July 10th, 2008 Joe Sixpack
“There is a spiritual side to craft brewing which is difficult to define but I think you know it when you see it.” - Hugh Sisson, Clipper City.
Amen. That’s Hugh speaking about big beer incursions into craft brewing, a la Miller Brewing’s so-called Lite Craft line. In his latest newsletter, Hugh notes that the Brewers Association has attempted to define craft brewing, basically by saying you can’t make authentic craft beer if you’re a megabrewer. There was a lot of harrumphing over that, with some suggesting that size doesn’t matter. If A-B can make, say, a pale ale that is as good as Sierra Nevada’s, shouldn’t it qualify as a craft?
I don’t think so, and neither does Hugh: ”I believe that much of what has happened to US beer in the last 25 years has more to do with entrepreneurs reacting against the ‘beer status quo,’ as well as a passion for fuller flavor, than it does with technical definitions.”Â
Craft beer implies craftsmanship. There is a big difference between a rocking chair made by Thos. Moser and the knockoff you can buy at Pier One. For me, it’s not just about the end product, it’s about the motivation and, yeah, spirituality.
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July 7th, 2008 Joe Sixpack
I finally had a chance to stop in last week at The Institute, the new beer joint at 12th and Green in the Brandywine section of the city (that’s just a block north from the Ridge & Spring Garden intersection). Owners Heather and Charlie have done a tremendous job fixing up the place - definitely worth the visit.
For some, the neighborhood is going to seem dicey on the first visit. Abandoned houses, vacant lots, broken glass - the whole drill. Strange, because five blocks east, west or south puts you into some seriously upscale real estate. Suburbanites, especially, see this and think crime. In fact, the neighborhood - and others like it - aren’t nearly as rough as they look. The people hanging out on the street? By and large, they’re decent, law-abiding people - just like you and me. They are not predators, they are neighbors.  Remember, fear is a product of ignorance.
My advice: Stop in and have a chat with Heather and Charlie, and ask them why they’re so confident in the future of their neighborhood.
The beer? The tap list on my visit was Yards Philly Pale, Sly Fox Weisse, Ommegang Hennepin, Founders Red’s Rye and Centennial IPA, Bear Republic Big Bear Imperial Stout, Philly Brewing Walt Wit and Kenzinger, along with Yuengling, PBR and Miller Lite.
The Walt Wit was a pleasant surprise for me. The first time I tasted it, Walt Wit (which probably has the coolest tap handle in town) seemed thin and kind of average. This time around, there seemed to be more body and a bit more of a spicy punch. On a hot day, it was a beautiful thirst-quencher. I’ll hit that one again soon.
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July 3rd, 2008 Joe Sixpack
One of the things I love about the Daily News is we don’t publish on major holidays. The news can wait a day, and it gives everyone a well-deserved day off.
That means my regular Friday column appears today. Here’s the link.
Enjoy your weekend, enjoy your beer.
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June 27th, 2008 Joe Sixpack
Tom Kehoe at Yards Brewing tells me he’s going before a neighborhood board in Northern Liberties next week with plans to put a brewpub in his brewery at Poplar & Delaware. He’s thinking of something small with a limited menu.
To me, this is a no-brainer. The brewery is located in the midst of the Delaware Ave. nightclub scene. And, there’s yet another condo tower being built on the river, just across the street from the brewery. While Yards’ main enterprise is obviously a production brewery, failing to add a retail business at the location would be missing the boat. Plus, a brewpub would fit in perfectly in what is one of the best beer scenes in the city (Standard Tap, 700, N. 3rd, Abbaye, Ortlieb’s Jazz Haus, Foodery, Druid’s Keep…).
Meanwhile, there’s notable progress at the brewery. Many tanks are up, more are on the way. The bottling line has been assembled, grain silos are up and many plumbing lines are installed. It’s looking like the first test batches are a few weeks away.
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June 24th, 2008 Joe Sixpack
More than 100 years before the Great American Beer Festival began judging brews out in Denver, Philadelphia hosted the Centennial Exposition, a six-month world’s fair on the grounds of Fairmount Park that attracted 10 million visitors. At Brewers Hall, scores of beer-makers brought in their brews for a summer of judging.
I wrote about the event two years ago, and mentioned some of the award winners, including Phillip Best (now Pabst; that’s how they got the name “Blue Ribbon”) and Philly’s Bergner & Engel.
What else won? Google finally got around to scanning the full report of the 1876 Exposition. I’ve copied down the beer awards and attached a .pdf below.
Unfortunately, brand names are not included - but check out the brewers who sent beer to Philly: Dreher, Pschorr, Blatz, Aass, Labatt, Anheuser, Ind Coope and more. You’ll find ale from Burton on Trent, Bohemian pilsner, even ale that was aged at least 5 years. It’s a quick, fun list to scan.
1876 centennial exposition awards for beer
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June 18th, 2008 Joe Sixpack
Phillies fans know Andy Musser’s greatest call came on Oct. 4, 1980, the day the Phils clinched the division on an 11th-inning home run by Mike Schmidt against Stan Bahnsen and the Montreal Expos. His second-greatest call?
It might come on July 1st when the former Phillies announcer, now Anchor Brewing’s rep in these parts, makes a guest appearance at Jose Pistola’s (263 S. 15th St., Center City). It’s part of a month-long celebration of American beer at the Center City tavern. Word is that Musser will be doing play-by-play of publicans Casey Parker & Joe Gunn behind the bar.
Casey’s at the tap… here’s the pour… deep into the pint glass… it’s foaming, it’s foaming, it’s foaming… it’s all over the bar! Casey strikes out.
Or something like that.
The rest of the month’s events:
- July 10 - Lobster bake with Allagash from Maine.
- July 16 - Blue Point oysters with Blue Point beer from Long Island.
- July 22 - All-Star game with dollar dogs and Ommegang from Cooperstown.
- Aug. 7 - All-you-can-eat crabs and Heavy Seas from Baltimore.
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June 17th, 2008 Joe Sixpack
There’s a full moon shining Wednesday night, and that means there’s another Full Mooner beer tasting. This one’s at J.L. Sullivan’s Speakeasy, the downstairs joint at the Bellevue (200 S. Broad St.) that’s the former home of Zanzibar Blue. The tasting features beer from Lancaster, River Horse, Dogfish Head and others. Suggested donation: $10. Beer pours: 7-10 p.m.
Trivia: June’s full moon is called a “Strawberry Moon,” apparently because it’s strawberry-picking time.
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June 16th, 2008 Joe Sixpack
One of my favorite bars in the world is getting a facelift this summer. Dawson Street Pub (Cresson and Dawson streets, Manayunk) will get a new bar, dining area and kitchen, and the patio is being converted into a beer garden.
Expect an enhanced menu and live music, but you can say goodbye to the pool table.
Renovations have already begun (new barstools!), and the place will be shut down for a week or two later this summer.
The beer? Owner Dave Wilby is hoping to add another three taps and he says not to worry, Dawson Street’s three handpumps will stay.
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June 13th, 2008 Joe Sixpack
 And Calagione can’t help but bring up the topic of sex.
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June 13th, 2008 Joe Sixpack
It’s a Q&A with Pennsylvania’s newest brewer, Jim Koch of Boston Beer. Between his company’s new plant outside of Allentown and its contract brewing deal at the old Rolling Rock plant in Latrobe, I’ve gotta guess that by next year most Sam Adams beer will be brewed in Pennsylvania.
For maximum enjoyment of today’s column, pick up a dead tree copy, hop onto SEPTA and head up to the Grey Lodge for this year’s only Friday the Firkinteenth. At last count, Scoats had two dozen different casks lined up for the elbow-to-elbow tasting. The list and more details are here.
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