What Snow (Sat)? Iron Hill Brewery Belgium Comes to West Chester

When the snow starts falling there are two ways to handle it. Some will prepare for the worst and hibernate until the world is somewhat back to normal. The second approach is to take the wintry challenge head on and not let it stand in the way of getting things done. This was the attitude of Larry, the Iron Hill W.C. crew and all those who ventured out to Belgium Comes to West Chester on Saturday. No stinking 20+ inches of snow is enough to keep man and beer apart.

After clearing out my little section of the world Kelleigh and I headed out and arrived around 4:30 to a packed house. This year's set up was great. The Iron Hill team used their heads, organizing the 30 beers available into 3 groups of 10 sample pours each. Brilliant! It made navigating a monster beer list and picking samples simple. Of course regular pours and individual samples were also available. I made the difficult decision to have only one (damn) tray (sample #2) along with a few side pours. For those in the know (I hope you read this) the extra treat was in the brewhouse. The cleverly done Brew Lounge gave everyone the opportunity to sample 4 of Larry Horwitz and Jean Broillet's specialty beers. A very nice touch.

An extra huge thanks to Bryan Kolesar for allowing me to partake in the bottle of New Belgium La Folie. Go figure I ran into him in The Brew Lounge. If you don't know, I'm the cheerful one on the left trying to hold back my excitement. I must of been in a state of good beer shock. And this year's Belgium Comes to West Chester certainly provided plenty of that.

What Snow (Friday night)?

It's Friday night and the snow has just started to fall. Where am I, Home Depot getting salt? Nope. At the supermarket stalking up? Not a chance. How about at Capone's preparing for a big beer weekend? Ding, ding ding we have a winner. While the 2nd largest snowfall on record in Philadelphia started churning I figured the best way to survive the winter blast was to find beers that make the cold weather more bearable.

Rogue John John Whiskey Aged Dead Guy Ale

This is one that I had read about and was happy to see Matt put on draft. The Whiskey Aged Dead Guy is sort of a self collaboration. Rogue Brewmaster John Maier and Rogue Spirits Master Distiller John Couchet have combined their talents to create the John John Series of beers. Whiskey Aged Dead Guy is the first release.

It's a very interesting intertwining of beer and whiskey. Dead Guy wort is used to create Dead Guy whiskey. After the DG Whiskey is bottled the barrels used for aging the whiskey are then used to age DG Ale. The perfect use of all things Rogue.

Mmmm whiskey it's there from the start, in the aroma and taste. Fruit, vanilla and touches of oak are all in the flavor. I even picked up a little toasted coconut. What's nice is the whiskey doesn't blow everything else away. There is a good balance. The breadiness and hopiness of the original Dead Guy still come through. Since I'm a huge whiskey fan I wish there were more of it in the taste but I think most will like the way it's done. I'm really looking forward to trying the rest of the John John Series.

Big Snowy Beer Weekend

If you love snow and beer then this is the weekend for you. Philly is getting slammed by both. On the beer side it starts today with several events and promos and continues with more all day tomorrow. The snowy forecast is for 12-18+ inches starting Friday afternoon and on into Saturday. It will be interesting see what effects the white stuff has on the weekend plans.

The Strong Ale Fest @ Union Jack's on the Manatawny has been rescheduled for Sat Feb 13th at noon.

Friday February 5th

Capone's

11:30 Taps open

Happy Anniversary Boaks Brewing

(Capone's website)

Next Promo Meet the Brewer : Come out and Celebrate Brian Boaks 3 Year Anniversary and Try his Top 2 Drafts: Three Blind Monks & Monster Mash R.I.S.Imperial Stout ! He will be glad to speak to you Personally from 6:30 to 9:30Due to the weather Please call to see if the Brew makes it ? In either case the beer will be flowing ! 610-279-4748 On Saturday we may open the bar later also call ! No matter what the Weather is like the Beer Store will be open open normal hours both days !

The Drafting Room (Exton)

West Coast Brewery Night

(Drafting Room website)
Friday, February 5th“Tap Time” @ 6pm
Featuring: Stone Double Bastard (2006), Russian River Blind Pig, Ballast Point Sculpin, IPA Coronado Idiot IPA, Green Flash West Coast IPA, Sierra Nevada Life & Limb, BrewDog/ Stone Collaboration “Basha”, Moylan’s IPA, Sierra Nevada “Edge of Darkness”, Anderson Valley 20th Anniversary, Eel Brewing Salient du Scotia Brune, Green Flash West Coast IPA (Firkin).

Saturday February 6th

The Institute

All Things Coffee, Chocolate and Barrel Aged

(Institute website)

February 6th 2pm until?
The name says it all.
Draft /firkin list with more being added
Dock Street Sexual Chocolate
Wyerbacher Hotel Imperial Orange-Chocolate Porter
Wyerbacher Barrel Aged Heresy
Founders Backwoods Bastard(Bourbon Barrel Aged Scotch Ale)
Allagash Curieux (Bourbon Barrel Aged Tripel)
Bells Java Stout
1 or the other, not sure which: Southern Tier Oak Aged Unearthly Double IPA or He'Brew Rye Whiskey Barrel Aged Lenny

Iron Hill Brewery (West Chester)

BELGIUM COMES TO WEST CHESTER

FEBRUARY 6, 2010 2 – 9 PM. PAYG

(Iron Hill site)

Join us as we team up with regional breweries to showcase the best locally craft-brewed Belgian-style beers ~ Meet the brewers behind the beers ~Cambridge Brewing Co • Devil’s Backbone • Dogfish Head Earth, Bread + Brewery • Flying Fish • Harpoon Iron Hill West Chester, Phoenixville, Wilmington, North Wales, Media, Lancaster & Maple Shade Ithaca • Manayunk • Mckenzie’s • Nodding Head Rock Bottom • Sly Fox • Stewart’s • Stoudt’s • Troegs Victory • Weyerbacher • Yards

Whole New Setting for Beer @Whole Foods Market Plymouth Meeting

This past Sunday I finally made it to the new Whole Foods Market at Plymouth Meeting Mall. My soul purpose for going was to check out the beer which has been receiving a fair amount of coverage from fellow beer aficionados.

If your not from PA then you may not get the hoopla over beer being sold in a super market. Similar to Wegmans and Market District (Giant Eagle) Whole Foods is jumping through the legal loophole of having a store within a store in order to sell alcoholic beverages. The structure is silly and a little awkward, but it's nice having the option to grab a beer when you're buying groceries.

The Whole Foods set up for beer is in The Cold Point Pub located in the front of the store. The pub design is fairly generic with it's own entrance, register for wine and beer sales, a few comfy leather chairs, high stools along the counters and a great view of the check out area. Perfect for spotting your significant other in line when trying to figure out whether or not to order another beer. Separated with sliding glass doors the back of the pub is a cold room filled with sixes and single bottles for take out. The selection isn't huge but does offer a surprisingly good mix of craft brews, macros, Belgians and other imports. The prices for PA seem very fair and in some cases low. This is really noticeable when it comes to growler fills and drafts.

Everything on drafts is local: Yards, Victory, Flying Fish, Troegs, Sly Fox and Lancaster. All 14oz pours were $2.99, small growlers (32oz) $3.99-$5.49 and large growlers (64oz), $7.99-$10.99. Since Whole Foods is big on recycling you can bring your own growler or if you need to purchase one both 64oz and 32oz sizes are only $3.99.

When Kelleigh and I arrived the place was packed. We managed to grab 2 leather chairs which turned out to be the perfect place to observe the swirl of activity. Most people coming in had oooohs and ahhhs for the place and seemed warm on the set up. While in the cooler area I overheard nothing but good words about the beer selection and prices.

Wine fans were having the most fun with the interesting wall-o-wine machine that dispenses various sized pours from a selection of approximately 15 bottles. After getting a wine card from the cashier you place whatever monitary value on it you wish, get a glass, slide the card into the wine machine, select the beverage and the size sample you want and tadda liquid happiness. Slick, clean, perfectly chilled and wonderfully impersonal.

Since everything is so new I'm sure there are a few bugs to work out. The employees seem slightly overwhelmed by all the traffic and since the seating area is fairly small it doesn't take many people walking in to create an overcrowding situation. Hopefully that changes as the newness wears off. I didn't quiz anyone so I'm not sure of their overall beer and wine knowledge. What I do know is the arrangement to get a draft is odd. I had to pay for a beer upfront then take the receipt to one of the employees who got my draft (Lancaster Milk Stout). Not horrible just different.

Even with it's quirks, having another place to get good beer is a huge plus. The system is odd and far from perfect but it seems like Whole Foods is doing well with the parameters they have to work within.

Will I pop in just to have a beer? Probably not. Will I have one before or after shopping for my flax seed cereal, fresh baked multigrain loaf and organic soy milk? Damn right I will.

Happy Groundhog Day, Six More Weeks of Winter

Break out the Winter Warmers Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow so six more weeks of winter. Today is always the perfect excuse to break out this movie clip.

Michael Jackson Tutored Tasting is On for the 20th Year

I am more than a little beer geeked up over the news that the University of Pennsylvania is hosting the Michael Jackson Tutored Beer Tasting on March 13. This is the 20th year for the event and beer author Randy Mosher will conduct the tastings. I first read the good news on Mr. Sixpack's site and tripped across it again while perusing Mr. Curtin's Liquid Diet.

If you are a beer fan (being here I assume you are) and have not had the opportunity to attend in the past make it a point to go this year. This is not the overly packed, fight for your beer and then wait, wait, wait type of beer event. It's very well run. Three start times during the day and a limited amount of tickets help to lessen the crowds. The first hour is a tutored tasting which is followed by a 2 hour general tasting session of over 100 additional beers in the Chinese Rotunda. Even with the large number of people who attend there's not much of a wait when trying to get a beer. Since the event takes place in the University of Pennsylvania's Archaeology & Anthropology Museum there's sort of a grand feel to the whole affair. A good mix of beer culture and history.

I've made it to the tasting 4 times and it's one of my favorite beer events. The first time I attended was still the most memorable. I met Michael Jackson and amazingly I wasn't even aware of the general tasting. After the tutored tasting a friend and I were preparing to leave when they announced the start of the general tasting. To my surprise I had two more hours to sample more amazing beer and managed to have a few words with Michael Jackson. Picture telling a kid who has opened all his Christmas gifts that there is a second room of gifts and Santa is handing them out. That was my excitement level. Still one of my best beer days ever.

The details of this year's tasting are still hard to come by. Hopefully in the upcoming weeks ticket information will become available on the Penn Museum website or a sponsor's site. I'll post it when I get it.

Papier for the New Year

As January rolls to a close someone asked me what beer I had to kick off 2010? I've never made it a point to start the new year with a particular beer. Typically on Dec 31st at 11:59 I'm tossing back something good but ask me a month later what it was and I'll have no idea. However this year since I knew I wasn't doing the usual suburban couch surfing for New Years Eve I went to the cellar for something out of the ordinary.

Kelleigh and I spent the early part of the evening having dinner in Center City then headed off to the party. A huge thanks to Adelle and Ed for the invite. Since Ed has managed to surprise me with several great bottles I figured it was only fair to return the favor. Along with a sixer of Racer 5 I unveiled a bottle of The Bruery's Papier.

At the strike of midnight we clanked glasses of champagne with everyone then quickly switched from the bubbly grape to the bourbon aged old ale. According to the label this version of Papier is a blending of 75% Oak Aged Old Ale and 25% ale aged in bourbon barrels and has an abv of 14.5%. For such a big beer brandy snifters were appropriate however we made do with larger glasses.

With very little carbonation Papier's appearance was more liquor than beer. What head existed at the start quickly faded. A swirl of the glass brought out sweet aromas of figs, raisins and lots of bourbon. It reminded me somewhat of a port. The shock came with the taste. Along with the sweet maltiness, big raisin flavor and oak came an odd vinegar like sourness that stood out from the other flavors. Although the vinegar surprise wasn't enough to completely spoil the enjoyment it did lessen the appeal. Luckily, the sourness became less noticeable as the beer warmed. Although the 14.5% may of had a lot to do with forgetting about the odd flavor. I only wish the bourbon and oak had been what I remembered most about this beer.

The lack of carbonation, slightly off putting sourness and a hefty price tag are a few of the reasons why some will knock this beer. I found it interesting and decent for the style. However it's not a bottle I plan to invest in again. As for a way to bring in 2010 the Racer 5 and Live Free or Die we had later were a better way to celebrate the New Year.

Robbie Burns B-Day Bash @ Sly Fox Tonight

Start Time: 5:00 PM

End Time: 12:00 AM

Location: Phoenixville

Robbie Burns Birthday Bash

The Eighth Annual Robbie Burns Birthday Bash means bagpipers and kilts, customers reciting the great Scottish poet's verses, and the traditional piping in of the Haggis, as well as the release of Sly Fox Gang Aft Agley Scotch Ale 2010.

Soundgarden is Back

Soundgarden have reunited. I know this has nothing to do with beer other than showing me that I need to pull my face out of the pint and catch up on current events. The announcement was made back on the 1st and I just got word yesterday. For you non grunge fans, sorry for my excitement but I bleed 90s music. The news of one of the best hard rock acts of that decade making a comeback puts a huge smile on my face. Now I need to know when they're making it to Philly?

Warm Up @ Capone's with the Big Beer Event

The temperature may of warmed slightly but the real heat is on at Capone's. Matt Capone has unleashed the big beers for a three day event (1/21-1/23). Expect Barleywines, Scotch Ales, Barrel Aged brews, monster IPAs, vintage kegs and more. Each day will feature a tapping of a special keg. Kick-off is today at 11:30. PAYG.

Draft Lineup

Rodenbach Grand Cru
Fruli Strawberry
Dark Horse Scottie Karatie
Cigar City Jai Lai IPA
Left Hand Milk Stout
Hopfenstark Ostalgia Blonde
South Hampton Double White
Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
Boulder Killer Penguin 2007
Duck Rabbit Amber
Flying Dog Whiskey Barrel Aged Gonzo 2008
Dogfish Head Burton Baton
Stoudts Old Abominable Whiskey Barrel Aged 2008
Moylans Hopsickle IPA
Founders Backwoods Bastard
Allagash Interlude 2008
Tommyknocker Imperial Oak Aged Nut Brown
Bells Two Heated Ale
Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA 2008
Terrapin/Left Hand Depth Charge
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron
Port Brewing Wipe Out IPA
Victory Old Horizontal 2008
Yards Old Batholomew
Weyerbacher Insanity 2007
Lost Abbey Angel's Share Brandy Barrel 2008
North Coast Old Stock 08

Special Kegs
Thursday: Founders Rye Whiskey Aged Porter
Friday: Founder Black Biscuit
Saturday: Ballast Point Victory at Sea and Dieu du Ciel Aphrodite

UPDATE

I had a chance to stop in at Capone's and experience a sampler of four amazing beers currently on tap. If you are a fan of barrel aged, whiskey or bourbon beer make your way to Norristown NOW!!! The only problem is you will need a designated driver if you plan on enjoying all the wonderful offerings. During my stop I had Founders Rye Whiskey Aged Porter (right), Flying Dog Whiskey Barrel Aged Gonzo 2008 (empty glass), Dark Horse Scotty Karate (left) and Lost Abbey Angel's Share Brandy Barrel 08 (front and center) Easily one of the best samplers I have ever had. Out of them all the Angel's Share was the true standout.

Angel's Share is one of those beers that is so hyped that you wonder if it can possibly stand up to all the good words. Are all those BAers right? Yes, yes they are. I've had Angel's Share, however not this version, so I was already familiar with the quality. As soon as I caught a whiff of this beer I knew to expect something amazing. The aroma was full of raisins, vanilla, a little butterscotch and even some nuttiness. There was a fruit cake quality in a very, very good way. This is the second time in the past two weeks that I've had a beer that I would happily spend the entire evening smelling. Most of what came out in the aroma showed in the taste. It's a big chewy raisin/plum smack to the mouth. Wow, amazing! The alcohol is pleasantly warm and not at all harsh which makes this dangerously easy to drink. As good as it is at a bar it deseves to be enjoyed at home while in a comfortable chair in front of a fire. It's worthy of sipping all night. Barrel aged beer fans do not pass on this opportunity to have one of the best.