Troegs Brewing Company has released its Anthology Winter Variety pack – which includes Troeganator Bock, Blizzard of Hops IPA, Scratch 307 – Cherry Chocolate Stout, and Perpetual IPA. Troegs’ holiday favorite Mad Elf is also out in abundance, and a new, exciting release of Mad Elf Grand Cru can be found! It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year!

Keystone Homebrew Supply will celebrate its 25th anniversary this Saturday, November 18, from 2 – 9pm. They’ll be pouring wine, cider and brews, and some local breweries will be there too! Live music by The Counterparts, food from The Pizza Wagon, games and giveaways will round out the day. Details can be found on their Facebook page.

Skadoosh IPA by The Alchemist – thanks!

Special thanks to a secret source who shared two amazing brews with me from The Alchemist Brewery in Vermont – Skadoosh IPA and The Crusher IPA. Oh – and a Super Session #8 IPA from Lawson’s Finest Liquids! What a great IPA week!

Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2017 – all rights reserved

We Are…Penn State pints from Uncommon Green

As college football bowl season swings into high gear, Uncommon Green has launched its College Town Maps line of glassware, a collection of pint glasses that are painted with a detailed map of your favorite college town.

The selection of colleges is wider than expected – not only are large schools like Penn State and USC available, but also smaller institutions like the Patriot League’s Bucknell University and Lehigh University. Simply search the alphabetical list of over 100 college towns on the website to find your favorite. If your college town doesn’t appear on the list, follow the instructions on Uncommon Green’s website and they will create it for you.

The pint glasses come in a set of two, painted in two official school colors. The maps are detailed enough that you can find your old local pubs and fraternity / sorority houses, and maybe even retrace a walk of shame.

The colors included in the Penn State set (white and blue) and the Bucknell set (orange and dark blue) are vivid and accurately depict the colors of those schools. They are advertised as dishwasher safe; attempts to scrape portions of the roads away from the State College glass with a fingernail proved fruitless.

The Bucknell pints are ready for another run to the NCAA tournament!

At $28 per set, these pints will remind you of your time at college and are the perfect gift for the thirsty alum. The College Town Map designs are also available on rocks glasses and stemless wine glasses – but etched into the glass rather than painted. The rocks and stemless wine glasses are sold at $14 per glass.

Cheers!
The Brewholder

Copyright 2017 – all rights reserved

Gene Muller and Lou Romano of Flying Fish Brewing Co. Photo courtesy of Flying Fish Brewing Co.

New Jersey based Flying Fish Brewing Company, opened in 1995, announced this morning that Gene Muller, founder and brewer, would be changing his role to “Founder.”   Here is the announcement:

Industry Veteran Introduced as President; Gene Muller Transitions to Founder Role

 

November 9, 2017 – SOMERDALE, NJ –New Jersey’s largest and most award-winning craft brewery, Flying Fish Brewing Co., which just celebrated its 21st anniversary, announces the appointment of Lou Romano as President, effective November 20, 2017. Gene Muller, long the face and voice of Flying Fish, will assume the official full-time role of Founder, remaining heavily involved in all areas of managing the Flying Fish brand, focusing on special projects and lending expertise in an advisory capacity. Flying Fish currently produces approximately 25,000 barrels per year and primarily distributes within a four-state area.

“As a lifelong resident of the Northeast, I’ve admired Flying Fish Brewing for years, because Gene and the team have been industry pioneers in so many ways. This is not only evident in the well balanced and diverse portfolio of high quality beer being crafted, but also by the way they’ve placed values like “community” and “sustainability” at the forefront of the company for decades. Having a chance to join this already successful team is an exciting opportunity for me personally, and I look forward to extending Gene’s vision for Flying Fish for years to come.”

Romano, who began working in the beer business at age 16, comes most recently from Oskar Blues Brewery, where he served as National Sales Manager since 2013. Before that, Romano served in a variety of capacities, including Director of Marketing & Wholesaler Development, for D. G. Yuengling & Son. Other relevant experience includes Resort Beverage Company, West End Distributors and Nittany Beverage.

I’m excited to be working with someone of Lou’s background to help Flying Fish continue to expand and thrive. We built a state-of-the-art facility and his experience is just what we need to move to the next level.” says Gene Muller, Founder. “It’s great to begin the next chapter of the Flying Fish story. The role of Founder will allow me to concentrate on high-level initiatives while staying deeply connected with the brand I’ve built.”

Romano’s hiring is the culmination of a three-month search, during which several candidates from top-tier craft breweries were interviewed.

Cheers!

The Brewholder

Copyright 2017 – all rights reserved

Here’s what’s hot this week:

Yards Brewing Company will hold a Grand Opening Celebration for its new facility at 500 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia on November 16. Read the press release below…

Philly Beer Scene’s Band of Brewers final competition planned for November 5 was postponed. Keep your eyes open for the new date!

Riverhorse Brewing Company will hold their Stoutfest on Saturday, November 11. There are still tickets available online – follow this link to order tickets and more information!

Philly Beer Week has launched their annual Brew with a View Raffle! If your ticket gets selected at the drawing on November 15, you’ll be heading to Brouweij De Brabandere in Belgium to brew a collaboration beer with the local brewery of your choice. One ticket costs $5, but you can buy 5 for $20. Purchase your tickets online here – quickly!

Brewery Ommegang has released its newest Game of Thrones Beer, “Winter is Here.” It is available now in bottles and on draft. Read my previous article about it here, and look for my first impressions of the brew this weekend on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook when I crack my bottle open!

Southern Tier has expanded its Pittsburgh Taproom with a 7000 sf outdoor patio. I was there last summer before the addition, and now I can’t wait to get back! Read the press release here.

Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2017 – all rights reserved

From Yards Brewing Company, October 20, 2017:

YARDS IS EXPANDING PHILADELPHIA’S BREWERY:

TAPROOM SET TO OPEN IN NORTHERN LIBERTIES,
WITH CHEF JAMES BURKE LEADING THE KITCHEN
The largest brewery in the city will open 70,000-square-foot facility,
complete with executive chef, private event space and state-of-the-art brewhouse.
This November, Yards Brewing Company will open Yards Brewery and Taproom at 500 Spring Garden Street in Philadelphia’s beer-savvy Northern Liberties neighborhood. The highly-anticipated expansion and move from their cozy tasting room on Delaware Avenue further establishes Yards as “Philadelphia’s Brewery” and provides them with a new 70,000-sqare-foot facility to produce their approachable ales and lagers, with a canning line slated to arrive in early 2018. Located less than six blocks from the famed Liberty Bell in downtown Philadelphia, Yards is the most recognized brewery in the city, and one of only a handful of urban, regional breweries in the entire United States.

“Yards is continuing Philadelphia’s brewing history, carrying on the proud and rich traditions of Philly’s breweries that came before us,” says Founder and Brewmaster Tom Kehoe, a man WHERE magazine called The Mayor of Beertown. “Those early breweries were very much stitched to the fabric of the city, serving as integral parts of the community and helping lead downtown revival efforts. Since opening our doors in 1994, that is something we have always strived to do – and this investment only strengthens that commitment.”

The Taproom
Chef James Burke, a James Beard Award semifinalist and prominent face in the city’s culinary scene, will helm the first kitchen in the brewery’s 23-year history. Chef Burke’s diverse menu will complement and incorporate the choice hops and grains used in Yards’ award-winning beers, with special attention paid to local purveyors, Philly favorites and classic pub fare.

The menu will be divided into Snacks, Sandwiches, Entrees and Desserts; and the kitchen will serve food until one hour before closing time. The bar will feature 20 total taps: including all Yards signature beers and a number of limited releases only available in the taproom.

Chef Burke’s menu will evolve as the taproom evolves, but items may include:
· Yards Patty Melt, Brawler Onions and Swiss
· Crab Toast, with Calabrian Chilies and Chives
· Smoked Cheddar Bratwurst, with Sauerkraut and Housemade Mustard
· Roast Pork, with Fermented Broccoli Rabe and Provolone

· Beer Can Chicken, served with Fried Potatoes
· Bison Chili, served with Maple Cornbread
· Pork Belly Kebab, Tavern Spruce Glaze
· Tavern Porter and Espresso Chocolate Mousse

Chef Burke has been a visionary in the city’s diverse culinary scene for the past 15 years and he has worked alongside nationally acclaimed chefs and forward-thinking restaurateurs, including Daniel Boulud, Marc Vetri and Stephen Starr. Helming the kitchen at Yards Brewery and Taproom will be a homecoming for Chef Burke in Philadelphia, where he was a three-time semifinalist for the James Beard Award as chef-owner at JAMES.