Beer Radar

More ink for Philly Beer Week

Now appearing on the right leg of PBW’s magnificent web guy, Sparks:

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Brewery internship

A note to brewers: I’ve been contacted by a Drexel University junior chemistry major/food science minor student who’s looking for an internship or work co-op at a Philadelphia-area brewery. If you’ve got a need for slave labor you’d like to train a brewer of tomorrow, give me a shout - you’ve got my email/number.

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Philly Beer Week Highlights

Ding-ding-ding-ding… Philly Beer Week(March 6-15)  just broke the 200-event mark.

Here’s a pretty cool one, on Friday, March 13th, at the Sidecar (22nd & Christian, South Philly): Yo/Oy He’brew Beer & Shabbos Dinner. It’ll feature He’brew’s line of beers (who knows, maybe they’ll bring some of those Coney Island lagers, too) paired with mom’s matzo ball soup, sweet & sour meatballs and other oyish specialities.

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In non-PBW news…

The city’s obviously focused on March, but before we get there, we’ve got the dreary month of February to dispense with. Check your calendar: there’s a Friday the 13th next month (there’s another one in March, during Philly Beer Week, but that’s another story).

Anyway, when the 13th lands on Friday, it’s time for Scoats to roll out the casks for an epic Friday the Firkinteenth at the Grey Lodge Pub. The tap lineup is sketchy, but here’s one that jumps off the screen: A firkin of  Troegs Nugget Nectar imperial amber ale.

For those who’ve been in a cave, this winter’s release of NN has been one of those beer geek phenomenons, with fans practically lining up at beer distributors for a case. Word on the Beer Advocate forum is that some places are capping sales at one per carload. I haven’t tasted this year’s batch, so I’m in no position to chime in.

But a cask-conditioned Nugget Nectar? I’d hit that.

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Philly Beer Week Highlights

Just posted on the Philly Beer Week events schedule: The Philly Brewers Center City Bar Crawl.

This was one of the highlights of last year’s PBW, drawing massive, authograph-seeking crowds to each stop along the way. It’s a pay as you go event, and just a helluva lot of fun.

It’s Wednesday, March 11th, and begins at Jose Pistola’s at 6 p.m., with stops at six more bars that will be serving drafts from the participating brewers. Check out this tap lineup:

•  Jose Pistola’s featuring Stoudt’s Pilsner
• McGlinchey’s featuring Yards Smoked Polish Wheat
• Good Dog featuring Iron Hill Pig Iron Porter
• Black Sheep featuring Flying Fish Hoppy Belgian Tripel
• Nodding Head featuring Nodding Head Ich Bin Ein Berliner Weisse
• Fergie’s featuring Troegs Nugget Nectar
• Time featuring Sly Fox Gang Aft Agley

The crawl finishes at McGillin’s Old Ale House, where they’ll be pouring all 7 beers till they kick.

Details here (scroll down to Bar Crawl).

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Philly Beer Week tuneup

For those worried jumping into Philly Beer Week without proper preparation, there’s an opportunity to get into shape on the Saturday (2/28) before festivities begin, at Maggio’s Restaurant (400 Second Street Pike, Southampton, Bucks County).

The restaurant is holding a mini brewfest with a pretty decent lineup, including Weyerbacher, Duvel, Stone, Sly Fox, Legacy, Spaten, Harpoon, Sam Adams, Oskar Blues and more. Tix are just 30 bucks ($35 door). Info: 215-322-7272 and here.

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Philly Beer Week highlights

We’ve been updating the PBW website almost daily with Meet the Brewer events. Some of the biggest names in brewing are coming to town: Koch, Maytag, Arthur, Avery, Tod, Oliver, the list goes on.

Here’s a few I’m really looking forward to meeting.

Larry Bell of Bell’s Brewery of Michigan. Larry has been to Philly several times before, but I haven’t sat down for a beer with him for at least 7 or 8 years. He’ll be at Bishop’s Collar  and St. Stephen’s Green on March 6th, the Kite & Key on the 7th, and Jose Pistola’s on the 8th.

Rudi Ghequire of Belgium’s Rodenbach. I’m hoping he brings along some of that barrel-aged Vin de Céréale. And what do you say we gang up and do some Philly-style lobbying for the return of Rodenbach Alexander. Look for him on March 9th at Teresa’s Next Door and at Monk’s Cafe on the 10th.

Fergal Murray of Guinness. I’ve interviewed Fergal a bunch of times and pleaded with him to come visit Philly. I want to hear his take on O’Reilly’s Stout.  He’ll be at St. Stephen’s Green on March 14th, and I’m fairly certain he’ll add another one or two stops, including one in the suburbs.

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Philly Beer Week highlights

The PBW calendar is starting to include actual physical activity (that is, beyond elbow bending). Who knew beer drinkers had so much energy? Each of the following events is free, just pay as you go on the brews. More info at PBW’s web site.

• 3/7 - The Dock Street & Brew Lounge 5-mile scavenger run, with a hunt for I don’t know what.
• 3/9 - A run through Fairmount Park, this one “paced” by brewers Adam Avery, Brian O’Reilly and Sam Calagione, starting at the Bishop’s Collar.
• 3/14 - The Brewery Bike Ride, a leisurely jaunt which will hit 5 of Philly’s breweries with plenty of time for a pint at each stop.

Personally, when it comes to athletic activity during Philly Beer Week, I’d like someone to schedule laps in the open fermenters at Yards Brewery.

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Leave the driving to SEPTA

Just announced by Philly Beer Week, a special day pass for all SEPTA routes. It’s just 9 bucks for a day-long pass, which includes regional rail throughout the week, March 6-15.

It’s a HUGE bargain, especially considering Center City’s extortionary parking garage rates (not to mention the fact the Parking Authority just DOUBLED parking meter rates and jacked up parking tix). And, yeah, there’s that whole DUI thing, too.

“Sip Safely with SEPTA” passes are available for sale online starting today, and at most SEPTA locations starting Jan. 30. For more information, visit SEPTA’s website or call 215-580-7800.

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Philly Beer Week Highlights

Philly Beer Week is still 7 weeks away, and already more than 120 events have been added to the calendar. You can find them by clicking EVENTS at PBW’s website. 

Over the next weeks, I’m going to highlight a few. Here’s a start:

• Thursday, March 12 - Fritz Maytag beer dinner at the Four Seasons. The father of craft brewing visits America’s best beer-drinking city with his fine Anchor beer. Just an innocent observation here (jab-jab), but if I’m not mistaken, Fritz is not currently scheduled for any events during San Francisco Beer Week.
• Saturday, March 7 - Run off a few calories before the Philly Craft Beer Festival at the Dock Street Scavenger Run. It’s a five-miler organized by our friends at the Brew Lounge, and begins and ends at West Philly’s Dock Street brewpub.
• Daily through the week - Revolution was brewing! Ales & recipes of Washington, Jefferson & Franklin is a pairing of Yards’ Ales of the Revolution with a four-course dinner of original brewers’ dishes at the City Tavern, just $45.

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