Issue 21 | october/november 2012 | www.phillybeerscene.com
™
+ Viva La Fungi Beer’s Most Important Ingredient
Protecting Craft Beer
The Man Who Always Knows Your Name
The Work that Brewers Guilds are Doing for the Beer You Love
Fergie: Philly’s Favorite Publican Beeradelphia: Finally! l Wort-Brined Pickles l Mulled Beer
Free!
Take One 1
Make Reservations Online at www.eulogybar.com
“
VERY GOOD beer list has grown to epic proportions...kitchen has… added an extra bell with perhaps the city’s best frites, some stellar beer-battered fish and very good mussels
”
— Craig LaBan, Philadelphia Inquirer, Revisited April 2007
136 Chestnut St. (2nd & Chestnut) Phila • 215.413.1918
A HOUSE OF ALES
Mon-Wed 5pm-2am, Thurs-Sun 11am-2am
ACHTUNG BABY,
BIERSTUBE
German Biergarten Burgers, Brats and 200+ Beers Fo Shizzle ma Schnitzel! 206 Mar ket St (2nd & Mar ket) Phila 215-922-2958
A HOUSE OF LAGERS
Mon-Wed 5 pm-2am, Thurs-Sun 11am-2am 2
Reser vations at www.mybierstube.com
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Best Beer Selection on South Street
3rd & South
Street •
Take Out 6
Ph o
s
Pack ne: 21 s & 5-59 Gr 2-13 o w 90 ler
great food great beer• 20 drafts outside dining est.1978
Football Specials
(during all NFL games) $2 off all draft beer. $5 Wings & Nachos. $8 Mussels
Happy Hour 5-7
$2 off all draft & bottle beer. $2 off all mixed drinks & shots. $5 Wings & Nachos. $8.00 Mussels 5
The New Look Of Lancaster
Benefiting the
wolfsanctuaryPA.org
Winter Warmer it’s ou
r biggest beer at 8.9 ABV
Lancaster Brewing is donating proceeds from sales of Winter Warmer to benefit the Wolf Sanctuary of PA. To learn more, visit lancasterbrewing.com
If you don’t see these on tap at your favorite bar, ask for them. Available Mid-Oct.
Available Mid-Nov.
302 N. Plum St. Lancaster, PA 17602• 717.391.6258 • lancasterbrewing.com • connect with us 6
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Look for LBC Oktoberfest Beer at your favorite distributor.
contents
october/november 2012
features 52
An Irishman in the City How Fergus Carey went from Burgerland to one of Philly’s most beloved beer figures.
60
Fungus Among Us Analyzing beer’s most underrated component.
68
Brewers Guilds PA, DE & NJ guilds are working hard to protect your favorite libation.
on the cover
52
ISSUE 21 | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012 | WWW.PHILLYBEERSCENE.COM
™
+
60
Viva La Fungi BEER’S MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT
52
68
Protecting Craft Beer
The Man Who Always Knows Your Name
THE WORK THAT BREWERS GUILDS ARE DOING FOR THE BEER YOU LOVE
FERGIE: PHILLY’S FAVORITE PUBLICAN Beeradelphia: Finally! l Wort-Brined Pickles l Mulled Beer
25
68
60
30
FREE!
TAKE ONE 1
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Photography by Alison Dunlap. Fergus Carey, proprietor of some of Philly’s top beer bars (Monk’s, Fergie’s, Grace Tavern, Nodding Head & Belgian Café) is featured in our October/November issue. Read the full article from Drew Lazor on page 52.
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contents
october/november 2012
sections 47 Not Beer
14 On the Scene
Beer Cakes Philly
Beer events in Philly’s beer scene.
By Nikki Volpicelli
49 Le Fromage
16 The Variety Pack Joe Gunn, Jay Rose, Dave Sanislo &
Cheery Grove Toma & Stoudt’s Triple
Brittanie Sterner
By Ryan Hudak
Yotam Dror, Mat Falco, Tyler Flynn,
50 From the Cellar
26 Woman on the Scene Mulling Your Favorite Pumpkin Brew
26
By Carolyn Smagalski
28 Fun With Beer
’08 & ’11 Oskar Blues Ten FIDY By Phillip Pittore III
52 Beer Law Beer Tiers By Brewers of PA
Harvesting Yeast
55 Alterna-Beer
30 Homebrewer’s Corner
Five Brews To Start
Brewing & Brining
By Dave Martorana
32 Hop Culture
56 local wine
Bretts, Sours & East Coast Yeast
Hawk Haven Vineyard
By Joseph Bair
By Keith Wallace
34 Cooking with Beer
59 History
Yards ESA Pork Belly Sticks
Autumn Beer Dates
By Chef Robert Legget
34
36 Tunes & Brews 700 Club By G.W. Miller III
80 Bar & Restaurant
Reviews
Fusion Tower
Unique beer destinations for a pint and a meal in and out of the city.
By Zeke Diaz
By Terry Brophy & Phillip Carroll
39 Tapping Into Technology
84 The Tasting Room
40 Discovering Craft Beer
20 beers reviewed by our panel with special guests: Don Russell & Erin Wallace
First Craft Beer Memories By Stephen La Monica
42 Brewmasters
90 Directory
Gordon Grubb of Nodding Head
44 Beer Travel Southern Maine Coast By Adam Baer
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By Mat Falco
phillybeerscene.com
october/november2012
Find craft beer near you!
84
98 Beer Events Local happenings in the Philly beer scene.
Duvel Single brings the many pleasures of the world-renowned Duvel Golden Ale to draft, at a more easy-going 6.8% ABV. This fine draft ale is brewed using the same quality malts and hops as Duvel in the bottle. Duvel Single is delightfully refreshing. Making it easy to enjoy. And enjoy again.
9
“Favorite
What’s Your
Publisher
Mat Falco
Fall Drinking Holiday:
Halloween or
Thanksgiving?
”
Art Director Executive Editor Contributing Editors
“Halloween. Beer drinking mutant ninja zombies. ‘nuff said. ” Contributing Artist Contributing photographers
Web Designers graphic designers intern
Melissa Cherepanya Alicia Eichelman
“Halloween, Thanksgiving & all days in between. Cool weather, vibrant colors and the return of rich, flavorful beers.”
Adam Baer, Joseph Bair, Daniel Berlin, Luke Bowen, The Brewers of Pennsylvania, Terry Brophy, Phillip Carroll, Zeke Diaz, Tyler Flynn, Joe Gunn, Ryan Hudak, Stephen La Monica, Drew Lazor, Chef Robert Legett, Dave Martorana, Jimmy McMillan, G.W. Miller III, Phillip Pittore III, Jay Rose, Carolyn Smagalski, Brittanie Sterner, Nikki Volpicelli & Keith Wallace Dave Sanislo Gina Aquaro, Alison Dunlap, Artistic Imagery, Inc., Shannon Reed, Neal Santos & John Vaccarelli Amanda Mitchell & Sarah Whiteman Sarah Coale & Nick Less
Yotam Dror
“Thanksgiving because Halloween is about kids and walking and Thanksgiving is about sittin’ and football. ”
“Thanksgiving…Family, food and beer. ”
Philly Beer Scene was founded in 2009 by Mat Falco, Neil Harner, Scott Willey and John Galster. Philly Beer Scene is Designed & Printed in the USA. Philly Beer Scene is a BrewStudio Marketing & Advertising Publication. Copyright © 2012 BrewStudio Marketing & Advertising, LLC. Philly Beer Scene is published bi-monthly by BrewStudio Marketing & Advertising, LLC. 133 S. Bellevue Ave., Penndel, PA 19047 | Phone: 215-478-6586 For subscription inquiries please visit us on the web at www.phillybeerscene.com 10
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Stockertown Beverage
We ARE
Specialty Beer
PROUDLY QUENCHING THE SPECIALTY BEER THIRST OF pubs, restaurants, bottle shops, and distributors in the following counties:
PhiladelPhia, delaware, cheSter, lancaSter, dauPhin, leBanon, MontgoMery, BuckS, BerkS, lehigh, northaMPton, carBon, Monroe, lackawanna, luzerne, Pike + More.* PleaSe call to check availaBility of BrandS in your area
New
New
CURRENT SEASONALS
Cricket Hill Fall Festivus Lancaster Oktoberfest Penn Brewing Oktoberfest Summit Oktoberfest Thomas Hooker Octoberfest Roy Pitz Gobbler Lager Erie Fallenbock Roy Pitz Ichabod’s Midnight Ride Rock Art Imperial Pumpkin Spruce Stout Duck Rabbit Marzen Founders Breakfast Stout
UPCOMING SEASONALS Lancaster Winter Warmer Breckenridge Christmas Ale Southampton Christmas Atwater Winter Bock River Horse Belgian Freeze Tommy Knocker Cocoa Porter Full Pint Festivus Hoppin’ Frog Frosted Frog Jolly Pumpkin Noel Summit Winter Ale Ramstein Winter Wheat Lake Placid Winter Lager
515 Main St. Stockertown, Pa 18083 | 310 Stoke Park rd. BethleheM, Pa 18017
www.stockertownbeverage.com • 610-746-5611
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Contributors Drew Lazor (@DrewLazor) With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about food. What is your favorite food to eat with beer? I’m a Maryland boy, so you already know my answer: The best food to eat with beer is steamed blue crabs. If you could meet anyone in the beer industry, who would it be? I would love to meet the brewer from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. I think their beers are so artful and interesting and would be fascinated to hear how the hell they manage it.
Ryan Hudak (@insearchofbeer) Oktoberfests or pumpkin beers? Which do you prefer and what’s your favorite? I’ve always had a soft spot for pumpkin beers, but after going to Oktoberfest for my honeymoon last year, I’ve found myself looking forward to the Oktoberfests and Märzens this year more than anything. Favorite pumpkin beer is Pumking, and Oktoberfests don’t get any better than Ayinger. Who are you outside the world of beer journalism? I run the subcontracts department for a local construction company.
Luke Bowen (@evilgeniusluke) Fergus Carey, one of the most respected bar owners in Philly, is featured this issue. What are some of your favorite bars in the area? My favorite bars in the area are Revolution House in Old City, Ram’s Head in West Chester, and The Whip Tavern (my hometown bar).
10 rotating taps featuring locals & seasonals!
80+ Bottles & Cans
Who are you outside the world of beer journalism? I am one of the founders of Evil Genius Beer. In addition, I am an avid musician and songwriter. I love playing and writing music of all genres and styles.
Free-Wi-Fi | Smoking Bar
Always a Weekly Beer Special on Tap
Happy Hour- Mon-Fri, 5-7 Everyday-$2 Bloody Marys & Mimosas (11:00-3:00) Monday- Free Pool (open-close) Tuesday-Karaoke (9:00-2:00) Wednesday-Quizzo (7:30-9:00)
Jimmy McMillan (@barryshomebrew) Fergus Carey, one of the most respected bar owners in Philly, is featured this issue. What are some of your favorite bars in the area? I have much respect for Fergie, but as a new father, I don’t make it out to many bars anymore. When I do, it’s usually Memphis Taproom or Barcade mainly due to them being close to work.
Art Openings on the First Friday of Every Month Yacht Rock Bingo on the First Thursday of Every Month at 9pm *Ticket outlet for the Philly Roller Girls
831 Christian St, Philadelphia, Pa 19147 (215) 238-0379 www.12stepsdown.com
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phillybeerscene.com
october/november2012
If you could meet anyone in the beer industry, who would it be? Since I’ve already met the infamous Mat Falco of Philly Beer Scene and offered him a fried egg on New Year’s Day, the next choice would have to be Chris White of White Labs, so we could discuss the infrequencies of yeast and learn some pointers on microbiological geekdom.
publisher’s Letter The area is filled with people that have played irreplaceable roles in bringing craft beer to the forefront of our local culture. From the originals like Carol and Ed Stoudt, Rosemarie Certo, and Tom Peters to the more recent pioneers like Brendan Hartranft and the brewery/ brewpub owners who are redefining their neighborhoods. All are worthy of a tribute and essential to everything we love about craft beer in Philadelphia. We wanted to take a deeper look into one of the prominent and equally important publicans in the area. While Tom Peters may be the predominant face for Monk’s, as many of you may or may not know, Monk’s is an endeavor he is not alone in. From day one, the incomparable and eccentrically unique Fergus Carey has been his partner; not only in Monk’s, but in endeavors around the world. This kilt-wearing Irishman, better known simply as Fergie, is one of the most memorable people in the craft beer world. Those who know him probably won’t soon forget him and chances are, he won’t forget you. This issue, we are proud to bring you a deeper look into this legend of Philadelphia. Aside from offering a connection with Fergie, we have focused a good deal of attention to one of the most critical elements in beer: yeast. Often overlooked and seldom taken into consideration by the average drinker, we felt it was time to put this fungus to the forefront and provide some education on its importance in making the beer we all love to drink. Rounding things out and hoping it be an ideal lead-in to our 2nd Beer Laws Forum, Luke Bowen has provided insight into the area state Brewers Guilds. Working behind the scenes to protect and develop our craft beer culture, these guilds need more attention and the support of craft beer drinkers. Like yeast is to beer, these guilds are trying to play the same role to breweries. With that said, I hope you enjoy the issue and I look forward to continually meeting more and more of you. Cheers, Mat Falco Publisher
Winter
Beer Fest November 24th
1pm - 5pm & 6pm - 10pm
Union Transfer 1026 Spring Garden St. Philadelphia PA, 19123 Advance Tickets $40 1,000 Tickets Will Be Sold Shorter Lines & More Space
Unlimited Samples
100 Plus Beers
WinterBeerFest.com
PhiladelphiaBeerFestivals.com 13
on the scene
// event photos
Local Philadelphians enjoying themselves at Belgium Comes to Cooperstown.
Belgium Matt Scher and Howie Corbin at the al. Festiv n Comes to Cooperstow
Jean Broillet, Andy Dickerson and Sean McGettigan loading spent grain to be sent to the loca l farm.
Jean B ro il le t p re p in th e a r in g R5 Sa th e r h is o n c uba o ll a b o r a ti o n a r b t o b e u s ed t T ire d Hands .
Andy (Teresa’s Next Door) taking pictures of Sean (Station Taproom) as he scrubs the kettle following the Tired Hands brew day.
um Jim Zickafoose and Tony Saldutti at Belgi ys has a alwa Philly e wher n rstow Coope to s Come huge presence.
w ith ro se th e w or t r. stee pi n g ily fe rm en te pp a e h th And y or te d in to sp n a tr ’s b ud s as it
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Trevor Ha ywar d of Ev il Ge niu s po ur ing be ers at th e be erfe st at Bu be s Brew er y in Mo un t Jo y, PA .
at the ing beers k Ott pour uc h . C ss p ro re h the Red C Flying Fis enefitting b st fe er SJ Oktob
eulogy
Guests ta k in g in th e b annual e a u ti f u l Newtow day at n B e e rf th e est.
ght out smiles in The Newtown Beerfest brou day. ect perf r nea a everyone on
SJ Ok t o b e rf est MC and Q D av id ueen o Long f th e w ith t O kt o b e h e K in rfe s t g
own this year’s Newt happy groups at . ion One of the MANY e Associat g the Newtown Fir Beerfest benefittin
John and James Ca in testing oven a coup out the w le weeks b ood burning efore the op Brewing C ening of Va ompany in ult Yardley, PA .
15 15
the variety pack
// a little bit of everything
21
Weird Beer #21 Facial Fermentation
Brewing With Yeast Interested in beer fermentation? Grab this guide and get started. By Yotam Dror
Yeast. A book that raises eyebrows when reading in public, until the kicker, “The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation” is uncovered. While some could enjoy this book at the beach or as a nightcap, it is first and foremost a guide to those who wish to use their yeast more personally and effectively. The book, by Chris White and Jamil Zainasheff, starts with an important warning: “We decided that this would not be a yeast biology book. It is not a book on the basics of brewing either. You should already know how to brew, and if you do not, get yourself a copy of How to Brew by John Palmer and come back to this book later.” However, with those prerequisites in mind, this book is extremely thorough. In 300 pages, Yeast covers everything from the history of fermentation to “your own yeast lab made easy” with numerous guides, graphs, and statistics. It is truthfully, fairly daunting, especially for those who are coming into the book with little knowledge on the subject. The authors explain that a prior knowledge of brewing is necessary before using this book, but probably should also point out readers should have a strong interest in chemistry. Although the guide is made for brewers of all levels, some may not know exactly what they’re diving into. What begins as a fluid and fairly easy read quickly requires Post-its and highlighters to retain the information. Less seasoned brewers no doubt would find this book interesting, but without a specific wish to harvest their own yeast, may end up more confused than enlightened. For the brewer who has moved on from buying pre-packed yeast variants, this book will open doors to the amount of yeast cultures that they can call their own.
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Breweries have been known to gather wild yeast strains from the city they call home; leaving petri dishes out to capture strains from the open city air and then cultivating the yeast to see what happens. It is a bit unique and might have some strange results, but it has nothing on Rogue’s recent methods. All in the name of fun, the crew at Rogue thought it would be humorous to send a few strands of hair from brewmaster John Maier’s beard to renowned yeast lab, White Labs, for testing. Nice follicles were carefully cut and placed in a petri dish and sent off. Maybe not extremely shocking, as John does spend a lot of his time in a brewery, but a usable strain of yeast was found in his beard. One would obviously assume that some of Rogue’s yeast got into his beard and it just happened to be coincidental that it was attached to the follicles sent out for testing, but the crazy part is that it wasn’t even a yeast strain used by the brewery. John Maier’s beard had somehow become home to a unique strain that just happened to be perfect for brewing beer. Having continuously grown his beard since 1978, it was only a matter of time before it became a part of the brewing process as well. The yeast strain is currently going through a testing phase to determine what type of beer would be ideal for brew, and in early 2013, “New Crustacean” will be released and everyone will be able to enjoy one of the most famous beards in the beer industry.
The Jester Stays The Brand New Weyerbacher By Brittanie Sterner
Following a two year re-branding project, Weyerbacher is getting a minty, invigorating face scrub. Up until very recently, the seventeen-year-old company was a bit dragged down by blasé labels that featured a Comic Sans-looking typeface, and which were unfortunately dated with the brewery’s website in large print (that .com promotional habit everyone had fifteen years ago before our Googling capabilities rivaled our most basic human functions). And the characters we came to know on these labels, like the Imperial Pumpkin, were mischievous and fun but lacked a certain visual gravity to pull us in. Some labels lacked a visual component altogether. The new labels, drawn by freelance artist Sean Clark, are intense yet inviting portraits that simply “bring the branding up to the quality of the beer,” as Joshua Lampe of FFM Creative/ Standing Stone Media, who spearheaded the re-design, puts it. As the artisan quality of beer has rocketed–Lampe asserting that the taste of the beer is still clearly the most important piece of the brand–so has the visual aspect of bottles, which are now often standalone works of art in multiple mediums, not just interesting identification tags. It was only natural that Weyerbacher, known for their big, confrontational and bold beers, joined the competition on the shelf. The transition was well-researched and smooth; “We’re glad we took the time to do it right,” says founder Dan Weirback. They spent about a year just defining who the brand was. “And part of that was figuring out what people thought of us.” Consistently, feedback came as a great love for the explosive, adventurous beers but a lackluster meh for the labels–which Lampe describes as “the only thing people didn’t like about Weyerbacher” in the customer surveys. The new spotlighted Merry Monks is drenched in impressionistic warm colors and humbly keeps a naughty secret.
His cohort, the new Imperial Pumpkin Ale king, is robustly regal with a great wince of pleasure. The new Winter Ale has morphed from a low-fi PBS cartoon into the rich, celestial blues of a family portrait, which includes the scarecrow who now dreamily forebodes on the Autumnfest Ale. And, the Blithering Idiot jester– once a stripped, geometrical, two-color marionette–is the most beautiful transformation of all; smug in his carnival glory and looking like a walk-off from a “Brothers Grimm” scene. Briefly in jeopardy, the jester is ultimately staying as a longtime icon that the public associates with Weyerbacher. “When you have a homegrown brewery, people really feel a part of it. The last thing you want to do is push them away,” Lampe says. The new labels will do nothing of the sort.
Comic By Dave Sanislo I think breweries have gone too far with the imperial movement.
I don’t see the problem with it
17
the variety pack
oPEn SEaSon
Summer’s finest: Breezy days, chirping birds and the outdoor patio at The Whip Tavern, just named Best of the Main Line. Join us to revel in the weather while enjoying excellent British pub fare and a fine selection of beers.
Open 11:00am ~ midnight
Closed Tuesday 1383 North Chatham Road West Marlborough, Pennsylvania 19320
610.383.0600 thewhiptavern.com Best English Pub
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phillybeerscene.com
// a little bit of everything
I on Beer Autumn rules. By Joe Gunn
On pretty much every level, fall is my favorite season. I believe our love affair began the second I realized that I was done with school forever and it could no longer ruin it. I’m thinking May 2000. Summer went from being my favorite season to a distant third in a matter of seconds. With school no longer a factor, the three weeks of spring we now get took a stranglehold on second, while winter stayed dead last because it’s so awful and cold. There are so many reasons that it’s the best, I could write forever, but because of my undying support of the Earth, I’m only comfortable taking up so much paper. These things are what really do it for me though… Football Football is the greatest. As long as the Eagles are mathematically alive for the Super Bowl, these weeks are as good as it gets in life. Plus, drinking beer and watching football seem to work together, which is a very handy coincidence in my line of work. Football takes a dumb holiday like Thanksgiving, and makes it a top two holiday. If it wasn’t for football, it would just be some story about natives thanking the Pilgrims for helping them find the west or whatever. I wouldn’t even capitalize Thanksgiving if it wasn’t for football. Baseball used to be good in the fall, but the Phillies all got old one day. I hope that never happens to the Jose Pistola’s softball team. Christmas Beer Fall is great for getting winter beer. With how early seasonal beers are pushed out nowadays, that first sentence actually makes sense. I love Christmas beers, but I’m usually sick of them way before winter begins. As a matter of fact, they’ve become more of a fall release and pumpkin beers have moved to late summer. For the record, I don’t even think American pumpkins ripen until around the World Series, so I’m a little leery of where these pumpkins are coming from. Brisk Weather Easily the best beer drinking weather of the
october/november2012
year. There’s something about drinking a pretty cold can of beer on a kinda cold day that reminds me of my high school days. Most of my favorite underage drinking experiences are all in the fall. Not sure why, but I probably wasn’t allowed out in the spring, summer’s way too hot for beer, and of course, winter blows. It’s also perfect tailgating weather if you have the option of not showing up to tailgate if it’s rainy and cold. (Sorry, Curt.) Fall Fashion Fall is also the only time of year where I can wear my favorite pant/shirt combo. I love wearing shorts and a long sleeve shirt or hoodie. As anyone that has ever met me can attest, I have pretty good legs, with incredible calves. The problem is my upper body is about as defined as the borders of Kashmir. My only theories on why, is that I’ve probably worked out about eight times in my life and people with muscles lift more than 16 oz. glasses. Anyway, if my arms and one-pack are covered up, and you have to go by my legs alone, you’d probably have to give my body at least an 8. It’s So Pretty I don’t care how much it makes me sound like a sissy, fall is flat out beautiful, and it really makes you appreciate how many trees we have in the Philly area. Every car, cab, and train ride is infinitely better. I literally look out of the window of my train, on purpose. The rest of the year, I’d be just as happy commuting to work inside a bowling ball with my headphones on.
@
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Have a question or just want to share something with us? Keep it under 140 characters and tag @PhillyBeerScene and we may just publish it in the magazine.
Shane Hagadorn (@ShaneHagadorn) I wish @ShortsBrewing was in Philly. Love the Huma Lupa Licious @PhillyBeerScene. 1:58 PM September 1st
velcropanda (@ToddEbling) @PhillyBeerScene Joe Gunn’s articles have put me in stitches more than once. This guy should start a Philly beer radio show. 11:08 PM August 12th ISSUE 21 | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012 | WWW.PHILLYBEERSCENE.COM
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+ Viva La Fungi BEER’S MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT
Protecting Craft Beer
The Man Who Always Knows Your Name
THE WORK THAT BREWERS GUILDS ARE DOING FOR THE BEER YOU LOVE
PhillyBeerScene (@PhillyBeerScene) What do you think @PhillyJoeGunn? I think we could give Preston and Steve a run for their money.
ISSUE 21 | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012 | WWW.PHILLYBEERSCENE.COM
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+
Viva La Fungi
11:14 PM August 12th
BEER’S MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT
Protecting Craft Beer
The Man Who Always Knows Your Name
THE WORK THAT BREWERS GUILDS ARE DOING FOR THE BEER YOU LOVE
FERGIE: PHILLY’S FAVORITE PUBLICAN
FERGIE: PHILLY’S FAVORITE PUBLICAN Beeradelphia: Finally! l Wort-Brined Pickles l Mulled Beer
FREE!
TAKE ONE 1
Beeradelphia: Finally! l Wort-Brined Pickles l Mulled Beer
FREE!
TAKE ONE 1
Half Acre Beer (@HalfAcreBeer) @ mdeapo @PhillyBeerScene cheers to Philly. You are the only other city we serve. 4:04 PM September 5th
Bob Birch (@BobBirch) @PhillyBeerScene just had Neshaminy Creek Leon Russian Imperial Stout....amazing...do yourself a favor and get it while you can! 2:34 PM August 24th ISSUE 21 | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012 | WWW.PHILLYBEERSCENE.COM
™
+ Viva La Fungi BEER’S MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT
Protecting Craft Beer
The Man Who Always Knows Your Name
PhillyBeerScene (@PhillyBeerScene) Definitely on the list of breweries that need to find their way here. Personally, we’d love to see New Glarus finally leave Wisconsin! 2:02 PM September 1st
THE WORK THAT BREWERS GUILDS ARE DOING FOR THE BEER YOU LOVE
ISSUE 21 | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012 | WWW.PHILLYBEERSCENE.COM
™
+
Viva La Fungi
PhillyBeerScene (@PhillyBeerScene) Just another reason why Philly is the BEST beer drinking city in the county! (Or world!) 4:21 PM September 5th
BEER’S MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT
4:45 PM August 24th
Protecting Craft Beer
The Man Who Always Knows Your Name
THE WORK THAT BREWERS GUILDS ARE DOING FOR THE BEER YOU LOVE
FERGIE: PHILLY’S FAVORITE PUBLICAN
FERGIE: PHILLY’S FAVORITE PUBLICAN Beeradelphia: Finally! l Wort-Brined Pickles l Mulled Beer
PhillyBeerScene (@PhillyBeerScene) It’s great to see the local brewery scene getting better and better. Can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store.
FREE!
TAKE ONE 1
Beeradelphia: Finally! l Wort-Brined Pickles l Mulled Beer
FREE!
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It’s Named What? The pursuit of pissing off Matt Groening. By Mat Falco
With the most breweries in the country since the 1800s and with each putting out an endless assortment of beers, it becomes a task to come up with a unique name and avoid the dreaded cease and desist letter from a fellow brewer. No one wants to get caught up in legal issues over a beer name and lose focus on what really matters in a brewery: brewing. Well, almost no one. “I also loved the thought of receiving a cease and desist from Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons). Think of the awesome press that would’ve meant!” says Nodding Head Brewery owner, Curt Decker, in regards to his regular offering, Monkey Knife Fight. “Monkey Knife Fight is lifted directly from an episode of The Simpsons. I don’t know how I put that image together with an Asian-inspired tropical lager with ginger and lemongrass, but at the time, it made perfect sense to me.” The beer has become one of the most successful beers in the Nodding Head portfolio and as Decker puts it, “I think that’s the one case we have at Nodding Head where the name actually drives guests to the beer.” Unfortunately though, the beer has failed to garner the attention of The Simpsons and Decker still awaits the usually dreaded letter. Until then, we’ll just have to enjoy the beer for what it is and mail along a copy of this to Mr. Groening to see if he we can help move the process along.
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the variety pack
// meet the scene
Pete Danford
Victory Pusherman: A look inside Diddy’s Playhouse.
Interview By Jay Rose
If you’ve had a Victory beer at a craft beer event in the Philadelphia area in the last five years, chances are it was poured by Victory’s Mid-Atlantic/East Coast Regional Sales Manager, Pete Danford. We recently had the pleasure of meeting up with the leader of the local Victory sales team for a bite and brew (or two) at Alla Spina to find out who Pete Danford really is.
How did you get into the beer business?
After growing up in Toledo, OH and going to college there, my girlfriend/now wife Amy moved to NYC. She went to grad school, I started selling Bud Light to bodegas in Williamsburg, Brooklyn as it was just getting “hipster” in 2000. Got married then left NYC a few years later, back to Ohio, Cincinnati in fact. I then joined Miller Brewing Company learning a lot about how a multinational brewery works. Great experience but really wasn’t for me. I got laid off, then Victory popped up on my radar in 2007.
How did you convince your wife, who was 36 weeks pregnant, to move to New Jersey?
Yeah that was ugly. She had to sell and pack our house, have our first child and move our life. I started my new position covering NY/NJ while living in hotels and blow-up mattresses. I did make it home for the birth of Liam but then left two days later. Amy joined me on the East Coast when Liam was four weeks old. I remember driving her home from the airport to our new digs in Cherry Hill. She started to cry and asked where I was taking her as we drove down Route 70. That stretch of 70 with all the old strip malls and things isn’t exactly the most picturesque scenery to someone who likes more charm. She had no job, no friends, we had one car and an apartment in Cherry Hill that looked like a hotel. But I worked for Victory, and that was a giant positive. Looking back, we laugh, but it was a big life change. It’s safe to say at this point, you’ve had a beer in just about every conceivable bar and restaurant in the area. What is the most underrated craft beer bar in Philly right now?
Station Taproom in Downingtown is doing great things. In the city, I’d have to say Zavino on 13th and Sansom. It’s a hidden gem considering the heavy hitters in that neighborhood. Food is very good, small place but great fresh air vibe, the beer list is small but effective and you get in and out of there without breaking your wallet in half. There are tons of great craft beer events in Philly. Which one is your favorite?
Brewer’s Plate. I look forward to it every year. The food is amazing, the beers are great, and it’s not overly crowded. Love that event. Speaking of food, your favorite restaurant right now?
Depends on the situation really. Go-to spot with friends is Standard Tap or Memphis Taproom. If my family is in town, we’ll hit Percy Street BBQ or Earth Bread and Brewery. If it’s just the wife and me, we hit Zahav or Osteria. Love Philly for the fact there are so many options depending on the situation. If you were chosen to be the subject of a reality show based on the life and times of a craft beer rep, what would it be called?
HA! P.Diddy’s Playhouse!
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the variety pack
// a little bit of everything
Ben Franklin and the Philly Beer Scene A deeper look at Mr. Franklin’s influence on our scene. By Tyler Flynn
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) would most likely be proud of our Philadelphiaarea beer scene, but not because of a special interest in beer. Although he enjoyed the conviviality of a tavern and brought back a now-famous spruce ale recipe from France, Franklin preferred wine and trumpeted the virtue of moderation with drink. What makes him perhaps the original founder of our local beer culture, instead, is that he envisioned a citizenry of individuals who could think for themselves rather than depending on an aristocracy to make decisions for them, as had been customary in Europe for centuries. While we of the Philly beer scene essentially self-govern our burgeoning craft brew movement, we are also rejecting the notion that a massive brewing conglomerate or any other distant corporate entity (not unlike an eighteenth-century aristocracy) should dictate our tastes. Consider these related parallels between Benjamin Franklin’s visions with the Philly beer scene today: Cities: To begin with, Franklin was an urban creature, residing in Boston, Philadelphia, London, and Paris, but calling Philadelphia home; for him, the city was where one made friends, shared ideas, and organized the movements and institutions that ultimately constituted the heart of a nation. Craftsmanship: Franklin disliked the pretenses of the aristocracy whose claim to power derived only from birth and envisioned, in contrast, a meritocracy where one’s social standing was rooted in the quality of one’s craft. Industrious and inventive, he lived out the working-class artisan’s ethic by not only publishing a newspaper and a broadly-read almanac, but in discovering electricity, inventing things like the lightning rod, bifocal glasses, and the clean-burning stove, advancing theories on the spread of the common cold, and launching a lending library, a college, a volunteer fire company, an insurance 22
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association, and a matching-grant institution. We of the Philly beer scene, whether as home brewers, professional brewers, magazine editors, beer writers, pub & restaurant owners, or active and conscientious connoisseurs, one could argue, treasure a similar notion of craft. Consider how much of our time together revolves around discussions about the integrity of any given finished product, be it home-brewed ale, a recently-published beer book, or the service and selection at a new gastro-pub. Community: Life was best lived with one’s fellows, Franklin believed, and he contributed so much only through regular conversation and collaboration with his peers, often in a pleasurable setting. In 1727, for example, he formed the Leather Apron Club of young tradesmen and artisans; they originally met in Philadelphia taverns on Friday nights to discuss topics ranging from philosophy, self-improvement, and civic betterment. Today, the Philly beer scene consists of many groups whose purpose is a similar blend of
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fellowship/beer-drinking and the sharing of practical knowledge, from homebrew clubs and their Beer Judge Certificate Program (BJCP) competitions, the annual Philly Beer Geek competition, Tria’s Fermentation School, and countless others advertised through the Philly Beer Scene web site, Philly Beer Scene Magazine, and others. If he were alive today, Benjamin Franklin would probably embrace the Philly beer scene with enthusiasm, lauding our many grass-roots initiatives, joining in our friendly debates, and savoring our high-quality local craft brew and intriguing food pairings. His vision of ideal citizenship, and an ideal city, is playing out here in Philadelphia as we shape our own local craft brew movement, independent of the Anheuser-Busches of the world. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a great place to start should you want to learn more about his vision and why we truly do owe a debt to this most original of Philadelphians.
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// a little bit of everything
Remembering Tom By Tom Peters
Tom Pastorius A true pioneer of German craft beer. By Mat Falco
I was tending bar at Cafe NOLA (version 1.0, before any expansions) when Tom Pastorius walked in on a very busy Friday night and asked for a Pennsylvania Pilsner. I had never heard of the beer before and we had a limited beer selection at that time. Rolling Rock was our biggest selling bottled beer and I often referred to it as Chateau Latrobe. I thought that Tom was just using Pennsylvania Pilsner as another name for Rolling Rock, so I handed him a bottle of RR and a pilsner glass. He was flummoxed. Apparently Bill Curry, one of NOLA’s owners, had promised to stock the beer, but neglected to order it. I told Tom that I would be sure we had it on his next visit, but I never saw him grace the doorway of Cafe NOLA again. Fast forward six months and Tom wandered into the bar I was managing, Copa, Too (where Jose Pistola’s in now). Tom was happy to see that we had it on tap. I related our previous meeting to him and we both had a good laugh over a couple of Pennsylvania Pilsners. Tom Pastorius was a true pioneer in the Pennsylvania beer scene.
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Often overlooked and mostly forgotten in Philadelphia over the past few years, Pennsylvania Brewing Company was one of the originals. The original actually. Founded in 1986, Penn Brewing Co. was the first true micro-brewery in the state of Pennsylvania (Stoudt’s was a brewpub). An inspiration for many breweries to come, the brewery, despite its up and downs, has stood the test of time and still resides in Pittsburgh, PA. Sadly, it’s founder, a true pioneer of craft beer, has left us. Tom Pastorius died at the all-too-young age of 67, this past September. Despite the lack of recognition of late, his influence cannot be questioned. “His impact on craft beer in these parts is hard to overstate,” says Jack Curtin. “The embracing of German style lager beers by both Penn and Stoudt’s helped set a standard for those brews that remains unmatched elsewhere in the country.” Philadelphia, despite its love for IPAs and over-the-top big beers, is home to some of the greatest lagers in the country. It’s a true claim to fame that the area doesn’t pride themselves on nearly enough. Without the early efforts of people like Tom Pastorius, the doors to producing great craft beer in Pennsylvania might not have opened as quickly and smoothly as they did. German culture was something Tom took great pride in and rightfully became the focus of his brewery. Spending many years
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in Germany and staying connected with multiple generations of his family; his beers became a shining example of this passion. As his wife, Mary Beth Pastorius puts it, “He just embraced the country and the people and the culture–and that certainly included the beer.,” Penn Brewery was a hands-on project for Tom, as he assembled the entire brewery himself and event built all the tables and benches residing inside the pub by hand. Selling off prized possessions to invest in obtaining a business degree was just a sign that Tom was always set on doing things the right way in hopes of bringing out his visions in their entirety. He wanted his brewery to be as authentic as possible and recreated everything he loved about Germany. Penn Pilsner became a flagship beer and to this day, is still one of the essential lager style beers coming out of Pennsylvania. Along with their Gold, Dark, and Weizen, Penn Brewery has won countless medals and accolades from GABF and World Beer Cup, among others. Truly one of the most important breweries to come out of our state, a worthy pint of lager should be raised by all to commemorate this great man of craft beer. Without people like Tom Pastorius to pave the way, you always have to question where our incredible beer scene would be today.
Beeradelphia A piece of history no one thought would happen. By Mat Falco
A sense of doubt seemed to resonate over this film. It felt as though it took 16 years to finish. People even began to second guess its release. With filming originally beginning in early 2010, in hopes of a small preview during Philly Beer Week 2010, expectations were originally set to have the entire film released for Beer Week 2011, which never occurred. But, three years later, Philly can proudly say that it finally has a beer documentary to backup its claim as the best beer drinking city in the country (or the world, as Casey Parker boldly states on camera). For a one-man operation, putting out a feature film in three years is actually a reasonable time-frame, especially when you consider that the guy making the film works multiple jobs as a bartender at various locations. That guy, Michael Ryan Lawrence, after multiple trips to Los Angeles and countless hours spent in his bedroom office covered in walls of sticky notes, has finally seen his goal come to fruition. Having premiered at a red-carpet extravaganza at World Café Live, Beeradelphia is officially here and a perfect complement to everything that makes this city so great. The film itself is a history lesson on beer. It’s a history lesson on Philadelphia beer. It’s a tribute to the culture that surrounds the beer. It’s an ode to homebrewing. It’s everything this magazine is, wrapped up and put into the 90+ minutes of cinematic glory that Philly deserves. It’s a film that will go on to show the rest of the world that we truly are the premier drinking city. All the voices you would expect to see in a documentary based on Philly are there. Frequent appearances by a young and energetic looking Jack Curtin, Victory Brewmaster/Owner Bill Covaleski, Historian Rich Wagner, and archaeologist Dr. Patrick McGovern are there along with cameos by a slew of bar owners, brewers, and celebrities of the culture. Lesser-expected faces such as Jim Koch of Sam Adams and Charlie Papazian of the Brewers Association also grace the camera with insight and love for this great city. Having been filmed over the course of three years, there is also a sense of nostalgia with glimpses of loved bars that are no longer with us such as Swift Half and brewers that have since changed homes, like Ben Potts representing Dock Street and Gerard Olsen serving as assistant brewer at McKenzie Brew House. Everyone may look younger as well, but overall, this film still captures what craft beer is to the city of Philadelphia and inadvertently shows how the culture has continued to develop and grown immensely over the past few years. Three years later, Beeradelphia was worth the wait; a staple for any local beer lover and the nail in the coffin for anyone who doubted Philly’s reign on top of the beer world. Philadelphia should raise a glass to Michael Ryan Lawrence and commend him on time well spent.
Like us on Search Princeton Homebrew 208 Sanhican Drive (RT.29) Trenton, NJ 08618 www.solarhomebrew.com joe@solarhomebrew.com
(609) 252-1800
A brew on premises home brewing shop that offers brew lessons
Hours Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 7pm Sunday 11am - 5pm 162 Haddon Ave Haddon Twp, NJ 08108 856-858-6000
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woman on the scene
Warming Up Chilly
Autumn Nights By Carolyn Smagalski
Echoes of the past drift in my thoughts… scenes from an old farmhouse where, as a young adult, my friends and I warmed ourselves by the fireplace from late autumn harvest through winter snows. Not just one fireplace, though. This house had one in every room, including the six bedrooms upstairs. One in the kitchen was impressive, with a firebox so high we could dance inside, if we dared. My imagination always ran wild, watching the fire consume such a hulking space. It was easy to feel the spirits of bygone generations, the women cooking soups in huge copper kettles while the men went about, mulling their ale. Beginning around the 17th century, mulled ale was a staple in every household, a comfort item that was routinely enjoyed. It developed into a love affair that lasted for three centuries. So intense was this affair that an author, identified only as F.W., wrote “A Treatise of Warm Beer,” a volume of 143 pages extolling the benefits of this hot beverage. These days, we can hardly imagine such a practice. The advent of gas and electric stoves made mulling ale a hassle and it soon disappeared. But evidence of this practice can be found in many antiques shops, from Stoudtburg Village in Adamstown to Skippack PA, and onward throughout Lambertville, NJ. The items used for mulling carry funny names: asses ears, hooters, loggerheads, flipdogs, boots, slippers, and hottles. The fact that so many pet names exist for these items is a testament to their popularity. Some were nothing more 26
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than pokers, heated in a fire; then plunged into cellared ale. Boots and slippers carried the ale in a cupped section, while the toe was heated at the fire, transferring the heat to the beverage. Asses ears, also called hooters, are reminiscent of Xenainspired armor. They were cone-shaped, fashioned of copper, lined in tin, and complete with a handle. Some were pint sized, while others held as much as three pints. They could be filled with ale and plunged, by their point, directly into the hot coals, or heated without liquid; then immersed into a pewter mug filled with ale. In some cases, sugar and spices were added. The lower classes in England, particularly sailors, drank a variation in which brandy and sugar were the extra ingredients. They called it Flip. But America wasn’t so judgmental. The higher classes in New England regularly enjoyed this Flip beverage, along with hot cider. They heated these specialties with flip-irons, also called loggerheads, flipdogs, or hottles. Germans were not excluded from this practice of drinking warm ale. They used a tool called a Bierwärmer. This was a tube, filled with boiling water that was gingerly lowered into the mug. It had a hook that hung on the side, and often came with a stand to hold it upright when not in use. I felt compelled to taste a bit of the past, to heat up my chilly autumn nights with a selection of Pumpkin Ales. These ales are luscious on their own, perfect with cranberries and nuts, warm oatmeal
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cookies, spiced breads, roasted duck and turkey club sandwiches. Mulling in a fire adds a bit of romanticism and smokiness that would be lost in a microwave, but the modern efficiency of the latter is hard to beat. My beer head took on the appearance of moussey foam, while the spiciness heightened. I was careful not to raise the temperature to boiling, knowing that the hops would impart an unpleasant bitterness with too much heat. A cinnamon stick and spritz-ofnutmeg served as garnish.
The Autumn Mulling
Devious Imperial Pumpkin from Fegley’s BrewWorks stands malty and spiceinfused at 9% ABV. Its coppery body seems to glow in the firelight, begging to be the first hot beverage in my lineup. Brewed with pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and clove, Devious does not disappoint, whether served cold or with added heat. The alcohol delivers a power-punch when warmed – one that you won’t notice until pink elephants bounce in your brain. Sam Calagione’s idea for Dogfish Head Punkin Ale debuted with Delaware’s Punkin Chunkin event in 1994. Selected as the first place recipe winner in the Punkin competition, Punkin Ale was a winner even before the brewery opened in 1995. Crafted with real pumpkin, spices and brown sugga’, it clocks-in at 7% ABV. As a perfectly balanced, fullflavored seasonal, Punkin Ale, when mulled, lies on the palate with silkiness that sizzles in the warmth. Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale arrives in autumn like a luscious pie, full of gourd-like richness, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. With its towering 8% ABV, it transforms into instant seduction
with a little heat. Whiskey Barrel Aged Brown Ale, also a Weyerbacher delight, sparkles as dark as Columbian coffee, with garnet red highlights around the edges. The nose is full of dark bread maltiness, caramel, molasses, bourbon, peat, leather and oak. This combination of flavors and aromas is brought to the foreground when put to the coals, although it stands firm on its own with a beefy steak, dripping in savory juices. And what about other styles? Great Lakes Oktoberfest, with its toasty breadiness, liberates Märzen as a style the Germans may well have embraced in their Bierwärmer. Stunningly orange, with brilliant clarity, the head rises up like a velvet blanket to the gentle touch of heat. Delicate flavors are enhanced, and I cannot bring myself to add sugar or spices that may interrupt the sweetness inherent in this style. Fegley’s Bagpiper’s Scotch Ale is perfection in the warmer though, and a little brandy turns this already assertive wee heavy into a potent little animal. Mulling is not befitting to all autumn beers. Some ignite their own heat in the provocative form of sexual desire. Dock Street’s release of Spanish Fly is one of these beers that may infuse fire as swiftly as Casanova propositioned Aphrodite in infinite escapades. Brewed with wormwood, yarrow and ginger herbal aphrodisiacs, cultivated on the rooftop garden of the Four Seasons Hotel - this appropriately French-style Biere de Garde sports a heathen earthiness and Belgique ambience. As a Beer Four All Seasons, it remains a limited-edition, Dock Street exclusive, available in champagne-style bottles at the Four Seasons Hotel following its debut on the elegant Swann Terrace. 27
fun with beer
Get To Harvesting! How to harvest yeast from bottle conditioned beers. By Jimmy McMillan
Homebrewers can attempt to cultivate yeast strains using various bottle conditioned beers. By building up the weakened yeast, one can slowly grow the sample into a pitchable amount that can be used for a 5 gallon homebrew batch. This is an advanced technique and should not be attempted unless you are willing to experiment and risk a bad batch of homebrew.
what you need • 1lb. Dry malt extract • 1 Gallon water • Set of Erlenmeyer flask (50ml, 125ml, 250ml, 500ml, and 1000ml–or a set of similar sized ball jars)
• Aluminum foil • A bottle of your favorite bottle conditioned beer • Patience
What to do Step 1: Store a bottle aged beer upright for at least two (2) weeks prior to opening. Step 2: Have your drinking glasses out and be ready to pour the entire beer at once, leaving a few ounces in the bottle.
Step 7: On day 3, store in refrigerator for 24-48 hours or until all the yeast has settled to the bottom. Step 8: Gently pour off, decant the liquid leaving the yeast.
Step 3: Gently swirl the bottle to loosen the yeast from the bottom.
Step 9: Add double the amount of 1.040 wort that was added on day two.
Step 4: Pour the dregs of the bottle into a sanitized jar or flask where it can be grown.
Step 10: Repeat steps 6-9 until you feel you have collected the proper cell count of yeast to pitch in your homebrew beer.
Step 5: Add the equal volume of 1.040 gravity wort to the vessel and cover with a tight foil cap. Step 6: On day 2, add another equal volume of 1.040 wort and swirl.
Step 11: Ferment and enjoy, you just pirated another brewer’s yeast. Yarrr!
For a list of various bottles and the yeast they have, check out The Mad Fermentationist’s blog: themadfermentationist.com/2010/06/harvesting-sour-beer-bottle-dregs.html
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Over 1,000 different beers 7 Rotating Taps for Pints and Growler Fills 1/2 Price Growlers and Pints on Tuesdays Philly Beer Scene Best Bottle Shop in Philly 2012
Winter Seasonals now arriving! www.craftbeeroutlet.com
Craft Beer Outlet 9910 Frankford Ave Philadelphia, PA 215-632-2722
@craftbeeroutlet
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homebrewer’s corner
Brewing and Wort Brined Pickles Enjoy these unique homebrew and home-brining recipes. By Daniel Berlin
Pat yourself on the back, you’ve got another batch of wort and yeast doing its thing in the fermentor. With another brew day complete, it’s time for the cleaning to begin. Besides the brew kettle being grimy with spent hops and coagulated proteins, all-grain brewers are always faced with the sopping elephant in the mash tun. Today, you can blissfully drop those 30 lbs. of mash down the trash chute before it makes your kitchen smell like garum, because the focus here is on the other mash waste product: leftover sweet wort runoff. Even if you let the grain bed run dry, chances are your mash tun has some sort of dead space where residual wort can be found. You may think of these leftovers as a sticky mess waiting to happen, but consider this: it took you just as much time and energy to make those diluted dregs as it did to make the wort that was to be boiled, hopped, and fermented. So put it to use! Since wort is chock full of sugar you prodded enzymes into producing, use it the same way you would use any other sugar water. Put yourself in the shoes of a chef and imagine gastriques, doughs, syrups and sauces. One amazing use for leftover wort, which requires minimal further processing, is to turn it into a brine. Wort brined pickles – a no brainer! A brine is a liquid cure. It can be one step in a cooking process, or the end result. When you make pastrami, the brisket meat is brined before being smoked. Many people brine their turkeys before roasting. In the case of pickles, vegetables will be brined and then eaten. While there are many varying types of brine (some without salt, some with sugar, different kinds of vinegar, etc), this kind of brine has the following components: wort, vinegar, salt, and aromatics (see recipes). Experimentation is important, so the type of wort can be interpreted widely by you imaginative homebrewers. As for the vinegar, many chefs
South Philly Smoke Out Yield: 5.5 gallons OG: 1.040 FG: 1.010 IBU: 20 ABV: 4% Grain Bill:
8# Rauch Malt
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0.75# Brown Malt 0.75# CaraAroma or Dark Crystal 0.75# Crystal 60°
remark that pickling is the only edible use for distilled white vinegar. But keep in mind the theme: beer. Instead of using vinegar which adds no flavor, strike a balance between distilled vinegar and malt vinegar, which underscores the wort. As far as salt goes, avoid iodized salt in pickling. If you’re brining cold, use pickling salt because it dissolves easily. This brine will be brought to a boil, so kosher salt will work just fine. A large batch of pickles may warrant its own special mash, but you will find there is plenty of room for experimentation with a standard brew. While you may feel somewhat protective of your more viscous, early runoff, don’t be afraid to grab a pint of it for making a small batch of brine. Just a pint of brine will make a quart-sized jar of pickles. You’ll find it convenient to work with since it won’t be fermented (you won’t have to worry about handling it like a porcelain doll); however, you’ll benefit from chilling the wort overnight for sedimentation – it’s worthwhile to do this after a short boil with Irish moss. When racking off the sediment, don’t be afraid to use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth–keep in mind that you’re working in the kitchen now, and while you, the homebrewer, may identify that liquid as young beer, to a cook it is merely a carb-loaded stock. If you have a canning setup, you probably already know how to use it. For those newcomers to pickling, don’t be afraid. Grab some recycled pickle jars, mason jars, or one of those hard plastic bins from a restaurant supply store. Use your favorite cleanser and sanitizer as if you were bottling. These are going to be ‘quick pickles,’ which use a hot brine to blanch everything you put in the jar, partially cooking it. This ensures food safety as well as accelerated absorption of the brine. To further ensure food safety, store them all in the fridge, even after the jars seal when they cool. You’ll notice the change in texture after just 24 hours, but the flavor doesn’t reach its potential for about two weeks. Think of these pickles as bottle conditioned. Enjoy these beer recipes, and the resulting brines! Daniel Berlin is a homebrewer and culinary student.
The Procedure
Step 1: Mash with 6 gallons of water and hold at 153°F for 80 minutes. Recirculate until wort clears up and then lauter/sparge for 45 minutes to an hour, securing 6.5 gallons of runoff. Reserve a half-a-gallon of late runoff for brine.
Hops:
1 oz. Galena 12% (Mash) 1/8 oz. Galena (90 minutes) 1/4 oz. Galena (60 minutes)
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Step 2: Boil for 90 minutes, observing the above schedule. Don’t forget the Irish Moss and yeast nutrient 15 minutes from the end. Chill and ferment with Wyeast German Ale. Package as desired.
Smoky and Spicy Southwest WortBrined Pickles Brine
16 fl. oz. fined, settled, smoked Wort 1.25 oz. kosher salt 1.25 fl. oz. malt vinegar 1 fl. oz. distilled vinegar In each 32 oz. jar (you’ll need 4) Handful of fresh cilantro 1 tsp. black peppercorns ¼ tsp. white peppercorns ¼ tsp. green peppercorns ¼ tsp. pink peppercorns 1-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes 1 bay leaf 1 hop cone 4 cloves of garlic, smashed (to avoid blue garlic, remove the sprout/germ from inside each clove) 2 chipotles, dried 2 chili de arbol, dried 1 garlic scape (optional) 1 Fresno pepper 1 Serrano pepper, split (leave seeds intact) 8 sliced Kirby cucumbers Handful of green beans (tips cut off) The Procedure Step 1: Sanitize jars and lids, air dry, and then place all the items in the jars – pack down tight. Step 2: Bring the brine up to a boil, mix uniformly, and pour into jars over vegetables. Top off the jar with brine and close. When cooled, jar will seal. It’s still a good idea to stash in the fridge.
Snyder Avenue Sour Yield: 5.5 gallons OG: 1.060 FG: 1.014 IBU: 30 ABV: 6.25% Grain Bill:
8# Domestic 2 Row Pale 1 oz. Willamette (20 mins) 1# CaraAroma or Dark Crystal 1# Gambrinus Honey Malt 1# Saur Malt Hops:
1 oz. Willamette 5% (90 mins) 4# Abbey Malt 2 oz. Willamette (Dry) The Procedure
Step 1: Mash with 6 gallons of water and hold at 153°F for 80 minutes. Recirculate until wort clears up and then lauter/sparge for 45 minutes to an hour, securing 6.5 gallons of runoff. Reserve a pint of early runoff for brine. Step 2: Boil for 90 minutes, observing the above schedule. Don’t forget the Irish Moss and yeast nutrient 15 minutes from the end. Chill and ferment with a double dose of Wyeast American Ale, unless it’s too hot, then try Wyeast Belgin Saison. Rack to secondary and dry hop for 10-14 days. Package as desired.
Sweet and Sour Wort-Brined Pickles Brine
16 fl. oz. fined, settled Wort 1.25 oz. kosher salt 1.25 fl. oz. malt vinegar 1 fl. oz. distilled vinegar In a 32 oz. jar Handful of fresh dill 1 tsp. black peppercorns 1 tsp. whole coriander 1 bay leaf 1 hop cone 3 cloves of garlic, smashed (to avoid blue garlic, remove the sprout/germ from inside each clove) 8 sliced Kirby cucumbers Handful of green beans (tips cut off) The Procedure
Step 1: Sanitize jar and lid, air dry, and then place all the items in the jar – pack down tight. Step 2: Bring the brine up to a boil, mix uniformly, and pour into jar over vegetables. Top off the jar with brine and close. When cooled, jar will seal. It’s still a good idea to stash in the fridge.
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hop culture
Hops in Sours An overview of Bretts, sours and East Coast Yeast. By Joe Bair
The bittering use of hops in sours is negligible. They are only used for the preservative and clarifying properties. Although the tongue tastes bitter alpha acids of hops and lactic acid sours differently, it is still difficult to differentiate both when they are competing together. The pH scale is 1-14, less than 7 is acidic; and greater than 7 is base or alkaline. This scale was introduced at the Carlsberg Laboratory (part of Carlsberg Brewery) in 1909. Most sours are a function of time which allows the different species of bacteria to lower pH. The pH is lowered by acid producing bacteria whose living conditions on the pH range are sensitive. They multiply in the right pH range as their empires rise. They then fall when they cannot live in their lower pH they created. This happens over time to lower the pH to around 3 pH in the sour, 4 pH is normal for beer. Sometimes lambic producers add fruit, which has more acids from the skins of the fruit. You can see why they call it sours. Lactic Acid bacteria do not get along with hops when the IBUs are above 10. Tomme Arthur of Port/Lost Abbey Brewing said he does not use the traditional aged/cheesy hops whose alpha’s decline with time, he just adds a very small amount of fresh noble or aroma hops and keeps the IBUs under 3.
What are Bretts and Sours? “What’s new?” Is what I hear, especially when it comes to beer; this new could be hops, yeasts, ingredients, methods, packaging, place of origin, whatever. It is up to the brewer to answer this question, and create something experimental or “new” to be liked. The latest “new,” is actually old, Brettanomyces (Bretts, wild brews) and acid producing bacteria (lambics, sours) or both together. Bretts have many strains including lambicus, bruxellensis, anomalous, claussenii, custersianus, nanus, naardenensis. Wild yeast (5-10 microns) can supplement or replace normal beer brewing yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae.
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There are also other Saccharomyces yeast strains, such as the sherry wine yeast Saccharomyces fermentati used in sours. Lactic acid bacteria are a small (1-2 microns) species, they are widely used in foods you eat every day and are possibly part of your probiotic diet (i.e. Lactobacillus, Pediococcus), and other strains have symbiotic relationships with these wild yeasts that together make lambics or sours. These ubiquitous airborne species provide the process for which alcoholic drinks were discovered and the reason you close fermentation vats–to avoid spoilage by these organisms. If you are open fermenting, you can capture, grow, store and reuse these “bugs” from the unfiltered dregs on the bottom of the bottle (or fermenting vat). Also, you can source or isolate specific strains to blend these onecelled beings and pass it on to brewers. This is the story of the Buck’s, our local yeast wranglers - and founders of East Coast Yeast.
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Technology and the Evolution of Liquid Yeast In the ‘80s-‘90s, unrefrigerated white packs labeled “brewing yeast 5 grams” were used despite being highly contaminated with bacteria. This dry generic brewing yeast evolved to better meet homebrewer’s demands. Pioneer liquid yeast manufacturers namely, BrewTec, Yeast Culture Kit and Yeast Lab tried, but the fermenter had taken the time to grow the yeast to have an acceptable cell count for pitching into 5 gallons of wort. In 1985, the team of Dave Logsdon and Jeannette KreftLogsdon introduced the Wyeast “smack pack,” which was packaged in a plastic metallic gusset hermetically sealed bag with barely enough (25B cells) to pitch a low gravity 5 gallon batch without a starter. The gusset bag design provided room for the CO2 to proof that the cells were active before pitching. Research found that higher pitch rates were needed and when Chris White and Lisa White started
For more information visit facebook.com/pages/East-CoastYeast/168646113149281 to find impressions by brewers who used East Coast Yeast. Sign up for information on deliveries at: groups.google.com/ forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/ east-coast-yeast. Go to solarhomebrew.com/East_ Coast_Yeast.html for yeast descriptors.
White Labs in 1995, they packaged the yeast in sturdy small soda blow tubes with plastic caps. They put enough cells (100B cells) to effectively pitch without making a starter. Wyeast responded with the present Activator “smack” package (100B cells). There were no liquid yeast companies on the east coast until recently. Transporting temperature sensitive living creatures crosscountry overnight in ice packed coolers is expensive. The market is here and growing. The name East Coast Yeast tells you where they are and what they do. The Buck’s mission is to provide new, fresh, liquid cultures for special brewing projects. Specializing in artisanal yeast blends (Bretts, sour blends) and pure yeast strains long forgotten (like Ballantine).
Tongue Tapping to the Funk Let’s compare producing music to brewing, although both hit different senses. Beer is about taste–music is sound. Hopefully, a smile is the outcome in both. The brewer mixes the malt, hops, yeast and water to get pleasing responses from the drinker’s tastes; a music producer uses different sounds to please the ear. There are so many different genres of music as there are types of beer. There is pop which is like quick trendy
beer and then there is funk which is more complex like Bretts and sours. The Buck’s started by harnessing the different funks of wild yeast and sours. The yeast’s by-products and acidification by the bacteria can make your taste-buds dance just like your feet tap to a catchy tune. Like the off-beat pumping base that carries the funk, the addition of wild yeast and bacteria is not random, but is purposely put together with specific species to make an elegant consortia of funk for the taste-buds. The Buck’s have spent twenty years as quality control microbiologists and ten years as homebrewers. They started by collecting specific Brett yeasts and lactic acid bacteria from the dregs on the bottom of unfiltered bottles of beer and sent them away to fellow fermenters on the blog “Burgundian Babble Belt” (BBB). This niche blog explores the new (old) frontiers in homebrewing Bretts and sours. Beginning homebrewers are taught the enemy are these unwelcomed beer spoilage creatures; at the BBB - you’re their best friend.
East Coast Yeast to Expand Production Their first signature offering was “BugFarm” which was inoculated wood cubes inspired by Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing
handing out bug-chips at a homebrewer’s conference. Their packaging today is 125 ml plastic square containers. After BugFarm - ECY01, their second offering “Flemish Ale - ECY02” was made by adding a Brett and Pedio from a Rodenbach Foerderbier tap (unblended, unfiltered, unpasteurized Rodenbach) to the blend. After trading the yeast/bacteria for beer on the BBB, the demand required distribution of ECY at the local Princeton Homebrew store. After many praising articles, the result was high demand and low supply. The Buck’s have started offering many new strains (21 total) including re-introducing the heirloom strain of Ballantine Beer yeast “Old Newark Beer (ECY12)” from the defunct Newark, NJ brewery. This yeast is the ancestor of the craft and homebrewers beer strain (Sierra Nevada Chico, Wyeast 1056, Safale US-05, Seibel 96). For all the hype, the new start-up ECY production is finally going to be increased. The new home is Flounder Brewing Company (after the Animal House character, “Oh boy, is this Great!”) in Hillsborough, NJ which has agreed to let the Buck’s use space in their facilities, including a staging area for a larger propagation tank to increase production.
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cooking with beer
Yards ESA Pork Belly Sticks & Cabbage Yards ESA tea smoked pork belly sticks with ESA glaze & spicy pickled beer cabbage. By Chef Robert Legget Yards ESA is easily in my top five “most likely to session with” beers. The impressive balance of burnt sugar and caramel in the malt with just the right hop bitterness yields an awesome food beer that is highly quaffable most any time of year. One of my favorite characteristics in a great beer is not only how it tastes, but how the barley flavor shines through with tea-like characteristics and a nice sweetness of toffee. And Yards nails it with this fine malt beverage favorite. For more beer cookery advice, hit @guerillaultima on Twitter and be ready for a big surprise. Note: Yards Pale will be the required citrus for the cabbage.
Brine for the Belly
The Glaze
Ingredients:
Directions:
• 24oz. Yards ESA • 1/4 cup brown sugar • 1 tbsp. molasses • 1 tbsp. sweet soy sauce • 1/4 kosher salt
Sauté 2oz. sliced garlic, 2oz. sliced ginger and 4oz. minced white onion until translucent. Add your braising liquid with 2 cups rice wine vinegar, 1 bottle of Yards ESA, 1 cup sugar and reduce to a glaze consistency (in stainless steel of course).
Directions:
Bring the above to a boil, set aside to chill at a minimum of 70°. Pour over your belly, until it floats, slightly weighed down with a plate in a deep plastic storage container or Ziploc bag. After 12 hours, rotate the belly ensuring all sides have contacted the brine. After 24 hours, remove from the brine and pat dry. Rub the belly with 1 tablespoon each of the following: ground star anise, Szechuan peppercorn and allspice. Once rubbed, place the belly in a roasting pan just large enough, with 24oz.Yards ESA, braise for 3 hours at 300° or until just fork tender. Once finished, rest for 30 minutes and refrigerate.
Next is Cabbage Directions:
Take 12oz. Napa cabbage, julienne very fine and soak in cold water, 20 minutes. Remove the cabbage and drain well. Place in a bowl and macerate with 2 tbsp. salt for 1 hour. During this hour, in a blender, combine 1/2 cup Yards Pale Ale, 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, 1oz. garlic, 2oz. ginger, 2tbsp. Sriracha, 1 tbsp. fish sauce, 2 tbsp. white miso, 1 tbsp. sambal chili, 1 tbsp. sweet Thai chili sauce & 1tbsp. sesame oil. Puree. Mix with the cabbage and allow 20 minutes for the flavors to come together. Next, smoke the chilled pork belly.
Smoking the Chilled Pork Belly I recommend doing this outside in a smoker, but a Dutch oven will also work well. Mix 1/4 cup each of the following: • Jasmine rice • Chinese black tea • Flour • White Sugar Directions:
Elevate with a grill grate in a Dutch oven, using foil balls as support for the pork belly. On one side, place the braised belly, and the other side a small mound of the tea smoke mix. Place the end with the tea smoke mix directly over a low flame. Once smoking occurs, cover tightly and smoke for 25-30 minutes. Once finished, chill once again to be skewered.
Assembly Directions:
Cut your pork belly into large cubes, and sear deeply brown in a sauté pan of preferably an electric griddle. Once seared and hot, dip the sticks in your Yards ESA reduction, and serve your cabbage either on top or alongside. For additional fun, drizzle the reduction all over the place, bring out your inner Jackson Pollack and impress your friends on first Friday with this non-vegan treat. However, next issue we do have a wonderful vegetarian beer dish that is enjoyable for everyone...including me. Cheers!
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tunes & brews
The Community Builders How the 700 Club, a regular corner bar, helped revive a neighborhood. By G.W. Miller III Before the 700 Club came along, Northern Liberties was a sketchy place with a landscape that featured chicken rendering plants and vacant lots overgrown with weeds. A character named “Shank” donned women’s sunglasses and hung out near the corner of 2nd and Fairmount, where the 700 is now. He reputedly earned his moniker after stabbing a guy in prison. “Everyone thought we were totally crazy to open a bar here,” says Tracy Stanton, a New York native who bought the two-story property with business partners Kurt Wunder and Chris Sey in 1997. Their vision was for a comfortable corner bar with a lounge upstairs for music. At the time, the Druid’s Keep was The Newport, a bar catering to black lesbians. Standard Tap was the Goat’s Head, a hangout for meth-dealing bikers, according to Stanton. “It was the type of bar where everyone turned and looked at you when you entered,” he remembers. Silk City, the diner and club on nearby Spring Garden Street, was open then and it was a hub for happening DJs and new musical acts. But few people ventured into the actual neighborhood for entertainment until the 700 opened up. And that sparked a renaissance in the neighborhood, which has since become a mecca for nightlife. “We made it safe for normal, middle-class kids,” Stanton says with a laugh. He and his partners had worked together for years at the Khyber Pass when the Old City joint was the place for beer and music. Stanton was a tech guy who also performed in bands like Mel’s Rockpile and the Mark Boyce Combo. He currently plays several instruments
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for Blood Feathers and plays bass for Dong Johnson. While the options in Northern Liberties have multiplied exponentially over the past 15 years, the 700 remains popular. Loyal, longtime neighbors patronize the main bar – many are there every day, and after 10, the cool kids come for dancing upstairs. “It works out really well,” Stanton says. “You come downstairs if you strike out upstairs. If you’re downstairs and you get bored, you go upstairs to try your luck.” They offer beers from around the world. On tap, they have poured a wheat beer, a white, a European pilsner, an ESA, an American IPA and two local brews since the day they opened. Stanton, along with bar back and fellow musician Ed Farnsworth, helps book music for the twice-annual neighborhood music festival, a fundraiser for the community-owned park. Farnsworth also worked at the Khyber back in the day and has been with the 700 since it opened. He lives around the corner. “I work two jobs,” says Farnsworth, who also works at a nearby publishing company. “I’m here at 2nd and Fairmount and my other job is two steps away. I rarely leave the neighborhood.” “I love Northern Liberties,” Stanton adds. “I can’t imagine being anywhere else.” Stanton owned a music shop called Dot Dash Records, located across the street from the 700. He sold the store to pay for his wedding. Now, he and his wife are raising their 5-year old son, Dashiell, in the neighborhood. “We all moved here because it was quiet and we could get some space,” he says. “There was no community. We really created a community.”
1500 Bustleton Pike, Southampton, PA 18966
Events: Dark Horse tap takeover - Oct 18th, 6:00 pm Nebraska Brewing barrel aged tap takeover - Nov 8th, 6:00 pm Evolution tap takeover - November 29th, 6:00 pm Mikkeller tap takeover - December 13th, 6:00 pm Weyerbacher tap takeover - January 17th, 6:00 pm
200 craft bottles 16 rotating taps + 1 hand pump Open lunch and dinner daily 11:30 am Sunday breakfast 9:00 am
thechurchville.com
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tapping into technology
WE MAKE BEER CRAFT BREWING MORE THAN 40 CLASSIC AMERICAN, GERMAN, ENGLISH & BELGIAN BEERS
The Fusion Town Beer – The Final Frontier. By Zeke Diaz In early August, I walked into my favorite bar and saw something I’d never seen before, The Fusion Tower. I sauntered over and had a sample of the beer after it went through the Fusion Chamber. I was intrigued enough to want to find out more about it and shook hands with inventor Matt Kyle, who was kind enough to meet for a beer and tell me some of the story behind the Fusion Tower. Matt, a fellow beer lover, saw a Randall and was impressed enough to try and make it better. Using college tuition funds, money from selling his ride and other funds, he began the journey that ended with a working prototype. The tower allows you to vary and control five factors: taste–varying the ingredients in the active flavor pickup chamber; temperature– some beer profiles can be enhanced by serving at various temperatures; carbonation–who likes low carbonation beers; foam – some head is a good thing, but not always; and time–time factor can affect the flavors imparted to the beer. The tower is made up of glass, silicone, 316L stainless steel and platinum. 316L stainless steel has a high tolerance for corrosion helping to prolong the life of the tower. The platinum is used to coat the mesh filtration screens that hold the infusion ingredients in place. None of those materials impart off flavors to the beer, which gives you better flavor and a great beer to savor. I’m looking forward to tasting more beers that have been run through the Fusion Tower. Have an idea for a flavor combination? Talk to Matt about it. He may add it to his suggested pairings. If you’re interested in having the Fusion Tower at your party or bar, the website is www.fusiontower.com. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter- @fusion_tower, and old fashioned email -matt@fusiontower.com.
Two turns from Philly to the home of tax free craft beer
“Some of the finest Scottish, Belgian and German-styles” - Mid Atlantic Brewing News UPCOMING SEASONAL BREWS Oktoberfest Lager Dunkel Rico (Munich Dunkel) Oyster Stout Old Percolator Coffee Porter N u g g e t I PA G o l d e n Wa l r u s I m p e r i a l P i l s n e r Off Kilter Scottish Ale Dark Helmet, The Imperial Schwarzbier Mischief Night Pumkin Ale Gourdzilla Check our website for details
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39 7:50:12 PM 9/23/2012
discovering craft beer
A Chance Encounter with Kwak Reader Stephen La Monica describes his discovery of craft beer. If you have an interesting story about discovering craft beer, send it to us at discovery@beerscenemag.com. I’d love to say that my discovery of craft beer came about through recommendations from beer swilling friends/family or through extensive research after being disenchanted with macro brews, but I’d be lying. My discovery was that of complete and utter blind luck. In my early 20s, I was perfectly content with the typical Yuengling, Coors Light, Heineken, etc. that I had begun to consume in mass quantities during my college days. At that stage of my life, beer was just something to have in my hand when I was out with friends at an Old City bar trying to meet women. Every so often, I’d have something “exotic” like Sam Adams Lager, Blue Moon or Red Stripe when I was feeling especially fancy. But all of that changed during the summer of 2005. I was back home on Long Island for an annual Father’s day/my birthday fishing trip with my brother and father. Following an absolutely horrendous day of fishing, we decided to get our fix of seafood at a local restaurant. While sitting at the bar, I noticed a long, slender glass in some weird wooden contraption behind the bar. Curious, I asked the bartender what kind of drink that thing was for. He informed me that it was for a new beer he just got in from Belgium called Kwak. I decided to give it a shot more for the novelty of the glass than actually knowing anything about Belgian beers. One sip later, I was completely hooked! My senses were instantly flooded with new aromas and tastes that I never imagined could
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come from a beer. Rather than pounding this one down as quickly as possible, I wanted to savor the taste slowly...especially at $8 a pour! I knew that I would have to look for this beer back in Philly...little did I know at the time, that I had actually been living in one of the greatest beer cities in the world for nearly a decade. Sadly, Kwak was not as easy to find as I had hoped it would be. Most of the bars I frequented at the time did not have “craft beer” in their vocabulary. However, a girl I was dating at the time happened to live 2 blocks from The Foodery on 10th and Pine and thus my crash course in craft beer commenced. I went in one day and they gave me the sad news that Kwak was extremely difficult to get in the region at the time, due to some distribution issues, but they offered suggestions of other beers that I might like. All I knew is that I wanted to try them all and that I could never go back to $1 domestic happy hour-type beers. In addition to stopping into The Foodery once or twice a week, I started discovering the craft beer bar scene. Jose Pistola’s and Prohibition Tap Room quickly became favorite hangouts and I began trying all of the quality domestic craft beers from Abita to Weyerbacher and everything in between. Since then, good beer has played a strong part in my life. Some of my closest friendships and relationships over the past few years have been forged over a love of good craft beer (and of course, good food to pair with it). Most notably, my fiancé and I got engaged while enjoying some Long Trail IPAs at Brigid’s in Fairmount and plan on brewing a special homebrew for our wedding in a few months. And to think...if it weren’t for that one chance encounter with that funky wooden contraption I might still be guzzling “beer” at the same old bars in Old City that I was once so fond of in my early 20s.
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brewmasters
Following His Nose How Gordon Grubb traded in the smell of chemicals for the smell of boiling wort. By Ryan Hudak
Any aspiring brewer in Philadelphia stuck in a job they don’t like and dying to get out, should look to Gordon Grubb for inspiration. From a job in antique restoration, Gordon moved on to one of Philadelphia’s favorite brewpubs, Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant, where he worked an internship and eventually became assistant brewer in 2002. In late 2004, Nodding Head’s original brewer, Brandon Greenwood, left and Gordon took over as head brewmaster. But, even for Gordon Grubb, the desire to brew came as a surprise. “I had no idea it was something I wanted to do until I got a homebrew kit as a Christmas gift in 1998,” says Gordon. “I brewed my first batch on the kitchen stove—having no idea what I was doing— on New Year’s Day, 1999.” As it does for many, the brewing bug would stick with Gordon and he would go on to further his knowledge of the hobby after seeing an ad for an American Brewer’s Guild course. “I thought since I was enjoying brewing and learning about brewing, I would give it a shot. That was six months online and a week in California, where they threw a tremendous amount of brewing science at me.” Undeterred by the science, Gordon wanted to move on from his antique restoration job. “I thought being around the fumes of
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many of the chemicals—stains, finishes, that kind of thing—I was working with was a bad idea, no matter how good the ventilation and mask were.” The desire to move on landed him the internship and eventual assistant brewer’s position at Nodding Head in July of 2002, just two and a half years after brewing his first batch. Gordon would eventually take over most of the day-to-day brewing responsibilities at Nodding Head and, when Brandon decided to leave in December of 2004, the position of head brewmaster fell to Gordon. But Nodding Head’s owners, Tom Peters and Fergus Carey, were not worried. “Tom had a few standard questions,” says Gordon. “Like, ‘Can you make a saison?’ Sure I can. Fergie just had one question, and that was if he could get a cask of Grog at Fergie’s all the time.” Neither question was hard to answer—Fergie’s has their continual casks of Grog, and Gordon’s saison eventually went on to win a silver medal at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival. The saison would not be his only medal, either. Since taking over the brewing duties at Nodding Head, Gordon has won five medals at the Great American Beer Festival—including a gold for his George’s Fault collaboration with George Hummel of Home Sweet Homebrew —and three World Beer Cup medals. The medals come as no surprise, though, as Gordon has a solid handle on what his fans want to drink. “We always have something hoppy, and we always have something dark,” he says. And they almost always have two favorites on tap, as well: “We don’t always have the Bill Payer Ale on, but we usually do. We don’t always have the Grog, but we usually do.”
It’s this kind of flexibility—the idea that while you should have your best-sellers on draft, you don’t always have to—that allows Gordon to experiment. “I’m sending our Ragnarok to Denver [to the Great American Beer Festival]. It’s a sour, barrel-aged, iced Barleywine—I think that fits the ‘Experimental’ category!” His experiments also lead to some of the city’s favorite beer events for Nodding Head’s monthly series of Second Saturday events. The events include the Ice Capades, which features a selection of “iced” beer; Phreddie & the 4 Phunks, a showcase of limited barrel-aged sour beers; and the Royal Stumble, one of Philadelphia’s favorite drinking events. The ability to keep putting out quality events every month is something Gordon counts as one of his greatest successes since he started brewing. What are some of his other great successes? Well, he’s the head brewer at Philadelphia’s favorite brewpub. He’s won multiple medals from multiple beer competitions. He consistently puts out great beer, whether it’s on draft, in a cask or soured in Nodding Head’s famous phunk barrel. The way to really find out Gordon’s other successes is obvious: go to Nodding Head and have a pint—they should be immediately obvious. But in case they aren’t, settle in and have a few more. We all come around eventually.
26 Taps • 16 Rotating Crafts 28 Flat Screen TVs Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-6 $2 off Craft beers Famous for our huge sandwiches, including the BEST pork sandwich around. follow us on facebook: Jamison Pour House follow us on twitter: @jamisonpourhous 2160 York Road Jamison, PA 18929 jamisonpourhouse.com • 267-483-5185 jamison_oct novl.indd 1
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14 taps, 9 rotating crafts Over 70 bottled beers $2 off craft drafts during happy hour m-f, 4-6 pm 1073 Mill Creek Rd, Wycombe, PA 18980 wycombepublickhouse.com • (267) 491-5095
9/21/2012 5:38:02 PM
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travel
Southern Maine Coast Take a trip up north to experience the best in brews and famous lobster rolls. By Adam Baer In the summer of 2012, Maine lobster prices plummeted but the Maine craft beer scene clearly started hitting its peak. Craft breweries and beer bars seem to be everywhere in Vacationland. The Maine Brewer’s Guild is promoting the Maine Beer Trail and there are twenty-five stops along the trail. Visitors are encouraged to visit various breweries and rewards are offered based on how many stops are officially recorded. When Pigs Fly Wood-Fired Pizzeria/Ale House is located just north of the outlets on Rt. 1 and has an impressive draft list with twenty offerings from all over the map. Recent choices included Founders Dirty Bastard and Oxbow Farmhouse Pale Ale. They offer half pours to allow for numerous samples. The wood-burning oven cranks out innovative and delicious pizza toppings including grilled pineapple, chopped jalapeño and house-cured capicola. Maine Foodie Tours is offering a new bike and brew tour of Portland in conjunction with a local cycling company. Bikers are led on a 12-mile historical tour of the coastal Portland and Cape Elizabeth area including visits to five separate lighthouses. The scenery is breathtaking on a clear and sunny day. Once the biking is finished, a van shuttles visitors around town visiting three different breweries. First up is Rising Tide Brewing Company, an artisanal brewery run by Nathan and Heather Sanborn. Rising Tide started in 2010 and recently moved into a larger facility. Daymark is their version of American Pale Ale with locally grown organic rye malt. Shipyard Brewing Co. is the next destination on the tour. Shipyard is Maine’s largest microbrewery and focuses on producing English style ales. They offer a 10-minute video tour
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followed by tastings of current draft offerings. Last stop is Gritty McDuff’s and it is known for being Maine’s first brewpub since Prohibition. Gritty’s brews in a modest space and has eight offerings on draft. Any beer connoisseur should plan to visit Novare Res Bier Café in Portland’s Old Port District. This place is a destination for a reason. Everything about Novare is impressive including their twenty-five rotating taps and 500 plus bottle list. Try and find a better place to be than on their outdoor patio on a crisp evening, enjoying amazing craft beers from all over the world! Recent drafts included Allagash Prince Tuesday, De Struise Elliot Brew, and Unibroue Ephemere Pomme. Allagash Brewery is about a twenty minute drive from the Old Port area. The tour starts with four samples in the tasting room. Visitors are then led through the brewing area, bottling process and finally into the vault like aging area. Massive wooden Jim Beam barrels piled high with Curieux and other rarities are a sight to see. The bourbon smell permeates the room and is a true highlight of the entire experience. Just down the road from Allagash is Maine Beer Company. Daniel and David Kleban are the brains behind this operation and have been gaining high praise for their quality offerings. They currently are producing five beers, however their most sought after is named Lunch. Lunch is described as an “East Coast” version of a West Coast style IPA. Lunch certainly lives up to its online hype; it is fantastic and very balanced. Tours and tastings are on Friday’s at 2 PM. No visit to Maine would be complete without sampling a few lobster rolls. There are many spots to enjoy these delicacies in the Portland area. Without a doubt, the clear-cut winner is the classic lobster roll from Bite Into Maine, a food truck that parks high atop a hill in Fort Williams Park, overlooking the coast. Be patient while your lobster roll is being freshly prepared, it is well worth the wait.
French Quarter Bistro
GRAND RE-OPENING SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13 • NEWLY RENOVATED!
Thursday Nights $1 Off All Craft Brews 15 Rotating Craft Brews Including:
and more!
Best German Beer Selection in the Country.
Book your holiday party in our new “Brauer Bund” Contact Marci Prester for reservations and private event packages brauhausevents@gmail.com Follow us on... Facebook: Brauhaus Schmitz twitter: @BrauhausSchmitz
215 Main Street • Royersford, PA frenchquarterbistro.com Like Us on Facebook!
718 South Street • Philadelphia • 267-909-8814
www.brauhausschmitz.com
LEAVE THE WINE BEHIND.
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Come Join Us this week for
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Every Tuesday Thru Friday!
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9/20/2012 1:45:57 PM
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Creative Pub Fare & A Brew With a View Philly’s Best New Bar 2012 Drinker’s Choice awards
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1/2 Off Craft Drafts 14 rotating Craft Drafts Monday - Friday 5-7 PM 100+ Bottles and Cans sunday 8-10 PM house-infused Cocktails Brunch: saturday & sunday lunch: wednesday - Friday Dinner: 7 Days a week 1345 locust street, Philadelphia, Pa 19107
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Available October through December in DC, DE, MA, MD, NJ, NY, OH, PA and VA 200 East Hersheypark Dr. Hershey, PA 17033 | www.troegs.com
“Whether our guests prefer to sample food and beer pairings, sip new and unusual beers or soak a brewer in our dunk tank, we can’t wait to pour out a pint with them and enjoy being right in the heart of ‘the best beer drinking city in America’.” Cheers! T McNally 2801 Fairmount Avenue Philadelphia
215.978.4545 londongrill.com
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not beer
A Beer and a Baker Beer Cakes Philly perfectly complements your sweet tooth beer craving. By Nikki Volpicelli
Beer. Cupcake. It’s an unlikely pair, a pair so unconventional that Lexi Malmros’s customers ask, “What is IN a beer cupcake?” Elementary, my dear. And, while the hardest part is selling a newbie on the name, the easiest seems to be selling the second cake. “I’ve never had anyone tell me they didn’t like them once they tried them, but it’s the getting them to try that’s difficult,” she admits. Malmros’s cupcakes are a result of two prevailing passions, and you can guess them. “I was in culinary school in Vermont and I went to a lot of brewpubs. I realized they never had desserts. My Aunt made whiskey cakes and my being in baking school…” kind of made the decision for her. Her first cake was made with Long Trail Double Bag, which took a second batch to really rise up. “The carbonation of the beer definitely changes the consistency, and the higher ABV beers have more flavor.” “Each cupcake should taste like the beer I’m featuring,” she focuses on local craft breweries including Philadelphia Brewing Company, Tröegs, Stoudt’s and River Horse. She’s a Bucks County native that schooled in Vermont, worked in Boston and came back home to build up her business. “I could’ve stayed in Boston but I had a network here, a support system,” she tells us. Malmros recently developed a “Tröegs HopBack Amber Chocolate Jalapeño” cupcake, which features a black pepper and cardamom buttercream, for a hot sauce competition, because, as she says, “sweet and savory is such a trend right now.” A few of her other creations are sitting pretty on Cookie Confidential’s communal table, a space she shares with fellow baker Melissa Torre, who started Confidential six years ago and opened up shop in November 2010. Torre reached out
to Malmros after learning about the Kickstarter campaign she started to raise money for baking equipment. The two ladies act as each other’s taste testers because, as Malmros says, “there was a while where I could no longer taste the beer in the cupcakes so I had to ask Melissa to try them for me.” Oh, the perils of baking up too much of a good thing. In front of me are two stacks of fluffy, quartered marshmallows made with Lancaster Milk Stout and Torre’s cookie crumbles. They’ve got a different consistency than that of the Jett-Puffed variety; it’s pillowy and surprisingly more timid. The chocolate chips and cookie crumbles make for a semi-sweet swirl in a cloud of puff-white fluff. That’s just an appetizer. Malmros stacks cakes on cakes in front of me, some best sellers including the “Pure Philly,” which is blended with Yards Pale Ale. The cake itself is a bit dense, more comparable to nut bread than the classic cupcake consistency. All of Malmros’s icing is made with an Italian meringue buttercream base, which is lighter than regular buttercream and less sweet, making it an easier medium to bring out the malt/hop combo that Malmros makes a living perfecting. The “Choco Dog” is rich, very Devil’s food worthy, and brings out the flavor of Stoudt’s Oatmeal Stout, a bit fleeting in the actual batter but present and alive in the frothy, buttery icing. The Victory Storm King Stout “Kings Cup,” made of toffee cake and coffee-infused buttercream icing, is the most adventurous of the bunch, harboring a dense base of candied toffee, a crunchy bottom that’s a huge contrast to its light and fluffy icing hat. Malmros lists off her future business baking plans, including working with local craft brewers and homebrewers to put on taste tests and networking events in-store, putting together a gluten and allergy-free vegan line of cakes with a local brewer, and stocking up pumpkin ales for the fall season to pair with flavors like berry, caramel, coffee and citrus. It’s going to be a sweet season. 47
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le fromage
Cherry Grove Farms Toma & Stoudt’s Triple The “Lennon and McCartney” of pairings. By Ryan Hudak The weather is cooling and the pumpkin beers have been on store shelves for quite a while, so it’s time to move on and move up. We need something a little more intense for the cold nights and progressively cooler days. Something that can fill us up and keep us warm, but not too warm–yet. Luckily, there is a great pairing that serves as a functional middle-ground between keeping it light in the summer and piling on the layers of fall. Cherry Grove is a 400-acre farm in Lawrenceville, NJ, which is just south of Princeton. The farm, built on the practices of diversified farming and sustainability, holds a wide range of animals–everything from pigs to chickens to lambs–but the real standouts are their dairy cattle. The cows take part in rotational grazing, which allows them a constant supply of fresh grass. And it’s this grass and other local plants that lend such high quality to the raw milk and give cheese makers Kelly Harding and Sam Kennedy great product with which to make their cheeses. The most popular of these cheeses is the Toma, which is a traditional washed rind tomme style cheese. The wheels of cheese, which their website describes as “odorous,” are produced throughout the milking season (which produces a variety of flavors as the cows’ diet changes as the year progresses) and are then cave-aged for at least three months. The result is first apparent with an intensely funky rind–the website’s description is
dead-on. And while the rind is said to be edible, unless you want a mouthful of grass, I’d stay away. Close to the edges, the cheese picks up much of the rind’s flavor: a funky, mushroom-like taste that has a hint of grass. The further you get from the rind, however, the lighter and more accessible the cheese becomes, and an interesting–if not surprising– fruity characteristic emerges. Of the beers tasted with the cheese, Stoudt’s Triple emerged as the clear pairing partner. The beer’s slight fruitiness did well with that of the cheese, though both remained light in the beginning. As the flavor of the cheese became more intense towards the rind, though, the Triple picked up the pace as well and contributed spiciness and a definite alcohol heat that was able to keep the earthy qualities of the cheese from getting out of hand. The beer actually turned the grassy bits of cheese near the rind from something that tasted like, well, grass, to something that tasted exotic and lively. Like Lennon and McCartney, these are two elements that work great on their own, but when paired together they elevate the other past
what each could have accomplished on its own. And that’s the hallmark of a great pairing; not just complementing each other or having similar flavors, but improving upon both elements to make the experience something different yet more enjoyable. Run out to your local beer distributor or bottle shop and pick up the Stoudt’s Triple, and head to the Fair Food Farmstand at Reading Terminal to grab a wedge of the Toma. This is one you don’t want to miss.
Philly Beer Scene is hosting
FREE Beer and Cheese samplings every 3rd Thursday of the month, from 4-6pm at the Fair Food Farmstand.
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from the cellar
Oskar Blues Ten FIDY 2008 & 2011 Fresh or cellared, this canned gem is a classic. By Phillip Pittore III
In recent articles, I’ve discussed in great detail, the joys of cellaring beer. But once in a while, the greatest joy comes from finding something that you either misplaced, or forgot you cellared. This is exactly the case this month. While trying to decide which beer to pick for this issue, I stumbled upon a four pack of Oskar Blues Ten FIDY. Covered with a bit of dust, and marked 2008, I knew I found a gem. Poured into a snifter, both the 2008 and 2011 Ten FIDY were black as night. Both beers were thick and viscous and literally looked like motor oil. Surprisingly, both beers had about the same amount of carbonation, which generally is not the case when comparing a vintage beer with a fresh one. Upon first glance, there appeared to be no discernible differences. Both the 2008 Ten FIDY and 2011 had a two finger thick, tan head. The contrast in color from the tan head and the jet black body provided quite the picture of beauty. The aroma from the 2008 Ten FIDY was reminiscent of dark fruit, with a slight apple presence. The 2011, on the other hand, was overwhelmingly caramel and toffee. I’m sure this was due to the abundant amount of roasted chocolate malts used in the brewing process. Worthy of note here, was the hint of a bourbon aroma that arose upon immediately popping the cans. First sip from the 2011 yielded dark chocolate and caramel notes. This beer was quite complex. Surprisingly, there was not the dominant alcohol character that I expected. This beer was very smooth and velvety with just a hint of bourbon. For a beer with 98 IBU’s, the balance was amazing! The 2008 Ten FIDY had a huge vanilla presence. There was also an abundance of molasses, which I didn’t notice in the 2011. Similar to the 2011 Ten FIDY, the mouth-feel was velvety and creamy smooth. After approximately 15 minutes, the 2008 Oskar Blues Ten FIDY had a dried fruit taste. The boozy, alcohol characteristics I expected from the start now made its presence known. I also noticed a feint hint of raisin. The 2011 really hadn’t changed. Still creamy, smooth and delicious, chocolate now dominated my palate. This combination of chocolate and caramel instantly brought me back to my childhood and the tastes of a fresh Twix candy bar. For years, there was a misconception that canned beer was not as good as bottled beer. But with improved technology and techniques, we’ve reached a new era. And for cellaring purposes, it may be the ideal situation. Using terms like cross-eyed, cyclopean and concupiscent, Oskar Blues describes Ten FIDY like no one else can. Consumed fresh, this canned gem will bring delight and satisfaction to even the toughest critic. Add a few years via cellaring, and you have a true epic imbuement!
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Golden Achievement How do you become 'gold standard?' Duvel started by inventing the 'strong golden ale' beer style. Followed that with 40 years of intensely-driven focus on quality. And capped it off with only the second-ever 100 rating from industry arbiter 'Draft Magazine.' Settling for less was never an option.
www.duvel.com Imported by Duvel Moortgat USA, Cooperstown NY. 2012 51 Š
beer law
Tiered Up Over Beer By The Brewers of Pennsylvania
Readers of this publication revel in flavorful beer’s diversity and availability. Rightfully, you, as consumers sit at the top of a “threetiered” system of alcohol distribution that serves your thirsty needs with unique products. At the bottom of this system sit we, the brewers, who endeavor to expand your beer options. As this established system also affects two additional stakeholders, wholesalers and retailers, it is the purpose of this article to shed some light on how and why these cogs became defined and enmeshed, and how they continue to move in unison. The fact that alcohol is the most highly regulated consumer product in the U.S. is the result of Prohibition’s reforms. Prior to Prohibition, large breweries had their own saloons or also held ownership in the bars they sold to. To continually increase beer sales, these brewers pressured their bar managers who, in turn, overindulged their customers. Alcoholism and workplace absenteeism were taking their toll on American homes and the newly mechanized workplaces. The temperance movement grew and Prohibition became a logical, national solution in 1919. Fourteen years later, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution accomplished two things. It repealed the 18th Amendment (Prohibition) and it gave states the ability to govern their individual laws regarding alcohol by declaring “the transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof,” to be prohibited. Universally, states adopted three-tier distribution regulations as a means to avoid past abuses by manufacturers. This system was a positive change for many reasons. Financially depleted brewers who survived Prohibition could rely on the newly formed “middle tier” of wholesalers to make investments in delivery vehicles and to staff the required positions of sales, delivery and management. Upstart breweries gained a fair chance to reach retail shelves as the powerful brewers lost their direct influences over these retailers. States were ensured accurate and honest tax reporting as these taxable beverages moved through multiple hands. We Brewers of Pennsylvania recognize and appreciate this structure today. Most states view the relationship between a supplier brewery and a wholesaler as a franchise, in which the wholesaler’s efforts and diligence in establishing and growing the sales of a brewer’s products transfers the brewer’s brand ownership to that wholesaler. In this situation, when a wholesaler strikes a deal with another wholesaler to transfer a brewer’s distribution rights, the selling wholesaler is compensated and the brewer is not. This is the most frequent form of conflict in the three-tier system arrangement. In some states, brewers are legally required to accept new wholesale partners when their brand distribution rights are traded. The last two decades have brought unprecedented levels of consolidation in the middle tier as large wholesalers become
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larger via acquisition. Brewers, locked into ever expanding portfolios of competing brands, seem justifiably concerned about their “share of mind” with their wholesalers. Distribution agreements between brewers and wholesalers define the wholesaler’s sales territory as well as other aspects pertinent to the business relationship. Here in Pennsylvania, such agreements are in force forever. There is no permissible option for termed distribution agreements. Failure on the part of either party to uphold clauses and stipulations of their distribution agreement can trigger termination of the agreement considered as “good cause” for the termination. Should the transgression be perpetrated by the wholesaler, a brewer would then be free to choose another wholesaler for the affected territory. If the brewer violates the distribution agreement, the wholesaler need be compensated “fair market value” by the brewer for the brewer’s brand assets before they move to another. If this sounds very clear-cut and simple, it’s because the black and white terms and conditions are so. It’s those grey areas that exist when the parties don’t agree on facts and events that make for fireworks and big legal bills. “Fair market value” is a glaring grey area that, in practice, becomes defined by the individual brand’s sales history as the chief aspect of a typically complex argument. Credit the well-conceived concept of three-tier distribution or the diligent efforts of brewers and wholesalers dedicated to the mutually beneficial task of bringing flavorful products to the retail market for the access to great beers that you enjoy. We are in heady times for beers of character and integrity, indeed. Could such richness be pointing us to a failure of the system, though? As new breweries proliferate while the middle tier consolidates, will all new aspiring brewers be able to gain access to the market through this mandated distribution system? Could the latest flavors entering from new brewers distract wholesalers’ diligent efforts toward established brands, sending some of your tried-and-true brewers into a death spiral they have no escape from? Regulations established 79 years ago were under conditions considerably
different from those of today. Post Prohibition laws responded to the reality of many small wholesalers and few large and powerful brewers. The situation has reversed itself in 79 years. Does the established system need to be modified in step with the evolved market conditions? This system exists to serve you, the consumer. As the largest stakeholder in this situation, we believe you should remain informed. This column, with Senator McIlhinney as author, has gone a long way to illuminating the mechanics of distribution, market access and alcohol regulations. It remains our hope that informed consumers become engaged participants in the system built to serve them.
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CAFE
Beer List & Events Listed at www.FWOT.com
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Tues-Sat 11-11 & Sun-Mon 11-10
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610-828-6191
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EVENTS
And don’t forget to check our
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Brews For Boobies (First Stop) - 5th annual pub
Sunday, October 14th:
crawl to raise money for Breast Cancer Awarenes
Walking Dead Season Premiere Event Deadly Beer Specials: 8-10pm
Wednesday, October 10th:
Wednesday, October 24th:
Game Night And Bottle Shop Quizzo 7-10:00 pm
Saturday, October 13th:
East Passyunk Witch Craft Beer Crawl 5:30pm Fright Night Beer Tasting 5:30-8:00pm
Chimay Brewery Beer Sampling 6-8pm
Saturday, November 10th: Happy 2nd Birthday Party Celebrate with Beer Cakes and Desert Beer Tap Takeover, Pay as you Go - Party starts @7pm
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alterna-beer
Getting Started– Gluten-Free Style Five gluten-free beers to kick start your foray into the style. By Dave Martorana
“Gluten free” - no two words strike fear in to the hearts of beer lovers like these two. You may ask the doctor to double-check the results. If you’re like me, you immediately enter the five stages of grief. But more and more breweries–from the micro to the macro–are exploring gluten free recipes. But where do you start? Here are a few that you have to try from the jump, so you know what you’re dealing with and what tastes good and what really doesn’t. 1. Redbridge: Let’s just get this one out of the way–it’s made by Anheuser-Busch. But before I knock it, I think AB-InBev deserves some props for even considering this market. Now that they have their props, this stuff is horrible. BUT it is available almost everywhere. Give it a try, and then give it back. (Or if you love it, and God love you for loving it, keep drinking it!) 2. Lakefront’s New Grist: First, New Grist was a pioneer. It was one of the first beers ever produced for the US glutenfree market, and the first to ever be certified gluten free. For this, it deserves a place in history, and respect from all of us. But as far as gluten free beers go these days, it is elementary. It is a sorghum and rice beer, which they call “pilsner style.” I don’t know what that means,
except that it’s light in body, light on the hops, and light in flavor. Whether it’s bottom-fermented, or they ever lagered it or not is beyond me. This is a good example of relatively bare sorghum, and why breweries try to cover up some of the less desirable tastes. 3. Green’s Brewery: Let’s talk about the whole line of Green’s. Green’s has been brewed in “Lochristi, Belgium at the highly-respected DeProef Brewery since 2004.” The thing is, they brew in two different ways–the first is free from barley malt altogether, using millet, sorghum, rice and buckwheat in different combinations. The second is using “de-glutenised” barley malt. We’ll visit another beer that’s similar, but here’s the thing, in the US, we don’t get any of the beers that are made with the barley malt! Why? Because Europe has set a standard where “gluten free” is defined as less than 20 parts per million (ppm). In the US, we haven’t accepted this relatively global standard, so we require “gluten free” to mean 0 ppm. Therefore, Green’s labels would run afoul of US labeling laws. It’s a shame, because as far as the craft goes, even Green’s sorghum-based beers are a huge leap forward. The three varieties in the US are very worthy, but all Belgian style, and if you’re not in to that, they won’t be your thing. If you are, these are very nice. And if you’re ever overseas, check out their entire line.
4. Estrella Daura: Made by Estrella Damm in Barcelona, this is the ultimate Euro-lager comparison beer. This is made with “de-glutenized” barley malt, and does not claim to be gluten free in the US. That said, it is less than 20 ppm gluten, and if you have celiac, trying this is a personal decision. It’s very sessionable, tastes like good old fashioned beer, and is pretty widely available. It’s not craft, it’s not art, but it’s BEER. 5. Bards: This is probably the original when it comes to putting “craft” in “gluten free.” It’s 100% sorghum, which means it isn’t cut with rice. It’s stringently protected from cross-contamination, from grower to store shelf. But most importantly, it’s decent–real decent. I really wish they had a few varieties, but Bards is what not many others are–a great go-to for any occasion. So there it is, five starter gluten-free beers you have to try before you can really step into the rest of the world. These will lay a great base, introduce you to a few new flavors, and certainly a few different levels of craft. Now we can start talking about the rest.
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local wine
Wine Hawk A beer geek and a wine snob take a trip to Hawk Haven Vineyard. By Keith Wallace
The trip started on the rough side of a summery Saturday morning. A beer geek and a wine snob snort down some coffee and hit the road to the Jersey shore. And because this was important, very important, they brought a photographer with them to record the day. The light was beautiful, but horrible: it felt like little crystal cherubs were shooting blue needles into the back of their blood-shot eyes. There was talk of finding a roadside taco, or something to take the edge off, but in the end, it was just a long and bumpy drive through turnpike suburbia. The trip was The Snob’s idea, largely because he was tired of being called a snob. The reputation of his wine-sipping ilk followed him around like a bad reputation: the effete nose-in-the air conversations about vintage and terroir; the preening displays of swirling and sipping: it had the stench of social striving. But The Snob knew something The Geek didn’t; and the only way to tell it properly was to drive out to Cape May to see a guy. Eventually, they drove past a parking lot full of tractor-trailers, and pulled into Hawk Haven Vineyard. They had arrived. The winery owner, Todd Wuerker, met them as they stumbled out of the car. An imposing figure with an easy smile, Todd is an imminently talented winemaker. His wines–particularly his Chardonnay bottling and a proprietary blend of Cabernet and Sangiovese named Talon–are proof that Cape May has great potential as wine country: his wines are well structured and fresh, with good ripe fruit and fine mineral characteristics. He showed The Snob and The Geek around his winery, and afterwards, the three sat down behind the winery. The Geek cracked opened some beers and passed them around. The three of them sat overlooking rows of grapevines. Todd told the story of how he became a winemaker, while the other two nursed their hangovers. His grandfather purchased the property in 1940, and turned it into a farm. The family raised dairy cows at first, and then turned to agriculture. Todd grew up working the fields. By the time he and his brother inherited it, in the mid-nineties, the farm was mostly planted to lima beans and pumpkins. They wanted to replant with a more profitable crop. During his research, Todd had the ultimate eureka moment: he discovered an agricultural product that was a sure-fire route 56
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to luxury and riches: growing grapes for wine. “I thought it was going to be easy and make a lot of money,” Todd says, shaking his head. “We could get three to four tons of grapes an acre with Cabernet; I could get two thousand dollars a ton.” He and his brother planted a hundred vines on an acre of land, and found it to be very easy to handle. “So, the next season we jumped right in and planted 1,700 more grapevines.” He was going to be rich, stinking rich.
“To be honest, I didn’t drink wine back then. I didn’t know that Cabernet was red or that Chardonnay was white.” “It wasn’t long before we realized we were in over our heads, we screwed ourselves,” Todd said, smiling ruefully. “The workload, the investment, and the time to get a return on our investment was substantial. It was going to take a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we needed to be.” There was another problem: Todd knew shit about wine. “To be honest, I didn’t drink wine back then. I didn’t know that Cabernet was red or that Chardonnay was white.” Todd said. He started a crash course on understanding wine, sometimes tasting more than 100 wines in a day, talking to anyone who knew more about wine than he did, and taking wine classes. As his knowledge grew, so did his passion for wine. It would take another five years for the vineyard to be mature enough to produce quality grapes, and another year to be able to release his first wine. During the process of becoming a winery, his brother left the business, and Todd was on his own. He also soon discovered being a winemaker wasn’t for the lazy. “One of the things you do is forget how many hours you’ve worked,” Todd says. “On days that I feel like I haven’t done a lot, I work from seven until five. I consider those my days off. It’s seven days, there are no days off.” Todd finished his beer and pointed to the vineyard, smiling. In the end, wine is about passion and hard work. The snobbery is just a bit of window dressing. It sells wine. And with that, The Snob and The Geek got up and headed back to Philly.
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october/november2012
history
Famous Autumn Dates October 12, 1810: The first Oktoberfest is held in Germany to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Bavaria. The festivities were later moved to September in hopes of better weather.
November 10th, 1847: Now the 4th largest brewery group in the world, Carlsberg brewed its first beer.
November 1996: The first of what is now nine, with a tenth soon to follow; Iron Hill Brewpub opens its doors in Newark, NJ. The GABF and World Beer Cup would never be the same.
October, 1997: Brewery Ommegang begins production under the leadership of Don Feinberg. 15 years later, they continue to be at the forefront of Beligan-style beer brewed in America.
November 12, 2008: The approval of Belgian-Brazilian powerhouse InBev purchase of Anheuser-Busch is made official, leaving American owned breweries completely in the hands of craft beer and with Sam Adams as the largest owned American Brewery of the moment.
November 21st, 2010: The short-lived Brew Masters made its highly anticipated debut on the Discovery Channel. Sadly, after only 5 of the expected 6 episodes aired, the Sam Calagione hosted showed was canceled by the network.
October 17, 1814: London Beer Flood. A giant vat containing 610,000L of beer ruptured at the Meux and Company Brewery, flooding the streets, destroying two homes and crumbling the wall of a nearby pub. October 1978: President Jimmy Carter signed the bill, H.R. 1337, legalizing the homebrewing of beer for the first time following Prohibition.
October 17, 1996: The first batch of beer is tapped at Manayunk Brewpub, anchoring what is now a blossoming beer scene on Main Street.
November 2008: Tom Baker follows up his efforts at Heavyweight Brewing by opening a much smaller-scale brewpub in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia called Earth, Bread + Brewery.
November 26, 2009: Brewdog Brewery out of Scotland launches the 32% ABV Tactical Nuclear Penguin, starting what would lead to a series of over the top high-ABV beers being released. Currently leading the way, Germany based beer Schorschbock, which weighs in at 57.5% ABV.
Watch for our new look this summer.
weyerbacher.com
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‘Tis Himself How demonstrative Dubliner Fergie Carey became everyone’s favorite publican - and the unofficial mayor of Philadelphia. By Drew Lazor / Photography by Alison Dunlap
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Of all the flattering things Philly’s well-regulated militia of brew geeks, bartenders, pint-pourers-turned-proprietors and plain old over-drinkers tend to share about Fergus Carey, this is by far the most common. Local legend dictates that the man known to the beer-drinking universe as Fergie possesses supernatural powers in the moniker department. And within an ADD-stricken populace predisposed to rubbish-binning information one nanosecond after it’s presented, it’s something that earns more than a little attention.
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“He always remembers your name.” “I try,” says the happily hirsute 49-year-old Irishman, in an airy brogue whose corners are only slightly rounded from 25 years in the States. “I must have some natural ability. But I read How to Win Friends and Influence People, and one of the big things is that a person’s name is the most important word in the language. It’s just something I have, I guess.” His business partners, pals and protégés are quicker to elaborate on the humble publican’s people-person power. “He’s incredible at remembering peoples’ names, what they drink and a little bit about them,” says Tom Peters, Carey’s partner in four Philly bars. “He susses out things, asks people questions about themselves. I’ve witnessed him talking to somebody once, then running into them again and being like, ‘How’s your sailboat?’ He’s unnaturally good at it.” “He met my freshman roommate from college once when we lived together,” says restaurant consultant Suzanne O’Brien, a close friend and former roommate of Carey’s. “Six or seven years passed, and in an airport in Massachusetts, he walks by her and says, ‘Hi, Jane.’” “The remembering names thing — he has some tricks that help, but I’m not telling you them,” says Jose Pistola’s co-owner Casey Parker, who worked for Carey for eight years at his flagship Fergie’s Pub near 12th and Sansom. Name-conjuring tactics stowed up his barkeep’s sleeve or not, the skill precedes Carey — and people remember him for it. “That’s a tool,” says O’Brien. “That is like being the mayor. We laugh and call him the unofficial mayor of Philadelphia.” While Michael Nutter has no need to feel threatened by Carey’s local notoriety, he’ll never be able to match the repute he carries in the bar and restaurant community. But how did this son of Dublin even end up here, and what has made him so successful? Hintlessly remembering that your neighbor’s dog walker’s sister’s son is named Mathias with one T is impressive, sure. But Carey’s relied on much more than just his steel-trap knack to nurture Philly’s beer scene into the high-grav powerhouse it is today. “He brings joy with him,” says O’Brien. “He just loves people and he’s a phenomenal host. What he’s great at doing is conjuring a party. He gets the right people in the room at the same time.”
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It might come as a surprise that someone with such innate master-of-ceremonies chops, who’s as well-known for quoting Yeats or Joyce from memory as he is for showing up to work in a proper kilt, got his professional start the same way many of us did: in fast food. “There wasn’t a lot going on in Ireland in the early ‘80s,” says Carey. “Employment was dreadful. But I found a job working at a place called Burgerland.” Spending five years moving up the ranks of the Irish chain, Carey recalls “getting paid crap,” but he banked plenty of knowledge from the experience. “It might’ve been just a burger joint, but it was managing people,” he says. “I learned an awful lot. I learned to work hard.” At 24, motivated by a nagging desire “to get the fuck out of Dodge,” Carey said goodbye to Dublin, but Philly was not his first American destination. That distinction goes to — of all places — Houston, Texas, to crash with a friend from Burgerland. “I hated it,” admits Carey, the fourth youngest of five brothers in a family who shares a love for literature and the arts. “I lasted three weeks. Might have been two. It was such a non-starter-friendly city. No green card, no money, no driver’s license. I used to walk around the place and cars would stop and stare at me.” He received a much more auspicious welcome in Philly, where family friends found him both a place to stay — a room in a Center City house that cost $96 a month (!) — and a steady gig, working shifts as a busser and counter boy at El Taco Grande, which had locations on Sansom and in the Cherry Hill Mall. “You end up bussing tables somewhere, you get a bicycle and then you got a life,” says Carey of his immediate embrace of the 215 and the bipedal mode of transport he still relies on heavily today. “I was wideeyed. I was a very happy guy.” After lucking into a green card via federal lottery, Carey expanded his food-service horizons, pouring drinks at Magnolia Café (now Tequilas) and working the floor at Café Nola. But things truly got started for him once he landed at McGlinchey’s, the Center City dive
“You end up bussing tables somewhere, you get a bicycle and then you got a life,�
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that endeared him to Philly drinkers, one beer-and-shot at a time. “It was pretty fucking busy, and it still is,” says Carey, who tended bar Monday to Thursday for five years. “When I was working there, people would say to me, ‘I can’t believe you don’t smoke,’” referring to the notoriously hazy interior that’s persisted post-indoor smoking ban. “I’d say, ‘I don’t have to.’” One frequenter of the nicotine-stained room was Peters, who at the time was managing Copa Too (now Pistola’s) next door. Though they’d met only once briefly, Carey “remembered what I was drinking and remembered my name,” recalls Peters. “I was impressed by that as only a second-time customer.” A pioneering place for Belgian beers thanks to Peters’ close relationships with European brewers and importers, Copa, in turn, converted Carey into a craft devotee. “I got turned onto good beer by Tom,” he says. “The first good beer that I ever had was a Sierra Nevada, then of course all the Belgians.” (Kwak and Chimay were among the first of their ilk to occupy Copa’s draft lines.) “I liked him right away,” adds Peters. “He’s a very personable guy. Funny, well-read, witty. Hell, if I were gay, I’d date him.” The couple, er, partners would go on to open Monk’s in 1997, but the blossoming of this beer-addled bromance was preceded
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by the launch of Carey’s baby. From his perspective, his eponymous bar seemed like “the first new place to open up in a long time” — a funny concept considering the rapid rate at which Philly joints swing open their doors these days. “Back then, there were only a handful of places you would go,” says O’Brien. “Fergie’s was kind of a coup. And he was the coup master.” Partnering with Bookbinder’s bartender Wajih Abed (“He’s Palestinian and I’m Irish. There are a lot of jokes there”), Carey opened Fergie’s Pub, “a very simple bar” by design, nearly 18 years ago. In 2012, the space, a German establishment for 70 years ahead of housing a string of ill-fitting concepts (a boozeless kosher restaurant, a lesbian club), is lodged right in the craw of a hopping nightlife district. In 1994? The area had a slightly different feel. “You would get your car broken into, your bicycle stolen, there was a brothel across the road,” says Carey. “Both corners full of transvestite hookers. It was Center City, but it was a no-go area.” The neighborhood was iffy, but it didn’t stop the regulars Carey and Abed cultivated at other bars from imbibing in droves. He remembers his first night at the “beautiful, dark bar,” when his father surprised him with a visit from Ireland. “We were opening up and I didn’t own a pair of trousers or a [dress]
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Clockwise from top left: A who’s who of the beer industry gathering outside Monks in 2001; An early-on beer dinner with the esteemed Michael Jackson; Tom and Fergie outside Monks near its inception in 1997; 1999-Serving one of the courses during a beer dinner; GABF with Tom Peters and original Nodding Head Brewmaster Brandon Greenwood
shirt — all I had was jeans and T-shirts,” recalls Carey. “So my dad says, ‘Why don’t we get you a pair of trousers?’ We walked uptown and around 40 people stopped me and asked when I was opening. I told them ‘Tonight!’ It was mobbed. There was a line to get in.” Peters managed to beat everyone in the queue to the first-beer-sold punch. “When Fergie was opening, he came over to Copa Too and asked, ‘What beer do I have to carry to have you come in and patronize my bar?’” he says. “I gave him a few I thought would sell well. Then I went in and paid for the first beer in his place.” It was a Duvel — a felicitous sign of things to come. Good beer was, and still is, a primary focus at Fergie’s. “People think of Fergie’s not as a beer bar anymore,” says Parker. “But look at the list there, man. It came before Monk’s, and it had better beer before this whole thing started.”
Partnering with Bookbinder’s bartender Wajih Abed (“He’s Palestinian and I’m Irish... There are a lot of jokes there”), Carey opened Fergie’s Pub
Parker, who studied musical theater at UArts, frequented Fergie’s with such fervor during college that he ended up getting a job there as a dishwasher at the age of 21. He eventually moved onto hosting open mic nights and was the first bartender to serve drinks on the pub’s second floor. “He gave me my first advice about tending bar: That the least important part of tending bar is making drinks,” says Parker, whose partner in Pistola’s, Joe Gunn, is another Fergie’s alum. That acuity for the customer led Peters to ID Carey as the ideal partner in Monk’s, the internationally admired bar credited as the harbinger of Belgian beer awareness in the United States. Peters and Carey took over the old 16th Street Bar & Grill on a Saturday night, raced to overhaul it and debuted the following Sunday. The city’s fermented embrace of its mussels, frites and holy-text Beer Bible, “if not immediate, was close to immediate,” says Carey. Peters didn’t require any lawyer-vetted paperwork to be convinced of Carey’s worth as an associate. “We did everything on a handshake, 50-50 partners,” he says. The duo now has interests in three additional places
in Philly (Nodding Head, Grace Tavern and Belgian Café), plus stakes in a hotel in Scotland and a restaurant called Beer Bistro in Toronto. “Everything on a handshake, that’s it. No contracts.” The burly-ABV egalitarian appeal of Monk’s has lent to its longevity. “In a good economy, people want to go there and have fun,” says O’Brien, an early employee of the bar. “In a bad economy, people want to go there and have fun.” And many of those people, especially in the early days, were in the business, allowing Peters and Carey’s influence to manifest itself in the form of new bars with good, accessible beer. “When Monk’s opened, we had a ton of restaurant people coming in,” says Peters. “They’d talk about beer, but not really grasp it yet. Within a few months, they’d have one of those beers at their bar. The quality of food, the people who work with us, Fergie’s personality — all that helped [encourage] a bigger beer culture.” Carey’s party-starting reputation might be his most conversationally marketable trait, but there is more to the man than just that. “A lot of people just see the wild hair,” says O’Brien of the married father of two. “But
he’s also a shrewd businessman. He thinks about things. It’s not a mistake that he is as successful as he is.” “The thing about Fergie is that it doesn’t look like he’s trying to do anything, and I think that’s why he’s so effective,” says Parker of his old boss, who’s also a prominent patron of the arts via his involvement with Irish theater, Live Arts Fringe and Brat Productions. “I didn’t learn everything from Fergie, but I follow his example. Just give a fuck. Care, and people will care about you.” He’s been able to avoid becoming jaded in spite of his accomplishments. “I love when I turn him onto a beer he’s blown away by it,” says Peters. “Then I’ll go over to Fergie’s and he’s already carrying it. I can’t think of a better ambassador for bar culture in Philadelphia than Fergie.” “I like to be at work. Constant love, you know?” says Carey, who’s made a habit out of visiting each of his establishments almost daily, of his work philosophy. “You’ve got to keep on top of things, keep loving it, keep enjoying it. It’s more about love than money. When I came here, I wanted a life, not a living.”
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The “It’s Only Another Beer” Black and Tan 8 oz. pilsner lager 8 oz. stout lager 1 frosty mug 1 icy road 1 pick-up truck 1 10-hour day 1 tired worker A few rounds with the guys Mix ingredients. Add 1 totalled vehicle.
Never underestimate ‘just a few.’ Buzzed driving is drunk driving.
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Viva la
Fungi By Jimmy McMillan 68 68
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Yeast is the workhorse of all beer, but is often overlooked or ignored when one talks about and rates beers. 69
When most people discuss beer, they speak of its flavor, color, hop aroma, alcohol content, and style in which it was brewed but rarely do they ever discuss one of the most critical ingredients of beer. This ingredient is arguably the most important of all the ingredients that make up our beloved beverage, and can be directly linked to our survival throughout the ages. This special ingredient shall be forever named yeast! Yeast is the workhorse of all beer, but is often overlooked or ignored when one talks about and rates beers. There is an old saying, 70
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“Brewers make wort, yeast makes beer,” and without yeast, beer as we know it wouldn’t exist. Instead, we would be drinking on an overly-sweet and unpleasantly bitter beverage that would not give us the euphoric buzzed feeling we’re accustomed to. In this article, we attempt to simplify the complexity of yeast: how they work, the differences yeast can create in beers and how various regions produce different yeast samples, thus making the styles of beer that we all know and love. The standard dictionary definition of yeast is “any of various small, single-celled
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fungi of the phylum Ascomycota that reproduce by fission or budding, the daughter cells often remaining attached, and they are capable of fermenting carbohydrates into alcohol and carbon dioxide.” To put it more simply, yeast is a single-celled fungus that eats simple sugars to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. The scientific name for brewer’s yeast is Saccharomyces, which comes from the Greek word “Saccharo,” meaning sugar and myces (mushroom or fungus). Yeast plays the beginning role of decomposition in nature and is literally found everywhere, living on the skins of fruits and vegetables, hibernating inside the bellies of bees, and even living on our skin. Why does yeast aid in the production of tasty beverages such as beer? Before we can discuss yeast’s role in beer, we must first understand what beer is prior to adding yeast, or what brewers call “wort.” Let’s briefly go over how beer is made all around the world. The main ingredient is usually malted barley, which are barley seeds that have been allowed to sprout. Once sprouted, the barley is then heated to stop the germination process, which preserves the complex carbohydrates, or starches, that would have been used if the seeds were to grow into mature plants. These carbohydrates are the beginning of what will become food for the yeast; because they’re too complex for standard brewer’s yeast at this stage, they are converted into simpler sugars through a process called mashing. This is when the barley is soaked in water at a specific temperature for a set amount of time. During the mashing process, natural enzymes in the grain start to break down the carbohydrates into smaller chain carbohydrates, or what we would refer to as simple sugars. We measure the density of these sugars in the water by specific gravity, or in degrees Plato, for use in calculating the ABV (Alcohol by Volume) in the final product. The wort is now boiled and the recipe is followed as planned with various hop and/or spice additions. After boiling, the wort is cooled to a precise temperature–usually around 70° Fahrenheit–and placed into fermentation vessels where it’s inoculated with yeast cells. Within 12-24 hours there should be considerable evidence that the yeast are doing their job, or fermenting: an excessive amount of CO2
“Brewers make wort, Yeast makes beer” gas being released from the fermenter and a krausen (thick yellow/beige foam) on top. Alcohol and CO2 are the main by-products of yeast fermentation. Most of us know what the alcohol does, and is one of the main reasons we enjoy drinking beer, but CO2 is usually an afterthought. The majority of the breweries today allow fermentation to release the CO2 into the environment, and when it’s time to carbonate the beer, they purchase commercial CO2 and force it into the beer. Without CO2, beer would be a “still” beverage much like wine, and not have the bubbles and the frothy head that we enjoy. Before we were able to capture and pressurize CO2 into large steel tanks, there were only “cask conditioned” and “bottle conditioned” beers available, which
are naturally carbonated by the yeast. This style of beer is becoming more and more popular today and is created a number of ways. The main way breweries today are naturally carbonating beers is by allowing fermentation to finish and then adding a precise amount of some type of sugar before it goes into its bottle or cask. This slowly starts fermentation up again, and the yeast start producing a small amount of CO2 and alcohol, just enough to carbonate a beer. There are currently about 1,500 different yeast strains, but most brewers usually select from a small number of good, known strains that have been passed down for hundreds of years. The three easiest ways to categorize yeast are by ale yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), lager yeast (Saccharomyces pastorianus) and
wild yeast (Brettanomyces). Top fermenting ale yeast work best in our average comfort temperatures, 65°-75° Fahrenheit, create more fruity aroma and flavors (phenols and esters) and can take an average of ten days to complete fermentation. A lot of the new craft beers around today use ale yeast–IPA’s, hefeweizens, American pale ales, porters, stouts, and even kölsch. Bottom fermenting lager yeast prefers cooler fermenting temperatures, between 48°-58° Fahrenheit, and produces a more “clean” flavored beer, but can take up to forty-five days to complete fermentation. This is the yeast strain that has been favored over the years and is used to make most of the larger commercial beers, such as lagers and pilsners. Wild yeast isn’t new to the brewing industry. It has always been a part 71
of lambic production, as well as some of the funkier saison or farmhouse style beers. It wasn’t until the early 1900s, however, when Brettanomyces was identified as cause of spoilage in English ales, and thusly named “British fungus.” Brettanomyces, called Brett for short, is a form of yeast that is acidogenic and, when allowed to grow over time, creates acetic acid; this is the same acid that makes vinegar so tart. Recently, American breweries like Russian River, Lost Abbey, Jolly Pumpkin, Allagash, Cascade and many others have been welcoming this yeast into their brews, producing a complex character that can only be obtained by the use of Brett, other bacterial strains and usual long aging. Little is still known about the various strains of wild yeast and their actual reactions during fermentation, but the recent interest in sour beers is striking up significant scientific research. Once the type of beer to be brewed is determined and the yeast strain has been selected, a specific amount of yeast needs to be “pitched,” which is referred to as the “cell count.” Wyeast, a large manufacturer of brewer’s yeast, claim that, “A good rule to
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follow is a million cells per milliliter per degree Plato.” This means that you need 20 million cells per ml for a 20 degree Plato (1.080 specific gravity) beer, or about 9.5 billion cells per pint for a 7% beer. That’s more than the total population of the earth for a single pint of beer. Once the yeast has been pitched, the lag phase begins. This phase occurs during the first twelve hours and mainly consists of the cells absorbing the oxygen, minerals and various amino acids which will help them process the sugars and bud (replicate) daughter cells during the main fermentation. After the lag phase, the yeast starts budding exponentially and begins processing the various sugars in the wort. There are a number of different carbohydrates in the wort, consisting of glucose, fructose, sucrose, but mainly maltose. The yeast cannot fully consume some of the more complex sugars such as maltotriose, which gives the beer a sweet and malty flavor. As we near the end of fermentation, the yeast shuts down, clumps together and falls
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to the bottom of the fermentation vessel. This process, called flocculation, is unique to brewer’s yeast. Chris White, from White Labs explains, “The ability to flocculate is a product of natural selection. Brewers have continually collected yeast either from the bottom or top of a fermenter and in doing so, selected for increasingly flocculent strains.” The reason for this flocculation is to help clarify the beer. If the yeast is less flocculent, like in a hefeweizen, they stay in suspension and yield a cloudy and hazy beer. Wild yeast, such as Brettanomyces, do not flocculate well; this is why some of the newer style “wild ales” are recommended to age like a bottle of wine. The rate at which the yeast eats the malt sugars is called “apparent attenuation,” which is measured by the percentage of sugars the yeast consumes. White Labs, one of the
Without these single-celled organisms, there would be no beer, wine, cider, mead, hard spirits, bread, doughnuts, or even pizza to enjoy. It is time to give the hard working yeast cells the attention and respect that they deserve.
nation’s main yeast providers, says their California ale yeast strain is said to have a 73-80% attenuation, which means the yeast should consume 73-80% of the sugars in the wort. The higher the attenuation percentage, the less residual sweetness and body the finished beer will have. After fermentation is complete, the specific gravity, or Plato, is taken again, calculated with the original gravity, and the attenuation is measured along with the ABV. For professional breweries, if the attenuation of the yeast is not precise, then the final product will never be consistent and will fail at the quality control department. Yeast is very particular to the region in which they come from. If you have ever visited San Francisco and had the sourdough bread, you will know that it is unlike anywhere else in the US. This is due to the types of wild yeast and bacteria that are native within that region and the by-products they produce during fermentation. The exact same concept goes for beer. Up until recent laboratory technology, breweries would use the same mature yeast strain time and time again, and it was considered their “house” yeast strain. This is what gives some of the older brew houses in Europe such a unique smell and flavor. Now with modern transportation, we can safely ship yeast samples from all around the world without worry of excess heat, time, or contamination of some other yeast or bacterial strain. Today, Belgian style beers that are made in America are mostly using yeast strains that have been brought over from Belgian
many years ago. These regional differences inhibit many different styles of flavors and aromas in the beer. These flavors and aromas are referred to as phenols and esters. Consider the
difference between American pale ale and a German hefeweizen: these are found more in the esters produced by the yeast than in the wheat added in the hefeweizen. Hefeweizen, literally meaning “yeast wheat,” has a slight banana or clove essence that’s caused by the ester, Isoamyl acetate. Hefeweizens are fermented at the warmer end of ale temperatures and
use low flocculating yeast from Germany to produce these robustly-flavored esters. Most American pale ales are fermented at a slightly lower temperature and use cleaner-flavored and more flocculent yeast from California. Another common flavor found in some English and Belgian Style ales that are strictly due to yeast are green apple/pear ester, or Isoamyl butyrate. The human tongue is very sensitive to these flavors, which means they can be very unpleasant at higher concentrations. Wild yeast, or Brettanomyces, is sometimes blamed for ‘solvent’-like flavors in beer, but these can come from commercial yeast strains as well. Besides the production of Ethel alcohols, yeast is the microscopic fungus responsible for providing the bubbles, the alcohol and many of the aromas and flavors in beer. In this light, yeast can easily be argued as being the most critical component of making beer. Many breweries keep their yeast strains under lock and key with high levels of security, while others simply use the wild yeast that just happens to be floating in the air around their region. Without these single-celled organisms, there would be no beer, wine, cider, mead, hard spirits, bread, doughnuts, or even pizza to enjoy. It is time to give the hard working yeast cells the attention and respect that they deserve. The next time you sit down to enjoy your favorite craft beer and criticize its flavors and aromas, don’t forget it’s not just about the hops and malt. Trillions upon trillions of microorganisms created that oh so tasty beverage.
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Honing Their
Craft A look at the PA, NJ, & DE Brewers Guilds By Luke Bowen
Through time, craftsman (and women) from all across the globe have united to form guilds and other trade groups to help advance their various causes. Craft beer is no exception. With craft beer growing by leaps and bounds, production breweries, brewpubs, and contract breweries from around the country have begun to form and join brewer’s guilds. These organizations have been charged with helping to advance the needs of the craft brewing community within their respective states. And collectively, to help advance issues relating to craft beer throughout the United States. The Philadelphia region is no exception. With the craft segment continuing to cut into the market share of the macro breweries and imports, in order to continue the growth of craft, local breweries face many obstacles within their markets. First, a separated three-tiered system (supplier, wholesaler, and retailer) is protected by a powerful lobby. This keeps breweries in certain states from not only selling directly to retailers, but in some cases, prohibits breweries from having tasting rooms and selling pints directly to consumers. In addition, distribution rights in certain states (like Pennsylvania) cannot be returned to the brewery without the wholesalers consent. This locks brands into potentially life-long relationships with their wholesalers, at times, to the determent of the brand. And also, excise taxes and other financial costs incurred by small and medium sized breweries vary from state to state, and have a significant impact and can hinder expansion.
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This article focuses on the brewers guilds which have formed in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Each guild is led by a prominent member of the local brewing community, and each are motivated to help make their individual state more craft-beer friendly, which benefits both the brewery and the consumer. There are three common themes which permeate through all of the aforementioned guilds:
Education Each guild sees education as one of their top priorities. This includes not only educating the public on craft beer, but educating their various state and local governments on the positive economic impact that the growth of the craft beer segment has brought to their communities.
Protection The guilds are charged with protecting the economic and non-financial interests of the brewing community (including the macro community).
Legislation The tool by which change occurs is legislation. Therefore, each guild has been tasked with monitoring current bills (locally and nationally), hiring lobbying groups to help advance their interests, and proposing new bills to state and local officials which are in the best interests of the brewing community as a whole.
With each of these themes present within each guild, the manner in which they approach them differs from state to state.
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Garden State Brewers Guild The Garden State Brewers Guild (GSBG) is comprised of eleven members, from all across the state of New Jersey. The guild was founded in the mid-1990s during the first wave of the craft beer explosion. It counts among its member’s local favorites Flying Fish, Iron Hill, River Horse, Triumph, and many others. One of its leader is Mark Edelson, the Director of Brewing Operations for Iron Hill Brewing Company. Iron Hill has been a perennial award winner at the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival, and was recently awarded as the World’s Top Brewpub Chain. The mission statement of the Garden State Brewers Guild is found on their website and states; “The Garden State Craft Brewers Guild is an association of the restricted and limited license holders in New Jersey. Our goal is to promote the craft brewing industry in New Jersey by means of education, promotion of special events and other social, civic and economic initiative.” Mark also elaborated on the GSBG’s mission. “We are in the business of promoting NJ craft beer. We are ranked 11th in the country in population but 32nd in Craft Beer Production. To us, that doesn’t make sense.” In addition to increasing the amount of craft beer produced in New Jersey, legislation is also a top priority for the GSBG. “We are interested in promoting NJ craft beer. However, this is done through the
guild by promoting and protecting craft beer legislatively.” “However,” as Mark notes, “promotion and protection cost money, and for most individual breweries, the cost is too great. That’s why we have united as a guild.” This unity is noticeable online as well. On the front page of the GSBG’s website, there is a call for locals to contact the governor’s office to ask for support of NJ house bill A-1277/S-641, which will give New Jersey craft brewers more flexibility in how they promote and sell their beer.
“We are in the business of promoting NJ craft beer. We are ranked 11th in the country in population but 32nd in Craft Beer Production. To us, that doesn’t make sense.” “In New Jersey we are severely limited in how and where our beer is sold,” says Mark. “For example, you are only allowed to have two brewpubs under the same license in NJ, whereas that is not a restriction for Iron Hill in PA.” He also goes on to explain how bill A-1277/S-641 will change how beer is sold and promoted in NJ. “If you’re a production brewery, you are not allowed to have a tasting room or sell beer on-site. Also, in New Jersey, you are not allowed to self-distribute. This forces you to partake in the three-tiered system.” It is the goal of the GSBG to change the current system to give New Jersey breweries the flexibility to self-distribute as well as have tasting rooms, which are a significant source of revenue for some companies.
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Delaware Brewers Guild The Delaware Brewers Guild (DGB) was established in late 2011, and formalized in its current form in early 2012. The guild counts every licensed brewery in the state either as a member or planned member by the end of this year. The President of the DBG is Jesse Prall, who is the director of brewing operations for Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. “We are a very young guild compared to our neighbors,” says Jesse. “However, our goal is to promote ALL craft beer in Delaware. A lot of people when they think of Delaware breweries think of Dogfish Head. But we have some really talented people, making great beer in our state.” Like the other guilds, Jesse’s focus is on educating people about each of the breweries who make beer in Delaware. “We also have wonderful wineries too. We’re working on creating a brewery and winery trail for tourists,” he says. “We want people to be able to experience all that Delaware has to offer. When asked about the significant issues the guild supports, he mentioned two; the reduction in state excise tax, and self-distribution/ tasting room sales. “In Delaware, unlike some other states, breweries
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“...our goal is to promote ALL craft beer in Delaware. A lot of people when they think of Delaware breweries think of Dogfish Head. But we have some really talented people, making great beer in our state.” are not allowed to sell direct and must assign distribution rights to a wholesaler,” Jesse stated. “This regulation has a great impact on smaller breweries, which in other territories, use that extra margin to help make improvements or upgrades. Also, there are limits in Delaware on the amount of beer retail sales you have on your premises. This is something that the guild is looking to change as well.” Jesse went on to explain how the excise tax issue really affects all the breweries within the state. “The excise tax has an impact on breweries of all sizes, not just Dogfish Head. We are pushing for a reduction in excise tax for small and mid-sized breweries. This would help companies like ours expand, by adding additional fomenters, for example.” The guild hopes to increase their legislative footprint moving forward as they formalize their organization, and bring all of their prospective members on-board.
Pennsylvania Microbrewers Guild aka Brewers of Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Microbrewers Guild (PABG) was founded in 1996 and has grown into Brewers of Pennsylvania (BOP), which is the self-governing body in this state for breweries such as The Boston Beer Company, Yuengling, Victory, and many others. Its President is Bill Covaleski, the cofounder of Downingtown-based, Victory Brewing Company. The guild counts thirty-six current members from across the state, of all types and sizes. “The guild started in the mid-90s. We credit the teams at Stoudt’s and Weyerbacher for really being instrumental in the guilds formation then,” said Bill. “Today, we have members from the likes of Yuengling, to contract breweries.” Like many of the other guilds, the BOP is focused on protecting its members. “Guilds are a form of insurance,” says Bill. “We protect the mutual interests of the brewing community. Also, we provide a forum for multiple companies to come together and protect each other from opposition. Our goals are to protect our products, and to protect our employees.” The BOP was mostly dysfunctional from 2009-2010, until major legislation forced the hand of the Pennsylvania brewing community. “I got a call from the CEO of Yuengling one day, asking me how I felt about a piece of legislation which was set to affect all of us. We then rallied together, and the guild became what it is today.” Bill went on to explain how the guild embraces all professional brewers in the state. “Our goal is to include everyone who brews beer professionally within the state. We provide legal advice on issues which affect our business, and act as a support group for one another.” BOP states that its two main objectives are education and membership. “Our educational mission extends beyond the general public. We have to educate our legislators on the economic impact that the PA brewing community has on the state,” explained Bill. “We are in the process of commissioning an economic impact study within the commonwealth. The guild plans to use that study to show the impact that the brewing industry has on job creation, as well as
other positive economic benefits.” The guild then hopes to use that information when proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation. In addition, membership is also a goal of the BOP. “We have companies of all sizes within our guild, including contract breweries, brewpub’s, and even nano-breweries. Our goal is increase membership to include companies within hopefully each congressional district.” Like the other guilds, legislative action is a priority. While the BOP has not proposed any legislation of their own as of yet, they have been actively involved in legislative matters which affect the members of their guild. One of the main issues which may affect members of the guild is the current privatization debate which is going on in Harrisburg. Various forms of this law would allow for the privatization of state-owned liquor licenses and would enable new license holders to sell various packages, including six-packs and wine, which are currently not allowed under Pennsylvania law. “We are actively listening to our customers, retail and consumer, at the moment,” said Bill, “In order to find out exactly what THEY want.” While it has been reported that package reform is in the best interest of the consumer, the guild understands that blanket package reform can also hurt their customers. “People with a D-License (your local beer distributor where you can only buy a case), could be negatively affected. Therefore, we want legislation which enhances the value of the D-License, while providing customers greater choice and access to beer.” “We want to move to a more consumer friendly model, and that can be done by creating legislation which also enhances the value of the D-license. We at the BOP suppose that if D-licenses could gain the opportunity to sell more package sizes, this might enhance the value of the license, allowing progressive retailers to thrive and weak retailers to choose to sell their licenses,” hopefully to give the customer better choice and access to products. The presence and strength of the brewers guilds help the craft brewing industry continue to grow and prosper. Each guild is committed to listening to their customers and making the necessary moves in their communities and at the legislative level to promoting local and fresh, craft beer. Each guild has a presence online, and encourages community involvement in the issues which affect the craft beer community. More information can be found through searching online for the brewer’s guild in your respective state. 79
Bar & Restaurant Review 80
South Street’s Craft Haven The former home of one of the Three Stooges is now a spot for great beer. By Phillip Carroll Craft beer lovers don’t have to worry about going thirsty on South Street. Always known for a variety of watering holes, South Street and the surrounding area hasn’t disappointed with the craft beer renaissance that Philadelphia continues to enjoy. But not all bars are created equal, and if you love craft beer, you’ve most likely come to expect a certain level of quality, a certain level of beer expertise when venturing out for a pint or three. Jon’s Bar and Grille, at the corner of 3rd and South, typifies the craft beer lover’s bar but is versatile enough to satisfy any customer’s desires. Perhaps Jon’s best physical feature is its outdoor seating. Two decks, including a small deck running along the bustling sidewalk, sit under the eccentric gaze of Larry Fine of Three Stooges fame. A mural of him adorns the wall overlooking the street and restaurant (Fine was born in Philadelphia and his family owned a watch repair and jewelry shop in the building that is now Jon’s). Jon’s is the perfect destination on those days or nights that seem to demand that you enjoy a pint of your favorite brew outside. Should you wish for the great indoors, Jon’s provides a cozy bar and ample seating on the first and second floors. Regardless of where you choose to sit, Jon’s has enough room to accommodate large numbers without causing the patrons to feel as if they’re a member of every table’s conversations. Jon’s extensive beer list (over 80 bottles), rotating list of quality craft drafts, take-out six packs, and beer flight offerings provides a full range of beer to satisfy differing
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palates. The date appears at the top of the beer menu, showing Jon’s commitment to fresh craft beer on an ever-changing rotation. Bear Republic’s Racer 5 was on tap, and though more and more bars are offering this great brew, it still is an indicator of the bar’s knowledge and dedication to quality beer. The food menu, which included simple fare such as wraps, sandwiches, and burgers as well as full entrees you’d expect to see in a restaurant, offers many options without burying the patron under too many choices. The menu also included an entrée list with a suggested paired beer for each dish. The waiters are knowledgeable, helpful, and able to navigate you through the suggested beers. It’s clear Jon’s isn’t the type of bar that has hopped on the craft beer bandwagon. Some bars that serve craft beers would be just as comfortable serving cheap domestics exclusively. While you can get those at Jon’s, it’s clear the beer means something there. Next time you’re on South Street, stop in Jon’s. The friendly and knowledgeable staff, the indoor and outdoor seating, and the menu of typical bar food plus restaurant-quality entrees are reasons enough. But the craft beer offerings provide the ample evidence that Jon’s is a major player in Philly’s delightfully crowded craft beer scene. You might find yourself back again before you know it just to see what’s on the updated beer menu. Jon’s is located at 300 South Street Philadelphia, PA 19147.
Full range of self-serve grains, wine kits, bottles and equipment for beginners and experienced brewers alike.
Be sure to check out Simply Succulent Swine October 27, 2012 (Check our website for details.) Home of the New Philadelphia Homebrew Club • www.phillyhbc.org Sign up for our newsletter at www.barryshomebrew.com 1447 N. American St., Philadelphia, PA 19122 215.755.4556 • info@barryshomebrew.com Tuesday - Friday 11pm-7pm • Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm
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9/23/2012 8:08:23 PM
Pigs do fly at this quirky Malvern beer bar. By Terry Brophy Tucked away off the main drag in Malvern, PA on the corner of King Street, you’ll come across what first appears to be your typical, local corner bar. Outward appearances can be very deceiving and in this case, is especially true. Upon entering this Malvern watering hole, you’ll be struck by the bar’s sense of quirkiness, whimsy and humor and it’s all wrapped up in the shape of a pig. Welcome to the Flying Pig Saloon. Where everywhere you turn and anywhere you glance, you’ll see small pigs dangling from the ceiling and find large pigs hanging on the walls. Whatever you do, don’t let the pigs fool you. The open wide space with exposed, distressed wood walls and low lighting is warm and welcoming. A good size square, peninsula bar with a well-aged copper bar top easily seats sixteen beer lovers. The rest of the space has plenty of pub tables and chairs for seating, while also offering a cozy corner with two large sofas and chairs to relax and hang out. The Flying Pig is one serious beer establishment. With twenty-two taps, the Flying Pig Saloon’s beer selection is extensive. The chalkboards listed a wide variety of craft favorites from Lancaster Brewing, Southern Tier, Lagunitas, Round Guys, La Rulles, Tallgrass Brewing, Brasserie Dupont and Victory. Their bottle collection of roughly 150 beers goes even further, much further. Belgian quads and tripels, ales, IPA’s, pilsners, stouts, porters, barleywines, lagers, lambics, sours and ciders are well-represented on what is known as the Pig Bottle Beer list.
The Flying Pig’s menu is large and contains a wide variety of good bar food. You’ll find the standard salads, burgers, sandwiches and wraps, but they also offer some not so typical tasty snacks and sandwiches. Items like baked Brie, little neck clams, mussels, tempura shrimp and crab dip are available as appetizers. On the day of my visit, I tried the steamed clams. Out came a large bowl, generously filled with little neck clams. Made with a light garlic and butter broth and served with four slices of crusty, toasted baguettes for dipping, these clams were delicious. They also have a specialty sandwich selection where you can choose either the Havana, a sandwich made with roast pork, ham, hot peppers, onion, pickles and melted provolone or the Barnyard with sliced, roasted chicken breast, chopped beef steak, bacon, onion and roasted red peppers. The bartenders and wait staff at the Flying Pig are friendly and helpful, with service that is quick and attentive. They seem to stay on top of the bar’s beer menu and can easily talk about styles by offering suggestions on what might turn out to be your new favorite beer. If you ever find yourself rolling down Route 30, be sure to make a pit stop at the Flying Pig Saloon in Malvern and discover what many have come to know… a fun, whimsical and welcoming gem of a bar that offers good food, friendly service, and great tasting beers. The Flying Pig Saloon is located at 121 East King Street Malvern, PA 19355.
Bar & Restaurant Review
Pigs & Brews
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The Tasting Room October/November 2012 Venue: the old eagle tavern Up on the hill in Manayunk is a great corner bar that often gets overlooked. Right on the corner of Terrace Street and Shurs Lane, The Old Eagle Tavern has become a regular hangout of Manayunk locals for over nine years now. Serving a great array of good beer and food, The Eagle offers a laid back vibe that is often lost in most of the city.
How we Review Beer Every issue Philly Beer Scene gets together with notable guests from the scene for a small, private, tasting session. Twenty beers are chosen that are new, seasonal or just interesting.
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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notable guests
from the scene guests Probably better known as Joe Sixpack, Don Russell was one of the pioneers of the local craft beer scene. From his role on the Philly Beer Week board, to his regular column in the Daily News, Don has dedicated much of his time to developing and building this awesome beer culture we are now a part of.
Steve Mashington joins us as the winner of the 2012 Philly Beer Geek competition as a representative of the Hulmeville Inn. Steve is also currently the area sales rep for Fegley’s Brew Works.
Staying a bit more behind the scenes than Don, Erin Wallace is the owner of the Old Eagle Tavern and the Devil’s Den in South Philly. Her love/obsession for sour beers and Baltimore roots are often showcased at her bars, much to the delight of beer geeks.
Nina Jablonski is a graphic designer from Philadelphia who joins us after winning our recent t-shirt design contest. She loves discovering new brews in one of the greatest beer cities in the world.
Penn Kaiser Pils
König Ludwig Weissbier
Kaiser Pils is a North Germany style Pils beer.
A Royal Bavarian Hefeweizen. The Bavarian Royal
Pale-gold color, good body, crisp, clean, very
Family has had sole rights to brewing Hefe-Weizen
bitter, with pronounced hop aroma. ABV: 4.0%
on Bavaria for over 200 years. ABV: 5.5%
Don 3.5 Classic northern German bite. Erin
2
Mash 3
A favorite style of mine. Decent body but would like Don 3.5 more of that banana.
Dry, citrus flavor, lacking in strong grassy notes found in most pilsners.
Erin 2.5 Yeasty, banana flavored wheat.
Touch too bitter in the finish. Good, not great.
Mash 2.5
Mellow aroma, nice mouth-feel, subtle banana-rama aroma. Light & fluffy mouth-feel. Hints of banana and very
Nina
3
Bitter finish, light color, grassy notes.
Nina 2.5 yeasty. A little too light for my taste.
Mat
3
Not the best pilsner on the market, but very drinkable.
Mat
Old Forge Endless Summer Ale Very light-bodied, low-hopped, pale golden ale, with some wheat and lightly toasted malts to round out the flavor. ABV: 4.8%
3
No major flaws with this one, it just lacks any kind of excitement.
Castelain Two Brothers Diversey & Lill(e) Collaboration beer from a Brasserie Castelain of Benifontaine France and Two Brothers of Warrenville, Illinois. Flavors of ripe fruit spices and toasted almond round out this slightly sweet, full beer. ABV: 6.3%
Don 3.5 Wish I had this on the beach this summer.
Don
4
Very smooth and well-made. Love the malt.
Erin 3.5 Crisp, clean, grainy malt flavors with subtle citrus
Erin
4
Subtle spice and hot but nice toasted, bready malt character.
Mash 1.5 Hot corn, cold corn, bring along the Sammy John.
Mash
4
Little bread & biscuit in the nose. Well-balanced, slight pepper in the background. Nice.
notes. Easy drinking.
Nina
3
Verry fizzy, somewhat dry, champagne-esque.
Nina
4
Cool van Gogh art on label. Sweet & malty, alcoholic taste, accessible.
Mat
3
Exactly what it claims to be: easy, drinkable, simple summer beer.
Mat
4
Not as hoppy as description leads to believe. Great fridge beer I’d love to see in 12 oz. bottles.
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the tasting room Finch’s Cut Throat Pale Ale
Free Will Pale Stout
Finch’s Pale Ale has a fresh and hoppy taste with just
This beer doesn’t quite fit into any particular style
enough supporting malt to make it easy to kick back
description other than what the name says. Roasted
more than just one. The citrus hop character balanced
coffee and dark chocolate notes with a dry crisp
with a malty backbone creates a delicious, accessible
finish. ABV: 5.0%
pale ale that is sure to satisfy with every sip. ABV: 5.5% were dry-hopped with a more aromatic hop, Don 3.5 Ifit this would kill.
Don
4
A gimmick that actually works.
Erin 3.5 Piney hop bite and spicy hop nose.
Erin
4
Nice, traditional stout flavors but lighter body.
Citrus, nice nose. Orange comes through. Off balance, too bitter.
Mash
3
Roasted barley, interesting, good mouth-feel. Too thin for me.
A little heavy on the malt, grassy notes.
Nina
4
Nice nose, chocolaty and smoky, good for all seasons.
Mat
4
About as full bodied as a stout and as light in color and drinkable as a pale ale. Great addition to the local beer scene.
Mash 2.5 Nina
2
Mat 3.5 A little too malty, but otherwise a solid pale ale.
Evolution Lucky 7 Porter
Harpoon Rye IPA
Black with garnet highlights, this porter is rich & full
Brewed with Harpoon’s proprietary yeast, this beer
flavored with notes of chocolate, coffee & smoke.
yields a complex malt body and multidimensional
ABV: 5.8%
hop character. ABV: 6.9%
Don
5
Nice and chocolaty. Wonderful body.
Erin 3.5 Roasty and chocolaty. Not overly sweet.
4
Clean with spicy hops.
Erin 4.5 Nice, spicy rye, citrus hops, clean and crisp. Very subtle malt.
Great aroma, fruity & citrusy. Nice subtle rye. Good balance.
Mash 3.5
Very sweet aroma, chocolate and roastiness. Full bodied, enjoyable.
Mash 4
Nina 4.5
Full body, nice smoky flavor, balanced and goes down smooth.
Nina
4
Bold, crisp hops, nice balance and good accessibility. I’d drink this on the regular.
Very full bodied and roasty. Another great offering from Evo.
Mat
4
Very sessionable IPA. Expected a bit more spice from the rye, but one of the better beers from Harpoon.
Mat
4
Smuttynose IPA
Goose Island Matilda
The citrusy hop flavor coming from a mixture of
Goose Island’s Matilda is an Orval-inspired
Simcoe and Santiams is pleasantly balanced by
Belgian-Style Pale Ale finished with Brettanomyces
a smooth bitterness from the Amarillo hops. The
bruxellensis giving this golden ale its baking spice
beer itself is light bodied and crisp with a golden
aroma, fruity, biscuity malt flavor and dry body.
color that will throw a slight haze. ABV: 6.6%
ABV: 7.0%
Don 3.5 Hop profile is too narrow.
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Don
Don
4
I wanna waltz with her.
Erin
3
Very dank, bitter hop and very little maltiness.
Erin 4.5 Bretty, fruity, funky! Easy and refreshing.
Mash
3
Kind of an English IPA. More bitter than balance. Real earthy. OK.
Mash 3.5 Little sour in the nose. Light, effervescent, dry finish.
Nina
3
A little too malty for my taste, bitter.
Nina
2
Sweet, mild & smooth, alcoholic.
Mat
3.5
Hop blend is not my favorite and is overly bitter, but hop heads would enjoy it.
Mat
4
Brett character really works great with this Belgian pale ale. I could drink a lot of this beer.
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Nice, not mind blowing.
Stillwater Existent
Leinenkugel Big Eddy Baltic Porter
Existent represents the philosophy behind Stillwater
Big Eddy Baltic Porter is a blanket of malt flavor.
Artisanal. Deep & dark though deceptively dry, braced
Notes of toffee, cocoa, caramel, toasted bread and
by a firm, yet smooth bitterness and accented with
sherry fruit flavors are interwoven to produce a
an earthy hop and mild roast aroma. ABV: 7.4%
symphony of splendor. ABV: 8.5%
Don Erin
3
Existential question: why was this beer brewed?
Don 3.5 Tastes like it should be their Scotch ale.
3
Sweet roasted malt, caramel, dark fruit. Like other Stillwater beers better.
Erin
I don’t trust gypsies. This beer tastes weird. Too fruity. Too sweet.
Mash 2.5 A red porter? Not very roasty. Tastes like a Scotch ale.
Interesting label art, definite chocolate and smoky notes, unbalanced.
Nina
.5
Very sweet, heavy malty flavor.
Mat
3
Not sure how they can call this a Baltic Porter. But name aside, it’s an enjoyable beer.
Mash 1.5 Nina
2
Disappointing comparatively to the rest of the
Mat 2.5 Stillwater portfolio. Lacks balance.
3
Not a Baltic porter, but I liked it.
Mc Chouffe
Maredsous 10
The Mc Chouffe is an unfiltered dark beer, which
This is a golden-bodied Triple, replete with festive
is re-fermented in the bottle as well as in the keg.
sparkle, creamy body, and a luscious head. Its elegant
Behind its fruity flavor a slight hint of bitterness
smoothness belies the strong alcohol content. You
may be found. ABV: 8.0%
will revel in its balanced, long, and warming finish.
Don 4.5 Loving how the huge malt profile matches the yeast. Erin 3.5 Rich, malty spice. Flavors of caramel, sugar, and toffee.
Mash Nina Mat
4
Classic Belgian spice in the nose. Nice textured aroma, with a clean malt finish that highlights the yeast.
3
Semi-sweet, but not overwhelmingly, mild spice notes in aftertaste.
4
Yet another great offering from Brasserie d’aChouffe. Yeast and malts complement each other perfectly.
ABV: 10.0% Don 3.5 Sweet, sweet foam. Erin
3
Honey, light flavors of apple and pear. A little dryer finish would be preferred.
Mash
3
Classic Belgian, nice, spice aroma. Boozy. Too sweet for me.
Nina 3.5
Very cool, unique bottle shape. Light, exotic flavor. Dry finish. Light flavor for 10% ABV. Lacking the dry finish I enjoy in tripels. Quite smooth
Mat 3.5 for ABV though.
Magic Hat Burn Pile
Sam Adams Third Voyage
A smoked porter brewed with six malts offering
This unique double IPA takes the style’s origins a
an aroma of caramel and chocolate with a subtle,
step further. Using Cascade hops from each of these
complementary smokiness. ABV: 7.5%
regions we created a brew that’s citrusy, earthy and full of bold character. ABV: 8.0%
Don
5
A smoky beer that’s not afraid to blaze.
Don 3.5 Slightly chalky with sweet finish.
Erin
4
Roasty and smoky but not bacon-y.
Erin
Mash
4
Mellow smoke aroma, nice full body. Good smoke flavor. Finally, a Magic Hat beer I can drink.
Mash 3.5 Nice strong fruit aroma. Nice balance for a DIPA. A
Nina
4
Smoky, roasted, toasty, very dry, nice balanced body.
Nina 3.5
Mat
4.5
Pretty damn good. Fantastic body and perfect level of smoke.
Mat 3.5 Sam Adams.
3
Hoppy and piney. good beer. I wouldn’t not, not drink it.
Nice color and body. Smooth but nothing out of the ordinary. Well-balanced. Smooth for the style, and very solid offering from
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the tasting room Petrus Dubbel Bruin
Southern Tier Iniquity
Petrus Double Brown Ale is a top-fermented dark
Southern Tier Iniquity is an Imperial Black IPA,
beer. Brewed with pure spring water and carefully
which is also called an Imperial India Brown Ale. It
selected hops and malts. ABV: 6.5%
uses four different hops and 2-row pale malt along with de-bittered black malt in its brewing.
Don
4
ABV: 9.0% Lovely malt profile: cookies & cream.
Erin 3.5 Dark fruit flavors with a slight sour finish. Wish it was more sour.
Mash
4
Good bread & caramel malt aroma. Sweet toffee and subtle spice finish.
Don 4.5 Erin
Mash 3.5
Nina 2.5 Very sweet, candy-flavored with caramel malt notes. Mat
4
No Petrus Pale, but great with very interesting, complex sweetness.
4
Nina
4
If black IPAs tasted more like this, I’d drink more of ‘em. Woody hops, roasted malt, smooth and not boozy. Big hop aroma. Roasted malt in the nose. Clean finish. A little drinkable. A little malty, yet smooth. Slight smoked flavor. Goes down easy for 9%. Incredibly smooth and easy to drink. Dangerous at
Mat 3.5 9% ABV.
Moa Imperial Stout
Stoudt’s Fat Dog
Moa Imperial Stout Barrel Reserve is a very strong,
This unique ale merges the smooth and complex
upfront and rich offering of this famous Moa style. Aged
richness of an Oatmeal Stout with the assertive
in oak Pinot Noir barrels, this beer not only displays
hoppiness of Imperial Stout. Fat Dog has an inviting
coffee and mocha characters but also some sweet and
silky-black color, a prominent roasted malt character,
savory notes unique to Moa Imperial. ABV: 10.2%
and a chocolatey, coffee-like finish. ABV: 9.0%
Don
4
A light & effervescent stout? Love the Belgian yeast.
Erin 4.5 Very rasiny, dark fruits, rich roasted body but still light.
Don
5
This dog is wagging my tail!
Erin
4
Sweet roasted malt body. Chocolate and coffee flavors. Smooth finish.
4
Nice, big roast aroma, full body. Good chocolate flavor.
Mash
4
Chocolate and roasted in the nose. Very carbonated. Lively mouth-feel, oaky, complex, dark fruit finish.
Mash
Nina
4
Awesome label design, nice smoky and sweet flavor. Creamy body. Bitter finish.
Nina 2.5
Mat
4
Sexy bottle filled with fitting liquid. Red wine encompasses the beer perfectly.
Mat
4
Smooth, bitter finish. Kind of underwhelming. A bit watered-down tasting. Clean, smooth drinkable Imperial Stout. A local classic that’s often overlooked.
The Final Picks After some long discussion and debate over the twenty craft beers that were sampled, our panel is ready to reveal each of their favorite picks for October/November.
Don’s Final Pick: Evolution Lucky 7 Porter. I love porters and I’m afraid brewers either avoid the style or tend to turn it into a stout. This one hits all the right notes… the way a classic porter oughta be.
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Erin’s Final Pick: Moa Imperial Stout. Really liked the dark fruit, wine-like qualities. Will be a really good beer for the impending fall weather.
october/november2012
Steve’s Final Pick: Magic Hat Burn Pile. I love smoky beers and this one was just a solid beer. Nice smoke aroma and flavor, easy to drink and the first Magic Hat beer I’ve liked in a long time.
Nina’s Final Pick: Evolution Lucky 7 PorterI enjoy a well-balanced beer. Great smoky notes. A great beer to ease into the fall season with.
Mat’s Final Pick: Magic Hat Burn Pile. This beer will change your opinions of Magic Hat. A really great beer that nails the smoked porter style. A must try.
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directory Philadelphia Center City Bars & Restaurants
1518 Bar and Grill 1518 Sansom St 1518barandgrill.com Alla Spina 1410 Mt. Vernon St allaspinaphilly.com BAR 1309 Sansom Street
Grace Tavern 2229 Grays Ferry Ave gracetavern.com
Slate 102 S 21st Street slatephiladelphia.com
The Institute 549 N. 12th Street institutebar.com
Smiths 39 S. 19th Street smiths-restaurant.com
Jose Pistola’s 263 S. 15th Street josepistolas.com
Smokin’ Bettys 116 S. 11th Street smokinbettys.com Tangier 1801 Lombard St tangier.thekalon.com
The Black Sheep 247 S. 17th Street theblacksheeppub.com
Ladder 15 1528 Sansom Street ladder15philly.com
The Cambridge 1508 South St cambridgeonsouth.com
Llama Tooth 1033 Spring Garden llamatooth.com
Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse 1823 Sansom Street cavsrittenhouse.com
McGillin’s Old Ale House 1310 Drury Lane mcgillins.com
Cherry Street Tavern 129 N. 22nd Street
McGlinchey’s 259 S 15th Street
Ten Stone 2063 South Street tenstone.com
Chris’ Jazz Café 1421 Sansom Street chrisjazzcafe.com
Misconduct Tavern 1511 Locust Street misconduct-tavern.com
TIME 1315 Sansom Street timerestaurant.net
Coffee Bar 1701 Locust Street intoxicaffeineation.com
Molly Malloy’s Reading Terminal Market 1136 Arch St mollymalloysphilly.com
Trestle Inn 339 N 11th St Philadelphia, PA 19107
Cooperage 123 South 7th St cooperagephilly.com Dandelion 124 S 18th St thedandelionpub.com Devil’s Alley 1907 Chestnut Street devilsalleybarandgrill.com Doobies 2201 Lombard Street The Farmers Cabinet 1113 Walnut St thefarmerscabinet.com Fergie’s Pub 1214 Sansom Street fergies.com Finn McCools 118 S. 12th Street finnmccoolsphilly.com Good Dog 224 S. 15th Street gooddogbar.com
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Tavern 17 220 South 17th Street tavern17restaurant.com Tavern on Broad 200 South Broad Street tavernonbroad.com
Monk’s Café 264 S. 16th Street monkscafe.com
Tria 123 S. 18th Street 1137 Spruce Street triacafe.com
Moriarty’s Pub 1116 Walnut Street moriartyspub.com
Valanni 1229 Spruce Street valanni.com
Perch Pub 1345 Locust Street perchpub.com
Varalli 231 S. Broad Street varalliusa.com
Prohibition Taproom 501 N. 13th Street theprohibitiontaproom.com
Varga Bar 941 Spruce Street vargabar.com
Pub and Kitchen 1946 Lombard St thepubandkitchen.com
Westbury Bar 261 S. 13th Street westburybarandrestaurant.com
Resurrection Ale House 2425 Grays Ferry Ave. resurrectionalehouse.com Sansom Street Oyster House 1516 Sansom Street oysterhousephilly.com
phillybeerscene.com
Woodys 202 S 13th St woodysbar.com Brewpubs
Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant 1516 Sansom Street noddinghead.com
october/november2012
Retail Beer
Retail Beer
North/Northeast
Colney Delicatessen: 2047 Chestnut St
Old Philly Ale House 565 N 20th St
Bars & Restaurants
Food & Friends 1933 Spruce Street
Manayunk
The Foodery 324 S. 10th Street fooderybeer.com
Bars & Restaurants
Couch Tomato Cafe 102 Rector St thecouchtomato.com
Latimer Deli 255 South 15th Street
Dawson Street Pub 100 Dawson Street dawsonstreetpub.com
Monde Market 100 S 21st Street
Falls Taproom 3749 Midvale Ave
Homebrew Supplies
Flat Rock Saloon 4301 Main Street
Home Sweet Homebrew 2008 Sansom St. homesweethomebrew.com Fairmount Bars & Restaurants
The Belgian Café 2047 Green Street thebelgiancafe.com The Bishop’s Collar 2349 Fairmount Ave. thebishopscollar.ypguides. net Bridgid’s 726 N. 24th Street bridgids.com Jack’s Firehouse 2130 Fairmount Ave jacksfirehouse.com Kite And Key 1836 Callowhill Street thekiteandkey.com London Grill 2301 Fairmount Ave. londongrill.com McCrossens Tavern 529 N 20th St North Star Bar 2639 Poplar Street northstarbar.com Rembrandt’s 741 N. 23rd Street rembrandts.com St. Stephen’s Green 1701 Green Street saintstephensgreen.com
Franklin’s 3521 Bowman St Jake’s and Cooper’s Wine Bar 4365 Main Street jakesrestaurant.com Kildare’s 4417 Main Street kildarespub.com Lucky’s Last Chance 4421 Main St luckyslastchance.com
Campbell’s Place 8337 Germantown Ave. Daly’s Irish Pub 4201 Comly Street The Draught Horse 1431 Cecil B. Moore Ave. draughthorse.com The Grey Lodge Pub 6235 Frankford Ave. greylodge.com Hop Angel Brauhaus 7890 Oxford Ave hopangelbrauhaus. blogspot.com Lucky Dog 417 Germantown Ave McMenamin’s Tavern 7170 Germantown Ave. Mermaid Inn 7673 Germantown Ave themermaidinn.net Trolley Car Dinner 7619 Germantown Ave. trolleycardiner.com Brewpubs
Manayunk Tavern 4247 Main St manayunktavern.com
Earth Bread + Brewery 7136 Germantown Ave. earthbreadbrewery.com
Old Eagle Tavern 177 Markle Street oldeagletavern.com
Iron Hill Brewery 8400 Germantown Ave ironhillbrewery.com
T. Hogan’s Pub 5109-11 Rochelle Ave.
Retail Beer
The Ugly Moose 443 Shurs Ln theuglymoose.com Union Jack’s 4801 Umbria Street
The Beer Outlet 77 Franklin Mills Blvd. Brewers Outlet 7401 Germantown Ave mybrewersoutlet.com
Brewpubs
Craft Beer Outlet 9910 Frankford Ave. craftbeeroutlet.com
Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant 4120 Main Street manayunkbrewery.com
The Six Pack Store 7015 Roosevelt Boulevard thesixpackstore.com
Retail Beer
Homebrew Supplies
Doc’s World Of Beer 701 E. Cathedral Road World Wide Beverage Co 508 Green Lane
Malt House Limited 7101 Emlen St. Philadelphia, PA malthouseltd.com
Northern Liberties/ Fishtown Bars & Restaurants
700 700 N. 2nd Street the700.org The Abbaye 637 N. 3rd Street Atlantis: The Lost Bar 2442 Frankford Ave. Barcade 1114 Frankford Ave. barcadephiladelphia.com Bar Ferdinand 1030 N. 2nd Street barferdinand.com Blind Pig 702 N 2nd St blindpigphilly.com
Memphis Taproom 2331 E. Cumberland St. memphistaproom.com
Eulogy Belgian Tavern 136 Chestnut Street eulogybar.server101.com
The Dive 947 E. Passyunk Ave myspace.com/thedivebar
O’Neals Pub 611 S. 3rd Street onealspub.com
Murphs Bar 202 E Girard Ave
The Irish Pol 45 S. 3rd Street theirishpol.com
For Pete’s Sake 900 S. Front Street forpetessakepub.com
Percy Street Barbecue 600 S. 9th St percystreet.com
North Bowl 909 N 2nd Street northbowlphilly.com North Third 801 N. 3rd Street norththird.com Silk City 435 Spring Garden Street silkcityphilly.com Standard Tap 901 N. 2nd Street standardtap.com Breweries
Cantina Dos Segundos 931 N 2nd Street cantinadossegundos.com
Philadelphia Brewing Co. 2439 Amber Street philadelphiabrewing.com
Port Richmond Pourhouse 2253 E Clearfield St portrichmondpourhouse. com
Yards Brewing Co. 901 N. Delaware Avenue yardsbrewing.com Retail Beer
Druid’s Keep 149 Brown Street
The Foodery 837 N. 2nd Street fooderybeer.com
East Girard Gastropub 200 East Girard Ave Philadelphia, PA eastgirardpub.com
Global Beer Distribution 1150 N. American Street globalbeerphilly.com
El Camino Real 1040 N 2nd Street bbqburritobar.com Gunners Run 1001 N 2nd St Interstate Draft House 1235 E Palmer St interstatedrafthouse.com Johnny Brenda’s 1201 Frankford Ave. johnnybrendas.com Kraftwork 541 E. Girard Ave. kraftworkbar.com Max’s Brew Bar 1050 N Hancock St maxsbrewbar.com
Homebrew Supplies
Barry’s Homebrew Outlet 1447 N. American Street barryshomebrew.com Old City Bars & Restaurants
Barra 239 Chestnut St Bierstube 206 Market St mybierstube.com Brownie’s Irish Pub 46 S. 2nd Street browniesirishpub.com City Tavern 138 S. 2nd Street citytavern.com Craft & Claw 126 Chestnut St craftandclaw.com
The Khyber Pass Pub 56 S. Second Street thekhyber.com Mac’s Tavern 226 Market Street macstavern.com National Mechanics 22 S. 3rd Street nationalmechanics.com Philadelphia Bar and Restaurant 120 Market St philadelphiabarand restaurant.com Plough and The Stars 123 Chestnut Street ploughstars.com
The Headhouse 122 Lombard Street headhousephilly.com Jon’s Bar & Grille 300 South St jonsbarandgrille.com Kennett 848 S 2nd St Philadelphia, PA 19147 Kennettrestaurant.com Manny Brown’s 512 South Street manny-browns.com New Wave Café 784 S 3rd Street newwavecafe.com
The Wishing Well 767 S. 9th Street wishingwellphilly.com
Royal Tavern 937 East Passyunk Ave. royaltavern.com Southwark 701 S. 4th Street southwarkrestaurant.com
Bella Vista Beer Distributors 738 S. 11th Street bellavistabeverage.com Hawthornes 738 S. 11th St hawthornecafe.com South Philly Bars & Restaurants
Tapestry 700 S. 5th St tapestryphilly.com/
2nd St Brewhouse 1700 S 2nd St
Tattooed Mom 530 South Street facebook.com/tattooedmomphilly Twisted Tail 509 S 2nd St thetwistedtail.com
Retail Beer
American Sardine Bar 1801 Federal St americansardinebar.com Birra 1700 E Passyunk Ave birraphilly.com Cantina Los Cabalitos 1651 E Passyunk Ave cantinaloscabalitos.com
Race Street Café 208 Race Street racestreetcafe.net Revolution House 200 Market St revolutionhouse.com
Cheers 152 Years!
Sassafras Café 48 S. 2nd Street sassafrasbar.com Sugar Mom’s 225 Church Street myspace.com/sugarmoms Brewpubs
Triumph Brewing Co 117-121 Chestnut Street triumphbrewing.com Queens Village/ Bella Vista Bars & Restaurants
12 Steps Down 831 Christian St. 12stepsdown.com Brauhaus Schmitz 718 South St. brauhausschmitz.com
30 Beers on Draft Kitchen Open Late Night Most Reasonable Prices in Town
Philly’s ONLY Authentic Ale HouseWhere Every Week is “Beer Week!”
Bridget Foy’s 200 South Street bridgetfoys.com
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directory Devil’s Den 1148 S. 11th Street devilsdenphilly.com
Jolly’s Piano Bar 3801 Chestnut St jollyspianobar.com
The Industry 1401 E Moyamensing Ave theindustrybar.com
Local 44 4333 Spruce Street local44beerbar.com
Lucky 13 Pub 1820 S 13th Street lucky13pubphilly.com Pub On Passyunk East (POPE) 1501 E. Passyunk Ave. pubonpassyunkeast.com
Mad Mex 3401 Walnut Street madmex.com
South Philadelphia Tap Room 1509 Mifflin Street southphiladelphiatap room.com The Ugly American 1100 S. Front Street uglyamericanphilly.com Victory Beer Hall 1100 Pattison Ave xfinitylive.com Watkins Drinkery 1712 S 10th St
World Cafe Live 3025 Walnut Street worldcafelive.com Brewpubs
Dock Street Brewing Company 701 S. 50th Street dockstreetbeer.com Retail Beer
Bottle Shop at Local 44 4333 Spruce Street local44beerbar.com
Suburbs Bucks Co Bars & Restaurants
Bailey’s Bar & Grille 6922 Bristol Emilie Rd Levittown, PA 19057
Retail Beer
Beer Heaven 1100 S Columbus Blvd Bell’s Beverage 2809 S. Front Street Brew 1900 S. 15th Street brewphiladelphia.com The Bottle Shop 1837 E Passyunk Ave bottleshopbeer.com Society Hill Beverage 129 Washington Ave University City/West
Becker’s Corner 110 Old Bethlehem Rd Quakertown, PA 18951 Blue Dog Tavern 4275 Country Line Road Chalfont, PA 18914 bluedog.cc Bobby Simone’s 52 East State Street Doylestown, PA 18901 ilovebobbys.com Brady’s 4700 Street Road Trevose, PA 19053 bradys-pub.com
Bars & Restaurants
Tria Wine Room 3131 Walnut St bibawinebar.com The Blockley 38th & Ludlow Streets theblockley.com City Tap House 3925 Walnut Street citytaphouse.com Fiume 229 S 45th St
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The Buck Hotel 1200 Buck Road Feasterville, PA 19053 thebuckhotel.com Buttonwood Grill Rd 202 & Street Rd in Peddler’s Village peddlersvillage.com Candlewyck Bar & Grill 2551 Durham Rd Buckingham, PA 18912
phillybeerscene.com
Chambers Restaurant 19 N. Main St Doylestown, PA 18901 chambers19.com
Spinnerstown Hotel 2195 Spinnerstown Road Spinnerstown, PA 18968 spinnerstownhotel.com
Bensalem Beer & Soda 1919 Street Road Bensalem, PA 19020 bensalembeer.com
Pickering Creek Inn 37 Bridge Street Phoenixville, PA 19460 pickeringcreekinn.com
The Dog & Bull 810 Bristol Pike Croydon, PA 19021 dogandbullhouse.com
Springtown Inn 3258 Rt 212 Springtown, PA 18081 springtowninn.com
Bound Beverage 2544 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA 19020 boundbeverages.com
Rams Head 40 E. Market Street West Chester, PA 19382 ramsheadbarandgrill.com
Green Parrot Restaurant Pub & Patio 240 N Sycamore St, Newtown, PA 18940 greenparrotrestaurant. com
TJ Smiths 1585 Easton Rd Warrington, PA 18976 tjsmiths.com
Candlewyck Bar & Grill 2551 Durham Rd Buckingham, PA 18912
River Stone Cafe 143 W Lincoln Hwy Exton, PA 19341 riverstonecafe.com
Honey 42 Shewell Ave. Doylestown, PA 18901 honeyrestaurant.com Hulmeville Inn 4 Trenton Road Hulmeville, PA 19047 hulmevilleinn.com Isaac Newton’s 18 S. State Street Newtown, PA 18940 isaacnewtons.com Jamison Pour House 2160 York Road Jamison, PA 18929 jamisonpourhouse.com Maggio’s Restaurant 400 2nd Street Pike Southampton, PA 18966 maggiosrestaurant.com Manny Brown’s 25 Doublewoods Road Langhorne, PA 19047 manny-browns.com Maxwell’s on Main Bar & Restaurant 37 North Main St. Doylestown, PA 18901 momsmaxwellsonmain.com Mesquito Grille 128 W. State Street Doylestown, PA 18901 mesquitogrilledoylestown. com/ Newportville Inn 4120 Lower Road Newportville, PA 19056 newportvilleinn.net Puck 14 E. Court Street Doylestown, PA 18901 pucklive.com
october/november2012
Tony’s Place Bar & Grill 1297 Greeley Ave Ivyland, PA 18974 tonysplaceivyland.com Uno Chicago Grill 801 Neshaminy Mall Bensalem, PA 19020 unos.com 1661 Easton Road Warrington, PA unos.com Wycombe Publick House 1073 Mill Creek Rd Wycombe, PA 18980 wycombepublickhouse. com Breweries
Free Will Brewing Co 410 E Walnut St Ste 10 Perkasie, PA 18944 freewillbrewing.com Neshaminy Creek Brewing 909 Ray Ave Croydon, PA 19021 neshaminycreekbrewing. com Brewpubs
Triumph Brewing Co 400 Union Square New Hope, PA 18938 triumphbrewing.com Retail Beer
B&B Beverage 3670 Sawmill Road Doylestown, PA 18902 bandbbeverages.com Bailey’s Bar & Grille 6922 Bristol Emilie Rd Levittown, PA 19057
The Beer Store 488 2nd Street Pk. Southampton, PA 18966 thebeerstorebuckscounty. com/
Stephanie’s Take-Out 29 S. Main Street Doylestown, PA 18901 stephaniesrl.com Trenton Road Take Out 1024 Trenton Road Levittown, PA 19054 trentonroadtakeout.com Trevose Beer & Soda 550 Andrews Rd Langhorne, PA 19053
Ron’s Original Bar & Grille 74 E. Uwchlan Ave. Exton, PA 19341 ronsoriginal.com Side Bar 10 East Gay St West Chester, PA 19380 sidebarandrestaurant.com
Homebrew Supplies
Station Taproom 207 West Lancaster Ave. Downingtown, PA 19335 Stationtaproom.com
Wine, Barley & Hops Homebrew Supply 248 Bustleton Pike Feasterville, PA 19053 winebarleyandhops.com
TJ’s Everday 35 Paoli Plaza Paoli, PA 19301 tjseveryday.com
Chester Co Bars & Restaurants
The Drafting Room 635 N. Pottstown Pike Exton, PA 19341 draftingroom.com Epicurean Restaurant 902 Village At Eland Phoenixville, PA 19460 epicureanrestaurant.com The Fenix 193 Bridge St Phoenixville, PA 19460 thefenixbar.com Flying Pig Saloon 121 E. King Street Malvern, PA 19149 Half Moon Restaurant & Saloon 108 W. State Street Kennett Square, PA 19348 halfmoonrestaurant.com High Street Cafe 322 S. High Street West Chester,PA 19382 highstreetcaffe.com
The Whip Tavern 1383 Chatham Rd Coatesville, PA 19320 thewhiptavern.com Winners Circle 143 W. Lincoln Hwy Exton, PA 19341 winnerscircleexton.com Brewpubs
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 130-138 Bridge Street Phoenixville, PA 19460 3 W. Gay Street West Chester, PA 19380 ironhillbrewery.com McKenzie Brew House 324 West Swedesford Rd Berwyn, PA 19312
451 Wilmington-West Chester Pike Chadds Ford, PA 19342 mckenziebrewhouse.com
Lifes Too Short To Drink Bad Beer Break Free To Good Craft Beer
From it’s inception in 1986, Mari’s 6 Pac N Mor has always been a hot spot for beer! Having a selection of craft brews to go with the domestic & import brews, Mari decided to renovate the 5500 sq.ft. store & make it the Craft Beer mecca it is today! This store opened in November, 2011 with between 300 & 500 different brews. Less than 1 year later, the total number reached over 2000! Mari’s mission is customer satisfaction! The courteous & knowledgeable staff, the Bru Cru, are on hand to help customers find what they are looking for, or make a recommendation! With local & cornerstone craft breweries available, Mari has stocked the shelves with high end craft brewers, such as Mikkeller, Russian River, Lost Abbey and others! Foreign country crafts? They are well represented! Belgians?? The top Trappist breweries & the other great Belgian breweries! Crafts in Cans? A great selection! A 6 tap Craft on Draft station where you can get a pint, a 2 pint Crafty Carton, or a growler fill! Plus, Mix A Six pack of any 12oz bottles or cans & get a 20% discount! Also EVERY Saturday, FREE beer tastings from 2-4!! LIKE us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ maris6pacnmor1. But whatever you do, come see what the buzz is all about!! Mari’s 6 Pac N Mor!!
835-8 Hiester’s Lane • Reading • 610 750-6430 Sun-Wed Open 11am-Midnight • Thur-Sat Open 11am-1am
93
directory Sly Fox Brewing Company 520 Kimberton Road Phoenixville, PA 19460 slyfoxbeer.com Victory Brewing Company 420 Acorn Lane Downingtown, PA 19335 victorybeer.com Retail Beer
Exton Beverage Center 310 E. Lincoln Highway Exton, PA 19341 extonbeverage.com Waywood Beverage Co. 624 Millers Hill Kennett Square, PA 19348 waywoodbeverage.com Homebrew Supplies
Artisan Homebrew 128 East Lancaster Ave Downingtown, PA 19335 artisanhomebrew.com The Wine & Beer Barrel 101 Ridge Road Chadds Ford, PA 19317 Delaware Co Bars & Restaurants
2312 Garrett Bar 2312 Garrett Rd. Drexel Hill, PA 19026 2312garrett.com Azie 217 W. State Street Media, PA 19063 azie-restaurant.com Brother’s 157 Garrett Ave Rosemont, PA 19010 Flip & Bailey’s 900 Conestoga Rd Rosemont, PA 19010 flipandbaileys.com Frontier Saloon 336 Kedron Ave. Folsom, PA 19033 frontiersaloon.com Garrett Hill Ale House 157 Garrett Ave Rosemont, PA 19010 garretthillalehouse.com
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JD McGillicuddy’s 118 N. Wayne Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 690 Burmont Rd Drexel Hill, PA 19026 mcgillicuddys.net Oakmont National Pub 31 E. Eagle Road Havertown, PA 19083 oakmontnationalpub.com Pinocchio’s 131 E. Baltimore Pike Media, PA 19063 pinbeer.com Quotations 37 E. State Street Media, PA 19063 Teresa’s Next Door 126 N. Wayne Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 teresas-cafe.com UNO’s Chicago Grill 3190 West Chester Pike Newtown Square, PA Brewpubs
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 30 E. State Street Media, PA 19063 ironhillbrewery.com Retail Beer
Back Alley Beverage 2214 State Rd. Drexel Hill, PA 19026 backalleybev.com Beer Yard, Inc. 218 E. Lancaster Ave. Wayne, PA 19087 beeryard.com Civera’s 2214 State Road Drexel Hill, PA 19026 Landis Deli 118 W Lancaster Ave Wayne, PA 19087 http://www.cookplex. com/landis/ Pappou’s Pizza Pub 415 Baltimore Pike Morton, PA 19070 Pinocchio’s Beer Garden 131 E. Baltimore Pike Media, PA 19063 pinbeer.com
phillybeerscene.com
Township Line Beer & Cigars 5315 Township Line Road Drexel Hill, PA 19026 townshiplinebeerand cigars.com Swarthmore Beverage 719 South Chester Rd, Swarthmore, PA 19081 Homebrew Supplies
Brew Your Own Beer & Winemaking Too! 2026 Darby Road Havertown, PA 19083 Montgomery Co Bars & Restaurants
Baggatawny Tavern 31 N Front St Conshohocken, PA 19428 baggatawaytavern.com Blue Dog Pub 850 South Valley Forge Rd Lansdale, PA 19446 bluedog.cc Broad Axe Tavern 901 W. Butler Pike Ambler, PA 19002 broadaxetavern.com Brother Pauls Pub 3300 Ridge Pike Eagleville, PA 19403 brotherpaulspub.com Cantina Feliz 424 S Bethlehem Pike Fort Washington, PA 19034 cantinafeliz.com Capone’s Restaurant 224 W. Germantown Pike Norristown, PA 19401 caponesdraftlist.blogspot. com Chadwicks 2750 Egypt Rd Audobon, PA 19403 mychadwicks.com Chap’s Taproom 2509 W. Main St. Jeffersonville, PA 19403 chapstap.com Craft Ale House 708 W. Ridge Pike Limerick, PA 19468 craftalehouse.com
october/november2012
East End Alehouse 712 Main Street Harleysville, PA 19438 ortinos.com Fingers Wings And Other Things 107 W. Ridge Pike Conshohocken, PA 19428 fwot.com Firewaters 1110 Baltimore Pike Concord, PA 19342 firewatersbar.com Flanigan’s Boathouse 113 Fayette Street Conshohocken, PA 19428 flanboathouse.com French Quarter Bistro 215 Main St Royersford, PA frenchquarterbistro.com Gullifty’s 1149 Lancaster Ave. Rosemont, PA 19010 gulliftys.com Iron Abbey Gastro Pub 680 N. Easton Road Horsham, PA 19044 ironabbey.com Little Ortino’s Restaurant 800 North Main Street Schwenksville, PA 19473 ortinos.com Lucky Dog Saloon And Grille 417 Germantown Pike Lafayette Hill, PA 19106 theluckydogsaloon.com Lucky Lab 312 N. Lewis Rd Royersford, PA 19468 luckylabtavern.com Mad Mex 2862 W. Moreland Rd Willow Grove, PA 19090 madmex.com McCloskey Restaurant 17 Cricket Ave Ardmore, PA 19003 Mccloskeystavern.com McShea’s 30 E Lancaster Ave, Ardmore, PA 19003 242 Haverford Avenue Narberth PA 19072 mcsheas.com
Oreland Inn 101 Lorraine Avenue Oreland, PA 19075 Ortino’s Northside 1355 Gravel Pike Zieglerville, PA 19492 ortinos.com/northside Otto’s Brauhaus 233 Easton Road Horsham, Pa 19044 ottosbrauhauspa.com PJ Whelihan’s 799 Dekalb Pike Blue Bell, PA 19422 pjspub.com Side Door Pub 3335 County Line Road Chalfont, PA 18914 sidedoorpub.com Tonelli’s 278 Easton Rd Horsham, PA 19044 tonellispizza.com Union Jack’s 2750 Limekiln Pike Glenside, PA 19038 Uno’s Chicago Grill 1100 Bethlehem Pike North Wales,PA 19454 unos.com Village Tavern 511 Stump Road North Wales,PA 19454 villagetavernpa.com
Forest & Main Brewing Company 61 N Main St Ambler, PA 19002 forestandmain.com McKenzie Brew House 240 Lancaster Ave. Malvern, PA 19355 mckenziebrewhouse.com Rock Bottom Brewery 1001 King of Prussia Plaza King of Prussia, PA 19406 rockbottom.com Tired Hands 16 Ardmore Ave Ardmore, PA 19003 tiredhands.com Breweries
Prism Brewery 810 Dickerson Rd North Wales, PA 19454 prismbeer.com Round Guys Brewing Co 324 W Main St Lansdale, PA 19446 roundguysbrewery.com Sly Fox Brewing Co 312 N Lewis Rd Royersford, PA 19468 slyfoxbeer.com Retail Beer
Beer World 1409 Easton Ave Roslyn, PA 19001 beerworld-roslyn-pa.com
The Wet Whistle 300 Meetinghouse Road Jenkintown, PA 19046
The Beer Shoppe 44 Greenfield Avenue Ardmore, PA 19003
Whitpain Tavern 1529 Dekalb St Blue Bell, PA 19422
Capone’s Restaurant (takeout) 224 W. Germantown Pike Norristown, PA 19401
Brewpubs
Appalachin Brewing Co 50 W 3rd Ave Collegeville, PA 19426 abcbrew.com
Domestic & Imported Beverages 485 Baltimore Pike Glen Mills, PA 19342
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 1460 Bethlehem Pike North Wales, PA 19454 ironhillbrewery.com
Epps Beverages 80 W. Ridge Pike Limerick, PA 19468 eppsbeverages.com Flourtown Beverage 1114 Bethlehem Pike Flourtown, PA 19031
We bring you the Philly music scene. In print. Find mags around town in March, June, September and November. Follow us at facebook.com/jumpphilly or @JUMPphilly.
what goes with ghosts, goblins, turkeys and other things that go bump in the night?
BEER HEAVEN B H
Your favorite beers from
SIX PACK STORE
Named: “Best Place to Buy Beer” (Philadelphia Magazine)
Named One of 79 “Remarkable Retailers” (in the world)
Joe Sixpacks “Best Places for Six Packs”
7015 Roosevelt Blvd. • Philadelphia, Pa 215-338-6384 • TheSixPackStore.com
The Craft Beer Store
follow us @BeerHeavenPHL
1100 S. Columbus Blvd #23, Philadelphia, PA 19147
OVER 850
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7/18/2012 95 1:45:49 PM
Keep your LocaL event Search LocaL. CheCk out the ultimate guide to philly beer events phiLLy Beer Scene Online event Calendar
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need an event listed?
e-mail: events@beerscenemag.com
Have questions about tHe beer laws in Pennsylvania? Join us for our 2nd Beer Laws forum with
Senator ChuCk MCIlhInney and BIll CovaleSkI novemBer 8th at 7:00 at Yards Brewing Co. moderated BY tom Kehoe
open forum to have Your questions answered and Learn how You Can Better support LoCaL Craft Beer.
96
phillybeerscene.com
october/november2012
?
directory Frosty Caps 1745-47 Old York Road Abington, PA 19001
Jug Handle Inn 2398 Route 73 Cinnaminson, NJ 08077
Hatboro Beverage 201 Jacksonville Road Hatboro, PA 19040 hatbev.com
Keg & Kitchen 90 Haddon Avenue Westmont, NJ 08108 kegnkitchen.com
Michaels Deli 200 West Dekalb Pike King of Prussia, PA 19406 Michaelsdeli.com Towamencin Beverage Co 1555 Sumneytown Pike Lansdale, PA 19446 Home Brew Supplies
Keystone Homebrew Supply 435 Doylestown Rd. (Rt. 202) Montgomeryville, PA 18936 599 Main St Bethlehem, PA 18018 keystonehomebrew.com Weak Knee Home Brewing Supplies North End Shopping Ctr Pottstown, PA 19464 weakKneehomebrew.com
New Jersey Bars & Restaurants Blue Monkey Tavern 2 South Centre St. Merchantville, NJ 08109 bluemonkeytavern.com Dublin Square 167 Route 130 Bordentown, NJ 08505 dublinsquarepubs.com The Farnsworth House 135 Farnsworth Ave Bordentown, NJ 08505 thefarnsworthhouse.com The Firkin Tavern 1400 Parkway Ave. Ewing, NJ 08628 www.firkintavern.com Geraghty’s Pub 148 W. Broad Street Burlington, NJ 08016 geraghtyspub.com High Street Grill 64 High Street Mount Holly, NJ 09199 highstreetgrill.net
Lazy Lanigans Publick House 139 Egg Harbor Rd. Sewell, NJ 08080 lazylaniganspublickhouse. com Madison Pub 33 Lafayette Street Riverside, NJ 08075 Max’s Seafood Cafe 34 N Burlington St Gloucester City, NJ 08030 maxsseafoodcafe.com Mexican Food Factory 601 W Route 70 Marlton, NJ 08053 themexicanfoodfactory.com Ott’s 656 Stokes Road Medford, NJ 08055 ottsrestaurants.com Pour House 124 Haddon Avenue Haddon Twp, NJ 08108 Taproom & Grill 427 W. Crystal Lake Ave Haddonfield, NJ 08033 taproomgrill.com UNO’s Chicago Grill 225 Sloan Avenue Hamilton, NJ 1162 Hurffville Road Deptford, NJ
Breweries Flying Fish Brewing Company 900 Kennedy Blvd. Somerdale, NJ 08083 flyingfish.com River Horse Brewing Co. 80 Lambert Lane Lambertville, NJ 08530 riverhorse.com Retail Beer Canal’s Discount Liquors 10 W. Rt. 70 Marlton, NJ 08650 210 N Black Horse Pike Mt Ephraim, NJ 08059 1500 Route 38 Hainesport, NJ 08060 5360 Route 38 Pennsauken, NJ 08109
Ernest & Scott 902 N Market St Wilmington, DE 19810 ernestandscott.com
Retail Beer Avenue Wine & Spirits 2000 Delaware Ave Lowr Wilmington, DE 19806
Total Wine and More 2100 Route 38 Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Homegrown Cafe 126 E Main St Newark, DE 19711 homegrowncafe.com
Frank’s Union Wine Mart 1206 North Union Street Wilmington DE 19806 FranksWine.com
McGlynn’s Pub 8 Polly Drummond Shopping Center Newark, DE 19711
Greenville Wine & Spirits 4025 Kennett Pike Greenville, DE 19807 wineandspiritco.com
Walker’s Liquor Store 86 Bridge Street Lambertville, NJ 08530 Wine Works 319 Route 70 W Marlton, NJ 08053 Wonderful World of Wine 8 South Union Street Lambertville, NJ 08530 wonderfulworldofwines.net
108 Peoples Plaza Newark, DE 19702 mcglynnspub.com Nomad 905 N Orange St Wilmington, DE 19801
Home Brew Supplies BYOB 162 Haddon Avenue Westmont, NJ 08108 brewyourownbottle.com
Two Stones Pub 2-3 Chesmar Plaza Newark, DE 19713 twostonespub.com
Route 73 and Harker Ave Berlin, NJ 08009 canalsofberlin.com
Keg and Barrel Home Brew Supply 41 Clementon Road Berlin, NJ 08009
Ulysses 1716 Marsh Rd Wilmington, DE 19810 ulyssesgastropub.com
Hopewell BuyRite 222 Rt. 31 S. Pennington, NJ 08534 hopewellbuyrite.com
Princeton Homebrew 208 Sanhican Drive Trenton, NJ 08618
Washington Street Ale House 1206 Washington Street Wilmington, DE 19801 wsalehouse.com
2004 Mount Holly Road Burlington, NJ 08016 joecanals.com
Hops And Grapes 810 N. Delsea Drive Glassboro, NJ 08028 hopsandgrapesonline.com J & D’s Discount Liquor 430 N. Broad St Woodbury, NJ 08096 Joe Canal’s 1075 Mantua Pike West Deptford, NJ 08096
2803 S. Rt. 73 Maple Shade NJ unos.com
3375 US Rt. 1 Lawrence Twp, NJ 08648 305 N. Rt.73 Marlton, NJ 08053 joecanals.com
Brewpubs Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 124 E. Kings Highway Maple Shade, NJ 08052 ironhillbrewery.com
Liquor Barn 1051 Florence Columbus Rd Bordentown, NJ 08505
Triumph Brewing Co 138 Nassau Street Princeton, NJ 08542 triumphbrewing.com
Red White and Brew 33 High Street Mount Holly, NJ 08060 redwhitebrew.net
Monster Beverage 1299 N. Delsea Drive Glassboro, NJ 08028
Delaware Bars & Restaurants 1984 2511 W 4th St Wilmington, DE 19805 1984wilmington.com
World Cafe LIve at the Queen 500 N Market St Wilmington, DE 19801 queen.worldcafelive.com
BBC Tavern and Grill 4019 Kennett Pike Greenville, DE 19807 bbctavernandgrill.com
Brewpubs Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant 710 S. Madison Street Wilmington, DE 19801
Chelsea Tavern 821 N Market St Wilmington, DE 19801 chelseatavern.com Deer Park Tavern 108 W Main St Newark, DE 19711 deerparktavern.com Domaine Hudson 1314 N. Washington St Wilmington, DE 19801 domainehudson.com
Kreston’s Wine & Spirits 904 Concord Ave Wilmington, DE 19802 krestonwines.com Total Wine and More 691 Naamans Road Claymont, DE 19703 1325 McKennans Church Rd Wilmington, DE 19808 totalwine.com Home Brew Supplies How Do You Brew? 203 Louviers Drive Newark, DE 19711 howdoyoubrew.com
If you would like to considered for the beer directory, please email mat@ beerscenemag. com
147 E Main St Newark, DE 19711 ironhillbrewery.com Stewarts Brewing Co 219 Governors Place Bear, DE 19701 stewartsbrewingcompany. com Breweries Twin Lakes Brewing Co 4210 Kennett Pike Greenville, DE 19807
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local event calendar
Beer Events
For more events, visit phillybeerscene.com
October Friday, October 5th & Saturday, October 6th King of Prussia Beerfest Royale Parking Lots at KOP Mall West DeKalb Pk., King of Prussia, PA Saturday, October 6th Harvest Festival Hop Angel Brauhaus 7980 Oxford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111 Sunday, October 7th Pumpkin Smash 2012 City Tap House 3925 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104 Monday, October 8th Monk’s Mad Monday – Russian River (2 ultra-rarities) Monk’s Café 264 S. 16th St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 Tuesday, October 9th Meet Finch’s Beer Company Iron Abbey Gastro Pub 680 N. Easton Rd., Horsham, PA 19044 Wednesday, October 10th Victory Pint Night Mad Mex Willow Grove 2862 W. Moreland Rd., Willow Grove, PA 19090 Thursday, October 11th After Hours Arias with Unibroue & Center City Opera CO. Devil’s Den 1148 S. 11th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 Wednesday, October 17th Southern Tier Brewing Co. Tap Takeover Fingers, Wings & Other Things 107 W. Ridge Pk., Conshohocken, PA 19428
Wednesday, October 24th Neshaminy Creek Night Old Eagle Tavern 177 Markle St., Philadelphia, PA 19127 Saturday, October 27th Hardy – Har – Harvest The Grey Lodge Pub 6235 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19135 Wednesday, October 31st Special Pumpkin Firkin & Aged Pumpkin Beers Devil’s Den 1148 S. 11th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
November Friday, November 2nd La Dia la Mielga (The Day of the Dogfish) The Grey Lodge Pub 6235 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19135 Wednesday, November 7th Our First Russian River Keg London Grill 2301 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19130 Thursday, November 8th Southern Tier Dessert Night Old Eagle Tavern 1747 Markle St., Philadelphia, PA 19127
Sunday, October 21st West Philly Homebrew Competition Dock Street Brewery 701 S. 50th St., Philadelphia, PA 19143
Beer Laws Forum II Yards Brewing Company 901 N. Delaware Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19123
Monday, October 22nd Monk’s Mad Monday w/Evil Twin Monk’s Café 264 S. 16th St., Philadelphia, PA 19102
Saturday, November 10th Flashpoint Theatre Brewfest Triumph Brewing Company 117 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
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Craft Beer Express Various Locations, Philadelphia, PA Craftbeerexpress.com Tuesday, November 13th Homebrew Turns Pro Brewer Dinner Monk’s Café 264 S. 16th St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 Wednesday, November 14th Goose Island Brew & Chew Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse 1823 Sansom St., Philadelphia, PA 19103 Thursday, November 15th Bathtub Beer Fest National Constitution Center 525 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19106 Thursday, November 22nd Aged Pumking & Oaked Aged Pumking Devil’s Den (open at 7pm) 1148 S. 11th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 Friday, November 23rd Prism Night with The Machine Keswick Theater 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside, PA 19038 Saturday, November 24th Winter Beer Fest Union Transfer 1026 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, PA 19123
December Saturday, December 8th 2nd Annual Valley Forge Beer Festival Greater Philadelphia Expo Center 100 Station Ave., Oaks, PA 19456
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Top 5 Places in the World to Have a Beer All About Beer Magazine, 2010
Top 5 places in America for Beer & Food Celebrator Magazine, November 2006
Best Mussels in America Maxim Magazine, August 2009
PHILLY’S BEST Beer Bar* BEST Draft Beer* BEST Beer Selection* BEST Late Night Dining* BEST Bar Food* BEST Burgers* BEST Fries* *Philly’s Best, Best of Philly, etc Awards ‘97, ‘98, ‘99, ‘00, ‘01, ‘02, ‘03, ‘04, ‘05, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, ‘09, ‘10, ‘11 & ‘12
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