PhillyBeerScene Issue 27 - November 2013

ISSUE 27 | NOVEMBER 2013 | WWW.PHILLYBEERSCENE.COM

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How Great Beer Shapes Neighborhoods Into Urban Hotspots

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Make Reservations Online at www.eulogybar.com VERY GOOD beer list has grown to epic proportions...kitchen has… added an extra bell with perhaps the city’s best frites, some stellar beer-battered fish and very good mussels — Craig LaBan, Philadelphia Inquirer, Revisited April 2007 136 Chestnut St. (2nd & Chestnut) Phila • 215.413.1918

A HOUSE OF ALES

Mon-Wed 5pm-2am, Thurs-Sun 11am-2am

ACHTUNG BABY,

BIERSTUBE

German Biergarten Burgers, Brats and 200+ Beers Fo Shizzle ma Schnitzel!

206 Mar ket St (2nd & Mar ket) Phila 215-922-2958

A HOUSE OF LAGERS

Mon-Wed 5 pm-2am, Thurs-Sun 11am-2am 2

Reser vations at www.mybierstube.com

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CRAFT BEER

EVENTS

17 Rotating Craft Beer Drafts

October 4th Saison De Rose Release Party

Over 200 Bottles Growlers & Bottles Available for Takeout

HAPPY HOUR

11TH & ELLSWORTH PHILADELPHIA, PA 19147

215.339.0855

Mon-Fri (5-7pm)

Open Daily 11am - 2am Kitchen Open 11am - 1am

All Drafts 1/2 Price

Check Out our Website www.devilsdenphilly.com for up to date Draft Lists, Events & Specials.

BRUNCH Sat & Sun (10:30am-3pm) Outdoor seating or wood burning fireplace

Also find us on Facebook

November 9th Craft Beer Express Get Animated Costume Party November 28th Thanksgiving Open at 7pm Southern Tier Pumking 2012 & 2013

BEERS

EVENTS

s 11 Rotating Craft & Import Drafts

October Brewery of the Month Free Will

s Growlers & Bottles Available for Takeout 177 Markle Street, Manayunk, PA 19127 215.483.5535 www.oldeagletavern.com

Saturday & Sunday 11am - 2am

October 31st Aged Pumpkin Beers

(weather permitting)

s 60+ Bottle Beer List & Growing

Monday - Friday 4pm - 2am

October 4th - 6th Free Will Event for Rena Rowen Breast Center

HAPPY HOUR s Monday - Friday (5-7pm) s All Drafts 1/2 Price

November Brewery of the Month Saucony Creek December Brewery of the Month He'Brew Schmultz Brewery

s $2.00 Domestic Bottles

For drink specials, events & updated draft lists, please visit: www.facebook.com/OldEagleTavern for more details.

OPENING SOON

www.facebook.com/BarrenHillBeer 4

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Enjoy the TASTE of

$

10

S R E L W O GR Draught beer

at HOME! 8 N. Pottstown Pike Exton, PA 610-280-4555

801 Neshaminy Mall Bensalem, PA 215-322-6003

2803 South Rt. 73 Maple Shade, NJ 856-722-5577

1162 Hurffville Rd Deptford, NJ 856-853-7003

1661 Easton Rd Warrington, PA 215-491-1212

3910 West Chester Pike Newtown Square, PA 610-353-8667

225 Sloan Ave Hamilton, NJ 609-890-0864

Coming soon to Oaks, PA 6

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VISIT US TODAY

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contents

november 2013

features 54 Beer & Cheese

Two of life’s finer indulgences are in fact, the perfect match.

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The Power of a Beer review Do beer reviews actually hold any clout for consumers and brewers?

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harvesT from The hood How your favorite libation is shaping up the neighborhood.

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ISSUE 27 | NOVEMBER 2013 | WWW.PHILLYBEERSCENE.COM

™

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62 68

Beer & Cheese +

Beer Review

The Problem with User Submitted Beer Ratings

Good in the Hood

How Great Beer Turns Bad Neaighborhoods Into Urban Hotspots

$4.99

EMILIO MIGNUCCI | CHEESE MAKING 101 | GMO’S IN BEER

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Photograph by Alison Dunlap. Peggy Paul takes an in-depth look at why beer and cheese are the perfect complements to one another. Read the full article on page 54.

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contents

november 2013

sections 42 BrewmasTers

14 on The sCene

Spring House Brewing Co.’s Matt Keasey

Beer events in Philly’s beer scene.

BY CHRIS MAURER

16 The varieTy PaCk

46 Beer Travel

JON BILLETT, ZACK CYPHERS, JOE GUNN,

Frederick, Maryland

JUSTIN LOW, MATT SATTEN & CHRIS SNEE

50 sPiriTs

28 woman on The sCene

Tuthilltown Spirits

The Hunt for Pink October

BY CAROLYN SMAGALSKI

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30 fun wiTh Beer Pumpkin Keg

BY KEITH WALLACE

sPoTlighT

Old Forge Pumpkin BBQ Turkey Sandwich

Unique beer destinations for a pint and a meal in and out of the city

BY CHEF ROBERT LEGGET

34 homeBrewer’s Corner

78 The TasTing room

The Basics of Cheesemaking

20 beers reviewed by our panel with special guests: Emilio Mignucci, Hunter Fike, and Rui Lucas

36 hoP CulTure Genetically Modified Organisms

BY JOSEPH BAIR

85 direCTory

38 Tunes & Brews Building Community Through Art

BY G.W. MILLER III

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First Craft Beer Memories

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Find craft beer near you!

90 Beer evenTs Local happenings in the Philly beer scene

40 disCovering CrafT Beer

phillybeerscene.com

Amalthea Cellars in NJ

74 Bar+resTauranT

32 Cooking wiTh Beer

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52 loCal wine

Aged in wine barrels with all local fruit, Goose Island’s barrel-aged sours are watched with the careful hands and discerning palates of our brewers. Delicate and complex, these pleasantly tart and jammy beers tell us when they are ready to be harvested, bottled, and brought to your table to share with friends. Look for them this fall.

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publisher creative Director executive eDitor contributing eDitors

Mat Falco Jonathan Clark Alicia Eichelman Joseph Bair, Jon Billett, Zack Cyphers, Joe Gunn, Chef Robert Legget, Justin Low, Chris Maurer, G.W. Miller III, Peggy Paul, William Pumphrey, Matthew Satten, Carolyn Smagalski, Brittanie Sterner & Keith Wallace

contributing artist

Chris Snee

leaD photographer

Alison Dunlap

contributing photographers

Stephen Lyford & Matthew Stumpf

Philly Beer Scene was founded in 2009 by Mat Falco, Neil Harner, Scott Willey and John Galster.

Philly Beer Scene is Designed & Printed in the USA. Copyright Š 2013 Beer Scene Publishing, LLC. Philly Beer Scene is published bi-monthly by Beer Scene Publishing, LLC. 1229 Chestnut Street-PMB 131 Philadelphia, PA 19107 | Phone: 215-470-2022 For subscription inquiries please visit us on the web at www.phillybeerscene.com

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contributors CHRIS MAURER WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY DRINKING? NCBC Punkel Dunkel is currently on tap, but given the time of year, you will likely find someone’s pumpkin brew in my fridge!

WHAT BEERS DO YOU PLAN ON DRINKING WITH THANKSGIVING DINNER? Seeing as how I’ll be flying into Nebraska on Thanksgiving Day, I’m hoping I can find something (a) open and (b) new to me in the Cornhusker State!

BRITTANIE STERNER I like to do all of the drinking in all of the neighborhoods. I like West Philly because they are an eclectic pack of weirdos from all over town who often appreciate good beer.

DO BEER REVIEWS AFFECT YOUR DECISION ON WHAT BEERS TO DRINK? I’ve thought a lot about whether reviews of beers affect my decisions/ opinions. I don’t really pay attention to the social media chatter, but I do peruse BeerAdvocate for things I haven’t tried yet, then order them when I see them on tap. Mostly I pick beers based on their tap handles, like books based on their covers. It always works out.

PEGGY PAUL WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BEER AND CHEESE PAIRING? I love to pair Old Gold (an aged Gouda from Hidden Hills Dairy) with Yards Brewing Company’s Brawler or Dogfish Head’s Raison D’Etre. These two beers play nicely with the toffee undertones in the cheese, and the combination reminds me of candied pecans and salted caramel.

Not even a little bit. Taste is such a subjective sensation; just because one person deems a brew mediocre doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy it. When it comes to beer, I’m an equal opportunity gal.

WILL PUMPHREY Fishtown. Bottle Bar East, Fette Sau and 3G Café are all on my regular stops now.

WHAT BEERS DO YOU PLAN ON DRINKING WITH THANKSGIVING DINNER? I usually try to find something special for holiday dinners. I’ll break something out of the cellar.

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publisher’s letter

You have to love the fall season. As the months get colder, the beer just seems to get better. There’s great beer year-round and it’s probably just the warming effect the beer has, but it’s hard to argue that drinking beer isn’t a better experience in the colder months. The cold months also mean the year is coming to an end, which is really hard to believe. It always just seems like yesterday was New Year’s Day. In hopes of winding down the year right, we’re doing a bit of growing at Philly Beer Scene. It was about a year ago that we launched our first mobile app. It was a simple PDF reader with a few video and hyperlinks embedded within. A great source for reading the magazine, but good for little else, the app was no longer cutting it, so we are hard at work launching a brand new one. By the end of October, we should have a completely revamped Philly Beer Scene app with some new features I am incredibly excited about, to go along with being able to read a digital version of the publication. Keep an eye out for this, as our old app will be removed upon its release.

In other news, we are also excited to announce that we are launching a sister publication. In the beginning of December, alongside the next issue of Philly Beer Scene, we will be launching the first issue of Eating Philadelphia. Eating will be a quarterly food publication dedicated to the food culture in our great city. Think farmers and cheesemakers as an overall theme.

Back to Beer Scene, though. In this issue, as I’m sure you’ve noticed by the cover, we are focusing on a beer’s best friend—cheese.

There’s not much that goes together better than beer and cheese and we are taking a deeper look into both and the different aspects that make it such a great pairing. We also look into the controversial subject of beer reviews. No one can ever agree on a beer, but are reviews a good thing or a bad thing? We talk to local brewers and beer reviewers to examine the different sides of the subject.

Lastly, we take a look at the impact that a good bar can have on a neighborhood. A handful of neighborhoods in our city have been established mostly as a result of one of these bars and we talked to the bar owners to discover how this evolutions happens.

I hope you all enjoy the calm of fall before the madness of the holidays hits. Keep an eye out for our new projects and like always, I look forward to hopefully have a beer with you at the next event!

Cheers, Mat Falco Publisher

8.9% ABV

Lancaster Brewing Company is donating a portion of Winter Warmer Ale sales to Wolf Sanctuary of PA To learn more about the wolf, visit LancasterBrewing.com

AVAILABLE IN 12 OZ BOTTLES & DRAFT CONNECT WITH US

LancasterBrewing.com 13

on the scene

// event photos

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1. Nick Less of Philly Homebrew Outlet getting dunked at the Philly Homebrew Club’s Summer Sizzle event.

2. Free Will Brewery’s brewmaster John Stemler enjoying a pint at the Grey Lodge’s Friday the Firkinteenth.

3. Past Philly Beer Geek, Steve Hawk, taking a break from pouring beers at this year’s Newtown Beer Fest.

4. Scoats, of the Grey Lodge, tapping the first kegs at the most recent Friday the Firkinteenth.

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5. Varga Bar’s Rich Colli rightfully scared of his company at the Shawnee beer cocktail competition at Finn McCools.

(Also pictured: Joe Gunn, Steve Mashington, and Jenny Hobbs.)

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6. Too many names to list, celebrating the annual festivities at Nodding Head’s Royal Stumble.

7. Curt Decker and Joe Gunn in deep deliberation while judging the Shawnee beer cocktails at Finn McCools.

8. Steve Mashington and Ric Hoffman, brewmaster at Stewart’s, rocking out in celebration of Ric’s win at the Royal Stumble.

9. Ric continuing to rock out at the Royal Stumble along with Curt Decker, Wendy Domurat, Stephen Lyford (oddly on the other side of the camera), and the guy behind them.

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10. ShawneeCraft representative, David Goldstein, drinking out of the empty trophy at the Shawnee beer cocktail competition at Finn McCools.

11. Ryan Vaughn (left) posing with some of the local bartenders who competed at the Shawnee Craft Beer Cocktail competition at Finn McCools.

12. The always crowded scene outside at the Grey Lodge during a Friday the Firkinteenth.

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the variety pack

// a little bit of everything

World’s Best Ciders Pete Brown and Bill Bradshaw give cider it due .

With the incredible growth seen by craft beer over the past few years, all eyes have been on beer. During this time though, there has been another impressive resurgence in the world of adult beverages. Craft ciders have quickly been growing well-beyond household names such as Woodchuck and Magners. A whole world of specialty ciders has evolved and it is finally getting its due recognition.

Seeing this rapid growth and how it has been overlooked and mostly unrecorded, Pete Brown and Bill Bradshaw set out to write World’s Best Ciders. A beautiful book, filled with exceptional photography, World’s Best Ciders is on its way to becoming a bookshelf staple for those who enjoy ciders or even just want to learn more about them.

Brown and Bradshaw walk you through everything you could ever want to know about cider. Starting with the history of cider and moving through to the orchards and the actual cider making process, they seem to have found a way to capture everything within 256 pages.

The heart and soul of the book walks you through 22 various countries from around the world. From Spain to Russia, Brown and Bradshaw delve deeply into each culture in how it relates to cider. Tasting notes on hundreds of ciders accompany photographs of each bottle. The world tour opens you up to the importance of terroir and just how large of a presence cider has globally. You’ll learn who the essential people are behind these world- class ciders and what it is that separates each location’s ciders.

Brown and Bradshaw also explore the topic of cider and food. A huge part of the beer and wine world, there’s no reason why it’s a topic that shouldn’t be evident in the cider world as well. Looking at things from the viewpoint of a sommelier, as well as the viewpoint of a chef, you get a true perspective of how each style of cider works as a food complement. These aspects penned together truly make this an unprecedented guide to the world of artisanal ciders.

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weird Beer #27 BAMBOO BEER

In over half of the world, bamboo is an essential part of survival. Cultures depend on it for a variety of reasons, however, it’s an ingredient that has yet to find its way into beer. Yes, it’s almost certain that a few small craft breweries have brewed a batch of beer or two with bamboo, but not in a mass production-type capacity. Well, Canadian group, Bamboo Beer Limited, is doing just that with bamboo.

Bamboo is a premium lager brewed with bamboo as a main ingredient. The use of bamboo goes well beyond a marketing gimmick or attempt to make a bizarre beer, though. Bamboo is brewed to be a global beer with the hope of breaking boundaries around the world.

In what may seem like a large and daunting task, the purpose behind Bamboo is to create “conscious capitalism.” They hope to unite countries around the world through their beer and support the elevation of humanity. The goal is actually quite extensive and goes beyond supporting a local charity. There is genuine concern to break past the monopolies in the beer world in foreign countries in hopes that this beer can make a difference and unite these countries.

The depth of this is much more than what can fit into such a small column, but is thoroughly explained on their site—bamboobeer.ca.

The idea of using bamboo as an integral ingredient, however, is weird. Not typically seen in beer, nor in dishes outside the Asian community, bamboo definitely separates this beer from your traditional premium lagers.

I on Beer Weally whiskey business.

BY JOE GUNN

I don’t like whiskey. It’s just always there.

The second I started hanging around Center City, Philadelphia, shots of Irish whiskey starting appearing every time I went out for a beer. Not even sure where they came from.

Of all the shots of whiskey I’ve ever had, I’ve probably only ordered about a tenth of them. I probably desire one out of four, and end up enjoying about one out of twenty.

I’ve quit drinking whiskey for good about 100 times now, and that’s just not working.

It’s like I have no choice. When people buy me a shot, I can’t be rude and turn it down for the good of my health. I’m supposed to be a professional.

Only recently did I realize that most people, me and the majority of my friends included, are doing it wrong. I’m surrounded by people that appreciate quality in everything they put in their body. Nowadays, people in Philadelphia tend to search out the

best beers, restaurants, prescription drugs, wines, etc., but drink shots like normal dumb people. Everyone has a favorite Irish whiskey, but I suspect most wouldn’t be able to differentiate them in a blind taste test. I have a theory why none are very good, and why they all kinda taste alike.

They’re all made at the same place.

Literally, Jameson, Tullamore Dew, John Powers, Paddy, and Redbreast are all produced at the New Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Ireland. With all apologies to my Irish heritage, that’s unforgivable.

We would never put up with that from craft breweries. The closest we get is contract brewing. Contract brewing is when a brewery makes their beer outside of their own brewery. Companies will do this sometimes temporarily for emergencies, or they don’t have room to expand, but it’s generally done to save money. Now, I’m not

usually a fan of contract brewing, but that’s nothing compared to what’s going on with that whiskey. The equivalent would be if all of these breweries did all of their brewing at Budweiser. I think we’ve been a shitty Irish whiskey town for too long and it’s time for some changes.

Because not drinking whiskey anymore is not an option, I propose we all start drinking small batch bourbons or something. Maybe somebody from Philadelphia should make a whiskey. It can’t be that hard. You figure Southerners make the best domestic whiskey.

I refuse to believe anybody in the South is the best at doing anything. Besides, you always hear how great our water is for stuff like that. It’s a simple business plan. Make an affordable, somewhat tasty, blended whiskey.

You then steal a couple of the big time local beer reps, call it Fergie’s Irish Whiskey™, and proceed to sell a million bottles in Philadelphia.

As a nod to our friends who cross a bridge every Friday and Saturday to hang out in Old City, we could totally bro out and become a Jäger town. Maybe start dropping pints of it in energy drinks. Jägerbombs make me dance awesome and gives me the confidence to drive my moped on sidewalks.

That Fernet stuff is an option, too. I only say that because I had it once a couple years ago and I can’t get the taste out of my head.

It’s made with about 30 spices, none from Earth. It’s great. I think.

We could think outside the box and become an absinthe town. I don’t mean that sissy legal stuff that’s going around, but hardcore, make you wanna bite people-type absinthe. I want the stuff that’s made by crazy people in castle basements or whatever.

At least we’d be drinking something interesting. Can you imagine how fun an Eagles/Cowboys game would be if the whole Linc was hopped up on old school wormwood absinthe? We’d definitely make SportsCenter.

What’s really going to happen is we’re all going to continue to drink the factory whiskey. Me included. Because it’s always there.

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the variety pack

// a little bit of everything

Which Bar is it?

Can you guess at which bar this photo was taken?

First 5 people to correctly name the bar, win a Philly Beer Scene t-shirt.

Send your answer to: contests@phillybeerscene.com The photo in the last issue was taken at Vault, 10 S Main St Yardley, PA 19067

Look for Our New

ENJOY OUR SIGNATURE ALES YEAR ROUND AT YOUR FAVORITE CRAFT BEER BAR OR RETAILER.

out for these limited a Look releases coming soon!

Nov. 1st

Jan. 1st

YA R D S B R E W I N G . C O M FOLLOW US @YARDSBREW

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oldforgebrewingcompany.com

Rolling out NOW!

Find us in Eastern PA and NJ, where quality craft beer is sold, and on-tap all around town!

Available in 16 oz cans.

facebook.com/OldForge BrewingCompany

forged in danville, pa

the variety pack

// a little bit of everything

Top Albums To Brew To With Dock Street Brewing Co. We asked Justin Low of Dock Street Brewing Co. what his favorite albums to listen to while brewing are—and if you just happen to walk into Dock Street while he is at work, there’s a good chance that one of these albums might just be playing.

Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King A band I have listened to for over 15 years. Good jams and this album has a good blues influence.

Brett Dennen - Loverboy Big Red, he plays some good moving folk. Comeback Kid is a repeatable song that gets the feet moving.

Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing This one is a guilty pleasure‌ and plus [she’s] short, pale, and a sexy badass. This album just has some good punk music to get mashing into.

Luke Bryan - Tailgates & Tanlines I enjoy some country; good hard working music. All about drinking beer and having fun and I’m pretty sure that’s what I do.Â

Eric Church - Chief A combination of rock and country. He’s the badass of country. Definitely some music to help get through the day.

Bonus: River Valley Vocal Band - WMMR Preston and Steve No one is more harmonious than this crew. They are always on key and hitting the right notes. They are truly how I like to start my day.Â

JUSTIN LOW HEAD BREWER

#ANDY AND " ZE BY #HRIS 3NEE How ‘bout You? Trick or Treat? no thanks.

Hold on.

Let me get my big boy treats.

cute kid.

3NEE$ESIGN COM 19

the variety pack

// meet the scene

Area Smuttynose rep Joanna Manzo on: The Voice dreams & being a better friend to Lindsay Lohan.

Over a few pints of Smuttynose Cluster’s Last Stand and shots of Fireball at Lucky’s Last Chance in Manayunk, Shangy’s Philadelphia Rep, Matt Satten, gets to know Joanna Manzo a little better.

Matt: So you got your start selling beer at Origlio. Was that your first job in the beer business?

Jo: No, I’ve actually been working in bars since I was 13 years-old. I started at the old Broad Axe Tavern. I started there working under the table as the bread and salad girl, moved up to expo, then hostess and finally, a waitress. I stopped working there when I was 18. Actually, though, before that, my grandparents lived on the 13th hole of Plymouth Country Club and my dad would send me over there on Saturday and Sundays. I would set up a cooler with domestic beer, crackers, and candy and sell it to the golfers.

M: Did you make good money?

J: I made great money. My parents always encouraged me to have my own job and my own money. So golf course beer sales, to bread and salad girl and expo, to eventually, by the time I was 18, while I was in photography school, I worked at PJ Whelihan’s in Blue Bell. Then, when I was 21, I took a break and worked for the family business for my aunt and uncle, which was Renaissance Design and Construction. I did photography and administrative work for them. When I was 22, I started working at the Drafting Room in Spring house, which is where my love for beer really grew, because it was right there in front of my face. They had 22 taps, 2 casks and over 300 types of beer. At this point it 20 phillybeerscene.com november2013 20 phillybeerscene.com november2013

was like ‘06?

M: Was this the last job before Origlio?

J: No, I worked at Forest & Main right before it opened. I was working there and really sad to leave there but I really wanted to be a beer representative so I went to Origlio.

M: You started working for Smuttynose last September. What has been the overall feel of working for them so far?

J: I think a big part of what I do working with Smuttynose is education of the brewery.

They feel that with the influx of breweries that are out there and the breweries that are just getting feet on the street, that the consumers, the bar owners, the bartenders, they’re trying to learn more about these breweries.

M: Ehhhh…. alright, that’s a very pc answer.

J: No, it’s the truth. You know for all the hard work that I do and everyone else at the brewery, it’s great to see a brewery that was lost in the shuffle to come to see a new light.

Let’s be honest, we can name a lot of top breweries in the country and world that are lost in the shuffle in Philly.

Shots are sent to the table to entice “deeper” conversation. Jo goes on to talk about her boyfriend, Andre, for a while...

J: We’re very comfortable with each other.

He never has a problem with me going and doing events. I don’t think it’s easy being in a relationship in the beer industry for a lot of people because there are a lot of trust issues.

M: Alcohol has a way of blurring the lines sometimes.

J: What are you, Robin Thicke now?

M: I don’t know. I hope I didn’t just quote a pop star. I’ll be in trouble. Next thing you know, I’ll be twerking like Miley Cyrus.

No, not really, that’s not really my thing.

J: No comment.

M: What pisses you off most about the beer business?

J: How snooty people can be about beer.

We don’t work on Wall Street. We sell beer.

I don’t enjoy people cherry picking and only wanting the rare beers. If I gave everyone the rare beers, they wouldn’t be rare, right?

M: Tell me one of your favorite beer drinking stories.

J: It would have to be either 2006 or 2007 on one of my rare nights off from the Drafting Room.

M: Wait, so nights off all of a sudden are rare? I feel that if everyone had a night off, no one would want one anymore.

J: I’m just getting pummeled over here. I’m not talking about rainbows and dinosaurs and apparently that’s not cool.

M: OK, so back to your story, I want to hear it.

J: It was Christmas season and we always would have an event with multiple years of Mad Elf on tap. Anyways, we were downtown and there was a place serving Mad Elf for $3 a pint. I asked what year it was and they made fun of me so bad. I could hear them saying, ‘Yo, that chick was just asking what year the Mad Elf was. What does she want, the Bass 1969 or the Miller Lite 1975?’ My entire family made fun of me years for asking.

M: What is the drunkest you’ve ever been?

J: I don’t know. It was probably like ten years ago. I have a very embarrassing story from when I was sober, though. I tried out for Philly Idol right after American Idol had come out. One of the guest judges was one of the dudes from Boyz II Men. You were supposed to get up on stage and you had 30 seconds to sing. When they wanted you to stop singing, they would ring this bell, like a Catholic schoolyard bell. I got up, I was like, ‘OH MY GOD Boyz II Men! Nice to see you. Where have you been? How come you haven’t put out an album?’ Then I sang and everyone loved me, but the Boyz II Men judge was like, ‘I’m not feeling it.’ So, basically I called out Motownphilly by accident because I was nervous and I didn’t make it in Philly Idol. Definitely got teased for years and years about this.

M: Did you go for American Idol at all?

J: I did go for American in D.C. when I was 19. I did not make that. I also went out for The Voice and have been on the callback list for that. It’s on my list to do again for next year.

M: What is your favorite beer?

J: (Unibroue) La Fin Du Monde. I’m a big fan of Belgian beers and everyone in the family loves it, so it’s a party favorite.

Doug from Lucky’s Last Chance interrupts, asking questions of his own…

Doug: If you could choose to fight one with their hands tied behind their backs, would it be Justin Bieber or Miley Cyrus? You can use a stick or a sword.

J: I would probably just put a bag over Miley Cyrus’ head. You can’t fight the Biebs, he’s going through a transition.

D: Would you rather party with Lindsay Lohan or Charlie Sheen?

J: Lindsay Lohan.

D: You don’t want to drink tiger blood?

J: No, he’s just fucking weird. Lindsay is just a little cray-cray. I can deal with crazy. You see it all the time in this industry. Plus, she needs a good friend, too. She doesn’t have any good friends. She needs to go back to redhead. Fair skin and freckles. Don’t tan or go to blonde. She was pretty enough the way she was. She has the wrong people in her life telling her what to do. She’s probably a really good girl but gets bad press because she has bad friends.

M: Who would play you in a celebrity movie, The Life of Joanna?

J: Pink or Janis Joplin because I think they have really big hearts but are rough around the edges.

M: If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

J: Wings so I could get the fuck out of here.

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the variety pack

// a little bit of everything

Brews Abroad The anatomy of a biergarten.

BY ZACK CYPHERS

For those of us whose drinking preferences tend toward the Teutonic, the image of sipping a cold brew in a bustling beer garden is a pleasant image for late summer and early fall. But just what makes a garden a beer garden, or for those who prefer an air of authenticity, a biergarten?

What are the telltale characteristics of this uniquely Bavarian drinking destination? Can just any old place be a biergarten?

Is the outdoor seating at my favorite restaurant considered a biergarten? Must there even be a garden involved? Surely, there has to be beer, right? Well, there are plenty drinking spots that apply the appellation, but to the average small-town German, a biergarten means a certain kind of place with a certain kind of atmosphere.

Firstly, a biergarten is, by definition, an outdoor space. There may be a Gastätte or guesthouse featuring an indoor restaurant, but the primary gathering space is outside.

This space is packed with long tables and sheltered from the elements by oversized umbrellas or awnings. The rains won’t keep the guests from their wursts as the biergarten provides them some shelter in a natural setting. This natural backdrop makes for some of the best ambience.

The Waldgastätte Schießhaus, outside Schweinfurt in Franconia, is situated on the grounds of a former army shooting range and is located in the woods outside of town, surrounded by hiking trails. The Spezial-Keller biergarten, perched on a hill in Bamberg, offers a stunning view of the venerable city’s medieval skyline.

The natural setting provides a backdrop for the biergarten’s genial atmosphere.

Drinking beer has no stigma as it does in parts of the US, so an afternoon in the garden is a family affair. Whole families eat and drink together, and you’ll see kids much younger than twenty-one enjoying the national beverage. Germany’s wellknown relaxed drinking laws create a

social standard based not on fear but on understanding, and children learn to see beer as a reward for a hard day’s work, and just one piece of the European life well-lived.

While parents catch up over drinks, the children are at play. A proper biergarten often has a space devoted to children. At many establishments this means a jungle gym, slide, sandbox, or other diversion.

This gives the adults the chance to relax without having to call a babysitter. The children play safely within sight while their parents enjoy a night out. The biergarten is a place for all.

Guests of all ages pack the wooden benches and it’s not uncommon or rude to ask to take an empty seat next to strangers.

You’ll likely end up with some good conversation to go with your local food and drink.

While you sip your suds you may end up making some new friends.

The beer and food you enjoy here will likely be local specialties. You’ll find the obligatory schnitzel and bratwurst, but you may see some regional variations on the menu, which might include some wild game in more rural places. Food is procured from a counter, and if it’s busy you may be asked to take a number. While you’re waiting for your meal you can head to the beer counter to grab a beverage.

Pils, dunkel, hefe —these are biergarten staples, and the beer on offer will most certainly be local.

All things considered, the German biergarten is the ideal place to wind down on an unseasonably warm fall day. The good food, good beer and friendly family atmosphere in a natural setting make this, to many, the perfect place to end the day.

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the variety pack

// a little bit of everything

A beer and art juxtaposition.

The Tired Hands brewer riffs on art intertwined with his beers.

BY JON BILLETT

Over the past year, Jean Broillet IV has become a household name among beer advocates as the award-winning mastermind of Tired Hands Brewing Company. While his beer is the focus of most conversations, I wanted to explore the inspiration that fuels the Tired Hands brand from a visual and artistic standpoint. So we met up at Teresa’s Next Door in Wayne to enjoy a few rounds and talk art and music.

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Where can you draw a relationship between craft beer and good art that may not be obvious to the average eye?

Tröegs Sunshine Pils German Pilsner – 4.5% Jean: Pilsner is the craft brewer’s dirty little secret. It’s a refreshing treat in comparison to the beers that we are usually brewing.

This is a favorite of ours at Tired Hands— you’ll see us drinking it quite a bit.

Jon: The tapping of each new Tired Hands beer is promoted with a compelling, unusual window illustration of yours, often depicting some type of oddity-ridden life-form. Tell us a little bit about your illustration style and how this tradition has come to life.

Well, from the ground up, I hate negative space in images and believe anything that’s blank shouldn’t be blank. This is why you see a lot of tick-marks in my drawings.

That mindset helps me visualize what comes next—it starts with negative space and then it transitions to a form.

As we breathe life in to different beers, I usually won’t have any idea about the drawing until I put the beer up on the windowsill and see how the liquid-filled glass looks in that particular pane. There’s certainly an aspect of pure randomness into what I do visually.

There are some exceptions. For instance, I love to unwind at the end of the day by posting up on my front porch and drawing. Recently, while on the porch, I actually illustrated the kooky label art for our upcoming Father Beast bottles, all while talking with my grandfather on the phone (laughs). It ended up being an example of an unconscious reflective action to that particular moment.

Well, my kneejerk reaction—which is going to make me sound like a drunk —is that inebriation, at large, skews one’s perspective. Artists utilize and harness that energy, and that’s certainly no exception to what we do! That’s why you see wine tastings and beer samplings at art expos. I’ve long held that beer has a way of relaxing one’s mind and allowing them to fully perceive and take in their surroundings. There is a strong correlation between a moderate amount of inebriation and one’s ability to take in and enjoy art. Take a visit to the 2nd floor of our brewpub and have 2 pints of Saison.

If you sit back and let your mind ease, you’ll most likely start to notice things you wouldn’t have before — like the detailing in our brickwork or the random artwork on the walls.

Was this always your approach to visual art, or was it born with the Tired Hands brand?

As long as I can remember, yes, that’s been my approach. It actually took me a year or so to perfect the hands in the Tired Hands logo. From the logo, I’ve incorporated that amorphously odd approach to pretty much anything I draw as it relates to our brand.

And how about Tired Hands lettering that is used for the beer’s titles and on your brewpub’s chalkboards?

The font was born with the brand. And it’s actually far from my actual handwriting, which is total shit. I should have been a doctor. And what’s awesome is that it has since been exported into it’s own digital font, which is a very nice asset to have handy.

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There’s this cutie pie little startup brewery out of Santa Cruz called Sante Adairius and they have this really excellent, slightly sour barrel-aged apricot Saison called West Ashley. From a producer standpoint, I think ‘WTF, this is amazing. Why can’t I produce this beer?’ and ‘WTF, how are they getting this beer to taste like this? What kind of apricots did they use? Were they in season? Did they puree them or just toss them in whole?’

The quality/perception of a beer can severely lose its integrity if the label art sucks. And vice versa. How do you feel good beer and good art complement one another? How important is it that they do?

Leroy Paulus Oud Bruin – 5% Smells nice. Kinda cola-y. A little vanilla in there.

That vinegary acetic acid profile is nowhere to be found which is always a welcome expression of a beer like this.

You create a dynamic of really artisanal beer combined with this insubordinate type of artwork.

Explain this juxtaposition and how it speaks to the overall experience of your brand.

It is as complex as you make it out to be—it’s different for everyone. It meets my sensibilities. I like things that make me feel slightly uneasy and challenge me —especially in art. I think that the current climate of beer in art is boring. No one is freaking them out.

There is a lot of comforting imagery. One of the coolest things that I can do in visually representing my product is to take people to that area that is not exactly comfortable for them. People obviously aren’t looking at that image and saying “Eh, that freaks me out. I’m not going to drink your beer.” Also, if someone can wrap their eyes around the artwork and be intrigued by it, it gives them an open door to try that beer.

Sometimes a piece of abstract artwork might make you think, ‘What the f*ck?’ What beer gives you that

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From a consumer standpoint—being a visual person—I am way more inclined to be attracted to something that’s visually interesting. And there’s some of that that bleeds over to Tired Hands. We have an imperial stout called Only Void. It’s the only that label that I didn’t design. It’s this really strange little creature getting sucked into a void while his head is coming unhinged. When the labels arrived at the brewpub, we slapped one on a bottle and all just stared at it. Hands down, across the entire staff, we all agreed that we would totally drink that beer — not even knowing what was in the bottle. And that’s the difference that I believe visual artwork can make from a marketing standpoint.

Yeah, it’s actually only happened once and I don’t even know who the band was! I was driving from my house into the brewery and I was listening to Princeton Public Radio and there was a song on about modern life. Overall, I thought that was a cool notion of everyday modern life and how it exists for me — or anyone. So I ended up brewing a session rye pale ale called “The Everyday Complications of Modern Human Life.” I couldn’t tell you who the artist was, or what the song even sounded like, but it was definitely a cool whimsical-type of folly.

Ian MacKaye has commissioned you to create a unique nonalcoholic, straight-edge beer to be served at the 30-year anniversary party of the release of the Minor Threat EP. What do you make?

Hmmm…It would be made with a jaggery sugar base, hibiscus, blood orange juice/zest, and black pepper. I’d call it “Can’t Keep Up.” Ithaca Flower Power (cask conditioned, dry hopped with citra) American IPA – 5%

You’ve previously paid homage to local Philly punk favorites Kid Dynamite with an IPA called Hop-A-Tact. When can we

I’m a huge fan of IPAs that have a really non-existent malt base.

I prefer just to taste hops forever and ever, and this certainly fits that bill.

(Laughs) I’m not sure that we’ll ever brew a Boyz II Men beer, but if we did, it would most likely be a blended barrel fermented Saison called “Blended Knee.”

You’ve brewed several brews with homages to music (Flaming

Have you ever gotten any feedback from artists that you’ve celebrated in your brewing?

craft?

Music is very a pervasive element at Tired Hands. It keeps us happy. There’s always something in the background that we like. And fortunately, there’s a common musical-taste vein running amongst all of us that we gel on. It can also be a springboard to something greater, like an idea for a beer. The most poignant example was the Sunbather IPA, named after Deafheaven’s newest album. As a consumer of music, I was sort of jarred when I first saw aesthetically how they were presenting the album. They’re a black metal band and the cover art was entirely pink. So then we riffed on it and made a hibiscus, Meyer lemon IPA that turned out great!

Have you ever just heard a song in daily passing which therefore inspired a beer?

John Dyer Baizley, the frontman of Baroness doesn’t even drink beer. But now he brings his family into Tired Hands about once a month or so to have dinner because he thinks it’s rad that we named the Yellow & Green pilsner after their album.

Then there’s Dave Witte, the drummer from Municipal Waste. He’s so passionate about good beer! He came into our brewpub, we hit it off and now we’re good friends because of that commonality. We’re actually brewing a beer together soon called “Play Fast” which is what he has tattooed on his knuckles.

I refer to these engagements as a sub-sub-culture. We have an overarching common denominator in good beer, which is already a sub-culture in and out of itself. Then there’s this other layer of good music that we get to explore together. It’s pretty amazing stuff.

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woman on the scene

The Hunt for Pink October How local breweries are celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

BY CAROLYN SMAGALSKI

This October, while the rest of the country is smashing pumpkins and lagering märzen for their traditional autumn fests, three brewers in the Philly area are going pink … for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Pause, for a moment, to think about how many people in our lives have been affected by this dreaded diagnosis—how many have struggled for survival, are still struggling, or have lost the battle. The American Cancer Society estimates that 40,000 women and 390 men die of breast cancer each year. The impact on family life is staggering.

In the world of primary colors, pink represents physical tranquility and survival of the species. In the world of craft beer, it displays diversity so expansive that every one of our local “pinks” displays a profile unique unto itself.

Free Will Saison de Rose & Four Dynamic Women Philly Beer Week Board Member Erin Wallace has enthusiasm as infectious as her smile. During a PBW event this past June, Wallace stoked the imagination of David Wood, assistant brewer for Free Will Brewing Company, with an idea for a collaborative beer targeting Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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She felt sure of enlisting three more dynamic women in the beer community for the feminine side of the project. David’s immediate response brought Free Will co-founders, John Stemler and Dominic Capece, on-board.

As owner of the Old Eagle Tavern of Manayunk, Devil’s Den of South Philly, and Barren Hill Tavern & Brewery in Lafayette Hill, Erin Wallace took the helm as the driving force behind the philanthropic brew. Matthew Stumpf of Lionize Productions.com agreed to document the entire process on video and in digital hi-res photos, while Punch Media joined-in as publicity agents.

Erin called upon world-class Philly author and sommelier, Marnie Old; Epikur Writer of the Year, Tara Nurin; and Philly Beer Scene Woman on the Scene, Carolyn Smagalski (yours truly), to initiate the project.

A few pilot batches later, Saison de Rose was born, brewed for the benefit of Penn Medicine’s Rena Rowan Breast Center, with its strong track record for supporting local women at the Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

What they created was nothing short of stellar. Stemler calls Saison de Rose “a little beer doing big things.”

Loosely translated, Saison de Rose means “Season of Pink.” What could be more appropriate for October?

Saison is traditional seasonal ale from the farmlands of Wallonia, a French-influenced region in southern Belgium. In his book, The Brewmaster’s Table, Garrett Oliver writes, “If I were forced to choose one style to drink with every meal for the rest of my life, saison would have to be it.”

Saison is often accented with herbs and spices for increased complexity. In this collaborative effort, Brewmaster John Stemler altered this traditional saison ale by adding crimson pink grapefruit, freshly minced Asian ginger, and pink and black peppercorns to the kettle. It was finished with the exotic Hibiscus rosa-sinensis for accent and color.

Hibiscus has been praised worldwide for its health-promoting virtues. It is tough, durable, and beguiling, just like the women it represents.

The official launch event for Saison de Rose is set for Friday, October 4th through Sunday, October 6th at Devil’s Den in South Philadelphia, with Saison de Rose available on draft and in 750 ml champagne-style bottles with cork and wire-cage. It promises to be featured at the Midtown Fall Fest and at other events throughout the fall season.

Saison de Rose has crisp, bready flavors, slathered with spiced-grapefruit juiciness. Tart acidity feathers the tongue, as quenching to the thirst as it is stimulating to the appetite.

Highly carbonated, it dances briskly on the palate. Brettanomyces claussenii has been added to the bottled version, making it a Brewmaster’s Reserve, with lean, Belgianesque character.

One dollar from every pour/bottle will be contributed to the Rena Rowan Breast Center, with a target goal of generating $10,000 for the center. The Free Will commemorative pink tap-marker with Saison de Rose decals makes this saison highly visible for pub patrons. Additional donations are encouraged through penncancer.org/ patients/centers-programs-services/renarowan-breast-center. If sending a check, write “saison de rose” in the memo field on the check; online, type “saison de rose” in the “In Honor Of” box.

Weyerbacher Althea Dubbel Up with Natalie DeChico When Dan Weirback saw the impact of his Last Chance IPA campaign, which generated over $25,000 for local animal rescue operations, his vision of evoking greater good expanded. Why not enlist the creativity of one of his own sales reps to raise funds for the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) Breast Cancer Fund? As soon as he pitched her the idea, Natalie DeChico, award-winning homebrewer and 2011 Philly Beer Geek champion, caught the ball like a big leaguer.

Based on a Christmas homebrew designed for the DeChico’s 2012 holiday season,

Natalie’s Belgian Dubbel, enhanced with black plums and stone-fruit character, fit perfectly with Weyerbacher’s aesthetic.

Brewmaster Chris Wilson converted DeChico’s small batch to an 80 barrel recipe, ordering 1,260 pounds of Italian plums for the project.

They called it Althea, from the Greek word for “healing.” Althea shines brilliant cerise, with a tan head of foamy mousse. Estery aromas merge with sweet caramel notes, while dark stone-fruits roll like silk on the tongue. Althea is a touch dry and not overly sweet. At 7.75%, her warm finish adds a welcomed touch for this October release.

“There is a lot of heart, hope, and hard work that went into this beer to help out as many women, men, and families affected with breast cancer as possible,” said Natalie DeChico. Weyerbacher released 1,200 cases into ten markets, and pledges to donate $1 per bottle to the LVHN fund.

Tom Kehoe Goes Pynk Tom Kehoe wasn’t thinking of breast cancer awareness when he initially introduced Pynk to Philadelphia’s beer market nine years ago; but this light, tart seasonal has evolved into a beer of beauty. Released on the first of September this year, Pynk Tart Berry Ale came into the spotlight as a fruit beer, accented with raspberries, Prunus Avium (sweet cherries), and P. cerasus (sour cherries) pre-fermentation, allowing the natural-fruit sugars to fully attenuate. A lightly acidic, citrusy profile was the end result, scrubbing the palate in a clean finish.

Pynk’s deep-garnet color may be reminiscent of Belgian fruit lambics, known as framboise or kriek, but the beer is actually designed to be an American tart ale that merges well with lighter fare, such as salads, chicken, fresh mozzarella and Swiss, or lightly grilled tilapia.

Yards will host The Pynk Affair, a kick-off event for Breast Cancer Awareness Month on October 4th in the Yards Tasting Room on Delaware Avenue, and will benefit the Tyanna Foundation. In addition, $1 from each case of Pynk sold will go to the Foundation in support of breast cancer centers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Seize the ultimate challenge for Breast Cancer Awareness during this “season of pink” as you embark upon your own hunt for Pink October. Taste them all and enjoy the hunt.

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fun with beer

The Pumpkin Firkin

A new twist on pumpkin carving.

Let’s face it, pumpkin beer is the highlight of the fall season for most beer drinkers. Breweries can’t make enough of this sought-after style. It’s gotten so popular that most pumpkin beer is sold out before the fall weather even makes an appearance. How do you make pumpkin beer even better and more desirable? Simple, you add more pumpkin— by pouring it out of an actual pumpkin!

In one of our easiest and definitely most enjoyable “Fun with Beer” projects, we show you how to turn a regular old pumpkin into a firkin. Grab a case of your favorite pumpkin beer, as well as a pumpkin and take your fall party/gettogether to the next level. If you want to get a little creative, use a non-pumpkin beer such as a milk stout or brown ale, grab your favorite pumpkin spices and soak them in the beer within the pumpkin for a bit before serving. Just don’t let it sit too long as you don’t want your beer to get too warm or flat. Also, be sure to use a tap with a filter to catch the spices.

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whaT you need • A pumpkin • Beer: How much beer depends on how big of a pumpkin you get. We recommend a pumpkin that will be large enough to hold a six-pack at a time.

• A tap: A firkin tap or any other type of beverage tap will work.

• Carving knife

whaT To do Step 1: Purchase your pumpkin. Obviously, the bigger the pumpkin, the more beer it will hold.

Step 2: Pick out the beer. You can never have too much, so we recommend grabbing a case.

You can always drink some of it without pouring it into the pumpkin.

Step 3: Cut the top of the pumpkin like you would when carving a jack-o-lantern. Remember to cut on an angle so that the top doesn’t fall through when you go to place it back on.

Step 4: Clean out the guts. Scrape out all the seeds as they will clog up the tap. Don’t throw them out though, toasted pumpkin seeds will taste great paired up with the beer.

Step 5: Scrape away some of the inside wall of the pumpkin where you will be putting your tap. You’ll want to put this towards the bottom.

Only scrape enough so your tap will fit.

Step 6: Cut a hole into the side of the pumpkin just slightly smaller than the diameter of your tap where you scraped away at the wall.

Step 7: Put your tap in and secure properly depending on the type of tap.

Step 8: Fill the pumpkin with beer. You don’t have to fill it to the top, but you probably should, as you know beer being poured out of a pumpkin won’t last long.

Step 9: Pour yourself a pint of the best pumpkin beer you’ll ever have at the coolest fall party in the neighborhood.

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cooking with beer

Old Forge Pumpkin BBQ Turkey Sandwich Pecan wood smoked pulled turkey sandwich with pumpkin crema, pickled fennel & Pasilla chili.

BY CHEF ROBERT LEGGET

Finally, it’s that time of year again—beautiful fall weather and the great pumpkin beer season! Costume pop-up stores and the early holiday sales have arrived, but don’t put that grill away quite yet! Celebrate the beautiful fall weather nestled up to your smoker with the surprisingly well-crafted Old Forge Pumpkin Ale. This pumpkin ale has a nice amber maltiness, backed with a well-balanced spice profile of clove and faint vanilla that dominates the bitterness. Brown sugar is definitely present with a hint of allspice.

Thighs & Brine Ingredients:

• 3lbs. boneless, skinless turkey thighs, trimmed of excess fat (yes, this can be done with a whole petite turkey) • 1 tbsp. each, allspice, clove & black pepper, toasted and whole • 2 pints Old Forge Pumpkin • ¼ cup brown sugar • ¼ cup sea salt • 1 oz. fresh ginger, peeled • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise • 12 oz. pumpkin, peeled and cubed Directions:

• Combine all but the turkey and pumpkin in a steel pot, bring to a boil and then chill to room temperature.

• Throw in turkey thighs and refrigerate 8 hours, up to overnight.

• Remove from the brine and smoke indirectly with pecan and lump coal at 200° until the internal temperature of 165° is achieved.

• While your turkey is smoking, throw in your cubed, peeled pumpkin and roast until extremely tender.

• Let the turkey rest up to 30 minutes, then pull into ribbons, like BBQ pork. Set aside.

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This brew screams for some BBQ turkey. Yeah, I know, you’re going to get your fill of turkey in a few weeks.

However, this recipe will ensure a solid turkey dinner before dealing with your aunt’s dried-up pathetic excuse for a holiday dinner. You know, the one your family so politely eats while creating the silent halo of discontent.

So here it is—pecan wood smoked pulled turkey sandwich with pumpkin crema, pickled fennel and Pasilla chili.

Pumpkin Crema Take the following and process until smooth: Ingredients:

• ½ of the roast pumpkin • ¼ cup coconut cream • 2 cups cream cheese • 1 tsp. black pepper, fresh ground • salt to taste The Sauce Ingredients:

• 7 Pasilla chilies • 2 oz. garlic • 5 oz. diced onion • 1 pint Old Forge Pumpkin Ale • 1 tbsp. molasses • The rest of the pumpkin • 4 oz. turkey stock • 1 tbsp. allspice, toasted and ground • ¼ cup brown sugar • salt to taste

Assembly:

• Toast the chilies until fragrant, remove from the pot.

• Add your garlic, onion and allspice.

Saute until translucent.

• Throw the chilies back in along with the pumpkin and continue to cook until the pumpkin is melting.

• Add your beer, turkey stock and molasses.

Simmer for about an hour, covered.

• Throw the sauce into the blender and purée until completely smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. For additional brightness, add some Dijon mustard, a shot of Worcestershire sauce and Frank’s Red Hot. • Combine your sauce and turkey together, bring to a boil and serve immediately.

• These bad boys would be awesome served on potato rolls that are toasted with herb butter to give it a stuffing-like effect. Spread your crema on the top of the bun and garnish with some shaved pickled fennel.

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homebrewer’s corner

Making Cheese Getting to know the basics of making your own cheese.

A trip to your local homebrew shop will show you how these stores have progressed to adapt to the insatiability of the homebrewer.

Gone are the days of simply carrying the basic needs for brewing a beer. With the growing desire to create more than just beer, shop owners are transforming their stores to accommodate and offer new opportunities for self-expression through creatively making one’s own consumable products.

Today, the shelves of homebrew shops are still filled with bins of grains and fridges overflowing with hop varietals to go along with the necessities of making your own wine, but if you look a little deeper, you’ll also come across everything you need to roast your own coffee and make your own sodas (which unlike Coca-Cola, actually can push creative boundaries), as well as pickling components, charcuterie needs, and most commonly and probably fastest growing, cheesemaking kits.

Cheese is a natural pairing for beer. There is really little that goes better with beer than cheese, and if you’re going to make your own beer, then why not make your own cheese to pair with it? As they go together ideally in flavor, they also go together in how you make them. If you already enjoy the creative process behind making your own beer, then odds are in your favor that you’ll enjoy making your own cheese as well.

The process of making cheese, like beer, can be as simple or complicated as you make it out to be. You can start with a beginners level kit, following the step-by-step directions, getting a feel for the process (similar to a pre-made homebrew kit), and you can then work your way up to tinkering with different types of milks and cultures, while testing out different aging methods and locations as you create your own cheese recipe. For now, here are the basics of what you need to know about making cheese.

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MILK Milk is probably the most essential of ingredients and one which provides you with boundless room for experimentation. Your milk options are endless, varying from the gallon of milk you’d buy at the supermarket to raising your own goat. You can even use dry milks and non-dairy milks such as soy and almond milk. These options lead you to exciting opportunities of tweaking recipes and coming up with new cheeses.

Ideally, you will want to use unpasteurized milk. Most likely, you will not find this milk at your local supermarket, but your local farm stand or specialty store may carry some.

The decision, however, is not as simple as pasteurized or unpasteurized. Cow’s milk, goat’s milk, and sheep’s milk all act differently with cheese as they each have different fat, protein, and sugar contents and flavors. To make it even more complex, different breeds of these animals will have slight differences as well. And, if that wasn’t enough options, you also have to take the diet of the animals into consideration, as a grass-fed cow will produce different milk than a corn-fed cow.

As you can see, the milk is important and is no simple decision. If you are making a certain type of cheese, there are suggested types of milks to use, which will narrow down your choices. As with brewing, experimentation is key and most likely you’ll eventually find certain farms you like for different kinds of cheeses.

CULTURES Similar to how beer needs yeast to ferment, cheese needs cultures to coagulate the milk and form cheese. These cultures are made up of varying strains of bacteria. Essentially, what you are doing with the culture is ripening your milk and converting the natural sugars found in the milk into a lactic acid.

Each type of cheese requires different cultures and even slight nuances in quantity and strands can make a vast difference in your end result. These cultures will also all work differently with different types of milk.

Think of it how you would in making a beer. There are lager yeasts for making lagers, hefeweizen yeasts for making hefeweizens and ale yeasts for making ales. It is very similar with cheese cultures, but there is always room for experimentation and to create new types of cheeses.

RENNET After you have added your cultures to the milk and it forms curds, rennet is needed.

Rennet is what allows the excess liquid to separate from the curds and run off as whey.

Rennet is an enzyme that can be a derivative of either animals or vegetables.

Animal-based rennet is pulled from the stomachs of calves, lambs or goats and is 90% chymosin. It must, however, be derived from young animals while they are still solely surviving off their mother’s milk.

For those who would prefer a vegetable derived rennet, this option is found in a certain type of mold called Mucor miehei, which is an equal product to chymosin.

Choosing between the animal or vegetable rennet will make little to no difference in your final product and is solely a personal preference.

Milk, cultures, and rennet make up the three essential ingredients to making cheese, however, there are a number of additives and ingredients you can add and some types of cheeses require much more. For instance, hard, aged cheeses will require waxing, while basic soft cheeses can be made solely from these three ingredients. Mastering these ingredients will bring you a long way towards mastering cheesemaking in general.

To make things even more interesting, once you get the basics down, you can start playing with adding beer to your curds and/ or washing your cheeses in it. Different types of beers will have different effects, leading to even more options of types of cheeses, not to mention, making your own cheese and washing it in your own beer is sure to impress anyone and make for a great homemade gift.

As for equipment, most of the necessary equipment is already in the home of any homebrewer. One really only needs a large pot to cook in, a thermometer, cheese-cloth and a long knife to cut the curds, making it an inexpensive hobby to dabble in. Items such as presses will be needed for certain hard cheeses and different climate controlled areas and refrigeration may be needed as well.

For any homebrewer who enjoys cheese, cheesemaking is a natural step of progression.

There are a fair number of basic concepts that carry over from one world to the other and the mindset is similar. Plus, you can always use something else to do besides drink during the down times of a brew day.

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hop culture

Sowing the Seedless Genetically Modified Organism (GMO).

BY JOE BAIR

Transgenic Genetic Modification is also considered GMO. It uses biotechnology to pinpoint and replace unrelated organisms and other genes. With long-term or widespread use, it can alter the species genetic pool permanently.

GMO AND BEER INGREDIENTS

Genetic modification is evolution. It crops up naturally in plants and there are other accepted scientific ways of breeding. In the past 30 years, technology has developed ways of combining genes with a new twist—it can be done with just about any gene; to and from any plant, animal, fish or insect.

In 1973, the first GMOs made were bacteria. By 1974, GMO mice were generated. GMO food has been sold since 1994. The first GMO pet was sold in 2003. FYI, GMO can be detected by tracing it down with polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety defines GMO as, “Any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology.”

Modern biotechnology is using genetic mapping technology, and knowing what each genetic marker does, and using the right tools (Agrobacterium or the Gene Gun).

Conventional breeding is not considered GMO. It takes favorable genes along with some unfavorable genes from one species and breeds it with the same species. Crossbreeding is an example.

Cisgenic Genetic Modification is considered GMO. It accomplishes the same thing as conventional breeding, but by using biotechnology so it can pinpoint the exact favorable gene it will substitute within the same species; it is just a shortcut to conventional breeding. It does not intermix the species gene pool.

Barley: All barley grains sold at harvest are non-GMO. There are GMO organisms that produce enzymes that help it convert in the process. Enzymes are very specific enablers that can speed up biochemical reactions hundreds and thousands-fold, thus saving energy and resources and biodegrading after use. Briess Malting Company state their products are non-GMO. Wheat: There is no GMO wheat that is grown commercially in the US, but there are field GMO tests going on.

Corn: Maize or corn sugar (priming sugar) most likely are GMO as 85% of the total US produced corn crop is GMO. Some Double IPAs use corn to boost ABV. Hops: The legal definition of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) excludes many of the methods that are “genetically modified,” such as artificial mutations (polyploids). Polyploids most common form is triploids and they are considered commercially valuable in all forms in agriculture due to being seedless. The disadvantage is genetic diversity is threatened and just one disease (known or unknown) is capable of affecting every clone.

The gene mapping of hops and molecular marker identification will soon lead to the sequence of the hop genome which has begun with the USDA-ARS Hop Genetics and Breeding Program.

No data has been made publicly available yet. The goals are for the improvement of hops and to shorten the lag time, costs and guesswork in bringing products to the market. Yakima Chief and Hopunion certify that their hops and hop products currently are “GMO-FREE.” Yeast: Although no GMO yeast has been made yet, the US and the UK governments are funding for synthetic biology to create a yeast strain that can outperform natural strains. Lalvin yeast labels state “GMO-FREE.”

TO LABEL OR NOT TO LABEL? To this day, there is no state that requires GMO labels on food. Would there be an impact on the sales and future of GMO if it was labeled? The most controversial actor in the GMO world is opposed to mandatory GMO labeling laws because, “It could be interpreted as a warning or imply that these ingredients are harmful or somehow inferior to their 36

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conventional or organic counterparts.” This did not happen with organic food labeling versus conventional, so I can’t see why it would happen with GMO. I have seen beer ingredient manufacturers become proactive and print “GMO Free” or “Non- GMO” on the label, and I did not see a surge in sales for that item over another that did not have that labeling.

Connecticut’s passing of mandatory GMO labeling will only go into effect after four other states enact similar legislation and one of the states must share a border with Connecticut. Once that is done, the combined total population of those Northeastern states must be 20 million-plus for it to pass. Maine also passed a GMO labeling bill this year, but the Governor said there are constitutional issues of preempting food regulation by the Federal Government.

California put GMO labeling on the ballot late last year, as a right to know law— it was defeated.

THE FUTURE Whenever new breeding methods crop up, it is gently introduced as having benefits (bred-in-efficiency) and the old crop fades away. Everything seems good, until something goes wrong, and the trajectory of the debate is altered. When that happens, the

risk perception, emotions, cultural resistance, poor and random framing can fuel or confirm suspicions. Right now, GMO is considered as safe as any other food.

There are the farmers, scientists, economics and politics (principally, foreign policy) that all play a role in the future of food (hopefully not beer) and the industrialized agriculture companies have a big long term monetary interest in the GMO business.

These companies have been helping to prevent starvation in countries since the green revolution started, and that was without GMO. In the time of climate change, food security is a threat. Worsening drought and floods require smarter use of land, less waste, less fertilizer and fewer pesticides. An agricultural scientist’s ability to provide higher yield and climate resistant strains is needed with a perceptive understanding and intelligent application of Cisgenic Genetic Modification biotechnology—which can make it all possible.

Still, there is no reason to make beer ingredients GMO. Nobody is starving for beer.

Please keep beer ingredients and beer labeled non-GMO and GMO-Free!

37

tunes & brews

Ola Solanke

Building community through art.

BY G.W. MILLER III

Ola Solanke was an insurance company executive when he arrived in Philadelphia in 1990. Soon after moving to the city, he noticed a void in the arts scene.

“There weren’t that many venues that were offering performance space,” Solanke says. “People were working out of basements and ill-equipped restaurants and coffeehouses.”

By the early 2000s, he began buying property in the Francisville section of Philadelphia, about halfway between City Hall and Temple University’s main campus. The once vibrant area had hit hard times, so Solanke got a lot of property on the cheap. He renovated an old horse stable on the 1500 block of Ridge Avenue and turned it into edgy performance space, The Arts Garage, which opened in 2006.

“We took the concept of The Arts Garage and raised a flag,” he says. “We engaged a lot of artists, promoters and producers that wouldn’t otherwise have had a chance to do shows in professionalquality venues in the city.”

The 7,000 square foot venue with an underground vibe—largely because of the rather sketchy neighborhood—began hosting crazy parties with renowned DJs like Rich Medina, King Britt and Questlove. Live acts from around the world performed before appreciative audiences.

He spent more than $500,000 of his own money transforming the neighborhood, demolishing seven adjacent, crumbling properties and building the performance space as the centerpiece of the next wave.

Solanke has been recognized by numerous politicians as an example of how citizens can fight blight and take an active role in the revitalization of the city. The Nigerian native was 38

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even deemed an ambassador of the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, which was then-mayor John Street’s program to revitalize decaying areas.

Since The Arts Garage opened, however, many other venues have arrived on the scene. There are now multiple places to see and hear world music, and many places retain that air of secrecy that The Arts Garage once owned. Francisville has also evolved. There is new construction all around and more is coming.

Last year, Solanke considered selling the whole operation. Of course, any sale came with the condition that the new owners would continue his mission of providing a professional space for world talents as well as community space for locals.

“That was a tough one,” he says. “I was very concerned about turning it over to people who might run it down the drain.”

Rather than sell the venue, he’s rebuilding the business. The Arts Garage will continue as a high-quality home for musical talent but they’ll also present comedy, jazz and film nights. And rather than only serve finger foods and bottled beer, as they had been doing, the re-launched facility will feature a full menu and locally-produced craft beers on tap.

“We need to catch up with the direction that the neighborhood is going,” says Solanke, who recently completed Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses program through the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

Massive construction is underway at the club right now, including increasing the overall size, adding a new performance area, building a new kitchen and creating outdoor areas for dining and entertainment. The soft launch will occur in November. By next spring, all of the new elements will be in place.

I’m Back!

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discovering craft beer

A Baptist and a Brew One (anonymous) reader describes their discovery of craft beer.

If you have an interesting story about discovering craft beer, send it to us at discovery@beerscenemag.com.

There’s an old story told in some churches: “Jewish people don’t recognize the Christian’s Messiah. Protestants don’t recognize the authority of the Pope, and Baptists don’t recognize each other in the liquor store.” Nevertheless, in other Baptist circles, drinking is still frowned upon. As a Baptist minister and in the interest of self-preservation, I am writing about my discovering craft beer anonymously.

When I was growing up in Pittsburgh, PA, I think my father only drank the cheapest beer he could find. A few sips of whatever swill he had when I was in high school was enough to keep me at home when my peers would scoot down over the West Virginia state line on Friday nights after the football game to guzzle down some 3.2%. Skipping ahead six or eight years, I found the first beer I thought was worth drinking in a little dive bar near the end of the transit line where I’d wait to pick up my wife after work. The bar was safe because it was over the county line from where I lived.

Again, the idea of anonymity in the interest of self-preservation and continued employment was important to me.

Beck’s Dark was the first beer I drank that had flavor. Flavor!

What a great idea! Soon after that discovery, we moved about 600 miles away to an area of the country with more progressive ideas about alcohol and many other ideas as well.

In a nearby Irish bar, I had my first encounter with a Black and Tan (Guinness and Bass Ale). As I recall, the bar had several half and half specials. I began to realize that I preferred the Guinness more than the Bass and soon ordered the Black and Tan, sans tan.

In that neighborhood was also Wachusett Brewing Company; this was from where I had my first actual craft brew beer. Having been drawn to darker beers, I found their Nut Brown Ale and Milk Stout 40

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to be very attractive.

In the late 1990s, I moved to the Philadelphia metro area and was amazed at the comparative variety of good beer available. At that time, Monk’s and Eulogy were the highlights of beer culture and availability for me. It is really astounding how the beer culture has exploded in this area in the last 15 years. In New Jersey in those days, the only good beer bar I could find was in Mt. Holly—the High Street Grill. Now, the Pour House, The Irish Mile (with 60 taps), Keg & Kitchen and PJ Whelihan’s are all within a mile or so of one another.

In Philadelphia, there are multitudes of amazing craft beer bars everywhere, in every neighborhood in the city. A few of my favorites include Grace Tavern and Ten Stone. For a long time I was afraid to go into Khyber. Passing it one day, they had New Holland Dragon’s Milk on their sign. With Dragon’s Milk being my all-time favorite beer, I bravely entered and have been back several times since. Dragon’s Milk also tempted me into Barcade®, which has become one of my favorite beer bars. With 25 taps, they always have a wide variety of excellent beer from which to choose. My number one go-to place continues to be The Abbaye in Northern Liberties. With numerous taps, there’s always something good to drink. They have a super staff that is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.

Some of my (non-Baptist) friends think I’ve become a beer-snob. I respectfully disagree. There is just so much good beer being brewed these days, I just won’t waste my time and money to settle for mass-produced beer aspiring to the lowest common denominator.

tapping into technology

brewmasters

Raised In a Barn

A conversation with Spring House Brewing Co. founder Matt Keasey.

BY CHRIS MAUER

Home to the very first licensed brewery in the state of Pennsylvania (Stoudt’s), as well as fifteen other licensed, operating breweries/ brewpubs, Lancaster County is an ever-growing hub for craft beer.

Just fifteen minutes outside of the city of Lancaster, in Conestoga, sits a house and a barn, not only built the same year Eli Whitney’s cotton gin was patented, but built on a natural spring. That barn, that spring, they represent the heart of the brewing operation for Matt Keasey’s Spring House Brewing.

“The spring was the only source of water until the 1970s,” said Keasey. “While constructing the brewery, I was able to tap into the natural spring to supply the brewing water for the brewery; so all of our products are brewed with spring water.”

But what prompted this man, who came from a background in chemistry and pharmaceuticals, to essentially open up the doors of his home to the public? Where did the drive to start Spring House 42

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begin? Aside from hating his job, Keasey credits two particular instances with starting him down the road to brewery ownership. “I remember going to my first beer fest sometime around 1992. What really stood out to me was seeing Tom Kehoe and some burly lookin’ dude pouring Yards beers from a handpump cask. I thought that was the coolest thing ever and the beer that they were pouring was phenomenal. That was my first cask beer and I was blown away.”

He continued, “Then one day, I remember going in to the beer distributor and seeing a Victory Brewing Co. variety case sitting on the shelf. It was like it was glowing. I snatched that case up and never looked back; I had my first taste of Prima Pils and I was hooked.”

That initial experience started Matt down the road to homebrewing, where he jumped in head first, bypassing the use of extracts and going straight to the use of all grain. “My thought was that I wanted to make 100% my own beer. I was determined to make the best beer.” He quickly made the leap from a small first brew of brown ale to concocting 10 gallon-sized batches which may have been the most important decision in the evolution of Spring House, as it forced Keasey to move his operation outside, in turn leading to some…chilling…experiences. “I remember brewing an imperial

stout in one degree weather with a foot of ice and snow covering everything. Knockout never went so quick. I had to run a drain hose about forty feet off my heat exchanger from my front porch down to my basement drain. Huddled over the brew kettle for warmth.

Good times.”

The next step for Keasey involved completely engrossing himself in the brewing world as a volunteer at several breweries, following the brew master’s “like a lost puppy” and trying to learn as much as possible, as fast as possible, while also soaking up every bit of information he could from brewing textbooks. “When I started volunteering, I knew that someday, somehow, I was going to be running a brewery and I knew that the time that I was spending in the breweries was invaluable.”

So in 2006, when the time to open Spring House Brewing Co. was upon him, Keasey converted the 200-plus year-old barn that had been home to his personal brews into the heart of the Spring House operation. The doors of his home were more or less now open to the public, but Keasey said he really did not think too much about it, he was “…just so thrilled to be an operating brewery that it didn’t really matter to me. It wasn’t long until I began to notice that the space wasn’t really ideal for high volume retail. Parking became an issue and something needed to change. So I decided to open an

off-site brewpub.”

That off-site tap room in Lancaster serves all of the Spring House beers brewed at the Conestoga site, including a couple holdovers from Matt’s homebrewing recipes in the Seven Gates and Smoked Porter, as well as a selection of food for which Spring House proudly states, “All ingredients are sourced locally whenever possible. Many are from right next door at the Central Market House.”

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When asked about this choice to go local, Keasey stated that, “If it wasn’t for our local community our business would not exist.

It is very special to actually know the person who grew the fruits and vegetables that are being served on our menu. It is nice knowing that our establishment helps to strengthen our local food system and improves the local economy.”

In the vein of strengthening that local economy, when asked about any plans of expansion, Keasey did say that after adding two 50 bbl fermenters, amongst other equipment that doubled their capacity, Spring House has again reached their maximum but are looking for a new site to expand into and, of course, it will stay in the Lancaster area.

As for the brews themselves, Keasey said his concepts steer less towards any particular style and more towards melding multiple flavors and tastes together, “our recipes are constantly evolving as I try to perfect each and every recipe.” He and his brewers, after each batch, analyze the beer to figure out how, or even if, the recipe could be improved upon, which usually leads to some tweak here or there in every batch. This also means it’s highly unlikely two batches of the exact “same” brew will taste identical.

For Keasey, a big part of his fun comes from naming the different beers to see what their designer comes up with for the labels. When looking at some of the Spring House options (Braaaiins!, Blood

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Lust, and Big Gruesome, to name a few) you can see why Matt says that Spring House has a bit of a horror/monster/sci-fi theme to its selections. That theme continues with a brew that Keasey is extremely excited to begin brewing this year after producing for the first time in 2012: The Martians Kidnap Santa! Egg Nog Stout.

“We produced this beer for the first time last year and I am anxious to brew it again this year. We actually just brewed a batch for GABF. This is probably the most unique beer that I have brewed using a plethora of spices, oats, eggs, and other things that I’m not going to mention. We are also releasing a bourbon barrel and rum barrel-aged version this year. I’m not sure that any other brewery is making a beer like this.”

So with so many options available as a brewer, with control over what Spring House produces in each of its batches, the big question is whether or not there was a dream beer for Keasey, one that he hasn’t had the opportunity to start yet? “We are getting ready to brew a Belgian saison to be aged in Napa Red Zin barrels. The fun part is, I am going to ferment concord grapes with Brettanomyces in the barrels. We are then going to add fresh wort and Belgian saison yeast to the barrels and do 100% fermentation in the barrels. We will then most likely blend the aged beer together with other barrel aged beer.

Real exciting brewing going on!”

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It’s been a long and, at times, bumpy road.

But now more people than ever are able to enjoy Brooklyn beers all over the world.

Throughout the years, some of the friends we’ve made have risen to artistic fame. We could think of no better way to celebrate our 25th anniversar y than to partner with Fred Tomaselli, Roxy Paine, Joe Amrhein and Elizabeth Crawford, all of whom agreed to contribute ar t to grace the labels of a Silver Anniversar y Lager. Our celebrated Brewmaster Garrett Oliver crafted a double bock version of our first beer, Brooklyn Lager, to commemorate the anniversar y.

This third label features Roxy Paine’s piece, Ver tical Sequence. We’ll be rolling out the final label at the close of 2013. Cheers!

Steve Hindy, co-founder and president

The Brooklyn Brewer y 79 N 11th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249 U BrooklynBrewer y.com Facebook.com/TheBrooklynBrewery U @BrooklynBrewery U BrooklynBloggery.com

45

travel

Exploring Frederick, MD Maryland’s forgotten beer city.

Despite its relatively close proximity to Philadelphia, the small city of Frederick, Maryland, is often overlooked. Lost in the shadow of Baltimore and D.C.’s respectively blossoming craft beer scenes, it’s easy to see how it goes unnoticed. D.C. and Baltimore are two significantly larger cities, each home to some of the highest rated bars on the East Coast and some rising young breweries. With Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and D.C.’s museums and political history, they are abounding in tourism, providing a completely different feel than the neighboring Frederick.

Frederick is a small city, but with more of a small-town feel.

Just over two hours from Philadelphia, it is also a prime weekend getaway. Despite being overlooked as a beer destination, Frederick is probably a name quite familiar to most craft beer enthusiasts.

That is mostly thanks to Flying Dog Brewery, who relocated from Colorado to call Frederick home.

Easily the largest brewery in Frederick, Flying Dog also seems to be the heartbeat of the city. Walking around downtown you’ll see Flying Dog neons, tins, chalkboards and every other kind of signage, covering every business that sells beer. According to the Brewers Association, Flying Dog was the 29th largest brewery in 2012 (slightly smaller than Victory, to put it into perspective), so it’s understandable the pride that the city has in its

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brand. Obviously, no trip to Frederick is complete without a visit to the brewery.

Flying Dog is located in a large warehouse-type space that’s hard to miss and the décor is exactly what one would expect based on their creative packaging. The artwork (created by Ralph Steadman, who based it off the world of Hunter S. Thompson) adorns the walls of the public area of the brewery. In fact, one hallway is completely painted, portraying the story of Flying Dog from its days of merely being an idea, up until recent times, with their new home in Maryland. There are also a number of very ornate pieces, such as a throne and dog houses that seem to fit in quite perfectly, making you feel like you’re at the place depicted on their bottles.

There is no pub at Flying Dog but they do have a significantly large bar area with a bunch of brewery exclusives on tap to sample. There are typically some experimental cask brews as well, so you can see what new ideas they are playing with. The tour itself is extensive, lasting about 45 minutes and allows you to sample a specific beer (different each time) during each step of the process. You’ll start with a sample of fresh wort and end with a glass of the final product, all with a signature glass that comes with the tour.

However, there is a lot more to Frederick than Flying Dog. One brewery that is rapidly on the rise, and one of the newest breweries to market their product in Philadelphia, is Brewer’s Alley. Located right in the heart of downtown Frederick, Brewer’s Alley is the city’s first brewpub. It also happens to be located in the area’s original city hall, adding a lot of historic charm to the brewpub. The locals seem to hold

it near and dear as well, as it draws quite the crowd. It is definitely a must visit on your trip.

Just down the road from Brewer’s Alley is the home of their sister brewery, Monocacy. A new upstart brewery, they’ve kicked things off with an impressive flagship offering in their Riot Rye, a sessionable rye pale ale. Most of the brewing for Brewer’s Alley also takes place here at Monocacy. Tours are limited for now (only once a month), but it’s worth checking out the building that was previously home to an ice cream production facility. Also, right next door is the local homebrew shop, The Flying Barrel.

One of the most unique stops in Frederick is right outside of town. Up on a hill, mostly in the middle of nowhere, on a farm in Mt. Airy, MD, is Milkhouse Brewery. Started by Tom Barse, Milkhouse was Maryland’s first farm brewery. Farm breweries get a special type of license as they grow a certain percentage of their ingredients. Tom is currently growing hops for his beautiful farmhouse-style beers, as well as harvesting his own honey used in some styles. Only open on weekends, Milkhouse is a great stop on your way to Frederick. It’s an escape from reality sitting up on the hill, in the peaceful outdoors, sipping on some of Tom’s beers. The beers have a rustic quality fitting to the environment and conversation with Tom is certainly always interesting. Still a full-time farmer as well, the brewery is definitely a passion project for him and one which the area seems to have really grasped onto. Milkhouse should definitely be at the top of your list of destinations if traveling in this direction. While you’re in the farmland, you can also stop by the recently opened nano-brewery, Frey’s Brewing Company, for a growler or two.

If that’s not enough to keep you busy, Frederick also has another brewpub, Barley & Hops Grill, not far from Flying Dog. There are also a number of great bars and restaurants to experience such as JoJo’s Taphouse, Firestone’s, Bushwaller’s and Shab Row. There are also bars at both of Top Chef contestant Bryan Voltaggio’s restaurants, VOLT and Family Meal. Family Meal is more on the casual side while VOLT is upscale dining, but the food is great at both and is certainly worth checking out.

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49

spirits

Reviving Farm Distilling Tuthilltown’s unique apple twist on traditional spirits.

Prior to 1919, in New York State it was common for distillers to have their home on a farm. In fact, over 1,000 farm distillers were in existence prior to that time, best known for kicking off Prohibition.

In 1933, Prohibition came to an end, but the resurgence of legal farm distillers happened nowhere near this time. This movement did not see a revival until 2003, when two gentlemen, Ralph Erenzo and Brian Lee, started a distillery in the Hudson Valley.

Appropriately located within the 220 year-old flour mill, Tuthilltown Gristmill, Tuthilltown produced the first legally distilled and grain aged spirits created in the state of New York following Prohibition. Using locally sourced ingredients from farms within 10 miles of the distillery, Tuthilltown launched their distillery with vodka distilled from apple scraps from a nearby apple slicing plant. They also launched New York’s first bourbon, Hudson Baby Bourbon, using 100% New York corn.

It is their apple distilled products, however, that stand out in ingenuity, taking a fresh approach to typically stale methods.

Tuthilltown has two apple distilled products: Indigenous Vodka and Half Moon Orchard Gin. Just to ensure it’s clear, these are apple distilled spirits, not apple flavored, so those for hoping for a Three Olives-type experience with a local flair—these certainly are not the products for you.

Almost reminiscent of a fruit brandy or Schnapps, their Indigenous Vodka truly sets itself apart from your typical grain distilled vodkas flooding the shelves of bars and liquor stores. Triple distilled from a locally pressed cider, each bottle contains the spirit of up to 80 apples. By no means does this vodka taste like apple juice, but the apples certainly add a whole new depth of character and flavor, something most premium vodkas are without. Cider characters can be picked up on the nose and in the finish, making this vodka one to be enjoyed straight, requiring no cranberry juice for flavor. This is not to say that Indigenous won’t add a unique depth of character to your favorite vodka cocktail. But unless you’re a fan of applescented green olives, dirty martinis may be better left for your more traditional vodkas.

Half Moon Orchard Gin is Tuthilltown’s other apple distilled offering. Unlike their vodka though, Half Orchard is a blend of apples and wheat. The apple is less apparent in flavor and aroma, but helps round out the overall feel of the gin. The apples, along with their very particular selection of botanicals, which include elderberry, coriander, cardamom, juniper, bitter orange and lemon peels, and almonds, amongst others, make Half Moon a very approachable and drinkable gin without any sacrificed flavor. Straight up as a martini or commonly mixed with tonic or blended into a signature cocktail, Half Orchard stands up to any use you may have for it.

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51

local wine

The Mondavi of New Jersey Amalthea Cellars is helping New Jersey become the East Coast Napa Valley.

BY KEITH WALLACE

1976 was a big year for two young men, even if they didn’t know it at the time. The first was George Taber, a reporter who was covering a wine judging event in France.

The second was Louis Caracciolo, who planted a vineyard in New Jersey. For Taber, the moment ignited a series of events which changed the wine industry on a global scale. For Caracciolo, a strikingly similar series of events are just beginning to unfold.

That wine event in France, The Judgment of Paris, is recognized as a historic moment 52

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for the American wine trade. In that tasting, California wines outperformed many of France’s greatest for the first time. Taber’s subsequent article in TIME Magazine forced the world to take notice.

More importantly, it prompted millions of people to start buying California wines instead of French ones.

A new “Judgment” started to unfold when George Taber and Louis Caracciolo met in 2008, at Louis’ Amalthea Cellars winery in Atco, New Jersey. Taber was

there promoting his most recent book on wine, To Cork or Not to Cork; he was impressed with the Amalthea wines, and soon after, became an advocate for quality winemaking in New Jersey.

“I distinctly remember my impression of Louis because I jokingly told him that his philosophy seemed to be “back to the future,” recounts Taber. “Over lunch he described his wine background going back to his grandfather making wine in the cellar, but also more recent connections

in France. He was much more traditional than most American winemakers. He had spent lots of time in Europe talking with wine people and wanted to follow their traditional techniques. He wanted to make old-style European wines in New Jersey.”

The media began to take notice, too.

First came a National Public Radio feature entitled Judgment of Rittenhouse, which was hosted at my wine school in 2012.

Then came the Judgment of Princeton which was held at Princeton University

during a conference of the American Association of Wine Economists. The former was a strictly regional broadcast, but the latter turned into an international story. In 2013, the New York Times published an article entitled “How New Jersey Could Make Itself the Next Napa.” Then came another national NPR feature.

In every national and regional article, Caracciolo is prominently featured. As Adam Davidson wrote in the New York Times, “Caracciolo, who refers to himself as Johnny Grapeseed, has spent a considerable amount of time promoting the notion that New Jersey may yet become an internationally recognized wine capital.”

“He is the Mondavi of New Jersey,” is how one sommelier in Philadelphia put it. “His blue eyes are electric. He captures people. He has an undeniable charisma.”

I spent an afternoon last summer interviewing his staff at Amalthea Cellars.

There was a remarkable unity in how they described their boss. “Father figure” was the term most bandied about, along with descriptions of the winery as a tight-knit family. When asked about their first memory of him, his staffers recalled him as an imposing figure moving behind the scenes. When asked how they thought of him now, many of them referred to him as a “creative genius.”

His staff also firmly believes that Amalthea is a very unique winery, separate from all other nearby wineries. In my interviews with other New Jersey winemakers, they are not alone in that belief. “Louis is quite a character,” said an owner of another winery. “Most of us also know to take Lou with a grain of salt. All in all, we all know Lou has a shoot for the moon type of approach when it comes to promoting his wines... which can be damaging.”

Louis Caracciolo is one of the most intriguing winemakers I have interviewed.

Winemakers will spend hours talking about how they make wine, if you let them. It’s often not as fun as it would seem, since such conversations often revolve around pH levels and logistics and substrates. That is not the case with Louis.

With Louis, the conversation remains steadfastly about the poetics of fermentation, with the occasional fork into winemaking in colonial America. His ideas are entwined in a complex philosophy, shot rapid fire. After I pose a few probing questions about his winemaking, he makes it clear he prefers the mystery of wine over the science of fermentation.

“The First Wave was an archaic process,” he says, “it was magic until Louis Pasteur started giving us theories of fermentation and microscopic bacteria. I announced the Third Wave, or what I call the Archaic Revival.” Even how he names his wines is highly idiosyncratic, in that his reserve line of wines all reference the most famous of Bordeaux chateaus on their labels, including Margaux, Petrus, and Latour. His ideas on wine come from some place other than the usual books.

I won’t claim to understand Louis, he is the philosopher king of Jersey wine.

One thing is for sure, if people start drinking New Jersey wines, he will become a legend, too.

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Beer & Cheese A NATURAL PAIRING.

BY PEGGY PAUL

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F

ALISON DUNLAP

or decades, we’ve been told that wine and cheese are the “it” couple of the culinary world. But in the last few years, as small-batch artisanal cheesemaking has swooped in on the heels of America’s craft brew movement, it’s become clear that beer and cheese make quite the natural pairing. From intricate production processes and wide ranges of earthy, complex flavors and textures, to histories spanning thousands of years, beers and cheeses share many common attributes that have long been overlooked…until now.

At the most basic level, beer and cheese begin with the same thing: grass. The barley used in beer brewing is a cereal grass, and the milk used in cheesemaking is a by-product of cows, goats, or sheep eating grass and

grains. As a result, both products complement each other with similar flavors and aromas—think nutty, tangy, floral, and earthy—and they can both offer textures that are either sharp and dry or smooth and creamy. Furthermore, both bitter and sweet beers play off the inherent saltiness of cheese, and beer’s effervescence cuts through rich, tongue-coating cheeses, bringing out many of the nuances that would otherwise be lost. “The effervescence in beer cleanses your palate in a way that wine (especially red wine) does not,” says Tenaya Darlington, cheese blogger and author of Di Bruno Bros. House of Cheese. “[And] beer is more forgiving. For the same price or less, you can pick up a mix-a-six and a nice hunk of Cheddar, and you get six tries to find a beer pairing that works.”

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f course, far before “pairings” entered the culinary lexicon, beer and cheese were consumed together as simple foodstuffs for thousands of years, usually made to preserve excess milk and storage grains. “You can’t talk about cheese and beer without talking about history,” says Franklin Winslow, the Quality Assurance Director at Yards Brewing Company.

“Those two different foods have evolved together for so long that their flavors hinge upon each other.”

A LONG AND TANGLED HISTORY Up to 10,000 years ago, around the same time that Neolithic civilizations invented the wheel and settled down to form farming communities, they made two startling discoveries: milk curdled when stored in a sack made of animal stomach, and fruits and grains left in covered containers created alcohol. It wasn’t long before they learned how to harness the natural fermentation processes, and eventually cheese, beer, and wine production became important mainstays of early civilization.

Cheese preserved animal milk, making it portable and easier to digest, and before proper sewage systems and reliable water supplies, beer and wine were consumed as safer, more nutritious (and much more exciting) alternatives.

From their humble beginnings to ancient Egyptian times, beer, wine, and cheese held equal status, but in the eras of the Greek and Roman Empires, wine veered off and began its ascent up the social ladder.

Ancient Egyptians brewed beer in mass quantities for all socioeconomic classes, placing it in tombs along with wine and cheese, and associating it with the gods Osiris and Isis—an honor bestowed on few other foods. As time went on, however, people likely began to notice that wine 56

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had fewer nutrients and more alcohol content than beer, and when Egypt was succeeded by the Greeks and Romans, wine became known as an indulgence of the wealthy ruling classes, while beer and cheese maintained their reputations as simple foodstuffs.

The histories of all three foods remained relatively unchanged in the Middle Ages, when European monasteries supplied the merchant and noble classes with wine and produced beer and cheese to help feed the poor. Of course by this point, beer and cheese had developed a strong relationship as traditional farmhouse products. Farmers would often make cheese when they had an abundance of milk, and brew beer during the winter when they couldn’t farm.

Hearty “ploughman’s” lunches—common in farmers’ diets and present on most medieval pub menus across Europe—consisted of little more than beer, cheese, and cold meat or pickled vegetables.

When the first European settlers moved to America in the 1500s, they were much more successful with beer and cheese production than with wine. Native American grapes were prolific, but their flavors were unfamiliar, and while winemakers grappled with the gnarly vines, cheesemakers and brewers adapted their time-worn techniques to the terroir—the unique environmental factors—of their new home. By the late 1700s, New England was known for its English-style Cheddars, New Yorkers churned out traditional Goudas, and the German and Swiss settlers of the Midwest were busy crafting Limburgers and semifirm Alpine cheeses. Early settlers brought their beer brewing techniques with them, too, and in 1632, the first brewery was established by Peter Minuit in lower Manhattan.

In the early-to mid-twentieth century, as the Industrial Revolution swept America, followed closely by World War I and the Great Depression, American beer and cheese broke away from their European roots and struggled to find their own identities. The Industrial Revolution pushed

artisanal cheesemaking operations out of the market in the early 1900s, and cheaper, mass-produced styles gained popularity.

German beers took a hit during World War I and then prohibition caused a nearly 15-year hiatus in American beermaking.

In the 1930s, to save money during the Great Depression, brewers were forced to reduce the aging process and use corn and rice instead of barley malt, producing the beginnings of the cheap, mass-produced American lager we know today. For those who enjoyed (and could still afford) the finer things, artisanal cheeses and expensive wines were imported from Europe, and they likely appeared together as posh after-dinner pairings in up-scale restaurants and homes.

It wasn’t until the end of the twentieth century that artisanal food production—similar to the traditions of early settlers—made a comeback in the United States. Sick of the pale, fizzy lager beers that saturated the marketplace nationwide, beer lovers began to craft higher-quality brews at home, and in 1976, the first microbrewery was established in Sonoma, California, spurning a true renaissance of American craft brewing. Around the same time, smallscale cheesemakers in California, Texas, Washington State, and other regions across the country perfected their craft and began to sell their products to the general public.

In the late 1990s, the Slow Food movement took root in the United States, and to this day, Slow Food members continue to advocate for traditional and hand-made foods, promoting local fare and championing the farm-to-table philosophy.

Thanks to Slow Food and the artisanal food movement, which have made local, traditionally-made foods “hip” again, restaurants nationwide now boast artisanal cheese plates and entire lists of locally-made wines and beers. And though wine is still seen as the more sophisticated option—and remains the go-to companion for cheese plates in many posh establishments—craft beer is steadily regaining its position as a cheese’s natural mate. “There’s

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1 The cheesemaking process begins when a starter or bacterial culture is added to fresh milk, which converts the milk sugar (lactose) into lactic acid and transforms the milk into solid curds and liquid whey.

2 Rennet (a complex of enzymes that are produced naturally in mammalian stomachs) is then added to the curds and whey, finishing the coagulation and forming one huge curd.

3 When it reaches the desired consistency, the curd is cut into uniform pieces, sized according to the type of cheese being made. (The smaller the curds, the harder and drier the cheese will be.) The curds are drained of their whey, and then they are heated—or not, depending on the cheese type—in order to tighten the cheeses’ protein network, firm the texture, and expel more whey.

an absolute renaissance going on in both the beer and cheese industries here in America,” says Bill Covaleski, Brewmaster and President of Victory Brewing Company. “When Victory opened in 1996, there were less than 1,100 breweries in the US, and now we’re approaching 2,600—and cheesemaking in the US has followed a similar trajectory. These days, there’s always something new and interesting, and we’ve really trained people as producers to put a priority on the inherent values and attributes that local products can bring to the table.”

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PROCESS To understand the deep connection between beer and cheese, you’ve got to understand the processes by which both are made. The quality of a beer depends greatly on the barley, water, hops, and 58

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yeast that are used to make it, and different brewing techniques create a wide range of styles, from mild, floral pilsners to rich, chocolaty porters. Similarly, the quality of a cheese depends greatly on the milk and bacteria used to make it, and different crafting techniques create a wide range of different types, from crystal-flecked aged Cheddars to oozing bloomy-rind Bries.

Unlike winemaking, which requires little more than grapes, pressure, and time, beer and cheese making are more creative pursuits, involving numerous ingredients and essential steps, and responding well to the additions of spices, herbs, and other flavorings. As Garrett Oliver proclaims in The Brewmaster’s Table, “a brewmaster is more like a chef than he is like a winemaker.”

THE BASICS OF CHEESE AND BEER PRODUCTION:

4 They are then salted and turned into molds (or vice versa): the salt seasons and preserves the cheese, reduces its moisture content, and helps impede bacterial growth.

5 Once the cheeses are molded, they are pressed to extract more whey and set aside to ripen in a closely monitored temperature-controlled room, which is kept to around 50°F with consistent humidity (higher humidity for softer cheeses; lower humidity for harder cheeses).

It is during this time that the magic happens—flavors, textures, aromas, and characters are developed, bluing occurs in blueveined cheeses; “eyes” appear in certain Alpine cheeses; and the rinds develop, either naturally or with assistance, as with washed-rind cheeses. The ripening process can take from a few days to several years, with longer ripening times producing drier, more intense cheeses.

Much like cheesemakers, brewers alter the physical and chemical properties of a raw material (barley) and then use specific yeasts and recipes to transform the resulting substance (wort) into a completely new, delicious thing (beer).The beer brewing process begins by sprouting and kiln-drying grains (usually barley) to make the malt. The malt is then steeped in hot water, where the starches are converted into a sweet liquid called wort. The wort is then collected and boiled with hops (and often other spices and flavorings) to counteract its sweetness and impart flavor, aroma, and bitterness. The hopped wort is then chilled, strained, and transferred to a temperature-controlled fermentation vessel where yeast is added to convert the sugars to CO2 and alcohol. When the yeast has worked its magic and the beer reaches the desired gravity (sugar content), the beer is cooled and aged, during which time the flavors become more refined and more yeast and protein fall to the bottom of the tank. Before bottling, some brewers add more hops and steep them in the beer to add a touch more bitterness and another layer of flavor. The bottled beer is then aged (anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the type) to achieve natural carbonation.

[ THE BASICS OF CHEESE PRODUCTION ]

A NOTE ON BEERWASHED CHEESES: Since craft beer and artisanal cheese have so much in common, it should come as no surprise that in the last few years many small-batch cheesemakers have been collaborating with local craft breweries to produce beer-washed cheeses. To be clear, this doesn’t mean that IPAs result in intensely bitter cheeses or that imperial stouts add wafts of cocoa and coffee.

Instead, when cheeses are brushed with beer as they age, different beers encourage different levels of bacteria growth that give the cheeses a range of strong, pungent aromas and creamy, earthy, sometimes even beefy flavors. “The yeasts [in beer] 59

are really important in breaking the curd down [in cheese] and accentuating the aging process,” says Sue Miller of Birchrun Hills Farm of Chester Springs, who collaborates with nearby Tired Hands Brewing Company on a biscuit-sized, washed-rind cheese called Red Cat. “The whole thing is to transform the cheese into something really different. In our latest incarnation [of Red Cat]—which is made with Tired Hands’ Guillemont beer—they actually brewed special batches just for us.”

When pairing beer-washed cheeses with beer, try brews that can stand up to robust flavors (like Belgian Dubbels, bock beers, and brown ales) or simply pair the cheese with the beer with which it was washed.

Catherine Renzi of Yellow Springs Farm in Chester County washes one of her aged goat cheeses—Yellow Brick Road—in a mixture of Victory Brewing Company’s HopDevil IPA and Storm King Stout. “It’s really interesting to pair [Yellow Brick Road] with both HopDevil and Storm King and taste the cheese twice,” says Renzi. “The different flavors of the beer come out more clearly when your palate has the reference note, so it really creates two different experiences.”

Other local beer-washed cheeses to try: • Red Cat (Birchrun Hills Farm) • Bathed in Victory (Doe Run Farm) • Taleginator and Tommenator (Keswick Creamery) • Cowtipper (Calkins Creamery)

BEER + CHEESE = MAGIC By now we’ve established that craft beer and artisanal cheese have a lot in common—they are farmstead products that have been crafted side-by-side for thousands of years, they both begin with grasses and grains and rely on natural fermentation, and the processes by which they are created are culinary in nature, re60

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sulting in wide varieties of aromas, flavors, and textures. But it isn’t just the similarities that make these two fermented foods a natural pairing. While cheese is earthy and pungent, usually with a creamy finish that coats the tongue and overwhelms other libations, beer offers carbonation, bitterness, and roasted flavors that can handle and play off of the richness and creaminess of most cheeses.

“Beer is a palate cleanser, and it isn’t a dominant partner,” says Bill Covaleski. “If you’re trying to discern the taste of multiple cheeses, I would say that beer has an advantage over wine because it adds a scrubbing effect that lifts the fat of the cheese and gets you ready for the next bite. And beer typically has lower alcohol by volume [than wine], and the lower strength allows you to put a little more volume into your body while you’re enjoying the cheese.”

Of course, beer is also (generally) inexpensive, which works in its favor, and especially in the Philadelphia area, where more and more craft breweries and artisanal cheesemakers are popping up each year, the variety of beers and cheeses to choose from is nothing short of exhilarating. In the last few years, Rolling Barrel Events, a Phillybased event planning firm, has responded to a growing interest in beer and cheese.

“We can usually offer a much wider array of options for beer and cheese pairings (as opposed to wine and cheese) because our regional beer scene is so diverse,” says Corey Krejcik, Rolling Barrel’s founder. “We’re like kids in a candy shop. Only we’re all over 21 and the candy is replaced with amazing craft beer and artisan cheeses.”

SO HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT PAIRING BEER AND CHEESE? The most important thing to remember when staging a beer and cheese pairing

is that there are no concrete rules—only suggestions. In general, bubbly, effervescent beers play well with rich, creamy cheeses; light-bodied beers complement milder, brighter-flavored cheeses; and complex beers stand up to cheeses with robust, multifaceted characters. Cheese tends to be best at room temperature, and raw-milk cheeses, made with unpasteurized milk, display fuller, richer flavors than their muted, pasteurized counterparts. Beyond that, the order in which you choose your pairings—whether you pick a cheese first and then find a beer to accompany it or vice versa—is totally up to you.

“The perfect pairing should naturally play with each other,” says Sande Friedman, who runs Tria Café’s cheese program and fermentation school in Philadelphia. “Start with what you’re really excited about— whether it’s the beer or the cheese—and then pair with that. You want something that is perfect as you’re having it but that also leaves you ready for your next bite.

If one thing is really rich or really dry, the other thing should balance that out.”

Pairings are also great opportunities for trying new things. Pick up a mixed six pack of craft beers and a few local hunks from your friendly cheesemonger, and you’ll be amazed by the number of delicious and surprising flavor combinations you discover (that is, if you slow down enough to savor each bite and sip).

BUILDING YOUR VOCABULARY The best part about a good (or bad) pairing can often be the conversations it inspires.

Makeshift adjectives whiz through the air—potato-chippy! Footy! Bitey!—and heated debates form around different sensory perceptions. Just about everyone can physically ingest cheese and beer, and ex-

perience the sensations of various flavors, but not everyone is adept at articulating those sensory impressions in words that someone else will understand.

Here are some common descriptors to use at your next beer and cheese pairing:

Though pairing is hugely subjective, and therefore is far from an exact science, a solid set of guidelines can help steer you in the direction of a satisfying match. Based The Brewmaster’s Table, by Garrett Oliver (perhaps the most famous of all current beer connoisseurs), here are four loose guidelines for beer-cheese pairings: lighter beers with younger or fresh cheeses; malty beers with nutty, aged cheeses; bitter, hoppy beers with tart, sharp cheeses; and strong, sweet beers with blue cheeses.

[ CLASSIC BEER AND CHEESE PAIRINGS ] [ COMMON DESCRIPTORS ] LIGHTER BEERS WITH YOUNGER OR FRESH CHEESES BEER BANANA-LIKE • BEEFY • BITTER • BITEY • BRACING • BREADY • BROTHY • BUTTERSCOTCHY • BUTTERY • CARAMELY • CHOCOLATY • CITRUSY • CLOVE-LIKE • COFFEEISH • EARTHY • FLORAL • FRUITY • GRASSY • HERBAL • HOPPY • JAMMY • JUICY • MALTY • METALLIC • MILKY • NUTTY • RAISINY • SMOKY • SWEET • TANGY • TOASTY • WARM • WOODSY • ZINGY • ZIPPY

CHEESE BARNYARDY • BEEFY • BITEY • BRACING • BROTHY • BUCKY • BUTTERSCOTCHY • BUTTERY • CAVEY • CHLORINE-Y • CITRUSY, DAMP • FRUITY • GOATY • GRASSY • HAY-LIKE • HERBAL • HOT • INTENSE • LARDY • LEADY • LEATHERY • LUSCIOUS • METALLIC • MILKY • MUSHROOMY • MUTTONY / LANOLINY • NUTTY • OAKY • ONIONY • PEPPERY • MUSKY • PINEY • PIQUANT • PRICKLY • RUBBERY • SALTY • SHARP • SOAPY • SOIL-LIKE • STONY • SWEET • TANGY • TOASTY • VEGETAL • WET DOG-LIKE • WOODSY • WOOLLY • ZINGY • ZIPPY

Try fresh goat cheese (chevre), Robiola, or feta with wheat beers; mascarpone with fruit beers; and brie with saisons. “I love chevre and hefeweizen together,” says Sande Friedman. “The tang of the cheese cuts through the wheatiness of the beer and creates a really nice sensation in your mouth.”

MALTY BEERS WITH NUTTY, AGED CHEESE Try gruyere with bock beers; Swiss cheese with Oktoberfest beers; and Asiago or Romano cheeses with brown ale. (Gouda, with its mild characters, bucks the trend and goes well with everything from pale ales to rich, dark stouts.)

HOPPY BEERS WITH TART, SHARP CHEESES Try Cheddar with IPAs and Parmesans with Imperial Red Ales or Amber Ales.

According to Franklin Winslow, “Cheddar with IPA is a classic pairing because of the chemistry behind it and the sensory aspects. The cheddar has lots of salt and fat—the salt to cut the bitterness and the fat to coat the tongue and protect it from some of the harsher characters in the IPA—but then at the same time, the IPA has the stronger hop characters and the effervescence to lift those things away. They limit each other and therefore bring out more interesting flavors.”

STRONG, SWEET BEERS WITH BLUE CHEESES Try Stilton with Barley Wines; Roquefort with strong Belgian Ales; and Gorgonzola with creamy Stouts. “To me, a perfect winter dessert consists of a bottle of really good coffee or chocolate or oyster stout and a few hunks of really good domestic blue (like Point Reyes Original) and a golden hunk of Beemster or L’Amuse Gouda,” says Tenaya Darlington. “I love a pairing that pulls you in two directions—sweet and salty.”

The number of exciting beer-cheese pairings increases almost daily, as the supply of local craft brews and artisanal cheeses grows and diversifies more and more each year. Since the two products share similar roots, their flavors make sense together— it’s just natural. So grab yourself a variety pack of local craft brews, pick out two or three different styles of cheese from your local cheese counter, and invite a few friends over to play matchmaker. What you find—and the resulting conversations— might just change everything.

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THE

P OWER PO OF THE

BY WILLIAM PUMPHREY

ALISON DUNLAP

BEER REVIEW

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO BEER REVIEWS ACTUALLY HAVE ON YOUR BEER BUYING CHOICES? DO THEY CHANGE HOW YOU PERCEIVE OR ENJOY WHAT YOU’RE DRINKING? WILL PUMPHREY TAKES A DEEPER LOOK INTO THE POWER THAT BEER REVIEWS HOLD.

I

It is in our nature to have opinions. We form opinions about almost everything we come into contact with, every minute of the day. We have opinions about people, clothes, politics, sports, food, and of course, beer.

Since widespread access to the Internet become ubiquitous to our culture, anyone with the basic computer skills and the ability to create a username on a website has been given a forum to voice their opinions, warranted or not.

BY CAROLYN SMAGALSKI Unfortunately, there are no checks for credibility, knowledge, or experience.

More importantly, posting on many websites comes with a level of anonymity where no one reading your review knows for sure whether you are an aficionado on the subject or someone on a soapbox, looking to have your opinion heard. That is not to so say that one doesn’t have to have a passion for beer and is not to discount what reviewers have written, but with no governing body to hold reviewers accountable and no way to regulate the conditions for beer tasting, we are relying on the reviewers themselves to adhere to an abstract set of rules.

to bash because they cannot get it. Once these opinions are thought-out, formulated, and posted on the Internet, they become beer reviews. There are many avenues available for beer reviews, with the two most popular sites being RateBeer. com and BeerAdvocate.com. These sites have offered an outlet for beer enthusiasts to discuss, trade, debate, and review beers for quite some time. The basics for membership are simple—login and spout off. You can create a profile if you’d like, adding a picture, and creating an assumed name. All of this with the intention of participating in what we affectionately call the “beer world.”

TO KNOW A WOMAN

When it comes to opinions on beer, a number of sites and applications have come along, allowing one to voice their opinion on any brew they’ve tried. Or, in the rare case, haven’t tried and decide

the experience and truly savor the beer.

“Superspak” says reviewing beers “helps to expand my palate.” He also credits his beer reviewing to exposing him to styles he normally wouldn’t appreciate, such as Kölsch or Helles. “Reidrover,” a BeerAdvocate member with over 1,450 reviews of beers says that, “For me, it’s just the enjoyment. I feel I can understand and savor a beer more if I take time to write or type my feelings on it. It enhances the experience for me.” Another reviewer, who corresponded via email begrudgingly and requesting anonymity, admitted that he does like the attention that he sometimes will get from a brewery or rep. He states that, “someone has to hold brewers accountable.”

Ian Poush, a former beer reviewer, has decided to opt out of commenting on beers via the Internet. He, along with others interviewed, say they have “outgrown” the beer review sites. “BA and RateBeer were great when I didn’t really understand beer. I’d read a review and

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A BEER JUDGE, BUT NO ONE ACTUALLY WANTS TO DO THE LEGWORK TO BE ONE, SO THE INTERNET GIVES THEM AMPLE, ANONYMOUS SPACE AND FREE TIME TO BE SOMETHING THEY CLEARLY AREN’T. What happens if you were to ask the loyal followers and reviewers of these sites about their intentions on why they review beers? To truly understand why people review beers, a thread was started on BeerAdvocate simply titled “Why do you review beers?” Many of the contributors stated the experience of sitting down and drinking a beer, with the intention of writing a review makes one savor

see if I could get the same experience that someone else was getting. I’d jump on and read a ton of reviews, looking for one to stand out. When one did, I’d try to find that beer,” says Poush. “Now, I know what I like and am comfortable with different styles. A lot of that, I learned from BA and RateBeer, but now, I just use the sites more for the ratings on something I’m not familiar with.”

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[ OUR FAVORITE REVIEWS ] L u s c i o u s , w o o d y, f i l m y, o f f - w h i t e h e a d . Cr e a m y, c r u n c h y, A p p l e n o s e !

-McNeill R.

Sort of like how if you use every color crayon in the box, you end up with brown.

This beer is brown.

-B i l l T .

The BEST American Wh e a t b e e r I ’ v e e v e r had, and it’s not American!

-We s W.

S m e l l s l i k e i t s h o u l d n’ t be consumed.

Ta s t e s l i k e p o i s o n .

-B e n H .

Po u r s a d e e p yellow brown with little head.

Aromas of cow urine.

L i g h t b i s c u i t f l a v o r.

-T h o m B .

A r o m a c h e e s e , s u l f u r, l i g h t p e a r, s u g a r y. C l e a r g o l d e n c o l o u r. In s t a n t l y d i s a p p e a r i n g h e a d . Ta s t e i s w a s t e . My e y e s a r e actually stinging.

-Mark K.

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“NOT TO SAY THERE ARE NOT EDUCATED BEER REVIEWERS OUT THERE, BUT THERE ARE MORE UNEDUCATED ONES THEN THERE ARE EDUCATED ONES.” Justin Bost of Keystone Homebrew admittedly doesn’t write reviews on any of the sites. He does, however, have a passion for all things beer. Justin doesn’t write reviews because he states that there are actual biological reasons on why beer tastes different to different people. “I can’t identify diacetyl in a beer. You may taste it and say, it’s infected. But biologically, I can’t taste it. “

interpret what a brewer was trying to achieve. That’s not to say there are not educated beer reviewers out there, but there are more uneducated ones then there are educated ones.”

He continues, “On top of that, you have the ‘I don’t like wheat beers, so I tried this beer and still don’t like wheat beers,’ and they go on to give the beer a bad review or score because of their A valid point, this raises the issue own ignorance and tastes, which of biological impact and personal is completely ridiculous. Or, take preference. It is entirely possible it a step further and look at how for two people to taste the same many people review every double beer and have a different experi- IPA or Imperial Stout and give it ence. Is it possible to take all of the a high score because those are the contributing factors into account cool and sexy craft beer styles that when reading a review? Did the everyone should know, yet they reviewer eat something while can’t pull their heads out of their tasting the beer? Did the reviewer asses long enough to truly know smoke before? How long had the a classic pilsner and evaluate that beer been sitting? All these things based on the style, not the pilsnerwould dictate a difference in a beer. stereotype that you’ve had embedded in their head and clearly don’t One professional brewer inter- know anything about.” viewed who was willing to talk (albeit, anonymously), in regards This was clearly shown in a strange to his own beers being reviewed pair of reviews of the Yards says, “Everybody wants to be a Brewing Company’s Philly Pale beer judge, but no one actually Ale. Both have flattering things to wants to do the legwork to be one, say about the local brewery staple. so the Internet gives them ample, But, did the accessibility of this anonymous space and free time to beer and it’s sessionable ABV lead be something they clearly aren’t. to lower scores and less detailed Everybody’s a brewer because reviews than one of the “whales” they’ve ‘brewed at home before.’ so many of us are after?

Combine this with the fact that a lot of people that spend absolutely Here are the reviews, both taken too much time on these sites are from BeerAdvocate. telepaths and can read, know, and

REVIEW 1: “Some tropical fruit tastes are the star of the show even though their (sic) subtle. Has a pleasant sweetness on the tip of the tongue. Finishes with a mild, floral hop presense (sic) that pairs well with the fruit flavors in the beer. Tastes are all very mild though. The drinkability is quite amazing. Super smooth, super clean, good carbonation and light in body. Would be good as a mild summer session beer.”

REVIEW 2: “Nice, cloudy, gold color with a great foamy head. Nice and bitter aroma with some citrusy/piney notes. Slightly bitter and fruity notes. Crisp and refreshing with some good, light maltiness. Crisp and drinkable beer. Does not overwhelm the palate and really easy to drink.”

The first review describes the flavor, mentioning tropical fruits, referencing the super clean and smooth finish. It would appear from the review that this would

THE WORLD OF BEER REVIEWS IS BASED UPON A LARGE NUMBER OF MOSTLY ANONYMOUS PEOPLE WITH CLEVER INTERNET NICKNAMES MAINLY CRITICIZING YOUR WORK. be a favorite of the writer. However, he scored the beer a 2 out of a possible 5 on BeerAdvocate. The second review is straightforward. It’s direct and to the point. While it does mention citrusy and piney notes, the superlatives are not present. Nothing in this review would allude to you that this is a 3.7 out of 5 review.

“Passion” is a word used in and around the beer world almost as often as the words “hop” or “malts.” The response about beer reviews from brewers could only be classified as passionate. The

world of beer reviews is based upon a large number of mostly anonymous people with clever Internet nicknames mainly criticizing your work. When asked for quotes about beer reviews from a local brewer, the response was, “Unfortunately, I am not going to touch that one with a ten foot pole.” Numerous others who were asked to comment echoed his concerns. “I really wish I could say something. I have my opinions, but I doubt they would be popular,” said another. Another stated, “I don’t think any good could come from me commenting. Sorry.”

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While broaching the subject of online beer reviews with professional brewers, there wasn’t much willingness. Many chose not to talk at all and those who will sometimes have quite the restrictions to remain discreet: “I’ll talk to you in person, but no names and no recording

“I’M UP AGAINST FACELESS, NAMELESS PEOPLE WHO HAVE INPUT INTO WHAT I’M DOING. SURE, I READ THEIR REVIEWS, BUT MOSTLY JUST TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING.”

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devices. This has to be anonymous.” In regards to the anonymity, the response was simple, “I’m up against faceless, nameless people who have input into what I’m doing. Sure, I read their reviews, but mostly just to see what people are saying. I can’t take any of it to heart.

That’s a battle I can’t win, so why fight it?”

His answers were not salacious. Actually, he recognizes the benefit of review sites and how it can help to propel a beer’s perception into the forefront.

When asked if a beer review had ever influenced the brewing of a beer, one brewer commented, “In all honesty I don’t read [reviews] at all. Occasionally in the past, people have forwarded me reviews of our beer, for whatever reasons, almost exclusively the negative ones.

While I’d rather read good things than bad, I really have never put any stock into what is written on these sites. I most certainly know what’s going on with our beer(s), at any given time, particular batches, new seasonals, etc., and I would never let any reviews affect how we brew beer. In my opinion, our tastes and palates should be the only reason we brew a particular beer or in a particular way. I’m not trying to climb up on a high horse or anything, and certainly we sometimes do take market or image into account when designing a new beer, but I feel that trying to please everyone, or really anyone else, is a mistake.”

Is there a need for beer reviews?

While most brewers scoffed at the idea posed by a reviewer who felt it was his

IF WE, THE CONSUMER, ARE ONLY USING BEER REVIEWS TO HELP MAKE PURCHASES, WE ARE NOT ONLY DOING A DISSERVICE TO THE BREWER, BUT TO THE BEER REVIEWER WHO CLAIMS INNOCUOUS INTENTIONS, AND ULTIMATELY OURSELVES. obligation to hold them accountable, Terry Hawbaker, brewer at Al’s of Hampden says, “I do read our reviews, I always keep in mind that we all have different tastes so what I really look for in positive or negative reviews are constants. A common thread that runs through them all. I don’t change recipes based on reviews but if I notice a thread like ‘diacetyl’ or other quality-based issues then I’ll look back and try to figure out what went wrong and fix it. Obviously, biased or unfair reviews are just that, and don’t concern me.”

Stefany Stuber, bar manager at Bottle Bar East says, “BeerAdvocate reviews are a must have for a venue such as ours. With a selection of over 750 beers we utilize the site when it comes to finding what the consumers are drinking, as well as finding new beers for our inventory, and even having our staff use the site to keep their knowledge growing about beer. “ After speaking to brewers and reviewers, the conclusion can be made that beer reviewing is a flawed system.

If we, the consumer, are only using beer reviews to help make purchases, we are not only doing a disservice to the brewer, but to the beer reviewer who claims innocuous intentions, and ultimately ourselves. If we are passing on a beer because of the reviews, we could be missing out on an amazing beer because of another person’s preference.

The craft beer world is exploding around us. Good beer is so much more accessible than it ever has been.

It is a natural human reaction to form opinions about something we have tasted. It is impossible for a brewer to create a beer that will receive a 100 rating and garner the love from his critics all of the time. The current rating and reviewing options will not be regulated, and therefore, brewers and reviewers will never see eye to eye, however, both must realize that they rely on each other. Maybe John Lydgate was talking about we, the beer geeks, when he penned, “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.”

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HARVEST - FROM THE -

HOOD ALISON DUNLAP

HOW BEER MADE PHILLY’S MOST BELOVED NEIGHBORHOODS

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STANDARD TAP: BEFORE AND AFTER, 901 N 2ND ST. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19123

hen Standard Tap opened in 1999 it was the only place in Northern Liberties where you could get a local beer. A largely industrial area at that time, the neighborhood’s landscape of drinking and eating spots featured VFW-style watering holes that did most of their business before noon, offering the zombie experience of television din and, worse, as-seen-on-TV beers. Cue watery pilsners in eight-ounce soda glasses. Standard Tap used to be one of these places, in its past life as the Bull’s Head. But when William Reed and Paul Kimport opened their doors with an allcraft, all-draft commitment, they were a catalyst. They were the first of several places in Philadelphia that would launch their neighborhoods into beer-drenched civic revivals.

Standard Tap was a beacon lodged amongst empty storefronts and zero foot traffic; across the street, ex-cons chiseled brake shoe material. Artists rented what were probably heatless studios, while their projects, like stage sceneries and rocking chairs, spilled onto the sidewalks. When young homebuyers started trickling in, it was “because they could afford it, not because there were any amenities in the neighborhood,” Reed explains. Standard Tap soon became a reason. While Reed and Kimport were fixing it up they were often visited by realtors with potential homebuyers on their arms, and the bar started popping up in real estate ads as a bonus of moving into Northern Liberties. “I can’t tell you how many people there are whose first experience in the neighborhood was coming into Standard Tap,” Reed says. They probably plopped down their boxes and walked directly over for an IPA.

“RIGHT AWAY WE WERE SAYING THAT WE DO LOCAL BEER, NOT CRAFT BEER. NOW ALL LOCAL BEER IS CRAFT BEER...”

From the start, it was a place where people could learn the names of their neighbors over scratch-cooked food and a pint of good beer. Reed and Kimport were careful about the “good” part: “Right away we were saying that we do local beer, not craft beer. Now all local beer is craft beer, but it’s better than saying ‘we don’t do that shitty beer you like,’” Reed says. To be fair, they don’t do that shitty beer you like.

But their intention was to make Standard Tap a place that 69

Festival, an exploded-piñata block party from Germantown Avenue to Green Street that makes South Philly bouncy houses look like tchotchkes.

AMERICAN SARDINE BAR (THEN): 1800 FEDERAL ST. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19146

WHILE IT’S A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT BEER CAN HELP BUILD PLAYGROUNDS, LAUNCH ART FESTS AND BRIDGE STRANGERS TOGETHER, NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO CROSS THAT BRIDGE—AND THE PLANKS AREN’T ALWAYS TOTALLY SECURE. welcomed everyone, not just people who identified as “craft beer drinkers,” which is a totally nebulous group anyhow.

“We wanted it to be the unofficial neighborhood town hall, where people could get together. Not having TVs in the bar fosters conversation, and having interesting beer and food gives people something else to talk about,” Reed explains. In this way, new life was poured 70

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into NoLibs civic initiatives. A major example is the creation of Liberty Lands, which was previously a superfund site where a tannery had been demolished.

“Everyone got together and built a park there. That’s how we met a lot of our neighbors,” Reed says. Liberty Lands is a central spot for NoLibs music festivals, movie screenings and fall festivals—most of which Standard Tap sponsors. They’re also a founding sponsor of the 2nd Street

Johnny Brenda’s is also a major sponsor of community events—some of them beer-themed, like the Fishtown FestivALE co-hosted with the Steven Starr restaurants across the street for Philly Beer Week. JBs was not always the hero of Frankford Avenue the way it is now. When Reed and Kimport opened it in 2003 as a local and national music venue, Fishtown was not looking for diversity. It was populated by life-long residents with strong working class backgrounds, and so had its share of neighborhood spots where most of the people sitting at the bar knew each other. “No one, including the people we knew who were buying places there, wanted a brand new jewel of a little tavern. We wanted to keep it a lot more real and reflective of the neighborhood,” Reed says. So they left the original linoleum on the floor and 1960s wood paneling on the walls, the pool table where it was, and the retro red and white sign outside. The beer— high-quality and all-draft—was probably the biggest thing they changed about it.

While it’s a beautiful thing that beer can help build playgrounds, launch art fests and bridge strangers together, not everyone wants to cross that bridge—and the planks aren’t always totally secure. First, there’s the old-school mentality that bars are nuisance businesses because of the noisy and devilish alcohol consumption they promote. Yikes. If that hurdle is not only pacified but proven untrue, there is also the infinite tangle of issues that accompanies economic development in a rising neighborhood. This tangle is what South Philly revivalist John Longacre spends a lot of time thinking about. As a residential developer and the owner of the Point Breeze beer meccas South Philly Tap Room, Brew coffee and bottle shop, and American Sardine Bar, Longacre could easily be (and has been)

a public target for backlash to what he calls “the dirty G word.”

If anything, gentrification is a word that isn’t dirty so much as it is muddied and difficult; a murky territory with complex realities that can be cast in both positive and negative lights. Precariously wrapped in webs of race and social class, it’s riddled with economic injustice and often vilified

Point Breeze as much as he wants to serve life-long residents, intertwining both of these goals with his passion for providing good beer.

“It’s about making these businesses successful and then bringing the neighborhood along with us. We’re probably looked at as gentrifiers, but I don’t believe that. We’re taking over derelict businesses

IT’S ABOUT MAKING THESE BUSINESSES SUCCESSFUL AND THEN BRINGING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG WITH US. for damn good reason, as it has so classically been the cause of raised property values that cater to homeowners with deeper pockets and privileged backgrounds.

But Longacre’s company, LPMG, has a public devotion to infill construction only, which means they seek to avoid displacement by restricting their developments to abandoned or nuisance properties. Longacre says that he wants to bring new life to the neighborhood of

that were closed for various reasons, most of them criminal,” he says. Sardine Bar, for instance, had 238 criminal accounts against it in its last year open as the Wander Inn. Brew was abandoned for 27 years with a caved-in roof. There were no craft beer bars in South Philly—this was before the P.O.P.E. or any of the other mainstays on Passyunk Avenue. “I felt there were some underserved residents here who wanted something like the Tap Room but couldn’t get it, and there

SOUTH PHILLY TAP ROOM (THEN): 1509 MIFFLIN ST. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19145

were also residents on the other side of Passyunk and Broad who I felt would come over here if there was something special. We couldn’t just put in Joe’s Beer Bar. People aren’t going to come down [to Point Breeze] for an average sandwich and an average beer.”

Longacre is the force behind what is now officially Google Maps-recognized as Newbold, the invented neighborhood

AMERICAN SARDINE BAR (NOW): 1800 FEDERAL ST. PHILADELPHIA, PA 19146

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that stretches from Wolf to Tasker and 18th to Broad. He says it was launched entirely from a community brought together by beer; it was as if a toddler suddenly sprung forth from the taps and everyone wanted to help raise it. After SPTR opened in 2003, neighborhood civic associations formed and started holding their meetings there. When Brew opened across the street in 2008, they met there too. Beer was served. They

way Reed and Kimport wanted Standard Tap to be a town hall. But who is a part of that community? Who does that mean?

Everyone, seemingly, since craft beer enthusiasts can’t be categorized into one group. “Craft beer drinkers could be 23-year old hipsters or 50-year-old guys from New Jersey. They’re not synonymous with any age or socioeconomic group,” Longacre says. He mentions the South Philly Italian kids who came

a handful of people, he says, who don’t want change no matter what it is. To this, he raises Al Brown, a lifetime Point Breeze resident who from day one came into SPTR asking Longacre to put “something like this” in the Northern part of the neighborhood. Brown told Longacre, “We haven’t had a sit-down restaurant in Point Breeze for 50 years.” After they eventually acquired the Wander Inn at 18th and Federal, Brown was a major force in all of the zoning meetings and worked to raise community support and signatures. “Al Brown is the single reason the Sardine Bar exists,” Longacre says.

And, “When we created Newbold, I did the entire thing with his blessing.”

While blessings might flow, Reed talks about the complexity of being part of a changing neighborhood. “You want to see your neighborhood improve, you want to have good coffee and good beer, but it’s awful to see someone get priced out who has been living there a long time,” he says. Those artists who brought grit and character to Northern Liberties in the nineties were eventually pushed out, and in their place are a number of corporate businesses. Instead of the open garage where friendly excons worked, there are swanky luxury condos. Across the street from Johnny Brenda’s are those two Steven Starr restaurants, which “a few years ago was un-fucking-thinkable,” Reed says, not calling it a good or a bad thing.

formed town watches and fundraising and outreach efforts; they built committees for cleaner streets and signed an agreement with PennDOT to maintain all the flowerbeds along Passyunk. They created a park on a rat-infested lot on Hicks Street—which, a century ago, was in fact Newbold Street.

“Guess what? We literally built this neighborhood around craft beer,” Longacre says of the central hub—the same 72

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into the bar early on looking for Miller Lite and became regulars who drink Yards Philly Pale Ale. “They’d pay $4 for a beer instead of $2 because they liked that we were doing something different that wasn’t down here on every corner,” Longacre says.

Despite what he chronicles as overwhelming support from the community for SPTR, Longacre describes the very intense opposition to Sardine Bar as rooted in a small, yet vocal minority;

Despite real problems that surround urban revival, it’s clear that craft beer engages communities in ways that bring positive civic change. Reed, Kimport and Longacre aren’t the only ones—Brendan Hartranft’s and Brendan Kelly’s Memphis Taproom in Kensington is at the top of a pioneering list—but they’ve definitely created benchmarks. And both Reed and Longacre point to Philadelphia Brewing Company as one of the biggest catalysts for civic engagement in this city. “You can just see the ripples come out from that brewery,” Reed says. “Anytime there’s a benefit in the park, PBC is there.”

BREW/ULTIMO (NOW): 1900 S 15TH ST PHILADELPHIA, PA 19145

THERE ARE A LOT OF THIRD GENERATION PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEY’RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT IT’S GETTING CLEANER AND SAFER. “Little by little we started opening windows, letting light in,” Nancy Barton says of the renovated building that houses PBC, which she co-owns with Bill Barton and Jim McBride. Since sending its first beer out in 2008, the brewery has become an epicenter of community activity in Northeast Philly. They host the monthly meetings for the East Kensington Neighbors Association, which is made up of new and old residents. “We got involved because we thought it was a good thing for a neighborhood like this to have a voice, and it’s gotten stronger over the years,” Nancy Barton says. They of course serve beer, “which is why we have a good turnout.”

The brewery sponsors just about every major community event in the area, in-

cluding the Liberty Lands Music Fest, the Kinetic Sculpture Derby, and the Lehigh Avenue Arts Fest. They support local sustainability by buying wet hops, for their Harvest from the Hood American Pale Ale, from the nearby Greensgrow Farms (which Standard Tap also sources ingredients from). “When you’re so involved in it, you don’t stand back and look around saying ‘wow, we’ve done a lot.’ But I guess we have done a lot,” Barton says. “There are a lot of third generation people who live in this neighborhood, and they’re happy to see that it’s getting cleaner and safer.” She describes phone calls she’d get from tourists on Saturdays when PBC first opened. Worried about the walk from the El to the brewery, they’d want to know if it was safe. She’d tell them, “It’s only five blocks. Just make sure

you come East, don’t go West.” Now, she says, “It’s not a bad walk. And that’s nice to say.” The notoriously dangerous neighborhood hasn’t had a homicide in months, and Barton describes the drug scene as “on the move.” Even the nextdoor Atlantis can no longer be considered the Lost Bar, with its all-PBC drafts and eclectic mix of townies and brewery visitors. Coffee shops like ReAnimator and bars like Loco Pez have blown up in the area, making it a place you kind of really want to hang out.

While helping to make Kensington an aesthetically nicer and actually safer place to live, the PBC community hub fosters a sense of neighborhood pride—celebrated in the names of favorite beers, including Shackamaximum (a play on a Kensington Street), Kenzinger, and even Newbold IPA for you-know-who. PBC—like SPTR, Sardine Bar, and Standard Tap—is contributing to a city-wide culture that promotes thoughtful civic discourse, sometimes while tipsy. Beer has a warm feeling about it (even pre-drunk) that spurs communal bonds. It has a yes-vibe that says, once we’ve had a few: who knows what we can do together?

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bar+restaurant spotlight

Trestle Inn Whiskey me up before you go-go.

“Never judge a book by its cover.” A life lesson engrained in many of us as children and one that we remain constantly reminded of in everyday adult life. It’s one of those grandiose rules, teaching us to keep an open mind and look past appearance. Person, place, or thing, it applies to all. And, in the age of self-expression, with the desire for uniqueness running rampant, it’s as important as ever, even when looking at the world of craft beer and craft bars.

At first look of the Trestle Inn, well, you might just ask yourself if this place is even in business. Despite a somewhat recent and extensive over-haul, the Trestle still claims the rundown, worn with age, these-doors-shuttered-ten-yearsago exterior that was there prior to renovations. With the speakeasy theme of bars being trendy, the Trestle fits right in. Once you pass underneath the old-fashioned marquee advertising the whiskey and go-go theme, enlightened by the surrounding glow of flickering light bulbs that are reminiscent of vintage Las Vegas, you realize how fitting the first impression was. Instantly, you are transported into another world. Adorned in vintage pinup art along with the constant projection of vintage black & white burlesque videos on the wall, it seems like a place fitting of its hidden feel.

As the flickering signage proclaims, the Trestle Inn is home to go-go dancers. In the backroom, you will find burlesque dancers swaying to the soulful tunes being spun by an array of DJs. The dancing is done in a tasteful way, 74

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as to not be intrusive or the center of the show, but rather an added aspect to an already intriguing atmosphere.

There are no seats in front of the dancers and just as many table seats face away from them as they do towards them, and there are no dollar bills being flung in any direction.

It’s more of a celebration of an art form to add to the experience while sipping on your drink of choice.

As far as libations go, the Trestle keeps things simple.

A dozen rotating, well-chosen drafts and a dozen cans make up the entire beer list. This isn’t the sort of place you go for a night of rarities. It’s a place for an experience and a quality drink. The drink list also includes a vast selection of whiskeys, including a number of high-end specialties. Unsurprisingly, the Trestle knows how to work with these whiskeys and makes some dangerously good whiskey sours.

On the food side of things, the Trestle leans towards the home-cooking, comfort food take on dining. With signatures such as chicken pot pie, meatloaf and deviled eggs, it’s like food for the soul and perfect for dining, especially in these colder months.

Despite its somewhat scary and unapproachable appearance upon quick glance, the Trestle Inn will prove your parents right if you give it a chance. It may be an odd cover, but the book itself is as entertaining as any available.

The Trestle Inn is located at 339 N 11th St., Philadelphia, PA 19107.

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A brew on premises home brewing shop that offers brew lessons

Hours Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 7pm Sunday 11am - 5pm 162 Haddon Ave Haddon Twp, NJ 08108 856-858-6000

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AVAILABLE OCTOBER-DECEMBER

AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

November 23rd 2013

200 East Hersheypark Dr. Hershey, PA 17033 (717) 534-1297 | www.troegs.com

23rd Street Armory

WINTER BEER FEST 22 S 23rd Street.

Philadelphia, PA 19103 Session 1: 1pm - 5pm Session 2: 6pm - 10pm

100+ Beers

Tickets $40

WinterBeerFest.com

PhiladelphiaBeerFestivals.com

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bar+restaurant spotlight

Baggataway Tavern A crafty neighborhood bar in West Conshohocken.

It only takes a few minutes of sitting at the bar before you realize that you’re in the local neighborhood watering hole.

Reminiscent of Mt. Airy’s classic McMenamin’s Tavern, you can see why the people of West Conshohocken, PA make this place their “Cheers.” The friendly bartenders, the oversized, nostalgic wooden bar which squares-off the center of the room, and the pretension that was evidently left at the door, gives the Baggataway Tavern the feeling you belong; ensuring that if you lived anywhere on the hill it calls home, you would most likely be a regular as well.

Right off Front Street, just steps from 76, the Baggataway Tavern has become a West Conshohocken staple since opening its doors in 2005. Walking through the front door, you are surrounded by wood. The walls, the ceiling, and the bar are all adorned in simple, yet ornate wood, complementing the classic two-toned tile floor.

It’s comforting, and oddly, almost reminiscent of what it would be like if there was a bar in your grandmother’s basement. The center bar is quite large. Its square shape is lined with barstools all around and tables surround the bar itself. The Baggataway is by no means a large place, but it’s accommodating, while keeping a cozy feel. On nicer days, there is also the option of sitting on outdoor decks located in the back.

As far as craft beer bars go, the Baggataway does not have a huge list. Fourteen taps make up their draft list and given the neighborhood-type atmosphere, they do not

discriminate, as four of those aren’t craft. The ten lines that are craft-centric are well-chosen and offer a variety; tapping everything from Berliner Weisse to Imperial Stouts. They also offer up a sampler for those who are less decisive or just want a little of everything. Beyond the taps, they provide another dozen or so craft bottles consisting of many of the classics such as Stoudt’s Gold and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, ensuring you’ll always have a great beer option.

The regulars come for more than just the drinks, though.

With a full kitchen serving quality classic bar food, don’t be surprised to walk in and see families seated for dinner.

They have the burgers and wings expected at a pub, but also offer a handful of entrées including filet mignon and various seafood dishes to go along with a few daily specials. Many of the items are even homemade. Stop by during happy hour and they even put out some of their wings on the house. It’s hard to find a better way to start your evening than free wings and cheap beer.

If you’re wondering about the name, the owners are big lacrosse fans and Baggataway is the term for an early form of lacrosse played by the Native Americans. And, if you’re unfamiliar with lacrosse, no worries, the back of their food menu explains the sport and its rules, but neither are necessary to enjoy your time at the Baggataway. Baggataway Tavern is located at 31 N. Front St., West Conshohocken, PA 19428.

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The Tasting Room novemBer 2013 venue: di Bruno BroThers Going with the cheese theme of the issue, we brought the Tasting Room to the 18th and Chestnut location of Di Bruno Brothers in Philadelphia, which is a true artisanal cheese mecca. Surrounded by this abundance of cheese, we thought it would be fitting to suggest cheese pairings for each beer in the review.

how we review Beer Every issue Philly Beer Scene gets together with notable guests from the scene for a small, private, tasting session. Twenty beers are chosen that are new, seasonal or just interesting.

raTings Stay Away From This Beer A Drinkable Beer But Not Worth Seeking Out An Average Beer A Pretty Decent Beer Worth Drinking Anytime If You See This Beer, Order It You Better Go Out And Find This Beer Now

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noTaBle guesTs

Emilio Mignucci Emilio is a third generation member of the Di Bruno Brothers family. An expert in all things cheese, he is also an active member on the board of the American Cheese Society and helped formed the cheese equivalent of the Cicerone Exam—the ACS Certified Cheese Professional Exam.

Hunter Fike For the last couple of years, Hunter was the manager of the classic 9th Street location of Di Bruno Brothers, before recently moving up to the position of Merchandising Analyst. Altogether, he’s been with the company for over 15 years and has helped run over 50 beer and cheese tastings. He also recently became an ACS Certified Cheese Professional.

Rui Lucas Rui is the manager of the Iron Abbey in Horsham, PA. He is also responsible for helping put together the FARE Festival and is currently working on expanding the upstairs of the Iron Abbey into The Loft, a boutique bottle shop also serving up an extensive selection of Di Bruno cheeses.

Evil Twin Bikini Beer: IPA

Nectar Ale Red Nectar: Amber Ale

Attractively light-bodied and annoyingly

Boasting a ruby hue and an exquisite floral aroma, Red

well-balanced hops. Enjoy this very, very drink-

Nectar is a robust, yet elegant brew with distinctive

able beer in the sun, or even better, use it to slow-

accents of toasted malt, caramel, spice and residual

ly seduce your nagging friends with an anxiety

sweetness. ABV: 5.4%

for craft beer. ABV: 2.7%

Cheese Pairing: Remeker

Cheese Pairing: Pantaleo This could be a nice session beer for me. Not much caramel, but I do get the original flavors.

Emilio

3

Great flavors for a low alcohol beer.

Emilio

3

Hunter

2

Hoppy, but not much flavor to act as a foil. As far as bikini beers go, this is much better than Miller Lite.

Hunter

3.5

Creamy and smooth. Short finish.

Rui

3

Easy and approachable. Surprising flavor and body for a low ABV brew.

Rui

3.5

Pretty average brew. Floral aroma with a good amount of spice but just not exciting.

Jon

3

Great aroma. Flavor is bright and crisp, but abrasively hoppy finish.

Great aroma. Body is as expected for low ABV. Nice session option.

Jon

3.5

Simple, clean and balanced.

Mat 3.5

Mat 3.5

Nice creamy body. Consistent, yet evolving flavors.

One of the better red ales I’ve had.

Wychwood Hobgoblin: ESB

Anderson Valley El Steinber: Dunkel Lager

Hobgoblin is a powerful, full-bodied, copper red,

German pilsner malt and Saaz hops round out this

well-balanced brew. Strong in roasted malt with a

beer, producing a crisp, clean finish and smooth

moderate hoppy bitterness and slight fruity char-

drinkability that is perfect for any occasion.

acter. ABV: 5.2%

ABV: 5.5%

Cheese Pairing: Keen’s Farmhouse Cheddar

Cheese Pairing: Taleggio

Emilio

3.5

Like the aroma. Thin like water, but I like the cinnamon finish.

Emilio

3.5

Hunter

3.5

Hints of chocolate, warming spices, and pine. Great balance and sweetness in finish. Texturally lacking.

Hunter

4

An alluring aroma, evocative of fireside drinking. I want a steak.

Rui

3.5

Powerful nose with roast, cinnamon, and some hops.

A classic ESB example.

Rui

3

Good job with the malt and saaz. A lager with a lot of roast flavors. An easy, approachable brew.

Jon

2.5

Thin and light. Ginger, chocolate, and cinnamon with slight malt sweetness.

Jon

4

Really good lager. Toasty and “meaty.” I like it a lot.

Mat

3

Lack of body is biggest flaw. Interesting notes of cinnamon. Nose is surprisingly intense.

Mat

3

Very drinkable. A bit simple but solid take on the style.

This beer makes me want to eat fried meatballs before the gravy.

79

the tasting room Laver y Liopard Oir: Saison

Half Acre Over Ale: Brown Ale

A floral, hoppy and fruity French style saison, creat-

This brown beer is a hybrid concoction brewed with

ed with five types of grain, Lavery Estate hops and

malt heft and all around backbone. A styleless won-

three different strains of yeast. Ends dry, crisp and

der. ABV: 6.0%

bottled conditioned with Brettanomyces Claussenii.

Cheese Pairing: Gruyere 1655

ABV: 4.5% Cheese Pairing: Leonora Emilio

3.5

Just a nice flavor but missing the Brett.

Hunter

3.5

“Un-Brett” for a beer with Brett. Could be due to age.

Lacking in nuance and intrigue.

Rui

3

Pine, orange and lemon peel. Crisp. Earthy. Some fruit.

Average saison for me.

Jon

3

Great aroma. Flavors die off really quickly.

Mat 3.5

3

Hunter

3.5

Malty and nutty, both in aroma and flavor.

Rui

4.5

Nice! This style is well-represented. Very malty and roasty. Nice backbone. Well-balanced.

Jon

3

A good all-around beer. Balanced with crisp finish.

Love the spruce flavor accents.

Mat 3.5 It’s no Daisy Cutter, but very solid for the style.

Breckenridge Autumn Ale: Old Ale

Mort Subite Framboise: Lambic

This fall seasonal combines the malty goodness

The Framboise Mort Subite is brewed according

of a German lager with the clean crispness of an

to the ancestral Lambic recipe. This original

American ale. A full-bodied treat with a nut-

Belgian beer ferments spontaneously. Enhanced

ty-sweet middle, a warming alcohol level and

with raspberry juice, it matures soft and slowly

notes of toasted grains. ABV: 6.7%

in oaken casks. ABV: 4.5%

Cheese Pairing: Hudson Red

Cheese Pairing: Bleu de Basque

Emilio

3.5

Love the length and smoothness of the beer.

Emilio

3.5

A much better option than most of the others of the style out there.

Hunter

4

Smells bigger than 6.7%. Cloying texture but surprisingly smooth.

Hunter

4

An annoyingly candy-like aroma belies a quaffable, balanced beer. Still raspberry forward, but pleasant.

Rui

3

Rich on the nose with a slow developing flavor. It’s nutty, but not throughout. Full body with slight sweetness. Pretty pedestrian.

Rui

3.5

Syrupy with slight acidity. A good experience, but not a lasting memory.

Jon

4

Full and rounded-out. Complex and smooth.

Nice beer.

Jon

4

Sugary sweet aroma. Flavor is sweet but balanced and complex. Great for framboise lambic fans.

Deceivingly complex if that makes sense. ABV is wellmasked. Very fitting for the fall season it’s intended for.

Mat 3.5

Mat 3.5

80

One dimensional. Some aging might do wonders allowing the Brett to have a greater effect.

Emilio

Much less sweet than Lindemans and significantly more enjoyable. Like drinking raspberry jelly.

Le Brewery Odo Stout: Sweet Stout (France)

Point Whole Hog Pumpkin: Pumpkin Ale

A rich English milk stout, roasted, toasted, warm

Ale brewed with pumpkin and spices.

and smiling. A totally natural beer, unfiltered,

Hand-crafted using real pumpkin, savory pump-

unpasteurized and free from chemicals.

kin pie spices and hints of all-natural cinnamon

ABV: 6.6%

and nutmeg. ABV: 7.5%

Cheese Pairing: Colston Bassett Stilton

Cheese Pairing: Comté Marcel Petite

Emilio

4

Tasting great! Need something substantial to eat like greasy pizza.

Emilio

4

Hunter

4

Not as thick as I was hoping, but otherwise, extremely satisfying. Toasty, warm and nutty.

Hunter

2.5

Rui

4.5

Medium body with some notes of bitter coffee and dark fruit. Solid stout overall and quite a pleasant sipper.

Rui

4

It’s a good, yet easy drinking pumpkin. It’s spicy at the end with a lot of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Jon

4

Warm and toasty. Rich and complex. Great beer.

Jon

3

Cinnamon! Interesting spice flavors. It’s actually really good.

Mat

4

Very nice stout! Great roasty flavors. Not at all overly sweet. Very drinkable.

Mat 3.5

phillybeerscene.com

november2013

Best pumpkin beer of the day.

Gingery. Glad I tried it but don’t want another.

Tastes just like Cinnamon Toast Crunch! One of the better pumpkins I’ve had.

Gavroche: Bière de Garde

Great Divide Wolfgang: Doppelbock

Strong, amber beer, where the flavor of its

Wolfgang has heavenly notes of caramel, dark

top-fermentation yeast combines perfectly

fruit, and toffee balanced by a subtle hop char-

with the taste of the special malts and is fer-

acter. ABV: 8.0%

mented again in the bottle.

Cheese Pairing: Reading Raclette

ABV: 8.5% Cheese Pairing: Ossau Iraty Nice range of flavors. Herby and smooth w/ some richness.

Emilio

4

Very drinkable with a lot of flavor. Plenty of dark fruit.

4.5

Effervescences as you would expect. Heavily nuanced.

Could work with many foods.

Hunter

4

Very drinkable. Good balance between hops and malt/fruit.

Rui

5

I really like the style. It’s earthy and farmhouse-like and this brew is spot on to the style.

Rui

4.5

Jon

4

Balanced and complex with malt sweetness.

Jon

4

Fruit and toffee sums it up.

Very nice. Complex and evolves. Would like to work through a whole bottle of this.

Mat

4

Full-flavored and fitting for style, but much more drinkable than most. Smooth for style.

Emilio

4

Hunter

Mat 3.5

A lot of caramel candy flavor. A good sipper with a pretty complex personality. I like it and would drink it again.

DuClaw Black Lightning: Black IPA

Cottrell Perry’s Revenge: Scotch Ale

This American Black Ale strikes a stormy bal-

A Scotch Ale, malty and complex mahogany

ance between thunderous roasted malt flavor

colored with hints of chocolate.

and the aroma, bitterness, and electrifying

ABV: 8.5%

finish of American hops. ABV: 6.4%

Cheese Pairing: Isle of Mull

Cheese Pairing: Maxx Extra

Emilio

4

This is a tame IPA showing much more balance.

Emilio

3

OK.

Hunter

4

Surprising. Hops tip the scales in terms of balance, but a good presence of maltiness.

Hunter

4

One of my favorites in the style.

Rui

3.5

Aroma is dark roasted malts. Interesting, but finishes dry and acidic, making the ending experience a harsh one.

Rui

3

I am not really into this beer, but also not a huge fan of the style. Some sweetness but no cream.

Jon

4.5

Hearty and complex. Easy to drink and enjoy.

Jon

3

A good beer but a little watered down.

Mat

4

Very balanced between hops and roast. Highly recommend for those who enjoy this style.

Mat 2.5 Thin and mellow for Scotch ale. Lacks depth and character.

Perennial Woodside: Tripel

Saucony Creek Maple Mistress: Imperial Pumpkin

Woodside Tripel is a bright, crisp Belgian-style Tripel brewed with local Woodside

Captain Pumpkin’s Maple Mistress is an impe-

Urban Honey from Maplewood, Missouri.

rial pumpkin ale crafted with butternut squash,

ABV: 9.1%

maple syrup and spices added.

Cheese Pairing: Cato Corner Hooligan

ABV: 9.5% Cheese Pairing: Comté Marcel Petite

Emilio

4

Awesome flavors!

Emilio

4

Tastes like great natural flavors.

Hunter

4

I’m a fan.

Hunter

4

One of my favorites in the line of pumpkin ales.

Rui

3.5

Golden color with orange and some spice. Finishes dry.

Rui

4

Lots of maple and a bit sweet but great take on the style.

Jon

4

Great spice and honey flavors. Very balanced overall.

Very drinkable.

Jon

4.5

A great pumpkin! Not overly spiced. Nice touch of maple syrup.

Mat

3.5

Honey really comes through. Slight odd funk on the nose but doesn’t come through in taste.

Mat

4

Surprisingly enjoy this (I typically hate pumpkin beers).

Spice is very mellow. It’s more about the maple.

81

the tasting room Three Heads Too Kind: Double IPA

Duvel Tripel Hop: Belgian Strong Ale

Too Kind has everything you love from the

Hops: Saaz, Styrian Golding and Sorachi Ace.

Kind IPA but jacked up to an out-of-this-world

Dry Hopped with Sorachi Ace. 2013 Selection.

level. A hop exuberance of pine, citrus and

ABV: 9.5%

love that plays nice with others. ABV: 8.5%

Cheese Pairing: Epoisses

Cheese Pairing: Mahon Emilio

4

What a great one! Toma Porsa would be great for this.

Emilio

4

Hunter

4

Nice hop aromatics. Very easy drinking for the style.

Hunter

4.5

Great lime flavor from the hops. Fantastic beer.

Rui

4

Light citrus with a pleasant, bitter finish.

Rui

4.5

Very fresh tasting. Fine lacing with a nice white head.

Full bodied and complex. Very good beer.

Jon

4.5

Really great beer. Easy to drink and really bright and clean.

Jon

4

Mat

4

Drinks more like a single IPA. East Coast meets West Coast IPA with clean malt backbone and piney hops.

Mat 3.5

Colorado Guanabara: Imperial Stout (Brazil)

Love this with lime.

Good beer but the lime takes over too much.

Wow, does the Sorachi Ace come through! Lime flavors dominate making the beer almost one-dimensional.

Deschutes/Great Lakes Class of ‘88: Imperial Smoked Porter This strong porter features a solid smoke

Brewed by Cervejaria Colorado. This beer is

presence, a rich malt character and a smooth,

known as Ithaca in Brazil, but Guanabara in

rounded mouth-feel. Additions of dark mus-

the US. ABV: 10.5%

covado sugar, oats and wheat contribute to its

Cheese Pairing: Stichelton

complexity. ABV: 10.0% Cheese Pairing: Fiore Sardo

Emilio

4.5

Hunter

5

Rui

4.5

Jon

4.5

Mat

4

What flavor! My favorite of the night.

Emilio

1.5

Raisiny, plummy aromas, like port. Perfect for after dinner.

Hunter

5

Smells like Scotch. Really well-balanced.

A hard style to perfect but this is creamy, smoky & caramel with a butter entrée and from Brazil. I am in love.

Rui

4

Really well-balanced, but the smoke is all over it. So much so, that it overpowers all other flavors. It is just OK.

Deep, rich, and sweet. Great overall beer.

Jon

4

Super smoky and delicious. I like it a lot.

Bonus points for the brewery name (look up the story). Full bodied, rich, but not boozy. An imperial stout you can drink.

Mat

4

Mild smoke that complements the beer rather than dominates. Great collaboration!

Do not like this or any smoky beer or cheese.

Final Picks & Pairings

Emilio’s Final Pick: Colorado Guanabara. Love the balance and all of the flavors. Sweet, malty, creamy…love it!

82

phillybeerscene.com

Hunter’s Final Pick: Gavroche. A great example of the style and wowed me without taking the shortcuts of super-high alcohol, smoking, or using Sorachi Ace Hops.

november2013

Rui’s Final Pick: Gavroche. I love it. It’s a great example of the style. Complete experience—great esters, nice lemon peel and orange, creamy throughout and not over-powering.

Jon’s Final Pick: Colorado Guanabara. Creamy, malty, with great, rich flavors.

Fantastic beer.

Mat’s Final Pick: Three Heads Too Kind. I really love IPAs with a simple, clean malt backbone. This beer is all about the hops and despite being a double IPA, it’s incredibly clean and smooth.

Coming December.

eatingphiladelphia.com

A celebration of artisanal food and drink and the people who make it.

Breweries Wineries Distilleries Restaurants

Sunday ,

April 27, 2014

The FUGE Warminster, PA

farephiladelphia.com 84

phillybeerscene.com

november2013

directory Philadelphia Center City Bars & Restaurants

1518 Bar and Grill 1518 Sansom St 1518barandgrill.com Alla Spina 1410 Mt. Vernon St allaspinaphilly.com BAR 1309 Sansom Street The Black Sheep 247 S. 17th Street theblacksheeppub.com Bru 1318 Chestnut St bruphilly.com The Cambridge 1508 South St cambridgeonsouth.com Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse 1823 Sansom Street cavsrittenhouse.com Cherry Street Tavern 129 N. 22nd Street

Good Dog 224 S. 15th Street gooddogbar.com

Slate 102 S 21st Street slatephiladelphia.com

Grace Tavern 2229 Grays Ferry Ave gracetavern.com

Smiths 39 S. 19th Street smiths-restaurant.com

The Institute 549 N. 12th Street institutebar.com

Smokin’ Bettys 116 S. 11th Street smokinbettys.com

Jose Pistola’s 263 S. 15th Street josepistolas.com

Strangelove’s 216 S. 11th Street strangelovesbeerbar.com

Ladder 15 1528 Sansom Street ladder15philly.com

Tangier 1801 Lombard St tangier.thekalon.com

Llama Tooth 1033 Spring Garden llamatooth.com

Tavern 17 220 South 17th Street tavern17restaurant.com

McGillin’s Old Ale House 1310 Drury Lane mcgillins.com

Tavern on Broad 200 South Broad Street tavernonbroad.com

Milk Boy 1100 Chestnut St Philadelphia, PA milkboyphilly.com

Chris’ Jazz Café 1421 Sansom Street chrisjazzcafe.com

Misconduct Tavern 1511 Locust Street misconduct-tavern.com

Coffee Bar 1701 Locust Street intoxicaffeineation.com

Molly Malloy’s Reading Terminal Market 1136 Arch St mollymalloysphilly.com

Cooperage 123 South 7th St cooperagephilly.com Dandelion 124 S 18th St thedandelionpub.com Devil’s Alley 1907 Chestnut Street devilsalleybarandgrill.com Doobies 2201 Lombard Street The Farmers Cabinet 1113 Walnut St thefarmerscabinet.com Fergie’s Pub 1214 Sansom Street fergies.com The Fieldhouse 1150 Filbert St fieldhousephilly.com

Monk’s Café 264 S. 16th Street monkscafe.com Moriarty’s Pub 1116 Walnut Street moriartyspub.com Pennsylvania 6 114 S 12th St pennsylvania6philly.com Perch Pub 1345 Locust Street perchpub.com

Ten Stone 2063 South Street tenstone.com TIME 1315 Sansom Street timerestaurant.net Trestle Inn 339 N 11th St Philadelphia, PA 19107 Tria 123 S. 18th Street 1137 Spruce Street triacafe.com Valanni 1229 Spruce Street valanni.com Varalli 231 S. Broad Street varalliusa.com Varga Bar 941 Spruce Street vargabar.com

Prohibition Taproom 501 N. 13th Street theprohibitiontaproom.com

Westbury Bar 261 S. 13th Street westburybarand restaurant.com

Pub and Kitchen 1946 Lombard St thepubandkitchen.com

Woodys 202 S 13th St woodysbar.com

Resurrection Ale House 2425 Grays Ferry Ave. resurrectionalehouse.com

Brewpubs

Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant 1516 Sansom Street noddinghead.com

St. Stephen’s Green 1701 Green Street saintstephensgreen.com

Doc’s World Of Beer 701 E. Cathedral Road

Retail Beer

World Wide Beverage Co 508 Green Lane

Retail Beer

Old Philly Ale House 565 N 20th St

North/Northeast

Colney Delicatessen 2047 Chestnut St

Manayunk

The Corner Foodery 1710 Sansom St thecornerfoodery.com Food & Friends 1933 Spruce Street The Foodery 324 S. 10th Street fooderybeer.com

Bars & Restaurants

Bars & Restaurants

Couch Tomato Cafe 102 Rector St thecouchtomato.com

Daly’s Irish Pub 4201 Comly Street

Falls Taproom 3749 Midvale Ave

The Draught Horse 1431 Cecil B. Moore Ave. draughthorse.com

Flat Rock Saloon 4301 Main Street

Monde Market 100 S 21st Street

Franklin’s 3521 Bowman St

Homebrew Supplies

Jake’s and Cooper’s Wine Bar 4365 Main Street jakesrestaurant.com

Fairmount Bars & Restaurants

The Belgian Café 2047 Green Street thebelgiancafe.com The Bishop’s Collar 2349 Fairmount Ave. thebishopscollar.ypguides.net

Bridgid’s 726 N. 24th Street bridgids.com Jack’s Firehouse 2130 Fairmount Ave jacksfirehouse.com Kite And Key 1836 Callowhill Street thekiteandkey.com London Grill 2301 Fairmount Ave. londongrill.com McCrossens Tavern 529 N 20th St North Star Bar 2639 Poplar Street northstarbar.com

Kildare’s 4417 Main Street kildarespub.com Lucky’s Last Chance 4421 Main St luckyslastchance.com Manayunk Tavern 4247 Main St manayunktavern.com Old Eagle Tavern 177 Markle Street oldeagletavern.com T. Hogan’s Pub 5109-11 Rochelle Ave. The Ugly Moose 443 Shurs Ln theuglymoose.com

The Grey Lodge Pub 6235 Frankford Ave. greylodge.com Hop Angel Brauhaus 7890 Oxford Ave hopangelbrauhaus.blogspot.com Lucky Dog 417 Germantown Ave McMenamin’s Tavern 7170 Germantown Ave. Mermaid Inn 7673 Germantown Ave themermaidinn.net Trolley Car Dinner 7619 Germantown Ave. trolleycardiner.com Brewpubs

Earth Bread + Brewery 7136 Germantown Ave. earthbreadbrewery.com Iron Hill Brewery 8400 Germantown Ave ironhillbrewery.com Retail Beer

Union Jack’s 4801 Umbria Street Brewpubs

Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant 4120 Main Street manayunkbrewery.com Retail Beer

Rembrandt’s 741 N. 23rd Street rembrandts.com

Chestnut 7 8201 Germantown Ave Chestnut7.com

Dawson Street Pub 100 Dawson Street dawsonstreetpub.com

Latimer Deli 255 South 15th Street

Home Sweet Homebrew 2008 Sansom St. homesweethomebrew.com

Campbell’s Place 8337 Germantown Ave.

The Beer Outlet 77 Franklin Mills Blvd.

Brewers Outlet 7401 Germantown Ave mybrewersoutlet.com Craft Beer Outlet 9910 Frankford Ave. craftbeeroutlet.com

The Foodery 6148 Ridge Ave fooderybeer.com 85

directory The Six Pack Store 7015 Roosevelt Boulevard thesixpackstore.com Homebrew Supplies

Malt House Limited 7101 Emlen St. Philadelphia, PA malthouseltd.com Northern Liberties/ Fishtown Bars & Restaurants

700 700 N. 2nd Street the700.org The Abbaye 637 N. 3rd Street

Kraftwork 541 E. Girard Ave. kraftworkbar.com

City Tavern 138 S. 2nd Street citytavern.com

Brauhaus Schmitz 718 South St. brauhausschmitz.com

Max’s Brew Bar 1050 N Hancock St maxsbrewbar.com

Eulogy Belgian Tavern 136 Chestnut Street eulogybar.server101.com

The Dive 947 E. Passyunk Ave myspace.com/thedivebar

Memphis Taproom 2331 E. Cumberland St. memphistaproom.com

The Irish Pol 45 S. 3rd Street theirishpol.com

For Pete’s Sake 900 S. Front Street forpetessakepub.com

Murphs Bar 202 E Girard Ave

The Khyber Pass Pub 56 S. Second Street thekhyber.com

Growlers 736 South 8th St Growlersbar.com

Mac’s Tavern 226 Market Street macstavern.com

The Headhouse 122 Lombard Street headhousephilly.com

National Mechanics 22 S. 3rd Street nationalmechanics.com

Jon’s Bar & Grille 300 South St jonsbarandgrille.com

Philadelphia Bar and Restaurant 120 Market St philadelphiabarand restaurant.com

Kennett 848 S 2nd St Kennettrestaurant.com

North Bowl 909 N 2nd Street northbowlphilly.com

Atlantis: The Lost Bar 2442 Frankford Ave.

North Third 801 N. 3rd Street norththird.com

Barcade 1114 Frankford Ave. barcadephiladelphia.com

Silk City 435 Spring Garden Street silkcityphilly.com

Bar Ferdinand 1030 N. 2nd Street barferdinand.com

Standard Tap 901 N. 2nd Street standardtap.com

Blind Pig 702 N 2nd St blindpigphilly.com Bottle Bar East 1308 Frankford Ave Bottlebareast.com Cantina Dos Segundos 931 N 2nd Street cantinadossegundos.com Cedar Point 2370 E Norris St cedarpointbarandkitchen.com

Druid’s Keep 149 Brown Street East Girard Gastropub 200 East Girard Ave Philadelphia, PA eastgirardpub.com El Camino Real 1040 N 2nd Street bbqburritobar.com Gunners Run 1001 N 2nd St Interstate Draft House 1235 E Palmer St interstatedrafthouse.com Johnny Brenda’s 1201 Frankford Ave. johnnybrendas.com 86

Breweries

Philadelphia Brewing Co. 2439 Amber Street philadelphiabrewing.com Yards Brewing Co. 901 N. Delaware Avenue yardsbrewing.com Retail Beer

Plough and The Stars 123 Chestnut Street ploughstars.com Race Street Café 208 Race Street racestreetcafe.net Revolution House 200 Market St revolutionhouse.com

The Foodery 837 N. 2nd Street fooderybeer.com

Sassafras Café 48 S. 2nd Street sassafrasbar.com

Global Beer Distribution 1150 N. American Street globalbeerphilly.com

Sugar Mom’s 225 Church Street myspace.com/sugarmoms

Homebrew Supplies

Brewpubs

Barry’s Homebrew Outlet 1447 N. American Street barryshomebrew.com

Triumph Brewing Co 117-121 Chestnut Street triumphbrewing.com

Old City

Queens Village/ Bella Vista

Bars & Restaurants

Bars & Restaurants

Barra 239 Chestnut St Bierstube 206 Market St mybierstube.com Brownie’s Irish Pub 46 S. 2nd Street browniesirishpub.com

phillybeerscene.com

november2013

12 Steps Down 831 Christian St. 12stepsdown.com Bainbridge Street Barrel House 625-627 S 6th St bainbridgestreetbarrelhouse.com

Manny Brown’s 512 South Street manny-browns.com New Wave Café 784 S 3rd Street newwavecafe.com O’Neals Pub 611 S. 3rd Street onealspub.com Percy Street Barbecue 600 S. 9th St percystreet.com Royal Tavern 937 East Passyunk Ave. royaltavern.com Southwark 701 S. 4th Street southwarkrestaurant.com Tattooed Mom 530 South Street facebook.com/tattooedmomphilly Twisted Tail 509 S 2nd St thetwistedtail.com The Wishing Well 767 S. 9th Street wishingwellphilly.com Retail Beer

Bella Vista Beer Distributors 738 S. 11th Street bellavistabeverage.com

Hawthornes 738 S. 11th St hawthornecafe.com

Brew 1900 S. 15th Street brewphiladelphia.com

South Philly

The Bottle Shop 1837 E Passyunk Ave bottleshopbeer.com

Bars & Restaurants

2nd St Brewhouse 1700 S 2nd St American Sardine Bar 1801 Federal St americansardinebar.com

Society Hill Beverage 129 Washington Ave University City/West Bars & Restaurants

Birra 1700 E Passyunk Ave birraphilly.com

Tria Wine Room 3131 Walnut St bibawinebar.com

Cantina Los Cabalitos 1651 E Passyunk Ave cantinaloscabalitos.com

The Blockley 38th & Ludlow Streets theblockley.com

Devil’s Den 1148 S. 11th Street devilsdenphilly.com

Bridgewaters Pub 30th Street Station Thepubin30thstreet station.com

Fountain Porter 1601 S 10th St Philadelphia, PA 19148 Fountainporter.com The Industry 1401 E Moyamensing Ave theindustrybar.com Lucky 13 Pub 1820 S 13th Street lucky13pubphilly.com Pub On Passyunk East (POPE) 1501 E. Passyunk Ave. pubonpassyunkeast.com South Philadelphia Tap Room 1509 Mifflin Street southphiladelphiatap room.com The Ugly American 1100 S. Front Street uglyamericanphilly.com Victory Beer Hall 1100 Pattison Ave xfinitylive.com

City Tap House 3925 Walnut Street citytaphouse.com Fiume 229 S 45th St Jolly’s Piano Bar 3801 Chestnut St jollyspianobar.com Local 44 4333 Spruce Street local44beerbar.com Mad Mex 3401 Walnut Street madmex.com World Cafe Live 3025 Walnut Street worldcafelive.com Brewpubs

Dock Street Brewing Company 701 S. 50th Street dockstreetbeer.com Retail Beer

Watkins Drinkery 1712 S 10th St

Bottle Shop at Local 44 4333 Spruce Street local44beerbar.com

Retail Beer

Suburbs

Beer Heaven 1100 S Columbus Blvd Bell’s Beverage 2809 S. Front Street

Bucks Co Bars & Restaurants

Bailey’s Bar & Grille 6922 Bristol Emilie Rd Levittown, PA 19057

Becker’s Corner 110 Old Bethlehem Rd Quakertown, PA 18951 Blue Dog Tavern 4275 Country Line Road Chalfont, PA 18914 bluedog.cc Bobby Simone’s 52 East State Street Doylestown, PA 18901 ilovebobbys.com Brady’s 4700 Street Road Trevose, PA 19053 bradys-pub.com The Buck Hotel 1200 Buck Road Feasterville, PA 19053 thebuckhotel.com Buttonwood Grill Rd 202 & Street Rd in Peddler’s Village peddlersvillage.com Candlewyck Bar & Grill 2551 Durham Rd Buckingham, PA 18912 The Dog & Bull 810 Bristol Pike Croydon, PA 19021 dogandbullhouse.com Green Parrot Restaurant Pub & Patio 240 N Sycamore St, Newtown, PA 18940 greenparrotrestaurant.com Honey 42 Shewell Ave. Doylestown, PA 18901 honeyrestaurant.com Hulmeville Inn 4 Trenton Road Hulmeville, PA 19047 hulmevilleinn.com Isaac Newton’s 18 S. State Street Newtown, PA 18940 isaacnewtons.com Jamison Pour House 2160 York Road Jamison, PA 18929 jamisonpourhouse.com Maggio’s Restaurant 400 2nd Street Pike Southampton, PA 18966 maggiosrestaurant.com

Manny Brown’s 25 Doublewoods Road Langhorne, PA 19047 manny-browns.com

Neshaminy Creek Brewing 909 Ray Ave Croydon, PA 19021 neshaminycreekbrewing.com

Maxwell’s on Main Bar & Restaurant 37 North Main St. Doylestown, PA 18901 momsmaxwellsonmain.com Mesquito Grille 128 W. State Street Doylestown, PA 18901 mesquitogrilledoylestown. com/ Newportville Inn 4120 Lower Road Newportville, PA 19056 newportvilleinn.net Puck 14 E. Court Street Doylestown, PA 18901 pucklive.com

Triumph Brewing Co 400 Union Square New Hope, PA 18938 triumphbrewing.com Vault Brewing Company 10 S. Main St Yardley, PA 19067 vaultbrewing.com Retail Beer

B&B Beverage 3670 Sawmill Road Doylestown, PA 18902 bandbbeverages.com Bailey’s Bar & Grille 6922 Bristol Emilie Rd Levittown, PA 19057

The Beer Store 488 2nd Street Pk. Southampton, PA 18966

Springtown Inn 3258 Rt 212 Springtown, PA 18081 springtowninn.com

Bensalem Beer & Soda 1919 Street Road Bensalem, PA 19020 bensalembeer.com

TJ Smiths 1585 Easton Rd Warrington, PA 18976 tjsmiths.com

Bound Beverage 2544 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA 19020 boundbeverages.com

Tony’s Place Bar & Grill 1297 Greeley Ave Ivyland, PA 18974 tonysplaceivyland.com

Candlewyck Bar & Grill 2551 Durham Rd Buckingham, PA 18912

thebeerstorebuckscounty.com/

Philly’s Steaks Wings and Beer 160 Bristol-Oxford Valley Rd Langhorne, PA 19047

1661 Easton Road Warrington, PA unos.com

Stephanie’s Take-Out 29 S. Main Street Doylestown, PA 18901 stephaniesrl.com

Wycombe Publick House 1073 Mill Creek Rd Wycombe, PA 18980 wycombepublickhouse.com

Trenton Road Take Out 1024 Trenton Road Levittown, PA 19054 trentonroadtakeout.com

Breweries

Free Will Brewing Co 410 E Walnut St Ste 10 Perkasie, PA 18944 freewillbrewing.com

Wine, Barley & Hops Homebrew Supply 248 Bustleton Pike Feasterville, PA 19053 winebarleyandhops.com

Brewpubs

Spinnerstown Hotel 2195 Spinnerstown Road Spinnerstown, PA 18968 spinnerstownhotel.com

Uno Chicago Grill 801 Neshaminy Mall Bensalem, PA 19020 unos.com

Homebrew Supplies

Trevose Beer & Soda 550 Andrews Rd Langhorne, PA 19053

Chester Co Bars & Restaurants

The Drafting Room 635 N. Pottstown Pike Exton, PA 19341 draftingroom.com Fenice Creolo 902 Village At Eland Phoenixville, PA 19460 fenicecreolo.com The Fenix 193 Bridge St Phoenixville, PA 19460 thefenixbar.com Fitzwater Station 264 Canal St Phoenixville, PA 19460 Fitzwaterstation.com Flying Pig Saloon 121 E. King Street Malvern, PA 19149 Goshen Beverage 102 Turner Lane West Chester, PA 19380 Goshenbeverage.com Half Moon Restaurant & Saloon 108 W. State Street Kennett Square, PA 19348 halfmoonrestaurant.com High Street Cafe 322 S. High Street West Chester,PA 19382 highstreetcaffe.com Pickering Creek Inn 37 Bridge Street Phoenixville, PA 19460 pickeringcreekinn.com Rams Head 40 E. Market Street West Chester, PA 19382 ramsheadbarandgrill.com River Stone Cafe 143 W Lincoln Hwy Exton, PA 19341 riverstonecafe.com Ron’s Original Bar & Grille 74 E. Uwchlan Ave. Exton, PA 19341 ronsoriginal.com

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directory Side Bar 10 East Gay St West Chester, PA 19380 sidebarandrestaurant.com Station Taproom 207 West Lancaster Ave. Downingtown, PA 19335 Stationtaproom.com TJ’s Everday 35 Paoli Plaza Paoli, PA 19301 tjseveryday.com The Whip Tavern 1383 Chatham Rd Coatesville, PA 19320 thewhiptavern.com Winners Circle 143 W. Lincoln Hwy Exton, PA 19341 winnerscircleexton.com Brewpubs

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 130-138 Bridge Street Phoenixville, PA 19460 3 W. Gay Street West Chester, PA 19380 ironhillbrewery.com McKenzie Brew House 324 West Swedesford Rd Berwyn, PA 19312 451 Wilmington-West Chester Pk Chadds Ford, PA 19342 mckenziebrewhouse.com Sly Fox Brewing Co 520 Kimberton Road Phoenixville, PA 19460 slyfoxbeer.com Victory Brewing Company 420 Acorn Lane Downingtown, PA 19335 victorybeer.com Retail Beer

Exton Beverage Center 310 E. Lincoln Highway Exton, PA 19341 extonbeverage.com Waywood Beverage Co. 624 Millers Hill Kennett Square, PA 19348 waywoodbeverage.com Homebrew Supplies

Artisan Homebrew 128 East Lancaster Ave Downingtown, PA 19335 artisanhomebrew.com 88

The Wine & Beer Emporium 101 Ridge Road Chadds Ford, PA 19317 winebeeremporium.com Delaware Co Bars & Restaurants

2312 Garrett Bar 2312 Garrett Rd. Drexel Hill, PA 19026 2312garrett.com Azie 217 W. State Street Media, PA 19063 azie-restaurant.com Brother’s 157 Garrett Ave Rosemont, PA 19010 Flip & Bailey’s 900 Conestoga Rd Rosemont, PA 19010 flipandbaileys.com Frontier Saloon 336 Kedron Ave. Folsom, PA 19033 frontiersaloon.com Garrett Hill Ale House 157 Garrett Ave Rosemont, PA 19010 garretthillalehouse.com JD McGillicuddy’s 118 N. Wayne Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 690 Burmont Rd Drexel Hill, PA 19026 mcgillicuddys.net Oakmont National Pub 31 E. Eagle Road Havertown, PA 19083 oakmontnationalpub.com Pinocchio’s 131 E. Baltimore Pike Media, PA 19063 pinbeer.com Quotations 37 E. State Street Media, PA 19063 Teresa’s Next Door 126 N. Wayne Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 teresas-cafe.com UNO’s Chicago Grill 3190 West Chester Pike Newtown Square, PA

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Brewpubs

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 30 E. State Street Media, PA 19063 ironhillbrewery.com Retail Beer

Back Alley Beverage 2214 State Rd. Drexel Hill, PA 19026 backalleybev.com Beer Yard, Inc. 218 E. Lancaster Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 beeryard.com Civera’s 2214 State Road Drexel Hill, PA 19026 Cold Beverage Station 202 and US 1 Chadds Ford PA 19317 coldbeveragestation.com Pappou’s Pizza Pub 415 Baltimore Pike Morton, PA 19070 Pinocchio’s Beer Garden 131 E. Baltimore Pike Media, PA 19063 pinbeer.com Township Line Beer & Cigars 5315 Township Line Road Drexel Hill, PA 19026 townshiplinebeerand cigars.com Swarthmore Beverage 719 South Chester Rd, Swarthmore, PA 19081 Homebrew Supplies

Brew Your Own Beer & Winemaking Too! 2026 Darby Road Havertown, PA 19083 Montgomery Co Bars & Restaurants

Baggatawny Tavern 31 N Front St Conshohocken, PA 19428 baggatawaytavern.com Blue Dog Pub 850 South Valley Forge Rd Lansdale, PA 19446 bluedog.cc Broad Axe Tavern 901 W. Butler Pike Ambler, PA 19002 broadaxetavern.com

Brother Pauls Pub 3300 Ridge Pike Eagleville, PA 19403 brotherpaulspub.com

Keswick Tavern 294 Keswick Ave Glenside, PA 19038 Keswicktavern.net

Cantina Feliz 424 S Bethlehem Pike Fort Washington, PA 19034 cantinafeliz.com

Little Ortino’s Restaurant 800 North Main Street Schwenksville, PA 19473 ortinos.com

Capone’s Restaurant 224 W. Germantown Pike Norristown, PA 19401 thebottleshop.biz

Lucky Dog Saloon 417 Germantown Pike Lafayette Hill, PA 19106 theluckydogsaloon.com

Chadwicks 2750 Egypt Rd Audobon, PA 19403 mychadwicks.com

Lucky Lab 312 N. Lewis Rd Royersford, PA 19468 luckylabtavern.com

Chap’s Taproom 2509 W. Main St. Jeffersonville, PA 19403 chapstap.com

Mad Mex 2862 W. Moreland Rd Willow Grove, PA 19090 madmex.com

Craft Ale House 708 W. Ridge Pike Limerick, PA 19468 craftalehouse.com

McCloskey Restaurant 17 Cricket Ave Ardmore, PA 19003 Mccloskeystavern.com

East End Alehouse 712 Main Street Harleysville, PA 19438 ortinos.com

McShea’s 30 E Lancaster Ave, Ardmore, PA 19003

Farmers Daughter 1401 Morris Road Blue Bell, PA 19422 Normandygirl.com/bar Fingers Wings And Other Things 107 W. Ridge Pike Conshohocken, PA 19428 fwot.com

242 Haverford Avenue Narberth PA 19072 mcsheas.com Oreland Inn 101 Lorraine Avenue Oreland, PA 19075

Firewaters 1110 Baltimore Pike Concord, PA 19342 firewatersbar.com

Ortino’s Northside 1355 Gravel Pike Zieglerville, PA 19492 ortinos.com/northside Otto’s Brauhaus 233 Easton Road Horsham, Pa 19044 ottosbrauhauspa.com

Flanigan’s Boathouse 113 Fayette Street Conshohocken, PA 19428 flanboathouse.com

PJ Whelihan’s 799 Dekalb Pike Blue Bell, PA 19422 pjspub.com

French Quarter Bistro 215 Main St Royersford, PA frenchquarterbistro.com

Railroad Street Bar & Grill 36 Railroad St Linfield, PA 19468 railroadstreetbar.com

Gullifty’s 1149 Lancaster Ave. Rosemont, PA 19010 gulliftys.com

Side Door Pub 3335 County Line Road Chalfont, PA 18914 sidedoorpub.com

Iron Abbey Gastro Pub 680 N. Easton Road Horsham, PA 19044 ironabbey.com

Tonelli’s 278 Easton Rd Horsham, PA 19044 tonellispizza.com

Union Jack’s 2750 Limekiln Pike Glenside, PA 19038 Uno’s Chicago Grill 1100 Bethlehem Pike North Wales,PA 19454 unos.com Village Tavern 511 Stump Road North Wales,PA 19454 villagetavernpa.com Whitpain Tavern 1529 Dekalb St Blue Bell, PA 19422 Brewpubs

Appalachin Brewing Co 50 W 3rd Ave Collegeville, PA 19426 abcbrew.com Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 1460 Bethlehem Pike North Wales, PA 19454 ironhillbrewery.com Forest & Main Brewing Company 61 N Main St Ambler, PA 19002 forestandmain.com McKenzie Brew House 240 Lancaster Ave. Malvern, PA 19355 mckenziebrewhouse.com Rock Bottom Brewery 1001 King of Prussia Plaza King of Prussia, PA 19406 rockbottom.com Tired Hands 16 Ardmore Ave Ardmore, PA 19003 tiredhands.com Breweries

Prism Brewery 810 Dickerson Rd North Wales, PA 19454 prismbeer.com Round Guys Brewing Co 324 W Main St Lansdale, PA 19446 roundguysbrewery.com Retail Beer

Ambler Beverage Exchange 259 E. Butler Ave Ambler, PA 19002 amblerbeverage.com

directory Beer World 1409 Easton Ave Roslyn, PA 19001 beerworld-roslyn-pa.com

Dublin Square 167 Route 130 Bordentown, NJ 08505 dublinsquarepubs.com

The Beer Shoppe 44 Greenfield Avenue Ardmore, PA 19003

The Farnsworth House 135 Farnsworth Ave Bordentown, NJ 08505 thefarnsworthhouse.com

Capone’s Restaurant (takeout) 224 W. Germantown Pike Norristown, PA 19401 Domestic & Imported Beverages 485 Baltimore Pike Glen Mills, PA 19342 Epps Beverages 80 W. Ridge Pike Limerick, PA 19468 eppsbeverages.com Flourtown Beverage 1114 Bethlehem Pike Flourtown, PA 19031 Frosty Caps 1745-47 Old York Road Abington, PA 19001 Hatboro Beverage 201 Jacksonville Road Hatboro, PA 19040 hatbev.com Michaels Deli 200 West Dekalb Pike King of Prussia, PA 19406 Michaelsdeli.com Towamencin Beverage Co 1555 Sumneytown Pike Lansdale, PA 19446 Home Brew Supplies

Keystone Homebrew Supply 435 Doylestown Rd. (Rt. 202) Montgomeryville, PA 18936 599 Main St Bethlehem, PA 18018 keystonehomebrew.com Weak Knee Home Brewing Supplies North End Shopping Ctr Pottstown, PA 19464 weakKneehomebrew.com

New Jersey Bars & Restaurants

Blue Monkey Tavern 2 South Centre St. Merchantville, NJ 08109 bluemonkeytavern.com

The Firkin Tavern 1400 Parkway Ave. Ewing, NJ 08628 www.firkintavern.com Geraghty’s Pub 148 W. Broad Street Burlington, NJ 08016 geraghtyspub.com High Street Grill 64 High Street Mount Holly, NJ 09199 highstreetgrill.net Jug Handle Inn 2398 Route 73 Cinnaminson, NJ 08077

1162 Hurffville Road Deptford, NJ 2803 S. Rt. 73 Maple Shade NJ unos.com

3375 US Rt. 1 Lawrence Twp, NJ 08648 305 N. Rt.73 Marlton, NJ 08053 joecanals.com

Brewpubs

Liquor Barn 1051 Florence Columbus Rd Bordentown, NJ 08505

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 124 E. Kings Highway Maple Shade, NJ 08052 ironhillbrewery.com Triumph Brewing Co 138 Nassau Street Princeton, NJ 08542 triumphbrewing.com

Flying Fish Brewing Co 900 Kennedy Blvd.

Somerdale, NJ 08083 flyingfish.com River Horse Brewing Co 80 Lambert Lane Lambertville, NJ 08530 riverhorse.com Retail Beer

Lazy Lanigans Publick House 139 Egg Harbor Rd. Sewell, NJ 08080

210 N Black Horse Pike Mt Ephraim, NJ 08059

Madison Pub 33 Lafayette Street Riverside, NJ 08075 Max’s Seafood Cafe 34 N Burlington St Gloucester City, NJ 08030 maxsseafoodcafe.com Mexican Food Factory 601 W Route 70 Marlton, NJ 08053 themexicanfoodfactory.com Ott’s 656 Stokes Road Medford, NJ 08055 ottsrestaurants.com Pour House 124 Haddon Avenue Haddon Twp, NJ 08108 Taproom & Grill 427 W. Crystal Lake Ave Haddonfield, NJ 08033 taproomgrill.com

147 E Main St Newark, DE 19711 ironhillbrewery.com Stewarts Brewing Co 219 Governors Place Bear, DE 19701 stewartsbrewingcompany.com

Domaine Hudson 1314 N. Washington St Wilmington, DE 19801 domainehudson.com

Breweries

Monster Beverage 1299 N. Delsea Drive Glassboro, NJ 08028 Red White and Brew 33 High Street Mount Holly, NJ 08060 redwhitebrew.net

Ernest & Scott 902 N Market St Wilmington, DE 19810 ernestandscott.com

Retail Beer

Spirit Shop 2077 Marlton Pike E, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

Homegrown Cafe 126 E Main St Newark, DE 19711 homegrowncafe.com

Frank’s Union Wine Mart 1206 North Union Street Wilmington DE 19806 FranksWine.com

McGlynn’s Pub 8 Polly Drummond Shopping Center Newark, DE 19711

Greenville Wine & Spirits 4025 Kennett Pike Greenville, DE 19807 wineandspiritco.com

Twin Lakes Brewing Co 4210 Kennett Pike Greenville, DE 19807

Avenue Wine & Spirits 2000 Delaware Ave Lowr Wilmington, DE 19806

Breweries

Keg & Kitchen 90 Haddon Avenue Westmont, NJ 08108 kegnkitchen.com

lazylaniganspublickhouse.com

Chelsea Tavern 821 N Market St Wilmington, DE 19801 chelseatavern.com Deer Park Tavern 108 W Main St Newark, DE 19711 deerparktavern.com

Canal’s Discount Liquors 10 W. Rt. 70 Marlton, NJ 08650

1500 Route 38 Hainesport, NJ 08060 5360 Route 38 Pennsauken, NJ 08109 2004 Mount Holly Road Burlington, NJ 08016 joecanals.com Route 73 and Harker Ave Berlin, NJ 08009 canalsofberlin.com Hopewell BuyRite 222 Rt. 31 S. Pennington, NJ 08534 hopewellbuyrite.com Hops And Grapes 810 N. Delsea Drive Glassboro, NJ 08028 hopsandgrapesonline.com J & D’s Discount Liquor 430 N. Broad St Woodbury, NJ 08096 Joe Canal’s 1075 Mantua Pike West Deptford, NJ 08096

Total Wine and More 2100 Route 38 Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 Walker’s Liquor Store 86 Bridge Street Lambertville, NJ 08530 Wine Works 319 Route 70 W Marlton, NJ 08053 Wonderful World of Wine 8 South Union Street Lambertville, NJ 08530 wonderfulworldofwines.net

108 Peoples Plaza Newark, DE 19702 mcglynnspub.com Nomad 905 N Orange St Wilmington, DE 19801 Two Stones Pub 2-3 Chesmar Plaza Newark, DE 19713

Home Brew Supplies

BYOB 162 Haddon Avenue Westmont, NJ 08108 brewyourownbottle.com Keg and Barrel Home Brew Supply 41 Clementon Road Berlin, NJ 08009 Princeton Homebrew 208 Sanhican Drive Trenton, NJ 08618

Delaware Bars & Restaurants

1984 2511 W 4th St Wilmington, DE 19805 1984wilmington.com BBC Tavern and Grill 4019 Kennett Pike Greenville, DE 19807 bbctavernandgrill.com

2502 Foulk Rd Wilmington, DE 19810 twostonespub.com Ulysses 1716 Marsh Rd Wilmington, DE 19810 ulyssesgastropub.com

Kreston’s Wine & Spirits 904 Concord Ave Wilmington, DE 19802 krestonwines.com Total Wine and More 691 Naamans Road Claymont, DE 19703 1325 McKennans Church Rd Wilmington, DE 19808 totalwine.com Home Brew Supplies

How Do You Brew?

203 Louviers Drive Newark, DE 19711 howdoyoubrew.com

Washington Street Ale House 1206 Washington Street Wilmington, DE 19801 wsalehouse.com

If you would like to considered for the beer directory, please email

World Cafe LIve at the Queen 500 N Market St Wilmington, DE 19801 queen.worldcafelive.com

mat@ beerscenemag. com

Brewpubs

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 710 S. Madison Street Wilmington, DE 19801

UNO’s Chicago Grill 225 Sloan Avenue Hamilton, NJ 89

local event calendar

Beer Events For more events, visit phillybeerscene.com

October Tuesday, October 8th Wild in the Streets (Sour Beers) Khyber Pass Pub 56 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 Wednesday, October 9th Zombie Pub Crawl Various Bars Mount Holly, NJ Thursday, October 10th Harvest Beer Dinner Victory Brewing Company 420 Acorn Ln., Downingtown, PA 19335 Friday, October 11th Vault Brewing One Year Anniversary Vault Brewing Company 10 S. Main St., Yardley, PA 19067

Friday, October 18th Tröegs Beer Tasting Cold Beverage Station 166 Painters Crossing West Chester, PA 19382

Sunday, October 27th Simply Succulent Swine Philly Homebrew Outlet 1447 N. American St., Philadelphia, PA

Perfect Ten with Sixpoint Johnny Brendas 1201 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125

Skippack Beer Fest Skippack Village Skippack, PA

Saturday, October 12th Elmwood Park Zoo Oktoberfest Elmwood Park Zoo 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown, PA 19401

Saturday, October 19th Framboise for a Cure Breast Cancer Event Monk’s Café 264 S. 16th St., Philadelphia, PA 19102

Sunday, October 13th Pumpkin SMASH! City Tap House 3925 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104

Wednesday, October 23rd Free Will Night for Rena Rowan Breast Center Old Eagle Tavern 177 Markle St., Philadelphia, PA 19127

Thursday, October 17th Stone Tap Takeover Bistro on Bridge 210 Bridge St., Phoenixville, PA 19460

Friday, October 25th Harpoon Beer Tasting Cold Beverage Station 166 Painters Crossing West Chester, PA 19382

Friday, October 18th-20th 10 Year Anniversary Celebration South Philadelphia Tap Room 1509 Mifflin St., Philadelphia, PA 19145

Belgian Beer Tasting Beer School of Philadelphia 127 S. 22nd St., Philadelphia, PA

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November

Saturday, November 9th Craft Beer Express Various Philadelphia Bars craftbeerexpress.com Wednesday, November 13th Sixpoint Brew & Chew Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse 1823 Sansom St., Philadelphia, PA 19103

Saturday, November 2nd-9th Wilmington Beer Week Greater Wilmington Area wilmingtonbeerweek.com

Thursday, November 14th Vanberg & DeWulf Coast to Coast Toast Various Beer Bars Throughout the Area

Saturday, November 2nd Epic Beer Fest Philadelphia Convention Center 1101 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

Saturday, November 23rd Winter Beer Fest 23rd Street Armory 22 S. 23rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19103

Tuesday, November 5th Deschutes Beer Dinner Monk’s Café 264 S. 16th St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 Thursday, November 7th Deschutes Night Blue Dog Tavern 4275 County Line Rd., Chalfont, PA 18914

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Top 5 places in America for Beer & Food Celebrator Magazine, November 2006

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PHILLY’S BEST Beer Bar* BEST Draft Beer* BEST Beer Selection* BEST Late Night Dining* BEST Bar Food* BEST Burgers* BEST Fries* *Philly’s Best, Best of Philly, etc Awards ‘97, ‘98, ‘99, ‘00, ‘01, ‘02, ‘03, ‘04, ‘05, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘10, ‘11 & ‘12

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