Friday, August 16, 2019

Staying local at Monk's



I've been at this thing for almost 14 years now, officially on the record, that is, with The Brew Lounge, etc. These Monk's dinners which were once a standard, reliable nearly on a monthly basis for a while, are much more infrequently spaced out during the year. But, the excellence remains.

So while Monk's has maintained its standing in the city's (and country's) beer scene, there's just one thing I can boast as having improved on my end - the pictures. Well, actually, I suppose I have nearly nothing to do with it. It's all in the technology. Think about the St. Feuillien dinner that I referenced the other day that dated back to my first piece here in September 2005. No smart phones. And digital cameras were just growing up.

The pictures never did neither the food nor the beer any respect. I think this batch here from Tuesday night earlier this week at Monk's shows just how far we've come in this area. But, I digress...as is my tendency. Tom Peters kicked off the dinner in everyone's favorite back room at Monk's by thanking all who came and the local food and beer providers behind the dinner's all-local theme.

In the past, the local beers to select from were much less in number and, well, some in quality. That number, as we all know, as skyrocketed and the choices are limitless, except for some still with quality issues which can be discussed elsewhere.

For this meal, Tom and his team settled on an excellent lineup that included Sterling Pig Shoat Pilsner to begin the evening, followed by Second District's Rustic AF, Brewery Techne Haiku, Tired Hands Gatherer, and Yards Bourbon barrel-aged Thomas Jefferson Porter. Stoudts rounded out the meal pairing its new Sauer Sauce with the dessert course. Peaches, baby!

I've gone on for paragraphs in the past carefully detailing each course and yada, yada, yada. But, since I've lost any rhythm that I used to have here with regular postings, I'm just gonna get these pictures out to you of each course and pick a winner. Not one pairing disappointed, not even in the least. But when forced to pick my favorite of the evening, it had to be the sweet and savory Bone Marrow Bread Pudding (with apricot and pluots) served along with Brewery Techne's Haiku, which had been kettle soured with Montmorency Cherries. Think about that for a second and then go to your kitchen and see what you can round up for dinner tonight. Cheers!


(Shoat and Cantaloupe Gazpacho)


(Rustic AF with Jersey Golden Tilefish)


(Haiku with Bone Marrow Bread Pudding)


(Gatherer with Organic Chicken)


(Washington Porter with Birchrun Blue and Finger Lakes Gold Reserve cheese plate)


(Sauer Sauce with Peach Ice Cream & Shortcake)




© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com


Monday, August 12, 2019

Back to Monk's Cafe for dinner



Let's see if this thing still works. In all probability, I put too much "material" on social media that could instead make for better-reading blog posts here. But I'm beyond apologies; it's the way these days, it seems.

Enough hand-wringing. Let's talk about Monk's Cafe. Let's talk about how tomorrow, Tues. 8/13, will not only be the day that would mark my father's 96th birthday (!), it will also mark exactly 13 years and 11 months since I got things going with my first post here on The Brew Lounge.

It happened to be an epic beer dinner at Monk's with Dominque Friart and her St. Feuillen brewery in Belgium. By all accounts, it was the typically excellent beer dinner that Monk's had been and is known for in pairing foods and beers. My writing, on the other hand, was a bit raw now in hindsight. But it led to better writing, networking, embedding myself in the industry, writing for numerous print and online outlets, including my Beer Lover's Mid-Atlantic 416-page book covering the best of the region.

I bring this up because tomorrow night sees Monk's putting on another display of carefully considered beer and food pairings -- this one, featuring all things local on the plate and in the glass. Beers to be featured will come from Brewery Techne, Second District, Sterling Pig, Stoudts, Tired Hands, and Yards.

Beer dinners had reached, oh five or so years ago, the point of being a dime a dozen. Everyone wanted a piece of the action, though the best stood out head and shoulders above the rest. Some of the most usual suspects doing it well, like Monk's and all Iron Hill locations, have let these special, fixed price dinners mostly fade from the event calendar. At least, let's say, they're no longer held on a regular basis. Suppose it's just a sign of today's consumer preferences, but I'll still miss them and helps me look even more forward to what awaits at 7 p.m. tomorrow night.

I was in the back room at Monk's this past Saturday late night for the dessert course of a progressive dinner around the city. The pecan pie and Firestone Walker Parabola had me instantly anxious to return in three nights. If I do things right, you'll be able to check back later with my breakdown of Tuesday evening's tastes, sights, and sounds.





© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com


Monday, June 03, 2019

Philly Beer Week the 12th hits its stride early



The first three days of Philly Beer Week 2019 are in the rear view mirror. I concur with the feedback I heard from many on both sides of the tasting tables that the 2300 Arena as a venue worked well for Opening Tap, utilizing both indoor and outdoor (under I-95) space to facilitate the flow between tasting tables and other amenities like axe throwing, photo booth, food, and live music. Other than not being easily accessed by public transportation, save for a couple bus routes that could get you in the vicinity, the feedback was positive.

Here's a gallery of pix that I collected along the way.

According to the official events calendar on the PBW website, there are 259 events remaining in the next 7 days. I took some time to de-dupe and remove recurring events, we're a bit closer to 200. Here are a few highlights that jump out to me and where you may see me partaking.

Mon. June 3
  ~ I'm not doing anything official today, but let's say for argument sake I was, I might have brunch with 3 Floyds at Jose Pistola's, then quaff some quality beverages with The Beer Lass at City Tap House, help Matt Satten and Varga raise some charitable funds for the Chemowarrior cause, see who brews the best homebrew at Jose Pistola's, and then maybe drive out of the city by way of Hop Angel for some German beers from the source and German-style beers from Sly Fox. Instead, unless I take a wrong turn and wind up in Philly tonight, it's on to Tuesday planning.

Tue. June 4
  ~ Not sure I can handle the crowd expected at Monk's for the Maine event. I'll check it out, but be ready to move on because there'll be oysters at Johnny Brenda's, oysters and clams at Bru, hungry hippos at Memphis Taproom, and chocolate at Iron Hill. Blume is hosting Burley Oak, Capone's has Hidden River, Jose Pistola's is featuring The Rare Barrel, The Belgian Cafe brings the brewery formerly known as Draai Laag, and The P.O.P.E. is pairing The Futurist and 2SP. The Grey Lodge is hosting a pretty clever sounding Jersey event and the feature spotlight event of the night discusses the intersection of package art and beer.

Wed. June 5
  ~ Now things get really interesting. Crossing the midway point puts on a solid showing of events on days 6 and 7. In the suburbs, Capone's is doing double duty bringing in a local (Imprint) and an out-of-towner (Zero Gravity) to feature on Wednesday. Back downtown, Second District Brewing is hosting a CBD beer dinner which sounds mighty enticing, not to mention relaxing. Goats are not on the menu but will be making an appearance at Bar. The goats of Sly Fox's Goat Races, that is. King Pin is another annual ritual not to be missed. It happens quickly at Standard Tap, so be sure not to miss it. Up the road a bit at Memphis Taproom are three heavy hitters - Lawson's, Industrial Arts, and LIC Beer Project. Finally, there's a dose of beer and religion at Fergie's. But the devil is not be outdone where, over at The Belgian Cafe, we can close out the night with "Late Night with the Devil" that brings together Duvel and La Cabra. Hey, that's another goat reference!

Thu. June 6
  ~ Food events are catching my eye on Thursday's slot in the calendar. Pierogies at Grey Lodge. Pork at Royal Boucherie. Ice Cream at Iron Hill. As for beer features, we'll find Jersey-based breweries at Brickwall, Pizza Boy at Bottle Bar East. And, 3 Floyds at both Barcade and Tria Taproom. If you want some smarts with your beer, check out the Jeopardy fun at Evil Genius.

Fri. June 7
  ~ Despite the best intentions, I've still never made it to the annual event at Good Dog featuring Sly Fox and pinewood (sorry, canwood!) derby car racing. I even have two from when I was a Cub/Boy Scout as a yute. Maybe I can modify them and bring them along. Otherwise, a bunch of featured breweries sound interesting to check out including 2SP and a barrel full of collaborations (Varga), Tired Hands and Equilibrium (the P.O.P.E.), Lawson's (Jose Pistola's), and The Alchemist (Teresa's Next Door). TND, that is, if I missed The Alchemist earlier in the week at Monk's.

Sat. June 8
  ~ One of the few events with perfect attendance since 2008 - Ladies Beer Tea - is happening again at The Belgian Cafe. I'll leave that one to the ladies; it's almost always a sellout and I expect it will again this year. I, instead, will look for my liquid refreshment and frivolity at some combination of Tria Taproom (for an Almanac-themed event), the P.O.P.E. (Rar Brewing and friends), City Tap House-Univ. City (Grateful Dead themed fest), and a brunch at Blume that could start the whole day. They're featuring "blenderies" (did I just make that up? nope. just googled it.) including The Rare Barrel, Referend, and Form. Blume is the rebranded Cinder. There's also a Dunk A Trump event at El Camino Real and, let's just say, I did very well at that challenge (for ALCU charity of course!) and may feel even more motivated this time around. Then, also, back in the 'burbs near home is where Teresa's Next Door and Troegs will play host to their annual beer garden during the Wayne Music Festival.

Sun. June 9
  ~ For the last day of beer week, the past has typically presented Russian River at Local 44, Music Fest at Dock Street, or running events that I coordinated. Sometimes the TUD at Fergie's if staying out that late made sense. Now, a new standard seems to have emerged and it's just a few miles from home for me. La Cabra (winner of this year's PBW collaboration brew with Duvel) is again hosting the Suburban Love festival, complete with 10 other suburban breweries. Last year was excellent and I expect no different this year. If I do make it into the city, Sour Sunday at Devil's Den with Free Will is carving out its own place on the annual PBW events calendar.




© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com


Thursday, May 30, 2019

Rest up tonight Hammer of Glory, your big day is tomorrow

(HOG shenanigans in 2017 with Allagash's Rob Tod, Suzy Woods, and Katie Tella)

Remember that detailed itinerary for the Hammer of Glory I referred to the other day? Found it. Thanks to Mr. Scoats and Ms. Dowd for forwarding along to me.

25 stops in 9 hours. Looks like we'll finally get a break in monsoon season and a great weather day to kick off PBW 2019. Can you keep up?

Stop #1 10:00-10:13 AM Hop Angel Brauhaus 7980 Oxford Avenue [event listing link]
Stop #2 10:43-10:56 AM Grey Lodge Pub 6235 Frankford Ave [event listing link]
Stop #3 10:58-11:11 AM Chickies & Petes 4010 Robbins Ave [event listing link]
Stop #4 11:31-11:44 AM Bonks Bar 3467 Richmond Street [event listing link]
Stop #5 12:02-12:15 PM Philly Brewing 2440 Frankford Ave
Stop #6 12:33-12:46 PM Evil Genius Lab 1727 N Front St [event listing link]
Stop #7 12:56-1:09 PM Garage Fishtown 100 E Girard Ave [event listing link]
Stop #8 1:10-1:23 PM Johnny Brendas 1201 Frankford Ave [event listing link]
Stop #9 1:33-1:46 PM El Camino Real 1030 N 2nd St [event listing link]
Stop #10 1:50-2:03 PM Standard Tap 901 North 2nd Street [event listing link]
Stop #11 2:17-2:30 PM Yards 500 Spring Garden St. [event listing link]
Stop #12 2:56-3:07 PM BRU 1316 Chestnut St. [event listing link]
Stop #13 3:08-3:19 PM Tradesmans 1322 Chestnut St. [event listing link]
Stop #14 3:21-3:34 PM Time & Bar 1315 Sansom St.
Stop #15 3:35-3:48 PM Fergie's 1214 Sansom Street
Stop #16 3:58-4:09 PM Varga 941 Spruce Street [event listing link]
Stop #17 4:21-4:34 PM 12 Steps Down 767 S. 9th Street [event listing link]
Stop #18 4:41-4:52 PM Chick's 1804 Washington Ave [event listing link]
Stop #19 4:59-5:10 PM Devil's Den 1148 S 11th St [event listing link]
Stop #20 5:16-5:27 PM Garage Passyunk 1231 E Passyunk Ave [event listing link]
Stop #21 5:34-5:45 PM POPE 1501 E Passyunk Ave
Stop #22 5:55-6:06 PM Pistolas Del Sur 1934 E Passyunk Ave [event listing link]
Stop #23 6:13-6:24 PM 2nd District 1939 S Bancroft St
Stop #24 6:34-6:45 PM Brewery ARS 1927-29 W Passyunk Ave [event listing link]
Stop #25 7:00 PM Opening Tap - 2300 Arena 2300 S Swanson St [event listing link]




© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com


Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Time to get back on the Philly Beer Week wagon



I could not have been more proud of the work I did during Flagship February. So much so that I left it up here for the last three months while I collected myself and tried to determine where to go next. Well, I drank some good beers here, there, and everywhere. Did my social media bit and wrote some for Ale Street News.

Now it's time to move on to Philly Beer Week, the 12th edition. (The official website says 11th, but who's counting?! All those beers apparently make it difficult to keep track.) It kicks off this coming Friday, May 31. And while I don't believe for a second that there will be "nearly" 200 establishments putting on 2,000+ events during the 10-day stretch (quoted from the press release), what I do believe is that there will be plenty of opportunities to drink newly released beers, OG beers, regular beers, weird beer, go to some familiar joints and some new spots, meet some fun people, and have some memorable times while doing it. As of this evening, there are 303 events (up from 210 on May 22 and 258 two days ago) listed on the official calendar, though that number does include some duplicates, a bunch of recurring daily events, and even some without an establishment listed.

I have yet to determine just how much PBW 2019 my personal and professional lives can handle, but it will be able to handle, at least, the first three days. In my honest and humble estimation, no one other independent beer writer has covered each of the 11 previous years of PBW. Content from some of the early years contain still some of my most trafficked content. In that spirit, I continue again this year. Here's what I have on my mind and where you and I might cross paths if you choose to do the same.

================================
FRI. MAY 31

(the Hammer of Glory will, once again, be making it's trek around the city on the way to Opening Tap. once I track down a detailed itinerary I'll be able to determine if/where I'll cross paths with it.)

Philly Beer Week Kickoff - 2 p.m. - Uptown Beer Garden
  ~ they're advertising a Sly Fox Bay 6 Pils Keller Pilsner and that seems like a mighty fine place to start

Beer Week Begins with Burley Oak - 4 p.m. - Interstate Draft House
  ~ I typically only see Burley Oak when passing through on the way to/from OBX. And I really like Interstate as a neighborhood hang.

Ommegang Kickoff Happy Hour - 4 p.m. - BRÜ Craft & Wurst
  ~ I've done this "kickoff" event for a beer or two from Ommegang and that usually goes quite well, so I'll do it again. Plus, they're scheduled to be pouring the Duvel/La Cabra collaboration, so that could turn out to be my first taste of it.

Fonta Flora Debuts in PA - 4 p.m. - Monk’s Cafe
  ~ a spectacular brewery that I've had the pleasure of only from a distance and when traveling in NC. This could be way too crowded for a quick stop, but I'll give it the ol' college try.

Yards Brewing “The Chinook Of Mormon” - 5 p.m. Good Dog Bar
  ~ Brotherly Suds is back and seems like a nice quick stop on the way from Monk's

Toppling Goliath Launch - 6 p.m. - BRÜ Craft & Wurst
  ~ just had a few King Sue's when up in NYC last week. Renewed my interest in this event. Maybe some will be on tap while I'm there for Ommegang earlier in the day and can double-dip? Something has to drop from this overly ambitious afternoon list; hope it's not this.

Opening Tap 2019 - 6:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. - 2300 Arena
  ~ way down yonder in South Philly is where this year's Opening Tap will be held. Should be interesting as the most remote venue since 2008 when the official kickoff was held in East Falls. Always a great sampling a beer, music, and fun.

Post Opening Tap Party with Pat Finnerty's Live Band Karaoke - 10 p.m. - Fergie’s Pub
  ~ because Fergie's. because upstairs. because the party ain't over until you get to Fergie's.

Opening Tap After Party with Allagash and Rob Tod - 11:15 p.m. - Pub on Passyunk East (P.O.P.E.)
  ~ of course, the description says 10 p.m., the event posting says 11:15 p.m., either way, it's Allagash, the P.O.P.E., and Tod. Tough to beat as a close-out for Friday night. Unless it's off to the back room at Monk's...hhmmm.

================================
SAT. JUNE 1

Hair of the Dogfish Head Brunch - 11 a.m. - Fergie’s Pub
  ~ if I don't make it to Fergie's the night before, brunch on Saturday with DFH would be a great way to begin.

It's A Firkin Riot! - 11 a.m. - Johnny Brenda’s
  ~ can't say I've ever missed this fine event in past years so I don't think I'll pick this year to break the pattern

The Referend Comes To Interstate - 11 a.m. - Interstate Draft House
  ~ I could see the Burley Oak on Friday falling victim to logistical issues in my travels around the city. But, I've heard a lot of good stuff about Referend in NJ, so I'll try not to miss this one.

Urban Village's Birthday Party - 11 a.m. - Urban Village Brewing Co
  ~ I did this last year to kickoff of the first Saturday and that went quite well, so I have it at the top of my list again this year.

Root Down Brunch - 11 a.m. - Standard Tap
  ~ one of my favorite suburban breweries at one of my favorite city restaurants. book it.

Heavy Medals - 2 p.m. Iron Hill - Center City
  ~ the new IH location is central to so much, including the trains, so this event seems like the right time to pass through here.

Dog Day Afternoon - 1 p.m. - Pub on Passyunk East (P.O.P.E.)
  ~ Fat Head's has a track record of dog-related events and bringing in KOP's Workhorse brewery and Lord Hobo too to make it even more of an event with Morris Animal Refuge, one of the city's finest.

================================
SUN. JUNE 2

Puppy Pageant - 12 p.m. - Devil’s Den
  ~ I wonder if my 8-month-old pup is ready for this?

Roy-Pitz Sour Sunday & Barrel House 2nd Anniversary Party - 12 p.m. - Roy-Pitz Barrel House
  ~ these guys are part of a growing beer destination neighborhood and this kind of event is a good time to check them out.

Sunday Funday with Singlecut, Burley Oak, Referend, Tonewood, Une Annee, Brix City - 12 p.m. - Memphis Taproom
  ~ Memphis perennially hosts some of PBW best events. Case in point here.

Yards Dunk The Brewer - 3 p.m. - Garage – Passyunk
  ~ fundraiser for PAWS and dunk tanks. hard to say no to that.

Brunch Bingo with Firestone Walker - 12 p.m. - Brickwall Tavern
  ~ don't even need to hear what FW beers are being poured. count me in. the bingo is almost secondary.

Cider Sunday - Meet The Owners & $5 Drafts - 2 p.m. - Blume
  ~ do I dare make room in PBW for a cider event? I know, it doesn't make sense, being beer week, but I'll roll with it. I like the ones that are being poured.

Allagafternoon - 4 p.m. BRÜ Craft & Wurst
  ~ because you can never have enough Allagash.

2SP Brewing Presents Industrial Arts Brewing Co. - 5 p.m. - Good Dog Bar
  ~ haven't had a run-in with IA and Chief in much too long, so Good Dog seems like a good place to rectify that

New York Breweries Bring-Your-Own-Vinyl Takeover w/Singlecut, Foreign Objects, Barrier, and more - 7 p.m. - Prohibition Taproom
  ~ let's see what vintage vinyl I can dig up for this. solid breweries represented too.

Late Night In Brussels with De La Senne, Oxbow & Liquid Riot - 9 p.m. - Monk’s Cafe
  ~ oh my, this almost warrants a hotel room.

A Late Night In Brussels Part Duex - 10 p.m. - Jose Pistola's
  ~ if Monk's didn't do me in, Pistola's most certainly will.

================================



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com


Friday, March 01, 2019

Index + Wrap-Up of Flagship February Beers [Philadelphia edition]

Weeelllll, that was the longest 28-day month ever! I made 28 PDFs to accompany 28 posts that featured 28 flagship beers after getting in touch with 28 breweries and putting my lips on 28 beers. 14 beers were consumed at the brewery and 14 were consumed at home. Every brewery had personal input, but I had 12 in-person conversations and 2 phone conversations to aid in building the profiles. It was more than 28 beers, as you might imagine, because some got left by the wayside, but the work was put in and I wouldn't trade a day or a beer for any of it. I can't tell you how long it's been since I've been so proud to be part of a group undertaking such as this in the beer industry.

See below for the full inventory and all the links to the individual beers and features. The style breakdown is as follows: IPA/DIPA (6); German-/Czech-style Pilsner (4); German-style Lager (3); Amber/Pale Ale (3); ESB (2); Porter (2); Stout (2); Barleywine (1); Belgian-style Dubbel (1); Belgian-style Tripel (1); Kolsch (1); Saison (1); California Common/Steam (1)

And hopefully you didn't miss the real reason this all got started -- FlagshipFebruary.com. While I featured Stoudts Gold here on Feb. 21, that was also the date where my full story about the Stoudt family and the Stoudts Gold Lager was featured amongst 27 other beer writers from around the world. Our project was to bring attention to the "beers that got us here". There was representation from Europe, South America, and North America. It was an incredible honor to be listed amongst them.

Go read up on the tag-team finale posting from Stephen Beaumont and Jay Brooks, the two primary guys behind the organizational undertaking that it was to corral 28 writers for 28 consecutive days.

Then let's meet up for a beer and we can talk more about the past, the present, and the future of great beer.




Fri. Feb. 01, 2019  -   Flying Fish Abbey Dubbel  -   [Link to my Flying Fish feature]
Sat. Feb. 02, 2019  -   Conshohocken Puddlers Row ESB  -   [Link to my Conshohocken feature]
Sun. Feb. 03, 2019  -   Second District Bancroft Beer  -   [Link to my Second District feature]
Mon. Feb. 04, 2019  -   Love City Lager - [Link to my Love City feature]
Tue. Feb. 05, 2019  -   Tired Hands SaisonHands  -   [Link to my Tired Hands feature]
Wed. Feb. 06, 2019  -   Victory HopDevil  -   [Link to my Victory feature]
Thu. Feb. 07, 2019  -   Yards Extra Special Ale (ESA)  -   [Link to my Yards feature]
Fri. Feb. 08, 2019  -   Iron Hill Pig Iron Porter  -   [Link to my Iron Hill feature]
Sat. Feb. 09, 2019   - Neshaminy Creek Trauger Pilsner  -   [Link to my Neshaminy Creek feature]
Sun. Feb. 10, 2019   - Crime & Punishment Space Race IPA  -   [Link to my Crime & Punishment feature]
Mon. Feb. 11, 2019   - Yuengling Black & Tan  -   [Link to my Yuengling feature]
Tue. Feb. 12, 2019   - Root Down Bine IPA  -   [Link to my Root Down feature]
Wed. Feb. 13, 2019   - Manayunk Monk From The 'Yunk  -   [Link to my Manayunk feature]
Thu. Feb. 14, 2019   - Lancaster Milk Stout  -   [Link to my Lancaster feature]
Fri. Feb. 15, 2019   -  Tröegs HopBack Amber  -   [Link to my Tröegs feature]
Sat. Feb. 16, 2019   - Dock Street Bohemian Pilsner  -   [Link to my Dock Street feature]
Sun. Feb. 17, 2019   - La Cabra Hipster Catnip IPA  -   [Link to my La Cabra feature]
Mon. Feb. 18, 2019   - Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot  -   [Link to my Weyerbacher feature]
Tue. Feb. 19, 2019   - Workhorse Vienna Lager  -   [Link to my Workhorse feature]
Wed. Feb. 20, 2019   - 2SP Baby Bob Stout  -   [Link to my 2SP feature]
Thu. Feb. 21, 2019   - Stoudts Gold Lager - [Link to my Stoudts feature]
Fri. Feb. 22, 2019   - Free Will The Kragle IPA  -   [Link to my Free Will feature]
Sat. Feb. 23, 2019   - Sly Fox Pikeland Pils  -   [Link to my Sly Fox feature]
Sun. Feb. 24, 2019   - East Branch Der Bach  -   [Link to my East Branch feature]
Mon. Feb. 25, 2019   - Philadelphia Brewing Kenzinger Beer  -   [Link to my Philadelphia Brewing feature]
Tue. Feb. 26, 2019   - Sterling Pig Big Gunz Double IPA  -   [Link to my Sterling Pig feature]
Wed. Feb. 27, 2019   - Anchor Steam Beer  -   [Link to my Anchor feature]
Thu. Feb. 28, 2019   - Sierra Nevada Pale Ale  -   [Link to my Sierra Nevada feature]




© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com


Thursday, February 28, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

I'm closing out the month of #FlagshipFebruary with two American classics that help start us down the road to where we are today. Throughout the month, I first featured 26 flagship beers in the greater Philadelphia region. Then, yesterday, I featured Anchor Steam and today I bring this undertaking to a close with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Similar to my mention in Anchor's feature, Sierra Nevada's place in American brewing history is well documented and cemented. A book could be written (actually, owner Ken Grossman did write a book) about everything from the simple beginnings to the complex organization that the brewery has become.

After many, many dozens of trips to northern California, I finally made my first visit to the brewery's HQ in Chico in late 2017. I'd been to their satellite location in Berkeley - The Torpedo Room - already a few times. In Chico, I got the VIP treatment with food and beer and a two-hour tour and sampling. Even sampled Celebration from the zwickel. Now I need to add Mills River, NC to my travel list to see the brewery's east coast operation, which I'm told takes the patchwork Chico brewery and perfects it into something even more grand - the Disneyland of Beer, if you will.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's Sierra Nevada beer at Fergie's Pub, which participated with Flagship features throughout the month on beers like Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2018. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Anchor Steam Beer

Anchor Brewing's special place in American brewing history is well-documented. If you're not familiar, I strongly suggest checking it out over here. In my frequent trips to the Bay Area over the last twenty years, I've drank plenty of Anchor around town, at the SFO airport, and been to the landmark brewery twice. Somehow, in all my grand organization of pictures on my numerous hard drives, I'm not able to dig up the interior brewery tour pictures I have from the past. Just the more recent exterior ones I've included in my PDF below.

Around ten years ago, an unfortunate cross-country flight delayed by more than three hours, had me missing my invitation to the brewery's annual holiday party. But after this feature, I'm pledging to take them up on their offer for a re-visit (finally!) during my next trip to the city.

The last time I was there, the legendary former owner Fritz Maytag was on-site and joined our tour group in the tasting room for the end-of-tour samples. Maytag also attended his brewery's event at The Four Seasons in 2008 during the inaugural Philly Beer Week, making that event all the more special. From another personal angle, it was rewarding to speak with Maytag's friend and brewery ambassador, Andy Musser (rip), at events. It was always a fun conversation alternating between baseball (Musser was a Phillies announcer, too, if you weren't aware) and beer. Had such a conversation in the galley of a cross-country flight that he and I were both on maybe fifteen years ago. But, I digress....

The new era of Anchor sees longtime familiar faces like Maytag, Mark Carpenter (brewmaster since 1971), and others retired/moved on. The newest owners, Japan-based Sapporo, acquired Anchor in 2017, but the beer persists. I miss the Brekle's Brown, Bock, and interesting beers from the Zymaster Series, But, in addition to Steam, I still find myself eagerly seeking out the Liberty Ale, Old Foghorn, Porter, and the annual changing recipe that is the iconic Christmas Ale.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Anchor Steam.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's Anchor beer at retail, but was also provided with the "stovepipe" can sent from the brewery as part of a media mailing.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2018. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Sterling Pig Big Gunz DIPA

I'm fairly certain that each time I've eaten at Sterling Pig, there's been a burger in front of me...or pulled pork. Burger and a beer. Either the Snuffler IPA or the Big Gunz DIPA or the This Little Piggy IPA. It just makes perfect sense.

There are also nachos, the Czerw sausages, smoked wings, and wood-fired pizza. The kitchen makes great use of the wood-fired oven. And you're tempted with the aromas from the minute you park the car. From the brewery, the Shoat Pilsner is very well done as is the Porc Noir Black IPA. You know how happy I am that someone is still making a solid Black IPA?

And, they've now officially opened their satellite location in West Chester -- another showcase for Brian McConnell's beer. It goes on the growing list of new places I need to check in on.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Sterling Pig Big Gunz.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's Sterling Pig beer at retail.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2018. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Monday, February 25, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Philadelphia Brewing Kenzinger Beer

The home of Philadelphia Brewing Company in Kensington is a strikingly beautiful look back on the city's brewing history. Once home to Weisbrod & Hess (1882-1938), markings of the brewery are still evident in the stone and tile work as well as the original name emblazoned on the exterior facing Amber Street.

A lot of good beer and events served up in one block where Philadelphia Brewing anchors one end, while popular Martha bar occupies the other. The annual Open House/Holiday Party, typically at the end of November, draws a crowd for live music, food, and beer while also serving as a cat rescue fundraiser.

From the brewhouse, the solid staples keep fans happy, but some of the interesting seasonals are eagerly anticipated just the same. Fleur de Lehigh - with ginger, lemongrass making it a perfect springtime beer, Shackamaximum - its big rich malt flavors making it a perfect wintertime beer, and the Harvest From The Hood - as local as local hops get from their front yard making it a perfect fall beer, are three that I reach for throughout the seasons. Electro Lyte is a low-alcohol, big flavor beer inspired by the running community. I miss the Rowhouse Red, but admittedly that's a style with generally a tough sell these days.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Philadelphia Brewing Kenzinger Beer.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's Philadelphia Brewing beer at retail.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Sunday, February 24, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - East Branch Der Bach

East Branch has been a perfect addition to Downingtown's beer scene. As Victory has grown much larger, East Branch opened almost two-and-a-half years ago (coincidentally, with former Victory brewer, Kevin McGovern, manning the mash paddle) to fill the demand for a small brewpub.

The brewery opened first with a small tasting bar and later moved the bar to a much more spacious upstairs, complete with a kitchen turning out some impressively creative dishes to complement the beer menu. (The downstairs restaurant, Estrella, serves East Branch beers as well in addition to other regional beers and a full bar.) From East Branch's menu, provided your dietary requirements do not begin with a "V", you absolutely must try the Brisket Noodles. Preferably, if you go now, with a Düssel Sticke Alt. Would love to see breweries (and consumers!) getting back on board with this style in the way that Root Down has (recall I mentioned earlier this month?) and East Branch does from time to time as well.

That is a true strength of East Branch - that is, in addition to the solid food offerings, McGovern's willingness to put out a list of beers that nicely span the classic beer style spectrum, alcohol strengths (if you haven't had the pleasure, keep your eye out for the return of the incredible Severn Dark Mild at 3-3.5%!)

Now click the picture below for a full feature on East Branch Der Bach.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's East Branch beer while at the brewpub.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Saturday, February 23, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Sly Fox Pikeland Pils

Once you find Sly Fox's production brewery and taproom off the highway, down the railroad tracks, across the creek, and on the backside of a business park at the end of the local municipal airport in Pottstown, you'll find it difficult to leave. Quite a few good things about their hidden location. One is that after hours during the week and all weekend long, they have the business park pretty much to themselves (and neighboring Manatawny Still Works across the street).

Things have gone well for the nearly 25 year old Sly Fox and its befitting that they reside on Circle of Progress Drive in the business park. Another fortuitous piece of the puzzle is the adjacent grassy piece of land that hosts their oversized outdoor annual events -- Bock Festival/Goat Races; Taps, Tunes, & Trucks; Cyclocross; and Can Jam Festival.

Inside, there's excellent pizza and sandwiches to pair up with a brewery tour, a few beers from a wide-ranging lineup, and a relaxing visit. On a nice day, sitting outside and watching planes take off and land at the airport adds to the atmosphere. They always have a lot going on, a decent amount of it Irish- and German-inspired (like this featured Pils), and growth on the horizon with planned satellite operations on the drawing board for nearby Malvern, Wyomissing (in Berks County), and across state in Pittsburgh.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Sly Fox Pikeland Pils.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's Sly Fox beer at retail.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Friday, February 22, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Free Will The Kragle IPA

It's been fun watching Free Will grow from a little brewery in a basement in the back of an old industrial building in a small town tucked somewhere in upper Bucks County....into a prominent brewery widely recognized and highly regarded across the northeast for its barrel-aging program (that's still in the basement) and its taproom events that spill into the upstairs brewery. In other words, they've become a destination.

The sours deserve every bit of acclaim (Pomisher, Olly, Peachy, and Grape rank as my favorite of their past and present sour treats, if you care to know) that they receive, both nationally and internationally, but they have other high-quality tricks in the trade as well including a to-style Vienna Lager, a likewise to-style Crisper Kölsch, a decadent Ralphius R.I.S., a palate-busting Safeword Imperial IPA, a solid Coffee Oatmeal Brown, and a funky barrel-aged Saison In The Key Of Life.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Free Will The Kragle IPA.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's Free Will beer at retail.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Thursday, February 21, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Stoudts Gold

I'm honored to be one of 28 writers across the globe writing about a specific brewery/beer during Flagship February. Today is the day for my feature. I chose Stoudts and its first ever commercial beer, Gold -- for reasons of style, of the people, of the history, of the backstory, and of the quality beer that it still is today.

It's been a treat - I at least can speak for myself and many others that I've talked to in person - to read about and spend some time connecting, and in some cases re-connecting, with solid beers that have played a part in paving the way to where the beer industry is today. There have been writers from Europe, South America, Canada, and the U.S. extolling the virtues of breweries and beer that have stood the test of time and deserve to not be overlooked in today's manic beer world. I've learned about beers that I admittedly had not previously known.

Stoudts, no doubt, belongs on this list. There's a lot to be said about Stoudts Brewing Company. 32+ years worth when you take into account the research spanning Germany and the U.S. that Carol Stoudt embarked upon when conceiving and building the landmark brewery that sits near the border of Lancaster and Berks Counties in rural Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania Dutch country, if you will. Or, Amish country.

But in Stoudts' country, it's Beer, it's food, it's family, and it's a passion for all of it. It's rubbed off on staff and on loyal customers through the years. Between what I've written over at FlagshipFebruary.com and what I've included in the feature here, I'll leave it at this for now. It was a treat to spend some quality time in Adamstown with Carol Stoudt and Kurt Bachman and again when they joined Tom Kehoe for a Flagship February event at Memphis Taproom in Philly earlier this month.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Stoudts Gold.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's Stoudts beer at retail, but was provided with additional sample while at the brewery interviewing Carol Stoudt.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - 2SP Baby Bob Stout

Heading to a Philadelphia Union game, coming home from the Philly airport, celebrating their anniversary, or crossing the bridge from South NJ might be a few special occasion reasons why I've found myself at the brewing HQ for Two Stones just on the other side of I-95 from Chester. There are twenty temptations on tap and a cooler full of bottles and cans to be there even more often.

After opening in 2015, 2SP Brewing initially initially saw its beers at its namesake sister pubs - Two Stones Pub, there are now six locations across Pa. and Del. - at the tasting room and very little distribution otherwise. That didn't last long. The ample brewery has allowed them to grow and become near ubiquitous on bar draft towers and retail shelves with their distinctive packaging and well-regarded beer. The Russian is decadent. Bellcracker is an excellent DIPA. The Pils is crisp and easy. And hopefully you had a chance to snag some of the recent collaboration - a coffee stout - with local legend, WaWa.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on 2SP Baby Bob Stout.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's 2SP beer at retail.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Workhorse Vienna Lager

Workhorse found a big building - 70,000 sq. ft. big - to open one of the newest breweries in the Philly suburbs. And they brought in an award-winning brewer to make a lot of beer. It's a 30-bbl brewhouse with 30s and 60s for fermentation. They're making a variety of beers, but they've also defiantly bucked the trend of many opening breweries that want to be all over the map (on purpose); they're sticking to their guns of making solid core beers. Vienna Lager is one of them. And we should all be paying attention.

Nate Olewine brought his resume from two breweries with a heavy Lager bias - Devils Backbone and Victory. The Helles is excellent as is the Pilsner. But that doesn't mean that the other flagship - West Coast IPA - is a slouch or that he doesn't dabble in Brut IPAs (just did his first), New England IPAs (is another core/flagship), or Russian Imperial Stouts (haven't been able to vouch for this one yet).

The brewery has been sticking to its draft-only approach for the first year with intention of getting packaged product out in cans later in 2019. Early Spring is when we can expect to see a new packaging hit the market - 8 oz. cans of their six flagships in a package called "Flights To Go". All part of a measured approach that appears to be working thus far with the recognition not only from consumers but from industry folk as well.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Workhorse Vienna Lager.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. Today's Workhorse beer was provided to me while  at the taproom for a private event.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Monday, February 18, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot

I'd never been to the original downtown brewpub, but came to know Weyerbacher first from afar and then in the early 00s when I visited their small but growing operation on the south side of Easton, not far from the Lehigh River and the recreational D&L Trail/Towpath. The space definitely gave them plenty of room to grow their operations, including the addition of a spacious taproom befitting their mostly big beer portfolio. Barrel-aging became a significant part of Weyebacher's reputation as well.

Lots to like in their portfolio; the fruit-forward Riserva has almost always topped that list for me. Last Chance IPA is a year-round fundraiser type of beer for local animal rescues. Tiny Imperial Stout is anything but and Finally Legal is a wow of a beer featuring cocoa nibs, vanilla, and bourbon barrels. Sunday Molé Stout is a perfect breakfast beer (did I say that?!) of chocolate, coffee, and a variety of chile peppers. Finally, Dallas Sucks is the perfect game-watching beer in more ways than one.

Btw, you want one of those barrels? Whether you make a table, a planter, or break it down for the staves, there's always a stack of them available for sale outside the tasting room.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot. Oh, and hey, Lew Bryson wrote about Blithering Idiot over on the official Flagship February site. Check it out.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's Weyerbacher beer at retail.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Sunday, February 17, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - La Cabra Hipster Catnip

Difficult to believe that for all the time in planning and grinding of the rumor mill, La Cabra has been open for nearly 2 1/2 years. From a thirsty beer traveler's perspective along Route 30, they filled in a nice gap between Wayne (Teresa's Next Door) and Paoli (TJs). If you haven't been, do so. You'll find one of the area's most aesthetically-pleasing and comfortable brewpub layouts. The beer is diverse and well-made and the kitchen is a stand-out, whether you use it to enhance the beer experience or are just looking for an excellent meal at a reasonable price.

La Cabra's got a bit more of the spotlight recently as they just returned from Belgium earlier this month and a collaboration brew day with Duvel as part of Philly Beer Week's annual partnership with Belgian breweries. In fact, if you're near Berwyn tomorrow night (Feb. 18), you can get a behind-the-scenes "tour" of their trip as they do a video presentation plus Q&A. The pub is not typically open on Mondays, so it should be an extra special night.

Finally, they recently announced plans to open a satellite location called Bodega just a bit farther down the Main Line in Bryn Mawr.

Now click the picture below for a full feature on La Cabra Hipster Catnip. Frankly, one of my favorite beers from the youngest batch of breweries in the area (let's say, roughly under 2-3 years old) and one of the best examples of word play in the name that I can recall.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's La Cabra beer while at the brewpub.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Saturday, February 16, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Dock Street Bohemian Pilsner

This one is as Flagship as they come in the city of Philadelphia. Leading the charge into the micro/craft beer revolution in Philly, and really let's not kid ourselves, at that time the country, Rosemarie Certo (and her husband at the time, Jeff Ware), unveiled Dock Street to the beer-drinking public in 1985 with the Bohemian Pilsner as part of the trio of original beers. It was second out of production after the Amber Ale. For me, it was a few years later, in the early 90s, along with Amber and Illuminator Doppelbock, that my first tastes of Dock Street beers were enjoyed.

The pub's suave style on 18th Street where they were originally located certainly fit the neighborhood of Center City accounting and law firms and high-end hotels. The complimentary billiards table in the back room was worth the extra couple bucks for the on-premises made beer. And, some well-known names have been associated with that brewhouse including Chris LaPierre, Will Kemper, Nick Fennell, Eric Savage, Vic Novak, and Bill Moeller.

The new location, est. 2007, to me fits who Dock Street is, or maybe better put, who they were meant to be. In a converted firehouse in a part of West Philly that has seen gentrification encroach at a somewhat slower (and therefore more welcome?!) pace compared to other hot neighborhoods in the city, Dock Street is a welcoming come-one, come-all brewpub (or, in their words "...a progressive and eclectic counterculture and a mixture of race, creed and background) that focuses on solid beers and food, particularly the pizzas and, thank the almighty, Trio Fries which have survived the move to West Philly. If you're an 18th Street original, you know what I mean.

Brewers that have touched down at 50th and Baltimore have included Scott Morrison, Vince Desrosiers, Justin Quinlan, and Ben Potts. Today, the brewery's award-winning ways continue under Mark Russell. The last one was at the Great American Beer Festival in 2017 for Man Full Of Trouble Porter. The family feeling at Dock Street is not just stemming from the "kids" involvement in the business (son, Sasha, has been involved in brewing and daughter, Renata, whose title includes marketing, sales, and business development), but Marilyn Candeloro, VP, has been around for almost ten years and, with her hands seemingly in most aspects of the business, feels a bit like family too.

Showing their inclination to grow, they've opened the adjacent Cannery & Lounge next door for something of a hidden getaway drinking session that includes their beers as well as craft cocktails and draft wine. Next up (maybe in late summer/early fall if things progress as hoped and planned), will be a South Philly outpost on Washington Avenue. Call it Dock Street South for the time being.

Love me some Rye IPA and Prince Myshkin. And, others from their always evolving beer menu. For example, act now and you too can have an excellent Altbier named Passive Specificity. But, for an all-day drinker, it's BoPils for me. For the nostalgia and for the love, still, of a great beer.

Now go click the picture below for a full feature on Dock Street Bohemian Pilsner.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. Today's beer was provided to me by the brewery while I was at Dock Street to chat about the beer and the business.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com




Friday, February 15, 2019

Flagship February daily feature - Tröegs HopBack Amber

Hershey was already on the map, no doubt. The chocolate museum, minor league hockey, the amusement park, the hotel & spa, the botantical gardens, the auto museum, and more are all big draws for the city and region.

For beer lovers, if any of that wasn't enough, Hershey quickly moved up the priority of travel destinations once Tröegs Independent Brewing relocated its brewery there from Harrisburg in 2011. Not only did the Tröegs team move operations, they took the next big step (and money!) and made it into a first-rate brewery experience. The opening of the Splinter Cellar addition in 2016 continued that theme.

As for the beers, Perpetual IPA has quickly become a rockstar for them as Troegenator Doppelbock and Nugget Nectar have been for even longer. Sunshine Pils is on tap every summer at my house. The Scratch Series has long impressed with unique one-offs that occasionally sends one of its own into regular or semi-regular rotation.

But, for a feature here, HopBack Amber has long impressed me as a solid beer worthy of multiple in any given session. If Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale was still considered year-round/flagship, I might have given the nod in that direction, but HopBack will suffice quite nicely for today.

Now go click the picture below for a full feature on Tröegs HopBack Amber.


If you're just jumping in during the middle of this and want to know what this is all about, link back here to see the Flagship February overview as well as an ongoing list of all beers I'm featuring during the month of February.

Disclosure: For this project, I solely created the list of 28 beers featured here on The Brew Lounge. I was in contact with each brewery and neither required nor requested complimentary samples. I purchased today's Tröegs beer at retail.



© Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge, 2019. All content is owned and uniquely created by Bryan J. Kolesar. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Kolesar is strictly prohibited. Excerpts, images, and links may be used with advance permission granted and only provided that full and clear credit is given to Bryan J. Kolesar and The Brew Lounge with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Contact Kolesar at TheBrewLounge@gmail.com