Thursday, December 06, 2007

Don't Turn A Blind Eye Of The Tiger Is Watching

I may not have been the first......or the second....to report this.

Tom & Peggy are opening their latest beer venture in Northwest Philly....Mt. Airy to be exact. Right near North by Northwest and McMenamin's to be even more exact.

I go away for a day on business and this major news breaks. If you're not from the Philly region, trust me, this is major for the Philly Beer Market.

So, what new do I have to add to the story? Funny you should ask. Oblivious to what's going on back in the Fertile Crescent, I order an Old Salty (barrel aged, circa 2005-ish) at the Blind Tiger. Did you remember last night's event? Weeeelll, let's just say there were more than enough goodies to still go around tonight. Including the Old Salty.

Oh, and remember Kate? Yes, she was there again. She thanked you all for your support last time around. And, she served up the Old Salty with a wink as Tom Baker turned around and said (something like) "that beer sure got beat up!" And on went the conversation about the new lease he just signed in the morning....and the 10-12 guest taps that he'll eventually have flowing (because he can't, and doesn't want to, brew every style...e.g. Prima Pils)....and the estimated, stress estimated, March 2008 opening (hm, why did I even print that?!)....and the eagerness to work in a solid (editorial comment: not fly-by-night trendy) neighborhood....and the not-so-eagerness to work through the same-as-it's-ever-been Philadelphia red tape bureaucracy.

While I didn't break any news today, do I get points for getting it firsthand..in person, in the flesh...from the man himself? I kid, of course!

By the way, wanna know the special VSKs from last night that are still on tap? Quick: Smuttynose Bourbon Brown; Stone Double Bastard; Boon Lambeek #17; Dogfish Head World Wide Stout; Cuvee Angelique; Brookly Monster 1998; Hitachino XH; Stoudt's Fat Dog; Stoudt's Double IPA; Sixpoint Porter (cask); Sierra Nevada Celebration (cask); Rogue 10,000; La Rulles Cuvée Meilleurs Voeux; He'brew Rye on Rye; Lagunitas Hop Stoopid; Allagash Grand Cru; Blue Point Cherry Imperial Stout; and on and on, as well as new ones to replace the ones, like Dogfish Head Theobroma , that had kicked last night.

That's all for now...I'm tired....on Amtrak....not moving very quickly...about to tap into my takeaways from New Beer....did I mention tired? Did I mention typing on the train sucks?

Score a couple more points today for better beer!

Talk to you tomorrow.



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bryan,

You can't say New Beer without saying what you scored there. I always had found a few things that although would weight down the bags on the train ride back, were more than worth the effort to get them home.

Did you get to try the DFH Theobroma? I hear that it is going to be bottled by the summer and is an interesting combination of chocolate, Chile and something else I can't remember at this moment.

Bryan Kolesar said...

Hi Greg, I had money on you being the first to reply...knowing your similar taste for working and playing in NYC!

The Theobroma had kicked on Wednesday night.

And, stay tuned later today or tomorrow for an inventory review from New Beer. Btw, had you been there since Whole Foods opened a "Beer Store" on the corner of Chrystie/Houston? Growler filling stations, too.

p.s. I was probably more like the 4th, 8th, or 100th to write about this. See Don Russell's review too

Anonymous said...

What kind of odds were you giving that I would be first? haha

That was one of my favorite trips down to New Beer and then on to the Blind Tiger with my bottles in tow. That place has a really cool feel to it and the food is decent as well. I will be sure to check out the review of New Beer when you get it up.

I almost tried Whole Foods on my last trip down there but ran out of time. That is great to see growler fills in a supermarket. They don't have that here...