pages to allow for layouts with room to breathe, artistic photography and the inclusion of engaging, interactive elements like web extras and a Flashback page dedicated to recent happenings on social media. As we mentioned before, the Draught Lines logo has been modernized, and its softer, more streamlined color scheme has been incorporated into the interesting typography used throughout.

We hope you agree that the new design conveys the essence of what we are – a magazine dedicated to the craft beer experience.

Let us know what you think of the new look on Facebook.com/ Origliobeverage.

We would like to give extra special thanks to our extremely talented graphics department, without which this project would have never come to fruition. Your hard work and dedication is greatly admired and appreciated.

Follow us on Instagram @origliobev Check us out on YouTube youtube.com/user/origliobeverage

Cheers,

The Draught Lines Editorial Staff

R

AVE EVIEWS

A Valentine Lobster

Ingredients

2 living lobsters, about 1.25 pound each Loaf of French bread To prepare lobster 11.2 oz. bottle Piraat Ale Salt Lobster Veggies 3 stalks of celery chopped 1 leek chopped 1 medium onion chopped Sauce 2 scallions, diced 1 Tbsp. minced garlic 1 tsp. sweet basil 2 Tbsp. butter 1/4 cup whisky

2 red jalapenos chopped 4 bay leaves 1 sprig of thyme 1/4 cup Piraat Ale 1/2 pint heavy cream Cayenne pepper Salt & pepper

Preparation

Fill a large pot with 3 quarts of water and the bottle of Piraat Ale. Add the lobster veggies and a dash of salt.

Bring to boil, and let boil for a couple of minutes. Lower the living lobsters, head first into the boiling mixture in one movement. Rubber bands stay on claws.

When water boils again, let it boil for 15 minutes. Fish lobsters from the pot with a utensil and place them on a plate. They should be red to pink in color. Don’t drain the liquid until you’re sure lobsters are done. As soon as you put the lobsters in to boil, prepare the sauce.

Melt the butter in a deep pan. Add lobster veggies, scallions, minced garlic, pepper and salt, and sauté the mixture for about 2 minutes. Add whisky, and immediately flambé. Let it burn for 10 seconds and blow out the fire or douse it with the beer. Reduce to half by boiling and stirring on a regular basis. Add quarter cup Piraat Ale, heavy cream, a dash of cayenne pepper, basil and salt.

Let simmer until thick for about 15 minutes.

Split the lobster open in half and put sauce in individual dipping cups. Add slices of the French bread to the plate. Serve with a glass of Piraat.

- Recipe courtesy of globalbeer.com

BEER REDISCOVERED

Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’

Jeff McCracken

Craft & Specialty Import Division Manager, Origlio Beverage

Having been a bartender at the time when craft beer was gaining in popularity, Jeff McCracken has seen the industry change right before his eyes. His beer adventures began at the conclusion of his shifts when he had time to savor new beers with co-workers. It was during one of these after-hours sessions that he discovered Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’. After the first sip, he was nagged by one question, “How did they pack all of that hop flavor into one beer?”

McCracken is a homebrewer turned professional, brewing for Manayunk Brewing Company where he experimented with different hop combinations. “Brewers blend several hops together to make different aromas in beer. It’s all about the hop blend,” he says. “You can use 10 different hops, but if they are not complementary, then it won’t have the effect that I like in a beer. Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ gets it right.”

IPAs are a favorite beer style of McCracken’s, but there are so many to choose from. Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ sets itself apart from the thousands of other IPAs because of its truly unique style; a filtered, pale wheat ale with a strong hop finish that appeals to both IPA and wheat beer drinkers. “I like the fact that this beer is as hoppy, if not hoppier, than any other beer on the market. But, the addition of wheat makes it very smooth. You get an awesome hop experience and a smooth finish. And the price is awesome!” Bonus: as a 7.5% beer, you only need a couple.

On a trip to California last fall, McCracken and his wife had an experience unlike any other at the Lagunitas Brewery. The perfect weather, delicious, locally-sourced food, live music and exclusive beers served in mason jars, and only available at the brewery, all came together to match Lagunitas’ ethos to a tee. During a special tour, McCracken was able to taste a batch of Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ that was pulled right off the bottling line.

It was less than three minutes old and that experience renewed his lasting impression of one of his favorite brews. Like McCracken says, “If you don’t like Lagunitas, you don’t like [craft] beer.”

Of course it’s the taste of a beer that’s most important, but in some cases, the beer’s name is what grabs your attention.

Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale

Brewed continuously since 1829, Lord Chesterfield Ale has a robust flavor, delivered from a delicate combination of sweet maltiness and lingering herbal bitterness. The beer’s namesake, Lord Philip Stanhope, the 4th Earl of Chesterfield, was an 18th century British statesman and diplomat. He became famous for the frank and sometimes quirky advice he offered his son in a series of famous letters.

D.G. Yuengling, the brewery’s founder, read the stories to his own children. They were often lessons in life, sharing how young men should act in order to become good citizens.

What I do and ever shall regret is the time which, while young, I lost in mere idleness, and in doing nothing: Be most carefully upon your guard.

The value of moments, when cast up, is immense, if well employed; if thrown away, their loss is irrecoverable.

- Lord Chesterfield: Letters to his Son, Feb. 16, 1748

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Samuel Adams, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was a key figure in the movement which later became the American Revolution. Founder of the Boston Beer Co., Jim Koch, chose this name for his flagship brew because as he says, “Samuel Adams was a Boston firebrand; a revolutionary thinker who fought for independence. And most importantly, he was also a brewer who had inherited a brewing tradition from his father.” Flavorful and complex, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, a World Champion, amber-style lager, offers a taste of America’s craft beer revolution.

Great Lakes Eliot Ness Amber Lager

Great Lakes’ amber lager is named after the famous crime fighter who assembled a team of law enforcement personnel known as “The Untouchables”. Ness and his agents successfully brought down the brewing empire of the infamous Al Capone. Years later, Cleveland had become overloaded with crime and corruption. Along with

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34 agents, Ness cleaned up the city and rid it of crooked policemen. During his tenure, Ness employed the mother of Great Lakes co-owners, Patrick and Daniel Conway, as his stenographer. He was also a regular at the tavern that is now the Great Lakes brewpub.

According to popular legend, Ness was responsible for the bullet holes still evident today.

The folks at Great Lakes hope that the sweet caramel malt flavors of Eliot Ness Amber Lager will, “warm your insides, and maybe compel you to do some good deeds too, like sharing your 6-pack for instance. Just kidding. We know some things are untouchable.”

Dogfish Head Bitches Brew

Bitches Brew is named for Miles Davis’ 1970 ground-breaking album. The hypnotic tracks, rooted in rock and African music, created a new musical universe.

Drawn to the “alchemical spirits” in the famous record, Dogfish Head Brewery owner, Sam Calagione listened to it while writing his DFH business plan. Then in 2010, he brewed his ground-breaking beer, Bitches Brew in honor of the album’s 40th anniversary. “You could say that my dream was to have Dogfish Head, in some small way, stand for the same thing in the beer world that Bitches Brew stands for in the jazz world,” Calagione has said.

The dark beer is a fuof Imperial stout and one with gesho root, best Calagione)

sion of three threads thread of honey beer enjoyed (according to “sipped cool, not cold, from a snifter or red wine glass while listening to the Bitches Brew album.”

Eliot Ness

Dock Street Prince Myshkin Russian Imperial Stout

Dock Street named its midnight-black-colored Russian Imperial stout after the complex main character in the famous 19th century novel, The Idiot, written by Russian author, Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The beer is brewed with large amounts of roasted and chocolate malts, and aged on oak chips for added depth and complexity.

The story is about a fictional Prince, Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin, who returns to Russia after spending several years at a Swiss sanatorium. Scorned by the society of St. Petersburg for his trusting nature and naiveté, he finds himself at the center of a struggle between a beautiful kept woman and a virtuous, pretty young girl, both of whom win his affection. Unfortunately, Myshkin’s very goodness precipitates disaster, leaving the impression that, in a world obsessed with money, power and sexual conquest, a sanatorium may be the only place for a saint.

Allagash Hugh Malone

Hugh Malone was an Irishman, born in 1843, who happened to have extremely large hands. He became a hop picker, and due to his enormous hands, he was quite successful. Each bag of hops he picked was stamped with his name and soon, brewers began calling hops, Hugh Malone. He later became a brewer who was known as the pioneer of hoppy beers, even writing a book on the subject. Prohibition ended Malone’s career, but on his death bed, he wrote several recipes that included new and interesting brewing techniques that are used today.

But, there is one problem with this story – it is 100% fake!

The folks at Allagash created the story because, “We thought it would be funny if people thought he was real,” said Dee Dee Germain, Creative Manager for Allagash Brewery. Hugh Malone even has his own webpage with an entirely (made up) life story! As farfetched as the tale is, the name does have a connection to reality. The brewery’s most hop-forward beer is named after Humulone, a vinylogous type of organic acid. It is a bitter-tasting chemical compound found in the resin of mature hops (Humulus lupulus).

Courage Imperial Russian Stout

MILES DAVIS

their recipe, brewing the beer with extra hops and increased alcohol content to make a richer, heartier brew.

By 1787, brewer John Courage had perfected the style that later captivated Russia’s Catherine the Great. It wasn’t long before she demanded regular shipments of Courage Imperial Russian Stout. In October, 1977, Jim Robertson brewed some of the last batches of the Imperial stout in London where it originated. Today, Robertson has taken the original recipe to the Wells & Young’s Brewery where it is made with the same complexity.

Recreated only once a year, each year’s vintage is as intriguing as the original that captivated Russian royalty. To develop even deeper flavor complexity, this beer can be aged for up to 13 years.

The Brewer’s Art Ozzy (Now Beazly)

After receiving a cease-and-desist letter from an attorney representing rock legend, Ozzy Osbourne, the Baltimore-based brewery had no choice but to rename Ozzy, their Belgian strong pale ale.

The original can, emblazoned with a bat graphic and tattooed knuckles spelling out OZZY, was a huge hit with drinkers. But, according to lawyer Cynthia Blake Sanders, “If they called it Ozzy and it wasn’t so clearly a sort of heavy-metal styling, somebody might connect it with a different Ozzy. But when they’ve used his tattoo, in addition to his hands and the bat imagery, that’s really using a great deal of his persona.”

When renaming the beer, The Brewer’s Art let their customers choose and they went with a more local celebrity. Mark Barcus (a.k.a.

Beazly) has been a bartender at the Mount Vernon bar for nearly 20 years. Brewery co-owner, Tom Creegan explained to the Baltimore Business Journal, “We have a running joke that if you work for us long enough, you don’t get a gold watch, you get a golden beer. This guy has served Ozzy more than any other guy on the planet.”

Although the name has changed, the taste of the brewery’s popular beer stayed the same. Both rich and dry, Beazly is all too easy to consume in large quantities.

“Fit for an Empress and brewed for the rest of us,” Courage Imperial Russian Stout boasts a rich espresso body with pear overtones and a complex, fruity, smoky finish.

While in England during the 1700s, Peter the Great of Russia fell in love with porter, a new style of beer favored by the “porters” of London. He requested this dark and intricate beer with roasty hints of caramel, for the Russian Imperial Courts. When the first batch spoiled on the long journey, the London brewers quickly altered

Bitches Brew features the album’s iconic artwork, created by the late Mati Klarwein.

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Beyond These Philadelphia area music venues are making a name for themselves with their carefully selected craft beers offerings.

Ardmore Music Hall

The name may have changed, but the concert hall and location on Lancaster Ave. have remained the same for 35 years. From 1980 to 1994, the venue was called 23 East Cabaret and then became Brownies 23 East, until it was re-opened in 2013 as Ardmore Music Hall (AMH), an intimate music venue and bar in downtown Ardmore. This venue, the brainchild of the former management and talent buyer for The Blockley in Philadelphia, provides people the opportunity to be entertained by local, regional and national talent in an intimate space. With 12 craft beers on tap and a full kitchen offering such menu items as ground lamb wraps, BBQ chicken flatbread, Cobb salad and Baklava, as well as vegan and gluten free options, AMH stands out as one of the premiere music venues in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

The Beer: AMH offers patrons a well-curated list of craft beers, served by a knowledgeable staff who value customer feedback.

Some highlights include Dogfish Head’s music-influenced beers, a dedicated Allagash tap line and four or five rotating draughts, featuring the latest and greatest craft offerings.

The Music: In the last year, there have been a number of renowned, national touring acts that have graced the stage including The Hooters, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Sturgill Simpson, Rusted Root, Janis Ian and many more.

The Grape Room

Manayunk is known for its great downtown area, full of wonderful bars, restaurants, shops and live music. The Grape Room, formerly Grape Street Pub, was re-opened almost five years ago by “Scooter,” a former employee and musician who loved playing there in the 90s. The new proprietor is a one-man-show, in charge of running the music program, managing the expansive beer selection and developing the food menu. His philosophy for The Grape Room, “Live music, great beer and having fun” comes from his years as a touring musician who has also worked at both White Dog Café and Osteria. Personal touches are found throughout the space and on the venue’s logo, which features building blocks as an homage to his young kids.

The Beer: The Grape Room offers a variety of beer selections from Yuengling to Sierra Nevada to select ciders. Over the last four-anda-half years, Scooter has grown the bar’s offerings to include six taps, 40 different canned beers and a large selection of bottles that includes Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout and Blue Moon seasonals.

Two of Scooter’s favorite year-round beers are Great Lakes Eliot Ness and Oskar Blues Old Chub – which is just as good out of the can as on draught.

The Music: Scooter says, “I would bet that most musicians would say this is the best sounding venue in Philly. Other live music venues often have long and narrow rooms, whereas The Grape Room 10

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is square, which allows the thick, warm tones of the music to shine.

I have toured and played at great venues all over the world, but this is rock ‘n roll. I have always loved this room. It is near and dear to my heart.” Bands including, The Lumineers, The Roots, Guster and G Love have all used this stage as a stepping stone to great things.

The Grape Room’s weekly schedule features live music Wednesday through Saturday, open jam sessions on Sundays and comedy nights on Tuesdays. Karaoke, open mic nights and private events are also planned throughout the year.

MilkBoy

This two-story restaurant and music venue began as a recording studio. MilkBoy founders, Tommy Joyner and Jamie Lockoff, then partnered with food and beverage veteran, Bill Hanson (of Continental and Buddakan) to create the venue as we know it today.

There are full bars on both floors and the kitchen is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM until midnight, offering a menu of seasonally-rotated comfort foods. Hanson says that customer service is what really makes MilkBoy stand out from similar venues. “People can get a warm burger and cold beer anywhere, but here you’ll also get a handshake or a high-five.”

The Beer: In addition to six rotating draughts, the pride of MilkBoy is its canned beer selection that includes 50 different beers, making it one of the most extensive canned beer lists in the city. Cans are the perfect package to complement the rock ‘n roll attitude of the bar. MilkBoy has a great relationship with breweries across the nation, so they are able to offer guests some of the best beer available.

The Music: MilkBoy hosts local, regional and national acts, four nights a week, and a local jazz quartet performs on Tuesday evenings. Laura Jane Grace (formerly known as Tom Gabel) of Against Me, gave a very special performance on August 10, 2013, the first since her transition. Journalists from Rolling Stone and Spin magazines were in attendance to review the exciting show.

Union Transfer

The original building was opened in 1889 as the Spring Garden Farmer’s Market before becoming Union Transfer Baggage Express Co. That business closed after 50 years, but it remains the namesake for the music venue today. Union Transfer opened in 2011 as a joint venture between R5 Productions, The Bowery Presents (Terminal 5, Bowery Ballroom) and Four Corners Management. The theater is widely renowned in Philadelphia for its national and international performers.

The Beer: There are three full bars within the venue that feature a wide selection of beer and cider. A few highlights from their beer list include the ever-popular Lagunitas IPA, the rebellious 21st Amendment Back in Black IPA, and The Crisp, a well-crafted pilsner from Sixpoint.

THE

Music

The Music: Known primarily as an indie rock venue, Union Transfer hosts a variety of large scale shows throughout the year. Bands including Mischief Brew, M83, Circa Survive, Frank Ocean, The Tallest Man on Earth, Grouplove, and Bastille have all performed. The Wonder Years celebrated their 10th anniversary with three sold-out

Ardmore Music Hall

The Grape Room

shows early in the New Year. Also sold out is the February appearance of Sleater Kinney, an all-girl indie rock band reuniting for their first tour since 2006.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to check out upcoming events at each venue.

MilkBoy

Union Transfer

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Top 10

Cellarable Beers They’re Not Getting Older; They’re Getting Better

By Steve Hawk

I

s it possible for your favorite beer to actually get better? The answer is a resounding, “YES.”

The changes that occur inside a bottle of beer when it is stored for months, or even years, do remarkable things to the flavor. Some flavors become more pronounced; others slowly fade away. It’s a very interesting process for anyone who appreciates a good bottle of beer.

If you’re curious about the way a particular beer ages, drink one while it’s fresh and store the rest. Try another a few months later and see how your opinion changes.

The more often you do this, the sooner you’ll determine the best aging routine for you.

Of course, there are certain beers that simply age better than others, as well as some general guidelines that make aging more successful overall. Here are a few things to consider before you start experimenting.

Hops – whether bitter, floral or citrus – fade with time, so IPAs and other hoppy beers aren’t great candidates for aging. Also, the process works better with beers that have a higher ABV. Think of fine wines and liquors which age gracefully and develop other flavors over time.

Beware of light and heat when aging beer. Both factors speed up oxidation. Your beer should be stored in a cool, dark place, such as a basement or a refrigerator set to 50-55 degrees. Also, keep the bottles upright, so that the sediment falls to the bottom of the bottle.

Now, drumroll please…

See the list of Honorable Mentions at Facebook.com/Origliobeverage

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The Lost Abbey Carnevale

Most of the other beers you’ll find on this list are either Imperial stouts, barleywines or any of the more maltier styles of beer.

Carnevale, on the other hand, is a saison-style sour beer, brewed to be light in body, but still complex. Carnevale’s flavor comes from Brettanomyces, a wild yeast strain, along with Amarillo and Simcoe hops, which increase in flavor and depth as they age. It is a perfect beer to cellar, so you can see how the yeast transforms the complexity and taste over time.

ABV: 8% | Style: Belgian Style Saison | Availability: Late Winter

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Chimay Grand Reserve (Blue)

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Sly Fox Nihilist

Brewed in an actual Trappist Monastery in Belgium, this is a quintessential, fine beer. It is on the maltier side and is often overlooked for aging. But the fact is, it does age well, resulting in a very enjoyable experience. The availability of this beer makes it easy to experiment with different periods of aging. Try storing it for one year… two years… or even longer.

ABV: 9% | Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale | Availability: Year-Round

This is a brand new beer from the Sly Fox Brewery and was first brewed to celebrate their 17th anniversary. It is a big Russian Imperial stout with abundant malt character that continues to develop over time. It’s full of chocolate and roasted malt flavors with subtle hints of fruit and a warming alcohol finish. As this is a limited, seasonal release, make sure you act quickly to purchase the quantity you need to reserve some for aging.

ABV: 9% | Style: Russian Imperial Stout | Availability: Occasional Release

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Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale

Barleywines are great candidates for aging, and Bigfoot will progress in the bottle for years. Under the proper conditions, it can age like a fine wine, developing new flavors and character as it matures in the bottle. This beast of a beer is brimming with bold flavors of bittersweet malt and heaps of aggressive whole-cone Pacific Northwest hops. A strong, robust beer with the refined intensity of a wine, Bigfoot is prized by beer collectors for its supreme cellarability. Each new release or “expedition” is vintage dated. Collect your own and discover how the flavors develop.

ABV: 9.6% | Style: Barleywine | Availability: Winter

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Dogfish World Wide Stout

Dogfish Head specializes in complex, high alcohol beers, making most of their catalog perfect for aging. The first of the two Dogfish Head beers that made my top ten list is, World Wide Stout. This “ageable” ale clocks in between 15-20% ABV. When it’s stored for a length of time in your beer cellar, the heat of the booze fades into the background and the port notes and roastiness become dominant. This beer debuted in the winter of 1999. If you’re lucky, you may still be able to uncover various vintages to compare.

ABV: 15-20% | Style: Imperial Stout | Availability: Occasional Release

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Allagash Interlude

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Weyerbacher QUAD

3

Port Older Viscosity

2

Stone Imperial Russian Stout

1

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

This is another beer that uses the wild yeast strain, Brettanomyces, which yields an interesting sour flavor. What makes Interlude even more unique is that Allagash ages this beer in wine barrels, which imparts a distinctive vinous plum character and a myriad of flavors including pear, apricot and graham cracker.

When this complex farmhouse ale is further aged in the bottle, the flavors can mature in many unexpected ways. It may actually taste like an entirely different beer every time you open it.

ABV: 9.5% | Style: Farmhouse Ale Aged in Wine Barrels | Availability: Occasional Release Weyerbacher Brewing Company in Easton, PA is well known for its huge, flavorful beers. They are pioneers of aging beer in bourbon barrels, meaning most of their brews are high in alcohol and very fit for aging. QUAD for example, not only clocks in at 11.8% alcohol by volume, it is also rich in complexity and flavor.

To experience the transition this beer takes through aging, simply enjoy one now and try another every month or two. You’ll be truly amazed at the smoothness and complexity it gains over time.

ABV: 11.8% | Style: Belgian Quad | Availability: Winter This beer is the bourbon barrel-aged version of Port’s Imperial stout, Old Viscosity. It is aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels for six months before being bottled. The beer starts off with a coating of rich malts and dark chocolate, and finishes with a dry, bittersweet ending, balanced by a firm bitter tone and warming notes from the alcohol. For an even more exciting and comparative vertical tasting, sample a bottle of the Old Viscosity as well. That will give you the opportunity to experience not only how the barrel aging affects the beer, but how the cellaring further enhances it.

ABV: 12% | Style: Belgian Quad | Availability: Occasional Release This beer’s potential for aging is often underrated. The fresh version has very pronounced coffee, cocoa, nutty and roasty flavors. Over time, those flavors slowly start to mellow, yielding a brew as complex as the original, but with more smoothness. Few beers age as well as this one. Enjoy the ride.

ABV: 10.6% | Style: Russian Imperial Stout | Availability: Spring

What makes this beer my #1 choice for cellaring is that it is uniquely flavored from the start. It is aged in tanks made from exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood, which creates a highly roasty and malty brown ale with deep notes of caramel and vanilla. This is a fantastic beer fresh, but it can definitely be a bit “intense.” As it ages, the beer becomes much more mellow, and the flavors develop perfectly. Because this beer is so suitable for aging, it’s simply a must-have in every beer cellar.

ABV: 12% | Style: American Brown Ale | Availability: Year-Round

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HOP ART

First released in 1994, Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout (7.9% ABV) was an instant success, and for good reason. The liquid is silky smooth and richly flavored with coffee and chocolate.

But how would you know if you only had the label to go by?

Tony Magee, founder of Lagunitas Brewing Company designs all of the brewery’s beer labels. For Magee, the label is his canvas. It’s where he has a chance to project his point of view and signal how he wants his brewery to be understood. Through label design, Magee wants to attract the beer drinker whose outlook on life and sense of humor jive with his own; that is to say, quirky and irreverent, but always approachable. Through font selection, color choice and narration, Magee creates a visual and emotional connection to the beer before the drinker even takes their first sip.

The look he goes for is, “Old West meets uptown San Francisco,” Magee says. Translation: Nostalgic and faintly romantic, but with lots of fun and irony.

Looking at the label, you are immediately struck by three big words in primary colors, Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout, and the trusting face of the brewery’s mascot as he might have been sketched by Saturday Evening Post illustrator, Norman Rockwell. Some words on the label look like they might be right at home on a Wanted: Dead or Alive poster, but replacing the mug shot of a high-value criminal, is a Petey look-alike, the loveable Pitt Bull Terrier from the old Spanky and Our Gang movies.

Magee certainly combines the Old West with hipster San Francisco; or maybe in this instance, Los Angeles, the place where they probably filmed Spanky and Our Gang. Magee and many of his fans believe he has certainly hit the mark. The words convey more than information. On this label the words become the art and the bottle becomes more than a container.

TB

the bookshelf

BREWED AWAKENING BEHIND THE BEERS AND BREWERS LEADING THE WORLD’S CRAFT BREWING REVOLUTION

by Joshua M. Bernstein Covering every trend in today’s ever expanding craft beer market, Brewed Awakening by Joshua M. Bernstein takes readers along on his personal discovery of craft beer.

In an entertaining style, Bernstein chronicles how he transitioned from a mere guzzler of Busch Light to the craft beer geek he is today. His journey is the perfect guide for any aspiring beer geek who is beginning their own craft beer adventure. What really makes this book stand out are the visuals. Each page is filled with beautiful pictures and illustra-

tions that make the reader feel like they are taking a peek inside Bern-

stein’s personal craft beer journal.

Bernstein shares his craft beer knowledge and expertise by dividing Brewed Awakening into eight chapters with many smaller, easy to digest, sections. He explores beer ingredients with an emphasis on breweries that harvest and cultivate their own, and the historical significance of many beer styles. Bernstein’s discussion on new and emerging styles, seasonal beer selections and packaging trends, paints a complete picture of today’s evolving beer culture. He highlights a wide range of breweries, spanning our country’s east and west coasts, as well as a few international spotlights. In these worldly sections, Bernstein showcases breweries outside of the United States that are pushing the craft beer envelope, before switching gears to talk about the amateur brewers of the world.

In the final chapter, Bringing it Home: In Basements, in Bedrooms, the emphasis is on homebrewing and how breweries are cultivating the next generation of brewers. A great example of this is the Samuel Adams Longshot American Homebrew Contest, an annual competition that pays homage to founder, Jim Koch’s homebrewing roots. Koch wanted all of his employees to have a deep love and understanding of beer, so each year they would compete in a homebrew contest. In 1996, the contest was opened to homebrewers across the U.S. and the entries have poured in ever since. The beers are judged by highly qualified Beer Judge Certification Program judges, Koch himself and a panel of experts. The winning recipes from one homebrewer and one employee homebrewer, are then featured in the nationally distributed Samuel Adams Longshot Variety Pack.

Brewed Awakening is a quick and fun read, perfect for the craft beer lover who wants a bit more insight into recent beer trends and breweries, both nationally and internationally. www.origlio.com

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gets draughted

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SHAUN O’SULLIVAN st

of 21 Amendment Brewery Owners, Shaun O’Sullivan and Nico Freccia opened the doors to the 21st Amendment brewpub in 2000, in San Francisco’s historic South Park neighborhood, with Freccia managing the restaurant and O’Sullivan leading the brewing process.

They named their business for the amendment to the U.S. Constitution that repealed Prohibition. Not only did it ban the sale of alcohol, Prohibition effectively shuttered nearly all of the gathering places where people went to socialize. The essence of San Francisco, with its quaint and quirky neighborhoods, was all but wiped out when favorite watering holes closed their doors. But, with the passage of the 21st Amendment, that neighborhood spirit slowly came back.

O’Sullivan and Freccia’s brewpub celebrates that “old brewery” feel by providing a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere that invites conversation, interaction and a sense of community, while offering unique, handcrafted beers.

O’Sullivan is not only the brewery’s co-founder, he is also the Brewmaster who has been called, “The heart and soul of the brewery.” Draught Lines reached out to him to get the scoop on 21st Amendment. www.origlio.com

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D.L. Your current brewpub is located two blocks from the Giants base-

ball stadium. What a great location! Did you pick the spot for that reason?

S.O. When Nico and I were first looking for a space in San Francisco, we

focused on neighborhoods with larger buildings that could support a restaurant and a small production brewery. The space we found ended up being two blocks from where the Giants would eventually play baseball. In 1998, when we were looking in the SOMA (South of Market) neighborhood, the vote for the new stadium was taking place and passed. The park opened in March of 2000 and we opened in August of that same year. It was a troubling time, with the economy falling out after the first dot-com wave sunk, but that ballpark kept us alive with 81 home games a year. It was a shaky start, but we survived.

D.L. 21st Amendment was one of the first craft breweries to offer beer in cans. Why did you make this decision?

S.O. We were looking for ways to expand the business, and a little shy

about opening a new brewpub. So, we were thinking of other opportunities. I went to Denver for the Great American Beer Festival in 2006 and took a side trip to Lyons, Colorado to visit Oskar Blues, where I saw they were canning their beer. I was instantly struck at how great and unique the package was. I knew it was going to be the future of craft beer. I flew back to the Bay Area and immediately told Nico of my idea to put our beer in cans and sell it to the outside world. His response was that he thought it was the dumbest idea in the world. He changed his mind after we looked into all the great reasons to can beer that we’ve all read about. Cans are a real lifestyle package.

D.L. 21st Amendment has a reputation for interesting beers with unique names and cool graphics. Who is responsible for naming the beers and designing the cans?

S.O. The name of our brewery is of course steeped in the U.S. Con-

stitution and with that, certain ideas and imagery come to mind. We thought it would be fun to work on that notion, but with a twist on Americana in our beer names, packaging design and illustrations.

When we first started canning our beers at our 500 square-foot brewery, the first two were Hell or High Watermelon Wheat and Brew Free! or Die IPA. Both great beers, but the initial packaging was a little lackluster.

Our Director of Sales and Marketing, Dave Wilson (now our President) had some friends in Bend, Oregon who ran a marketing and design company called TBD. The folks up there took the fun, quirky names and gave the beers life through packaging and design.

Joe Wilson has illustrated all of our year-round beers as well as the seasonals. TBD works with us in coming up with packaging and direction, and then the idea and framework are given to Joe who comes up with a unique and interesting take on that imagery. He really has a distinctive, detailed style. The interesting thing about him is, he is British and lives in London. I think that gives a unique perspective to our Americana themes.

Next to formulating beer recipes, my second favorite thing is the package design. All three of us, Dave, Nico and I, really enjoy that creative process and have a huge amount of input in all aspects.

D.L. Your winter seasonal, Sneak Attack is a farmhouse ale brewed with

organic cardamom pods. What made you go against the grain and release a saison in the winter months?

S.O. We thought it would be fun to release a beer that is the antidote

to the stronger beers of winter. With our Belgian-style saison, we are essentially bringing a taste of summer to winter, and as we do with a lot of our beers, there’s a twist. The addition of whole, organic, green cardamom pods gives the beer a unique, spicy, herbal note that complements the Belgian yeast strain. And the package graphic, with the famous painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, takes this idea a step further and really exemplifies the direction of the beer. Rather than soldiers, we have beachgoers on the boat dressed in vintage swimwear with beach balls and icebergs sur-

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rounding them. At the helm is George Washington in his swim trunks with his big, bare, belly exposed. An interesting side note, the inspiration for George Washington on our package is Bill Murray’s character from the Wes Anderson movie, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

D.L. The unique pumpkin beers, “He Said Belgian-Style Tripel” and “He Said Baltic-Style Porter” were made in collaboration with Elysian Brewing Co., and the story behind the beers is a fun one. Did you enjoy the joint brewing process? Will we see another collaboration in the near future?

S.O. Dick Cantwell, head brewer, owner and President of Elysian Brew-

ing Company is the pumpkin beer king and releases 17 pumpkin beers every year! And, he puts on a pretty amazing event every October called The Great Pumpkin Beer Festival. He invites brewers from all over the country to make a pumpkin beer and to be part of the event. Our collaboration came about over a few beers, as these types of things often do. The name “He Said” stemmed from the idea that Dick and I are unclear on how we met each other. It’s a play on the phrase, “He said, she said.” Collaborations are what makes this industry so amazing and we will continue to do them for sure.

D.L. You recently released Blah, Blah, Blah IPA as part of your Big Can – Draught-only series. What’s the name about and what makes it different from the numerous IPAs available today?

S.O. There are so many IPAs in the market... session IPAs, black IPAs, red IPAs, double and triple IPAs, blah blah blah... you get the idea. We love IPAs and have many in our lineup, but we wanted to have fun with the idea. Our Blah Blah Blah IPA is an India red ale made with malts that I haven’t used too often, and first played with when I started brewing in 1994. There are darker English crystal malts, as well as darker Munich and biscuit malts, and I played around with an abundance of hops (some experimental) when we dry-hopped this beer. I also added hops very late in the boil, giving it a more chewy hop flavor – not bitter. All of that, coupled with the amazing hop aroma, gives you a mighty fine beer.

D.L. Marooned on Hog Island is made with oysters and Hell or High Watermelon with watermelon, of course. Are there any other foods you have thought about brewing with?

S.O. Experimenting and playing with unique ingredients in brewing can reveal interesting flavors when done correctly and with balance.

The oysters in Marooned on Hog Island add silkiness from the oyster’s saltiness. We use dried mission figs and vanilla beans in our Monk’s Blood and then age it on oak spirals. Those flavors are very harmonious and play on each other quite well. I am not afraid of mixing it up. I think adding citrus fruits to an IPA may be an interesting idea, as hops already exhibit those fruity flavors.

D.L. Which 21st Amendment beers do you think pair well with food?

S.O. I work from the premise that you can either complement or con-

trast your beer and food pairings. I think hoppier beers like Brew Free! or Die IPA taste great with spicy Thai foods and Hell or High Watermelon works well with light, bright salads with shrimp. It’s also a great complement and palate cleanser with cheese dishes. The awesome thing about beer is there are so many flavors to play with. It’s a big play land of flavor opportunity.

D.L. Your brewpub menu includes an appetizer named after you – “Sully’s Cheese Curds.” Care to explain?

S.O. I love the curds! When we first started brewing our beer in the Mid-

west in 2008, I would encounter fried cheese curds at a number of restaurants. I call cheese curds, “the calamari of the Midwest” as there is a ton of calamari on the West Coast. We had some down time when traveling, so I took it upon myself to find the best cheese curds out there. I found them in a restaurant called Barkers in the small town of Hudson, Wisconsin along the banks of the St. Croix River. We now serve those same curds at our pub with a light beer batter. They are golden delicious.

Owners, Nico Freccia & Shaun O’Sullivan

21st Amendment Brewpub

D.L. If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

S.O. That is a tough one! If you could somehow merge sushi and beer

together that would be my preference. I’m a big fan of sushi. I would probably choose a well-balanced IPA that is not sweet, with a firm malt backbone, a complex hop flavor, a dry finish and an incredible hop aroma. Wait, I think I just described our Brew Free! or Die IPA. Well there you go.

D.L. What advice would you give someone looking to start a brewery?

S.O. You can never have enough capital. If you are not good at some-

thing in your organization, then find someone who is. Also, be prepared for the roller coaster ride – it’s not for the faint of heart. There are ups and downs and you need to be dynamic; move, adapt and roll with the changes. It’s not easy, but it can be very rewarding.

D.L. What do you see being the next big trend in craft beer?

S.O. I think extreme beers and IPAs are here to stay. But, just as we have

seen the rise of session IPAs, as people are looking for a flavorful beer style that won’t knock them off the bar stool, I think we will see the rise of the lager in the craft industry – especially pilsners. I know there are breweries out there that have made lagers for a long time, but I see the ale-centric breweries now embracing those beers. Beer drinkers like lighter beers that are easy to drink, but have more flavor.

D.L. If you weren’t working in the beer industry, what would you be doing?

S.O. I would have either been a pilot or a photographer, or I would have opened a lasagna walk-up shop, serving my Mom’s recipe. Truth!

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D.L. Your new brewery is being built in San Leondro, CA. When do you expect it to be up and running and what will the new brewing facility mean for 21A? Will we see more beers from you?

S.O. It’s an exciting time for the whole team. We’ve come a long way from our first year of distribution in 2008, brewing 1,000 barrels of beer, to this year when we should hit about 71,000. Our partner, Cold Spring Brewery in Minnesota, has been with us every step of the way. But we’ve hit capacity there and need to build a new brewery to keep up with current volume and opening new markets. It’s also been a dream for me and Nico to bring the beer back home to the Bay Area.

You will absolutely see new beers from us. We are super excited about starting our sour and barrel program. We have some great ideas for that. In addition, we will add different package sizes, variety packs and seasonals. We should begin brewing in April and will open a tasting room shortly thereafter. Eventually, when the complete design is realized, we will have a full-service restaurant, 20 taps, satellite bars on the property and an outdoor beer garden, as well as an indoor event space and amphitheater. We will also offer self-guided tours so guests will be able to observe every aspect of the brewing and packaging process. We will definitely be a destination for the craft beer enthusiast.

D.L. Is there anything else you would like people to know about 21st Amendment?

S.O. Nico and I have worked at other breweries and restaurants and

have always wanted to create a place that offers opportunities and takes great care of its employees. We like to make unique beers, have fun, and as we say, “celebrate the right to be original.” Did you like the way I worked in the marketing slogan? Look for great and new things in 2015 as we open our new Bay Area brewery. See you over a pint of beer soon!

SEASONAL SELECTIONS Blue Moon First Peach Ale Samuel Adams Escape Route Forbidden Traveler Apple Ale Sly Fox Odyssey Imperial IPA Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Hoppy Lager Harpoon The Long Thaw White IPA Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Woodchuck Out on a Limb Cheeky Cherry Dogfish Head Aprihop 21st Amendment Sneak Attack Lagunitas NightTime Twin Lakes Tweeds Tavern Stout Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager Sixpoint Beast Mode Heavy Seas Deep Six Elysian Split Shot Espresso Milk Stout Unibroue Chambly Noire Shipyard Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout Weyerbacher Insanity Great Lakes Conway’s Irish Ale Dock Street Sexy Beast The Lost Abbey Carnevale Port Brewing Hop 15 Evil Genius I’ll Have What She’s Having Coronado Devils Tale IPA

CROSS BONES SESSION IPA

DEEP SIX

ROBUST ENGLISH STYLE PORTER

A Jaunt Through

West Chester

By Garrett Lee Williams

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T

imes were different for our forebears. Less than one generation ago, slugging back tasteless, unimaginative brews was the norm for anyone living in a college town. Locals and students alike were treated to the bare minimum of interaction between their taste buds and their beer. No longer. Welcome to the town of West Chester. Home to a State College just off the main drag, it once could have been easily confused for Anytown, USA. Now, boasting a thriving restaurant and bar scene, this local town is hitting a high mark with its array of delectable eateries and verdant craft beer places. A casual, or serious imbiber of the draught would be hard-pressed to visit all of the town’s wonderful watering holes in just one evening. I was. In fact, no less than three separate outings were made during a weekend, with a small group of friends, to compile this listing of wonderful places to go in West Chester, PA. Getting There: It’s about a 40 minute drive from the outskirts of Philadelphia. For the SEPTA rider, take the 104 bus and be there in about an hour. Parking on weekdays after 5PM, and all weekend, is FREE at the County Garage (220 W Market Street).

Starting at two small chain restaurants, Landmark Americana and Kildare’s, I was refreshed to see a wide variety of brews available.

Landmark offers make-your-own beer flights of four varieties in 5 oz. pours. Delightfully, I found Dogfish Head 120 Minute on tap and was served with a smile. By the way, Landmark offers an awesome gluten-free menu. Over at Kildare’s, we found the legendary, “I am a drinker with a writing problem” sign, emblazoned upon one archway. Sharing ownership with local favorite, Doc MacGrogans, patrons can really lose themselves to the spirit of Ireland.

With a copper, kettle-topped bar end, we quickly settled in. We were delighted to find a wide selection of pints in varing sizes including small, large or ‘Big Arse’. Additionally, this is one of the few pubs that boasts a list of “layered pints” for the more classically trained drinkers. I enjoyed a perfectly done black and tan while talking over our next stops.

Settling in for a night of liquid, we decided to do a little pairing of food and beer to maintain responsibility and an impartial eye. We quickly headed over to Kooma Viet for some excellent dumplings and a nice bottle list. Moving forward, we opted for Mas Mexicali, one of the local Mexican joints. At a festive pace, we quickly demolished their Carne Asada fajitas paired with a pitcher of classic Yuengling Lager, and all was right with the world. Feeling that we hadn’t quite done our best yet, we slid down to Vudu Lounge (a.k.a. High Street Caffe) on High Street.

Opting for the Prix-Fixe menu, we worked our way through three wonderful courses of Creole cuisine while enjoying a few Abita beers. After asking a very pleasant bartender where to head for the last course of our evening, we were directed to Ram’s Head. It was a lush autumn evening, and the place was full of people pleading for pleasurable pints. With hardly a wait,

even on a busy weekend, we were directed post-haste to the chalkboard upon the wall and promptly served by helpful staff.

Returning the next day to the streets, we discovered many more places worth visiting. Starting at Mercato 33 on Market Street, we were treated to rustic Italian cuisine paired with a nice draught list. Moving on to a ‘Happier Hour’ we found ourselves at Avalon on East Gay Street for small plates and brews. Taking a break from strolling, we found a pleasant respite at Roots Café, featuring farm-to-table food with a recently acquired liquor license. Quaffing a few lower ABV Slyfox Pikeland Pils’ we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Knowing that we hadn’t quite hit our mark for the evening, we piled into the cozy Limoncello and were really pleased by what we found. Filling up on a hot-from-the-oven Upside Down Pizza, we finished off the evening sipping Guinness and enjoying the pleasant atmosphere.

Readying ourselves for another grueling day filled with wonderful food and refreshing beers, we started at Ryan’s Pub on West Gay Street. Sumptuous booth seating greeted us, as did the bartender. Bellied up at the bar, we opted for their wings because we had heard a couple of times that they were great. As a connoisseur of fried fowl, I was a happy man. We played a quick game of pool and headed out into the afternoon sun for another college bar – Barnaby’s. Our day was brightened further by finding a rotating craft list available and I had one of my all-time favorites, Dogfish Head 61 Minute. By the way, if you want to catch the game, but don’t feel like bro-ing down, head over to Jitters Sports Bar. Knowing that we had work to do, we left to grab another round at Teca, one of the prettiest bars we spent time in all weekend, with a very helpful staff. The lighting looks like it was created by Dr. Frankenstein to rejuvenate life, which is how we felt after sitting beneath it for an hour enjoying the Young’s Double Chocolate Stouts we ordered. Just off of the main strip is Pietro’s Prime on Market Street.

Having worked up a hefty appetite (what with all the carousing and walking and such) I opted for a Sliced Filet with Roquefort Garlic Butter. Our friendly bartender was totally empathetic to our vegetarian guest and offered options to help her along. Few things pair as well as beer and steak for this intrepid traveler and I was happy to find a bottle selection to meet my needs, with bonus points for fancy glassware. After this feast, we knew it was time for our last hurrah. Wobbling through the streets, we cooled our heels at the much vaunted Side Bar. Heading upstairs (Side Bar’s… side bar) we quickly introduced ourselves to Kevin, a smiling and knowledgeable bartender with a discerning palate. After regaling him with our weekend tale, he quickly suggested beers for each of our party’s members, which fit each one of us like a glove. This stop was a great ending to our weekend adventure. After many a tearful goodbye to our hosts, we packed up our things and hit the highway for home in the city. There was only one question left as we sailed down the road, “When do you want to go back?”

Will Run for Beer

When it comes to beer, you already know that Philadelphia is teeming with more than its fair share of outstanding craft-centric bars and restaurants. As it turns out, a good number of local craft beer lovers are also passionate about running, and they have found a way to combine two of their favorite pursuits.

With a documentary soon to be released, the Fishtown Beer Runners, founded by David April, is one of the most popular beer and running groups in the city. The training he endured in preparation for his first 5k, not to mention his first sip of Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale, inspired him to create the club.

With nearly 100 members running each week, ranging from first time runners to marathoners, participants gather on any given Thursday evening on April’s doorstep before heading out for a three to five mile run, which always concludes at a pre-designated bar in the city. Good beer and good conversation is then enjoyed by all with a “Toast to The Professor.”

April was very interested in a research study conducted by Dr. Manuel Castillo-Garzon, The Professor at the University of Granada Medical School, which concluded that beer and water have similar hydration effects. What were the chances that a beer-loving, aspiring athlete would discover that beer could actually be good for you? The creation of the Fishtown Beer Runners had to be kismet.

What began as a way for one man to get into shape, has turned into a community of beer-loving runners.

Club members set goals for themselves and many go on to achieve them. Fishtown Beer Runner, Marie Claire shares, “Me and my husband started running in March of last year with a goal to run a 5K by November. With the support of the club, we ran our first race 24

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on May 5th. Members signed up to run with us and encouraged us all the way to the finish line,” she says proudly. In that same spirit of giving, the club is heavily involved in charitable work as well, working with such organizations as The American Cancer Society, Achilles International, Back On My Feet and Philabundance. Each month, a run is dedicated to a non-profit, with a donation from the members given, and a raffle to raise additional money. “Members of the Fishtown Beer Runners are mostly young professionals with a bit of disposable income, looking to check out new places,” says April. Because the group is so large, he coordinates the runs a month in advance. “I try to choose places that are classic Philadelphia bars with good beer and a staff that treats us well.”

The mission of the Fishtown Runners is simple: promote regular exercise, create camaraderie, enjoy quality beer and support local bars and breweries. April says, “A big part of the club’s success is its philosophy; be a runner, be a community.” And then of course there is the location. As club member Neil Brecher explained, “Fishtown is one of the best beer neighborhoods in the city!”

The Fishtown Beer Runners have garnered a great deal of media buzz over the years and recently celebrated their seventh anniversary, but there are other lesser-known running and beer clubs in Philadelphia that have been around for even longer. In fact, Philly is home to one of oldest in the country, the Philadelphia Hash House Harriers.

A combination of exercise, comradery and partying known as “hashing,” started in Malaysia in 1937 by British soldiers looking for a fun way to stay active when off-duty. Hash clubs have since become popular in major cities across the country.

The Philadelphia Hash House Harriers, the first running club of its kind in Philadelphia, meets on Saturdays for runs, while The Ben Franklin Mob, which has been around for about ten years and is known as, “A drinking club with a running problem in the city of Philadelphia,” meets on Thursdays.

If running isn’t your thing, how about bocce and beer?

Together, the clubs host themed events throughout the year, such as the Green Dress Run, that attracts over 100 people. For the last 10 years during the Philadelphia Marathon, club members hand out cups of Yuengling beer to the runners, towards the end of the race. Tricia Gdowik, a member of the Ben Franklin Mob who handed out beer at last year’s marathon says, “It was like we handed them a hundred dollar bill! It made their day. Some of the runners were having a rough time and the beer served as a much needed mood lifter and break.”

Hunter Proctor, a member of the management group for the Ben Franklin Mob says, “Running and beer go well together because of the type of people who enjoy both activities. Many runners channel a lot of their mental and physical focus on the day’s run. After expending so much energy, it’s nice to take a load off and crack open a beer.” Gdowick adds, “Beer boosts your mood and energy level. Sometimes, looking forward to a good beer makes you push a little harder and further than you originally planned.”

Members of both clubs have a strong sense of community as well as a passion for Philadelphia. This year, a few members participated in the Back on My Feet Urban Ultra, running up to 100 miles to raise money for homeless Philadelphians. Several club members host fundraisers for different charities during the year such as Students Run Philly Style, while others clean up trails and local parks around the city.

Hunter believes that beer and running are here to stay in the City of Brotherly Love. “This concept works well because it is a young and vibrant social community with driven people who enjoy letting their hair down when the time is right,” he says. “Due to the density of the city, we are able to explore parts of Philadelphia that most people never consider.”

Major League Bocce (MLB) began in 2004 in Washington D.C. Today, leagues are hosted in ten different cities across the U.S. with five divisions in Philadelphia alone. Bocce is the perfect social activity for young professionals who want to get out and engage in friendly competition. “You can play with a beer in hand! It’s the perfect marriage of social sports and drinking,” says Sarah DeLucas, President of MLB. Philadelphia’s Center City and South Philly leagues are the largest, with a total of 32 teams and 200 players in South Philly and 28 teams and 175 players in Center City. During the winter, members of both teams participate in weekly games on pop-up indoor courts at Field House on Filbert Street and Cavanaugh’s Headhouse Square near South Street.

Spring is the biggest season. Bocce is then played at five different locations throughout the city. The season lasts for six weeks with an additional two weeks of playoff games. A donation is made to the winning teams’ non-profit of choice at the end of the season.

Dogfish Head Brewery is the official sponsor of MLB, and brewery owner, Sam Calagione truly embraces the bocce culture. At the brewery in Milton, Delaware, they have two regulation-sized outdoor bocce courts where the annual Dogfish Head Intergalactic Bocce Tournament is held each year and guests of the brewery are always welcome to play during non-tournament times.

Through the exclusive brewery sponsorship, players receive $4 Dogfish draught specials during games. DeLucas says, “For Dogfish Head as a company, bocce is important to corporate culture and Sam Calagione’s passion shows through the sponsorship of our bocce organization.”

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Roll Out the Barrel

Beer savvy Philadelphians are on the hunt for barrel-aged beers “We still love our IPAs, but a surprising number of local craft beer drinkers, who used our website in 2014, were looking for barrel-aged brews,” said Jared Littman, founder of Philly Tap Finder. Before heading out for a night on the town, many Philadelphians turn to Littman’s site to check out what’s on tap at area bars and restaurants. Looking at his top ten list of most searched for beer styles, Littman said 40% were barrel-aged. “We track 7000 beers on Philly Tap Finder. Only 500 or so are aged in wooden barrels, but that’s what 4 out of 10 people were looking for last year.” Littman concluded, “There’s no denying it. Even if you just looked at the top ten searches on Philly Tap Finder for individual breweries, 70% have advanced barrel-aging programs.”

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W

ooden barrels aren’t new to brewing. Before easy-to-clean stainless tanks and kegs were available, wood was the only option. The return to wooden barrels is an outgrowth of the craft beer movement. During the 1990s, a handful of cutting-edge American craft brewers – Weyerbacher, Firestone Walker and Allagash to name a few – began experimenting with wooden barrels, particularly those that once held bourbon. Why? The simple answer is flavor.

“A barrel is an ingredient just like malt and hops,” explained Allagash brewer, Jason Perkins. “I expect to get certain flavors into a beer, like vanilla and coconut, when we age it in barrels that once held bourbon.” Best known for Allagash White, their interpretation of a Belgian wheat beer spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel, Allagash began making Curieux over ten years ago.

It is made by aging Allagash Tripel in Jim Beam bourbon barrels for eight weeks. The aged beer is then blended with a portion of fresh Tripel, resulting in a very smooth beer with a hint of bourbon, and those vanilla and coconut flavors that Perkins was looking for.

“We don’t make a lot of barrel-aged beer compared to the volume of Allagash White we produce, but Curieux and Interlude [a wild, slightly sour beer aged in red wine barrels] define us as a brewery,” added Perkins.

Weyerbacher Brewing Company, located in nearby Easton, PA, is a local pioneer of barrel-aging, particularly in bourbon barrels.

They use this process to transform their already complex beers into barrel-aged versions of the originals, with even more nuance and flavor. Through this process, their Old Heathen Imperial Stout becomes a beer called Heresy; their Blithering Idiot Barley Wine becomes Insanity; Merry Monks, a Belgian Tripel, becomes Prophecy; and QUAD, another strong Belgian-style ale becomes Blasphemy.

These four styles are all very high-alcohol brews on their own, and the barrel-aging imparts even more oak and whiskey flavors.

Also well-known for their barrel-aged beer is Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, California. Their Proprietor’s Vintage Series, for example, is a line of carefully-crafted beers which clearly demonstrate the rewards of cellaring in barrels. Beers released in this series include Parabola, a Russian Imperial Stout, introduced in March 2014. It is one of their most aggressive and sought-after barrel-aged beers, featuring bourbon, tobacco and espresso aromas, as well as a hint of American oak. Another release in this series is §ucaba, a true English barleywine. It features boozy bourbon and American oak aromas combined with hints of dark chocolate, vanilla, toasted coconut and a touch of dark cherry. Keep an eye out for others in this innovative series, as more are likely to follow.

The Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, Maine also dedicates an entire series to barrel-aged beer. Their award-winning, limited-release bourbon barrel-aged ales are carefully cellar-aged in small batches. They put their traditional line of beers into these barrels for three to six months to allow them to absorb the bourbon flavor and alcohol content. Rotating beers in this series include XXXX IPA, Imperial Stout, Double Scottish, Smashed Pumpkin, Prelude and Barley Wine.

Philly Tap Finder has the numbers confirming the growing interest in barrel-aged beers, but Fred Chapman, Mid-Atlantic Sales Manager for Shipyard Brewing Co., tells a great story about his experience at the last Newtown Beer Festival that speaks volumes about the growing local enthusiasm for these beers.

“We are known for fruit beers,” said Chapman. “But we also make really fine barrel-aged beers. Craft beer lovers appreciate the extra time and artistry required to make something like Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin. And they know that there are only so many

spent bourbon barrels available in any given year, which limits how much beer any brewery can make.”

At most beer festivals, Newtown included, VIP ticket holders pay a bit more money so they have access to all the beers before those holding general admission tickets. Naturally, they head straight for the beers they suspect will run out first. “The VIP ticket holders at the Newtown Beer Fest were standing 50 deep to get a taste of Smashed Pumpkin.” Chapman continued, “We only produced 800,000 cases for the whole country and I wanted to make sure I had some to serve later in the day. I only served some of what I had on hand and told people to come back at 3 PM [during the general session] when it would be available again.”

Before 3 PM rolled around, Chapman spoke with festival attendees who were eager to talk about beer. From them, he learned that the people looking to sample barrel-aged beers are a diverse group.

Men, women, older and younger LADs, short for legal age drinkers, were intrigued by Smashed Pumpkin’s taste, balanced flavors and smoothness. They also know that the alcohol content in these beers is typically higher. Chapman explained, “Consumers who are putoff by bourbon because of its perceived harshness and others who said they really didn’t like beer, had developed a palate for barrel-aged beer. These consumers aren’t looking to pound hop bombs. They are intrigued by the smooth, balanced flavors of these sipping beers.”

Uniquely Barrel Aged

In their search to create unique, complex flavors, brewers now use scotch, wine, rum and even gin barrels. It takes time for the flavor to be transferred from the wood to the beer and there are only so many used barrels available at any one time, but the end product is something special.

To create Dogfish Head Burton Baton, two batches of beer are brewed: an English-style old ale and an imperial IPA. After fermenting the beers separately in stainless tanks, they’re transferred and blended together in a large oak tank. The beer then sits on the wood for about a month, creating an amazing blend of citrus notes from Northwestern hops, melded with woody, vanilla notes from the oak.

Allagash Bourbon Black adds new dimensions to the already tasty Allagash Black. Aging imparts increased smokiness and toffee notes as well as a warming glow.

Rodenbach Grand Cru is a blend of “young” beer (33%) and an older beer (67%) that has matured in oak vats. It is the high percentage of the older ripened-in-oak beer that gives it the complex and intense bouquet with a very long aftertaste like a Grand Cru wine. This is a complex beer with lots of wood and fruity esters, wine-like and with a balsamic vinegar aroma. The lactic sourness is almost candy like.

Firestone Walker DBA is a malty beer with a modest ABV made using Firestone Walker’s patented, “Firestone Union.” The unique process incorporates 60-gallon American oak barrels into the fermentation process that yields beers of extraordinary character and complexity. This system improves the fullness of the palate, balances hop character and lends a clean briskness to the finish.

Woodchuck Private Reserve Barrel Select Series combines the sweet and crisp taste of apple cider with the smoky and dry flavor of Kentucky Bourbon. www.origlio.com

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YOU KNOW? DID

Paul Smith’s College, a small school in upstate New York, is now offering a minor in “Craft Beer Studies and Operations” which focuses on the brewing process, complete with labs and lectures.

This spring, Oskar Blues is adding a new beer to their year-round lineup. Pinner Throwback IPA is dry-hopped with several varieties of hops and has a tangy mouth feel with tropical, stoned fruit aromas. Be on the lookout for this new brew, available in 12 oz. cans and on draught in March!

The Brewers Association now offers a free food and beer pairing course. The 60-page digital manual is free to download on CraftBeer.com Sierra Nevada recently debuted two, new, year-round beers: the intensely hoppy, Hop Hunter IPA that harnesses the complex flavors of just-picked hops through a new method of steam distilling wet hops before they even leave the fields, and the bright and zesty Nooner Pilsner, the brewery’s take on a classic German pilsner.

An Irish-style red ale brewed seasonally in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. British pale and crystal malts combine with Centennial and East Kent Golding hops to create a nicely balanced session beer with a delightful hop finish.

BREWED & PACKED BY SLY FOX BREWING COMPANY, INC. 331 CIRCLE OF PROGRESS DRIVE, POTTSTOWN, PA 19464

• WWW.SLYFOXBEER.COM •

IN THE

NEW NEWS

Delta is just one of the many airlines that has taken craft beer to new heights! They recently added seven craft beers to their inflight menu, including brews from Lagunitas and Stone Brewing Co.! And, they are offering East Coast passengers, on select flights, some beers free of charge!

Both Stone Brewing Co. and Green Flash are opening new breweries on the East Coast in 2016.

According to Google, in 2014 Pennsylvania topped the charts for most beer related searches.

When broken down by city, Pittsburgh snagged the #1 spot with Philadelphia at #3.

For the first time ever, Americans drink more craft beer than Budweiser, according to Beer Marketer’s Insights.

Heavy Seas introduces their brand-new Desert Island Series! Each beer in this draught-only series is hand crafted by a different member of the Heavy Seas brewing team, and reflects that brewer’s unique approach to beer and taste.

Only 100 barrels of each beer will be released.

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Dan Lan Hamm of Spirit Forward and 1 Tippling Place created festive, signature drinks for Origlio’s 12 Beer Cocktails of Christmas video series.

The beers of Cape May Brewing Co. made their debut in December!

Now Philadelphians can enjoy a taste of the Jersey Shore closer to home.

Origlio Beverage’s own Bill Castelberg accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from Chickie’s & Pete’s and Isaac Newton’s.

People had lots of fun with the Mike’s Hard Lemonade Twelfie, taking selfies around the office with the Twelf. facebook.com/origliobeverage

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