Philly Beer Scene April/May by Philly Beer Scene

Issue 6 | april/may 2010 | www.beerscenemag.com

™

Suds and

Sustainability Brewers Celebrate Earth Day, Every Day

Hops Throughout History How Bitter Flowers Got Planted In Our Beers

Goat, Speed Racer! Sly Fox’s Annual MaiBock Naming Battle

Women Homebrewers | Growing Hops | Seaweed Beer

Free! 1 Take One

april/may 2010

Here’s to keeping the Great Lakes great. •

Toast to the Great Lakes

At Great Lakes Brewing Company, we believe our region’s waterways are an irreplaceable resource. So join us in toasting the Great Lakes on Earth Day, April 22nd. Because sometimes, the best way to raise awareness is to raise a pint.

greatlakesbrewing.com 2

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HELP SELECT THE BEST OF THE SCENE BY VOTING FOR OUR SELECTED NOMINEES

IN 35 CATEGORIES!

STARTING

FEBRUARY 1ST to MAY 1ST

april/may 2010

Contents April/May 2010

specials

You’re only as good as your last beer From a nuclear plant to the brewery with Bill Moore. By Mat Falco

passionately green Cleaning up the world, one brew at a time. By John Galster

the bock & the parking lot Kentucky’s got the ponies, Pennsylvania’s got the goats. By Neil Harner

the history of hops

8,000 years before the marriage of beer and hops. By David Martorana

sections 8 on the scene

20 tapping into technology

Beer events in Philly’s beer scene.

10 the variety pack By John Galster, Andrew Loder, Mat Falco, Scott Willey

14 woman on the scene Ladies of the kettle. By Suzanne Woods

Earth Day project for the beer lover. By Joe Bair

17 homebrewer’s corner Lavin Dude Mon

18 cooking with beer Beer n’ bacon mac & cheese By Poliana Irizarry

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21 beer travel Lancaster, PA By Terry Brophy

22 not beer Feed your Soul Cookies By Mat Falco

16 fun with beer

Keg shortages solved. By Zeke Diaz

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23 You’ve Been Served Weizen Up. By Scott Willey

40 bar & restaurant reviews Unique beer destinations for a pint and a meal in and out of the city. By Mat Falco & Neil Harner

42 42 the tasting room 12 Beers reviewed by our panel with special guest: Bruce Nichols.

46 directory

Local listings of places to drink a great beer, take home a great beer, or make your own (great) beer.

50 beer events Local happenings throughout the Philly beer scene. By Alicia Eichelman

Win a road trip to Lancaster Join us at one of these events and enter to win Wednesday, April 7 Old Eagle Tavern in Manayunk Saturday, April 24th Manayunk Brew Fest Extravaganza Wednesday, April 28 Di Bruno Brother’s in Italian Market Sunday, May 16 Taste of the Suburbs - King of Prussia Mall

Win a one night stay for two and dinner at the Brewery - One winner per event - so you could win! (see entry at the events for details)

Our spring seasonal... Spring Bock is on tap now! Visit Lancaster Brewing Company for a tour 302 North Plum Street - Lancaster, PA 17602 - 717.391.6258 - www.lancasterbrewing.com Follow us on twitter @lancasterbrew for event updates

Brady’s Pub- 30 Beers on Tap Over 50 in Bottles. New Arrivals every month. Please see our website for updates, promotional events,entertainment and our New Food Menu with Beer Infused Sauces. Visit

Bradys-Pub.com

Happy Hour

Monday thru Friday 5-7pm

1/2 Price Apps, $1.00 off Domestic Drafts and House Wines.

Karaoke every Friday Night from 9pm till 1am Flyers Promo

Crowne Plaza Beer Fest May 7th Friday 6-9pm,

Approx 20-25 Beer Vendors Wide Selection of Beer to choose from, Buffet Included - Picnic Style Food ( Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, BBQ Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Salads and more.., DJ and Beer Trivia chance to win prizes.Cost of Ticket $40.00 with an optional discounted room overnight stay rate.

$2.50 Molsen Canadian during games Buzztime Trivia or Buzztime Texas Hold’em

Interactive Game available all day long. FREE to play

Bradys Beer Club Cards - Get your Free Bradys Beer Club and earn prizes or a free draft beer of choice!

Upcoming Phillies Games Promo Still Brewing- See Our Website

4700 Street Rd. Trevose Pa. 19053 (267) 684-1190

april/may 2010

meet the founders Scott >> scott@beerscenemag.com

Currently Drinking: Brooklyn Brown Ale | Style of the Moment: Anything darkI HATE summer beers | Best Beer-Moment Since the Last Issue: Discovering the beer selection at Wonderful World of Wines | First Craft Beer: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale | Other Vices: Cheese | Random Likes: Goats | Random Dislikes: Potholes

Mat >> mat@beerscenemag.com

Currently Drinking: Weyerbacher India | Style of the Moment: Getting back into IPAs | Best Beer-Moment Since the Last Issue: Any of the Ten Events in Ten Days in March | First Craft Beer: Magic Hat #9 | Other vices: Can’t stop watching “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Random likes: New happy hour at Varga Bar | Random dislikes: PLCB

founders

Scott Willey, Mat Falco, Neil Harner & John Galster Art Director

Melissa Levenduski Executive Editor

Shannon McLaughlin Associate Art Director

Neil >> neil@beerscenemag.com

Currently Drinking: Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale | Style of the Moment: Bocks Beer-Moment Since the Last Issue: Being proud to break 100 at our Beer, BBQ, and Bowling event. | First Craft Beer: Weyerebacher’s Blithering Idiot. | Other vices: Lost | Random likes: My son reaching for my beer. | Random dislikes: PLCB

Brandi Kerekes Director of photography

Pete Schuster Contributing Editors

John >> john@beerscenemag.com Currently Drinking: Dogfish Head Palo Santo | Style of the Moment: Porters Best Beer-Moment Since the Last Issue: Running into Seamus O’Hara at McGillin’s during our Tasting room. | First Craft Beer: Hell if I remember Other vices: Discovery Channel | Random likes: My puppy reaching for my beer. | Random dislikes: My puppy knocking my beer out of my hand.

Joseph Bair, Terry Brophy, Zeke Diaz, Steve Hawk, Poliana Irizarry, Dave Martorana & Suzanne Woods Contributing Artist

Andrew Loder Editorial Assistant & Subscriptions Manager

Alicia Eichelman contributing Photographers

Jonathan Clark & Brad Day Web Designer

Amanda Mitchell

Everything Web. Everything Print. Everything Beer.

Philly Beer Scene is an eco-friendly publication which is printed with soy based inks on FSC-certified paper.

Philadelphia based web & graphic design

Philly Beer Scene is Designed & Printed in the USA. Philly Beer Scene is an Inverse Paradox Publication. Copyright © 2010 Inverse Paradox, LLC. Philly Beer Scene is published bi-monthly by Inverse Paradox, LLC. 4432 Bristol Road, Suite 1B, Oakford, PA 19053 | 215-478-6586

for Restaurants, Brew Pubs, Breweries, and Craft Beverage producers.

www.brewstudio.net • (215) 478-6586 BrewStudio is an Inverse Paradox Project.

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For subscription inquires please visit us on the web at www.beerscenemag.com/subscribe.html

Letter from the Founder It’s crazy for me to sit here and write this. Every time I try and attempt it, all I can think about is how it’s been a whole year already and I can’t believe it. So much has happened over the past 12 months, I don’t even know what to say. The first and most important thing though is, I want to say thank you. To all of our readers and supporters, I really can’t thank you guys enough. You have made this an incredible and crazy year that wouldn’t be possible without your support. A year ago, I would have never pictured myself in this situation. I loved craft beer and loved talking about it, but writing was never an interest for me, let alone a passion or career choice. It’s funny how quickly life goes by you and how the things you least expect to happen, happen. It makes you wonder where your life would be if you didn’t have those random ideas or be next to the right person when they have one. Enough philosophy on life and time though, this is still a beer magazine. Over the past year, I’ve had some experiences I never dreamed of having. I still have to look at the pictures to prove to myself that I actually got to have lunch with Jim Koch or had breakfast with a very hung-over Pat Conway. That is why I really want to emphasize my thanks and appreciation for all of you, and I hope that through these experiences I was able to provide you with some decent reading material. This first year was a huge learning experience for all of us, and I think it has really reflected through each magazine. We started off with a smaller 32 page issue number one with Ben Franklin gracing the cover. Today with this issue we are at double the pages and are proud to say that we have gone completely green. Going green is a huge thing in the beer industry and we felt it was a great way to give back, and that is why this issue is printed on 100% recycled paper using soy inks. Since we went green, we decided to give you a feature article on Going Green in the beer industry. Also this issue, we brought back our friend Dave Martorana of TwoGuysOnBeer.com to bring you a little history lesson on hops. Also, with Spring arriving comes one of our favorite festivals of the year: the Goat Races at Sly Fox. In honor of Spring and the races, Neil is bringing you a feature on bocks and a little more info on the races themselves. So with that said, it’s now time to look toward year number two and find new ways to grow. Once again I truly thank each and everyone one of you, and if I could buy you all a beer, I would. I raise my glass to all of you….Cheers and let’s have an awesome year of drinking great beers together! Mat Falco Founder, Philly Beer Scene Magazine

Deck now Open

Watch all Phillies Games Here!! Great Deal on Bud and Bud Light

12 pack cans Come Enjoy a great selection of the

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267-757-0111

Peterpoxpub.com

Named “Best Place to Buy Beer” (Philadelphia Magazine)

Named One of 79 “Remarkable Retailers” Joe Sixpacks (in the world) “Best Places for Six Packs”

april/may 2010

On the Scene

5 1

Philly Beer Scene’s Candid Photos from the Fun and Exciting World of Craft Beer 1. Johnny and Dave writing down a bunch of wrong answers at “Are You Smarter Than TwoGuysOnBeer.com” at National Mechanics. 2. Visiting from Ireland, Seamus O’Hara meets PBS at McGillin’s release party for Flying Fish Exit 16 Wild Rice Double IPA. 3. Beer and cheese tasting at Quince, with Phildelphia Brewing Co. and Madame Formage. 4. A group of Philly Craft Beer Festival participants enjoy beer and pretzels.

5. A delicious cheese and beer pairing at Tap and Table in Emmaus. 6. The beer monster being demonstrated at the Philly Craft Beer Festival.

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Craft Beer Night Every Wednesday from 7-9pm Try select craft beers at a discounted price.

DOGFISH HEAD BEER DINNER Tuesday April 13th at 7-9pm Reservations Required

20 draft beers available 100 bottled beers Featuring the best in Bucks County for Spring & Summer beers

4-6pm Monday-Friday

1/2 OFF

drinks & appetizers Certain exclusions apply

1297 Greeley Avenue . Ivyland, PA 18974

Always check out our website for upcoming events and specials

www.tonysplaceivyland.com

april/may 2010

The Variety Pack

1001 Beers 960 pages you must read before you hit the bottle shop. By Scott Willey

John Knows Best ...or does he? Is something stumping you about beer? Email your questions to john@beerscenemag.com. Dear John, beer Vegan? -Carissa S. Philadelphia, PA Well, I can’t definitively say yes or no on this one– it depends on the brewery, the beer, and how strict you are in your definition of vegan. Firstly, some breweries refine their beers with animal byproducts such as isinglass – a collagen found in fish swim-bladders. Secondly, some beers made by brewers that are mostly vegan, might not be vegan. Any beer brewed with honey would be an obvious example. The last thing is the hardest to pinpoint. Although most beers brewed by Anheuser-Busch InBev are brewed in vegan friendly processes without the use of any animal products, they used to own SeaWorld and also sponsor rodeos. If I had to say yes or no, I’d say yes, as the vegan friendly beers seem to be the rule rather than the exception.

General Editor Adrian Tierney-Jones’ new book, 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die, is an amazing collection of beers from around the globe reviewed by a handful of leading international experts including Philly’s own Don Russell (Joe Sixpack). It’s great to see that in such a massive collection of some of the best beers in the world, eight Pennsylvania breweries made the cut, with a total of 13 beers in this massive volume. Lancaster, Sly Fox, Stoudt’s, Troegs, Victory, Weyerbacher, Yards, and Yuengling represent PA in the eclectic mix of breweries in this hefty read. The book is beautifully produced in color with pictures of most of the beers listed, and some goregous full color pictures of

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breweries, bars, classic photos, and label art. For simplification, the book is broken down into five sections: Amber, Blond, White, Dark, and Specialty. The only issue I have with books like this are that they can be dated. Beers will be brewed, and breweries will fold after the book has been printed. I feel the real value to this book is if you are into trading brews through the mail. It’s a great index of the best beers in the world listed by country of origin. You can pick up a copy by visiting our website at www.beerscenemag.com. This book will look great on your coffee table, and serve as an excellent reference when you visit your local bottle shop. Then, jump on Beer Advocate or Rate Beer, and track someone down to trade with.

Dear John, some people tell me IPA’s were brewed strong to survive the trip from Britain to India but others tell me that this isn’t true. What is your take? -Matt H., Doylestown, PA I’ve heard that one many times too. While it does sound like a good story, more evidence is turning up every day to debunk this idea. It seems that there wasn’t really much of a problem getting beer to last the whole trip to India as the beer would be maturing while the trip was made. Also, it seems that strong hoppy ales were already being made before people decided to ship beer to India. It would seem that the story is actually backwards, the beer already existed and the name was made popular after. Dear John, you wrote about St. Patrick last issue but forgot to mention that he is the patron saint of brewing. Nice job on that one. -Sean P., Philadelphia, PA Actually, St. Patrick is not the patron saint of brewing. The good news is that there is a patron saint of brewing – two actually! Saint Amand is the patron saint of beer, brewers and bartenders and Saint Arnold is the patron saint of Belgian brewers and – get this – hop pickers.

The Variety Pack

Pretty Things- Inside and Out

Photo By Phil Ruokis

Putting good use to the old VHS labels. By Mat Falco

One of my favorite parts of craft beer is the artistic aspect that goes into it. Each beer is an interpretation of the brewer’s personality. Whether it’s a crazy unique style beer from Sam Calagione at Dogfish Head or a traditional styled, well-crafted beer from Pat Conway of Great Lakes, you can see a lot in common between the beer and the man behind the beer. Dann and Martha Paquette are a perfect example of the art behind beer and the inspiration for a new column on the artwork of the beer label. Dann and Martha started Pretty Things brewery just over a year ago, but thanks to the great beers and the great branding, they are quickly making an impact on the beer scene. The artwork behind their beer has definitely benefited this and is something the Paquette’s take a lot of pride in. Inspired by the famous Ripon Cathedral that inspired Lewis Carrolls’ legendary Through the Looking Glass, Dann and Martha’s artwork is something all their own. Having spent a few years living in England, they spent much time in this cathedral admiring the artwork that is spread throughout, including underneath the

D-LITE

pews. It was at this cathedral that Dann came up with the idea for their mascot, Jack D’or. Jack is a mustached grain that is based off a classic blemya. They even went beyond just drawing him up, Jack even has an extensive back story and is said to be the reason for the breweries existence and how it came to America. Not all bottles feature this little mythical grain though. Each bottle has a unique design that ranges from a simple round tree filled with babies to a classic red push mower sitting in a field of grass. Each design is appealing and with the old VHS sticker covering the top of the bottle it really makes the bottles stand out. It’s nice to see some good use coming out of VHS tapes besides seeing them on sale for $1 on the streets of the Italian Market. “We wanted to be the opposite. Like the Stone Gargoyle, we want every one to be extremely worthy,” says Dann when I asked him why he chose such a happy, almost child friendly approach to the artwork. The design shows who the Paquette’s are. Dann and Martha are just a happy couple who love brewing beer they want to be enjoyed. Despite the creative packaging, they don’t want their beers sitting on shelves and stored away. They want them to be enjoyed as soon as they hit the store shelves. When I asked them whether the beer inspired the label or the label inspired the beer, Dann told me “It’s all one in the same.” They look at the two as one and create them together. “We really like the idea of going in our own direction with the artwork.” He also joked and said, “I’ve actually thought, I need to make this beer taste more like the label.” Pretty Things is really the perfect name for this brewery as the beers truly are pretty things inside and out. Behind the beer is a young, happy couple who love beer and art and the beer is a young brewery that is covered in unique artwork they’ve created. It really goes to prove how a brewer defines a beer, or is it that a beer defines its brewer?

By Andrew Loder

a true beer tasting considers so many variables.

everything from the glass to the pour can alter your beer perception.

you could write a book on color alone.

Oh. Or you can just get drunk.

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The Variety Pack

Meet The Scene Meet Chris Fetfatzes, owner of Hawthornes Café and Bella Vista Beverage. He’s also that random guy that crashed the pictures in last issue’s Tasting Room. By Mat Falco

The Solar Homebrewer 208 Sanhican Drive (RT.29) Trenton, NJ 08618 joe@solarhomebrew.com

(609) 252-1800 (609) 393-9399

Philly Beer Scene: What did you go to college for and actually want to be when you grew up, before you decided to get into the beer business? Chris Fetfatzes: I went to college for a

Business Management degree. I wanted to be a Pharmaceutical Sales Rep. I always wanted to run a company and be in charge of a Fortune 500 business. I just really wanted to know what it felt like to start a company from the ground up and that’s why I started Hawthornes. PBS: What bar/bars are people most likely to find you at? Chris: It depends; I’m really a sucker for

the back room at Monks. You can find me on a summer night at the end of the bar at Bridget Foy’s next to the open windows. Or you can always find me here at Hawthornes. PBS: What was your first craft beer? Chris: My very first craft beer, I’m not sure

that it would be called craft beer, was called Honey Brown. It was my summer job to stock the beer coolers at Bella Vista and I was always fascinated by the craft beers. So I would always steal a beer out of the case and break the rest and send it back as breakage.

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PBS: What do you do in your free time and not dealing with beer, any hobbies? Chris: Hobbies? I’m a workaholic. I read and

write blogs. I like going around vacationing and hanging out with my fiancée, Heather. We make fun of each other, go out to dinner.

I’m addicted to SportsCenter, Jersey Shore and Lost (after this, the conversation turned into a long discussion on what is going on this season of Lost). PBS: What’s your favorite/go-to brewery? Chris: It’s going to sound like I’m whoring

them, but Ballast Point or AleSmith. Or anything from Brasserie Dupont. If you could stick me on an island with only beer I would definitely want Saison Dupont. I love that shit. PBS: What’s been your best experience so far working in the beer industry? Chris: It’s actually traveling around the country

and visiting different breweries. Also, signing AleSmith has to be one my best experiences. When I saw that e-mail from them I must have done the Jersey Shore fist pump like 9 times. PBS: If you could meet any person in the beer industry who would it be and why? Chris: I’m not gonna cop out but, I never

got the chance to meet him. I would like to meet Michael Jackson in his prime and find out what and why he was inspired to get into beer. I would just love to know what turned him onto it. PBS: If you could only give people one reason to come check out Hawthornes what would it be? Chris: The amount of passion, intelligence

and unpretentiousness we have of this great thing we call beer.

610-746-5611 www.stockertownbeverage.com

april/may 2010

Woman on the Scene

Ladies of the Kettle Starting women’s homebrew revolution, one batch at a time. By Suzanne Woods

In The Naked Pint, Hallie Beaune and Christina Perozzi share, “In Medieval times, it was not unusual for the women to be the primary brewers of the household and town. In some cases even master brewers. The Brewers Guild formed and gained power after the 1300’s at which point women were then rarely allowed to be certified brewers.” So there was a lapse. A 600 year lapse- in which women weren’t recognized as brewers. The American Homebrewers Association conducted a survey of homebrew supply shops in 2008. 72% of respondents indicated that less than 10% of their beer-brewing customers were female. Another survey conducted in 2007 revealed that 96% of the Association were men. George Hummel who has owned Home Sweet Homebrew with partner Nancy Rigberg since 1990 says this is changing. “More women are coming through then before and definitely more couples have become involved in the hobby.” It didn’t take me long to find three die-hards in our great beer city. Dana Mathes is an interior designer by day. Steph Weber, who actually brewed six batches of beer for her own wedding, is the woman behind the kitchen savvy blog, “brew.cook.pair.joy” but daytimes it as a software engineer. The third, Natalie DeChico, you can find grading papers for a paycheck then manning the taps at Hulmeville Inn for tips at night. For the cute-as-a-button-quail DeChico, it’s inherited. “My dad has been homebrewing since 1992, I was in second grade. I grew up helping him brew. I used to hate the smell of the wort boiling.

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I thought it smelled like stewed tomatoes. My dad let me help him stir the wort and bottle the beer.” During her senior year at Penn State, she studied abroad in England, where she was exposed to cask conditioned ales. “When I returned home, my dad and I found a recipe for an IPA from the Kings and Barnes brewery in Horsham, England. It had golden syrup in it, which is what the British put on their pancakes instead of maple syrup. The perfect balance of hops and sweet malt taste was amazing.” The couple that brews together stays together? Mathes started home brewing when her and her husband got a kit as a wedding gift. “It’s a nice thing to do together and I never brew without him although he sometimes brews without me.” They’ve really run the gamut with styles, getting as intense as once brewing a coffee porter with 12 cups of espresso. It was a similar start for Weber. “Tim, my husband (then boyfriend) and I started back in college. We had been getting really into craft beer and were trying as many different beers from as many different breweries as we could. We were at Victory Brewing Company geeking out about their beer, when one of our friends said, ‘Why don’t you guys try making your own?’ A couple months later, we bought all the equipment and were off on our way!” Weber’s proudest effort is the “Grand Cru,” which was brewed to commemorate their 100th batch of beer. Their centennial beer was brewed with cherries, golden raisins, aged on French oak. Once you’ve got your “baby” brewed- you want to share it. Taking homebrews to BYOS, brewing for weddings and special events are

common. “I am so proud and excited to share my homemade beer,” says ALEiens DeChico. “I bring my beer everywhere I possibly can: restaurants, friend’s houses, family reunions, birthday parties, etc.” I can’t believe I’m about to share this. My first attempt at homebrewing was participating in a company contest, LongShot, with Boston Beer in 2004. I started with good intentions. I walked into Hummel’s shop and he gave me a recipe for witbier. I got orange peel and coriander, extract, and the hops (the varietal escapes me). Something awful happened along the way. My homebrew was foiled, but I couldn’t admit failure to my company so I took the advice of an acquaintance, and started doctoring up bottles. He had me adding half a bottle of Lindeman’s Peche to half a bottle of unpalatable homebrew. I knew nothing. He frequently made mead, so I thought he would have a credible solution. I would ship the shady bottles to Boston. I would get the team points for my company contest, and no one would ever talk about how bad my beer was. I thought way wrong.

“That’s what the creative brewer loves most about brewing- the designing process. As Randy Mosher questions in Tasting Beer, How strong will it be? What will be the color? Bitterness? What primary flavors are you going for?” Apparently the sixer exploded at an airport. I got hate mail from FedEx. Their words were not gentle, nor professional. I wish I would have saved the profanity-laden letter. I now ship UPS. I did want to learn though. I actually spent my 25th birthday some years ago at Nodding Head Brewpub, stewarding a homebrew competition. I still want to learn. I’ve wanted to brew with my significant-other, a professional brewer himself. But I guess he gave up the five gallon pot 12 years ago when he got his commercial system. Pringles style- once you start you can’t stop. Weber said, “The first beer we brewed was an extract kit from Midwest Supplies called Honey Weizen. At the time, we were pretty sure it was the best beer we had ever tasted, and were hooked from then on out.” Weber has been brewing all-grain for two years now. Mathes and DeChico are starting to make the switch from extract. All the ladies brew with liquid yeast. White Labs seemed to be the favorite. “I think the liquid yeast is healthier and more prolific. I also use a yeast starter for all my brews to increase the amount of yeast I am pitching into my beer and to also make sure all my fermentables are used up,” says DeChico. She is always thinking outside the box. Currently in her secondary vessel she has “Sonny’s Citra Pale Ale.” The ale uses only the Citra hops in the boil, zest from oranges, tangerines, and a grapefruit, Cara Munich malt, golden light liquid malt extract, and is currently in the secondary with two vanilla beans. I am hoping that it has a mild sweet malt taste, citrus hop taste and scent, and finishes with a touch of vanilla. I made up the recipe myself so I am interested to see how it turns out.” That’s what the creative brewer loves most about brewing- the

designing process. As Randy Mosher questions in Tasting Beer, How strong will it be? What will be the color? Bitterness? What primary flavors are you going for? She mentions that ALEiens, the homebrew club of which she is the sole female member, was so inspired by Flying Fish’s Exit 4, an American Trippel, that they bought a pound of the new Citra hops to split it among some members. The hop crisis of 2007 didn’t affect DeChico’s homegrown hobby. “No, it’s kind of like gas... do you stop driving when gas prices increase? Nope. I love hops and often brew hoppy beers so I don’t mind spending a bit extra to achieve the style I am looking for. I also tried to grow my own hops last year and am giving it another go this summer.” Weber lives in Oaks, just about half an hour from Keystone Homebrew Supply in Montgomeryville. “We buy our base malts in 50 lb sacks, so shipping would be ridiculous if we ordered all of our ingredients from an online retailer. Plus, it’s important to support your local homebrew shop!” I like the idea of visiting the shop, but there are many people turning to the internet these days to order. A major advantage is that they tend to not be out of stock on desired items and ingredients. DeChico recommends Midwestsupplies.com which boasts a huge selection at a very low cost. Although it’s commonly believed that sanitation is the hardest part, Weber disagrees, “Many home brewers get way too worked up over sanitation! The hardest part in my opinion is brewing with consistency, which requires extreme precision, diligent note-taking and rigorous temperature control.” Mathes gives kudos to her better brewing half, “I do not consider myself the brains behind the brewing operation.” She knows her role as “head sanitizer.” I just enjoy it because it’s something fun for us to do together.” With all this beer being brewed, it begs the question for home brewers-who even needs to go to the bar? The Webers have a basement bar that’s actually built around a chest freezer with the capacity for six beers on tap simultaneously. But they have a five year business plan to own a brewpub to be called Twin Leaf Brewery. DeChico has her home bar all planned out. “Three taps: one for a session beer, one for a butt-kicker beer, and the third for my homebrew!” “I am actually working on a new club competition. Think Iron Chef with beer…” I have a hunch you’ll be hearing a lot more about the young DeChico in the future. We need more women to join these three dynamic home brewing ladies. As the cliché goes, we’re doing well. We need to do better. We need more Carol Stoudts. More Kim Jordans. More Whitney Thompsons. Beer Activist Chris O’Brien, in the enlightening book, Fermenting Revolution lectures “If more women were brewers, beer would appeal to more women.” He continues, “For beer, the most commonly consumed alcoholic beverage in the world to be so male dominant, is both an injustice and a tragedy. The injustice is in excluding so many from something so good. The tragedy is that lacking feminine influence, beer is still far from achieving its full potential.”

april/may 2010

Fun With Beer

Earth Day Project for the Beer Lover Before I could not even spell Hop Rhizomes, now I write about how to grow them! By Joe Bair

If you’ve got a green thumb and love craft beer, help your favorite home brewer start a Hop Garden. It’s time to pay him back for all of his beer you’ve drank.

the basics Hops grow from what is known as a Rhizome, or simply a root cutting (It resembles a twig.) The more sunlight, drainage and water...the better. The ideal setting is having some sort of raised bed in loose soil for drainage. The best hops for growing around here are the American varieties, with Cascade leading the way in success and yield. Hops must have a trellis to grow on. They can grow really fast (6” a day) with the proper amount of soil, water, sunlight and nutrients, and will usually grow as high as your trellis. See Princeton Homebrew’s trellises. (pictured) How do you know if the Rhizome is good? You can check to be sure the rhizome is alive by looking for buds (sprouts) or cutting the end off and looking for the creamy white inside if it does not have sprouts.

The small sprout will start off purple, then change to white, then green in a few days. Fertilize with an inch of fresh potting soil on top every month and the hops will respond by blushing green. Growing season from late March to late October. The leaves start off by resembling marijuana plants and then grow to look like 6” maple leaves. The cones grow in clusters of three and are the only part that is picked and used in beer.

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the long awaited harvest You should pick the cones when they get about 1 - 2” long and just before they turn straw colored.

what to expect

A trellis like this will work best in keeping your hops untangled, while giving them plenty of room to grow and climb.

april/may 2010

Hop cones can be dried as they contain 80% water weight and then cool stored. They can be used immediately without drying for “hop harvest” beers. The first year sometimes does not produce many cones, but that is not always the case. At the end of the year, cut the hop vines down to soil level, clean up the trellises and the rhizomes will rise again come next spring. *Keep in mind that hops can be harmful to dogs if they are ingested.

Homebrewer’s Corner

Lavin Dude Mon: Belgian Specialty Ale One of my favorite beers to brew is this semi-clone of Unibroue’s La Fin Du Monde, created with a little bit of yeast ingenuity. It has a drinkable Belgian taste, very fruity with a touch of clove. By Steve Hawk

Lavin. It finishes out at a smooth yet hefty 8.3%. And if you’re at the next firkin night we’ll gladly exchange more recipe info for a beer. Shout out to the ALEiens! Cheers and enjoy! About the creator:

This recipe was designed and brewed by fellow ALEien Homebrew Club Member Don Gravatt and myself. We attempted this beer as our first all-grain batch not realizing the extent of the challenge until the homebrew store owner commented on our plans by saying “if you’re going to be a bear - be a grizzly,” This has now become my new personal mantra.

Steve Hawk is co-founder of the ALEiens home brew club and is the current Grey Lodge Pub Philly Beer Geek. He is truly passionate about beer and his home city. You can listen to him and his monthly beer tasting segment on WNJC 1360AM’s Welcome Matt Radio Show, Wednesday nights @ 8pm. www.welcomemattshow.com

As for the beer, it’s cleverly named after our good friend –Patron Saint of the Bucks County beer scene– Hulmeville Inn owner Jeff

Hi, I’m Steve Hawk! Make my Beer!

(Shit like this is why having your own magazine is awesome) Specialty Grains:

20lb Belgian Pilsen Malt 2lb Belgian Pale Wheat Malt 2lb Belgian Cara 20 Malt Hops:

2oz German Perle (6% AA) - 90 Min 4oz Slovenian Styrian Goldings (4.0 % AA) - 30 Min Additives:

1oz Irish Moss 2lb UK Light Crystal 2lb Sugar - Candi Sugar Pale (Start Of Boil) Yeast:

White Labs WLP099-Super High Gravity Ale White Labs WLP570-Belgian Golden Ale (A great gem of a combo we stumbled upon because we couldn’t find what we were looking for)

Ingredients and Directions Procedure:

Step 1: Mash grains at 152 degrees for 1 hour in 8 gallons of water. Step 2: Sparge grains with another 7 gallons at 170 degrees until you have a full 12 gallons in the kettle and when your pre-boil gravity is 1.07. (Refractometers not only make you look cool in front of your friends – they’re really helpful and a must to find your pre-broil gravity.) Step 3: Bring liquid to a boil and add the German Perle and candi sugar.

Step 6: After the boil chill the wort to 7075 degrees, aerate and then pitch your yeast. (A yeast starter is definitely recommended for a beer this high in gravity) Step 7: Ferment for 2 weeks at 68 degrees or until krausen falls. Step 8: Transfer to secondary for 2 – 3 weeks to clarify beer.

Step 4: After 1 hour add the Styrian Goldings.

Step 9: Keg or bottle beer. If bottling; use standard amount of priming sugar and store beer at 70 degrees for about a week or two and then keep at cellar temp for at least month.

Step 5: In the last 15 minutes add the Irish moss.

Step 10: Drink beer and make sure to bring it to an ALEiens meeting to give some to Steve.

april/may 2010

Cooking With Beer

Best Ever Beer n’ Bacon Mac & Cheese From the winner of Philly Beer Scene’s Beer Geek Brunch recipe contest at Hawthornes on March 14th. By: Poliana Irizarry Poliana Irizarry is a librarian who loves cute clothes, fun scooters, craft beers, and delicious foods. In the process of teaching herself how to cook, she scours the Internet for only the finest easily-prepared recipes, which she then bends, folds, spindles, and mutilates to suit her discerning tastes and comply with whatever happens to be in the pantry at the time. The Best Ever Beer n’ Bacon Mac & Cheese is a result of one such endeavor.

Beer n’ Bacon Mac & Cheese Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups large macaroni 2 tsp. salt 2 tbsp. butter 1 tbsp. light olive oil 1 large shallot, finely minced 3 tb all purpose flour 2 cups whole milk 8 oz. shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese 1/2 cup stout beer 6 slices cooked thick bacon, crumbled into 1” chunks 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. ground black pepper Directions:

In a large pot, bring two quarts water and 1 teaspoon salt to a full rolling boil. Gradually add macaroni and boil until pasta reaches desired tenderness. Drain. Melt butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté shallots until they begin to turn transparent. Add flour to the pan, stirring constantly until a smooth paste forms. Stirring constantly, gradually add milk and continue cooking until mixture is thick and bubbly (mixture should coat the back of a spoon). Add 6 ounces of the cheese and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and add beer, bacon, mustard, garlic powder, pepper and remaining salt. Stir well. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the large pot, combine drained macaroni with the cheese sauce and stir. Spray a 9 x 9 inch square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mac & cheese into square pan, cover with foil and place into preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove foil and sprinkle the remaining 2 ounces of the shredded cheese and continue cooking uncovered for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese turns into a golden crust. Remove from the oven. Allow the mac & cheese to rest for approximately 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy.

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april/may 2010

Tapping into Technology

Keg Shortages Solved At least ideas to better track and prevent loss. By Zeke Diaz

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I’ve always felt that bars are something like a classroom, minus the grumpy teacher. I learn something – a joke, some trivia and something about beer – practically every time I stop for a drink. A recent stop at a local bar got me to thinking about beer and kegs; specifically, how to identify the beer in the keg. I went to The Grey Lodge Pub to meet some friends. The tap list included the “MicroStar Mystery Keg.” My initial reaction was to Google the brewery. Then I remembered the last newsletter, The Log, mentioned the “mystery” keg. This keg was at a local wholesaler but the label was gone. All kegs look similar, making the type of beer and the brewery unknown. At $4 a pint, taking a chance on this beer was a no-brainer. I bought “several” pints and was quite happy with my choice; but now I have a dilemma. How do you find a beer without knowing the brewery or name? Well, I’ll tell you. I don’t know, but I have some ideas. The inspiration was my EZ Pass transponder. A transponder works by receiving a signal and returning a unique code. This is something that has been used on airplanes and is currently incorporated in some car keys. I believe the Toyota Prius uses that technology to unlock the door as you walk up to the car. Another option is a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag system. An RFID system has three parts: 1) a scanning antenna, 2) a transceiver with a decoder and 3) the RFID tag. The antenna puts out radio-frequency signals that provide the RFID tag with the energy to send a response. Since the tags don’t need batteries, they can, in theory, be usable for years. The transponder is probably easier to use but the RFID system is probably easier to incorporate. Both methods have their pros and cons; having used both in a previous life (I have a logistics background) my personal preference is the RFID tag. It can be incorporated into the inside of the keg collar providing some protection from abuse; it’s relatively cheap and can be incorporated into a Point of Sale system. Having this simple technology could allow for a keg to be tracked through its lifecycle much like a dollar bill on wheresgeorge.com. It could allow for “lost” kegs to be tracked back to the last owner. It could, in theory even be used to track kegs back to the retailer. This might be useful for police confiscating kegs at underage drinking parties or secondary wholesaler sales. With the recent Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) activity, this may be a good way for them to be able to check if a beer is “legally” registered with them. Imagine a squad of PLCB agents armed with scanners. They would walk in, scan the tags and be able to immediately see an image of the label. Wouldn’t that make things much easier? At least, it might keep the beer from being confiscated. I wonder if some of the bottles in my basement may be considered unregistered? Could my 5 bottles of Perkuno’s Hammer be in danger of confiscation? I’m going to drink them to avoid a visit.

Beer Travel

Lancaster Beer Scene Brews in the heart of Amish Country. By Terry Brophy With Spring in the air, there’s nothing like getting out of the house to travel on country back roads and visit the neighboring locale of Lancaster County. While Lancaster County is famous for its Amish community, beautiful, rolling countryside, farmers markets and Shoofly Pies, beer lovers will find much to delight in, in what is known as Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Stoudt’s Brewing Company has been a regional favorite of many beer enthusiasts for over 20 years. Located in Adamstown, Pennsylvania, Stoudt’s Brewing Company was started in 1987 by Ed and Carol Stoudt. Their most popular creations include Stoudt’s American Pale Ale, Scarlet Lady Ale, Pils, Fat Dog and Oktober Fest. Along with operating a brewery that produces over 10,000 barrels of beer a year, Stoudt’s also has a restaurant, pub and full banquet facilities for private events. If you’re in the area, be sure not to miss a tour of the brewery which takes place every weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Union Barrel Works is a brew pub located in Reamstown, Pennsylvania. Walking into this historic brick building that was once the town’s hardware store, you are immediately greeted by its warm and charming atmosphere. You’ll find original wood floors throughout and Reading and Sunshine Premium Beer memorabilia on the walls and surrounding the wooden bar that comfortably seats 13 beer lovers. Towers on each end of the bar contain the little barrel taps that pours Union Barrel’s selections which includes a Kolsch, Lager, Maibock, Pale Ale, Stout and a Dopplebock. For those who

are interested in a little more than just beer, Union Barrel Works also has seating for lunch and dinner. Their menu selection has the familiar pub grub and tasty sandwiches, but also offers very nice entrée choices like Eggplant Gratin, Marinated Duck Breast and Chicken Oscar. Bube’s Brewery saw its beginnings in 1876 when Alois Bube, a German immigrant and brewing apprentice bought this small brewery located in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. There is only one way to describe Bube’s Brewery; it is truly unique. The bar is located in what is called the Bottling Works. The subdued lighting, stone floors and antique colored bottles lining the wooden ceiling supports create a laid back and relaxing feeling. Both staff and patrons are genuinely friendly, making everyone feel right at home. Bube’s also has a wonderful outdoor Biergarten. With tables scattered under shade trees, this is the perfect quiet oasis to waste away an afternoon. While their beer selection isn’t huge, it is very good. They rotate their selections quite frequently which may include a Brown Ale, Red Ale, Heffeweizen, Stout or IPA. Bube’s also offers a full lunch and dinner menu, or you may want to check out their highly popular Feasts, theatrical themed dinners presented in their Catacombs. You’ll discover just like I did, once you’re at Bube’s, it’s very hard to leave. Located in the heart of Lancaster County, Lancaster Brewing Company has been brewing beers in the Reinheitsgebot tradition since 2001. This historic German law mandates that the beer be brewed with only malt, hops, yeast and water. Most beer lovers are already quite familiar with Lancaster Brewing’s most popular selections. Beers such as Milk Stout, Hop Hog, Rare Rooster and Winter Warmer can be found in many bars and beer stores in the Philadelphia area. What some folks may not realize is Lancaster Brewing Company also operates a brew pub restaurant at its main location in the city of Lancaster. Located in a historic brick warehouse, exposed brewing systems and low lighting are the perfect compliments for enjoying a few beers and a good snack or meal from their lunch or dinner menus. Selections range from gourmet soups and salads, hand tossed pizza, juicy burgers, baby back ribs, Maryland crab cakes, brewery meatloaf, and pretzel fried chicken. You’ll discover a staff that is extremely friendly and also very knowledgeable about the brewery and the beers. Driving around Lancaster, one could easily miss Quips Pub since it resembles many of the country farmhouses found in Amish country. Located in what was once the Stock Yard Hotel, Quips looks and feels like an authentic English/Irish pub. Warm wood paneling, dart boards on the walls, and a wood staircase in the middle of a large circle island wood bar are just some of the things that give this bar its warm and cozy feel. With 13 taps and a fine assortment of bottles, Quips Pub offers beers from Great Britain, Ireland, Europe and US craft breweries. They have a very nice bar menu where you will find soups, appetizers, burgers and sandwiches, along with traditional British favorites like Fish & Chips, Bangers & Mash and Shepherd’s Pie. So the next time you venture out to the “country,” be sure to swing by any one of these wonderful beer establishments to show your support for good, local craft beer.

april/may 2010

Not Beer

Feed Your Soul Cookies Inspiration for the mind and beer. By Mat Falco Eleanor Roosevelt once said: “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” This quote was taken from the Philosophy section of the website for Feed Your Soul Cookies (www.feedyoursoulcookies.com). Now, their cookies may not be leaving footprints in your hearts, but they will be leaving you with inspiration and of course footprints in your stomach, hungering for more.

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Back in 2004 when owner Mya Jacobson first started Feed Your Soul out of her little apartment, she was looking for something fulfilling in life that would help her leave a footprint in the hearts of others. Starting her career as a trader on the American Stock Exchange, Mya felt a need for fulfillment and to find a job where she could appreciate more out of life. That is what brought about the start of one the top cookie bakeries in the area. To do this, all of Mya’s cookies are made fresh with what she believes to be the finest ingredients. This is what feeds the soul on the hunger end, but to take it to the next level of soul feeding, all the cookies are wrapped with inspirational and encouraging quotes to help feed the mind and bring joy to the soul. It is random quotes like the one from Eleanor Roosevelt that customers are able to read as they enjoy a wide variety of cookies. Also, to make eating her cookies even more fulfilling, Feed Your Soul donates 3% of every sale to the charity of your choice. It was this passion for making great cookies and giving them reason that caught the attention of the crew at Brooklyn Brewery. Brewmaster Garrett Oliver, always looking for new ideas for his Brewmasters Reserve Line, was quickly inspired when an assistant brewer started raving about Mya’s cookies. As Brooklyn puts it: after a few beers and a whole bunch of cookies in front of the fire, they wanted to make a beer that would resemble the Oatmeal Cookies from Feed Your Soul. The result is Brooklyn’s most recent release: Cookie Jar Porter. Mya, who being a Philadelphia native and beer lover herself, was thrilled at the opportunity to work with such a renowned brewery. The beer is rather limited and hard to find, but is definitely worth seeking out, especially if you can pair it with some fresh cookies! What Mya is doing through Feed Your Soul can be summed up by her favorite quote from the great Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” To Mya, it’s about more than just what she can profit from the business, it’s also about how she can give a reason to her life and bring fulfillment to others. You have to love eating cookies that make you feel good about eating them. It makes the trip to her little café in Jersey City, NJ worthwhile, or you can just have them sent to you and get inspired from your couch. Feed Your Soul is located at 520 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07302.

You’ve Been Served

Weizen Up... The weizen glass is the prefered type for my least favorite beer season – summer. This is the vessel you should use for your wheat ales and hefeweizens, and much like the drink umbrella, there is no need to slap a silly wedge of fruit to accentuate the sexy curves of this glass. By Scott Willey

SEE WEBSITE FOR RULES AND REGULATIONS

The

A Bavarian weizen glass is what many would suggest for your favorite summer beers. These tall, thin walled glasses, usually 0.5L in size, are very thin at the bottom, and greatly widen at the top to facilitate for a great volume of head. The head retention is important in weizen styles to lock in the phenol aromas associated with the style. I don’t suggest adding the wedge of fruit because the citric acids will kill the head, and ultimately result in the loss of head retention and aromas within the beer. Personally, I am not a fan of this style of glass. I usually tend to drink my beers closer to room temperature, where you will get the most flavor. As far as wheat and weizen style beers go, where flavor doesn’t tend to vary very often from brewery to brewery unless they are flavoring these styles with fruit, I drink these styles at a colder Suggested Styles to be temperature. A cold, refreshing wheat Enjoyed in a Weizen Glass beer is heaven after mowing the lawn, Dark Wheat Ale but the thin walls of these glasses Dunkelweizen don’t do a very good job at insulating. Gose Sure, these glasses are great for the head Hefeweizen retention and examining the color of Kristalweizen your brew, but they aren’t going to Pale Wheat Ale keep your beer cold in the daunting Weizenbock heat of summer.

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The Brewmaster

You’re Only As Good As Your Last Beer

From a nuclear plant to the brewery with Bill Moore.

Going into an interview with a brewer, I’m starting to find that I always get hit with the unexpected. I always go in thinking I know exactly what they’re going to say and what I’m going to write, but every time it ends up being the direct opposite. After breakfast with Pat Conway turned into a lengthy discussion on geology, an afternoon drink with Dann Paquette turned into a discussion of art, and lunch with Jim Koch turned into, well a conversation that changed my whole opinion of Sam Adams, you think I would have learned. Well once again I was wrong, but I really shouldn’t have been this time. I’m not sure what I expected when I walked into Lancaster Brewing Co. to meet Bill Moore, but for some reason I wasn’t expecting greatly enhancing my history of beer in the Philadelphia area. I knew Bill had been in the industry for quite some time now, but I never realized that he had made such an impact on it. “I always appreciated beer with a little more flavor, now you gotta remember this was 30 years ago when there wasn’t much out there,” Bill told me over a pint at the brewery. It was that appreciation for flavorful beer that led him to traveling the country and Germany to try good beers. He would go out to bars with his friends after

beerscenemag.com

april/may 2010

By Mat Falco

work and while they were trying to get as many cheap draft beers as they could for their $10, he would spend the extra few bucks on quality import bottles and drink less beers. Back in these days, Bill was working a profitable job at a Nuclear Plant. His love for beer and a new found passion for home brewing led him to the next logical step of taking a drastic pay cut and going to work for Stoudt’s Brewery. “It’s an industry that I can’t believe that I’m still

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in and I lived probably the first 2 1/2 to 3 years on the passion of being in the beer business. I was making half of what I was to go work for Stoudt’s,” Bill tells me with a smile. In his days working for Stoudt’s, they were still a small up and coming brewery, and in order to get enough hours in to meet his salary he would end up doing everything from brewing and bottling to cooking and delivering. He spent five successful years working at Stoudt’s, winning numerous medals before he got the offer to move to Philadelphia and start up the now-closed Independence Brewery. During his time at Independence, he also served as a consultant and helped breweries throughout Pennsylvania and even in New York get off the ground. He was even one of the original brewers to help get the Sly Fox brewery started. Eventually he ended up in his new home at Lancaster Brewing Co. where he started as a production manager until he was recently promoted to head brewer. Bill has spent more time in the beer industry than most, and it’s funny to see how happy he seems to just be in it. To go from being in a well-paying nuclear plant job that allowed all kinds of traveling to commuting well over an hour to work at a small brewery in Lancaster 30 years later and still be happy is a true sign of passion. Before I left him I asked what changes he had in store now that he was in charge at Lancaster, and we discussed some new beers he was thinking about. After all his years in the industry, I had to give a little laugh at his response: “unfortunately in this business, as much as people don’t want to believe it, I’ve been in it over 20 years, but you’re only as good as your last beer.” After twenty-plus years, I think we can let good old Bill Moore slide on one.

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By John Galster

Passionately

Green

Cleaning up the world, one brew at a time. The times are great to be a craft beer drinker. If it were not enough that there are hundreds upon hundreds of excellent brews to choose from, we can now take pleasure in the knowledge that our favorite drinks are helping save the planet—one pint at a time. It wasn’t too long ago that gas prices doubled themselves and the threat of global warming was brought to movie screens. Our culture is currently experiencing a trend in which being “green” or environmentally responsible is actually popular. With this constant growing popularity, the beer industry has wasted no time jumping on board and doing their part to save the planet. The world of craft beer has actually been going through an explosive expansion over the past 20 years– which makes you wonder, is the sudden focus on eco-friendly initiatives just a good marketing tool to rope in customers or is there something deeper going on? Well, you are reading a beer magazine, of course I’m going to tell you that it is something deeper. For starters, we are talking about the creation of a product that has existed long before any industrialism or modern machines. Certainly, homebrewers have got the right idea.

They are making beer according to century old practices with the worst of their environmental grievances most likely being using the stove a little more than usual. Even this can be circumvented as we wrote up in our October/November issue by using Joe Bair of Princeton Homebrew’s method of harvesting the sun for all your heating needs. Not only is the homebrew store heated with the help of the sun, but with ingenuity and some salvaged garbage (most of his lens are found roadside in old tv’s), Joe toasts his grain and boils his wort with the sun’s rays too. Additionally, the places we enjoy craft beer have started to catch on to the idea of sustainability and reuse such as Earth Bread + Brewery in Mount Airy. This brewpub is owned by the folks who formerly ran Heavyweight Brewing and is dedicated to eco-consciousness, flatbread pizzas, and interesting brews. From the bars which are salvaged from closed establishments to the bathroom stalls which are old doors, pretty much the entire place is put together from recycled materials. On top of the construction, they also maintain green practices like composting any leftovers that a customer may leave.

april/may 2010

Left: Cardboard boxes and other recyclables from Yards Brewing Co. being transported to Blue Mountain Recycling Center by Pedal Co-Op, an organization that specializes in bicycle-powered hauling. Right: Many eco-conscious breweries supply local farms with their spent grain for feeding cows and other livestock.

Of course, when you start moving on to breweries, you get a whole new set of problems. Problems like wasted water and heat can really add up to increased resource consumption and of course, increased cost. The actual dollar amounts that can be saved by consuming resources are huge but more importantly, being responsible cuts back on damage to the planet. That is an expense that comes out of everyone’s pocket even if it isn’t necessarily money. Even the big guys like A-B InBev realize that it is only logical to do things like become carbon dioxide self-sufficient and reduce electricity usage by installing automatic lights. They are not only helping reduce the strain on our resources but also reducing their bottom line. Speaking of bottom lines, another brewery that is relatively new to the area and also prides themselves on responsibility is Great Lakes Brewing Co. from Cleveland, Ohio. I said “speaking of” because Great Lakes employs a unique philosophy in all their operations which they call their “Triple Bottom Line.” This refers to the idea that all their operations should be economically, socially, and environmentally sound so that they can remain profitable and support sustainability simultaneously. This is so important to the company that it is even symbolized in their logo which has three wavy lines of water at the bottom. One of their biggest goals is to eliminate all byproducts and waste from the system. Spent grain for example, not only goes to feed livestock as with many other breweries but is also used to make bread and pretzels that are served at the brewpub in Cleveland.

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april/may 2010

The used fryer oil from the brewpub is also used as biodiesel for a shuttle bus they call the “Fatty Wagon” and also for a delivery truck. One of the coolest things they do is take the bottles that don’t get filled properly on the bottling line and use them for dressings, sauces and soups in the brewpub—this eliminates the need to dispose of unpackable bottles and the need to use sellable bottles in food—effectively killing two birds with one stone. Intensive recycling and composting programs round out a list of initiatives that reduces the waste bill for the brewery to a big, fat zero. Amazing huh? Well, on top of that, they take the money that they save and reinvest it in the community by supporting environmental cleanup projects in their area. The two brothers who own the business, Pat and Dan Conway have certainly made a solid case that being responsible is good for the bottom line. Coming back a bit closer to home, another brewery which puts a large emphasis on going green is Yards, the winner of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce’s Green Business of the Year award for 2009. A year ago when we visited the brewery for the Ales of the Revolution feature, the tasting room wasn’t much to look at—it was an empty room—now it is decorated with recycled and repurposed materials like clay walls and old lamps. Maybe the most unique feature is the bowling alley lane bar tops. Really, who thinks of all this cool stuff? The brewery is Pennsylvania’s first one hundred percent wind powered brewery and the brewing space was designed with large windows that allow the crew to work in natural light whenever possible. The brewery floor which owner Tom Kehoe is very proud of uses recycled concrete underneath. They also have a very unique way of how they get rid of their recyclables. Instead of having a truck carry glass and cardboard to recycling centers, Yards uses Philly’s Pedal Co-Op. Pedal Co-Op is a service designed to carry recyclables or compost on bicycle mounted trailers, eliminating the harmful effects of trucks on the road such as emissions and road damage. Another brewery making great strides in the going green movement is Vermont’s Long Trail Brewing Co. This company is named after the United States’ oldest long-distance hiking trail and has been in operation for just about 21 years. From their beginning, Long Trail has been interested in maintaining high standards of environmentalism and shows it in their philosophy called ECO Brew. Yes, that is supposed to be in caps because ECO here stands for Environmentally Conscious Operations. One such operation is the Long Trail in-house heat recovery system. This system recovers water and heat in the form of steam that would normally escape during the brewing process and puts them back into use, cutting back on the amount of energy used and the amount of water needed for each brew. Water is also saved by recapturing water used in bottling and washing. In fact, Long Trail has reduced the amount of water used for each batch of

Philly Beer Scene Goes Green At Philly Beer Scene, we care a great deal about the environment and we have made new efforts to going Green. Here are some of the ways: AY 2010 ISSUE 6 | APRIL/M

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beer down to a 2:1 ratio of total water used to finished beer. This is particularly impressive considering that the industry average is 6:1 and A-B InBev, which is considered relatively efficient, plans to cut down to a 3.5:1 ration over the next 2 years. Part of the reason that Long Trail is so water efficient is that they are not hooked up to the municipal water and sewer infrastructure. Water is drawn from natural wells and treated right there at the brewery. Another program they subscribe to is Central Vermont Public Service Cow Power, which is a green way to get the brewery’s electricity. Actually, brown way might be more appropriate as this method of generating electricity actually uses cow poo to generate methane to burn. Long Trail also just recently purchased Otter Creek Brewing which brews under the Otter Creek and Wolaver’s Certified Organic brands. Otter Creek was also a green company as they used their own heat recycling, bio-diesel and other initiatives so the two seem a good fit. Besides simply using recycled materials in their packaging, one other cool thing Long Trail does is use vegetable or soy based inks on their packaging whenever it is possible. Other breweries out there are trying plenty of other things too. Solar power and biogas power are two important ways that breweries maintain environmental and economical efficiency. Aluminum canned craft beer is making big strides because cans are easier to recycle and since they are lighter they are easier to ship. Advocacy groups are constantly making sure that people are aware of the industries great strides in sustainability. For something that is such a big business to be environmentally conscious and ethically responsible is pretty amazing. It goes to show how passionate the people in this business are and how they take their passion in life beyond the beer. It also shows how they have learned to relate to their market and have seen how people respond greater to environmentallyfriendly businesses—that people with good taste are supporting companies with good taste and good practices.

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APRIL/MAY 2010

• As of this issue, Philly Beer Scene is printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper. • Philly Beer Scene has always been printed with Soy based inks. • Every issue is 100% digitally proofed. • To reduce physical printed we also publish and promote digital editions on ISSUU. • We have self distributed the magazine both by foot in the city and by using hybrid vehicles in the suburbs. • Although our waste is minimal, remaining past editions are properly recycled. • And of course, we are continuously committed to increasing our green efforts!

How You Can Go Green with Philly Beer Scene • Although we want you to take Philly Beer Scene home with you from the bar, if it’s the last copy, check it out digitally at www.issuu.com/phillybeerscene and leave the magazine there for another beer lover. • Share your copy of Philly Beer Scene with friends and family. • Save all your copies of Philly Beer Scene or if you must get rid of them, please recycle. • Drink local beers and support local businesses • Drink beers by Green breweries!

april/may 2010

Bock The& The

PARKING LOT

Kentucky’s got the ponies. Pennsylvania’s got the goats. Why is it whenever I write a feature about one of the Scene’s more unique beer events, the day of the event always starts out with me waking up to the rain? And, why are all the good events in parking lots? (See Philly Beer Scene Issue #2, “The Park And The Parking Lot.”) On this particular Sunday morning on May 3, 2009, as luck would have it, a light rain would be coming down outside. I knew though that regardless of the cold, damp weather, I’d still be drinking awarding-winning Bock styled beers and watching goats race through the parking lot of Sly Fox Phoenixville to compete for the honor of having the brewery’s annual Maibock named after them. If you’re sitting at the bar right now scratching your head saying, “goats racing?” than maybe I should back up and start with the beer. First and foremost, the German word “Bock” literally translates to “goat.” Bocks are a traditional style of German lager that usually has a malty sweet characteristic matched with alcohol levels slightly

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By Neil Harner

above most traditional lagers. It can range in color of a golden yellow to a much deeper and rich brown. Don’t be fooled though, for this style of beer, color is no indication of the beers weight as all Bocks tend to be full-bodied and quite rich. Its origins go back to the 14th century in a small town of Germany called, Einbeck, a part of the state of Lower Saxony. This particular region of Germany has an incredible ecosystem most notably suitable for the growing of hops. The Einbeck Brewery (still in existence today) first made Einbecker Bier, the predecessor to the Bock, which was brewed in the winter using the regions hops recently harvested in the autumn, then cold-lagering it. It wasn’t long before brewers and traders alike discovered the natural preservative power of the hops along with the added benefits of the brewing and fermenting process resulting in elevated ABVs. This beer therefore became of high demand because it was suitable for transport between long distances due to the high alcohol levels, generally above 7% ABV. As a result

of the large export of this beer, the town is considered to be the first “brewing city,” exporting the beer throughout many parts of Europe. In 1612, the brewer from Einbeck, Elias Pichler was invited by Duke Maximilian I to Munich in order to instruct Hofbrauhaus brewers how to brew the Einbecker Bier, since by this time it had become renowned throughout the country and many parts of Europe. It was here at the Hofbrauhaus that the name “Bock” was applied to the brew after several other names, making it the official birthplace of the Bock beer. Some of the common styles are Helles Bocks, Doppelbocks, Eisbocks, and of course Maibocks. Helles Bocks are usually gold to an amber color and are close in relation to a Munich Helles lager but maltier and with a higher gravity. In addition to malty sweet characteristics, notes of hops shine through. This beer can be found readily throughout the region currently as it’s commonly distributed through Spring. Some exceptional examples of the Helles Bock style are Victory St. Boisterous,

Yuengling Bock, and Michelob Amber Bock. My personal favorite though is Rogue Dead Guy Ale (actually a Maibock, read on), as it has a nice touch of hops, is readily available year-round, and one of my earliest memories when I was first discovering craft beer. Doppelbocks (or Double Bocks) are similar in style but tend to push the maltiness and alcohol even further. This style was first brewed by the monks of St. Francis of Paula. The style tends to be dark, with chocolate and fruit like aromas. Some common examples of Doppelbocks are Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, Sam Adams Double Bock, and Sly Fox’s Instigator Doppelbock. My personal favorite is brewed right in Harrisburg, PA at Troegs. This of course is the three time Great American Beer Festival award winning Troegenator which is a bold, 8.2% ABV lager with deep reddish brown tones and characteristics

of dried fruits, light spices, and mild warmth. Another variation of the Bock and most notably the strongest variation are Eisbocks. Eisbocks are usually derived from any of the other Bock beers; however, the beer goes through a freezing process. This is in order to separate some of the excess water, in the form of ice, from the beer since it will freeze. This as a result concentrates the beer, thereby increasing the alcohol percentage which can range from 10% ABV and up to the 40% ABV Schorschbock, a beer recently released and is one of the strongest in the world. As a side note, I know we have touted several beers in the past several issues as being the “World’s Strongest,” but there has been an active competition in the craft beer world for the title starting with the 23% Samuel Adams Utopias which was followed by BrewDog’s Tactical Nuclear Penguin both of which were released in November 2009. Then there was the above mentioned Schorschbrau Schorsch-

bock almost immediately trumped by the impressive 41% BrewDog Sink the Bismarck! released in February. The last Bock style and the beer in our area most synonymously associated with goats racing are Maibocks. These styles of beer are fundamentally the same as the Helles Bock style but are released for the German celebration of May Day and specifically for consumption throughout the May month. The first of May is an international Labor Day, known as May Day. In Germany, it is celebrated not only with functions of the organized trade unions like speeches and marches, but also many festivities and traditions. Usually this includes planting young trees and the posting of the maypole, a symbol welcoming springtime. Around these maypoles, villages will decorate grounds with flowers and hold dances. In Bavaria, villages have the tradition of a sort of capture the flag the night before May Day.

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Neighboring villages will try to steal one another’s maypole while trying to keep theirs from being stolen. If a village captures a maypole they typically will hold it for ransom for a few kegs of good Bock beer and return the maypole once the beer is received. But across the ocean, about 6000 miles away from Germany, in the Philly beer scene, we have our own May tradition. We race goats. So, on the morning of Sunday, May 3, 2009, in the misty rain, the founders of Philly Beer Scene along with some friends caravanned out to the 10th Annual Sly Fox Bock Festival & Goat Race. It is also worth noting that this outing was the first event we had attended representing the magazine, which was still prior to the release of our first issue. When we arrived, at about 10:30am, the folks at Sly Fox were still preparing for the festival. Tents and tables were erected in the parking lot to protect people from the rain. Kegs were just being tapped for the arriving crowd. And the wait staff in the restaurant was ready to serve a group of early-arrivers. By 11am, dozens of kegs lined up behind a counter looking over a long line of eager festival-goers. Pouring the first beers the crowd cheered with excitement as beer lovers and Sly Fox fans discussed which Bock to start with first. Some of the crowd members raced to a fast-paced start to the day with one of the breweries Eisbocks while others eased into the festivities with a more easy going Helles. Me personally, I am a little hazy as to what I started with but I am sure I was responsible and started with the less potent Bock. With my beer in hand, I explored the Sly Fox setting, meeting and greeting some of the arriving early contenders and their owners. When interviewing the goat Raul and asking him how he felt about his competition, all he did was stare at me intensely, said, “Baaah,” and proceeded to try and take my beer. I guess he needed to calm his nerves. Before, the festivities kicked into full gear, the Beer Scene crew decided to grab a quick bite at the restaurant. Of course, German festivities would not be complete without a menu including such traditions like Bavarian Beef cooked in beer, Wienerschnitzel, Potato Goulash, and Black Forest Cake. Not to mention a ton of bratwurst. On this particular day, Sly Fox served up over 300 lbs of bratwurst in the restaurant and the outdoor vendor. I can personally account for several pounds.

AND THE HONOR GOATS TO… Past goats which have had the honor of being memorialized by Sly Fox’s annual Maibock release. 2009 - Dax 2008 - Jasper 2007 - Sundae 2006 - Han 2005 - Savannah

2004 - Weird Beard 2003 - Nelly 2002 - Ernie 2001 - Clover

Who’s going to be this year’s winner? You’ll have to join the festivities to find out.

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When we came back outside, it appeared that the crowd had over doubled in size and surprisingly many of the people weren’t huddled under the tents much like the early arrivers but seemingly embracing the day’s wetness. Feeling quite full and with lines still pretty deep, I worked my way up to a delicious Eisbock which was about the same time the German oompah band started their toast to the crowd, “Zicke, Zacke, Zicke, Zacke, Hoi, Hoi, Hoi” and everyone took a deep mouthful of their Bock. You may remember this toast from the defunct, “The Man Show” from Comedy Central. This is actually derived from the German chant: Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, der gemütlichkeit Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, der gemütlichkeit Eins, zwei, Drei gesoffe! Zicke! zacke! zicke! zacke! hoi! hoi! hoi! Zicke! zacke! zicke! zacke! hoi! hoi! hoi! Prosit Which translates to: A toast, a toast, a cozy place! A toast, a toast, a cozy place! One, two, three drink! Drink, drink, drink, hoi, hoi, hoi! Drink, drink, drink, hoi, hoi, hoi! Cheers The band started playing traditional German tunes and the crowd went back to their food, beer, and of course, socializing with goats. By the time the race was ready to begin a total of 22 goats were registered and checked in, almost half of the participants in 2008, obviously due to the poor weather conditions. Regardless though, these damp goats were ready to compete for the title.

Dax, the winner of last year’s 2009 SlyFox’s annual Goat Race! GO DAX!

The crowd circled nearly 8 persons deep around the large area of the parking lot where the race was about to take place. Within a minute of the audience’s attention the first qualifying round was on followed quickly by 3 others. Watching the Kentucky Derby the day prior and then these goats racing across the wet cement oddly reminded me of a quote from Seinfeld, “This horse loves the slop. It’s in his bloodlines. His father was a mudder, his mother was a mudder.” The final race came down to a few select goats who championed the qualifying rounds. It was tight between three goats, Dax, Hana, and Raul who we interviewed earlier in the day. Their owners led them across the parking lot in a mad dash to the Maibock

title. With such a near finish, the title of the 2009 Sly Fox Bock was awarded to Dax. The other two strong competitors tied for the second place position. Most of the crowd quickly dispersed from the racing area to get in line to try the first sampling of the new Dax Maibock while others congratulated Dax, his owner Tana Goodshall, and racing companion Karl Lorahl. Although the race was over, festivities continued for quite some time. And by the end of the day, Philly Beer Scene had its fill of some fantastic Bocks along with a crowd of over 2000 attendees who fended the rain. According to Suzanne Woods, a representative of Sly Fox, “Although the sunny 2008 event had nearly 3000 attendees, 50% more than 2009, we only saw a drop of about 15% in sales and went through about 52 half kegs making the event hugely successful. This year we hope for sunshine and a crowd matching or exceeding 2008.” The 2010 Sly Fox Bock Festival Goat Race is right around the corner. Be sure to mark, Sunday, May 2nd on your calendar so that you can make it out to the new Sly Fox Phoenixville, located at 320 Kimberton Road, Phoenixville, where you’ll find their incredible selection of Bocks, many of which are limited offerings, delicious German foods, and of course a competition of the areas mightiest and fastest goats racing for the title of the 2010 Maibock. If you unfortunately cannot make it to the event, be sure to keep your eye out for Bocks on the scene throughout the Spring months. Just look for a goat on the bottle!

Helles & Maibocks

Doppelbocks

Victory St. Boisterous

Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock

Yuengling Bock

Sam Adams Double Bock

Michelob Amber Bock

SlyFox Instigator Doppelbock

Rogue Dead Guy Ale

Troegs Troegenator

Rogue John John Dead Guy Ale

Augustiner Maximator

Lancaster’s Spring Bock

Stoudts Smooth Hoperator

try these

bocks

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and

The Short

Bitter

History 34

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Hops

When thinking of beer, we most typically think of the four ingredients

defined in the German Purity Laws of 1516the “Reinheitsge” bot in German- which are water, barley, yeast, and hops. Little do most know, hops are a relatively new ingredient to beer production.

By David Martorana

eer is older than the very idea of civilization. Approximately 9,000 years ago - the age of the oldest known evidence of beer - most humans lived as hunter-gatherers and were nomadic. Somewhere around 6,000 years ago, the original proto-states started to form with things like centralized governments, militaries, and so on. That makes beer about 3,000 years older than what many scientists consider to be the formation of modern, civilized, organized states. In fact, Charlie Bamforth, Professor of Brewing Science at the University of California, Davis, and others have argued that “Beer is the basis of modern static civilization,” which made way for proto-states and civilization as we know it (1). So, beer is old - really old. Hops in beer, well, not so much. Hops didn’t make their first appearance in written human history until Pliny the Elder’s “Naturalis Historia,” first published between 77-79 AD. Even then, Pliny the Elder considered the hop plant only as a botanist would, noting hops as a naturally growing plant, and spoke nothing of beer. It wasn’t until 736 AD that there was any mention of human cultivation of hops (instead of it just growing in the wild), and the first recorded history of hops in brewing doesn’t show up until 822 AD. That distinction goes to France - Picardy in Northern France, to be exact - where Abbot Adalhard of the Benedictine monastery of Corbie wrote down a set of rules determining how

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the abbey was to be run. Part of the rules addresses the porter’s collection of wild hops for making beer (and what to do if he failed at his task). Germany waited another 300 years to get in to the game - somewhere between 1150 and 1160 AD. All told, the history of beer produced without hops is approximately 8000 years older than the history of beer produced with hops. Prior to being used in beer, hops were enjoyed as a naturallygrowing bitter vegetable by the ancient Romans, and in some parts of the world as a medicinal agent (and still are today). Hops actually have a relaxing quality about them, mostly due to the chemical dimethylvinyl carbinol, and were used to treat anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia. A pillow full of hops was at one time a common remedy for sleeplessness. (In fact, workers in hop fields were often known to tire out much more quickly than other farm workers, probably due to the transfer of the dimethylvinyl-carbinol-containing hop resin through the skin or mouths of the workers!) Hops are also known to be both anti-bacterial (they’re used in some all-natural deodorants) as well as an “antispasmodic agent,” which means not only can they help settle your stomach, they have even been used to treat painful menstrual symptoms. Even in North America, the Cherokee used hops to treat inflammation, as a sedative, and for other purposes (3) (4). Interestingly, when hops finally DO appear in written history as a preservative in beer, its medicinal purposes are turned on their heads. The Abbess Hildegard of Bingen wrote about hops in the

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1150’s AD in the “Physica Sacra,” the first documented use of hops in the Germanic region and the first time in history hops were acknowledged as a preservative. She writes “[The hop plant] is warm and dry, and has moderate moisture, and is not very useful in benefiting man, because it makes melancholy grow in man and makes the soul of man sad, and weighs down his inner organs. But yet, as a result of its own bitterness it keeps some putrefactions from drinks, to which it may be added, so that they may last so much longer(3)(5).” We finally have documentation of the benefits of hops in beer, and it completely disregards the benefits to man!

“For the 8000 years or so before the marriage of beer and hops, beer was flavored and preserved with a mix of spices and fruits commonly referred

to as ‘gruit’ or ‘grut.’”

For the 8000 years or so before the marriage of beer and hops, beer was flavored and preserved with a mix of spices and fruits commonly referred to as “gruit” or “grut.” Despite the use of hops in beer as early as 822 AD in France and 300 years later in Germany, common hop usage was eschewed for centuries for more traditional, gruit-based recipes. Much of this probably had to do with tradition - after all, change is hard - but hop usage was also harshly regulated in certain places. It wasn’t until the later part of the 13th century that hops actually started threatening gruit as the main preservative agent in beer in Germany. For England, it took even longer. There is a bit of controversy about whether or not hops were ever completely outlawed anywhere, but any legend that says so is directly related to England. The almost ubiquitous “A History of Beer and Brewing” by Ian Hornsey claims that Henry VI outlawed the use of hops as an ingredient in beer. Many documents dating back to the 1400s claim that petitions to Parliament were made to stop the cultivation of hops in England. But this generalization is not the whole truth, and more likely, this is what happened:

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EACH TUESDAY NIGHT ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S BEST BEER MAKERS TAKES OVER OUR TAPS FOR A FOUR BEER TASTING. UPCOMING ‘FLIGHT NIGHT’ SCHEDULE: 4/6 DOGFISH HEAD ‘ELITE EIGHT’ BRACKET TASTING 4/13 RIVER HORSE 4/20 DUVEL 4/27 OMMEGANG 5/4 VICTORY 5/11 YARDS 5/18 SLY FOX Despite current definitions of beer and ale, in 15th and 16th century England, “ale” was defined as a malted cereal drink often flavored with gruit, while “beer” was a cereal brew that could use other ingredients, including hops. The generic use of hops was never outlawed, but many municipalities did attempt to preserve the distinction between the common “ale” and newer “beer” by outlawing the use of hops in ale, while allowing its use in “beer.” For example, in March of 1471, the mayor of Norwich declared “ale” was to be made completely pure, “nowther with hoppes nor gawle [sweet gale] nor noon other thing … upon peyne of grevous punysshment.” But this distinction between “ale” and “beer” is what is important - Henry VI had even instructed the sheriffs of London to protect and allow “beer” producers to continue the use of hops in their trade, supporting the ban on hops only to the production of ale (5). In fact, Henry VIII enjoyed both, and had both ale and beer brewed in court at the same time. (Interestingly enough, the gruit market was almost completely dominated by the Catholic Church in medieval England so there was pressure to keep hop production down - but Henry VIII ended that relationship, probably helping hop usage as a side effect.)

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This attachment to “ale” was very British. In 1544, England invaded Picardy (remember Picardy, the first place to document the use of hops in beer in 822 AD?) and ran out of ale. The commander of Henry VIII’s forces complained they were forced to drink hopped “beer” for 10 days. This difference between ale and beer pervaded through the mid 19th century, and it wasn’t until then that hops had slowly but definitively taken over gruit as the main preserving and bittering agent in beer throughout the world. After that, however, it was anybody’s game. At the beginning of the early 20th century, brewers realized it was the soft resin in hops that actually did most of the preserving, because that’s where most of the acids are produced. This led to hop varieties being judged on the quality of their soft resin. Naturally, the specific cultivation of hop varieties with higher soft resin content followed. Soon after, Wye College in Kent began the first program of cross-breeding hops to pull out specific qualities. North American hops had up to three times the soft resin as European hops, but European hops were more floral. The result? Very floral hops with high soft resin content.

Since then, it’s been a very continual, very modern race to the best hop. Even universities got in to the game. Oregon State University and the USDA combined forces to produce the most widely used hops in the US today - Cascade hops. The University of Washington and University of Vermont have intensely studied hop production across the world. Centennial hops, also widely used, were originally bred in 1974 but not released for use until 1990. Crystal hops? 1993. And it continues - in February, 2010, Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences was gifted almost $1M to start researching hop production and breeding specifically aimed at craft brewers (6). So it’s really only in the last 200 or so years that hops have become synonymous with beer, and the term “ale” was repurposed to describe a variety of beer, usually WITH hops. In the miniscule 2.5% of the history of beer those 200 years represent, hop production has gone from simple farming to intense chemical scientific research and breeding programs sponsored by the highest levels of US and other world governments. It wasn’t an easy road, but hops made room for themselves in our beer and our hearts, both by being such an awesome preservative - and helping make our beer taste really, really good.

1. “Ale’s Well with the World” - http://www. scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=ales-well-with-the-world 2. “Hops: Humulus lupulus” - http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_hops.htm 3. A myth states that the original writing, by the Abbess Hildegarde of Bingen is from 1079 AD. She wasn’t born until 1098. She did write about hops first in her “Physica Sacra”, written between 1150 1160. American beer writer John P Arnold did try to dispell the myth as far back as 1911, but to no avail. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen http://zythophile.wordpress.com/false-ale-quotes/six-more-myths-about-hops/ 4. “HOPS (Humulus lupulus)” - http://www.vortexhealth.net/hops.html 5. “A short history of hops” - http://zythphile.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/a-short-history-of-hops/ 6. “OSU receives $1 million gift for hops breeding” - http://naturalresourcereport.com/2010/02/osu-receives-1-million-gift-for-hops-breeding/

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Bar & Restaurant Review 40

Brews and Buoys Drink like a sailor, eat like a king. By Mat Falco In the land of Monk’s, Jose Pistola’s and Good Dog, there is another bar that deserves a little attention. The nautically themed Misconduct Tavern is anchored within a couple blocks of each of these renowned beer bars. They might not have the extensive Belgian list of Monk’s, the flowing firkins of Jose’s, or the trendy image of Good Dog, but Misconduct is a bar that deserves recognition and is a great alternative to the local legends. Located on Locust St. between 15th and 16th St., Misconduct Tavern has just celebrated their 3rd anniversary under the ownership of Chris Markham. The original owner Paul Harron, now deceased, was a huge sailing enthusiast and designed the bar to resemble a ship. During the days of the former owner, Chris and his good friend, Rick Burns, were bartending at the Misconduct. After the untimely passing, Chris decided to purchase and reopen the bar. Chris, being a sailing enthusiast himself, decided to keep the bar exactly how it was as far as appearance goes, but along with the help of Rick and another good friend turned manager, Tom Flannery, he took Misconduct to a new level. Today, Misconduct Tavern is a great place to try craft beers and have a great meal. The beer selection grew tremendously, and the food went from traditional cheap pub food, to traditional cheap pub food with class. Misconduct has also turned into the perfect bar for craft beer lovers to watch a game, as they feature the sports packages for the College Basketball, NFL, and MLB, but they also show games from every other sport and usually even end up picking up the NHL package for the second half of the season when it actually matters. All these games are featured on 10 flat screen TV’s, and during the summer you can even watch the games from limited outdoor seating. As far as the beer goes, this isn’t a pretentious, snobby beer bar, but they have great beer. There are 9 draft lines, about to jump up to 12, that feature 5 rotating craft beers and 4 steady handles, which include Lancaster Milk Stout (on low-gas) and Philadelphia Brewing Co. Kenzinger. They also feature about 60 bottles, which include such great brews as the Brew Dog/Stone collaboration: Bashah, Rogue Dirtoir Black Lager, and an array of great Dogfish Head brews. Chris and the gang also want to make it easy for people to try as many craft beers as possible. That is why they have “Flight Night” every Tuesday and “Beer Geek Thursday.” “Flight Night” is an event that features a different brewery every week. Each brewery gets 4 beers on tap or in bottles and flights of those beers are sold on discounted prices, as are full pints. For “Beer Geek Thursday,” they pick one of their more obscure, lesser-known beers on

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tap and feature it for only $3. Both events are great ways to break people into the awesome beers of the craft world. Chef Nick Mezzina is the executive chef at Misconduct Tavern, and has done great things with the menu. The burger (1/2 price on Mondays) is one of the most underrated burgers in the city. Topped with Fourme d’ Ambert Bleu Cheese, you absolutely can’t go wrong with this burger. The mac & cheese, which comes with 14 optional ingredients, crab and artichoke brushetta and French dip are great options as well. Also, with most of the menu under $10, you don’t have to spend a fortune to eat good food in a nicer part of the city. Everything is made in house and even the meat is ground on premise. With good food, good beer, good prices, and outdoor seating, there is really no reason not to check this place out. By the time you read this, the Olympics will be over and you unfortunately won’t get to experience curling on the high def TV’s but there is still plenty of time to catch baseball season. Forget the hot dog, if you can’t make it to the stadium, a bleu cheese burger and a pint of good beer is definitely the perfect pairing for a Phillies game in the city! Misconduct Tavern is located at 1511 Locust Street in Philadelphia, PA. Call 215-732-5797 or visit www.misconduct-tavern.com.

Fresh beer with refreshing service. By John Galster “Born-on-date is no match for born-on-premises.” This Iron Hill slogan was certainly true when I visited the West Chester location of this fairly widespread group of local brewpubs. Located right in the middle of West Chester and just a couple minutes from West Chester University, this brewpub was a welcoming stop for my family and I when we were out looking for dinner and some good brews. The first thing I have to mention is the beer, of course. My dad was along with me for this trip and I’m still trying to get him hooked on craft beers. The samplers they served were perfect for us because my dad was able to compare a bunch of styles against each other and I simply got to drink a bunch of different beers instead of just one style. While my dad seemed to enjoy all the beers he got to try, three really stood out in my mind. First, was the Pig Iron Porter, one of their standard beers. This porter is very good and I certainly could have had it the whole night. The other two were the Wild Boar – a cask conditioned version of the porter brewed with Brettanomyces which left it with a slight cherry flavor – and their seasonal scotch

ale, the Highland Flame. Of course, I can’t mention the beer without mentioning that our server was awesome. She was friendly and attentive, which is good, but it was even better that she could actually talk to us about the beer. When I go to a restaurant, I often have lowered standards on what I expect the serving staff to know about the beer as opposed to a bartender. This really made the night for us. Lastly, our food came out in a timely fashion and was very good. We got the Salmon and the Hawaiian Spiced Ahi Tuna and we actually scarfed them down before we could pass the plates around like we normally do. Also good was our Voodoo Shrimp appetizer. The restaurant is certainly a clean, good looking establishment in a clean, good looking area. My only regret about the trip is that we weren’t there during the warmer months because it would have been great to take advantage of their outdoor seating. I suppose that just gives me reason to go back again! Iron Hill West Chester is located at 3 West Gay Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380.

Bar & Restaurant Review

Iron Hill of West Chester

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The Tasting Room How Philly Beer Scene Reviews Beer Every issue the four founders of Philly Beer Scene, Scott, Neil, Mat and John get together with a notable guest for a small, private, tasting session called the “The Tasting Room.” Approximately a dozen beers are chosen that are new, seasonal or just interesting. Rather than presenting an overly-detailed single perspective review, “The Tasting Room” serves to be a brief written account of key points made between the tasters. Each taster designates a rating from zero to five stars, justifying it in their own way. The scores are then averaged and always rounded to the nearest half star for a final rating.

Star Gazing 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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McGillin’s Olde Ale House, one of our favorite beer drinking destinations and all too appropriate for St. Patty’s Day, was the home of this issue’s Tasting Room. McGillin’s, Philadelphia’s oldest bar, is now celebrating its 150th anniversary.

Our notable guest With Philly Beer Week quickly approaching, we thought to invite Bruce Nichols, one of the founders and arguably one of the people who has put Philly on the map as being the country’s best beer drinking city. Bruce is the owner of Museum Catering, a city-wide catering company including its host venue, University of Pennsylvania’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. It is through this outlet that he advocated craft beer since the early 90s. Bruce is also credited as the man who brought worldrenowned British beer expert, Michael Jackson to Philadelphia. Look for Bruce’s new bar, The Headhouse, opening in April located at 122 Lombard Street.

Magic Hat Vinyl

Furthermore Fatty Boombalatty

ance of hops and malts and is produced at the low

Starts as a Belgian wit, but also offers the bitterness of a Belgian pale ale. Furthermore owner Aran Madden began with a white beer recipe and ramped up the amount of grain in this beer by 50 percent while drop-

end of ale fermentation temperatures to create an

ping the amount of wheat malt used. ABV: 7.2%

Magic Hat’s spring seasonal offering is the slightly sweet Vinyl. This Amber Lager has the perfect bal-

easy to drink brew ABV: 5.1% Bruce 2.5 Malty, one-dimensional, on the sweet side.

Bruce 3.5 Banana Belgian- nicely malted, easy to drink. Mat 4

Great Belgian interpretation. Typical sweetness, strong banana flavor.

Scott 4

Unfiltered awesomeness- matly sweet. Fruity floralmild banana, but not overwhelming, nice spice notes.

John 2.5 Malty, matly, matly. Too mellow and boring.

John 4

Spicy, sweet, fruity, extremely strong banana. Warms your throat a little going down.

Neil 3

Neil 4

Great nose. Wheaty sweet. Very spicy. Very large banana finish.

Mat

Scott 3

Unexpected sweetness. Is better than expected. No nose. Is one-dimensional, but sessionable. Little sweet, but drinkable.

Very sweet, light for spring.

Southampton Biere De Mars

Long Trail Pale Ale

The Biere de Mars is a little known specialty brew

Long Trail’s newest offering starts out with a little bite

that originated at small farmhouse breweries in

but finishes nice and smooth. Perfect complex blends of

the north of France and is part of Southampton Publick

fruit and hoppiness make the Long Trail Pale Ale a great

House’s 750 Series. A traditional, French-style, spring

spring drinking brew. ABV: 5.7 %

beer that is fruity and smooth to the taste. ABV: 6.2% Bruce 4

Harmonious, honeyed sweetness. I like this beer more than any so far.

Mat 3.5 Nice honey sweetness. A little more spice would be nice. Scott 3.5

Mild, matly nose. Very nice- finishes like cake batter. Great session beer at 6.5%

John

Very sweet and matly. Tastes like honey and vanilla.

Neil

A lot of head. Great honey sweetness. Sweet vanilla. Balanced.

Bruce 3

Well rounded hops and malt.

Mat 2.5 Great flavor but lacks carbonation drastically. Scott 3

Nice. Earthy, floral hops in flavor, but no carbonation which hurts it. Great flavor but needs to be tweaked. Light, only slight bitterness. Good hops, all the bitter-

John 2.5 ness is at the end. Goes from very sweet to bitter.

Light sweet malt. Light hops. Easy going, perfect for

Neil 3.5 newbies. Floral.

Rogue Dirtoir Black Lager

Founders Red’s Rye Ale

Grow Your Own Certified. Jet black in color with a tan

Serious hop bitterness along with unyielding grapefruit

head, medium to full bodied, deftly balanced, seamless

bouquet from the Amarillo dry-hop. Balanced with the

dark roasted malt flavors with a smooth bitterness,

malty richness of four varieties of imported Belgian

lingering long finishABV: 5.0 %

caramel malts. Pours a spectacular crimson with a creamy tan head. ABV: 6.6 % Bruce 4

Bruce 3.5 Solid roast maltiness with a nice finish. Mat 4

Strong rye character, nice hop finish, a beer I would like to drink.

Mat 4.5 Perfectly balanced. I love Founders and this is one of the main reasons.

Great mouthfeel, tons of roastiness. Pours beautifully.

Scott 4

Big hop nose. Big hop flavor in all the right places. I’m not a hop guy but this is hops upside your head and I like it.

Scott 4

DARK. Caramel roastiness, but feels a little too carbonated. Bitterness is well balanced with a mild sweetness.

John 4

Aroma is very strong. Pretty good. I don’t really like rye flavors but this is a solid well balanced brew.

John 4

Really nice roasty aroma. Tastes just like dirt- in a good way. Slight bitterness, like an expensive dark chocolate.

Neil 3

Nice flavor, great hoppening, sweet, balanced, clean finish.

Neil 4

Pours beautifully. Roasty brown head, coffee-ish. Chewing on dark malt.

april/may 2010

Caldera IPA

Avery Maharaja IPA

An American-style India Pale Ale from Caldera in

The Maharaja flaunts authority over a deranged

Ashland, Oregon. Brewed with plenty of body and an

amount of hops: tangy, vibrant and pungent along

assertive hop profile. ABV: 6.1 %

with an insane amount of malted barley - fashioning

Bruce 3.5 Maltier than your average IPA but the hops finish nicely. Mat 2.5 A little too malty sweet. Scott 3.5

Awesome can- great mid-level IPA. Awesome hops, very floral, great segway IPA.

John 3.5 Nice, sweet and bitter- that’s how I like it. Neil 3

Light, matly sweet IPA, finishes nice.

a dark amber hue and exquisite malt essence. ABV: 10.24 % Bruce 4

Vicious, intense hops.

Mat 3.5 Floral hoppy aroma and very sticky. Scott 2

Hoppiest beer I think I’ve ever tasted. Great, bold flavor, but a little overwhelming for me.

John 4.5

Bitter and sticky. This one will make you pucker and leave you breathless.

Neil 3.5 Floral nose, sweet, extreme.

Verdi Imperial Stout Imperial Russian Stout with hot peppers. Winner of the

Belgique Lunatique Tripel

best beer at BRAU Beviale 2008, a quaffable Imperial

Brewed by De Proefbrouwerij in Lochristi, Belgium.

Stout with a medium body and a good lingering finish.

Lunatique was previously known as Cuvee Diabolique,

Liquorice and nutty in character, the dark malt profile is

and is a Belgian Tripel with a light body and fruity

shown also by the cappuccino like foam. ABV: 7.5%

aroma. ABV: 8.5%

Bruce 4

Fantastic chocolate note- rich malty sweetness.

Mat 3.5 Amazing chocolate aroma, very smooth.

Bruce 3.5 Sweet maltiness with roasty caramel overtonehoneyed, delicious.

Mat 3.5

This is no mystique, but a solid beer. Weird whole grape flavor.

Aroma is wonderful. Light, sweet, chocolaty. Does not taste like high alcohol.

Scott 2.5

Nose like cereal grapey. Alcohol well hidden. Very wine like, champagne without the carbonation.

Chocolate nose, sweet smoke and chocolate notes. Body isn’t too heavy, peppered finish.

John 4

INTENSE grape smell. Smells like Welsh’s white grape juice. Tastes like grapes and honey.

Neil 3

Sweet, white grape, candy-like flavor.

Scott 4.5

Roasty nose, mapley and creamy. Great roastiness, mild peppery end. 8.2% but you can’t tell.

John 4 Neil 4

Victory Hop Wallop Hop Wallop is a fragrant experience that delights the

Fegley’s Brew Works Hop’Solutely

tastebuds. Pure golden color, this ale offers its heady bounty of hops to the adventurous of taste. Bold, bracing

Hop’Solutely is deep copper in color, brewed with

and surprisingly refreshing for a strong ale. ABV: 8.5%

Cascade, Chinook, Amarillo, Summit and Tomahawk Hops. It has a complex grapefruit hop aroma which is followed by a smooth malt flavor. Hop’Solutely comes

Bruce 3 Mat 3

Where’s the wallop? Delicious and balanced but not overly. Definitely lacks “wallop” but solid.

Scott 2

Not very hoppy in the nose. The high alcohol sweetness drowns out the hop flavor.

John 3.5

Sweet aroma. Nice sugary, almost Belgian taste. The hop flavors are not bitter. A good solid beer.

Neil 3

Very hoppy, light body, acidity from hops.

in at a whopping 11.5% ABV with 74 IBUs. Bruce 2.5 Mat 3.5 Scott 4

beerscenemag.com

april/may 2010

Super smooth and way to easy to drink for ABV. Citrusy- alcohol nose. Hop aroma is lacking/ more residual sugar at 11.5% masks the hops. Sour and bitter. I like sour and I like bitter but I’m

John 3.5 indifferent towards the combination. Neil 3.5

Much more malt than I expected. Barleywine.

Slight sourness, malty, light hopness, expected more hops.

Weird beer #6

The Final Picks After some long discussion and debate over the twelve craft beers that were sampled, our panel and Bruce are ready to reveal each of their favorite

Kelpie: Seaweed Beer

picks for April and May.

Bruce’s Final Pick: Southampton Biere De Mars- The light maltiness of the beer made it a great session option for this time of year. I wanted more.

Mat’s Final Pick: Founders Red’s Rye- It’s just a great beer. Hard to vote against a beer you could drink on a regular basis without tiring of it.

Scott’s Final Pick: Fegley’s Brew Works Hop’Solutely- Not being a hophead the floral elements were there without too much hop bite. Drank more like a barleywine.

John’s Final Pick: Avery Maharaja IPA- My choice is the Avery Maharaja IPA. I love the crazy beers and this one is really wild.

Neil’s Final Pick: Rogue Dirtoir Black Lager- I think I’m becoming a coffee guy and to me, this is like a perfect cup.

Ah, weird beer – if variety is the spice of life then weird beer is the giant habanero that got dropped in your food while the cook wasn’t looking. Yeah, I’ve got a really weird one this time. Scotland’s Williams Bros Brewing Co. has a line of historic ales, similar to Yards’ Ales of the Revolution series but brewed to traditional Scottish recipes. One of the stranger choices from this collection is Kelpie. If you couldn’t guess from the name, Kelpie is brewed with seaweed mashed in with the barley. No really, I’m not making this up. Apparently some Scots back in “olden times” really liked the flavor – and apparently some Scots still do. Kelpie is a dark beer, almost black, with very little carbonation. It has a flavor that can really only be described as unique. I usually don’t drink a beer and tell people it is “savory” but that is what I get from this one – roasty, malty and savory. Without the seaweed it would probably be a simple thin, dark chocolatey ale. I imagine this would pair well with steak or brothy soup. While I usually like my beer as warm as possible, I can’t recommend that with this guy. The taste doesn’t really change too much as it warms up but the aroma gets a little overpowering. Maybe not a bad thing but it really makes you feel like you are drinking this one down the shore – even when you are sitting at home.

april/may 2010