February 8th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
I’ve posted a couple notices recently of places looking to hire beer help. Mainly I did it because I often field questions from readers looking to get into the business.
I almost always tell them: First, volunteer a couple days. See if it’s something you really want to do.
Now, courtesy of Pete Slosberg who sent me the link, here’s a fine report on what it’s like to work in a brewery for a day. In this case, it was on a bottling line at Russian River, where they were putting out their latest batch of Consecration.
Peter Estaniel of a Better Beer Blog writes:
Oh. My. God. By the end of the day, my entire body hurt. My back was stiff, the arches on my feet sore, my core sore from the constant twisting motion. My shoulders were in pain from the nearly endless repetition of lifting bottles one after another after another after another. My hands hurt from constantly gripping bottles and the teats of what I learned to be a cruel and uncaring metal mother. This was a painful day. At one point, I think my left shoulder went numb. It was the lucky one. I haven’t hurt this bad physically since… I don’t remember when I’ve hurt this bad from a job… ever. Running the bottling line is more physically demanding than anything else.
…The enthusiasm I displayed at the beginning of my shift quickly gave way to loathing. What started of as, “Fuck yeah! I’m working at Russian River!” transitioned to “Fuck me! I’m working at Russian River.”
…Experiencing a day in the life as a Russian River employee has pretty much wiped any romantic notions I may have had with the brewing industry. Those big, shiny, steel fermentors still shine brightly but I now notice their scratches and dents. The aroma of hops in the air? Still intoxicating but their constant presence in the air renders them almost mundane. The fantasy has become a reality; the dream job is now just a job.
Enjoy the whole report - it’s a fun read with great photos.
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February 5th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
I was one of more than 40 writers who contributed to Adrian Tierney-Jones’ just-released “1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die.” This door-stop tome of 960 pages is utterly impressive for its range of beers. And, yet, what you can’t help but think about as you page through it is: The list only skims the surface of great beer.
Consider that the book includes just four styles from Dogfish Head, two from Allagash and one from Weyerbacher. I mean, where do you draw the line?
I ponied up 49 reviews (it was supposed to be 50, but I lost count). Most were from the Northeast because, frankly, I was tired of seeing books like this completely omit fine breweries like Troegs, Yards and Flying Fish. Here’s my list (in alphabetical order); who’s on yours?
- Allagash Curieux
- Allagash Tripel Reserve
- Brewers Art Green Peppercorn Tripel
- Brooklyn Chocolate Stout
- Brooklyn Local 1
- Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse
- Clipper City Small Craft Warning
- Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
- Dogfish Head Midas Touch
- Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre
- Dogfish Head World Wide Stout
- Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter
- Flying Fish Farmhouse Exit 11
- Geary’s Hampshire Special Ale
- Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold
- Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
- Harpoon Munich Dark
- Lancaster Milk Stout
- Magic Hat Feast Of Fools
- Mamma Mia Pizza Beer
- Middle Ages Wailing Wrench
- Ommegang Abbey Dubbel
- Ommegang Three Philosophers
- Pabst Blue Ribbon
- Penn St Nikolaus Bock
- Rock Art Magnumus Ete Tomahawkus
- Sam Adams Boston Lager
- Sam Adams Irish Red
- Sam Adams Utopia
- Saranac Black Forest
- Shipyard Longfellow Winter Ale
- Sly Fox Pikeland Pils
- Smuttynose S’muttonator
- Smuttynose Wheat Wine
- Southampton Double White Ale
- Southern Tier Krampus Imperial Helles Lager
- Southern Tier Pumking
- St.
Sylvester Somewhere Saison Athene
- Stoudt’s Fat Dog Stout
- Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster
- Three Floyds Dark Lord Imperial Stout
- Three Floyds Gumballhead
- Troegs Mad Elf
- Troegs Troegenator
- Victory HopDevil
- Victory Prima Pils
- Weyerbacher Simcoe Double IPA
- Yards George Washington Tavern Porter
- Yuengling Porter
Posted in Beer etc. | 3 Comments »
February 2nd, 2010 Joe Sixpack
This looks kinda fun: Dawson Street Pub (Manayunk) is doing live theater. This month the joint will present “You’ll Never Take Me Alive,” described as a four-act show “exposing the horror and supernatural that surround us every day. ” Usually, I go to bars to avoid just that, but I’ll give it a shot.
The performances are written, produced and performed by local artists. Shows are 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 12-13, and 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 21st. Tix are $10. Call (215) 482-5677 for info.
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January 30th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
I guess if you say and write it enough times, it comes true. Go to Google Maps and search for “Best Beer-Drinking City in America.”
Posted in Beer etc. | 1 Comment »
January 29th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
- Mojo Risin’ @ Mad Mex (University City) Boulder, Paper, Scissors, today, 8 p.m.
- Iron Hill Au Ciel @ Johnny Brenda’s (Fishtown) The Trouble with Trippels, Saturday (1/30).
- Weyerbacher Hops Infusion @ South Philly Tap Room (South Philly) beef & beer, Sunday (1/31), 5-9 p.m. Tix $50.
- Prism Bitto Honey @ Grey Lodge (Mayfair) Groundhog Day breakfast, Tuesday (2/2), 7 a.m.
- Kerplunk Imperial Chocolate Stout @ TJ’s (Paoli) Spring House tasting, Tuesday (2/2), 6-8 p.m.
- Emelisse Russian Imperial Stout @ The Tap & Table (Emmaus) 12% Imports tasting, Thursday (2/4), 4 p.m.
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January 26th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
West Philly’s beer scene (or University City, at least) continues to grow. Word arrived that the City Tap House (3925 Walnut St.) expects to open in late February or early March. It’s from the same group that runs the Field House near Reading Terminal and Logan Square’s Public House and Mission Grill.
Andy Farrell, formerly of Bridgid’s, reports he’ll be overseeing the beer program, and he forwards this note from Gary Cardi, one of the owners:
City Tap House will be providing 84 draft lines with 42 imported and domestic craft beers. Al Paris will be the Executive Chef and has put together a great looking menu with an rustic bistro style feel. We will have a large outside seating area with not only table service but fire pits for lounging and cocktails. We are looking to do acoustic music 4 or 5 days a week, and have a very laid back and rustic feel to it all.
City Tap House is going to be located on Walnut between 39th and 40th on the second floor of the Radian building. This building is the show piece of University City and we are their premier feature. Gordon Dinerman, formerly of the Starr Group (Barclay Prime), will be leading the charge as our General Manager. We are looking to put together a great opening staff. I’m sure everyone knows somebody who would fit the bill and be an asset to the team, whether it be a server, busser, runner, bartender etc…
Please have any referrals drop off resumes at the Sterling Building- between 18th ad 19th on JFK, fourth floor, Suite 480.
Posted in Tavern | 1 Comment »
January 25th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
At the opening party for the tasting room at Yards Brewing, artist Jen Roder was showing off some very cool jewelry made from recycled bottle caps. Featuring the logos of many brands, her earrings were a fine example of beer as a work of art.
You can check out her work at rotorcaps.com.
How many of brands can you identify?
Posted in Beer etc., Brewpub | No Comments »
January 23rd, 2010 Joe Sixpack
I guess you could say Philly has a new brewpub. Technically it’s the “tasting room” at the Yards Brewery on Delaware Avenue in Northern Liberties. But they’re serving beer made on the premises, it has a kitchen, and it’s open every day from noon to 7 p.m. So that makes it a brewpub, right?
I got a look - and taste - at a fine opening reception last night. It’s a large room on the other side of glass wall from the actual brewhouse, with a bar (made from a recycled bowling alley), booth seating, hightops and a pool table. Nothing too fancy - this is a brewery, after all - but it’s decorated nicely. I especially liked the large Ben Franklin Bridge tapestry and a wall-sized collage of Yards beer labels.
Food is basic: chili and grilled cheese sandwiches (with bread made with the brewery’s spent grain). There may be more down the line. In addition to all of Yards’ beers, they’re serving Pennsylvania wine (I didn’t get a look at the brands).
The highlight for me was bumping into Jon Bovit, the guy who founded Yards with Tom Kehoe. Jon left the company some time back and he’s completely out of the beer biz now. The two of us just smiled at how far Yards had come in 15 years - from a tiny garage on Krams Avenue in Manayunk to a 26,000 SF facility in Northern Liberties. The tasting room alone is two or three times the size of that original brewhouse.
“I never imagined this,” Jon said. Me neither.
This is a definite must-visit for any beer lover. If you time it right, you can stop in for drinks before heading into N.Libs for dinner. Or drop by for a tour on Saturday afternoons between noon and 3:30 p.m.
Posted in Brewery | 2 Comments »
January 20th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
Ran into Jordan from Bella Vista Beverage this afternoon, who tells me that he’ll be bringing AleSmith’s brews into the city.
This is another one of those San Diego breweries (Ballast Point, Green Flash, Port Brewing, Stone) that’s a hot item among beer freaks. Speedway Stout is its monster (#18 on RateBeer’s Top 100 list).
Add: It was a busy afternoon (Philly Beer Week organizational meeting), and I shudda let Jordan finish… He adds, via email:
Can you please give the credit to my brother, Chris? He is the one who made and maintained contact with Peter Zein and remain friends today. This all happened because of our close relationships with Coronado and Ballast Point both in San Diego, members of the San Diego brewers guild and active members in the San Diego home brew scene!
Oh, we also just landed Cascade.. this year’s Gold and Silver Medal winner in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer category: a gold medal for Bourbonic Plague and a silver for Vlad the Imp Aler.
Caldera also from Oregon will soon show its cans out here!
I’m not familiar with Caldera, but Cascade’s arrival here is excellent news. I visited with founder Art Larrance (known primarily for Raccoon Lodge brewpub in Portland, Oregon) during GABF in Denver where those medal winners above and others attracted huge lines (and raves). They’re all oak-aged and lactic-fermented - truly fine brews. The kriek, if I recall correctly, was just outstanding. I imagine these will show up in town in the form of corked 750ml bottles.
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January 19th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
Are you one of those guys/gals who can’t help but offer advice to fellow beer shoppers? Always sneaking up behind some stranger and telling him which beer he oughta be buying?
A Philadelphia beer distributor will pay you to do exactly that. Call it a beer concierge: a professional beer guide.
It’s a part time job, with work on Saturdays and/or Fridays. It’s up to you to negotiate the hours and pay.
For all you folks who frequently email me looking for a way to break into the business, this may be it. You can put your beer knowledge to use and learn a bit about working with customers. And, yeah, I’m sure there will be a free sample or two fringe benefits along the way.
Send me an email if you’re interested: joe(at)joesixpack.net
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