Raiders of the Lost Fridge

I've always had a knack for saving beers.

In college I was the one who frequented home the most and therefore accumulated more of a variety of beers. My roommates always commented on my keen ability to save beers longer than themselves.

Sometimes I will buy a beer, very excited to try it, and then sit on it for months at a time. That feeling of urgency fades and it gets tucked away in the back of the fridge amongst the forgotten bottles. That sounds like a sad story but is quite the opposite for when that bottle resurfaces in my consciousness it is a treasure to behold. For the most part, these hidden beers are big and memorable, deserving of the wait. Other times they are not so exciting in themselves but gain hype just because they've been forgotten for so long.

I purchased a bottle of Flying Dog's Barrel Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter weeks ago and it is currently resting pleasantly on my fridge door amongst other "savers". Nearly every time I work with my co-worker Steve, he asks if I have opened it yet and I answer with a resounding, "NO!" Now I've never had this barrel-aged version but I really do love the standard Gonzo so I am expecting great things. Flying Dog is far from one of my favorite breweries but their Gonzo is a real barn-burner so I can't wait to pop open this Wild Dog. For now however, I am going to enjoy the wait.

There is something about holding onto such beers that gives them a little something extra once they are eventually opened. Sometimes I can't resist. I had one extra bottle of Victory's Dark Intrigue which one would think would be a saver but after a week and a half, its time had come. The opportunity arose and I simply had to pop it open to share with friends.

It's all about timing though. If you're in the mood...crack it open. If you're going to be forcing down that barleywine you've had for months...just wait!
Every beer has it's proper time and place!

Cheers!

Brewery Tour: River Horse Brewing Company

This past Saturday I was free from both jobs to do whatever I pleased, the first time I had a wide open schedule in what felt like a long time. What better way to fill the void than a visit to River Horse Brewing Company a little ways up the Delaware in Lambertville, NJ. Despite living fairly close and frequenting that area quite a bit in the summer months I had never actually been to River Horse for a tasting/tour and it felt good to check it off my list. There are also a few vintage shops in town so I knew I could bait my girlfriend into coming along.

Situated right next to the river, the brewery is tucked away in an unassuming office complex in a tiny brick building that is over 100 years old. The building was originally used for the production of oyster crackers and later other various snack foods. Luckily today their product is much more enjoyable. Speaking of which, I had never been overly impressed with River Horse's brews. They make some quality beers (I'm partial to their Tripel and Milk Stout) but I've never had a River Horse that really wowed me. Not trying to bash them but seeing how small they are I couldn't help but feel like they could take a few more risks with their beer.

Entering the tasting room on the first floor I ordered myself a sampler which consisted of 4 decently sized samples (Lager, Tripel Horse, Belgian Freeze, and their Special Ale) for $1...a good start. A few moments later the tour guide gathered the small group to start the tour. Figuring out how to hold my beers, take pictures, and stay interested in what this guy was saying was quite a challenge especially since we had to head up to the brew-house which is on the second floor. The above picture is their entire operation, I was really surprised to see how small they actually are there. They really have no room to expand at their current location but they seem make the best of what they've got.

They is a big window up on the second floor that everything must come in and out of when they bring in new ingredients or supplies. This did not make me envy the brewers at all. They had been brewing Lager just before we arrive and the assistant brewer was actually in the mash tun cleaning it out as the tour came through. We headed back downstairs where they were actually kegging some Oatmeal Milk Stout, it was nice to go on a tour of a brewery as they were actually operating which was somethign I had never experienced before. The downstairs packaging area gives them much more space but is also subject to flooding every now and again. Lot's of factors here made me think that they could really benefit from a move. The guide let us get up close and personal with the bottling line, finished the normal shpeel, and just left us there in the packaging area as he went out through a different door. Strange way to end a tour.

While I'm glad I finally got to see the brewery, River Horse isn't one of the must-sees of our local beer scene. The brewery and tasting room as so small and offer very little space to just hang out before or after the tour. It was interesting to see a brewery in operation but everything else was pretty typical of a tour. I did notice that they haven't fully finished re-branding themselves as some beer was about to be shipped out with the old logo and branding. I prefer the new look much more and hope they make the full transition soon. According to their website, Friday tours are self-guided. I'm not quite sure how that would work but would be eager to hear about it.

River Horse Brewing Company

80 Lambert Lane
Lambertville, NJ 08530

Cheers!

Adventures in Homebrewing: Blazing Pumpkin

Thanksgiving had been the real deadline for my Blazing Pumpkin Ale and it seemed to go over pretty well. While most of my family is a strictly Yuengling drinking crowd there were a few adventurous souls that gave it a try. Given that this is the first brew I've done all by myself I am proud of how it turned out but it is by no means perfect.

It turned out a little darker than I had hoped but held up to light it had a nice hazy burnt-orange color to it which is what I like my pumpkins to look like. It manged to have some good looking, off-white head that fades quickly leaving just a thin layer on top. I really liked the aroma I managed it get. Lots and lots of pumpkin and the standard spices really come out in the nose. The first few sips give off some very strong pumpkin flavors and then the cinnamon and nutmeg really take over. Then there is the finish which has some odd flavors going on. I couldn't quite tell if it was a diacetyl issues or what but something seemed off. It was much more noticeable in some bottles so maybe it was a sanitizing issue...I don't know. I did find that it was much more enjoyable after it had warmed up a little though. There was some very strong carbonation which bothered me because I thought it was distracting from the flavors. All in all, Blazing Pumpkin wasn't a rousing success but not an utter failure. I can enjoy having a couple bottles of this at night but don't think I really nailed this pumpkin ale.  Perhaps I'll modify the recipe and give it another shot next year.

Cheers!

Adventures in Homebrewing: Coffee Cold-Extract

I feel like I've been sitting on my brown ale forever but today was the day that I finally added the coffee into the carboy. After much studying up and deliberation I ended up doing a cold-extract with the coffee grounds and add them directly into the primary, skipping a secondary completely this time around. It seems like the homebrewing crowd is split pretty evenly between racking to a secondary or not but it seems like for what I'm doing here, leaving it in the primary would be just fine.

I chose to use a locally roasted Hawaiian blend for the coffee flavor. If it works the way I am hoping, this blend will contribute some light caramel notes with a medium coffee flavor. I didn't want the coffee to overwhelm the beer but rather compliment it delicately. In order to achieve the cold extract I boiled 4-5 cups of water then let it sit and cool down a bit before adding it to about a 1/2 cup of the grounds. I put that sanitized container in the fridge and let it sit for 24 hours.

Using a standard coffee filter and my funnel I filtered the extract into the carboy. This thrilling process took quite a long while so I hope that this coffee addition works the way I am hoping. As with every brew...I'm very nervous. Everything seemed to go smoothly with this one and I hope that's a good sign. I'll be bottling soon and crossing my fingers.

Cheers!

Taste Taste: Southern Tier Pumking

Pumking
Southern Tier Brewing Company
Lakewood, NY, USA
Pumpkin Ale
9.00% ABV
Bottle





Working at The Craft Beer Outlet gave me some real insight into just how much people LOVE this beer. It has earned a legendary status in the craft beer world and people go just a little crazy for it. I was lucky enough to snag two bottles of Pumking this season, employee perks. I had this last year and remembered loving it so I was excited to have these in my fridge.

Pumking pours a beautiful hazy orange with a creamy head that has decent retention given the higher ABV. It really is an amazing color when you hold your glass up to the light. Rich aroma full of pumpkin pie spices. This is possibly the most unique tasting pumpkin ale out there, it really is liquid pumpkin pie. The nutmeg and cinnamon really shine through accompanied by a strong vanilla flavor. It is slick on the tongue and takes some time to really comprehend what your taste buds are getting. There is some sweetness here with just a hint of alcohol that warms you up. After a while I found it to be almost too much, I wish I had been sharing it this time around. It is still up there as one of the best pumpkin ales around but the unique and strong flavor did become a bit off-putting for me. I prefer a spicier pumpkin rather than something this sweet. Still...Pumking is rather tasty and something to try.

In Memoriam

 

Four Loko

2005-2010

This is a sad day in the alcohol world. The beverage known as Four Loko has been banned along with all other caffeinated alcoholic drinks. After much litigation and drama the FDA has banned these wildly popular drinks from American shelves. I know four girls that I lived above my senior year at Temple who are dealing with a lot of grief on this sad day. No more will teenagers be able to imbibe in these truly unique liquids that brought so much joy to communities nation-wide. When people call The Craft Beer Outlet asking if we have Four Lokos I will now be pained to give those patrons the tragic news. 

This will be a day long remembered.

More on this loss here.

 

Stout & Chowder Recap

This past Saturday night Rolling Barrel Events hosted their first annual Stout & Chowder Festival at the Independence Seaport Museum. I arrived, not knowing what I would be pouring, and was lucky enough to be assigned to the Weyerbacher booth. I was pouring their Winter Ale all night but was able to sample most of the other breweries' offerings. I'd have to say that Dock Street's Satellite Espresso Stout was my favorite of the night. I had had majority of all of the other brews in attendance but this was a new one for me and it was very very impressive.

It was a rather small event, a very manageable beer fest that wasn't too overwhelming for the guests. I'd like to  see them expand the number of breweries just a little to offer some more variety for the more seasoned drinkers but I can't complain, I didn't pay to be there.

The volunteers were given most of the leftover bottles so I took home some Imperial Pumpkin, Storm King, and Yakima Glory. Not too shabby for a few hours "work". Judging from that night, Rolling Barrel sure can throw together a great event and I look forward to attending or working at their next.

Cheers!

Stout & Chowder Festival

What better way to spend a brisk November evening than with some robust beers and hearty chowder?

Join the Independence Seaport Museum (ISM) and Rolling Barrel Events for an evening filled with dark / seasonal beers and belly-warming soups.  Tickets to the event will include a commemorative glass mug (yes, real glass), access to over ten “Burly Beer Stations” featuring all local breweries, a special breakout session showcasing pumpkin beers, and numerous hearty soups, stews and chowders.  Proceeds will benefit the Independence Seaport Museum

Tonight is the First Annual Stout & Chowder Festival and the lineup looks mighty tasty. Corey from Rolling Barrel Events was kind enough to let me man one of the "Burly Beer Stations" at tonight's event at the Seaport Museum so there is even more reason for you to buy a ticket. Not sure what I'll be pouring yet but I'll be sure to throw some updates on Twitter. Sounds like it is going to be a great night so I hope to see you there! Get your tickets here!

The brewery list is as follows:

• Manayunk Brewing Co.
• Lancaster Brewing Co.
• Flying Fish
• Weyerbacher
• Dock Street
• Victory
• Philadelphia Brewing Co.
• Troegs
• Yards
• Intercourse
• Dogfish Head

Cheers!

Brew Masters on The Discovery Channel

It was only a matter of time before there was a show about the wonderful world of craft beer.

Brew Masters premieres November 21 at 10pm on The Discovery Channel and will follow Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione around his Delaware brewery and the world as he finds new recipes and ingredients for their "off-centered" brews.

I honestly can't believe it has taken The Discovery Channel this long to put together a show like this. With the countless number of shows about quirky bakeries or families contributing to the surplus population of the planet, it is nice to see show coming out that will actually interest me.

I know some people are looking down their nose at Sam Calagione for doing this but like a new beer, don't knock it before you try it. I think the concept has a lot of promise and hope it works out well. If it's a real success I would like to see them branch out and follow other "Brew Masters" around to see how other breweries operate. Either way, I know I'll be watching.

You can watch the short preview that came out last week here.

On a somewhat related note, if this show does well it just might encourage Spike to pick up Three Sheets so you should watch as well!

Cheers!

Adventures in Homebrewing: Coffee-Brown Brewday

Surprise brewdays can be fun.

I was supposed to go into work yesterday but I got the word that I could have the evening off which meant only one thing, time to brew! I had picked up everything from Princeton Homebrew earlier in the day and was ready to go by 2:30.

All of my grains were steeped in one bag, filling the kitchen with those delightful aromas that no one else in my house seemed to enjoy. My recipe was pretty simple and things went much smoother than my last batch which was a real mess. I was much more diligent in taking temperature readings and what not, I felt pretty good about the whole brewday.

I was a little nervous about my yeast given the problems I had with my pumpkin ale and it was also the first time I had used liquid yeast. I had originally thought I was going to use Wyeast's British Ale II but after going over some other strains with Joe I decided to try White Labs' Pacific Ale. It came recommended for the style and should create a maltier profile which I'm hoping will balance out some of the bitterness from the coffee.

This is the first time that I've set up a blow-off tube which really calms my nerves about any explosions that my parents would not appreciate with the carboy sitting in the dining room. I'm probably going to let this one sit in the primary for about a week before racking to the secondary where I'll add the coffee. I have basically just enough time to have this ready for the December 7th competition so I hope nothing goes wrong.

Cheers!

Adventures in Homebrewing: Brown Ale Recipe

I was planning on brewing a red ale for the holiday season but then The Draught Horse came along with another homebrew competition so I decided to put together a brown ale that I could enter. I wanted something that could be sessionable but also fully flavored. What I came up with is a bit of an English-American hybrid:

 

Grains

0.5 lb Crystal Malt 60L

0.5 lb Biscuit Malt

0.25 lb U.K. Chocolate Malt

LME

6.6 lb Muntons Amber

Hops

1 oz U.K. Kent Goldings (bittering)

1 oz Fuggles (finishing)

Yeast

White Labs - Pacific Ale

I was going to go with an English yeast strain but decided to go with this Pacific to accentuate the malts a little more.

I'm going to make this a coffee-brown ale. I've been reading up on using coffee and I will probably end up doing a cold extract into the secondary, just need to figure out the specifics on that process.

I'm still not sure what I'm going to name this one though, if you have any ideas I'm all ears. They are judging the beers on appearance, drinkability, taste, body, smell, concept, and NAME so it's gotta be a good one!

Cheers!

Adventures in Homebrewing: Brew Target

While anxiously awaiting my pumpkin ale I've been trying to decide what to brew next. The homebrew contest at The Draught Horse has encouraged me to go with a brown ale next so I've been working on coming up with a suitable recipe. For a novice like myself this can be a little daunting. Yes I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing but I'm not trying to act like an expert here.

That's where Brew Target comes in to save the day. Brew Target is a very useful program that allows homebrewers like myself concoct their own recipes while the software takes care of the sometimes complicated calculations. I would encourage anyone to double check the calculations but it is a great tool to formulate a recipe. Input all of your ingredients and particulars and Brew Target will give you an estimated read out of how your brew will turn out. Once all of your ingredients and procedures are in the program it will tell you the estimated IBUs, SRM, ABV, and more. If you have even the slightest idea about brewing then the application is pretty self-explanatory. It's rather fun to make up recipes without having to worry about spoiling a whole batch. Of course there are some improvements to be made but nothing's perfect. I would assume this would be quite useful to seasoned and amateur brewers alike. The best part about it is that it's free!

Here's a video demonstration of the program:

You can download Brew Target for yourself here.

Cheers!

Brewery Tour: Troegs Brewing Company

 
I went camping with majority of my family this past weekend out in Manheim, PA which is only 20 minutes or so outside of Harrisburg where the brothers Trogner have been brewing since 1997. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit one of the breweries that helped me get into craft beer a few years ago so I took a break from the wilderness and headed for the capital.

Luckily my girlfriend is used to these sorts of diversions on vacations (visiting Maui Brewing Co. when we were in Hawaii this summer was a priority) so she was my brewery co-pilot. We drove over the railroad tracks to find Troegs nestled away all by it's lonesome. I spotted a Troegenator van and got very excited about it, somehow I haven't become jaded yet and each new brewery I visit gets me all a twitter.

We had reservations for the 1:30 tour so with a little bit of time to kill we checked out the gift shop which had one of the biggest selections I've seen. They have a t-shirt and a glass for nearly everyone of their beers. Everything was priced pretty reasonably which made my decision on what to buy all the more difficult. I ended up grabbing a brewery work shirt for $10. They have a bunch of used work shirts with employees names still on them which I found to be much cooler than the regular swag.

Our group was called in for the tour which I was excited to realize would be led by Chris Trogner himself. I really appreciate when a tour is led by a brewery's founder or brewmaster rather than a schlub that works in the tasting room. Chris led a pretty standard tour, starting with the labs and mill room. There was one guy in our group that was constantly interrupting with completely irrelevant questions. I think he saw that they offered something free to do on a Saturday and decided that he should bring his entire weird family who couldn't have cared less about what was going on. Even Chris couldn't hide his annoyance with this guy, there always has to be "that guy" on a tour I guess.

 

The tour carried on and Chris led everyone through the whole process, handed out some grains and hops for everyone to see, told us that the spent grains get picked up by some farmer for his cows, same old same old. One exciting moment in the tour was when we were shown the hopback chamber. They only use it for a few of their brews (obviously Hopback Amber is one of them) and when Chris mentioned that that was where Nugget Nectar was born, all of the beer geeks started smiling and nodding their heads while their girlfriends just stared at the stainless steel chamber.

We ended up on the other side of the facility near the bottling line where they have a number of barrels stacked against the wall where they have some exciting experiments going on. These barrels are home to their Splinter Series, barrel aged brews that are only available at the brewery in very limited quantities. What we saw aging was their Russian Imperial Stout which after maturing for 8 months will be available around Christmas. The way Chris talked about it I really wish I lived closer because it sounded like it is going to be delicious.

The tour winded down and Chris stuck around for any lingering questions so I asked him about the big move to Hershey. He said that things were going well and as of right now they are on schedule and should be brewing by June 2011. I was shocked to hear that they were taking the entire operation to Hershey but from what I've read the new location is going to be much more spacious which will be great improvement because we were quite cramped on Saturday. The tasting room is going to have large windows which will allow visitors to watch while they brew, something that I can't wait to check out.

A mock-up of the new brewery

After the tour we grabbed a sampling tray since my girlfriend wasn't familiar with their selections. For $7 you get to try all 7 of their drafts which that day included their year rounds plus Dead Reckoning and Scratch 34, a Belgian style brown. The samples were pretty generous but I was really hoping they would have Mad Elf on tap, but alas. They also have Philly soft pretzels available and you can fill your growler for pretty cheap but of course I neglected to bring mine along for the trip. We finished our sampler and I picked up a bottle of The Flying Mouflan before we headed back to the woods.

The Troegs variety pack was one of the first few cases I bought when my roommates and I were starting to explore the world of real beer so it was a pleasure to visit it's home in Harrisburg. I'm also glad I got to visit their original location before they move out but I think their new brewery will be bigger and better so I would recommend planning a trip next summer. If you happen to find yourself in our state's capital, a place that can get pretty boring pretty quickly, head over to Troegs for a beer because they won't be there for long!

Troegs Brewing Company

800 Paxton St
Harrisburg, PA 17104

Cheers!

Yuengling Homebrew Contest

The Draught Horse is teaming up with Yuengling for another homebrewing contest! They had their first competition during this year's Philly Beer Week and I actually ended up winning the thing with the Imperial IPA, "Hop & Circumstance", that my roommates and I brewed in the Spring. I still have yet to schedule the private tour of the brewery that was part of the prize but am still pretty excited for that.

This time around they are calling for all entries to be Brown Ales. I already had plans to brew a Red Ale next but I might squeeze a Brown in for this competition. The competition will take place on December 7th at 8pm. They are giving prizes out for the top 5 brews so it couldn't hurt to enter!

If you plan on entering just email them at info@draughthorse.com, they'll give you all the details and requirements that you'll need.

 

The Draught Horse is located on Temple University's campus at

1431 Cecil B. Moore Ave

Philadelphia, PA 19121

Cheers!

Adventures in Homebrewing: Bottling Day

My Blazing Pumpkin Ale has been bottled and is currently lying in wait in the laundry room. In a couple weeks it will unleash all of it's spicy Halloween goodness upon the taste buds of my family, friends, and most importantly, myself. That is of course if I didn't screw it up too much.

I had my friend Fae over to help me bottle and things couldn't have gone smoother. I'm so glad that I invested in that auto-siphon because it has quickly become one of my favorite tools. Bottling is the most enjoyable and least stressful step in the whole process for me...besides the drinking part. I decided to give labeling a shot and I think they look great. A label really makes you feel much more legitimate than you are.

The beer itself has a great color, really deep copper-orange. Once I took the airlock off I was immediately hit with a wonderfully spicy pumpkin aroma. I am quite pleased with the strong aroma because I find that to be especially important to a good pumpkin ale. We'll see how it turns out once it's ready for indulgence later this month. Fingers crossed.

Cheers!

Yards News

 

Some exciting news from Yards Brewing Company Founder and Brewmaster, Tom Kehoe. The Philadelphia brewery is planning a major expansion at their Delaware Ave. brewery that will have a nearly 50 percent increase in production. New fermenters are on their way which will enable Tom and his team to brew around 24,000 barrels, up 8,000 from their current output. This is great news for Yards lovers far and wide, distribution will surely expand as they are able to produce more beer. Unfortunately there is no timeline available at this time.

Love Stout is out breaking hearts all over the city. Yards took a bit of a break from this oyster stout but it is back and it is mighty fine if I do say so myself. Here is a list of bars which have Love Stout on tap:

• Brigid's
• City Tap House
• Dawson Street
• Irish Pol
• Jose Pistola's
• Local 44
• London Grill
• Rembrandt's
• Southwark
• Swift Half

And of course you can get it at the Yards tasting room which is open Monday - Saturday from 12-7pm and Sunday from 12-4pm except for this upcoming Saturday, no tours or tastings on the 16th!

Lastly, Yards sent their barley over to Percy Street BBQ to be smoked for their Grodziski Smoked Polish Wheat. I had this on tap at The Hulmeville this past summer and I would recommend everyone to at least try it once it is out again. It is truly one of the most interesting beers I've ever had. You've got your wheats and you've got your smoked beers, I had never had the two together before this and was really blown away by the flavors that came along with this combination. It is not for everyone, the smokiness is quite prominent, but if you want to try something incredibly unique make sure you grab a pint next time you see it at a bar.

Yards Brewing Company

901 North Delaware Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19123

Cheers!

No more Yakima Twilight?

Victory Brewing Company rarely disappoints me so when I heard there would be no more Yakima Twilight Ale I was more than distraught. Yakima Twilight is a Dark IPA that was released just about a year ago. I was lucky enough to try it at The Draught Horse before it was officially out and I fell in love immediately. I still think this is one of the best Black IPAs out there, much more balanced and fully flavored than most others that I've tried. It would be a real shame for Victory to lose this from their seasonal lineup.

But fear not! It is true you won't be able to get Yakima Twilight this year but only because Bill and Ron have decided to rename this brew, Yakima Glory.

I haven't decided which name I like more. I suppose it does deserve a triumphant name like 'Glory' but 'Twilight' has a nice ring to it as well. It really doesn't matter though, this sort of thing only concerns nerds like me. The important thing is that you'll be able to get this delicious beer on draft and in bottles this November through January, I highly suggest that you do.

Cheers!

Upcoming Events

There are quite a few events coming up this week in the area, here's a run down of the ones worth noting.

10/07/10

• Smuttynose Firkin at Devil's Den
• They're gonna a firkin of their Big A IPA along with their Pumpkin, Robust Porter, and Finestkind IPA on tap. They have a great happy hour with half off drafts from 5-7pm followed by $1 off Smuttynose drafts from 7-9pm.
•  Dogfish Head Dogtoberfest at Kite and Key
• Some of the rarer Dogfish brews will be on tap including Red & White, Palo Santo Marron, Theobrama, Sah'Tea, and Black & Blue. Starts at 5pm.
•  Sixpoint Takeover at The Hulmeville

• Kevin The Big Beer Guy will be there with a Sixpoint rep and a firkin of their Brownstone Brown Ale. They really want to beat the current record for kicking a firkin in under 31 minutes. Yards' Old Bart Barleywine is the current champ, I was there that night and if the Hulmeville crowd can slam down a barleywine that fast this shouldn't be a problem. Free glassware when you get a pint from the firkin as well as a chance to win a $25 gift card if they beat the record. They'll also have their Old Krusher Barleywine and Sehr Crisp Pilsner on tap. The madness begins at 6pm.

10/08/10

• Victory Takeover at Varga
• This is going to be a real takeover, every single tap will be a Victory brew including some brewpub exclusives. This event starts at 9pm, not a bad way to spend a Friday night.
•  Great Lakes at The Hulmeville
• They're gonna have Commodore Perry, Oktoberfest, and the tasty Nosferatu on tap. Specials on drafts and giveaways start at 8pm.

10/09/10

• BeerFest at Bolton Mansion
• They're 4th annual fest will feature some great breweries, live music, and food. Proceeds will be going to Friends of Bolton Mansion and The American Cancer Society of Bucks County. Tickets are $30 online and $35 at the door. Starts at 12pm...too bad I'm working.

10/10/10

• Beer Geek BBQ at The Hulmeville

• Another BBQ celebrating Steve Hawk who will have a charity keg on his back with proceeds going to pancreatic cancer research. Lew Bryson will also be there signing copies of his new book, The 4th Edition of Pennsylvania Breweries. As of right now the insane tap list looks like this: Sculpin, Rock Art Pumpkin Spruce, Bourbon Plead the Fifth, 5 AM Saint, Allagash Bourbon Black, Port Older Viscosity, Rodenbach Vintage 2008, Victory At Sea, Brooklyn Detonation, Green Flash Le Freak, Chocolate Yeti...with more to come. They'll be cooking up free burgers and dogs and they'll be opening up the deck so bring your beach chairs. Everything starts at 12pm, I'm also working all day can hopefully swing by after.

What a week for beer!
Cheers!