November 30th, 2007 Joe Sixpack
Take a walk down the aisle at your local distributor, and you can’t help but notice the Christmas beer selection is growing. Yesterday, I was stuck behind an Origlio delivery truck and noticed it was sporting a huge advertisement for its excellent Xmas selection (with the catchy slogan, “Beer is the new wine”). Just 30 years ago, the segment was non-existent; now, I’m hustling to meet a deadline for an entire book (to be published in ‘08 by Rizzoli) devoted to the subject.
In the meantime, this week’s column is a look at where it all started. Then, over the next week or two, I’ll be adding more Christmas beer here.
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November 28th, 2007 Joe Sixpack
Robert Cade, the inventor of Gatorade, has died at age 80. Beer drinkers will remember him for one of his other more auspicious inventions: Hop ‘n Gator. That’s right, beer mixed with Gatorade. The stuff was made by Pittsburgh Brewing, so it was basically Iron City with electrolytes. Godawful stuff.
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November 27th, 2007 Joe Sixpack
The highlight at last night’s French beer tasting at Chick’s Cafe & Wine Bar wasn’t the beer, though several (notably St. Druon Abbey Ale & Brasserie Thiriez Amber) were exceptional. The highlight was the speaker, Dan Shelton of Shelton Brothers importers.
I’ve had a lot of conversations with Dan and even traveled a bit with him in Belgium. But this was the first time I’d heard him give a full presentation before an audience. His history of French beer was an eye-opener. Among other things I learned, in the early 1900s there were 2,000 breweries in the small Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. Its brewing tradition was “easily as rich as Belgium’s,” Shelton said, but two world wars wiped it all out.
Of course, this being Dan Shelton at the lecturn, the night was not without its gems. At one point he had some guy in the audience doing a damn good Broadway version of Gavroche, the urchin from Les Mis. Gavroche is also the name of one of the beers Shelton imports from Brasserie St. Sylvestre - a beer that, when it was originally sent to America, Shelton described as “merde.”
Shelton is well known in beer geek circles as a rebel (or worse) because he can’t keep his opinions to himself. Last night he offered:
- There are only 5 or 6 “good breweries” in Belgium. Most of its beer, he said pointing to Delirium Tremens as the prime example, is too sugary.
- There are only three world-class breweries in America: Russian River, Lost Abbey/Pizza Port and Jolly Pumpkin.
- He said lots of nice things about Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewing, but when asked if he considered Dogfish Head a great brewery, he grumbled about its high-alcohol ales.
Agree or disagree, his talk was entertaining.  And, by the way, Shelton didn’t spare himself when it came to criticism. At least half of the beers we tasted last night, he griped, were oxyidized. “It’s my fault completely,” he said.
As for Chick’s, it was my first time in the place since it morphed into a beer bar earlier this year. It’s a beautiful spot for a drink just off South Street: dark and cozy, paneled with tin ceiling squares. The tap selection last night: St. Druon, Troeg’s Mad Elf, Sly Fox Stout, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, Ramstein Classic Wheat and Sly Fox Saison. Not too shabby.
Posted in Tavern, Events | 4 Comments »
November 23rd, 2007 Joe Sixpack
Just got word that the new Philadelphia Brewing Co. expects to be brewing by the second week of January. This is the new brewery that will take over at Yards Brewing’s current location in Kensington. (Yards is moving to Delaware Avenue in Kensington).
 Co-owner Nancy Barton reports that Josh Ervine and John Rehm, both now working with Yards Brewing, will be the new company’s brewers. The company is in the process of obtaining needed state and federal licensing approvals. And they’ve got a new web site and logo.
No word, yet, on exactly what beers we’ll be seeing. But all this progress is great news as Philly gets set to welcome yet another brewery to the city’s beer scene.
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November 23rd, 2007 Joe Sixpack
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving - now it’s time to start your holiday shopping. Here’s some great beer stuff that you should put on your list.
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November 20th, 2007 Joe Sixpack
I’ll be at Jose Pistolas (236 S. 15th St., Center City)Â on Dec. 5th for a kick-ass Christmas beer dinner. Tix are $45, available at the bar or by phone (Tel. 215-545-4101). Check out this lineup:
Samichlaus Helles
George Gales Christmas, vintage 2001
Gouden Carolus Noel (draft)
St. Feuillien Cuvée De Noël (draft)
Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux (draft)
Sly Fox Christmas (draft)
Delirium Noel (draft)
That’s a fantastic list - every one of ‘em is in my upcoming “Stocking Full of Beer,” to be published next year by Rizzoli. But that’s just a start.
The beers will be paired with a six-course meal featuring Mexican-accented dishes from Jose Pistolas’ fine kitchen, as well as a selection of cheeses from DiBruno Bros.
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This is a great way to get into the holiday spirit and discover some great beer. Hope to see ya there.
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November 20th, 2007 Joe Sixpack
Seats are going fast for my Tria Fermentation Class on Dec. 6th. I’ll be featuring the local medal winners from this year’s Great American Beer Festival in Denver, with a special look at the diversity in Phily’s beer scene. Order tix here.
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November 19th, 2007 Joe Sixpack
Wanna be a brewer? Dogfish Head is looking for someone for its Rehoboth Beach, Del., brewpub. As the ad says: The process of brewing/distilling is a physical one; the successful head brewer
must be able to lift up to 50 lbs., twist/turn, reach over shoulders and stand/walk/bend on a continual basis.
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November 19th, 2007 Joe Sixpack
A while back, I took some heat from a tavern owner over my description of her joint as a “dive.” That led me to write this piece on what makes a dive bar. Now there’s word from the Inky’s Michael Klein that the owner of Atlantic City’s Irish Pub is suing a local publication over its description of his place as a dive.
It’s a nuisance lawsuit, of course, but what’s your opinion? Is “dive” a diss?
Posted in Tavern | 2 Comments »
November 18th, 2007 Joe Sixpack
Finally, the Eagles get to .500. And finally I found a winner in that pack of Voodoos I bought a few weeks ago. I have not been overly impressed with the selection from the new Meadville brewery. I thought it was over-reaching with its Belgian-influenced Love Child and Gran Met - especially given the $8 price tag for bombers. But Pilzilla, a hoppy, unfiltered keller beer that I pulled out for today’s game, is just brilliant: fresh-tasting with a nice bitter tang and exceptionally easy to drink. I’m looking forward to other Voodoo styles in my fridge.
The Eagles, meanwhile, are just plain bizarre this year. I thought for sure after McNabb went down that they were going to give the Fish their first victory. An ugly win. Highlight of the game: that Geico commercial with Peter Frampton.
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