finding founders

It's a dreary dreary day here in Grand Rapids... but we're off to Founders. Lunch with Dave Engbers.. Then the Hopcat...Hopefully well meet up with cheif beer geek Steve there.


More soon.
beer now.

A few things from Michigan

Jonny and Michelle are throwing a frisbee around the parking lot. We're about to head back into town briefly to go to Arbor Brewing co...maybe Grizzly peak.
= then we're westward bound on 94.
Headed to
DarkHorse
Arcadia
Bells
Hidout
and Founders

We'll put time in at the HopCat tonight as well.

We've got a list of beers that we want to find at a specialty store including the raspberry eisbock that we sampled last night at Roast.

We've already consumed a lot of calories and good times.
Hopefully I will have more time to recap later.

Things I've already learned-=

*I love Red Hot dogs stuffed with pulled pork topped with pickled onions
*I still don't love sweetbreads (I know, i know)
*My little sister could be a stand up comedian if this whole teaching thing doesn't work out (actually I already knew this)
*Itineraries are dumb

Here's Jonny trading a case of beer at Jolly Pumpkin.
We made two stops so far and he's already 2 cases down.
Here's Jonny with Ron @ Jolly Pumpkin
(more on this later)

sis and I outside beer/bbq joint Slow's

Red Hot Dog@ Roast (Michael Symons restaurant from Iron Chef fame)

m i c h i g a n with Michelle and Jonny

woo hoo. we're here.

My friend Jonny Medlinksy, my sis and I arrived in the Great Lakes/Great Beer State around 11:30 this morning. We rented a Chevy HHR. It's black and its weird.

We drove into Ann Arbor. Kicked things off at the Tv famed Zingermann's (food network) deli.

More photos to come.
Wish it wasn't raining...but it's not going to disrupt our love affair with Michigan.

PHILS/METS today! LOCAL 44 FirkinS TOMORROW!

Off to New York for the Phils Mets game-=-=-
Tomorrow- LOCAL 44 is tapping not one, not two, not three, but FOUR firkins of SLY FOX.
Including our Robbie Burns Scottish Export Ale and Palisades Pale Ale

Hope to see you there after 6.

ARoooooooooooooooooooooo to Kalamazoo (and back again)

I'll be headed out to Michigan in the middle of the night- Tuesday going into Wednesday. I'll be traversing the Wolverine state in search of all sorts of beers and bites. I have a pretty full itinerary as it is, but if anyone has suggestions- I'll take them. I haven't done something like this in years. Very exciting.

I'll be passing through Ann Arbor, Dexter, Marshall, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, Traverse City, New Holland, into Indiana for Three Floyds....ah so close to Chicago but time and tender does not allow.

I can't wait to go to Shorts in Bellaire, perhaps in the middle of nowhere but anyplace that once brewed a beer titled "mystery stout" is somewhere to me. I love mysteries and i LOVE stout.
That's a mere 40 minutes away from the Traverse City Beer and Music fest I'll be attending.

I'm gonna go to the Hopcat in Grand Rapids (voted #3 best beer bar by Beer Advocate in the States) and Founders will probably get sick of me by the time I leave. I am also going to check out a brewery called "The Hideout" which promises a sunny beer garden where I can play horseshoes,shuffleboard and "ladder golf." Whatever that may be.

I'm gonna see a beach at some point. (Thus the reason why Bell's has a "3rd coast ale" Michigan is known as the 3rd coast..)And If I have time to stop in the Manistee National Forest and canoe I'll do that. I mean I can't be saddled up to a bar the whole time I'm away.

Stay in tuned for some Blogging and twitter updates.

My first bites out of the Institute's Kitchen

The Institute just tapped their Abbey Extra (Belgian golden single) yesterday so I went by to say hi to Heather and Charlie. I also met up with John Doherty there
who's john doherty
this guy>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

John was enjoying the left hand oktoberfest.
And was waiting on some house cut fries topped with a house made mago pulled pork...with house made bourbon hot sauce.




They're making everything in house. It's only recently that I've seen meat gracing fries with its presence. I first noticed the duck fries at the Devil's Den...now this.

They were delicious. A bit of a zing- but it only makes the extinguishing beer that much better.
Forgive the awful sidekick photo. Amazon.com is in the midst of shipping me my new Canon charger.

Tomorrow- stop by 12th and Green for a firkin of YARDS cape of good hope IPA.

Just Another Wednesday in the Beer World- but with Bacon Fudge

I'm up Early. It's like 5:43 am.

Here's a rundown of my wednesday afternoon

*Tried to contact Founders to tell them to get ready for my visit next week.

*Chatted with the guys from Dibruno Brothers about beer and cheese.

What cheese would YOU pair with an Octoberfest???

*Tried to reach the one and only Matt Guyer

*Got a funny email from Leigh Maida. Actually, they're always funny. (Come out to Sly Fox firkin night on the 25th at Local 44.)

*Ordered a new camera battery charger ( a casualty of Grey Lodges 13 anni party)

*Emailed with Mcgillins Old Ale house- and found out BEAMISH brewery closed.

*Met Megan Maguire at Swift Half where I got to try their bacon fudge (paired with anderson Valley Oatmeal Stout- just a swift half) (I think swift half will enter Philadelphia lexicon- that even if you aren't at the Swift Half you might ask for one)

*Left a Voicemail for the owner of up and coming bar "Coos" at Broad and Parrish.

Apparently it's huge. I will check it out today.

*Got confirmation from Heather at the Institute that her Abbey Extra will arrive today.

*talked to Doug Magee from the Blue Ox- Set up "SLYGANG" promo night for Sept. 18th.

*ran into Two Guys on Beer at the Foodery

*Ran into Origlio's Jimmy Meiers at the Foodery (SLY OKTOBERFEST is IN) while he was hanging a Great Lakes banner. There I got to sample some of the Pretty Things saison with cherries. Where oh where could the cherries be? There's subtle, then there's absent. But I definitely still look forward to trying the rest of their beers.

Every time I see a shiny black Saturn SUV- I look to see if its America's favorite beer salesman and it never is- this time it was. I was thrilled. I made him go to Standard Tap with me because I had to check in with 2008's best bartender, Ron Johnson.

Sly FOX pikeland pils was the "summer beer of the day" for $4. We threw one down, had dreams of happy hour oysters, and had said dream crushed with news of the shucked 86'd.

I came up with a great idea for a massive Standard Tap event in 2010. But I got to sell Will Reed on it. Maybe I'll call him today.

We headed south on 2nd st to the 700 club.

I know that Kurt Wonder is soon to tap the last keg of Placebo for the handpump (YARDS and Uncle Teddy's Bitter are on now.) I went to check the status of that. No placebo yet. And I should've had a can of Pikeland Pils but I went for the Bear Republic Racer 5. Hadn't had it in a while, and I love it so why not? Jim ordered the Great Lakes Dortmunder. I met his friend Michael who was drinking Dark and Stormy's. FYI Goslings is actually going to start making their own ginger beer as well....Michael was a good guy. He told me I had great hair. Funny.

He shared a lot of stories about Japan. I didn't know sushi started out as peasant food.

I also sipped on a Fullers Chiswick and toasted Spanky in my head. Next visit I'll do the can thing.

Then at 6:47 I got an email from Scoats who was enjoying a PW concert in Ritt Sq saying he would want a Rauchbier.

*I played phonetag with Jim Wiggins.

*Then off to beer club. Rembrandts. About 8 ladies came out for Ithaca night.

The Flower Power was delicious as always. And I was really enjoying the White Gold. Eric - their sales and marketing man- told me that they switched up the yeast strain and its taken on more of a sour note.

Rembrandts is also pouring Helles all the time now. As I've mentioned before, they've really shaped up the beer list there...it's worth a revisit.

Lance romance entered stage left and surprised me right at the end of the meeting. So-=- he didn't really crash it. His facial hair continues to disturb. He admitted he needed a haircut, so we're getting somewhere (i think).

We went to Bridgids for one. They have the WGV Hop Project and Incubus on right now.
I've had my share of both, so I went for the Ballast Point smoked lager.

Which reminds me- Sly Fox just brewed our "gold medal" rauchbier (Once again the reason for Scoats email). I love this style.

And I love that it makes me crave the Royal Tavern burger. (bacon, gouda, longhots)

Hmmm.... I'm 6 hours away from lunch.

So that's my Wednesday.

Enjoy your Thursday. Maybe I'll see you @ the SIDECAR.

Funky Reggae Party with Blue Point @ Sidecar tonight!

As Bryan Kolesar mentions here, there is a lot going on tonight.

*Philadelphia Brewing Co is hosting a dinner with the Bucks Hotel

*Victory is doing their beer and cheese thing with TRIA

*Rons Original is having a bbq and blues night in Exton

*Capone's Darkhorse Launch

BUT I- will be at THIS:

SIDECAR BAR and GRILLE's

"Funky Reggae Party" with Blue Point.

From Shangy's Cameron Saunders descript:

Hey mon' ! Come on down for some Rasta-far-rye good times with Blue Point Brewing and The Sidecar Bar. There will be plenty of reggae music and Caribbean Food to support the amazing beer that Blue Point creates. There will be plenty of draft for this event including: Toasted Lager,Blueberry Ale, Oatmeal Stout, Pale Ale, Rasta-far-Rye, !0th Anniversary IPA, Imperial Pilsner, plus a delicious firkin of Hoptical Illusion IPA !
Everything's gonna be irie by the end of the evening !

-=-

funky indeed.

In Pursuit of Ale meets tonight @ Rembrandts

Tonight the Ladies of IPA will join Ithaca brewing co. @ Rembrandts on 23rd and Aspen

Apricot Wheat
CasaZilla
Flower Power IPA
and
White Gold

**Happy Hour food specials will be available**

The return of the great p.o.p.e "soup off" TOnighT! Tuesday!

As you've seen here at around the interweb- p.o.p.e's been doing craft beer Tuesdays.

Sly Fox is up on the roster. Tonight I will be competing against their daytime bartender, John "Potsy (ie)" Warner.

7 pm.
It's a chilled soup off.
You'll have to come to see what our cold concoctions are.

a bunch of Sly will be on tap.

Grisette, Whitehorse wit, O'Reillys, etc...

A few Grey Lodge Pics for you

From others' photos it looked I missed a bunch of people I always enjoy having beers with like Lew Bryson and Chris Morris...I got there around 8 with my "fortune eggs" and wing sauce.
It was my first try at wing sauce and I thought it was pretty tasty.

More details later...got work to do. but here are a few pics courtesy of Stephen Lyford.

Tonight: Lagunitas and Stone- Calistyle at Prohibition Taproom

I just saw a note from industry bud Trevor Jankowski of Lagunitas that he'll be joined by Lee marren of Stone tonight @ the Prohibition taproom.

They'll be playing surf rock all night while you get to drink all the Stone and Lagunitas your liver can handle.

Not sure what beers are on tap...but if I wasn't in Mayfair- I'd be there.

Also this Sunday 10 pm there's a foodie quizzo at Chicks wine bar. Sounds kinda fun-=-=and they have a great beer selection.

Enjoy the day.

Tower of Sour @ Devil's Den. Tomorrow and all week long.

Pucker Up!!
1st Annual Sour Fest @ Devil's Den
Tomorrow Saturday, August 15th

If you're not getting Folky in Schwenskville with the YARDS folks-=-Come out to the Devil's Den where we they'll be pouring all things sour, tart & funky.

Ladies of In Pursuit of Ale-= you should definitely hit this.

Try Flemish Reds, Flemish Bruins, Geuzes, Lambics, Wild Ales & Berliner Weisses.

Draft List :

Dogfish Head Festina Peche,
Beersel Framboise,
Rodenbach Grand Cru,
Petrus Oud Bruin,
Ommegang Rouge,
Ballast Point Sour Wench,
Bacchus,
Dock Street Dunkel Berliner Weisse,
Itchegems,
St Loius Gueze,
Cantillion Gueze,
River Consecration,
Monk's Cafe Sour,
Cuvee des Jacobins,
Duchess de Bourgonge
& Doc's Sour Cherry Cider.

Bottles :
Rodenbach Grand Cru, Petrus Aged Pale Ale, Duchess de Bourgonge, Etch Kreikenbier, Giradin Guze Black Label, Russian River Consecration,Russian River Tempation, Camtillion Old Lambic, Cantillion Rose, Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabazza, Ommegang Biere de Mars, Lipziger Gose, 1809 Berliner Wiesse, Lost Abbey Carnevale, Pretty Things Mr Sysiphus

Grey Lodge -13 years tomorrow. Bok Bok Beer @ 9 pm with Sly Fox.

Scoats is known for the zane- so you can only imagine that stretched over 13 hours of non-stop brewery events is going be insane.
Check out the day long line-up at foobooz.
Here's what us Sly Fox folks are up to @ 9 pm.

After back and forth convos with the Lodgemaster we've decided on this chicken/egg theme.

You're going to hear original music (recording of Brian O'Reilly from the 90s). You're going to taste my wing sauce which I have yet to master( a sly fox KELLER Pils and 9 wings for $9!!!)
and you're going to maybe be the recipient of a "golden" egg. We were hoping I could wear a chicken outfit. But its 11:49 the day before and I've yet to come up with anything. Email me if you think you can help.

***Remember to check the website for public transportation.
It's something like market frankford to the end of the line (frankford transportation station.)Then you hop on bus 66 to harbison and walk about 1/2 block. About 22 minutes said and done. Or 4 people could split a cab. (that's usually on the way home though;)

Reminder: Memphis Tap room to pour Sly FOX brew pub beers all night

It's Thursday. Trash Day. Little overcast....but things are good.
Sly fox will release our OKTOBERFEST on Monday trying to get out of the gate a bit early.
I've got a Michigan trip not too far away. And I got to see my buddy Joe's little guy Joe Gun Jr. last night at the Welcome to my Face show...yeah, feelin alright-=-=-

Tonight- I hope you'll come to the MEMPHIS TAP ROOM and throw a few Sly down.
around 6 or so.

We've got 4 beers from the brewpub on tap
Grisette
Abbey Extra (Belgian golden single-Monk's table beer)
Whitehorse Wit
and Dunkelweisse

They'll be $4 all night.

Memphis and Cumberland. Parking usually isn't an issue.

LASTLY- Grub STREET Philly has sneaked a peak of the menu from the upcoming Resurrection Ale House- from Leigh Maida and Brendan Hartranft. Due to open on September 10th.

do not avoid the obovoid- tonight BOULDER at Prohibition Taproom

Tonight from 5 to 9 join Marvin Simpson of Boulder Brewing Co and sip on

Hazed and Infused on Nitro
bovoid oak aged "empirical" oatmeal stout
and Sweaty Betty.

From Beer Advocates descript:


What in the world is an obovoid?


Obovoid: An ovoid with the broad end toward the apex


And why an "empirical" stout?


Empirical: Relying on experience or observation alone often without due
regard for system and theory

Empirical evidence has shown the brewers at Boulder Beer Company that beer fans across the country are going to love Obovoid Empirical Stout, an oak-aged oatmeal stout as dark in color as deep space. Aging Obovoid on oak adds an earthy character to the roasted notes and bittersweet chocolate finish derived from the black and chocolate malts.

The Prohibition tap room is a swell place if you've never been- right at 13th and Buttonwood.
They've got great food. Try their french onion if its not too hot out.

And while you're in the hood- walk a few blocks north to the Institute, a cool beer bar, that just added their new menu featuring the cuisine of Puerto Rico.

Welcome to my FACE tonight

Casey Parker and his band Welcome to my Face are kicking off "Concerts in the Park"
at Rittenhouse square tonight.

It's going be absolutely nuts.

AFTERPARTY @ Jose Pistolas.

SLY FOX "one off" night @ Memphis Taproom tomorrow

Spanky's got a nice lil lineup of Some Sly Fox brewpub beers that he'll be tapping tomorrow night @ the Memphis Taproom 6ish.

four beers for $4

Abbey Extra
Grisette
Dunkel Weisse
and Whitehorse Wit

and you should eat some fried dills while your drinkin.

Oh Curieux-=-I think I love you so what am I so afraid of-= I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love there is no (hangover) cure for

I figured if I link to phoodie's post on it, then I am not really writing about the P.o.p.e. yet again.
But it IS Allagash night afterall.

Rob Todd is in the house on a special one day trip to Philly.

Pete Miller's has some special plates for the event...and a Curieux might just do you right tonight.
7 pm.

(Every Tuesday, p.o.p.e is doing beer promos-next tuesday is Sly Fox with a chilled summer soup off).

Here are some pics from my trip to the brewery with Lance this April.

Weekend Nibbles

Friday night we had the hop project night at Earth Bread + Brewery. Tom and Peggy had a packed house in the midst of summer in mount airy. A few people commented that they crystal was their favorite. They were doing flights. Then if you fancied one in particular you could just order a pint of that. Willamette was my full pint.

I left around 9 because I had my boys, the Felice brothers, were in town.

But unfort by the time I got to the electric factory... they had already been on stage (there were 4 bands playing that night).

The bummer of my summer. That and lance working 6-7 day weeks.

We figured we would get a bite to eat instead. Tried Brauhaus...packed-=- couldn't get a seat.

We walked into some questionable sushi place and they greeted us with menus and the "We're getting ready to close." Not exactly the service I was hoping for in my down in the dumps mood.

So we decided to go to the opposite end of the spectrum and get the best service in the city which is available at 4th and Bainbridge. I highly doubt Kip ever reads my blog, but I LOVE Southwark. Everything about it down to those 2 perfect orchids in the windows.

Lance and I got sweetbreads for the first time. We also ate some clams and a shrimp and crab ceviche.

Despite their impressive drinking slingly skills, we kept it to beer that night. Had a couple Allagashes. Unfort, The O'Reillys was off at the moment. Lancaster has a cream ale that Stockerton has gotten a few handles for.

I wish our pub ale was out. I understand why bars would want to switch it up for a bit in the summer. But the pot de creme was missing the O'Reilly's as much as I was.

We'd be back at Southwark two days later after brunch (baked eggs) at Standard Tap with Jennie Hatton, Johnny Goodtimes, and crew. We had a movie to go to. Lance had agreed to see Julia and julia with me. But champage cocktails were poured and the day got away. We never made it to the movie but Lance finally had a white wine he liked and a day off with his two of his favorite ladies.

And if you didn't know...now you do SPTR's tap list as of 8.08.09

I rolled into south philly tap room on Friday to meet with bar manager Kathryn.
During said meeting I couldn't help but notice the tap list that made my heart skip a beat and wish I didn't have 4 other things to do that day.

it went something like this:

Stoudts heifer in wheat
Founder Maple mountain brown (first time hearing about it)
Victory Schwarz Pils
KENinger
Porterhouse Razz Reserve
Bells Cherry Stout (when was the last time you saw this on draft)
Summit Horizon Ale
Allagash triple
Oskar Blues GORDoN
Abbaye de Rocs Grand Cru
Lancaster cream ale (a newbie? its ok...not my fav style but try it)


and on ye old handpump PBC NewBold IPA (recently reformulated)

So they had just kicked two sly fox in the last 24 hours.....
thus no presence on aforementioned list...but you can look forward to whitehorse wit there in the near future.

Tidbit: local respected brewer gets 86'd from local brewpub, and local respected sales manager gets 86'd from Delaware

At the General Lafayette promo- I got a funny tidbit that a local brewer* was kicked out of another local brewpub.

It wasn't necessarily his fault...One of his compadres is to blame. A young lady walked by in short shorts and he was inspired to start singing-=-=-




*The brewer has never been known to cause a ru(s)ckus prior to this incident.


Meanwhile, Mike Pearlman, Stoudts Regional Sales Manager, has been banned from the state of Delaware. Apparently a certain wholesaler doesn't agree with Pearlman's stance on giving away beer.

Go Mike.

"But I've got to go through Delaware to get to Maryland," Says the banished beer rep.

Stay tuned to see if he's allowed back in. I mean just look at how amicable he is. Who wouldn't want him in their state?

*Rumor has it Ommegang's Megan Maguire might also be banned from the first state.

The General marches into the p.o.p.e tonight!

Come support the General Lafayette at the P.o.p.e. tonight
7 pm

Brewmaster Chris Leonard will be on hand and
Get this-= they'll be pouring
*Fugazi- south philly lager. Paying homage to the south philly "if you're not part of us" philosophy.
*Mirage
*Cerise
*Pacific pale ale
*Griffins Mild
*Marquis de lafayette


This fight is worth fighting.

Sly FOX Hop Project Night @ EARTH bread + brewery TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Folks-=-=

Friday night 6 pm....
Hop heads, people who love hop heads, people who love Earth bread + Brewery- come out for
our 2010 Hop Project night.

You see that Tom Baker fellow has saved a sixtel of every hop project beer throughout the year to date...we're going to put them all on tap like we do at our spot in December.

There will be flights, a mystery flatbread, all the sly fox hoppiness your heart desires and
Tom's house lineup which includes

Alehoof Grut 5% abv

Jose Coffee Stout 4.5%avb

Witsahickon (witbier) 5%abv

Beacon Hotel (mild) 5% abv - hand pull only

Cliche IPA 7.2% abv

*If any Philadelphians need a ride out, I've got room for 4 in my car....(if you trust me and my brakes ;)

Clock watching at the Foodery just got a bit better...

This is obvious promotion for Sly Fox....but I was so excited about it, I thought I should share in case you don't make it to the 2nd street foodery anytime soon.

I've done numerous samplings at the Foodery over the last 3 years, and when I go to check the time, I had to look at an illuminated Coors Light Clock.

As a growing company, Sly doesn't have tons of POS, we do what we can with occasional coasters, and recently a few wooden signs.

But I thought how great would it be if I made them a clock on Cafepress.com-=- A website that customizes all sorts of crap. So I did. And despite it being numberless (hopefully jeff slick and staff don't care too much) It's pretty sweet and the ONLY one in the world-=-=

meow- kittens need a home

non beer-related post (unless you are going to celebrate your new kitty with a cold one)

My friend Jessie- 8 months pregnant and all- is trying to find a home for 6 kittens she found in her yard.

They are healthy and about 5 weeks old.

Please let me know if you are interested in helping out.

You might be able to see more photos here...

Best of Philly in the Beer World

Best of Philly votes have been casted and posted, albeit you'll have to pick up the publication to get the whole scoop on 2009's cream of the crop. But
- I got the head of the hops here....

Best beer of Philadelphia area as deemed by Philly Mag is............................

Victory’s Hop Devil Ale.
Hmm. Curious. This beer has been getting Philly drunk for at least a decade now.
Maybe it is just that. The tenacity of the beer. Many IPAs have entered the market since it's arrival and it still manages to be one of the most sought after. And the fact that you can find it in pubs that barely give craft beer a chance gives it a greater reach to the mainstream than others. This beer is actually all the way out to California now. Most of our local breweries are still regional. I like being regional.

When asked by GRUBSTREET what beer the President and his guests should enjoy in Cambridge last week during the Gates/Crowley Chat, owner Bill Covalieski suggested Hop Devil....Here's Why...
“The beer is all about harmonizing disparate things. It has rich, sweet malt components and wildly bitter and aromatic hop characteristics — the two don’t really belong together in this type of beer.”

And the Bar that's serving it up best is

Teresa's Next Door.

Philadelphia Mag awards "Philly's best beer bar 2010" to a watering hole in Wayne.
Andy Dickerson's food is on par with the great pours. Special events galore, an unparalleled glass selection and two hand pumps pumping is enough evidence that this is no surprise.

They'll be hosting a beer geek Summer Brunch on August 23. More details here.


Any thoughts on what beer/bar names you thought you would see mentioned here?

150 to the 150th @ Mcgillins ToNIGHT with Joe Sixpack

It's the "PARTY OF A CENTURY & A HALF" Tonight

At 6pm Mcgillins will be tapping the first firkin of their 1860 IPA brewed by Stoudt's.

Joe Sixpack will be doing a reading and starting the countdown to Philadelphia's oldest operating taproom's 150th anniversary.

Join the Mullins familiy tonight. No cover.

$2 pints McGillin's 1860 IPA.

That's some good CHEAP fun for your Tuesday.

Oh and about the beer:

"McGillin’s 1860 IPA, is unfiltered, as it would have been in the 1800s, and is made from a secret recipe that includes centennial and amarillo hops. McGillin’s 1860 IPA will be available, on tap, exclusively at McGillin’s and it will be bottled and distributed throughout the state, starting in the fall."

GRID Mag launch at Abbaye tonight

Have you heard of these folks?
Grid Magazine- Philadelphia's own magazine on sustainability.

They're launching their latest issue tonight during a happy hour at the ABBAYE on
3rd and Fairmount...

$2 off all drafts and 1/2 priced apps
STOUDTS Mike Pearlman will be about.

You can actually get a glimps of the green publication here.

637 N. 3rd st
5 till 8

Happy Birthday Lance!

For my birthday Lance Romance treated me to some New England sightseeing.

He surprised me with Portsmouth in the lantern twinklin twilight, and then off to Portland, Me. Where we went to the Great Lost Bear and toured Allagash with Mr. Tod himself.

Now it's his turn for treats and I'm coming up short. Shorter than usual...

I tried to get him a Carvel ice cream cakebut I didn't learn my lesson of the Royal Stumble that freezers and coolers don't have the same chilling effect... So I placed the cake in an iced cooler all day, and it was sweet soup by the time midnight rolled around. The beer can candles sunk into the once frozen cake. I guess "it was the thought that counts" ever cliche is ever applicable.

He's been working so much ( I told him I'm like an army wife) that I barely see him. So I can't make dinner reservations, or any plans because I have no idea when the tours and extra hours will stop.

I got him a card, but the beer cooler soaked it.

I did come up with the perfect present as my back was aching all weekend. I will get him a double air mattress.

Yeah, I know, Sorta selfish, but he needs one.
He'll also get a Vetri dindin as soon as the subaru stops falling apart.

The pic on the above right is his "pornstar" look he sported on Saturday at Ommegang. It was like a fake tye dye, fake wrinkly, black and white shirt. He unbuttoned it, revealed his chest hair, and let down his cornsilk locks to an approving circle of local beer industry peeps. But Harry Reams did call and he does want his shirt back.

Happy Birthday to my Maple Shade brewer .

Here's a little footage of one of his favorite artists.

brake failure on 81

Good times were had at Ommegang BCTC 09.
But my fun memories are not as fresh in my
head as brake failure on 81 on the way back.
Luckily- I had just given up driving duty and our friend Jeff took over. Jeff- as hardcore as a hardcore cyclist could get- is used to dodging cars on his two wheels, but this was more of a challenge.

We were coming up on a construction area, where dozens of cars started to slow down to merge...and we couldn't slow down. He had the brake pushed all the way in and we're cruising into an almost unpreventable crash.
His girlfriend is screaming"hit the brakes hit the brakes" and Jeff is screaming, "the brakes aren't working, the brakes aren't working."

Jeff manages to create a new lane for just us between the other two lanes, cars start to move out of the way, and we luckily make it into the right lane by the shoulder and slow down....

It was poor Lance Romance's birthday and we're dodging cars in the rain with a worn brake hose.
Ugh. Just got a new alternator and I had my car inspected 2 weeks prior. What the $%&?

We drive about 5 more miles with our brake issues, then pull over in a town called Lenoxville...

Luckily Chris Fetfatzes of Bella vista beverage (lucky for us, unlucky for him and his ladyfriend) had honked and waved at us in the middle of our tumultuous time.

He would then get my beseeching call for him to get off at the next exit.
This is an emergency perhaps worse than the Christmas opossum.

They waited for us to call AAA, and then carted Lance, Lara and hero Jeff back to Philly while I waited for Tower Ben.
I cracked open a Phoenix Pale Ale and Had some Chips and Corn Salsa. I read the newly released Ale Street News. And thought about how I could make this up to the Birthday Boy.

Ben arrives. He was a Giant. 6 foot 3...red hair, and smoked reds. He had been up till 4 in the morn and was a bit tired, but a nice enough guy and the 2 hour ride home went by with a quickness.

At one point, he even asked me, "Hey have you ever heard of that La Fin Du Monde beer?"

I got home around 8 or so. So tired,bug bites galore and $173 in the hole, but alive.