Brew Revue

Dock Street's Prisoner of Hell is heavenly

POSTED: Tuesday, February 1, 2011, 5:15 PM

Filed Under: barstool scientist | Booze | Brew Revue

Courtesy of Dock Street

Dock Street (701 S. 50th St.) has decided to head in an unexpected direction with January's Firkin of the Month. Their new Prisoner of Hell ale presents the sipper with a delicate blend of sharp pepper, smooth Belgian flavor and fiery chilies, all in perfect harmony. As I drank my fill, I found myself wondering how this curious beer came to be. Thankfully, Dock Street brewer Ben Potts was kind enough to explain the specifics. Cask ales, in accordance with English tradition, get fermented twice over. The second time around, the brew carbonates naturally in the firkin; it's during this round that the hallmark flavors of the Prisoner of Hell make their appearance. Potts adds one ancho, two pulla and three guajillo chilies to the brew, and their presence is definitely felt in the beer's subtle-yet-spicy kick. Dock Street's Firkin of the Month goes until it kicks, so get up there ASAP if you want a glass of the heat.

MIchelle

Posted 2011-02-01 12:52:48

This beer sounds awesome, I must try it!

Posted by Adrian Pelliccia @ 5:15 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Meet Your Local Cheesemaker at Fair Food Farmstand

POSTED: Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 4:45 PM

Filed Under: Brew Revue | Dealage

Amazing Acres

Debbie and Fred Mikulak of Amazing Acres

Fair Food Farmstand in the Reading Terminal Market (12th & Arch streets) wants to introduce you to someone — namely, your hardworking local cheesemaker. So they are hosting a regular Friday series, from 4 to 6 p.m., pairing local brews with local fromage; the next one features Philadelphia Brewing Co. brewer Dean Browne matching his fermentables with goat cheeses from Chester County's Amazing Acres farm on May 28. Amazing Acres cheesemakers Debbie and Fred Mikulak run a sustainable, farmstead goat cheese operation using nothing but their own pastured goat's milk, doing all the cheesemaking on premises. They will be sampling three of their offerings, paired with Browne's fine suds:

Banon, a brandy-laced grape leaf-wrapped disk of goat
Sea Smoke, a Maine-inspired, ash-rubbed bloomy rind cheese
Fromagina, a creme-fraiche like goatie with a thick texture and fresh bite

Check out the plan for the June 25 Meet Your Local Cheesemaker event after the jump. June 25: Cheesemakers from Keswick Creamery partner with TrÃ¶egs Brewing to rub the dregs of their beers Tommenator and Mad Elf on raw cows milk Tommes. In addition, a lovely lineup of other cheeses will be available to sample with a number of complementary local brews courtesy of the Foodery. Rumor has it a baby brown cow may be in attendance.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 4:45 PM Permalink | Post a comment

REMINDER: European BBQ beer dinner tonight

POSTED: Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 6:15 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Brew Revue | Chef Salad

Photo l Adam Erace at Blogalicious

European barbecues past

There are still seats left in both the 6 and 8:30 p.m. seatings of chef David Ansill's European barbecue beer dinner at Ladder 15 (1528 Sansom St.) tonight. $60 per person (plus tip) nets you a plate of grilled duck or lamb hearts skewered with kidneys and bacon, roasted pig, linguisa sausage, braised and grilled oxtail on the bone and other treats served with a trio of handmade sauces to mix and match. Belgian-owned Cooperstown brewery Ommegang rep Megan Maguire will be on hand as beer hostess, matching these big flavors with their big brews. The dinner is also the Philly debut of Ommegang's new Belgian-style Pale Ale (BPA). Check out our original post to see the full menu with beer pairings. RELATED: European barbecue beer dinner at Ladder 15 [02April10]

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 6:15 PM Permalink | Post a comment

BREW REVUE: Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes

POSTED: Monday, May 10, 2010, 4:15 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Brew Revue

BeerMe.com

Better known for chocolate, staggering Alpine views and staying out of messy wars, Switzerland also produces little-know but pioneering craft brews 3,287 feet above sea level at Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes (BFM). Crafted in small batches in the Jura mountains along the northwestern border of Switzerland, BFM represents a collision of tradition and modernism. Brewmaster and founder Jerome Rebetez infuses his handmade brews with unusual ingredients (the sage-inflected La Meule, Tarry Suchong flavored with Lapsang Souchong tea) or ages them in multiple barrels to create complex, wine-like nectars that pair gracefully with food (the 11 to 15 percent ABV strong sour ale L'Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien). Meet the man himself when Rebetez visits The Belgian CafÃ© (2047 Green St.) this Wed., May 12 at 7 p.m. 2006 and 2007 vintages of L'Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien will be available, as well as bottles of La Dragonne, a seven percent ABV ale with honey and spices that will be served heated, as the brewmaster directs. The herbal, golden La Meule and dark La Mandragore will be on draft; a firkin of La CuvÃ©e Alex le Rouge imperial stout will be on the bar. Full Disclosure: I have worked, and still occasionally tend bar, at The Belgian CafÃ©.

Ben Kessler

Posted 2010-05-10 11:40:59

BFM beers are fantastic. La Meule used to have a regular position in my fridge.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 4:15 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Swoon! Trivial Pursuit with Sam Calagione

POSTED: Wednesday, May 5, 2010, 8:16 PM

Filed Under: Brew Revue | Philly Beer Week 2010

Martin Schoeller for the New Yorker

Philly Beer Week 2010 blasts off in just 30 days, and participating venues are starting to tease what sort of parties they'll be throwing this time around. I'm hoping for plenty of creativity from breweries and bar operators, like this Tiger Beat-worthy evening Resurrection Ale House (2425 Grays Ferry Ave.) is hosting Wed., June 9. That's when fans of Dogfish Head's unique brews or just the strapping man behind them will have a shot at playing Trivial Pursuit with Sam Calagione himself. For those less susceptible to Sam's charms, owners Leigh Maida and Brendan Hartranft sweeten the deal by devoting all of Resurrection's 12 taps to Dogfish Head brews, plus 75-Minute IPA on cask. We'll be highlighting top-drawer Beer Week events on Meal Ticket through June 14; search Beer Week 2010 in Categories to see them all.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 8:16 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Gearing up for Philly Beer Week, June 4-13

POSTED: Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 6:10 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Brew Revue | Philly Beer Week 2010

In just a few weeks, the brains of beer drinkers in town will be all a-ferment, bubbling with enthusiasm for our third annual Philly Beer Week. On Fri., June 4, Mayor Michael Nutter will wield the Keg Hammer of Glory to break into the first keg at the local brew-oriented Opening Tap festival ($45) in the Independence Visitor's Center in Old City. Even East Philadelphia (better known as the proximal towns of New Jersey) is getting into the act this year -- you can take free tours of Flying Fish in Cherry Hill and Iron Hill Maple Shade on Sat., June 5, then be ferried around by free trolley from the PATCO station and pub-to-pub when you hit the Haddon Township Pub Crawl. Opening weekend promises to be sheer madness, especially since it coincides with the 26th annual Philadelphia International Cycling Championship on Sun., June 6. Manayunk venues like Cooper's Brick Oven Pizza & Wine Bar and the Old Eagle Tavern have already planned bike-race parties and brunches. Participating bars and restaurants have already begun loading their events into the Beer Week calendar that lives on the right sidebar of the website. Search by brewery, venue or date to find your can't-miss events.

Tweets that mention Gearing up for Philly Beer Week, June 4-13 - Philadelphia Citypaper: In just a few weeks, the brains of beer drink... -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-04-28 14:48:47

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Posted 2010-04-28 22:44:58

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Get your Center City Sips on starting next week :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-05-26 13:47:25

[...] week you'll probably be gearing up for some of the 865 beer-related events goin’ on across our dear city, but as Happy Hour Hopper, it’s my duty to remind you [...]

CRITICAL MASS WEEKEND OMNIBUS: Get Back to Your Roots Weekend :: Critical Mass :: A&E Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2010-06-04 12:33:14

[...] beer. So down a glass of water and get ready to sample many as you can. Events, that is. As part of Philly Beer Week, local breweries are sharing their best at Beers on Broad Street. Even better, proceeds benefit [...]

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 6:10 PM Permalink | Post a comment

NOW: Monk's Mad Mikkeller Monday

POSTED: Monday, April 26, 2010, 3:52 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Brew Revue

Mikkeller

At 11:30 a.m. this Monday morning, Monk's Cafe (264 S. 16th St.) will tap six kegs from Denmark's gypsy brewer Mikkel Borg BjergsÃ¸. His traveling brewery, Mikkeller, has only been around since 2007 but has generated outsize buzz among beer geeks with extreme, boundary-pushing brews. On tap today: Amarillo IPA, Simcoe IPA, Tomahawk IPA, Warrior IPA, Hoppy Easter, Beer Geek Breakfast Stout. Only one keg of each, get 'em until they're gone.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 3:52 PM Permalink | Post a comment

TODAY: Meet Hans-Peter Drexler of G. Schneider and Sohn Brewery

POSTED: Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 3:47 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Brew Revue | Dealage

Schneider-Weisse.de

Hans-Peter Drexler

One of my first forays into craft beer drinking was about a year ago at a Jose Pistolas happy hour. I commissioned the bartender to guide me through my tasting spree, and he had me trying everything on the list. My favorite was a tall glass of a dark pour called Schneider Aventinus. Pioneers of brewing wheat-based weisse (white) beer since 1872, G. Schneider and Sohn Brewery remains a leader in this traditional style. Brewmaster Hans-Peter Drexler has built upon the brewery's legacy with the creation of Schneider Edel Weisse, Eisbock and Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfenweisse, his collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery genius Garrett Oliver. Today I'll get to meet the man (and you can, too) who brewed my first craft beer love. On his first Philadelphia adventure Drexler will begin with rounds at Jose Pistolas (263 S. 15th St.) for a âLoaded Lunchâ from 12 p.m.-3 p.m. (pours: Schneider Aventinus, Edel Weisse, Aventinus Eisbock and the collab with Brooklyn Brewery) then to Devil's Den (1148 S. 11th St.) for happy hour from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. (tapas menu and half-priced drafts including the Schneider lineup). Finally he will mingle from 8 p.m.- midnight at Brauhaus Schmitz (718 South St.), where they'll serve Eisbock from a wooden cask alongside more from the Schneider lineup.

TODAY: Meet Hans-Peter Drexler of G….

Posted 2010-04-13 14:35:27

[...] original here: TODAY: Meet Hans-Peter Drexler of G….   Comments [0]Digg [...]

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BREW REVUE: Three great tastings down south tonight

POSTED: Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 10:09 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Brew Revue

Better than peanut butter and jelly.

This evening is positively bubbly with beer potential, with tastings and deals at three distinctly different South Philadelphia venues. Plan accordingly and you could even hit all three.

Rogue at Di Bruno Bros. (930 S. Ninth St.) 5-8 p.m., free tasting. Miss Chocolate Stout herself, Sebbie Buhler, is in the house with John, Hunter and Zeke, doing what they do best: pairing beer with food. Buy the three featured cheeses as a set for $25; everything else is 10 percent off during the event.

Chocolate Stout with Colston Bassett Stilton
Chipotle Ale with Rogue River Smokey Blue
Dirtoir with Pestun di Castagne

Bell's Brewing at South Philly Tap Room (1509 Mifflin St.) 4 p.m.-2 a.m., pay-as-you-go for $4 pints of Hopslam, Oberon, Two Hearted, Java, Brown and Pale Ale. One of the Great Lakes' premier brewers.

Stone's at Hawthornes (738 S. 11th St.) 6-8 p.m., free tasting of every Stone's beer Hawthornes carries: Oaked Arrogant Bastard, Pale, IPA, Ruination IPA, Old Guardian and more.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 10:09 PM Permalink | Post a comment

BREW REVUE: Stillwater Artisanal Ales debuts at Devil's Den

POSTED: Monday, March 29, 2010, 6:30 PM

Filed Under: Booze | Brew Revue

BeerInBaltimore

Baltimore brewer Brian âStillwaterâ Strumke will make the Philadelphia debut of his first commercial brew, Stateside Saison, at a keg tapping at Devil's Den (1148 S. 11th St.) this Tues., March 30 at 7 p.m.

Stillwater Artisanal Ales is the realization of Strumke's experiments with home brewing since 2004, some of which yielded medals in "the Sam Adams Longshot and Holiday Competitions, as well as the American Homebrewer's Association Nationals," writes BeerInBaltimore.com. Strumke described his Stateside Saison to beer writer Chuck Cook as an "American Farmhouse Ale." BeerInBaltimore elaborates:

It's a Belgian-inspired brew that uses a combination of European malts, hops from New New Zealand and the United States.. and a classic farmhouse yeast to achieve a fruity, yet spicy, melange of flavors and aroma.

Thirty barrels of Stateside Saison were brewed for the first batch; Stillwater's Twitter advises that batch #2, as well as a hush-hush summer seasonal, is now underway. Look for the saison on draft, in 750-ml. bottles and on cask in area taprooms after the debut on Tuesday.

Patty

Posted 2010-03-29 14:09:30

Sounds great, looking forward to the keg tapping!

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 6:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

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Founded in October 2008, Meal Ticket is a City Paper blog about food, drink and assorted other things that make you go mmm. We do recipes, interviews, restaurant news, commentary and much more. We don't do restaurant reviews here — those are handled in print, mostly by our critic (and Meal Ticket contributor) Adam Erace. Got a tip, question, thought or concern? Just want to say hello? Please shoot a note to caroline@citypaper.net.

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