HOLIDAY FLICKS
draught lines holiday 2016
BOB BARRAR OF 2SP BREWING CO.
INSPIRE BREWERS
draught lines holiday 2016 ON THE COVER: Bob Barrar of 2SP Brewing Co.
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contents 10 BRUNCH BACON, BISCUITS, BURGERS...AND BEER BY LEW BRYSON 12 DECK THE WALLS WITH BEER 16 BOB BARRAR OF 2SP BREWING CO. GETS DRAUGHTED 20 HOLIDAY FLICKS INSPIRE BREWERS BY DANYA HENNINGER
Editor in Chief Maryanne Origlio
Contributing Writer Jessica Lawrence
Art Director/Photographer Loren Leggerie
Guest Writer Danya Henninger
Senior Editor Maureen McCoy
Contributing Writer Liz Starry
Art Director/Photographer Michael Kuchar
Guest Writer Lew Bryson
A Few Words From The Editors...
Mark Your Calendars
Dear Beer Aficionados,
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f the sudden drop in temperature hasn’t sent a shiver up your spine, maybe this will.
Winter Beer Fest | Philadelphia, PA November 26, 2016 – 23rd Street Armory
The holidays will be here before you know it. Even if you’re not the person responsible for getting a festive dinner for 20 on the table, you are going to have to do your part in some fashion. At a minimum, you’ll have to buy gifts. No one is immune.
Valley Forge Beer & Cider Festival | Oaks, PA December 3, 2016 – Greater Philadelphia Expo Center 9th Annual Winter Beer Festival | Philadelphia, PA December 26, 2016 – World Cafe Live Big Philly Beerfest | Philadelphia, PA January 13 & 14, 2017 – Pennsylvania Convention Center
For more information about these events, and others visit our website: www.origlio.com
Inevitably, you’ll have a certain someone on your gift list who has everything: Every gadget. Every video game. Every tie. Everything. Don’t fret. If you’re someone is a beer lover, you’re in luck. Here’s the good thing about finding a gift for craft beer enthusiasts. They generally love to experiment. There’s always something new to try. And until those first few sips are taken, you don’t know if it’s going to become a new obsession. Don’t have a lot of time? Having a brain freeze? No worries. Here are a few of our favorites. And they’ll never be the wrong size or color.
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Beers that burst with holiday spirit Great Lakes Christmas Ale, Samuel Smith’s Winter Warmer, Sly Fox Christmas Ale, Sam Adams White Christmas and Evil Genius Santa I Know Him! Special beers that someone is not likely to buy for themselves The Lost Abbey Gift of the Magi, Rodenbach Grand Cru, Weyerbacher QUAD and anything from the Sly Fox Big Bottle Series Beers that embrace the season Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin, Spring House The Martians Kidnapped Santa Egg Nog Stout and Scaldis Noel from Belgium’s Brasserie Dubuisson So we made your list, but if you want to check it twice, this DL holiday edition will give you plenty more ideas. And you might not have to set foot in a mall.
Cheers,
is a publication of Origlio Beverage. All rights reserved.
The Draught Lines Editorial Staff 3000 Meeting House Road, Philadelphia, PA 19154
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AVE EVIEWS
Roy Choi’s Beer Onion Soup LA-based culinary icon Roy Choi, who strives to combine flavors in ways no one ever thought of, partnered with Blue Moon Brewing Co. to create some simple, yet unique culinary masterpieces. The celebrity chef ’s Beer Onion Soup is comfort food at its absolute finest.
Ingredients
3 lb. onions, thinly sliced
1½ gal. beef stock
1 lb. green onions, sliced
1 splash heavy cream
5 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh parsley, chopped
4 Tbsp. ginger, minced
Fresh cilantro, chopped
8 Tbsp. butter
Bread, toasted
8 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. Blue Moon Belgian White Belgian-Style Wheat Ale
Preparation
Heat the onions, green onions, garlic and ginger in butter and oil over medium heat, stirring a lot until totally brown and jammy. Season with salt and pepper. Add beer and deglaze. Add stock and cook for a long time until delicious. Add a splash of cream and the chopped herbs, throw a bunch of old toasted bread in there with a splash of beer on top, and devour.
See all of Roy Choi’s Blue Moon recipes at BlueMoonBrewingCompany.com
BEER REDISCOVERED Allagash White
Fergus (Fergie) Carey
B
Owner of Fergie’s Pub, Philadelphia, PA
rewed with a generous portion of wheat and spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel, Allagash White, Allagash Brewing Co.’s interpretation of a Belgian wheat beer, is fruity, refreshing and slightly cloudy. The Maine-brewed beer is a favorite of Fergus Carey, owner of Fergie’s Pub in Center City, Philadelphia. “It is definitely a great all-around beer,” says Carey. “It’s perfect any time of year. It’s just delightfully refreshing.” Carey, known to his friends and customers as Fergie, has owned and operated Fergie’s Pub for 22 years. Prior to that, he tended bar at McGlinchy’s Pub for five years. “It’s all very strange,” he says, “because I am only just 29 years old.” Carey says that Allagash White may get overlooked because, “It’s hidden in plain sight. It’s right there in front of you, but you miss it. And then when you do have it, you’re like, ‘this is f***ing great!’” When asked why he thinks this beer should be rediscovered, Carey says, “Because it is just a great beer. I am, in fact, rediscovering it at this very point in time!” It was easy for Carey to choose Allagash White as the beer people should rediscover. He goes on to say, “I don’t know about flavor profile… I just like it. Isn’t that good enough?”
Dedicated to giving back to the community, Allagash created a tribute series as a part of their “Give Where You Live” initiative. The latest release in the series is Hibernal Fluxus. Proceeds from the sale of this roasty and sweet Belgian-style stout will ensure that families in Maine have enough heat throughout the winter.
#NoFilter
The forecast for the next beer craze is hazy. Pint glasses on bar tops across America are becoming increasingly cloudy. But don’t worry; these clouds won’t rain on your parade. While hazy beers are growing in popularity, they are certainly not new. Interpretations of traditionally cloudy styles like Belgian witbiers and German hefeweizens have skyrocketed in popularity since 1995, when Blue Moon Belgian White and Allagash White, both Belgian-style wheat ales, arrived on the scene. Since then, Sierra Nevada, Harpoon and Sly Fox are just a few of the breweries that have made creamy, cloudy, unfiltered wheat beers part of their year-round lineup.
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In recent years, more breweries have been foregoing the filter during the brewing process, not just in hefes and wits, but in styles that are typically crystal clear. But why? Jeff Alworth, author of The Beer Bible, thinks this was a two phase transition. “I'd actually say that one of the key features of American beer is a propensity for being unfiltered – something going back to the dawn of craft brewing. The reason has to do as much with the early brewers' desire to distinguish themselves from the super-slick industrial breweries of the day. A touch of haze suggested an artisanal, full-flavored approach. You could see the homeyness. And part of that was functional; early little breweries didn't have the money to spend on sophisticated filters or centrifuges,” Alworth explains. When the hop revolution hit, the clouds spread. Alworth says, “Breweries now use so many hops at so many points throughout the brewing process that it's very common for hops to leave behind tiny particles – a shimmer you can see in the beer. The New England IPA phenomenon is a sort of final stage of that development, so now many drinkers feel like the visual appearance of cloudiness in an IPA is necessary to give it those intense flavors and aromas people love.” These cloudy, hoppy beers, dubbed New England IPAs, have a smooth, creamy mouth feel and finish with hops that impart a tropical, juicy sweetness. This style was embraced by breweries on the northeast coast, hence the name, and are miles away from the bitter, dank characteristics of the West Coast IPA. Earlier this year, Brooklyn-based brewery Sixpoint added Puff, an unfiltered adaptation of Resin, to their
seasonal lineup. Shane Welch, founder of Sixpoint, notes that it’s not as simple as taking out the filtering process. “You have to get scientific about the level of haze in the beer. The problem with beers like this is they can be wildly inconsistent,” Welch says. The brewers used a spectrometer to scientifically determine the turbidity (cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are invisible to the naked eye) and only released the beer once the level was right. And don’t be fooled by the name, the style isn’t restricted to the East Coast. Stone Brewing, out of Escondido, CA, released two beers from their Enjoy By series sans filter this year. By leaving the beer unfiltered, the tropical hop flavors intensified, the mouth feel became a little heartier and the appearance clouded over, proving that skipping a step isn’t always a bad thing. The outlook for this hazy, unfiltered style seems clear. Don Russell, a.k.a. Joe Sixpack encourages people reading his blog to, “Dive into the fog, fellow beer drinkers. Haze is the next phase.”
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BRUNCH A
lmost nothing says lazy, indulgent, American-style living more than brunch. Rise late, throw on some clothes and get to a place where you can have a big breakfast, a big lunch or some of both, with drinks. And coffee, the way Chris Wilson makes it. “We transfer the beer out of the tank into the barrel and put coarsegrind coffee right in the barrel. We’ll do three to four weeks in the barrel, let it sit in a tank over the weekend to let the grounds settle, and then centrifuge it,” he said, and grinned. “Sunday Morning Stout,” confirmed Wilson, the head brewer at Weyerbacher in Easton. “And brunch is the way to go. That’s where the name comes from. It’s either the last beer you have at night, or the first one in the morning. It’s perfect for brunch.” Coffee beers have been around for a while, but as Wilson relates, they’ve evolved through a lot of experimentation. For example, these days, most of them do cold brew, steeping the coffee for a day or two in cool water, not boiling it. Vince DesRosiers, head brewer at Dock Street was excited about that. “I just started drinking cold brew coffee!” he shouted over the phone. “Oh my God, I had to put it in the beer! It’s smooth – it just doesn’t have that bite.” Dock Street’s Bean2Bean is a collaboration with the local coffee roaster by that name. If you want something a bit more exotic, try Samuel Adams Nitro Coffee Stout. Brewer Jennifer Glanville describes the thought that went into it. “We found that you can’t just take any beer and nitrogenate it,” she said. “You need to amp up the ingredients in the beer so that you can really experience the flavors through the nitrogen. We found that the Sumatra Mandheling and Monsoon Malabar coffee beans worked really well with the stout style. The dark, roasted malts create bittersweet chocolate notes with hints of dark fruit and the Sumatran Mandheling and Indian Monsoon Malabar coffee add a deep roasted dimension to the brew.” Better get the thick-cut bacon for this one.
Bacon, Biscuits, Burgers... and Beer By Lew Bryson
the slightly funky beers are great pairings. Sometimes ciders too.” Keep an open mind, because brunch is a great time to relax and try something a little different. Adam Garbinski, who runs the beer program at South Philly Tap Room, agreed on the variety idea for brunch beers. “I think people are looking for a certain type of zippy lightness, a bracing, refreshing, wide-awake sort of beer,” he said. “American gose, traditional berliner weiss, beers like this give you quick cava-esque bubbles with a dry lactic tartness that can sort of get a spark going in the morning. Beers are so diverse that you really have the juice to pair well with all sorts of flavors. Gentle dry-hopped saisons, smooth malt-forward ales, there are so many peaceful morning options before you say screw it and go for the double IPA. Not that I’m opposed to that in any way whatsoever.” Feeling like taking a stroll to a BYO kind of brunch? Be ready for any menu: get some all-rounders to take along. Brendan Hartranft has some suggestions from Local 44’s tip-top bottle shop. “Brunch is about front loading your day with decadence to let yourself off the hook for one more day of forced relaxation,” he said, laying down some philosophy. He called out Rodenbach Grand Cru (“The perfect companion for brunch”); Dogfish Head Namaste (“Fresh cut lemongrass gives everyone something to pause and appreciate”); Allagash Black (“A deftly made offering”); Green Flash Tangerine Soul Style (“Not quite a beermosa, but close enough”); and 2SP Delco Lager (“A lager of uncompromising quality and approachability”). One of them should work, but why take chances? Mix up a six, and add a can of the new Saranac Cold Brew Coffee Lager, just for fun. We’ll see you over Eggs Benedict next Sunday morning... but not too early.
If you’re more the big-cuppa-Wawa type, you’ll want to jump on the Narragansett Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout in the 16 ounce can. You may not know Rhode Island’s state drink – coffee milk, made with Autocraft Coffee Milk syrup – but once you pop the top on one of these black, bittersweet pounders, you’ll get the picture, and your Belgian waffles will thank you. Does it have to be coffee beer at brunch? Well, as Standard Tap co-founder and local beer savant William Reed said, “If you’re going to drink one, that’s the time to drink ‘em. But it’s not really my thing. My inclination is to go for an O’Reilly’s Stout. A little lower alcohol, and it’s a transition off coffee, but it’s not a coffee beer. “Sours are a huge hit,” he continued. “I don’t know why we don’t do more sour brunches, people just pile in. The farmhouse kind of stuff goes well. Hoppy beers are the last thing I reach for, but www.origlio.com
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Deck The Halls With Beer The holidays can be a very indulgent time. Our stomachs and our wallets feel it. For cheerful décor that won’t dig into your beer budget, we’ve gathered some easy DIY decorations that you can make using empty bottles and cans. Easy-to-follow directions available at origlio.com/draughtlines.
Ornaments Mistletoe is so Charles Dickens. This hop ornament will give your holiday tree a grownup, beer vibe, while the clear globe shouts, “I love craft beer in a can!”
Menorah Think how much fun you’ll have deciding which nine beers to drink before making this festive menorah.
Wreath
Reinbeer
The beer can wreath is a jolly way to let carolers know you’re pretty crafty and drink a lot of beer.
Super easy to create, reinbeer make great decorations and will add whimsy when gifting beer.
Candle What beer lover wouldn’t want a candle made from a recycled beer bottle – especially if the scent is a spicy, winter warmer.
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DRINKTHESE
NOW Spiced Just Right
Samuel Adams Winter Lager Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale Sly Fox Christmas Ale Great Lakes Christmas Ale
Magnificently Malty
Shiner Holiday Cheer Spring House Kerplunk! Imperial Chocolate Stout Saranac Caramel Porter Shipyard Chocolate Milk Stout
Belgian-style Beauties
Allagash Hibernal Fluxus Evil Genius Santa!! I Know Him! Green Flash Baroque Belgique Dock Street Bubbly Wit
Winter Wonders
Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale Harpoon Winter Warmer Straub Groundhog Altbier Sixpoint Global Warmer Heavy Seas Winter Storm 21st Amendment Lower De Boom Peak Organic Winter Session Ale Abita Christmas Ale Coronado Snowy Plover
Oh My Oatmeal!
Blue Moon Cappuccino Oatmeal Stout Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin Great Lakes Ohio City Oatmeal Stout
Holly Jolly Java-infused
Narragansett Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout Dogfish Head Beer for Breakfast Oskar Blues Hotbox Coffee Porter Lagunitas High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout Stone Coffee Milk Stout Cape May Avalon Coffee Stout
Barrel-Aged Beasts
Oskar Blues Barrel-Aged Ten Fidy Sly Fox Barrel-Aged Nihilist Weyerbacher Heresy
From Belgium With Love Avec les Bons Voeux Scaldis Noël
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HOP ART
D
ogfish Head 60 Minute IPA is a great beer with a great story. Made with a slew of Northwest hops, 60 Minute IPA is the beer Dogfish Head Founder Sam Calagione made by “MacGyvering” an old, vibrating football game so the hops slid into his brew kettle for 60 straight minutes. (Yes, that is why it is called 60 Minute IPA.) The beer is a liquid work of art. But Sam and company wondered if 60 Minute’s 13-year-old label still invited beer drinkers to discover the stories behind DFH’s “Off-Centered Ales”. DFH teamed up with Boulder, Colorado design firm Interact for the redesign. Fred Hart, creative director for Interact, explains how the new label communicates Dogfish Head’s organic, DIY approach to brewing and constant pursuit of the world’s best (sometimes unusual, even ancient) ingredients: “Sam’s beers are born out of a gritty kind of artistry and curiosity about what can be created when great ingredients are coaxed to give up their flavors to a brew. We want beer drinkers to get that vibe. So we shifted the shark & shield to be off-centered, inviting people to turn the bottle in their hand and discover the ingredients. The hops are the star of 60 Minute, but the hops on the label couldn’t look generic or have a glossy kind of perfection. Artist John Vogl’s hop illustration is artistic, but raw with flat colors that add dimension and depth. The label as a whole works as an invitation to beer drinkers looking for craftsmanship and authenticity to discover this great American IPA – either for the first time, or for a returning consumer, with a refreshed perspective.”
TB
the bookshelf
THE HOLIDAYS ARE A TIME OF GIVING, AND WHAT BETTER GIFT TO GIVE THE BEER-LOVER IN YOUR LIFE THAN GREAT LITERATURE. Stuff a stocking or two with one or all of these beer-inspired books.
Oh Beautiful Beer The Evolution of Craft Beer and Design Oh Beautiful Beer celebrates graphic design as it relates to our favorite fermented beverage. Breweries all over the world are tasked with creating beer labels and logos that speak to the liquid inside the can or bottle, while simultaneously attracting the attention of the consumer. It’s no easy feat, but many have done it. In his homage to the art of beer, author and graphic designer Harvey Shepard offers readers a “visual history of craft beer”, showcasing some of the most unique and innovative labels and logos from breweries across the globe. Based on the popular blog, Oh Beautiful Beer, Shepard’s book illustrates the best of beer design, while offering historical tidbits and interesting narratives about our favorite breweries.
The Opposite of Woe My Life in Beer and Politics Since it’s an election year, it seems appropriate to include a book about a politician, who also happens to be a successful brewpub owner. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, who has been called a maverick, a remarkable businessman and a political success, can now add author to his resume. In his memoir, co-written with journalist and former speech writer Maxamillian Potter, The Opposite of Woe: My Life in Beer and Politics, Hickenlooper narrates his journey from a somewhat troubled childhood to a successful pub owner and politician.
After being laid off from his first job as a geologist in the oil industry, Hickenlooper changed career paths. In 1988, he co-founded the first ever craft brewery in Denver, Colorado. The Featuring Over 325 Recipes for Your Wynkoop Brewery was a huge success, and today is one of the largest microbreweries in Favorite Bar Snacks and Beer Cocktails America. A huge influence in the community, Hickenlooper was encouraged to run for may- A member of one the oldest and most historic or in 2003. He did, and won. brewing families in the U.S., award-winning author John Schlimm sits on the Board of DirecSo began his enormously successful political tors of the Straub Brewery in St. Mary’s, Penncareer as one of the most down-to-earth and sylvania, which was founded in the 1870s by likeable mayors (serving two terms until 2011) his Great-Great-Grandfather Peter Straub. in the country. In The Opposite of Woe, Hickenlooper shares his unlikely story of success in a Schlimm has written 17 books on topics rangsmart, funny and often candid voice, revealing ing from inspiration to entertaining. The Ula string of personal stories throughout. timate Beer Lover’s Cookbook: More Than 400 Recipes That All Use Beer, released in 2008, was Some may question the correlation between named “Best Beer Book in the U.S.” and “Best politics and brewing, but Hickenlooper sees the Beer Book in the World” by the International connection clearly. He says, “Brewing begins Gourmand Awards. with natural ingredients: barley, malt, good clean water… so does politics: ideas, people, No stranger to food and beer, Schlimm’s most passion, and in most cases, just a cause. The recent brew-inspired recipe collection, The Ultireal brewing action, the fermentation, starts mate Beer Lover’s Happy Hour: Over 325 Recipes when you add the yeast. In politics, that’s the for Your Favorite Bar Snacks and Beer Cocktails activist, the engaged civic leader, coupled with demonstrates how “pairing and cooking with the people’s voice, which drives the democrat- beer have become versatile and buzz-worthy ic process and often does so much to catalyze art forms that anyone can master.” With recichange…” pes for brilliant bar bites made with, or made to pair with, beer like Bruschetta Brewski and Hoppy Humus to party drinks including beer cocktails, foodies, beer lovers and bartenders alike would agree that this comprehensive “party guide” will take holiday (or anytime) entertaining to a whole new level.
The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Happy Hour
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gets draughted
From Iron Hill to Delco with Love . . .
2SP Brewing is only one-year-old, but Head Brewer Bob Barrar and company have already brought gold (and bronze) back to Delaware County’s only production brewery.
Lots of beer folk know Bob Barrar makes great beer. His nickname after all is medal man because of all the awards his Russian Imperial Stout earned during his tenure at Iron Hill in Media. But did you know that his favorite Eagle is running back Wilbert Montgomery? Montgomery, the Eagles’ all-time leading rusher, is described as blunt with a work ethic that Philadelphia sports fans demand of their heroes.
Turns out, Barrar’s choice of childhood hero speaks volumes about his dedication to community and the art of brewing.
BOB BARRAR 2SP 16
Brewing Company
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D.L. Isn’t Wilbert Montgomery the guy who rushed for 194 yards in the 1984 NFC Championship game against the Dallas Cowboys? B.B. Yeah. He’s my favorite because he understands that to play in the big leagues, it’s all about hard work and attention to detail. And one day, I saw him quoted in a newspaper when he was the running back coach for Cleveland and it blew me away. D.L. Why? What did he say? B.B. It went something like this… Each day you’ve got to be ready to go. You have to play sore and banged up. And if you don’t, you really can’t play. D.L. So Montgomery didn’t romanticize what’s it’s like to play in the NFL? B.B. Nope, but that doesn’t mean it’s not cool or worthwhile. It’s like being a brewer. Every step in the process is critical. There are no shortcuts. You don’t stop and eat lunch when it’s time to check the wort. D.L. Since you grew up in Glenolden, have you reconnected with old friends? What do they think about your awards? B.B. Once in a while, a guy that I haven’t seen in 15 years will walk through the door and order a Delco Lager. So the answer is yes. Our taproom is like a neighborhood bar, a place where locals can hang. They can even bring their own food – as long as they are willing to share. Hopefully, they’ll come back because they like the beer, not because of the medals. D.L. So what was it like to win your 31st medal – a gold for your Russian Imperial Stout, at the Great American Beer Festival this past October? B.B. Oh, it was nice. I’d like to keep it with the other 30 medals, but I don’t remember where I put them. D.L. You don’t know where your medals are? B.B. They’re somewhere in my basement. That much I know. For me, hearing somebody say ‘Mmmm’ after taking a swig of a beer I made with my own hands is the best award going. D.L. The GABF judges said ‘The Russian’ is a text book example of what an Imperial stout should be. Does that mean you have the best recipe? B.B. That’s part of it. Brewers are like a bunch of competitive siblings trying to make their Nana’s meatballs. Each one swears they are following her recipe, but the meatballs all taste different. D.L. You beat out 90 other Imperial stouts. Why do you think The Russian won gold? B.B. The challenge and the fun of brewing beer, at least for me, is the attention to detail it requires every day, every step of the way. When you pay attention to all those details, they add up to a fully developed and articulated beer – one that has the right flavor, body and balance. Hopefully, the judges found those things in my beer. D.L. So what does it taste like? And what is the difference between The Russian & its little brother, Baby Bob Stout? B.B. I’ll answer that in a second, but don’t you want to ask me about Antonym? D.L. Of course… Andrew “Ruby” Rubenstein, your co-worker at 2SP and Iron Hill, won a bronze at the GABF for Antonym. What kind of beer is it? B.B. It’s a Grisette [a light, refreshing beer like a Belgian farmhouse ale]
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made with some Nelson rye for a touch of spice. Antonym reminds some people of a Sauvignon Blanc wine, but I like to describe it as a dry-ish ale with a touch of sweetness in the finish. Amazing. I’m so glad he got recognized for it. D.L. Ruby’s title is Head Cellarman. Is that different than being a brewer? B.B. It’s just a different approach to brewing. Ruby is the driving force behind our more experimental beers and barrel-aging program. He brews stuff that he envisions in his head and I’m more by-the-book so in that regard we are total opposites. Then he’s from Pittsburgh, so there’s that whole Steelers vs. Eagles thing. But neither of us likes to talk much, so we work well together. D.L. Getting back to the other question, The Russian vs. Baby Bob Stout? B.B. The Russian is big [ABV 9.5%], roasty and chocolatey and has a hoppy backbone. It’s smooth and balanced so you want to down a few of them… Baby Bob is actually an American stout although we think of it as The Russian’s little brother. It’s got caramel and chocolate flavors with a nice dryness in the back from American hops. It’s not a malty stout like Guinness. D.L. 2SP is famous for a Russian Imperial stout, an American-style stout and a Grisette ale. Yet the first beer you made is Delco Lager? B.B. Yeah, my partners had the same reaction. There’s no place to hide any mistakes and I wanted to make Delco Lager to challenge myself. Besides, my buddies and I grew up drinking lagers and I wanted to make a beer that my neighbors could relate to. I wanted to make a tasty party beer. It’s only got 4% alcohol. D.L. Delco Lager has a lot of flavor despite its low alcohol. How do you do that? B.B. I use European malts for their raisin-y, roasty flavors, which I love. To me, it makes beer comfort food in a glass. D.L. You’ve made 40 different beers this year. What’s left on your brewing bucket list? B.B. I’ve worked with Philly’s Green Street Coffee Roasters before so I’d like to make a coffee Russian Imperial stout using their beans. And I want to do more collaborations, Coppertail and Hardywood would be fun, and sours are on the list too. D.L. What’s the best thing about having your own brewery? B.B. For me, it’s getting our ASAP IPA out the door so locals get to experience its Citra and Centennial hops at their peak of freshness. It’s only got 4.2% alcohol so it’s completely crushable. D.L. What’s a big misconception about having your own brewery? B.B. My friends think I drink for the fun of it all day. I really just taste all day because my mouth is the quality control lab. We can’t afford fancy equipment. And nothing here is automated, so all the ingredients get dumped into the vat by hand. D.L. Do you have any holiday traditions you’d like to share? B.B. I love watching Home Alone with my kids. Macaulay Culkin cracks me up and it’s a good excuse to open a Sierra Nevada Celebration. I look forward to that beer all year long. D.L. Anything else you would like to share? B.B. Not right now. Go ask Ruby…
2SP Taproom
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Holiday Flicks Inspire
Brewers By Danya Henninger
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When holiday time comes around, Trevor Hayward always feels a twinge of envy. Along with Luke Bowen, his partner in Evil Genius Brewing Co., he revels in coming up with cool, pop culture names for his beers. But he admits there’s one reference they missed. Heavy Seas answers the call with a seasonal dubbed Yule Tide, a weizenbock aged in rum barrels. Says Brewmaster Chris Leonard of his gingerbread-infused doppelbock: “It goes well with just about anything holiday related.”
“Manayunk Brewing has a winter beer called Festivus, which is from ‘Seinfeld,’” he says, referring to the amusing-but-spurious December celebration popularized by the hit ‘90s TV show. “I’m actually a little jealous we didn’t think of it first.” Hayward doesn’t let friendly rivalry keep him down for long, though, because he knows he and Bowen did land a good one. Each winter, their Philly-based brewery releases a dry, Belgian-style saison made with rose hips and chamomile. Its name? Santa!! I Know Him!, a not-so-subtle hat tip to Will Ferrell’s famous line in one of their favorite comedic blockbusters, Elf. Though it just debuted last year, A Very Murray Christmas is another of Hayward’s faves – and indicative of a trend. Once upon a time, winter holiday releases were mostly sentimental dramas (think It’s a Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street). Nowadays, comedies are just as popular, and the laughs spread to all faiths, from Seinfeld’s Festivus to Adam Sandler’s 8 Crazy Nights. Which makes sense, Hayward notes, because no matter what your religion, the season is all about feeling good – and humor helps.
Leonard fondly remembers a holiday ale he used to make, which he’s planning to replicate next year as part of a collaboration with Union Craft Brewing. Called Olde Curmudgeon, it was inspired by Ebenezer Scrooge from George C. Scott’s A Christmas Carol – a tale he credits with kick-starting his career. “The notion of London at Christmastime with a warm, dark, comforting beer was actually one of the romantic notions that got me into craft brewing,” Leonard says. He sometimes sips those beers during the annual tradition of watching A Charlie Brown Christmas and The Polar Express with his young son. But his favorite holiday flick is another funny one: A Christmas Story. He especially enjoys the line, “We plunged into the cornucopia quivering with desire and the ecstasy of unbridled avarice,” which he calls “one of the best ways to describe childhood Christmas morning excitement.”
Laughs are also the reason for the season (when it comes to movies) for Cape May Brewing’s Ryan Krill. His go-to is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. The Chevy Chase classic was the inspiration for Mop Man’s Mop Water, a rich, amber ale brewed with festive spices.
So does beer. Especially rich, full, dark brews that warm your insides and make your fingers tingle. To that end, Baltimore’s
“I can just imagine drinking it while sitting there at the table with Aunt Bethany saying grace,” he says, recalling the scene where the character recounts the Pledge of Allegiance instead of a prayer to kick off Christmas dinner. “That cracks me up every time.” www.origlio.com
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Sugar, Spice Everything Nice Spread some holiday cheer with these cookie and beer pairings that even jolly old Saint Nick would approve of. 22
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Gingersnap Cookies The brown sugar and nutmeg of Chimay Première gives the ginger an extra kick. For a more balanced pairing, try Lost Abbey Lost & Found Ale. The depth and complexity of this malty beer provides a contrast between the sweet and spicy notes in the cookies.
Biscotti & Pirouettes A simple Irish dry stout like Guinness creates a delicious, roasty-bitter contrast with the chocolate, while Young’s Double Chocolate Stout complements these cookies with its silky chocolate-coffee notes.
Mexican Wedding Cookies Samuel Smith’s Organic Chocolate Stout’s full, roasty flavor nicely contrasts with the light, nutty quality of the cookie. The caramel and brown sugar notes of Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale are very refreshing between powdered sugary bites.
Macarons This sweet, simple cookie is a subtle pairing for the hearty, wine-like flavors of Rodenbach Grand Cru and the rich complexity of Weyerbacher Merry Monks.
Linzer Cookies
Sugar Cookies
The light effervescence and berry notes in Sea Dog Raspberry Wheat Ale emphasize the raspberry fruit filling of the cookie. The sweetness of the Linzer cookie is perfectly matched by the easy-drinking Shiner Bock.
The citrus flavors of Coronado Orange Avenue Wit play wonderfully with the icing on the sugar cookies, creating an orange creamsicle-like pairing. The refreshing notes of spicy clove and banana bread in Sierra Nevada Kellerweis make for a melt-in-your-mouth pairing.
www.origlio.com
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Breweries
Give Back for the
Holidays By Danya Henninger
It’s better to give than to receive. Sure, most people recognize truth in this fabled aphorism, but brewers often feel it on an especially personal scale. Watching a beer lover smile with satisfaction after tasting a brew you’ve poured your heart into, well, that easily rivals drinking one yourself. Charitable camaraderie of this kind, where hard work pays off because it helps others feel good, pervades the industry on a broader scale, too. Put simply, breweries love to give back. Whether one of the nation’s top independent producers or the smallest neighborhood brewpub, just about every brewery runs some kind of philanthropic program that benefits their community 24
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– and often more than one. A lot of these efforts run throughout the year, but many companies step up their game during the holidays, when cold weather hits hard and the overall jovial vibe sets off need in even starker contrast. “We have no fewer than 45 sponsored events reaching nearly 25,000 individuals over the (holiday) months,” says Sierra Nevada
spokesperson Scott Kolbe, who admits it’s not easy to keep track of all the beer donated this time of year. For 13 years, New England’s Harpoon Brewery has given back to communities along the East Coast with its annual Harpoon Helps Spread Holiday Cheer event. Approximately 600 volunteers (a.k.a. “Harpoon Helpers”) will adorn 42 different spaces in shelters, soup kitchens and play spaces, in several cities, with holiday decorations including Christmas trees, lights, strands of garland and wreaths. This year, Harpoon Helps volunteers will decorate a safe haven residence in Philadelphia called Women of Change. This facility provides shelter, while teaching life skills to individuals who have been chronically homeless due to mental illness. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, home to Weyerbacher Brewing, Safe Harbor is one of the organizations that gathers supplies for people in need. Each fall, Weyerbacher’s Easton, PA taproom hosts a food drive to help support the program. Throughout the month of November, all patrons who bring in three items on the nonprofit’s “wish list” get a pint of beer for free. Seven beers will be offered: Last Chance IPA, Line Street Pils, Tarte Nouveau, AutumnFest, Easton Brown & Down, IPA #2 and Mellow Monks. For brewhounds, there’s even more incentive to give. For each barrel the donations fill, Brewmasters promise to release a special rare beer from the on-site “vault.” This year’s selection will be 18, Weyerbacher’s anniversary beer brewed to commemorate the brewery’s 18th birthday. That was almost three years ago. BTW: The Weyerbacher “wish list” for Safe Harbor isn’t limited to food; it also includes things like disposable plates, utensils, coffee and creamer. One of Sam Adams’ holiday endeavors helps provide warm clothes. In years past, the brewery sponsored a series of “Ugly Sweater Runs” in cities throughout the U.S. The events were mostly for fun – if you consider jogging a 5k in your least fashionable knits “fun,” that is – but also raised money for nonprofit One Warm Coat. Although Sam Adams’ isn’t coordinating with the multi-city runs this year, it’s still hosting the annual Ugly Sweater Party at its Boston brewhouse, and guests attending the festivities are asked to bring a coat to donate to those in need. Anyone who’s visited the Sam Adams brewhouse already knows philanthropy is an integral part of the organization. Everyone who takes a free tour is asked if they want to donate a small sum to charity. Put together, the funds allow Sam Adams to support dozens of different causes. This happens all year round – but is especially helpful during the holidays.
Harpoon Helps
At Philadelphia’s Dock Street Brewing, year-round programs also ramp up for the season of giving. “Our monthly Rare Beer for School Supplies drive has been in a small hibernation so that we could bring it back with a bang for the holidays,” says Dock Street’s Marilyn Candeloro, who describes the program as easy. “It’s simple, bring a book and get a sample of rare beer in exchange.” The books are then donated to education nonprofits like Mighty Writers. Events like these are part of Dock Street’s craft brewing culture. “Whether it’s through free concerts, coat drives, book drives or product donations,” Candeloro says. “We are committed to giving back.”
Dock Street School Supplies
Sam Adams Ugly Sweater & Donation Keg
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Forget the Fruitcake… Beeramisu needs a place at your holiday table
Every one of your guests will make room for dessert when presented with this taste-bud-tempting tiramisu made using your favorite chocolate stout.
Ingredients • 4 shots espresso
• 1 cup sugar
• 12 oz. chocolate stout
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 splash each triple sec, coffee liqueur and creme de cacao
• 20 lady fingers
• 8 oz. mascarpone cheese 26
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• Powdered cocoa to top
Directions
In a small saucepan, reduce espresso and chocolate stout by half. Remove from heat and add liqueurs. In a bowl, beat together sugar and mascarpone; then add cream and whip until fluffy. Dip ladyfingers in beer/coffee/liqueur mixture. Layer them in the bottom of a glass pan. Cover with a layer of the cream mixture, then add another layer of ladyfingers, another layer of cream, and so on until all lady fingers and mascarpone mixture are used. Top with a dusting of powdered cocoa and refrigerate overnight. -Recipe courtesy of Forkable.net
Weird Wacky and
Hangover Around cures
We’ve all had them: nights where one beer turns into one too many… well, here are some hangover cures from folks around the globe. They may not be based in scientific fact, but they are the weird and wacky ways the world deals with the morning after. Mexican Fuzzy Navels
In some parts of Mexico, hungover revelers lie down and pour a shot of tequila into their belly button. They say the alcohol seeps into the skin and into the bloodstream, hair of the dog style.
Puerto Rican Pit-y Party
It is widely reported (but definitely not scientifically proven) that in Puerto Rico, folks have figured out how to prevent a hangover. Before a night of crazy drinking, they rub a slice of lemon (or lime) into the armpit of their drinking arm. Supposedly, it prevents dehydration, although we’re pretty sure this is not at all true.
from
the World
Vietnamese Alka-Seltzer
Of all the strange (and sometimes scary) hangover cures in the world, this one takes the cake. In Vietnam, Efferalgen Codeine is the remedy of choice. What is it, you ask? One half ephedrine (to keep you awake) and one half Codeine (to kill the pain), it is one heck of a morning pick-me-up! And it’s sold over-the-counter. Nuff said.
Irish Hangovers are a Pain in the Neck
The Irish are known to enjoy a pint or two, and they have written songs and stories on the many ways to deal with the day after. What’s the Irish secret to curing a hangover? Take the poor sot ailing from his or her wicked hangover and promptly "bury the ailing person up to their neck in wet river sand.” As this is a somewhat guarded secret, we have very little information about it. We do, however, have a few questions… Why does it have to be river sand? Why does the sand have to be wet? What exactly did that person do last night that would make you want to bury them up to their neck? As strange as this one sounds, who are we to question the Irish when it comes to anything related to the art of drinking?
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Behind the Suds enjoy the taste of the shore in the city
With Tomme Arthur, owner of The Lost Abbey and Port Brewing Co. & Brewmaster Jon Defibaugh of Evil Genius Beer Co.
In the months ahead, Pennsylvania will be wrapped in a cocoon of bone-chilling winter weather, but with that comes the holidays and the opportunity to gather with friends and family around a table filled with good food and celebratory libations. Tomme Arthur and Jon Defibaugh took us Behind The Suds to discuss the brews that grace their holiday get-togethers. “I either spend the holidays at home in San Diego or in Palm Desert with my wife’s family. On our holiday table you’ll find a smattering of things. Our Avant Garde is versatile enough for ham and turkey, but if it’s steak we’re having, I usually go for wine.” However, Arthur admits that his favorite holiday splurge is “really bad cheese and bean dip with corn tortilla chips washed down with a fresh IPA.” “Great Lakes produces some of the cleanest, most refined beers in the country, and their Christmas Ale has long been one of my favorites. It's never over-thetop with the spicing, and it's the perfect bottle to split with someone while having a rich dessert. My wife makes a ‘mean’ vegan Black Forest cake with cherries that pairs perfectly with it.”
www.capemaybrewery.com
#
Beer Banter
With 2017 right around the corner, Draught Lines asked cutting-edge brewers to predict next year’s big trends. Here’s what they had to say… “It’s pretty tough to predict, but I can tell you what I’d like to have happen. I would love to see a move away from the importance of styling. I don’t care about styles. I would love to see more people using a culinary approach to create beer – lagering just for a certain mouth feel and then adding exotic ingredients. Putting hops in ciders, but only to make the sweetness more approachable and effervescent. There are a lot of new people and breweries out there trying to prove themselves, so I think there are going to be a lot of interesting and different things coming in 2017.”
-Tim Matthews
Head of Brewing Operations, Oskar Blues Brewery
“I think there will be a continuation of the fruit beer trend. Larger craft breweries, like Sierra Nevada with their Torpedo Extra IPA, are combining fruit and hops, so I think that fruit IPAs are definitely here to stay. Beers with lower ABVs are what people seem to want, so breweries are working to find the right styles to fit that category. And saisons are growing overall. People are realizing they don’t have to be super spicy, so we are seeing more of that style. Fruit saisons are also becoming more common, so maybe fruity saison IPAs… put those styles together and you’re going to have some cool things on your hands!”
-Trevor Hayward
Co-founder, Evil Genius Beer Co. “Quite a few people I have spoken with have been saying that lagers will soon begin to have a bigger presence in smaller craft breweries. Recently, I've even seen some of the local IPA/saison brewers starting to give more tank space to lagers. 2017 is going to be an interesting year for beer, and we [2SP Brewing] are looking forward to it!”
-Andrew “Ruby” Rubenstein
Head Cellarman, 2SP Brewing Co.
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Draught Lines Magazine!
the Lookout Draught Lines Winter 2017
mardi gras madness
check out each edition at origlio.com
Celebrate with Creole cuisine and beer that will take you straight to Bourbon Street.
straub BREwery GETS Draughted
At the helm of family-owned Straub Brewery, Bill Brock keeps Peter Straub’s signature lager flowing through the “Eternal Tap,” which has been filling beer mugs since 1872.
california breweries
Craft beer in California’s wine country is not an oxymoron. In fact, it’s a great combination worth exploring. www.origlio.com
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