Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Weekly Brew Bits Update: July 2012 catch-up, installment #1

Life has regained some sense of normalcy since we've put Philly Beer Week 2012 to bed. I've had my breather/hiatus and am refreshed. Funny how it took a trip to the Bay Area to rejuvenate me. I'm still determining what exactly to take away from that. I'll tell you one thing that I'm fond of saying, visits to northern California have an impact on me that gets me thinking differently, acting differently, and even breathing differently. I hung around a lot of good people, ate and drank well, and took care of my day job responsibilities and am now back to begin somewhat anew with you all here at The Brew Lounge.

I'll tell you some more about it in days to come. In the meantime, I trust that you saw the wrap-up I did for the way-awesome Breastfest charity beer festival in San Francisco. No? Go check it out. Remember, we need all the beer readers we can get over at that place called The Washington Times.

To help ease me back in the saddle around here, I'll begin with a few days worth of sharing with you some odds and some ends from around the Webs. As I've come across things in the past couple of months, I've stuck the links in a file to eventually share. So here goes round one.

PHILADELPHIA
~ Don't think I've included a link to this video in the past that explains Brotherly Suds 3 for Philly Beer Week 2012.
~ Also during Philly Beer Week, we learned that one of the brewing scene's favorite sons, Mike Fava, chose to move north and join the Oxbow brewing team about an hour north of Portland, Maine. We understand he's pretty familiar with the brewing equipment they purchased last year.
~ The Philadelphia Eagles might finally be stepping up their beer game (as their football game remains in question). Grub Street has more details.


EASTERN PA, NJ, DE, AND OTHER NEARBY PARTS OF MID-ATLANTIC
~ While I was conducting my Philly Beer Week 5-K Beer Run at Dock Street on June 10 (catch all the wrap-up via this link), Victory was conducting its Hoods in the Woods 5-K run farther west in Chester County. So, let's get this straight. Nearly 1,000 runners showed up on one of the hottest days of the year to a) run and b) drink great local craft beer? Think about it.
~ Jeff Linkous over at Beer-Stained Letter has shared a solid interview with Mark Edelson about his Iron Hill family in the present and the future
~ The Iron Hill Twilight Criterium has already passed. It sounds like a huge hit every year in West Chester, Pa. and one of these years, I'll get there to experience it for myself.
~ Up at Boston Beer, they've got an interesting promotion going on in two days (Thursday, July 26). Something about wedding plans, free beer, and more. Go check out the details and stop by on Thursday if you're in the market for a wedding and want to get Sam Adams involved.


THE REST OF PLANET BEER
~ Pints for Prostates and Rick Lyke continue to come up with unique ways in which to raise money for the relentless health issue that he had been afflicted with. At the upcoming Oregon Brewers' Festival, tomorrow that is, check out how the first >Portland Pale Ale Invitational is bringing out the best in BridgePort Brewing, Caldera Brewing,Cascade Brewing, Deschutes Brewery, Fire Mountain Brew House, Firestone Walker Brewing, Full Sail Brewing, Lompoc Brewing, MacTarnahan's Brewing, Moa Brewing, New Holland Brewing, Ninkasi Brewing, NoDa Brewing, Odell Brewing, Oregon Brew Crew (Portland homebrewers), Rogue Ales, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Silver City Brewery, Snake River Brewery, Southern Oregon Brewing, Stone Brewing, Tree Brewing, 21st Amendment Brewery, and Wells & Young’s out .
~ More beer drinkers are being exposed to what Brettanomyces can do to beer. Here's a fun project where you can learn more.
~ Speaking of "Brett", the highly-anticipated collaboration beer, Brux, from Russian River and Sierra Nevada has been released. I've tried it twice and, if you like this type of beer, you'll probably dig this one too.
~ Finally, the HUGE Great American Beer Festival is fast-approaching. Tickets go on sale to members of the Brewers Association on July 31 and to the general public on August 2nd.
~ While you're at the last link to GABF at Brewers' Association, you may also like to check out their Zymurgy Best Beers in America as voted on by American Homebrewer Association (AHA) members with 16,445 votes.


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