Monday, February 20, 2012

Weekly Brew Bits Update: 2/20/12

The Brew Lounge is back stateside and a little late with this weekly update, but a weekly update it is nonetheless. A fine one, too, at that if I may say so. There's no stopping this beer train these days -- no, don't be ridiculous; I'm not referring to "that" beer train.

In the coming days, I'll share some discovered craft beer bits from Costa Rica, where the craft beer scene is quite small, but burgeoning in its own way.

PHILADELPHIA
~ First up in Philly Beer News, we have some nice recognition of George Hummel and Nancy Rigberg from Philly's homebrew capital, Home Sweet Home Brew. [link to Philly.com]

~ Reading Terminal Market, the landmark farmers market/eatery/social gathering place/tourist destination hits the big Hundred-Twenty and Philadelphia Business Journal noticed. Brauhaus Schmitz is getting food (only) stand there as well -- though, I can't place a link at this time….Doug Hager, owner, mentioned it to me a few months ago and I probably neglected to mention it here since then.

~ Bruce Springsteen's music is a big part of my life going way back. I could come up with a beer tie-in, but why bother. The music speaks for itself and this exhibition will be something I'll be sure to be checking out very soon. Here's just a bit more coverage.

~ Yes, this is more Philly.com beer linking than I should be doing in one week's update, but still…..the coverage of "gastropubs" recently included a handful of noteworthy beer haunts like Khyber Pass Pub, Kraftwork, Resurrection Ale House, and South Philadelphia Tap Room, all of whom received "two bells". Then, there was the inimitable Standard Tap, deemed worthy of "three bells".

~ Why are tickets to this year's Brewer's Plate still available? From its first years, I've continued to point out that this one of the region's premier beer and food events. Buy your tickets before they're sold out. Thank me later.

~ There's continued chatter regarding New Belgium's impending decision to open an East Coast operation, apparently either in Philadelphia or North Carolina. Again, Philadelphia Business Journal has a column on it.

~ To round out the beer news coming from Philly.com, food guy Craig Laban has joined a handful of Philly Beer Luminaries on the trip to Belgium to brew up Philly Beer Week 2012's collaboration beer. He's blogging his way through the trip with stories and pictures worth checking out.

EASTERN PA, NJ, DE, AND OTHER NEARBY PARTS OF MID-ATLANTIC
~ You know how The Brew Lounge loves its growlers. Well, to be fair, so do most of you. And, that's why Foobooz has created a useful tool to help in tracking down 64 oz. of your favorite draft beer. A mobile version as well.

~ I'll be honest; I think I'll still need to read this article one more time to catch the full drift of it. Maybe I'm weary of legislation and litigation. Maybe you can help me with it.

~ Okay, fine, let's talk more about litigation, if we must. Jack Curtin has a link to a PDF of an article concerning the legal case involving Origlio, All-Star Beverage, Yuengling, and now, apparently, also Gretz Beverage. There could be precedence created from this potential case. An interesting primer.

~ And, how about one more from Jack Curtin? This one pointing out Sly Fox's last brew in their Royersford location, opened in 2006 and now closed as they prepare to open their new location in Pottstown, Pa.


THE REST OF PLANET EARTH
~ Anheuser-Busch In Bev's Super Bowl ads. You may not have thought you'd ever see this discussed here. Well, it's interesting article about the business of big beer.

~ The Cicerone program now has over 10,000 certified members. Quite an accomplishment and certainly worth the notice.

~ I'll be going to Belgium in May, which would be a bit too early to see this project at its completion, if indeed it goes ahead. Cool concept, in any case.

~ San Francisco Beer Week 2012 has wrapped. The beer run that I co-organized attracted a reported 125 runners. Social Kitchen & Brewery served as the starting and ending point, Magnolia Brewery was the halfway refueling mark, and Golden Gate Park was the route in between. I'm rather proud of this event and am looking forward to rejoining it in person next year.

Jay Hinman has some additional insights to SFBW '12 as does The Brewing Network.

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