Philly Beer Week

[Tim Dolan]

I foolishly tried to get tickets at the door to last year's Philly Craft Beer Festival at the Navy Yard and was turned away at a relatively early hour. I remember hearing mixed reviews about it, but that it wasn't bad for it's first year. Anyway, I won't be making the same mistake this year and I'll order tickets in advance.

More importantly, it looks like this year's festival will be a precursor to Philly Beer Week. I, for one, am pretty f*cking excited.

[Chris Amirault]

Looks great! What changes are you hoping for? Do you (or does anyone) have a sense of what particular things you'll want to do during the week?

[mattohara]

i'll be there as well. i'm currently brewing my second batch of homebrew with sbcase. we'll be looking around for ideas and recipes and ingredients!

[HD73]

Looks great! What changes are you hoping for? Do you (or does anyone) have a sense of what particular things you'll want to do during the week?

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I think I'm going to attend the Brewer's Plate event. They match up a local brewery and a local restaurant, and then the two collaborate on a single food/beer pairing. It's sort of an upscale version of the Craft Beer Festival at the Navy Yard, in that it's 3 hours long and you just circulate from table to table as you see fit, as opposed to having all the dishes served to you.

I've never been, but it sounds like it might be really fun. All the local brewers you'd like to see are represented, and the restaurants chosen aren't universally awesome, but it's a surprisingly good lineup (Ansill, Bar Ferdinand, Fork, Rx, Snackbar, Southwark, Tinto, etc.). The fact that there's a total of 22 pairings to sample at will make it seem like it should be a decent value at 50 bucks, unless they drastically oversell the thing.

[SugarJ]

I'm by any stretch of the beermagination a beerhound - I go to beer events for the company, the crowd, for my husband, and for the blonder beers. I did attend the event at the Navy Yard last year, during the day, and it was nice, inviting, crowded, and impossible to get to the single food stand/area (with kinda nondescript food anyway). I commented then to the organizers that they have to do something about that (and also texted pals that went to the nighttime session which was even MORE packed...thankfully she brought her own pretzels in the backpack). I also heard on more than one occassion that the beers brought by the breweries were their standards and not something "cool" or their "A game". Again, I wouldn't notice. We were big fans of the school bus transport from the Pattison stop on the BSL . Worked well.

I've also been to the Brewer's Plate twice and loved it ! I am interested this year particularly by the restaurant line up and the new location! Its a really neat gig.

[orion]

I look forward to the Penn Museum event like kids look forward to Christmas. The tutored tasting is nice and informative, but the real treat is having 90 minutes to taste an insanely good and huge lineup of beers.

The Real Ale Festival looks very promising as well. I can't get enough cask-conditioned beers.

[Tim Dolan]

Looks great! What changes are you hoping for? Do you (or does anyone) have a sense of what particular things you'll want to do during the week?

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I'm gonna try to hit the kickoff event in East Falls and the Philadelphia Real Ale Festival. I figure between those and the thing at the Navy Yard, I'll have sufficiently covered the bases.

[SouthPhillyFoodie]

I am super excited for Philly Beer Week! Being a longtime "beer geek" (Tom Peters taught me everything I know when I used to work for him when he was the GM at Copa Too!) there are going to be so many events that it will be hard to chose (when I not working) which ones to attend.

A few standout for me: Great American Beer Festival award-winners dinner at the White Dog Cafe - a meet and great with the brewer's in Judy Wicks house (above the restaurant) before the dinner

Two book launch events for local writers - Joe Six Pack's Beer Reporter's event at the marketplace in East Falls, which I believe is the official kick off event - and He Said Beer, She Said Wine book event at XIX with Sam from Dogfish and Marnie Old.

Garrett Oliver at London Grill with meatball slider tasting

Ladies Tea with Nancy from Home Sweet Home Brew

...okay, now I want a beer

[Yannii]

I really can't decide which events to attend, it's overwhelming! oh well, I guess I'll just jump in!

[Rich Pawlak]

Well there are 4 Events at the Grey Lodge in NE Philly that all look like standouts, along with the Fork event and the XIX event. And a great-sounding event at Chick's Wine Bar! Yowza. And I may still be able to crank out a Golden Age of Beer Tour, God willin'...

[pennbrew]

Just a heads-up, the US' best beer drinking city is hosting an unprecedented, week-long event:

http://phillybeerweek.org/

Anyone planning to go?

Disclaimer: My brewery is participating in 2 events, but I'm not here to plug my involvement. This is such a huge event that it deserves notice.

---Guy

[cdh]

I'll try to get out for some of the festivities! It looks like it could be quite an impressive shindig.

[Rich Pawlak]

Just a heads-up, the US' best beer drinking city is hosting an unprecedented, week-long event:

http://phillybeerweek.org/

Anyone planning to go?

Disclaimer:  My brewery is participating in 2 events, but I'm not here to plug my involvement.  This is such a huge event that it deserves notice.

---Guy

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What two events, Guy, because I DEFINITELY want to be at those!

[pennbrew]

Rich: I'll be at the game dinner at the Grey Lodge on the 9th, and at the Real Ale Fest at Triumph on the 16th.

Thanks!

---Guy

[cwdonald]

Rich:  I'll be at the game dinner at the Grey Lodge on the 9th, and at the Real Ale Fest at Triumph on the 16th.

Thanks!

---Guy

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Folks should check out Lew Bryson's blog which has the menu for the Game Dinner at the Lodge, as well as a fantastic menu at Chick's Wine Bar on the 10th. Also check out Alison at Blue Bell's site which has the menu for their Yard's beer pairing which is also on the 10th.

http://www.lewbryson.com for Lew's posts.

https://www.Alisonatbluebell.com for the Yards dinner.

[Tim Dolan]

It seems that since Beer Week was announced, more and more places jumped in as to not be left out of the festivites. I think it's pretty impressive that so many different events, no matter what size, have been added over the past month. Anyway, I missed the Navy Yard again this year. From what I read elsewhere the place was completely mobbed. Anybody go? And have any newly added events caught your eye?

[KatieLoeb]

There might be an additional event at Chick's next week. I'll get the details today and let you all know...

[Rich Pawlak]

One of the events featuring Lew Bryson has been "rightsized", according to Bryson's website:

Upstate Beer Dinner -- Rightsized

Well, the people have spoken. Seems that not many of you -- except for some "upstaters," a couple locals, and one truly devoted pair from Montreal -- wanted to pay $80 for the Upstate Beer Game Dinner at the Grey Lodge. We don't have enough tickets sold to do the event. Rather than scratch the event, though, Scoats and I decided to downsize it (or "rightsize it", as the current corporate cant goes) to a pay-as-you-go event featuring the four beers promised (I'm heading upstate to pick them up today) and buffalo burgers. If we're lucky, maybe the kitchen can still make those apple fritters...

If you want to try these beers, never before seen in Philly, we'll still have them. And it all starts at 5:00 this Sunday night.

The Pilsner Festival scheduled on March 13 has also been changed to a Lager Festival at Triumph brewpub in Old City:

Pilsner Gala is now a LAGER Gala

We had some folks who wanted to play with us in the Pilsner Gala we have planned at Triumph for Philly Beer Week who didn't have what were quite exactly pilsners...but Jay decided we should let them in anyway. So here is the final list (er...probably final) of Lagers for the Gala at Triumph on March 13, 6-10 PM.

Triumph - German Pils, Dunkel, Kellerbier, Blonde Doppelbock, and Rauchbock (all from the Philly location)

Iron Hill - Vienna Lager (which, if you ain't had it yet, you should)

Victory - Braumeister Pils (Tettnanger?) and Prima

Sly Fox - Pikeland Pils, and a special amber Rauchbier

Ramstein - Vienna Lager

Appalachian - Zoigl Star Lager (unfiltered kellerbier-type)

Lancaster - Franklinfest (a change from Gold Star Pilsner)

Troegs - unfiltered Sunshine Pils

Stoudt's - Pils (this may be unfiltered; waiting to hear on that)

And if you're hungry, Jay is lining up serious German beerhall eats: smoked sausage, meat patties, pfefferwurst, sliders (okay, German-American), and lots of meat. There will probably be some vegetable stuff too. No, really!

This is all pay-as-you-go, most (but not all) breweries are sending people, and you will have an almost unprecedented opportunity to compare these local lagers side-by-side. I'm really looking forward to this.

Edited March 6, 2008 by Rich Pawlak (log)

[philadining]

Also from www.lewbryson.com :

Monday, March 10th "That's Not Belgian!" at the delightful Chick's Cafe (614 S. 7th St., Philadelphia). As alert readers know, I only discovered Chick's recently, and loved it. Chick's has built a beer list different from any in this beer-happy city, and a central feature of it is a core of French, Italian, and Spanish beers, from breweries that are quite Belgianesque in their disregard for traditional brewing...but are not exactly Belgian, either. We're going to pair an array of these non-Belgian beers with food from their respective homelands for a beer dinner that should be like few Philly or anywhere else has ever seen. 6:30 PM, Price TBD.

This still on, as billed, Katie? I was reading over the description last time I was in, and it looked pretty cool.

Edited March 6, 2008 by philadining (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Most definitely still on! We discovered today that someone at Philly.com forgot to list our event in the general Beer Week schedule! So there's still plenty of spots left. It should be a lot of fun. Really interesting French, Spanish and Italian beers in the Belgian style, paired with four courses of food. $55/person. Monday, March 10 at 6:30 PM. Lew is always an engaging speaker and the beer and food pairings should be quite delicious. I'm looking forward to it. I think I'll be working the downstairs bar that night as well, so I hope to see many of you.

The second event that's been added to the schedule is an informal tasting of beers provided by Peak Organic Brewing Company of Portland, Maine. We've had the Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale on draught for the last couple of weeks and folks are loving it. The rep from Peak will also bring down bottles of their Amber Ale and the Pale Ale and will be pouring samples and answering questions about the beers. We'll have some suggested menu pairings for anyone that might wish to have an a la carte bite to accompany the beers. Should be loads of fun. Thursday March 13 from 7:00-9:00 PM.

Feel free to PM me if there are any questions. Looking forward to Beer Week! Wheeeeeee!

[Tim Dolan]

Most definitely still on!  We discovered today that someone at Philly.com forgot to list our event in the general Beer Week schedule!    So there's still plenty of spots left.  It should be a lot of fun.  Really interesting French, Spanish and Italian beers in the Belgian style, paired with four courses of food.  $55/person.  Monday, March 10 at 6:30 PM.  Lew is always an engaging speaker and the beer and food pairings should be quite delicious.  I'm looking forward to it.  I think I'll be working the downstairs bar that night as well, so I hope to see many of you.

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Last time I stopped in I had the Italian beer that you had on tap, I believe it was the Berrifico (sp?). It was very light, tasted like I was drinking air, but in a good way. I just bought my tickets for tonight's kickoff event in East Falls. The countdown to the end of my workweek has officially begun!

Actually who am I kidding, the countdown begins as soon as I walk in every Monday morning...

[KatieLoeb]

Last time I stopped in I had the Italian beer that you had on tap, I believe it was the Berrifico (sp?).  It was very light, tasted like I was drinking air, but in a good way.  I just bought my tickets for tonight's kickoff event in East Falls. The countdown to the end of my workweek has officially begun!

Actually who am I kidding, the countdown begins as soon as I walk in every Monday morning...

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We all know that feeling...

Tim, the Italian beer you ad last time was the Birrifico "La Fleurette", brewed with honey, peppercorns and violets. Chick's had one of only three kegs of it in the country, so we were told. It didn't last long, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. It was really interesting stuff with delicious and very subtle flavors.

There are some other Italian beers for the tasting with Lew on Monday. Hope to see you there.

Edited March 7, 2008 by KatieLoeb (log)

[Tim Dolan]

It's that time of year again. It seems like the idea of Philly Beer Week has really taken off. There looks like a TON of events this year. Any events in particular that you are excited about?

It seems like the Brewer's Plate event is pretty scaled down this year in comparison to last. Anyone have any word on why that might be? I understand that an event like that can be a hassle for a restaurant to pull off, but it also seemed like a GREAT idea. I wasn't there last year so I can't comment on if it was any good or not.

[mattohara]

I'll be at Yard's Brewery soon after 11AM on Friday the 13th for the Smoke 'em if you've got 'em event. 15$ gets you food and your first beer. Smoked beers and smoked foods and live music. Yard's will be premiering their own smoked beer at the event, according the the Yard's people that were at Tria last week. I say just after 11 because *at* 11 I will be at Homesweet Homebrew getting the discount for smoked beer kits that's specific to that day.

I'm also going to the Extreme Homebrewing competition on the 9th at 7PM at Jose Pistola's. It's $50 this year. I think last year it was free. It's a good chance to taste some great stuff from some of the more experienced homebrewers in the area.

I may also go to the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Trivia night. I have some friends that will be competing. I'll likely head to one or two more events if I can find rare/odd beermaking knowledge.

[KatieLoeb]

Here's the official website for Philly Beer Week 2009. Anybody been to any great events yet? Everyone has to report back, since there's so many events scheduled at once! It's insane!

Tim, I especially want to hear about the Smoke 'Em if You've Got 'Em event. I love smoked beers. And there's some really good barbeque to be had as well. I can't go since I have to work that night, and going earlier in the afternoon wouldn't bode well for me getting through my shift!

Edited March 10, 2009 by KatieLoeb (log)