June 16th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
Missed your favorite event during beer week? Look around and you might find some leftover beer. My advice: travel with a growler. You never know what you’ll find
In fact, Devil’s Den is suggesting you fill one or more up for Father’s Day. Here’s what they’re pouring right now:
- Ommegang Witte - $13.50*
- Spaten Oktoberfest - $12.50
- Nogne-O Porter - $36.00
- Stillwater Stateside Saison - $18.00
- Nogne-O Imperial Stout - $42.50
- Nogne-O #100 - $48.50
- Sly Fox Gang Aft Agley - $16.00
- Breckenridge Oak Aged Oatmeal Stout - $23.00
- Nogne-O Saison - $44.00
- Bruery Coton -$45.00
- Duck Rabbit Rabid Duck - $21.50
- Duck Rabbit Brown Ale - $12.00
- Duck Rabbit Barleywine - $21.50
- Avery Fifteen - $20.00
- Weyerbacher Double Simcoe - $16.00
*Prices exclude cost of growler. Yes, you can bring your own.
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May 5th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
I got a sneak peak at Kraftwork, Sidecar owner Adam Ritter’s new joint in Fishtown (541 East Girard Ave., at Montgomery) yesterday, which is to say I barged into the place with a few friends and demanded beer. This place is really sharp, featuring a very industrial, heavy metal look - very appropriate for the neighborhood.
That’s a giant handsaw hanging over the U-shaped bar. I forgot to ask who crafted it, but it’s a thing of beauty, decorated with cut-outs of hop buds. At the front end of the bar, looking out on Girard Avenue, you can see a portion of the tap handles. There are 25, including a hand pump. (I got only a quick look at the lunch and dinner menu, but it appears ambitious.)
Adam told me he’s been holding onto kegs for several months, including what I imagine is one of the few remaining local barrels of HopSlam, which I imagine will kick the night the place opens officially. I also spied a tap handle for Hitachino Nest, which Adam hopes to pour regularly.
For those who are unfamiliar with the neighborhood. Kraftwork is a very walkable seven mostly short blocks from Johnny Brenda’s, along Girard. Yes, the turf may look a bit grimy, but it’s relatively safe for peds. The bar is a few doors down from the local police district.
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April 28th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
We’ve been working for several weeks to pull this one together (the artwork alone took at least 15 minutes!):
A spirited round-table talk with:
- Wendy Yuengling, D.G. Yuengling & Sons
- Tom Kehoe, Yards Brewing
- Jim Koch, Boston Beer
- Phil Markowski, Southampton Ales & Lagers
- Joe Sixpack, moderator
Tix: $25, includes samples from each participating brewer. Proceeds benefit Philly Beer Week.
This will be held upstairs at Johnny Brenda’s, which means:
- Kehoe will be standing in exactly the same place that The National actually once played.
- You can talk beer in the same place that Kate Moss once hung out at.
This will be a fun afternoon event at an outstanding beer location with a great mix of brewery folks.
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February 10th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
You’ve gotta love the beer scene in Oregon. I’m betting this dude is a member of S.N.O.B.
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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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January 17th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
Nice beer spread in the February ish of Maxim, with the top 25 new beers on the editors’ expense account. Among the locals, Victory Helios, which is actually a re-branding of Victory Saison, and Dogfish Head Indian Brown, which is new only if this is 1999.
Even nicer is the kudos to Philly as the editors’ favorite beer town - a title the mag says we swiped from Portland, Oregon, because of:
- Great local breweries.
- Philly Beer Week
- Local history
- And that Ben Franklin quote. (And I don’t care if he didn’t say it.)
Click on the link below for a PDF of the spread.
Maxim 2010 best beers
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January 11th, 2010 Joe Sixpack
A number of local beer events got snowed out just before the holidays, including Jingle Beers at Union Jack’s (Manayunk). With weekend temps finally expected to reach the 30s(!), they’ll roll out the kegs this Saturday (1/16).
Check out this draft lineup (starting 1 p.m.):
- Scaldis Noel
- Weyerbacher Winter Ale
- Anchor Christmas
- De Konink Winter Konink
- Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
- Harpoon Winter Warmer
- Delirium Noel
- Bell’s Christmas Ale
- St. Bernardus Christmas Ale
- Wild Goose Snow Goose
- Troegs Mad Elf
- Port Santa’s Little Helper
- Firkin of Yard’s Tavern Spruce
Live music in the evening will be performed by Jeremy and Pete of Fathead and Blivit fame.
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December 29th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
OK, there’s something that’s just not right with this illustration. If I’m reading it correctly, Scoats from the Grey Lodge (see below) will be performing unnatural acts with a 5-legged shaven mutant on New Year’s Eve at the Standard Tap. Either that, or Troegs Mad Elf and Victory Golden Monkey will be pouring (no reservations needed).
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October 28th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
The Inquirer let me rant a bit this morning. You can read it here.
Or just use this as your wallpaper
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June 4th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
I enjoyed the bottle below last night while watching possibly the greatest TV show in the entire history of TV: “What the Heck Were They Thinking?” with Larry Holmes.
Seriously, you have to catch this show - 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays on Channel 51 out of Allentown. The barely literate Easton Assassin, showing nominal affects of repeated blows to the head, is teamed with a guy named Mike Mittman, whose sole talent is the ability to read from note cards on his desk.
Everything about this show is entertaining, from the set (filled with Larry Holmes memorabilia, including a weird trophy that, thanks to camera positioning, looks like a crown atop the champ’s head) to the musical interludes (snippets of MOR jazz by Larry Holmes and Marmalade) to the commercials.
The content is completely random - basically the first 5 stories on Google News. On any given night, the two could be discussing Chinese investment in America, Susan Boyle, LeBron James, Obama, AIG… well, as Mittman says, “if it’s wild and whacky, happening around the world, and we catch ya doin’ something stupid, we’re going to ask the question, ‘What the heck were they thinking?’” Last night, while discussing the Air France crash, Holmes said that if he was aboard the jet in bad weather, he’d have told the pilot to turn around. Pause… then the two of them look directly into the camera and chorus, “What the heck were they thinking?”
Inevitably the talk gets around to how Hall of Famer Larry Holmes is the greatest world champion ever, which gives them a chance to replay some old video from an Ernie Shavers fight.
Here’s a clip from the intro - go check it out. But to do this show justice, you have to put your feet up, crack open a cold one and tune in for 30 minutes of pure TV gold.
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