Brews For Boobies 2011 Recap

I wouldn't normally consider myself a pub crawl kinda guy unless it was one of my own making. But when the crawl is hosted by Philly Beer Scene, makes stops at some of the city's best bars, and is for a good cause...well I suppose that's a horse of a different color.
For the second year in a row now I ventured into Center City for the Brews For Boobies crawl for breast cancer with a big group of friends from all over the area, we even had two drinkers join us from Connecticut. Our own group, about 25 people, was probably half of the entire Center City crawl.  

Everyone met up at the first bar, Cavanaugh's Rittenhouse, where the oh so tasteful t-shirts were distributed and $3 pints were flowing. A lot of us hadn't seen each other in a while and this was a great way to start the day. The first stop on last year's crawl was at Monk's which we were all a bit upset to see absent from this year's itinerary but not to worry, we were able to sneak in a few beers there the next day.
Arguably Philly's best brewpub, Nodding Head, was our next stop. Nearly everyone we were with was anxious to get some of their Ich Bin Ein Berliner Weisse since it would soon be gone until next Spring and like great beacons of light, multiple pitchers were brought out and quickly disposed of. I was going to say that that stuff goes down way too easily but that would make it sound like I was complaining. They also had wet hopped Chinook DIPA on tap, I only had a couple sips from someone else's glass but I'll be damned if that wasn't one of the freshest-tasting beers I've ever had. I also enjoyed a plate of their Thai wings which were equally delicious, they know what they're doing in all aspects. And I can't forget that I got to talk to my best friend Fae who is currently in Senegal in the Peace Corps, she was on last year's crawl and couldn't pass up at least being there this year even if it was only on the phone.


After being impressed with our own ability to successfully split the check for so many people we trampsed over to Misconduct Tavern where I took advantage of the $3 Sly Fox Saison Vos drafts. The bar was already packed without the crawl coming in so we commandeered the outdoor seating for some good old fashioned people watching. Luckily the weather was perfect for a 12 hour tour through the city and sidewalk drinking, sunny and warm. Once we snapped a group shot it was time to move on to Jose Pistola's, one of my favorite spots for dinner downtown. I was trying to be smart about my beer choices not wanting to be totally out of it before sundown but couldn't resist Port Mongo on tap. If you are a lover of hops and haven't had yourself a glass of this you should stop reading right now and seek out a bottle.

I was excited for the next stop, the relatively young Perch Pub on Broad, because I had heard great things but hadn't been there yet myself. Heading up the stairs to the bar I was surprised by how big the place was, I just wasn't expecting that much space up there. The hostess led us to the back room with the pool table which was suspiciously vacant, I'm not sure why everyone else decided to cram around the crowded bar. They have a pretty varied tap list and most of them were half off for the crawl, I went with Victory's Braumeister Harvest Pils and was thoroughly impressed. Big hoppy presence, probably too much for traditionalists, sweet pale malts, grapefruit, and lemon grass flavors with strong carbonation made for one awesome pilsner. Their Prima Pils is untouchable as far as I'm concerned but this is a great addition to the Victory family and offers some stiff competion. I do believe I snuck in a Dogfish 90 Minute while playing some pool but that can't be confirmed. I fully plan on getting back to Perch Pub, seems like a fun place to enjoy some very reasonably priced drinks and food right in the heart of the city.

While an hour and a half may sound like a long time it really started to fly and before we knew it we had to move on. The next scheduled stop was Farmer's Cabinet but the group consensus was that we wanted to get a little rowdier than that would allow so we made a detour for McGillin's. I had been excited to try some of Terry Hawbaker's house-made beers but just wasn't in the mood, the appeal of taking over a jukebox and taking a couple shots was too strong. While I never think of McGillin's as one of my go to bars I always end up having a great time upstairs, if you're in the right mood it can be the perfect spot for a big group. There are usually some less than desirable patrons milling about and of course last year I did get kicked out of the place during Brews For Boobies but besides that...I can't really complain.

I'm pretty sure that the whole bar was grateful for our jukebox choices and we ended up having so much fun with everyone that we totally missed our stop at Varga Bar which I wasn't too thrilled about but we caught up with the rest of the crawl at Fergie's. At this point the size of the crawl had withered down substantially but our group was determined to make it to the end. Things got a little fuzzy this late in the day so the easy going Stoudt's Oktoberfest I had was probably a smart choice. There was some blues band playing about 3 feet from our table and we couldn't hear anything anyone was saying, looking back we probably should have just stayed at McGillin's because people started to check out here. I guess this is to be expected after 12 hours of drinking though.

We all  made it through another great Brews For Boobies and are already looking forward to the 2012 crawl which is already set for October 6th! They are planning on expanding to even more cities next year, Doylestown is already confirmed and more may be added along the way so keep an out for your city. I think we will switch it up next year and probably hop on the Old City crawl which was tempting this year.
If you couldn't make it to this year's crawl but still want to support the cause, I encourage you to head over to the National Breast Cancer Foundation's website to make a donation of your own. While we had a blast on the crawl, no one can forget that the point of it all is to raise some money to help find a cure.

Cheers!

Mancation 2011 Recap: Part 2

We awoke Sunday morning in great distress with the realization that we aren’t in college anymore, this weekend’s sort of behavior isn’t as regular anymore and our bodies were in revolt. I knew we had some plans for the rest of the day but I was ready to cancel everything but after a bit of rallying, food, and a glass of my Mancation Maple Bacon Porter I felt relatively good considering the circumstances. I always find a beer to be a sure fire way to beat an intimidating hangover.

After taking down our tent and cleaning up our site it was decided that we needed to stop at a bar or even better, a brewery. Luckily Stoudt's was on our way back to to the Turnpike and the obvious choice. I'm sort of proud to say that this wasn't the first time I had arrived at a brewery only to find that they weren't yet open as was the case this day so we wandered around the grounds and the Wonderful Good Market to grab some food. My breakfast sandwich was just what I needed, eggs and Stoudt's own three cheese blend on fresh beer bread. I was content. I totally bypassed the market on my previous visits but will be sure to check back in to sample more of their rather tempting cheeses. After a bit of stalling, the bar finally opened at 11:30...about time.

Being familiar with Stoudt's regular lineup I knew I would order any limited batches they had to offer. The first was the Smoked Helles Lager, it was a weekend of all things smoked so why stop now. Served in a tall tulip, this one was a clear golden straw color with a bright white head that faded quickly. A strong grainy aroma was accompanied by a strong smoke presence but nothing too obnoxious. The toasted biscuit malts and smoke flavors lingered on the tongue but didn't have that "shoveling hot coals into your mouth" thing going on. This was a slightly sweet and light bodied smoked beer, just well balanced and well made.

The only beer on tap that wasn't one of their usual suspects was a Vanilla Almond Porter, not exactly what I was in the mood for but not something I was about it pass up since these limited Stoudt's batches aren't too plentiful here around home. This porter had a lighter brown body and cream colored head with a rich aroma of vanilla coffee. There were some dark chocolate flavors but mainly a roasty coffee profile accented by and dose of vanilla bean to smooth things out. The almond came through only (luckily) slightly, offering a nutty and earthier profile. Medium bodied and real smooth, I definitely thought this a good beer but just not something I'd go for again, for whatever reason it's just not my bag. We wrapped things up, settled up with our oh so patient waitress, and hit the road for home.

Or the Hulmeville Inn. I'm always happy to take out-of-towners to my favorite local bar and they were more than happy to take me up on the offer. Sunday afternoons at the Hulmeville is one of my favorite times to stop by because of the $3 cheesesteaks but also because it's just so damn laid back. I spotted Sierra Nevada's 30th Anniversary Grand Cru on the bottle list and immediately knew that that's what I would be drinking. I had this blend once before on tap and enjoyed it just as much this time around. The combination of oak-aged Bigfoot, Celebration, and the good old Pale Ale sounds a little wacky to me but it really works wonderfully. Citrus hops, rich toffee, spicy, bitter, smooth vanilla/oak, and a pleasant bit of booze make for one awesome beer. I just might have to grab a couple to take home and stow away for a while. This was a one and done visit though, the Mancation had finally come to an end.

Sort of. I had to rush home to clean myself and get ready to head to a fundraising event for my friend Jeff's brother who passed earlier this year which was being held at Yards. Not only was it great to be able to support the National Alliance on Mental Illness but it was also a chance to catch up with some friends that I haven't seen in a while. It was a private event but the Yards tasting room was packed with friends and family, the brewery was a perfect setting for the night. Yards' Smoke Em If You Got Em event was just a couple days before so they still had one of the beers they brewed for it on tap, their McDouglas Scotch Ale. I have strained relationship with this style, I rarely find one that I really love, but will give anything Yards brews a shot. This was one of the tamer interpretations I've had but not in a bad way, it was just a more balanced and approachable version. Sweet and caramel maltiness followed up by a subtle smoke flavor that lingered. I've had some scotch ales that are cloying and over the top which made them unenjoyable but this was definitely a nice change of pace. They offered a couple tours throughout the night and even though I had been on the Yards tour too many times to count I took advantage which I'm glad for because it was one of the best brewery tours I had ever had. It's always nice to actually learn something new despite having heard the same old lines countless times on other tours. Our guide doesn't normally give the tours so I think he was trying extra hard but I hope he starts getting to do some because it was really engaging. Eventually it was time to go but there was no way we were all ready to part so we all met up at the Standard Tap for a night cap.

At this point I was just ready to get my hops on, not really in the mood to commit to something new I went right for a Weyerbacher Harvest Ale. After picking the hops for that beer I feel obligated to get it whenever I see it. I followed that with Manayunk Brewing's California Dreamin Double IPA, a delectable West Coast Style DIPA that never fails to please. They also had Dogfish Head's Black & Red on tap which I had heard was so undrinkable that many bars were returning their kegs to wholesalers, I had to get a sample. This a confusing beer, it pours a deep and dark ruby red color and smells of roasted mint...and it's a stout. I nervously sipped at the sample, a minty bitterness along with a strange raspberry tartness and a bit of an alcohol burn. What the hell was that? It reminded me of carbonated Robitussin, not something I would ever want in my glass. I could definitely why see why bars would be returning this, I bet it's still on tap down at the Standard Tap because I can't really see anyone drinking a whole glass. You can't win em all I guess.

Finally after a very long and exhausting weekend I got back home to retreat into my bed. I do believe that hitting four breweries in one weekend is a personal record so I was quite pleased with that accomplishment as I prepared to enter back into the real world the next morning. The weekend reaffirmed what we all already know which is that beer can be much more than just a drink but instead something much more important. Over the course of 2 days it brought so many different people together and was the catalyst for a slew of great conversations and new memories that won't fade quickly.

Now that I got all deep there I will finally stop typing and move on.
Cheers!

PBW Recap: Forum Of The Gods

Here's an event I nearly missed. I skipped last year's Forum but knew for a while that I wanted to attend the 2011 event but I'm really good at procrastinating and so I kept putting off purchasing my ticket. Then, much to my dismay, it sold out before I got my act together. Knowing it was my own damn fault I put a couple desperate messages out on Twitter asking if anyone had any extra tickets and I got a 'maybe' from Doug of Gateway Beers. After a few days I hadn't heard from him so the morning of the event I sent out one last tweet to see if anyone had an available ticket and luckily Doug got back to me saying he did in fact have an extra. Huzzah! This was probably 2 hours before the Forum was starting and I was stuck at home with my car in the shop so I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to get myself all the way down to Philadelphia Bar & Restaurant in Old City. Luckily my Dad was able to drop me off at the train station and I just made the R3 to Center City that was set to arrive at 2:55 with the event starting at 3. For the first time ever SEPTA was running a bit ahead of schedule, I arrived early enough to hop on the subway and made it to PBR at approximately 3:01. Close call.

This year's Forum featured Carol Stoudt of Stoudt’s Brewing, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing, Brian Grossman of Sierra Nevada Brewing, and Larry Sidor of Deschutes Brewery with Don Russell and Tony Forder of Ale Street News moderating. Not a bad lineup. PBR had a few special selections from each brewery on tap including the Russian River and Sierra Nevada sour brown brewed for the 2011 Craft Brewers' Conference, Symposium. Everybody got a single separate ticket for that beer and it was the obvious first choice for me. After the hectic afternoon getting into the city, that first sip of sour-goodness came as quite a relief. Full of currant, earthy funk, brown sugary sweetness, and a mildly citric tartness with a pretty light body, this was a highlight of my entire Philly Beer Week and not just because it was "rare", it was just that damn good.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Lyford

The place was packed but I managed to secure my own little spot in the corner as things got going. Don and Tony began picking the brains of the panel, letting their own beer geek flags fly. Early on Larry was asked about bringing Deschutes to Philly, after the London Grill dinner I was beginning to feel bad for him, and he jokingly replied, "If we can handle Utah, we can handle Philly." Just another reminder of our ass-backwards laws when it comes to beer in this state. Discovery Channel's 'Brewmasters' was also brought up and Sam was asked what ever happened to the short lived show but he could only give us some vague remarks on the subject, only able to say that more than ever you should be supporting your small or local breweries. Sounds to me like Miller-Coors' advertising was the real death knell for the series. Sam of course lived up to his frat-boy image, even cursing off a heckler at one point, good stuff.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Lyford

One thing I was hoping to hear a bit about was the new collaboration between Russian River and Sierra Nevada, I think most people would be surprised to see anything with brettanomyces coming out of the Chico brewery. Apparently it was a long struggle with Ken Grossman to finally give the okay are introducing the wild yeast to their equipment. Vinnie and Brian hounded him and, luckily for all of us, he eventually gave in and is now "totally into it" which has me rather excited to get my hands on this beer. Another beer I was anxious to try was Exportation, the Exporter brewed for PBW 2010 at Sierra Nevada aged in Russian River wine barrels. Really light bodied for the style with aging adding a bit of sourness to the roasted coffee flavors. There were some what I could assume were oak flavors that came through as well. I wish they had the original on tap as well to compare but now I'm just getting greedy.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Lyford

Carol Stoudt was quite passionate about the legislative side of things and the promotion of local breweries. She expressed her worry over the next generation who has to carry the torch and hopes they realize that you can't sell beer over the phone. It was great to see someone who has been in the business for such a long time maintain that fire and still care so much about it much like her husband Eddie who left me with the same impression when I visited the brewery.


The crowd slowly became a little more rambunctious as the beers flowed which got pretty annoying. A lot of people were starting their own conversations despite the fact that they had paid to go and hear other people talk, that didn't make much sense to me. I just stood in the corner quietly as the panel came to an end after they made the mistake of opening up the floor to questions. Someone had given me a couple extra tickets for beer so I was able to try everything I wanted including Stoudts 2X Chocolate Porter and a little more Obsidian from Deschutes on nitro...DELICIOUS. The brewers stuck around and mingled with the mortals for a bit so I figured I would say hello to Vinnie and Brian, thanking them and all that standard geeking-out kind of blabbering. They both seemed pretty genuine in their appreciation and love of Philly, specifically Beer Week which they were kind of in awe of. I was impressed Larry had actually remembered me from the London Grill dinner the night before, he was definitely the quietest up on stage but was much more open one-on-one. 

Photo courtesy of Stephen Lyford

This was the first time I had made it to PBR and I look forward to getting back there for a normal drinking session. Seemed like a bar I could fall in love with in area that already has so many must-see bars already. It was an awesome experience to be able to drink these beers with the people who made them and for that I have to recommend getting tickets to next year's Forum. Given the caliber of brewers and beers there, the $20 ticket price is a great deal but make sure you buy your tickets early! You don't want to end up like me making that last minute dash, Beer Week is already hectic enough.

Thanks again to Doug from Gateway Beers for hooking me up with that ticket! Check out their website and all that good stuff, they're a great resource for seasoned drinkers or if you're just entering the wide world of craft beer.


Cheers!

PBW Recap: Saturday in Northern Liberties: Part 2

And so, my journey through Northern Liberties continues. After throwing back a couple at good old Standard Tap we made our way across the street to The Foodery. I give this place a lot of credit for pushing me over the cliff as far as beer goes, this is where the courtship between craft beer and myself really started so I'm always trying to stop in whenever I'm in the area despite my general lack of monetary means. In any case, it's a great place to grab a beer whilst waiting for friends to arrive.

It just so happens that there was a complimentary Allagash tasting going on inside...don't mind if I do. We caught the tail end of the event so I didn't get to sample everything but perhaps they were saving the best stuff for last...Curieux and Odyssey. The Curieux was smelled quite sweet which was totally undercut by the very prominent bourbon flavors. I believe this was the first time I had tried a bourbon-aged tripel so I was really impressed by how well the Belgian spices complimented the bourbon. I wish I had gotten some more but the sample gave me a good idea of just how smooth and delectable this beer is. I wasn't as head-over-heels with Odyssey, the oak aged "Belgian-style" dark wheat. It was an aggressive mix of roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, and oak, reminded me of a lot of Quads and the sample was all I really needed of this one.

A couple of my friends finally met up with us but we were still waiting on one more so we all grabbed a beer to tide us over. I went with Illumination, the Double IPA from Central Waters Brewing Company. I neglected to jot anything down regarding this beer but from what I've gathered from memory...I was a fan (give me a break, Beer Week is a long 10 days). Once our whole group was together it was time to find some grub and get away from the crowds for a bit. On our way to our next stop we stumbled upon this empty Nugget Nectar sitting alone on the sidewalk, a sure sign that Philly Beer Week was in full swing.

Beer Week is a great time to try new things so we decided to head over to The Abbaye, a spot neglected by everyone in the group before. We snagged a table outside and ordered up, the perfect setting for a few evening beers. My clear choice from the draft list was Brotherly Suds 2, the collaboration beer brewed for PBW 2011 by Yards, Troegs, Nodding Head, Victory, and Stoudts at their Adamstown brewery. This clear golden lager's aroma reminded me of a farm, lots of straw and light malt with just a bit of a funky kick somewhere in there. The hops add a floral touch and come out a lot stronger on the tongue. The brewers said this was a beer FOR brewers, not the beer geek crowd, but I really enjoyed it. Perfectly balanced, clean, crisp, and refreshing with the slightest bit of fruitiness made for a well rounded beer that is just one example that proves not all "yellow fizzy beer" is bad. 

My buddy Steve had gotten up from the table to make a phone call and wandered off, seconds later I realized he was calling me into the bar where he had ordered up two pints of Victory's Summer Love. I'm not sure why this was a secret mission but it was one I was happy to take part in. This is just a good standby beer for this time of year folks. Nothing to write home about but an American blonde ale that I've been enjoying quite a bit this year now that they have released it in bottles. It's a light-to-medium body beer with a stronger malt presence than you might expect, pale malt with some wheat characteristics as well. The hops add some light touches citrus flavors along with a bit of earthy spice to finish things out, a very accessible beer to share with your more tepid beer drinking friends this summer!

I really enjoyed The Abbaye, it was a quiet little spot just a bit off the beaten path. They're not running any gimmicks and there was no snobbery to be found. Exposed brick, hardwood flooring, outdoor seating, great beers, very reasonable pricing...pretty much everything I look for in a bar. They also have a lot of "U Buy The Glass" nights where you buy a pint glass for $10 and get free refills for 2 hours, not too shabby at all. We weren't all quite ready to head home yet so for some reason we went all the way down to South Street for a couple nightcaps at Brauhaus Schmitz, Philly's one true German beer hall. 

There aren't many other ways I would have wanted to end my first day of Philly Beer Week.

Next Up: The Deschutes beer dinner at London Grill

Cheers!

Brewery Tour: Stoudt's Brewing Company

On a brisk Sunday morning, my girlfriend and I hit the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a road that would lead us to Pennsylvania's first microbrewery post-prohibition, Stoudt's Brewing Company in Lancaster County. I had passed the Stoudt's billboard countless times on trips out to State College but really had no idea what to expect from the visit.

We were greeted by the matriarch of Pennsylvania craft beer, Carol Stoudt, who told us that her husband, founder and president Ed Stoudt, would be starting the tour soon. I imagine I felt much like Charlie Bucket did getting a tour from Willy Wonka himself. Ed gave a passionate and lengthy tour through the brewery that had much of the standard brewery schtick but with just a little more panache than most other tours. He explained Stoudt's storied history that dates back to 1962 when he opened his first restaurant that eventually led to the opening of the brewery in 1987. The facility itself, according to Ed, will most likely undergo only one more expansion to reach 13,000 barrels (they're at 10,000 as of now) before they max out. The man and his company are at a comfortable and marginally profitable place right now and have no desire to become "too big."

The hall to the Biergarten where you can even get married.

Ed is a very simple man. He says he doesn't like to drink big beers because he likes to drink a lot of beer. He doesn't drink imports because he doesn't believe the methods of importing the beers is able to maintain the beer's original quality. He believes every American home should have a beer meister in place of a dishwasher. He also hates corn in beer, something he reiterated...over and over. All in all he was probably the best brewery tour guide I've ever had. It was refreshing to listen to a man who has been in the game that long and is still just as energetic and enthusiastic about his product as he was when he began. Ed said that he was in a stupid business and wouldn't recommend it to anyone but somehow I came away from his tour more inspired than ever. Of course I majored in film in college so I guess I have a thing for stupid businesses.

Stoudt's doesn't just offer guests a tour and a great meal next door, they also have a massive antiques mall, bakery, and the rather odd village of Stoudtburg located right behind the antiques complex. The Black Angus Restaurant & Pub at Stoudt's has a great looking menu and obviously offers up the entire Stoudt's beer lineup with one hand pump, unfortunately the cask had kicked by the time our orders were taken. My girlfriend ordered the crab calzone with their Heifer-in-Wheat while I went with the pulled pork with melted cheddar and a Double IPA to wash it down. Unfortunately our waitress was having some trouble that day and brought out two Triples instead. Luckily she let me keep mine so I can't complain about the service too much. I did see a waiter bring a man a bottle of Coors Light which seemed sacrilegious, I'm not sure why Stoudt's even gives patrons the option.

Yes, you can live here

Since I had already, at some point or another, had tried all of their other brews on tap we wandered over to Stoudtburg while I enjoyed by buzz and digested. Stoudtburg is a very odd little complex of European style homes and shops that feels like it belongs in Disneyland. The place was a ghost town on this particular Sunday afternoon so it just creeped me out more than anything but I'm sure my mother would have found it delightfully quaint.

It was nice to be able to spend an entire afternoon at a brewery and I wish more area breweries offered a little more to visiting guests. Stoudt's has apparently become a very popular tourist attraction for the area so they must be doing something right. The entire property has an appealing "homey" quality about it, almost as if your grandparents decided to open a brewery. Surrounded by Lancaster County markets and farms, Stoudt's is a particularly perfect place to visit this upcoming Fall with their Oktoberfest starting at the end of the month. So if you ever find yourself with nothing to do on a weekend afternoon, remember that Stoudt's is one of the few breweries that is actually open on Sundays and Ed's tour starts promptly at 1pm.

Stoudt's Brewing Co. is located at

2800 North Reading Road 

Adamstown, PA 19501

Cheers!