Whether you are relaxing at the beach, by a lake, in someone’s backyard next to a grill, or at your local brewpub, make sure you take a moment today to enjoy a true American craft brew! Happy Fourth of July!
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved
Last night Philly Beer Scene hosted a blind beer tasting event at Lucky’s Last Chance in Manayunk. Fifteen brave volunteers came out to sample and provide their opinions on a variety of unnamed beers. Although the point of the event was not to test our ability to identify the brewers of the beers, it didn’t stop us from trying! From Belgian wit to porter, our taste buds were working on overdrive. When the sampling was over, we were not told who made the beers – we’ll just have to wait until the next issue of Philly Beer Scene is released at the end of this month!
As a side note, I stopped in at Taqueria Feliz in Manayunk after the tasting. If you like gazpacho, Taqueria Feliz’s version that is currently being served – with mint and avocado slices and just the right amount of spice – is outstanding!
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved
The Lansdale Beer Tasting Festival was a great success once again! The Fifth annual festival included a “Brewmaster Series” beer pairing dinner on Friday night, a VIP early opening on Saturday and a three hour General Session. There were some amazing offerings (including the Bell’s Kalamazoo Hopsoulution), perfect weather and a friendly crowd! Read my full report on Philly Beer Scene!
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved
The opening of the Lansdale Beer Fest is less than 24 hours away! And according to the Fest’s Facebook page, Bell’s is bringing is something amazing!
“Bell’s Brewery, Inc. (Official), after looking through the quality of beer being brought to :”this little town of Lansdale’s” Beer Fest, refused to be outdone. So they shipped in a brew not available in PA until now: Kalamazoo Hopsolution. We will be having a special tapping of this beer at 2:00 on Saturday. Pretty damn cool if we say so ourselves.”
There’s still time to get tickets for Friday’s Brewmaster Series event and Saturday’s General Session, but the 12:00 noon VIP Session is sold out! Get your tickets here.
See you tomorrow!
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved
Another great weekend for craft beer in Montgomery County! Last Friday, Forest & Main Brewing Company in Ambler put on their “Naked Knees,” a mix between a saison and a Berliner-weiss, conditioned on grapefruit – get this juicy treat while it lasts!
On Saturday, I made a quick stop into Sir Winston’s Pub (and G.G. Brewers Brewing Company) in Keswick Village and tried the Olde Winnie – an old ale whose handcrafted quality came shining through! I’ll have to get back soon to try the Arch Bishop (which was not on tap just then) and their Lemon Curry Pepper Wings!
Then a quick jaunt to the other end of the county to watch some World Cup action at Champps Americana in Collegeville. The manager, Rob, was extremely attentive and very helpful in making beer selections to match the menu – I was impressed with the Southern Tier Sonnet, their take on a Belgian saison, but weighing in at a slightly high 8.5%.
The best pairing of the night was the Starr Hill Little Red Roostar Coffee Cream Stout and the Champps Mile High Dessert! I shared the dessert (but not the stout)!
Stay tuned for next weekend – the 5th annual Lansdale Beer Tasting Festival starts on Friday night with a VIP Beer Pairing, and continues on Saturday afternoon – 12:00 noon VIP session, and general session at 1:30 – with over 100 different brewers and 300 beers! Tickets are still available here. Hope to see everyone there!
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved
Just in time for summer – and Friday happy hour – The Brewholder has a new look! Let me know what you think about it! Thanks and a giant Prost to my good friend, Matt Hartman, who put the new logo together for me!
Beauty is in the Eye of The Brewholder – what are you holding?
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved
Sunday, June 15 is Father’s Day, and as I sit at happy hour at Forest and Main on Friday night enjoying a Yakutsk Pale Ale without any explicit Fathers’ Day plans, I am contemplating the question that arises every Father’s Day – how am I going to spend it? It seems like a simple question to most, but there are several schools of thought. Let me explain.
A father’s initial thought may be – “It’s Father’s Day, I’m a father and I work hard at it all year, so I’m going to go do whatever I want!” This may include activities that don’t involve your children – such as golfing or sitting at your “local” for an extended period of time. If that is your conclusion, then it’s a easy decision and you don’t need to read any further.
There is a second school of thought that fathers should spend Father’s Day with those who made them fathers. I have children, and traditionally, I spend the day with them. But at the same time, my father is still living, and while I am spending time with my kids, I’m not with my dad – which raises, in the back of my mind, the specter of being a bad son and the Mike & Mechanics song “In Living Years” whispers through my brain.
But part of the reason I don’t do anything solely with my father on this holiday is because he usually spends it with his father / father-in-law (my grandfather) that day. Typically I am invited to join that celebration at my grandfather’s house, and I do (along with my children) but one could argue that technically, as it relates to me, this is a Grandparents’ Day party.
So, as I finish the last sip of the Yakutsk and leave technicalities to the weekdays, I conclude that a multi-tiered Father’s Day party, including grandfathers, fathers, children, uncles and cousins is a great solution (I mean, when isn’t a party a great solution?) – especially when it’s a sunny day and each father brings a case of their favorite craft brew to the gathering!
So Happy Fathers’ Day to all you craft drinking Fathers out there – whatever you decide to do!
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved
My review of Iron Hill Chestnut Hill “Collaboration” Beer Pairing Dinner – my favorite event during Philly Beer Week 2014!
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved
I’m not trying to spoil your fun. But be warned – Philly Beer Week 2014 will end this Sunday, June 8. That doesn’t mean that the party also has to end however. Summer is quickly coming to the Philadelphia area, and with it many craft beer events. Here’s a few that are high on my list:
Lansdale Beer Tasting Festival – June 28, 2014
In its fifth year, the hometown of Round Guys Brewing will host over 100 brewers and 300 beers. Tickets and details here: http://lansdalebeerfest.com
Philadelphia Zoo Summer Ale Festival – July 19, 2014
An evening of lions and tigers and brews, oh my! www.philadelphiazoo.org/Explore/Upcoming-Events/Summer-Ale-Festival.htm
Brews for Books – July 26, 2014
All proceeds go to the Indian Valley Public Library and the Lutheran Community at Telford, and include a VIP pairing dinner and a homebrew competition. Visit the website for instructions on how to enter the competition and to purchase tickets: http://www.brewsforbooks.org
Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp Across America – August 2, 2014
Sierra Nevada’s traveling festival to show support for the entire craft brewing community. Of the seven Beer Camp festivals being held around the country, Philadelphia was rightfully chosen as the site of the Mid-Atlantic region festival. 250 fifty breweries from Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C. and New Jersey were invited – as of this date, 76 have already accepted the invitation. This is the “can’t miss” craft beer event of the Summer of 2014. Purchase tickets and obtain more information here: beercamp.sierranevada.com/festival/mid-atlantic_edition
So before you say goodbye to Philly Beer Week, buy tickets for your next event – it’ll make next week a little easier to survive!
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved
I hope you have all had a chance to get out and enjoy at least a little of Philly Beer Week 2014! If I haven’t bumped into you anywhere, here is a short recap of my first four days of #PBW14 – pretty phenomenal!
Friday – a special visit to Prism Brewing in North Wales with the “Shady Blonde” Wit – brewed with in-season Blood Oranges – and watching true brewers hard at work packing bottles into cases BEFORE Opening Tap! Cheers!
A beautiful Weyerbacher Last Chance IPA in some spectacular weather!
Saturday – an unlabeled, uncapped Newbold IPA straight off the bottling line with Riverhorse alumni at Philadelphia Brewing Company…then a taste of a saison and two Half Acre collaborations at Tired Hands in Ardmore…with a nightcap of Forest & Main’s Father Ubu in Ambler!
Sunday – I started after “5:00 somewhere” with Prism Brewing Mason’s Porter – coffee and chocolate with a fantastic rimming sugar that easily replaced my coffee!
Although I wasn’t at the Founders Tap Takeover at World Cafe Live (visit www.beergeeknation.com for more info on that!), I did enjoy a growler of Founder’s All Day IPA in the backyard that I picked up at the Cold Point Pub / Whole Foods Plymouth Meeting!
Monday – the Iron Hill Brewery in Chestnut Hill “Collaboration Beer Pairing Dinner” – you can read more about that tomorrow on www.phillybeerscene.com after I’m done digesting! Spoiler alert – it was awesome.
If you haven’t done anything for Philly Beer Week 2014 yet, what are you waiting for?! Go to www.phillybeerweek.com to make your plans – you have until next Sunday, June 8, to get it together! If you are in the greater Philadelphia area, chances are there is something special going on near you right now!
Cheers!
The Brewholder
Copyright 2014 – all rights reserved