"HERE GOSE NUTTIN'" AND OTHER TALES OF BEER ON THE RADIO

Coupla  weeks back I was privaleged to be a guest on the international radio phenomenon, "Time Out With Phillip Silverstone" which airs around the world on TuneIn radio. I've known Phillip for almost 30 years now, and our paths have crossed so many times at food and wine and other social events we've both lost track.

His online bio goes  a little like this: 

In the latter part of the 1990's Phillip realized many of his lifelong ambitions, reached circuitously through the world of wine and food. He became a syndicated TV and radio wine commentator, author and columnist, writing and hosting his award winning daily radio features "Wining About The Good Life" and his twice Emmy nominated PBS TV vignettes "One On Wine with Phillip Silverstone".

Phillip's column "Wining About The Good Life" is published in weekly newspaper syndication and in magazines, and his book "Cheers! The World of a Wine-osaur" is still available on Amazon. He hosts his very popular “Wine-tertainment” parties for groups of 12-300 in the US and the UK and Phillip organizes wine and food events for the hospitality industry.

Phillip produces and hosts “Time Out With Phillip Silverstone” a weekly two-hour entertainment and lifestyle podcast heard exclusively on TuneIn radio anytime and anywhere worldwide either on the free TuneIn app for all smart phones and tablets (Search: Phillip Silverstone) or online on Tunein at: http://bit.ly/1gY2Ht4.

So we had some recorded fun, Phillip, wine archaeologist/aficionado Jill Weber and me, and now you can hear about the beers we tasted and the stories we told, on the latest edition of "Time Out With Phillip Silverstone".  Let me know what you think!

http://tunein.com/radio/Time-Out-with-Phillip-Silverstone-p574053/

Leiderhosen In The Sand

When you think of Oktoberfest, what's the first thing that comes to mind?  Well, beer of course.  But then, you also know it's about October, Germany, beer halls the size of airplane hangars, giant pretzels, giant liter steins, giant busty girls in dirndls, drinking songs, enormous pork shanks and all that malty, malty beer. Prosit!

The other day I got an e-mail  invitation from Philly's most famous tavern, McGillin's Olde Ale House, the 153 year old establishment (2nd oldest in the country!) that has become a reliable destination for very good beer and food and an atmosphere like no other place I know.  The invitation was titled "Oktoberfest Starts on August 26".  You read that correctly. "Oktoberfest Starts on August 26".

Now, just to be clear, I have the ultimate respect for McGillin's and the Mullins family, who have taken the legacy of the McGillin clan and burnished it brightly while keeping the historic landmark tavern as one of the best in Philly, and for that matter, the country.
So when I wrote back to McGillin's asking why their Oktoberfest was starting so early (it runs through October 6, by the way), their response was: "When the Oktoberfest beer comes in, McGillin’s serves it. There’s no holding back – when WE get it/You get it!"

And therein lies the problem, I think.  Beer companies are rushing both Oktoberfest beers and pumpkin beers to market WAY too early.  The shelves of my local beer stores are already packed with dozens of craft brew Oktoberfests and pumpkin beers and it's still AUGUST. Someone needs to talk to these guys and beg them to hold off just a little longer. Let us have our summer. Oktoberfest beers and hot humid weather, sand in our toes and the sounds of summer just don't work. Think about it. It's like decorating department stores for Christmas in October. Yeah, I know, it's already happened. 

The summer sun is far from fading, temperatures are still in the 80s and high 70s, mosquitos (at least here in the Garden State) are as abundant as ever, and backyard grills are still in full seasonal operation.

It's not time for beers best suited for the Fall.

McGillin's also sent me their lineup for Oktoberfest and it is damn impressive:

Yuengling's Oktoberfest, 
Stoudt's Fest, 
Lancaster's Oktoberfest, 
Flying Fish's Octoberfish, 
Ramstein's Oktoberfest,
Sly Fox's Oktoberfest Lager, 
Applachian Kiponafest, 
Penn Oktoberfest 
Warsteiner Oktoberfest,
as well as international Oktoberfest beers.

My mouth waters at the thought of all those great beers, the jovial, old-school atmosphere, and a plate of sausages from the very very underrated kitchen at McGillin's.

But can we just wait until maybe mid-September?

GETCHA BEER ON!

The most joyous time of the year for beer aficionados arrives in Philadelphia in less than 24 hours. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the 5th Annual Philly Beer Week, a 10-day celebration of the city's rich diversity and rampant enthusiasm for the brewer's art. Excitement for this year's festival has been building for weeks, thanks to the well-timed pre-publicity and very active presence of the participants and the organizers of PBW.


Several helpful and terrifically useful articles dropped in the Philly papers today, the best by Don Russell (aka "Joe Sixpack" in the Philadelphia Daily News), who also acts as Executive Director for PBW, full of tips and suggestions for maximum enjoyment of the week's festivities. The Inquirer's Craig Laban chimes in with a look on the rapidly growing beer scene and the several small breweries and brewpubs opening in the 'burbs.

But I'll tell you what my main resource for scoping out the what's-what of PBW will be: Jared Littman's brilliantly ambitious website PhillyTapFinder.com, where Littman will track - and preview - the tap offerings for every participating bar and  restaurant during the festival. Not only is the website easy to navigate, it's very easy to read, even on a smartphone (which may become a factor the further one explores each day's events).


Here is how Littman himself describes his format for Philly beer Week:

This is what we're going to do:   During Philly Beer Week, from June 1-10, we are going to post the tap lists for the current  and following day right here -- BOOKMARK THIS PAGE!  We are also going to post lists for particularly appealing future events.  To make this service even more valuable, we have included the descriptions of the beers (where available) so that you know what these new beers are.  We already posted a whole bunch of tap lists for June 1 and June 2, and we will post more everyday so please check back.  Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check out our blog, "Tap Talk," where we will be highlighting exceptional tap lists and events.

I think this website will make for a stress-free week of beer in and around Philly.  Now all that remains is the drinking--and sheer enjoyment--of the best beer-drinking city in America.  I hope I'll see you out there. Let's enjoy a few together!

LEW TV

I've made no secret of the fact that I'm a huge Lew Bryson fan. For those of you who DON'T know who Bryson is, he is one of the finest writers with whom I've had the privilege to work, a beverage journalist who specializes in beer and spirits, but really, just a terrific writer. Lew was always my special guest/John Madden for all of the Golden Age of Beer in Philadelphia Tours I conducted during the halcyon days of Philadelphia's The Book and The Cook food festival

Well, it looks like Lew has what it takes for TV, too.

Bryson and producer Rudy Vegliante are shopping a pilot for American Beer Blogger, which Vegliante describes thusly:

AMERICAN BEER BLOGGER is a half hour television series dedicated to all

facets of the ever growing craft beer market. From home brewing, to micro

beer; viewers will experience the very best of the craft beer culture. In each

episode, Lew will visit a different brewer, each of which has their own sets of

quirks and ways of doing things. Lew will talk to these brewers, get to know

them, will show us first hand the various methods and techniques used in

creating a craft beer. From the tiniest bottler to the largest manufacturer, Lew

will get his hands dirty. Topics such as bottling, food pairing, manufacturing,

distribution, history, technique (and so much more) will all be touched upon

as Lew spends a day with these brewers. Some doing well in the business, others not so well. Thankfully, the DIY nature of this business can lead to some pretty unforseeable results as Lew lends a hand and helps out in any way he can. Lew will show us all the kinds of micro-breweries currently out there. From the smallest, hippest label to large manufacturers.

AMERICAN BEER BLOGGER sets out to entertain the viewer as well as educate on this rapidly growing industry. Through humor and a charming, hands-on host, our show will not only be entertaining for the microbeer enthusiast, but also enjoyable for the average viewer as well.

Top Gear with beer... Top Beer if you will.

They've partnered with Kickstarter, an Amazon.com company that helps small businesses raise capital, to raise money to produce the show. I'm a backer, and you should be, too. One look at the trailer for this show, and you'll be hooked. Great production values, as they say in the trade. And Bryson is a natural. Here's what he told me about the filming in a recent e-mail:

We met up at Stoudt's [Brewery in Adamstown, PA ]at about 8 AM on a morning in late May with NOTHING planned or scripted. We knew we were going to tape...something about the brewery. Everything was done seat of the pants, and most of it was done in one take. I hadn't ever done much interviewing on camera before, but it felt pretty natural. Ed Stoudt has a ton of camera time, and has been doing the tours at the brewery for years; he was completely at ease. The stuff in the bar and on the sidewalk (when I'm in the other shirt) was done at Devil's Den during my Philly Beer Week event there, and if anything, that was even less scripted. I walked down the street, greeted some people I knew at an outside table, and on the spur of the moment, stole a sip of their beer. Felt right, did it. That's probably what the whole thing's going to be. Real reality.

So here's a project we can all get a thirst for. I think we may have found our next TV star.

Beyond The Golden Age Of Beer

It seems like just a few weeks ago that I was savoring an impressive sampler of pilsners with my friend Scott at Triumph Brewpub's Old City location during their "Klash of the Kaisers" event for Philly Beer Week. In fact, it's been almost a year and Philly Beer Week is joyfully upon in just 2 days, and the schedule for this year's extended (10 day!) "week" is very impressive. Stretching across the great expanse of the city itself and deep into the suburbs, this year's celebration is the pure embodiment of its slogan, "America's Best Beer Drinking City."

Beginning with the Hammer of Glory Relay Race to the Opening Tap at the Constitution Center on the evening of June 3 to the Ladies Beer Tea (!) at the Belgian Cafe on Sunday June 12, all the way to a "Scraps and Leftovers" event at Rembrandt's restaurant in Fairmount and a "Kick The Kegs" party in Blue Bell, the "week" if chock full of beery fun. You can even download a Philly Beer Week app for your Android or iPhone.

When I ran annual beer tours of the city for The Book and the Cook festival beginning in the late 90's, I printed up a Tour booklet for each participant that proclaimed that time frame as "The Golden Age of Beer in Philadelphia" and Philadelphia as the "Best Beer City in America." It was probably true even back then, but it is emphatically and dramatically and deliciously true now.

Philly Beer Week shines a huge spotlight on the rich, diverse and welcoming beer culture of the Delaware Valley, and even living an hour away from the city, makes me proud to a Philadelphian, even at a distance. I haven't begun to select the events I'm planning to attend, though I'm sure I'll make to at least one Grey Lodge event and make my way to Kraftwork and Memphis Taproom and the new With Love Beer Garden at the Four Season hotel.

Hope I get to raise a pint or two with you!

Mirrors, Ladders, Umbrellas and Ale

I'm not the superstitious type. That's why I love when Friday the 13th rolls around every year, even when it occurs as much as three times in one year. But this year, it rolls in only once, and it rolls this week. That makes for an extra special FRIDAY THE FIRKINTEENTH at the Grey Lodge Pub in Northeast Philly.

The only beer festival dictated by the calendar, FTF is, to my mind, the greatest of all American beer festivals for the sheer simple democracy of it: arrive, wade through the amazingly friendly mob of cask ale lovers, order a beer from one of the seven or so firkins atop the bar, and savor some pure heaven in a glass. Beer as it was meant to be, fresh from a small keg, poured by gravity as its propellant, amid the cameraderie of old and new-found friends. And beer folk are the best new-found friends in the world.

There will be about 30 firkins of fresh, cask ale served throughout the day at the Grey Lodge, beginning at noon on the 13th. They will be served 7 at a time, and the sheer variety of them all is impressive. Here is the most up-to-date list of offerings, from the Grey Lodge's own website:



Cigar City Humidor IPA
Cricket Hill Reserve Series Brown
Dock Street TBA
Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA
Flying Fish Farmhouse
Fullers London Pride
Lancaster Milk Stout
Manayunk Brewerytown Brown Ale
Manayunk Hop Phanatic
Nodding Head Marauder
Philadelphia Brewing Fleur de Lehigh
Prism Bitto Honey
Sixpoint Modern Rye
Sly Fox 113 IPA
Sly Fox Chester County Bitter
Stoudts Pils
Stoudts Special Bourbon Barrel Aged Scarlet Lady ESB
Troegs Hopback Amber
Troegs Javahead Stout
Victory Headwaters Pale Ale
Wells Banana Bread
Wells Bombadier
Weyerbacher Verboten with Camomille Tea
Yards ESA



Feeling lucky? I'll see you there. Bring an umbrella. Or a ladder. Or a mirror. Oh, never mind.

The Christmas Mix

First let me say God Bless Scoats, right off the bat, for keeping a beloved holiday tradition alive. Mike "Scoats" Scotese, owner of the Grey Lodge Pub and Hop Angel Brauhaus, orchestrated the return of any beer lover's holiday fantasy: a variety case of winter seasonal, Christmas and otherwise big beers for 24 lucky beer geeks, including yours truly. Last night we descended upon the Grey Lodge to pick up our most special of Christmas presents.

It was a wintry December night in 1998, bitterly cold and sleeting, and Scoats, my (now dearly departed) friend Gary Bredbenner and I, were hurtling through slush and ice on the Pennsylvania Turnpike toward Downingtown in an old and battered Chevy Suburban that I had borrowed from a housemate. We had been invited to participate in one of beer writer Lew Bryson's early experiments in beer cameraderie, the Bryson Christmas Mix. Bryson had selected 24 winter/Christmas/holiday/big beers and scheduled the assembly of these 24 variety cases for 24 lucky folks at the Victory Brewery and brewpub in Downingtown, on the same night that the brewery would be holding its annual Christmas party, a nifty beer segue of sorts.

I had known Scoats about a year or so by that time, and had become a Wednesday night regular at the Grey Lodge. We had decided to carpool to Downingtown, and Gary, who rarely drove anywhere, asked for a lift as well. It was a scary 90 minute drive in miserable weather.

But we got there, met the group of Christmas Mix participants, and Lew directed traffic as we assembled our variety cases on the loading docks of the brewery. It was a little bit Keystone Cops, but a lot of fun, and the selection of beers for the Mix were, for the most part, new to me, and that made it an extra special adventure.

The Christmas Mix plugged along over the next few years, but began to sputter a few years ago, as schedules got busier, lives more complicated, a lot of different reasons. So that why I heap praise upon Scoats for bringing our little beery tradition back. He, like many of us, can get sentimental that way.

He also worked hard to make this year's Mix really interesting, with classic winter beers that have always been a part of the Mix, and new beers that many of us haven't tried or even seen before.

Here are the beer treasures he assembled for the 2010 Christmas Mix:

21st Amendment Fireside Chat (the first can in the Mix!)

Abbey of Christ in the Dessert Monk's Ale

Anchor Our Special Ale

Breckenridge Christmas Ale

Brooklyn Winter Ale

Cape Anne Navigator Double Bock

Great Divide Hibernation

Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Gritty McDuff Christmas Ale

Kumbacher Eisbock

Lancaster Winter Warmer

Samuel Smith Winter Welcome

Saranac Season's Best

Scaldis Noel

Sierra Nevada Celebration

Summit Imperial Pumpkin Porter

Troegs Mad Elf

Victory Storm King

Wachusett Winter Ale

Weyerbacher Quad

Weyerbacher Winter Ale

Yards Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce

Geants Bier de Noelier

Stegmaier Winter Warmer


I can't wait to start sampling.

The Rare Plug

Today is the occasion for a very very rare plug from me, and believe me, I don't plug. I try to use this blog to clue followers to events and beers and the important things in my kids' lives, but here is as enthusiastic a recommendation as I can give:

Buy Lew Bryson's book.

This time around, Lew Bryson's book is the FOURTH edition of his landmark first tome, Pennsylvania Breweries, and it's a dramatically revamped and revised version of what has always been one of the best beer reads ever written. Bryson's writing, to me, has always been compelling stuff, and Pennsylvania Breweries proves it with crisp writing, insider info on many of the state's breweries and excellent travel and food tips. And best of all: his beer descriptions will have your thirsting for the brews he writes about. Impressive stuff. And you can follow his book signing travels right on his blog, Seen Through a Glass.

Here's hoping you'll catch one of his appearances and join him for a beer.

Gary's Philly Memorial

We're putting the finishing touches on the Memorial Service for our dear friend Gary Bredbenner at the Grey Lodge Public House on August 18 at 6:30. Several of us will speak; Lew Bryson will read from his touchingly brilliant telling of Gary's burial and wake, and we'll be enjoying some very good stories, food and drink in Gary's memory. I hope you can join us.

You can RSVP here, or just show up if you'd prefer. Sorta like Gary would.

OBAMAGANG!!

Philly's City Paper's Meal Ticket had this item today, and I couldn't resist. One of the most romantic beer bar/restaurants on earth, Bridgid's, (24th & Meredith Sts.) has what they believe to be the last known keg of Brewery Ommegang's 2009 Inauguration Ale, otherwise popularly known as "Obamagang", and they'll be tapping the stuff tomorrow, August 4, on the occasion of the Prez's 48th birthday.

With hints of chocolate and kriek (cherries), this ale surely sounds delicious, and I've got to figure a way to wangle myself out of the house to grab a pint or two. Bridgid's will even be serving a slice of birthday cake to anyone who orders a pint. Woo-hoo!

Any clever ideas on how I can talk my way out of the house tomorrow night for a few hours at Bridgid's? Winner gets a pint or two on me!

Lucky 13

13 means a lot of different things to different people, but at my favorite beer bar, the Grey Lodge, in Philly, it's a lucky number. I don't know why, and I'm afraid to ask.

But I am excited to report that the Lodge is pulling out every conceivable stop to celebrate their 13th Anniversary, which falls on August 13. But because it's the Grey Lodge, they're gonna pull out all those stops on August 15.

Don't ask.

But again, because it's the Grey Lodge, the celebration is worth an extra two days' wait. Just take a look at THIS!

They always know how to throw a party at the Grey Lodge.

Double Whammy! Buck a Beer and then Pliny!

Ben Kessler (a rabidly inveterate foodie and tweeter on Twitter (is that redundant? find him there @kessler), reports as this beer geek summer fantasy as follows:

"Local 44 is pouring Oskar Blues Gordon for $1 today until the keg is kicked. Then they are tapping Pliny the Elder!"

Check out the Local 44 website for more enticements.

Yowza! That's a double beer whammy worth blogging about, no?

Another Great Beer Week!

As usual I'm just a pinch late with this news, but hey, Jack Curtin got it first on his Liquid Diet blog yesterday. But what the hey, it's another great reason to drink great beer. So how about this: drink a new craft beer every day this week. I'm copying an idea that I read today on another blog, Tom Cizauskas' superb Yours For Good Fermentables. There he suggests we all drink a local craft beer every day this week, and if you can do it, by all means do so. Think globally, drink locally (damn, I am just a font of plagerism today..).

Well, as my renowned high school Greek teacher Frank Long used to say frequently in his classes at Scranton Prep, "Ancient history teaches us that nothing is new."

Drink some good craft beer this week. You deserve it.

MY TORPEDO

I may have found my new favorite beer. Two months ago I tasted my first Sieera Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA when it finally made it to central NJ, and it just blew me away. It pours a tall, cloud-like head, deep copper misty color, and the nose: citrusy, slightly piney, floral, sweet, ripe grapefruit aromas. The first sip plows a ton of hops into your mouth, all green and herby-spicy, and then the beer slips over your tongue like mist through your fingers. Beyond a (overused cliche, especially by me) silky finish. A spectacular beer.

This beer has quickly become one of the darlings of the beer world, highly praised in Beer Advocate magazine and elsewhere (like our weekly beer chat the No Bull Inn, on http://www.starchat.net/) , and it's become damn hard to find. After my initial six-pack purchase, I haven't been able to find it anywhere in these parts (my local Wegman's in Princeton, which contains a wine and beer store, told me that they went through TEN CASES of Torpedo in two days). Yesterday on a whim, I wandered into Landmark Liquors in the Capitol Plaza on Olden Ave. in deeply Polish/Slavic/Russian North Trenton and discovered among the stacks of Polish, Lithuanian, Estonian, Ukranian and Russian beers (and if you're into them, this store is the Mother Lode), two ignored sixers resting atop a large pile of SN Pale Ale. Score! And the best surprise was the price: $7.26 a six. My lucky day.

Really, no matter what you drink beer-wise, FIND THIS BEER. Thank me later.

PA Pilsners Rule in the Times!

Just finished reading Eric Asimov's Beers of the Times article in today's NY Times, and for this article he and his hand-selected panel (no Lew Bryson this time? He LOVES the pilsner!) sampled 18 pilsners. And Pennsylvania brands really dominated: Victory Prima Pils garnered their top rating, following closely by Penn Kaiser, Troegs Sunshine, and few slots down, Sly Fox Pikeland Pils and Stoudt's Pils. Congrats to all!

I generally enjoy Asimov's Wines of The Times articles in the Thursday Dining section of the Times, but for this article, the reader has to endure 6 paragraphs of bitching about the beers offered at the new Citi Field (Mets) and the new Yankee Stadium. And like any comparison between those teams and the Phillies, the stadiums also fall WAY short in what they serve suds-wise. $9 for a PBR?!?!?!

Fuggedaboutit.

Why PHILLY BEER WEEK Worked

Sorry for the ridiculous delay in commentary; I've been more than a little occupied with another business project and just haven't found the time to compose my thoughts on that spectacular week-and-a-half in March, for which I was able to attend a few events. I'm hoping this will be the very last post on Philly Beer Week from anyone for a while (unless of course, beer writer Jack Curtin forms another thought on it, which is always possible). Though I wasn't able to attend any of the truly inspired events at some of the newer South Philly beer bars, I did luck out on some special times: Upsate PA Beers at the Grey Lodge with Lew Bryson; the Klash of the Kaisers pilsner beer event at Triumph Old City; Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em smoked beer and barbeque event at Yards Brewery and the 19th Friday the Firkinteenth at the Grey Lodge. Vicariously I goto to experience many more of the over 600 events in and around Philly, through blogs and tweets from Bryson, Curtin, beer buddy Gary Bredbenner and hilarious blogger/twitter babe Suzanne "beerlass" Woods. I can't remember feeling that much food and drink excitement in the city since the heydey of The Book and The Cook in the 90's.

Which brings me to my point. Philly Beer Week looks like a stunning success. I haven't yet read any numbers yet, from either the city or the brilliant organizers of the event, but I can only guess that they will be impressive. The parallels between Philly Beer Week and The Book and The Cook are obvious: The Book and the Cook also typically ran 10 days, with a large centerpiece event that would attract thousands. Its events were mostly held within the city limits, but soon expanded to the suburbs. The hype was usually pretty impressive in the months preceeding the week of events (and I was a part of that hype machine, doing PR for two different hotels and several restaurants, hosting and escorting a bunch of different celebrity chefs, as well as conducting an annual pair of beer tours), and the events themselves were exciting culinary adventures. I bet Tom Peters, owner of Monk's Cafe and a PBW organizer, might have the best perspective of both festivals, having participated in TBATC over the years. His experiences with TBATC no doubt helped him avoid the many challeneges that have afflicted TBATC over the years.

Here's why I think Philly Beer Week worked so well:

1. Compelling, centralized PR for the event. Jennie Hatton and Profile PR did a bang-up job, hyping even the smallest events and each and every one of the breweries, brewers, beer personalities and venues. And they used the internet, bloggers, et al far better than TBATC has ever learned to do.

2. Brewers without ego. I've handled my share of celebrity chefs for TBATC events over the years, and with nary an exception, brewers are not stuck on themselves as many famous chefs are. You didn't hear a single gossipy word about any behind-the-scenes scenes at any of the PBW events.

3. The product doesn't get bastardized. At TBATC events, it is typically the job of the host chef and his restaurant to make the dishes created by the celebrity chef/cookbook author. And you and I know that already takes the food one level away from its origin. Rarely does the guest celeb chef get behind the line and cook at the restaurant that hosts him. They are typically there to peddle and sign their latest cookbook. At PBW, the beer is the product and the real star, and nobody gets to mess with it.

4. Organizers who loved what they were doing. Tom Peters from Monk's Cafe, Don Russell from the Philadelphia Daily News and Bruce Nichols from the Museum Catering Company; did you ever see three happier guys at beer events than these three? If there was stress in putting PBW together, they never let it show. Pure joy on their public faces, and that's a huge confidence booster.

5. Longevity of interest. After TBATC, there would be an annual summary/post-mortem article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, a column from Rick Nichols sometimes, some boldface names in Michael Klein's and Dan Gross' daily gossip columns (or Stu Bykofsky's before that) and that was that. Weeks after Philly Beer Week, people were still talking about Philly Beer Week.

And here's hoping for an even better (if that's possible) Philly Beer Week next year. OK, now we can talk about something else.

How about wine?

Beer and Food Pairings, Part 2

Adding to my initial post here regarding beer and food pairings (where all the fun is, IMHO), some really inspired pairings from a relatively new poster on eGullet.org, Rick Martin, in the Beer Forum there; I'm actually itching to try several of them today:

Unibrau Trois Pistoles and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale and Sushi

Imperial IPAs and Aged Sharp Cheddar

Lindemann's Pomme Lambic and Chicken Liver Pate

Imperial Stout with a salad of Arugula, American Blue Cheese, Figs, and Balsamic reduction

Saison DuPont and New York Style Pizza

Berlinerweisse and Egg on Toast

Any IPA and White Cheddar Cheezits


And a couple of newly discovered ones by yours truly that you've gotta try:

Sierra Nevada Torpedo and spicy Sechuan Hot Pot

Anchor Bock and Amish sourdough pretzels (Benzel's Pennysticks Hard Sourdough pretzels are my new favorite)

KLASH OF THE KAISERS!

The heralded event!

A Flight of 9.....

Triumph Old City Head Brewer Patrick Jones

Pils-Jay's Way

The next event I was able to attend during that glorious time known as Philly Beer Week was the delicious -to-contemplate pilsner festival held at Triumph Brewpub in Old City, the "Klash of The Kaisers." It featured nine local pilsners, lovingly brought together to honor Jay Mission, Triumph's head brewer, a lager afficionado, a mentor to many brewers across the country and inspiration to many more, who passed away last June. Triumph Old City head brewer Patrick Jones organized the event with Lew Bryson, and even brewed a special pilsner in Mission's honor with Flying Fish brewer Casey Hughes: Pils Jay's Way, a recipe Bryson acquired from a from a former colleague of Mission's and passed on to Jones. When I arrived I got a typically loud, enthusiastic greeting and hug from Lew, a big bear handshake from Casey Hughes, and a warm welcome from Jones' girlfriend sitting nearby. She quickly ordered me a flight of the nine featured beers and off I went a-tasting: Dock Street Bohemian pilsner was reliably crisp and bracing, one of my favorite pilsners; a pilsner from Mt Airy brewpub Earth Bread & Brewery was positively weird, but in a good way, smelling of wildflowers to me (Jones' girlfriend---oh I wish I could remember her name!---said she smelled ham), and tasting fairly vegetal, I learned (from the girlfriend) that it was made with a strain of wild, funky yeast, as was the Pils Jay's Way and Triumph's German pilsner served that night. The EBB pilsner didnt really taste like a pilsner, but it was delicious, funky little beer. Next was a pilsner from McKenzie's Brewhouse in Malvern, nice and tight, tart and refreshing (it was my favorite pils of the night).

Nodding Head's offering was a real disappointment, and tasted off in a bathroomy kinda way; I dopped it after one sip. In mid-flight Triumph owner Adam Reshnitz joined our little group of imbibers, and brewer Patrick Jones joined for a while, enjoying a Pils Jay's Way from across the bar. Reshnitz, once himself Triumph's head brewer, asked to taste the Nodding Head brew, sniffed it for a few seconds, took a quick sip and handed it back. Maybe something happened in transit. Manayunk Brewery's Kellerbier was next, and it was very tasty, nuttier than any of the previous beers, with a smooth silky finish. After that I got to sample the Pils Jay's Way and at first, didn't care for it; it tasted a bit like the pilsner from EBB, but a few more sips and I grew to like it very much--my 2nd favorite brew of the night. Sly Fox's Charles Bridge pilsner was next and it was quite hoppy and tart, a good version, but not as good as their flagship Pikeland Pils. Triumph's German Pils was next, and again it had that weird yeast in it, and tasted strange to me, a bit off and vegetal, but subsequent sips had it growing on me too. Victory Brewing's Braumeister Pils finished out the flight and it was quite good, one of the two pilsners that had that bready quality I really like, rich and crusty!

And an added benefit of the night: just as I was about to leave, I finally bumped into Suzanne Woods, the locally famous Beer Lass, whose blog "I'll Have Another Stout" is one hilarious read, and one of my favorite blogs to follow. Someday we'll maybe even get to have a beer together. Well, I guess last Thursday we kinda did, for Jay.

I only met Jay Mission once, at last year's Real Ale Fest at Triumph Old City, but even then he seemed bigger than life, and a lot of fun. I'm glad I could make it for a little while to this lovely tribute to his work, his friends and his favorite kinds of beer.

PHILLY BEER WEEK PFAUX PAUS on 6-ABC

It's damn near unfathomable to me that Jim Gardner could have gotten it so very wrong. But he did. Whether a victim of horrendously poor research, or an assignment editor's notes, Gardner introduced a short video-only piece on the start of Philly Beer Week by calling it "Beer Week" and noting that the week long festival had "nearly 300 events". Then he proceeded to describe the opening ceremonies as taking place at the Naval Yard, all while the video showed the Comcast Center's atrium, and then soundbites from John Troegner, Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell, and the thankfully articulate Mayor Nutter. Nice to see a keg of Yards being tapped as the opening beer, too.

But, Jim, ya gotta get the story right!

Philly's Best Beer Festival. Period.

I was able to take in a few hours of FRIDAY THE FIRKINTEENTH at the Grey Lodge Pub this past Friday (the only beer festival scheduled by the dictate of an annual calendar, when Friday the 13th occurs), and by my arrival time at 5:42 PM, there were only 7 firkin (out of 20 served) left for sampling (they started tapping at noon, 7 firkins at a time). Grabbed a very impressive, creamy, silky Sly Fox Seamus Irish Stout for my first quaff, followed by an even more impressive Philadelphia Brewing JOE coffee porter, full of deep cocoa and strong coffee flavors. Sampling small glasses of each beer, I moved onto a Blue Point Oatmeal Stout, thin and pretty vague for an oatmeal stout, much less impressive than the one I sampled at the brewery in Patchogue, NY a few years ago. Took a growler home of the stuff back then, that's how impressive it was, but not last Friday night at FTF. My last beer was an Iron Hill North Wales Bourbon Porter, very rich, chewy and whiskey-like, a great "dessert" for the visit. As I began my second sip of the Iron Hill, the last firkin kicked, a great cheer went up among the assembled multitudes, and then a respectful group sigh, with the realization that the fresh cask beers were done.

But here's what I really love about Friday The Firkinteenth: it's wall-to-wall beer lovers, it's somewhat loud, and yet, everyone, to the last man and woman, are happy to be there, happy to pass glasses of beer along without complaint, happy to talk beer with out any pretense. The sheer vibe of simple enjoyment is everywhere. For me, the chance to see old friends whom I haven't seen in months and years was especially nice, bear hugs and hearty handshakes and laughter all around. Before the twins came 3 and half years ago, I was a weekly visitor to the Grey Lodge, despite its 40-mile distance from my home. Prior to FTF, I had not been to the Grey Lodge in 6 and half months. I've missed the place, and especially the many great people that are regulars there, but your life changes, and you try to make the most of it. It won't be 6 and half months before I'm there again; I'll be there for the NEXT Friday The Firkinteenth, next month!

(photo courtesy of Lew Bryson's website blog, Seen Through A Glass)