Roeg's Travels

Tripping Around Eastern PA

2012-01-25T21:37:00.000-05:00

Roadtrip, and this time down to eastern PA. I had chosen to drive myself for the flexibility and the freedom to stopwhere I wanted. I like the solitude, myaudio book (LOTR this time), and time to think. And I was thinking about all the stops that I could make on this trip.For the sake of time, I’ll concentrate on my favorite spot each day.

Iheaded down the NY Thruway and stopped at the Gilded Otter BP in New Paltz for thisyear’s Winter Wassail, followed it up with a Kelso Marzen Lager at the GoldenRail Ale House in Newburgh. The GildedOtter has good food, but they haven’t been rotating their brews recently and Iwas disappointed with the selection. TheGolden Rail is a dive bar (including two buzzed ladies playing pool), but therebeer selection was loaded with local selections. Taking 84W, I made my way to Scranton andheaded down to Cooper’s Seafood. Cooper’s is well known for their beer (as well as their seafood), alwayshaving beer on cask, and they have their own beer mug club. I got a bowl of their Manhattan clam chowder,with spicy broth and succulent clams (I guess I do eat shellfish), to go alongwith their beer. They had RodenbachGrand Cru on draft, one of the world’s best beers, and one that I had never inall my travels had on draft before. Iwas in heaven. I was also able to get apint of Widmer’s Nelson’s Imperial IPA on draft. I sipped my beer, watched my sports, and thenheaded over to Kildare’s Irish bar for an Irish Breakfast (what is black andwhite pudding anyways). One of my workassociates liked the location being close to their hotel, and I didn’t mindsince I was able to get a glass of Woodchuck Winter cider on tap.

Anotherday of meetings, and we were able to get on the road early enough to allow meto stop at several locations along the way. I stopped at Allentown Brew Works along the way (nice bar althoughdowntown Allentown leaves a lot to be desired) and got a sampler that includedtheir Hop Explosion IPA and their Belgian Dubbel. Next was the Kutztown Tavern, right off of222, and they were kind enough to provide a sampler of their Golden Avalanchebeers, including the Winter Bock and a Bourbon Stout. I then made it to Lancaster and headedstraight to a location mentioned by my cousin Brian, the Spring House TastingRoom. Spring House is a relatively newbrewery in the area, and I’ve been able to try several of the bottled productsbefore (how can you lose with a beer entitled Atomic Raygun). They had close to 10 taps, and their samplerincluded them all. I really liked the PacanSandie Porter and the Planet Bean Coffee Stout (I liked this so much I got abottle to go). I needed a snack, so Igot their version of a ploughman’s: Wisconsin cheddar cheese, local bologna,and a soft pretzel with hot mustard. Itwas all delicious, but I had to go to dinner again with the team at LancasterBrewing company. I got a Caesar saladwith a winter warmer to close out the day. I like Lancaster brewing, but they don’t seem to offer much of aselection of new beer anymore.

Thenext day we had a half day meeting, and then I decided to make the long triphome. I first stopped in Hershey, PA at Troeg’sbrewing. This is their new facility (Imissed visiting their old spot last September due to the hurricane) and wasable to pick and choose the beers to taste. I tried their most recent Scratch beers, the Amber Ale (#52) and theDouble IPA (#55), and had a nice chat with a barmaid from New Zealand (no, shehadn’t seen any Hobbits). I got back onthe road and headed up the river to Selinsgrove to have lunch at Selin’s GroveBrewing. This place has been top ratedby both Beer Advocate and All About Beer, and after my visit I can see why. The building is made of old stone, and had acolonial feel to it. The wait staff wasfriendly and helpful, describing each of the beers with a flare. I got a sampler (what else) which included 126oz beers (what a bargain). They were allwell made, of different styles, and included two cask ales. My favorites were the Captain Selin’s CreamAle and the Wee Whiskey, a bourbon scotch ale on cask. For lunch I got the Hokey Pokey (and you turnyourself around), a ham and cheese sandwich on a soft pretzel roll, with theirhomemade German potato salad. It wasawesome. I loved the place, and wouldhave stayed later if I didn’t still have five hours of driving to gethome. I was able to make the trip with noproblems, stopping at Old Forge brewing in Danville on the way, and was stillable to put the kids to bed (yes, I am the father of the year).

Itwas a great day, and a relaxing drive. Iwas particularly touched at all the tributes to Joe Paterno who had passed awayearlier in the week. I loved what hestood for in college sports, and was truly sorry to witness how his tenureended at Penn State. It was remarkableto see all the signs of well wishes for the Paterno family. It is something that I will always remember.- 5970/11891

“Listening to someone who brews his own beer is likelistening to a religious fanatic talk about the day he saw the light.” – RossMurray

Twentifourth Firkinteenth

2012-01-13T08:10:00.000-05:00

Itisn’t often that you find a loving and caring wife that will let you leave yourkids for a day of drinking. It’s reallyhard to sell. What do you say, “It’s exercise like with golf?” So when my cousin Brian and my brother Daveeach said they were in I was thankful that I could say “Family Time” for thereason to head to Philly for the 24^th edition of Friday theFirkinteenth at the Grey Lodge Pub. So Idrove south, stopping in New Brunswick, NJ at Stuff Yer Face for their originalStromboli (one of my favorite foods, and highlighted on Man vs. Food (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6otbUX6Or4)) and a HaandNissefar, a Christmas beer from Norway. Both were very tasty. Next Iwalked down to Harvest Moon Brewpub and tried their Sinterklaas Belgian WinterAle. Traditional Christmas spice in aBelgian Ale (around 7.5% ABV), it was a great stop. When I got to Brian’s, we split a Surly Five,their own sour ale celebrating five years of brewing, while we planned the nextday’s events.

Thenext day it was off to the Grey Lodge Pub for Friday the Firkinteenth (24^thEdition). We didn’t worry about black cats crossing our paths or broken mirrors,since they had more than 25 firkins of cask conditioned ale ready to tap. With three events this year, the crowd wasmanageable and we got two bar stools for prime viewing. We were there early (2 hours or so), but wegot to chat and I tried a Victory Smokin’ Oats Porter while we waited for thegreat unveiling. The staff has gottengood over the years, so no one got baptized by the spray. The selection was good, but since I had triedseveral before, I concentrated on the new beers. I really liked the Fiftyfifty Rockslide IPA,heavy on hops and with a nose of grapefruit. Manayunk’s Rye of the Tiger was good too, but it poured like crap. Dave and Brian enjoyed themselves, taking inthe atmosphere and sampling quite a bit. We decided not to stay for lunch (next time I’m staying for the day), andwent over to check out some other of my favorite Philly spots.

Wewent for lunch at the Memphis Taproom, one of my favorite places for food andbeer. I had a Yards Old Bartholomew oncask to go with my Shepherd’s pie and fried pickles. I took the time to update my beer book, evenshowing off my new “I’m about to be 45 and my eyesight sucks” readingglasses. I followed it up with a VictoryRanch S Double IPA and surprisingly enough my eyesight got a tad better. Brian shared a new offering from Dogfish Headcalled Black and Red, an imperial stout brewed with cherries and mint. It is rare to find a beer that you would wantto gargle with, but this one may qualify. Brian liked it so much it ordered it twice.

Ournext stop was Barcade, a Philly version of the Brooklyn original. I loved this place when Dave and his wife Christinewent with me 5 years ago (documented enthusiastically in my first beer blog). The beer offering was fantastic (I got theStone Vertical Epic 11/11/11 on draft), while we went and played some classic arcadegames: Joust and Gauntlet (welcome Elf!). I tried some Damn Good Jerky (actually called Death by Jerky), that litmy mouth on fire. I put out the heatwith a Ballast Point Barrel Aged Porter (it worked really well). Finally, we stopped by Yards Brewing, mostlybecause it is easy to get to and it is on the way. Nice tasting room, and a good vibe. I continued with our theme of the day andtried their Extra Special Ale brewed with East Kent Golding hops on cask. I got my family home, playing the music loudto drown out their snoring. It was agood day.

Iwould have ended the story then and there, but I promised my mom (and mysister-in-law Christine) that I would take them for mussels the next day at theBelgian Café. Of all the great Belgianbars in Philly, this one is my mom’s favorite. I got the Bloody Mary Mussels, seasoned with horseradish and celerysalt, to accompany my Flying Dog The Fear, and Imperial Pumpkin ale that wasvery impressive. My mussels were fine onweight watchers, my frites were not (but damn were they good). I’ll have to go back for a taste test at Monk’sand Eulogy. I can hardly wait. - 5964/11830

“Filledwith mingled cream and amber, such hilarious visions clamber, through thechambers of my brain, quaintest thoughts, queerest fancies come to life andfade away; What care I how time advances; I’m drinking ale today.” – EdgarAllen Poe

Christmas Beer Hopping in Pittsburgh

2012-01-11T00:28:00.000-05:00

I always get so excited for my first trip of the year to Pittsburgh. I get to see friends from work, and visitsome of my favorite beer spots on the east coast. Pittsburgh has become a second home for mewith all the travel we do with our sister company, and I have my favoritelocations all in line for visiting. Andfor this trip, we made our first stop even before we got into town.

Wenormally stop at Bocktown on the way to the airport (I guess we could stop bothways), but this time we stopped on our way into the city to avoid traffic andgrab some dinner. A coworker from thearea was surprised that we knew about the place. With a great tap and bottle selection, andexcellent food, it was the perfect choice. I had their take on a traditional chef’s salad: ham, turkey, hotcapicola, salami, peppered bacon, Swiss cheese, with pickled eggs ’n beets (Ithink there was lettuce in there too). Igot a few (only a few) samplers (4oz servings of any beer you want) to wash itdown, highlighted by quite a few Christmas beers: Stoudt Revel Red, Thirsty Dog12 Days of Christmas, Bell Winter White and Full Pint Festivus (I guess for therest of us). I got a bottle and a can togo, shook some hands, and headed to the hotel. We checked in and walked down to D’s Six Packs and Dogs (looks like aconverted Pizza Hut) to watch the National Championship Game (what a snoozer,did LSU make the flight?). I stayed withmy Christmas theme, but no samples (remember we walked to D’s), and triedNewcastle’s Winter IPA, 21^st Amendment’s Allies Win the War, andChurch Brew Works Xmas. The game stunk,but the beer and the conversation did not.

Thenext day was spent in meetings, followed by dinner at Claddaugh’s on SouthSide. There weren’t any new beers(although they had Belhaven Twisted Thistle on tap), but their take on corned beefand cabbage was awesome. We followed upour meal by going across the street to the Hofbrauhaus for a nightcap. I got the Hofbrau Weihnachts, a GermanChristmas beer, and listened to my boss pine for a new career as a tuba playerin a German beer hall. Next it was offto the Rivertowne Pourhouse where I got to try their homage to Spongebob,Pineapple Under the Sea, a pineapple wheat beer that was super sweet. I even have a lady (and her husband, weird) byme their best beer in the house, the Shepherd’s Cook Scottish Ale. It was a real good evening.

Weheaded home the next day, stopping at the Sharp Edge Creekhouse on the wayout. This place offers a greatselection, but doesn’t rotate it much. Theydid offer the Hell Town Insidious, an English Pale Ale brewed nearby in MountPleasant, PA. I’m convinced, I’ll stay aBocktown fan. We stopped there for goodmeasure where I got a Clipper City Bourbon Barrel aged Below Decks. It was a good trip, but tiring. Business travel is tough. Good thing I’ve learned how to make the bestof it. - 5959/11792

“Anintelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.”- Ernest Hemingway

Roeg's Picks for 2011

2011-12-31T22:53:00.001-05:00

1. Best Brewery: Cigar City, Tampa Bay, FL – Great brewery withmany taps. Offered their standards andspecialty beers, had a beer event the following day (damn return flight), andoffered a specialty cask when I sampled. Over two days, I got to try 22 different beers. It was heaven. I love this place. Runners Up: Brew Dog from Scotland, The Bruery in CA
2. Best Brewpub: Portsmouth Brewery, Portsmouth, NH – I know I’m biased,but this brewpub continues to shine. Ilove the nachos and their Old Brown Dog, and think their Thaizenheimer isfantastic. Smuttynose bottles their bigbeers, and there is always a cask available downstairs (but you have toremember to ask for it since it is not on their beer list). Their specialtybeer is Kate the Great a RIS that is only released once a year (3/7/11). Runners Up: Derby Standard, Derby, UK and People's Pint, Greenfield, MA
3. Best Regional Bar: The Beveridge, Seattle, WA – No food at the Beveridge, but you can order in, andI enjoyed a glass of Deschutes Dissident Sour Ale. I followed it up with a Full Sail Black GoldImperial Bourbon Stout, aged in bourbon barrels, and totally quaffable. Checking my records confirmed that this beerwas my 11,000 beer, a milestone that has sort of snuck up on me. The bartender was impressed with my beer bookand the story of my travels, and gave me a bottle of Full Sail Imperial BourbonPorter ’08 for good measure. Runners Up: Bocktown Beer, Pittsburgh, PA and Babington Arms, Derby, UK
4. Best English Pub: The Harrington Arms, Aldsworth, UK - The Harrington Arms is a beautiful pub with a largegarden area in the back where the whole town could be found on a weekdaynight. We met my friends Steve and Rob,and settled in for a while. The beer wasoutstanding (best pint of Bass in the UK, and the food looked delicious). I got to try a couple of beers on cask fromTollgate, including the house special, the Earl’s ale and their TSB (TollgateSpecial Bitter?). It was a greatevening, and I can’t wait to go back. Runners Up: Kelham Island Tavern, Sheffield, UK and The Old Toad, Rochester, NY
5. Gastropub: Armsby Abbey, Worcester, MA – Armsby Abbey hasbeen getting rave reviews in beer periodicals, and they host a FarmhouseBrunch. The draft menu was outstanding, including atleast 10 beers I hadn’t tried before, and fortunately for me they offeredflights. The food menu offered a similarnumber of great choices. Jenn orderedthe stuffed French toast; thick slices of homemade honey oatmeal bread stuffedwith a brown sugar-roasted peach mascarpone filling and served with theirhomemade bacon-bourbon infused maple syrup. I got the pigs & grits; chili cumin braised pork, with roasted red& poblano peppers, sweet onion, creamy cheddar grits, bacon braised greens,covered in an ancho hollandaise and a poached egg. Best brunch I ever had, and that is not justthe beer talking. On a return trip, Igot the cheese plate with bourbon soaked cherries, and the best beef chili I’veever eaten. Runners Up: Dirty Truth, Northampton, MA and The Farmhouse, Emmaus, PA
6. Sports Bar: World of Beer, Orlando, FL- The WOB had greatbeers, allowed you to bring your own food, free internet, and had a ton ofTVs. I found a safe location in the backcorner, right in front of Phillies vs. Diamondbacks baseball game. I was able to chat with Jenn through Skypefor most of the evening. The Philliesblew open the game in the late innings, giving Cliff Lee his 13^thvictory on the way to a 9-2 win. Runners Up: Boston Beer Works, Boston, MA and Fatheads, Pittsburgh, PA
7. Multitaps: Brouwer’s Café, Seattle, WA –The beer selection was fantastic (how can you gowrong with 64 taps), the wait staff was knowledgeable, and they even had aMannekin Pis statue in the entrance way. I started with the Silver City Fat Bastard scotch ale, followed by their6^th anniversary commemorative beer, an imperial stout brewed byHUB. To wrap up my selections, I triedthe Sierra Nevada Black Vapor Steam beer. Runners Up: Sunset Grill, Allston, MA and Church Key, Washington, DC
8. Bottle Selection: Ebenezer’s Pub, Lovell, ME – Although for myjourney I did not try the bottles (I had to make it back), the private tour ofthe beer cellar was impressive. Chrisgets beers shipped to him from breweries to taste (how do I get that job?), andhe stores quite a bit for special occasions. And at Ebenezer’s they’ve chosen not to carry a lot of the everydaybeers to pump up their numbers. And withtheir unique selection, they don’t have to.Runners Up: D's Six Packs and Dogs, Swissvale, PA and Mahar's, Albany, NY
9. Bottle Shop: Bottleworks, Seattle, WA – A must for me is to be able to grab a draft whilesearching, and I got to try the Mikkeller Green Gold on draft. Limiting myself to twelve, some to take backand some to drink here, I found some Maui brewing cans and some unique beersfrom Japan. Of particular note was theMikkeller Two Gypsies Our Side Saison, done with Stillwater, and the Lost AbbeyDeliverance, a mix of their brandy Angel’s Share and bourbon barrel Serpent’sstout, and the Stone Belgo Anise Russian Imperial Stout. Runners Up: Pinnochio's, Media, PA and Utobeer, London, UK
10. Best Beer Event: Friday the Firkenteenth, Grey Lodge Pub,Philadelphia, PA– An event based on the calendar, this past year had one event. I travelled by myself since I was heading outof town the following day, and found a seat upstairs where I enjoyed my Lodgesteak to go with the cask ales. My favorite cask was Wells Banana Bread beer,best summarized as dessert in a glass. There are 3 Fridays in 2012, and I can hardly wait. Runners Up: Portlans ME Brewfest and Decicco's Founders Tasting in Brewster, NY

Happy New Year!!! - 5956/11758

"Theyspeak of my drinking, but never think of my thirst." – Scottish Proverb

Holiday Cool Down

2011-12-26T21:12:00.000-05:00

Whata weekend! I got to celebrate my wife’s birthday with our family of four, andthen with all of Jenn’s side of the family. We breakfasted at the FriendlyToast in Portsmouth, NH (the Sklarmageddon was awesome), and got take out fromThe Rosa for dinner (loved their eggplant parmesan) for the whole family. Jacob and I even got to walk across the downtownbridge one last time, and stop by the Portsmouth Brewery for their Saison L’Hiveron draft. The next day we celebratedChristmas with the in-laws, and extra special event to be thankful that we wereall still together after this past year. It was great, spending the time together. However, I had to work the following week soI had to head back to NY, leaving my family for some quite rest andrecuperation. Jenn knows me well, and knewthat I needed it. And I had plans for the return journey,starting with a stop for lunch at the Armsby Abbey in Worcester, MA.

Jennand I had stopped by for brunch before, and we loved it, so I thought I wouldsee what they had on draft and get a bite to eat. Boy am I glad I did. Lets start with the food. I got a bowl of beef chili that wasdelicious, with large chunks of beef and side of bread. Next was their cheese slate, a take off ofthe classic ploughman’s lunch. I orderedthe Milton Creamery Prairie Breeze, a hybrid-styleAlpine cheddar, which came with apple slices, bread, and bourbon soakedcherries. For the beer, I got to samplesome rare holiday drafts, including a Nogne O’s God Jul, Port’s Santa’s LittleHelper, Stillwater’s collaboration with Mikkeller called Rauchstar, and thenBallast Point’s Tongue Buckler. Theselection, the food, and the conversation were excellent, and very relaxing.

Ihad to get home, so I headed west and enjoyed an audio book on my way to Mahar’s. Jim hosted a limited version of the AdventShebeen, 12 beers after Christmas instead of 24 beers leading up toChristmas. The selection was good, andthe price was right. The highlightsincluded Innis and Gunn’s Highland Cask, Pretty Thing’s Our Finest Regards, andCourage’s Russian Imperial Stout. It wasa nice attempt, but I had to reflect that I missed running down to Albany everyother today to see what was going to be offered next.

Finally,my friend Christopher stopped by to watch MNF. He congratulated me on winning our Fantasy Football league, and we celebratedby splitting a Stone Vertical Epic 11-11-11, a hoppy ale brewed with Anaheim chilisand cinnamon. It was great to kick backand watch some football, reflecting on a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas everyone! - 5948/11747

"The church is near, but the road is icy. The baris far away, but I will walk carefully." – Anonymous (Old Russian Proverb)

Away on Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T22:27:00.000-05:00

Atrip to our Nation’s Capital to take the kids to the Zoo as Jessica’s birthdaytreat, and that gives me an opportunity to check out some new beer locationswith the family. I’m not heartless, whenI travel with the family it is not dives that I’m venturing into, but coolplaces (although dive bars are often cool) with a great menu. So we headed down to DC to see the sights andtake in a bit of culture.

Ourfirst stop was State Line Liquors in MD (State Line Liquors), off the first exit when you cross intothe state, to check out a phenomenal beer selection. My cousin Brian recommended it, and Jennpermitted it, so I took 13 minutes of the family’s vacation for just me. The place was great with a huge, wellorganized bottle selection that made perusing simple. I went straight for the Danish beers, and waspleased to find several Mikkeller beers that I hadn’t spotted before. I picked up their Chipotle Porter, theirwhite wine barrel aged Black Hole, and their cognac barrel aged black hole(completed my collection, yeah). EvilTwin, another Danish brewer, was well represented so I picked up bottles ofKatz Pis, Ashtray Heart and Before, During and After Christmas. The domestic selection was quite good, butsince I was on a time limit I limited myself to bottles of Full Sail Elevation(their series Imperial IPA) and Wreck the Halls, and Sam Adams Griffin’s Bowand the Vixen. I figured I wasn’t beingselfish since I only took 13 minutes, and I would share my booty with Jenn (andthe kids) if they wanted some.

Nextwe met up with family in Old Town Alexandria. I had been there a few months before, and was disappointed that Iskipped stopping into Pizzeria Paridiso (Pizzeria Paridiso) on King Street. The food was amazing (although stay away fromthe roasted garlic, delicious, but dangerous), and the beer selection was topnotch. The kids split a cheese pizza,Jenn and I got the veggie, and John & Cathy tried a pepperoni on wheatcrust. I tried a Williams BrothersMidnight Sun from Scotland on cask (only $0.20 celebrating their 20^thanniversary), and then a Baladin Nora from Italy on draft. My favorite was North Coast’s 20^thAnniversary Ale, brewed with agave nectar and partially aged in oak and whiskeybarrels, its described as an American Strong Ale (I’d think so at 12.5% ABV),but was full of flavors to go with the alcohol kick. The place even offered flights, but I’ll haveto save that for another trip. Old Townis dog friendly, so we walked Cathy’s dogs down to the waterfront (beautifulday), skipped Bilbo Baggins (wasn’t enough time supposedly to stop by), and wentto the Silver Parrot for jewelry shopping (25+ minutes worth). It was a fun day, and we got Chipotle fordinner (yum). The neatest treat was towatch the inaugural Carrier Classic, UNC vs. Michigan State played on CVN-70for Veteran’s Day. It was such a coolsetting, I really did enjoy watching the game (or at least the firsthalf).

Thenext day we got a late start, but made it to the zoo to see the wildlife. Jessica really loved the pandas, and Jacobreally loved the Metro. We headed downto the Mall (and past the Elephant & Castle, maybe next time), and walkedaround the Washington Monument and the WWII Memorial. It was a great fall day (the trees still hadtheir leaves), and we all enjoyed the sights. But we were also pooped, and were thankful for a nice long blue line runback to Springfield. Dinner was at Mike’sgrill, a Kling Family favorite, and we got to meet up with Jon and Jonathan andenjoy some food (prime rib for me). Goodtimes, good times.

It was a great weekend, Jessica and Jacob had a lot offun and Jenn and Cathy got the opportunity to catch up. For me, it was a lot of driving but I wasrewarded with some very good beer. – 5847/11594

"I am a firm believer in thepeople. If given the truth, they can bedepended on to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer." – AbrahamLincoln

Sharing a Man Cave

2011-10-28T14:19:00.000-05:00

Another9/80 Friday, another lunch date with my lovely wife. This time we headed north to Glens Falls, toCooper’s Cave. Friends had recommended usto try it since they recently expanded for food service, and since they brewtheir own beer (and soda), we gave it a shot.

Thepub is quaint, and they have a little deck out back with tarps and heaters toextend the season. I got a sampler (whatelse), but was a bit surprised to find that each of the beers looked thesame. Their Pumpkin Ale and Oktoberfest,looked like their Kolsch and Hefe-weizen. The beers weren’t bad, but I did have to order another pint to find oneto rave about. Their IPA was excellent,so I have a go to beer for when we return. And we will return, since their black and blue burger was awesome, andtheir nachos were good too (although next time please hold the bell peppers).

Again,it was good to get away for a date without the kids. Tomorrow we’ll take them to the movies (did Ihear anyone say Puss in Boots?), so they’re all set. – 5845/11559

"Beer shouldn’t be just four percent alcohol anda bunch of carbonation. It should havedepth and a lot of character." – Adam Avery

Steeling some Time

2011-10-21T13:54:00.000-05:00

Anothertrip to Pittsburgh, and this time it was leave one morning and come back thenext night. The nice part was that I hadfree reign, travelling alone, so I could plan to hit all of my favorites (or soI thought).

Imet up with some friends and they wanted to make an early evening of it, so weheaded over to Primanti Bros for dinner. Lame beer selection (I had iced tea), but I did get one of their specialsandwiches. I got fresh German baloneyon homemade bread, with cheese, cole slaw and French fries, all on the sandwich(it’s a Pittsburgh thing). It was a nicevisit, but I was still thirsty. So Iheaded up to Fat Head’s on South Side to try some beers and watch the WorldSeries. They had only one beer on cask,Bear Republic Red Rocket, and I hadn’t had it before (so I ordered it, yeah). Ifollowed it up with a Dark Horse Homosapien Cherry Ale (delicious), and a FatHead Pumpkin Chucker Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Great spot, great choice for hanging out for a bit.

Thenext day I worked thru lunchtime, and then headed over to Gooski’s on PolishHill. Although a website stated theywere open for lunch, but they weren’t. I’ll come back for the beer (and the pierogies). No worries, the Church Brew Works was rightaround the corner. I got theircheesesteak, made with their own specialty beer cheese (real tasty), to go witha mint licorice IPA on cask. I know whatyou’re thinking, but it was actually pretty good, sort of like a cough drop ina glass. I tried to find the new SharpEdge Beer Emporium downtown (couldn’t), but chose to head over to theCreekhouse instead. Still more time tokill, but there wasn’t much new on tap. I had the cask before, and a pair of sots were blocking their beercooler, so I chose a Dark Horse Boffo Brown Ale on draft. A nice, well balanced, malty ale.

Istill had more time to kill, and even though there are many places inPittsburgh to get a quality draft, there is none more convenient than Bocktownfor air travelers. I started with a specialty,Blue Point Oatmeal Stout infused with blueberries and bananas that was greatfor chillin’ with. This bar allows youto buy 4oz samples, so I rewarded myself with a Nebraska Summertime Rye Saisonand an East End Fat Gary. It also has agreat bottle selection, so for my checked luggage I included a Nebraska Hop Godand a New Holland Envious.

I packed my suitcase, caught my plane, and made ithome safe and sound (and no broken bottles). Travelling is a pain these days, so you might as well make work for you.- 5836/11527

"The best beer is where the priests go to drink." –Anonymous

Belgium Comes to Cooperstown

2011-10-14T20:11:00.000-05:00

Iwas heading into work, the kids were at school, and Jenn had to runerrands. That’s how we started theday. Instead, I decided to take Jenn outon a date, to spend some time together, get some food, and to see if there wereany new beers to try. So we drove overto Cooperstown, seeing the leaves turn color and moving through rain showers. Ihad hoped to explore Cooperstown this year, and was excited when Jenn agreed togo.

Ourfirst stop was Cooperstown brewing, a small brewery with a tasting room that islocated in Milford. The server was nice,and offered tastings of all their beers (for a modest fee, of course). They had only three on tap, but I did enjoytheir Pride of Milford Old Ale, and Jenn liked their World Series RootBeer. I wished they brewed more seasonalor specialty brews, but they were just bought by Butternuts (another localbrewery that I need to visit) so maybe that will change.

Weheaded up to Ommegang, and were impressed with all the changes that they putinto place. First off, there is now adecent gift shop and restaurant. Theyhave their beers, plus a lot of Belgians since they were bought out byDuvel. I got the mussels and frites,which were very good, to go with a Duvel Golden ale and this year’s version oftheir Chocolate Indulgence. Jenn got a crepe, with pizza sauce and smokedgouda, which was delicious. It was funjust to sit back and talk. I’ve got toremember the rules, Jenn loves the beer spots I take her to as long as the foodis good. And this was no exception.

Finally,we stopped by a neat craft area at the Fly Creek Cider Mill. They had hard cider, but it was sundaes,cheese and dips that were tasty. I lovethese stores since Jenn can play pick up/put down, and I can keep snacking. Their apple raspberry cider was good, but Ireally enjoyed watching the tufted ducks and hitting the road with a ciderslushie.

We had a fun day, and made it back in time to pick upthe kids. Time away is always valuable,and if you are able to do it with the one you love, and get some good food andgreat beer, it’s all the better. - 5835/11504

"Itwas as natural as eating and, to me, as necessary. I would not have thought ofeating a meal without drinking a beer." - Ernest Hemingway

Amherst Frightfest!

2011-10-08T21:59:00.000-05:00

Weare in the midst of our Indian summer, so we decided to spend a day together asa family and went to check out Fright-fest at Six Flags New England. And although I’m no longer a big rollercoaster fan (my inner ear is shot), it sure was good to spend a day together(and not do yard work). Jessica isbecoming a daredevil, and Jacob is content just to walk around, so we had agood day. But I promised Jenn dinner, sowe headed up to Amherst to one of my favorite brewpubs, Amherst Brewing.

Amherstwas this cool little pub on Main Street, with a great menu and lots of specialtybeers always on tap. I say “was” sincethey moved outside of town to a strip mall – bigger, more parking, and moreTVs, pool tables, and foosball. What theplace loss was its character. The had alot of waitresses, including those who couldn’t describe their own beers (notimpressive, but perhaps they were new). Ienjoyed the nachos with their Haverhill Pilsner on cask, and Jenn got asandwich that was pretty tasty. They hadseveral local beers on draft, so I enjoyed a Wormtown Woosta Weizenbock while Iplayed foosball. Don’t get me wrong, ifyou are in town it worth a stop, but I wouldn’t make a trip for the place.

Jennlet me stop in at the Moan and Dove on the way out of town. Now this place has character. I ordered a Boulevard Tank 7 Saison on draft,and guarded the door while Jacob used the rest room. You want character? They have peanuts tosnack on. They don’t serve food but you arewelcome to bring your own (Subway is next door). And the place is pet friendly, with 3 dogsall chillin’ out with their owners (wonder if they get their own specialdrinks). I think the Dirty Truth inNorthampton had a better beer selection (and food), but this place is justcool.

Wehad a great day. We get pulled in somany different directions during the week, it was nice spending a daytogether. And you know that I’m happy whenJenn lets me choose where to eat (or drink). – 5835/11496

"In my opinion, most of the great men of the pastwere only there for the beer." – AJ P. Taylor, British Historian

Jacob Ts It Up

2011-10-01T20:28:00.000-05:00

Wehad promised Jacob a trip into Boston as a birthday present, and we decided totake advantage of a day off from school and go visit Jenn’s mom in NH for along weekend. Jenn spent her time withher mom, and I got to go explore a bit with the kids.

Weweren’t in a hurry on the way out, so I took the family to the Publick House inSturbridge. The place is an inn, andoffers both fine dining and tavern fare, as well as their own whoopie pie ladenbakery. We ate in the Ebenezer Tavern,and enjoyed their French onion soup and wedge salad to go with the WormtownTurtle Boy Blueberry Ale. We thenstopped by Julio’s Liquors (daddy was going shopping) in Westborough, a beerstore recommended by my beer buddies at Mahar’s. Good selection of local favorites, newbreweries to the area and some specialties. I picked up a Nebraska Apricot Au Poivre (peppered apricots?) saison, aBoulevard Tank 7 saison, and two versions of the Mikkeller Black Hole (tequilaand bourbon barrel aged). I may have anew stopping point for my trips back and forth to NH.

Thekids were missing school on Friday, so I decided to do something educationalwith the kids. The Seabrook Station was closed on Friday, so we headed over tothe McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center to check out the planetarium. I remember watching the Challenger, andalways thought how tragic the events that led up to the explosion. Unfortunately, the place was small and therewas nothing discussing what was learned from the event. We headed out for lunch at the 99 Restaurant,getting the kids both fed and satisfied (both brought their electronics), andthen I stopped in at White Birch Brewing for some bottles. The owner remembered me (or my beer bookactually), and he had some specialties set aside for purchase. I got the Birchwood Smoked Stout and a BarrelAged Indomitus (an aged sour could be frightening), as well as his newerbeers. Right up the road was Bert’s BestBeer shop, so I checked that store out, too (kids still playing video games). Ifound several beers from Throwback brewing (Campfire, Maple-Kissed WheatPorter, and Hog Happy Hefeweizen), and some ciders (Angry Orchard Apple Ginger andWoodchuck Pumpkin). I also found a 20^thAnniversary Otter Creek, an Altbier weighing in at 12% ABV.

Saturdaywe headed into the city. Jacob pickedthe location, the MIT Museum, and I planned the trip to hit each color Ttrain. We grabbed the Blue Line atWonderland, and got off at Aquarium. Ihadn’t seen the greenway before, and it really transformed downtownBoston. We headed over to Faneuil Hall,right by the Black Rose (no we didn’t go in for a liquid breakfast), and got whoopiepies for the kids. Next it was over tothe North End (so easy to get there), and past the Farmer’s Market (cover yourears kids), and then grabbed some chowda and a Green Dragon summer beer at theGreen Dragon Tavern. We caught theOrange Line at Haymarket, switched to the Red Line at Downtown Crossing, andgot off at Charles Station to walk across the Longfellow Bridge.

Wemet my niece Steph at the MIT museum. The kids love her, and she’s a local, and used to live inCambridge. The museum was cool, a bit ofhistory and a bit of innovation. Wewalked to Cambridge Brewing Company for a late lunch, but they were closed forthe afternoon for an event (bummer). Instead we had brunch at the Friendly Toast, a second location from theone in Portsmouth that was showcased on Man vs. Food. The place was great (I loved my Bloody Mary,a Boston thing). The kids got frappes,Steph got a gourmet grilled cheese, and I got a Norwegian version of Eggs Benedict. We said goodbye to Steph (can’t wait to comeback with Jenn to go to Meadhall, CBC, John Harvard and/or the Plough andStars), and walked back Kendall Station (the kids did 2.6 miles of hiking). Wetook the Red Line to South Station (Jacob wanted to see it, and it was hisday), and retreated back to Park Street, and then took the Green Line toGovernment Center, and the Blue Line back to Wonderland. Jacob was in heaven, and we wrapped it all upwith a stop at Fuddruckers.

Itwas a great weekend, and Jenn’s mom is doing better and is still fighting. It was great to go exploring with the kids,seeing the city through their eyes. - 5823/11482

"Scientists report that drinking beer can be good for the liver. I’m sorry, did I say ‘scientists’? I meantIrish people." – Tina Fey

Come Hell or High Water

2011-09-08T16:29:00.000-05:00

Anothertrip to Amish country, and the forecast was for a bit of rain. I considered stopping into seeing my folks, buttwo parking lots on the highway changed my mind for that. Instead, I decided to take advantage of thetrip to stop by some old favorites as well as some new beer spots.

Ifirst stopped at the Porterhouse, a former brewpub in New Hope. Yes, sadly itis a former brewpub, and the best I could come up with was a YuenglingOktoberfest. So I moved on and went to theDrafting Room in Exton, one of Beer Advocate’s top beer bars, and got out ofthe rain for some dinner. The Drafting Room has good food (my ham andbean soup certainly hit the spot), and they had Troegs brew an ale and a lager fortheir 16^th and 17^th year anniversary. I had both, and got a bottle of theirPerpetual IPA (based on their Scratch Beer #45 recipe) to go, and headed overto Downington to Victory Brewpub. I hadhoped to get a specialty bottle to go for my friend, but they didn’t haveanything, so I settled with trying this year’s version of the Storm KingImperial Stout on draft and cask.

Ichecked into the hotel, and yes it was still raining. I took a guess where my coworkers were, andfound them at Iron Hill brewery. I hadtheir Smokin’ Blonde on draft, and stole a couple of fries. I was glad to make it to Lancaster, and thenmade it to our meeting the next day. Wednesday night, we went to Lancaster brewery, a nice place in thecenter of town. The food (nachos), theconversation (will Philly meet the Steelers in the Super Bowl), and the beer(Boss Hog Double IPA) were excellent. Iavoided the rain and made it back in time for my Fantasy Football draft (season’slooking promising).

The next morning we woke up to over 8” of rain, andflooding everywhere. We all dreaded thetrip home, and we had good reason. I hadplanned to make a couple of “stops” but it looked like the weather was going tobe a problem. Right off the bat, SR-222was closed to Reading due to flooding (there goes the shortest route). Then I took SR-283 to Harrisburg, hopingthat I could stop by the Troegs brewery to get some bottles, but the road wasclosed due to flooding, and the state workers were sandbagging the capitalbuilding. I’ve been dying to go toSelinsgrove Brewery, but it is on the Susquehanna River and when I called theywere being evacuated. Headed north andI-81 was closed (so was I-88 and portions of I-90 in NY), so I went east onI-78 to NJ. I stayed away from theDelaware Water Gap “shortcut”, which was a good thing since they closed theroads (missed out on the Country Inn in Krumville). NJ and eastern NY were sunny, but when Itried to stop by Mahar’s on the way, the roads were closed in Albany due to theflooding. So I got in the line of carstrying to cross the twin bridges, and finally made it. I was glad to be home,glad that I wasn’t stranded somewhere, glad to give my family a big hug, andglad I was able to see the kickoff for the 2011 NFL season kickoff. – 5805/11414

"The world drinks to forget. We drink to remember." – Zion Lutheran Church,Pleasant Hills, PA. I pray that you remember the lives lost on 9/11/01 as we approach the 10 year anniversary.

Portland Beerfest!

2011-09-03T05:25:00.000-05:00

Jenn and Ihad decided a month ago to spend Labor Day weekend in NH, and when I saw thatthe Portland Beer Festival (not to be confused with the Portland Brewer’sFestival) was going on, I got permission from Jenn to go and asked my buddyWayne to join me. It was their first event, and relatively small, so I didn’thave much hope on finding something new. Boy was I surprised.

Wegot there early and decided to get a bite to eat (best way to prepare for sampling),and went to the new Sebago brewpub located in the Hampton Inn (I guess I knowwhere I’m staying the next time I’m in Portland). We split an order of potato nachos (wafflefries covered in nacho toppings) and I took the liberty of ordering two beers,mostly because there were only two available that I hadn’t tried. I got the Hoppy Homunculus, an Imperial IPAthat did a nice job of balancing the hops and the alcohol, while Wayne enjoyedtheir Citra IPA on cask. Citra is a relativelynew hop, and was being pushed hard when I was in the UK last May.

Wewalked down the street (and past Shipyard brewing) to the festival, located ina sort of warehouse down by the water. Wegot a passport going in, and 24 coupons to redeem for different beers. I was pleased to see Shipyard brewingrepresented, and tried this year’s version of their Pumpkinhead Ale. I was even excited to see that they plan tooffer Applehead Ale next year, since I love Unibroue’s Ephemere and I’massuming that it will be similar. Wethen went down the row, sampling as we went from beers, ciders, and meads.

Iwas able to find a few notable new ales in my trip, and I did use all of mycoupons. I sampled the two imports present,Palm and Rodenbach Red Ale, and was pleased to find that they both were new tome on draft. Sierra Nevada did acollaboration beer with Avery/DFH/Lost Abbey/Allagash called Reporter Roirwhich was tasty, but I couldn’t find any mention of it on the web. I got to try a Narragasett Fest, an unusualoffering from this old time NE lager maker. And I was able to try a new Atlantic Brewing Manly Men New Guy IPA,apparently going to be released later this year. The ciders were a nice alternative, but themeads (mostly at 12.5% ABV) were dangerous to sample. The crowd was the right size to avoid linesthat get to long, and as always it was fun to people watch. Wayne bumped into several friends from theshipyard, and I got to show off my beer book.

Beforeyou knew it, 3 hours had past so we went to get a bite to eat at the ThirstyPig, a recommendation of Wayne’s daughter. I got a hot sausage, and a bottle of Manly Men Blackstrapped Molasses togo. We had planned to hang out at NovareRes, but work called for Wayne and we needed to get going. I did get a sample of Dogfish Head Saison duBuff and Birra Del Borgo My Antonia on draft, the latter being the Italienversion of the collaboration with DFH.

We had a great day. The experience reassured me that you can ALWAYS find a new beer at thefestivals. It just goes to show that I’llneed to plan more in the future. – 5805/11403

"Well you see, Norm, it’s like this… A herd ofbuffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it’s the slowestand weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herdas a whole because the general speed and health of the whole herd keepsimproving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way the human brain can onlyoperate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally it takes the slowest andweakest brain cells first. In this waythe regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells making thebrain a faster and more efficient machine. That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers." – Cliff Claven of Cheers

Living it up in DC!

2011-08-30T17:07:00.000-05:00

Abusiness trip to talk about the state of the business with the customer isstressful, especially since you never know how the meeting will go. That was the case this week when we had tojourney to DC. And being in a largecrowd, it is hard to get everyone to agree to go anywhere, with the dangerbeing that the lack of consensus results in you going nowhere. Fortunately, that was not the case this time.

Wegot in around dinner time on Monday, and Jake and I decided to take the Metrodown to Old Town Alexandria to get something to eat. There is a free trolley that takes you to theriver, and we decided to stop by Bilbo Baggins’ Green Dragon Pub for pint. The pub was great, with a decent selection ofbrews to choose from. I tried theirhouse beer, Clipper City Heavy Seas Bilbo Baggins, a nice amber ale that reallyquenched my thirst, and an Epic Sour Apple Saison, a beer with potent puckerpower. The pub was quaint, but had alimited food menu, so we headed over to the Chart House for dinner. Right on the water, it was a great way tospend the company’s per diem even if there was no beer selection. I had an encrusted rockfish (local fishinstead of the requested local beer) over angel hair pasta, while Jake got primerib. It was awesome to watch the sunset,one day after Hurricane Irene, and get to know my boss a bit better. Jake and I have a lot in common (too muchsometimes), and it was good to be able to chat. We stopped by the Fish Market on our way out of town, and I enjoyed anEvolution EVO Lucky 7 Porter while watching Halladay dismantle the Reds.

Thenext day we had our meeting, and everything went fine (I stress abouteverything). We had dinner plans (more about that in a minute), but we also hadtime to go to one DRAFT magazine’s top 100 beer bars, the Church Key. I’ve heard about this place for months, andit is considered the premier spot in DC now that the Brickskeller has closed. We marched up 14^th street, pastThomas Circle, a statue of Martin Luther, the Luther Place Memorial Church (anRIC congregation), and found the place. Greatselection, great space, and great service (bringing water to everyone to stayhydrated is key). While others orderedpints, I took advantage of their 4oz tasters. The Church Key had 6 casks available, and I got to try an Oliver’s CaskPunk, a Heavy Seas Prosit, and Etienne Dupont’s Cidre Bouche Brut. My compatriots were impressed that thebartender gave me a free sample of the cider on draft for comparison purposes. I went back for more (surprise, surprise),and tried an Evil Twin Ashtray Heart (a phenomenal smoked RIS from Denmark), a SierraNevada Life and Limb (collaboration beer with Dogfish Head), and a Stone JapaneseGreen Tea IPA (a delicious collaboration with Japan’s Baird brewing). We had a great time, and I had to leave forour dinner reservation with beers I still hadn’t sampled. So we got a ride down to PA Avenue to eat atFogo de Chao.

Fogode Chao is a Brazilian steakhouse, an all you can eat meat-a-torium withspecialty cuts of beef and chicken. Thefood was great. When your coaster is onthe green side, the meat keeps a comin’. When you flip it over to the red side, you’re telling the wait staff toholdup a bit, I need to catch my breath. I did good with the salad bar to help even things out (asparagus and a Caesarsalad), but I had a hard time saying no to the meat. I loved the filet wrapped in bacon, the picanha(top sirloin) seasoned in garlic, the tender beef ancho (rib eye), thefraldinha (bottom sirloin), and their linguica (pork sausage). I ate so much that I got the meat sweats(thanks for the reference MVF). I didn’trealize that I’d love the experience so much, even if the final bill was~$2K. I went for a walk afterwards, somequiet time for myself, and checked out the Old Ebbitt Grill. This historic bar was on Beer Advocate’s top125 places to have a beer before you die, but it has moved so many times thatit may just be that the name is historic. I really liked the bar, and enjoyed a Heavy Seas Marz hon before headingback to the hotel. The rest of the teamshowed up after I left, but you know my motto – Drink early, drink often.

Itwas a great day. I really enjoyed beingout on the town. I guess that is life inthe big city. – 5805/11362

"Weold folks have to find our cushions and pillows in our tankards. Strong beer isthe milk of the old." - Martin Luther

A Fond Farewell to Florida

2011-08-20T21:57:00.000-05:00

Itis my last day in FL, and I had a 6PM flight out of Orlando, which meanscheck-in at 4PM, and leaving the coast no later than 2PM. It’s sad, but that is how I think. And I was tired of traveling, so I got upearly and headed to Dunedin to check out two beer stops that are right next toeach other.

I was hoping there was abeach, but there wasn’t, just a marina that I hung out and watched Sportscenter. So I went for a walk and hung out at the OldeBay Café, watching the boats, and sippin’ on a Florida Avenue Pale Ale. I waited until 11AM, and then headed over toDunedin Brewpub.

Dunedinbrewery was one of the first brewpubs in FL, and they offered a large selectionof beers to go with their menu. I gotthe fish tacos (what else) and a sampler. The beer was decent, but I got the impression that the place has hadquite a turnover at brewmaster over the years by talking with the owner. It was hot, so I really enjoyed their ApricotPeach Ale, and their 15^th Anniversary Imperial Pilsner. I also liked their Biere De Café, a coffeeinfused ale that was really good.

NextI went to the Dunedin House of Beer, one of Draft magazine’s top 100 bars inthe country. I got to say, I wasdisappointed. The barmaid didn’t knowabout the beers, and the only two I hadn’t had before was the Starr Hill BoxcarPumpkin Porter and their Double Platinum (an Imperial IPA). I would think they would have had a betterselection. Since the selection was slim,I had time to head back over to Cigar City to take advantage of their beerevent appetizer, trying their Guava Groove on draft and getting another bottleto bring back with me (again, what is the weight limit?). With my suitcase packed I headed back toOrlando.

I made it to the airport in time (Thrifty is tryingrip me off though, watch out for them signing you up for those optionalfeatures), and checked in. My suitcaseweighed 37 lbs on the way down, but the bottles put me over the top at 55lbs. I had to rearrange my luggage toavoid a $50 penalty, but I did it. I hada great time, participating in the business of the Church, and exploring the FLbeer scene. I have a new favoritebrewery, Cigar City, and I’m hoping their beers wil be able to make there wayup here to Upstate NY. – 5795/11323

"Beer is an improvement onwater itself." – Grant Johnson

Come in here, Dear Boy, Have a Cigar

2011-08-19T18:30:00.000-05:00

Mymission in mission is complete. I haddecided a while back to stay an extra day in FL and go explore the Gulf side ofthe state. So I left the Assembly andgot on the road to my first stop, Tampa Bay Brewing in Ybor City.

TampaBay Brewing is centrally located in the old part of town, and they offer both awide selection of food and beer. It washot today (Africa hot) and I was sweating just walking there from my car, but Iwas pleased to see that I could sample each of their beers to go with my cubanosandwich. The beer was good, but notgreat (although I really liked their Berliner Weiss). I did get to meet the brewer and he gave me ataste of the Oktoberfest that he has been working on. It was a nice stop for food, but I was reallylooking forward to my next destination, Cigar City Brewery.

CigarCity has recently hit the beer scene by storm, and is now available in thePhilly and NYC markets. The brewery wasbustling with activity, cleaning up for an open house that was taking place thefollowing day. They had a selection oftheir bottled beers, as well as ~16 beers on tap. I was thankful for the samplers, and some ofmy favorites were their Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (a brown ale that smelled likeraisin cookies), their Humidor Tocobaga Red Ale on cask (aged in Spanish cedarwood), and their Hot Blooded Foreign Stout (had hints of licorice in thefinish). The place was great, and I gota few more bottles (Black Whole – described as a dubbel /porter hybrid andtheir Imperial Milk Porter – a Baltic porter brewed with lactose sugar and agedin Stranahan whiskey barrels) to take home (what is the weight limit forchecked baggage?). It was a successfulearly afternoon, so I made my way to the hotel and took a much deserved nap).

Tampawas only part of my adventure, so I headed down to Sarasota and stopped in atthe Cock n’ Bull, highly recommended by Beer Advocate. The wait staff was great, very friendly, andoffered tastes of their different draft beers. I had the Abita Select Honey Rye on draft, and then followed it up with abottle of Dugges Nevermind the Bollox!, an Imperial IPA from Sweden. The stop was worthwhile, but not exactly oneof the top 5 bars in the USA. They hadfree music later on in the evening, but since that wasn’t my thing I headedover to Mr. Beery’s.

Mr.Beery is a bar on Long Island, and I was told that this location wasn’taffiliated, even though the places had almost the exact same vibe. They had a room set up with a big screen TVand couches for sports, pool tables and dart lanes, and a decent draftselection. I tried the Sierra NevadaTorpedo on cask, and a Swamphead Smoke Signal on draft. I met some locals who were impressed with my beerbook, and chatted about the different Man vs. Food locations that werenearby. I decided on my next location,and went out to the coast for dinner.

TheSalty Dog on City Island was right on the water, and since it was approachingsunset I knew I was in for a treat. Iwas about beered out by this point, so I stuck with a bottomless glass ofunsweetened ice tea (not a hard choice since their beer selection waslimited). And even though they had awonderful array of seafood on the menu, I got the loaded salty dog for dinnerin honor of my newest favorite TV show (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z-b0VPl8s8). The salty dog was a ¼ lb hot dog that wasdeep fried beer batter, and then loaded with all their toppings (4 differentcheeses, sauerkraut, onions, bacon, and mushrooms). It was so heavy, and to be honest I couldn’tfinish even this basic treat. But I gotto sit by the water and reflect on the day, and decided it was worth thislittle excursion to the Gulf side of FL.

I wrapped up the evening by driving up the beach,walking in the beautiful sand, and testing the water. It was gorgeous, like a giant bathtub withspectacular views. I was gettinghomesick, and was anxious to get home. But I had another stop on my journey, and another ½ day to go before myflight. - 5795/11305

"Beer is the answer, but I can’t remember thequestion." – Tampa Bay Brewing Slogan

Resting and Dancing in Orlando!

2011-08-19T10:16:00.000-05:00

Anotherday, and more church business. We wereon our own for dinner tonight, and I was beat from the day’s events, so Idecided to have a low key evening. So Idrove up Universal Blvd and found my destination, Miller’s Orlando Ale House.

TheAle House is a chain, and boasts some 50 different taps. Unfortunately, most of the beers are AnheuserBusch products. The bartender was great,and we struck up a conversation about IPAs. I got a local beer, an Orange Blossom Pilsner, to go with my fish tacoswhile the bartender played a game with trying to guess a beer that I hadn’t hadbefore. The bartender, waitresses, andthe kitchen staff were unsuccessful and my reward was a free meal. It was a pleasant enough dinner, but thenight was still young. So I grabbed mycomputer and went back to Dr. Phillips WOB.

TheWOB wasn’t crowded, and I found a safe location in the back corner, right infront of Phillies vs. Diamondbacks baseball game. Great beer selection and free internet, I wasable to chat with Jenn through Skype for most of the evening. I had the Peak Weiss Principal (an imperialorganic wheat beer) and a couple of local beers, a Holy Mackerel Panic Attackand an Inlet Monk in the Trunk (great beer for the Churchwide Assembly). ThePhillies blew open the game in the late innings, giving Cliff Lee his 13^thvictory on the way to a 9-2 win. It wasrelaxing, and a good way for me to recharge my batteries for the rest of theweek.

Thefinal full day of the Assembly is where the majority of the businessoccurs. Its probably done purposefullysince the time constraints limit unnecessary grandstanding. We had decided to go to Downtown Disney fordinner, hitting the Irish Pub Raglan Road, for a night out as a group. It was pouring rain, and I had no luckpicking out gifts for the kids. I raninto the Fulton Crab House to wait out the storm (although it never went away)and tried a local favorite, a Toasted Coconut Porter. I had to sprint to dinner, and we had our ownarea to listen to the singers and watch the dancers. The shepherd’s pie was awesome, all meat andlittle potatoes. And even though thiswas obviously a tourist trap, I did get to try the Kilkenny Cream Ale from Guinnesson draft. It was a great way to end ourweek together as a team.

Thenext morning we found out about the ELCA Good Gift program, an easy way to givegifts to those in need in the world. Soinstead of bringing home junk to the kids, they each chose something forsomeone else. Jessica picked a goat togive, giving a family, milk, food, and fertilizer. Jacob chose a gift of 7500 water purificationtablets. The best part was that theyeach agreed that they wanted it this way. If you are interested, check out https://community.elca.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=607.– 5795/11267

"I would like a great lake of beer for the Kingof Kings. I would like to see watching Heaven’s family drinking it through alleternity." – Saint Brigid of Ireland

Red Light, Green Light?

2011-08-17T19:04:00.025-05:00

The first day at Assembly is the longest, with sessions going late into the night to handle the Church’s business. At the end of the day, I was tired, but still hungry. And right around the corner from the hotel was a place that I’d wanted to check out, so I stopped in for a bite. First of all, the beer selection was excellent (I got an Abita Andygator, a barleywine from NOLA) and I really enjoyed the garlic fries. Both are much better than their chief competition, and I can see why they are booming. I watched a bit of MNF, talking with George the bartender, and trying not to embarrass myself with the staff.

The next night I chose not to hang around for dinner, and went out to see the Orlando Brewing Company. This brewery’s beers are all organic, and they had a nice tasting room, and offered a decent variety of beer. The beer itself was passable, but not fantastic. I liked the Pompous Ass IPA, maybe more for the name then the beer. I got a bottle of their Anisocoria to share with friends back in New England, and I headed off to my next stop, the Shipyard Emporium.

The Shipyard Emporium is another site in the Shipyard family, and models itself as a market and restaurant. They had a huge assortment of cheeses and meats, and it was very hard for me not to order their version of a ploughman’s for dinner. I got their Lake Virginia BOAT, or a bacon, onion, avocado and tomato sandwich. I also was able to try a Sea Dog IPA on cask, and their very own Eureka Lemon Farro Wit on draft. I met the brewer (Ron), and really enjoyed the dinner and conversation. Ron told me about some of his other experiments, like a Bacon beer that was a big hit in the store.

Finally, I made it over to Red Light, Red Light, one of DRAFT magazine’s top 100 beer bars. It’s a dive, but the people were pretty nice and they had a decent draft list. I got a Lazy Magnolia Jefferson Stout, a milk stout from MS’s only brewpub, the innovator that created beer made with pecans. I also tried The Bruery’s Trade Winds Triple, a great Belgian ale from one of my new favorite breweries. The place was nice, but I was again wondering how certain places got on the list as the Nation’s best. It was a good evening, and I headed back to the hotel.

I found out later that I missed meeting up with Karen Anderson, a missionary to Chile that my church supports. I had chosen to go out, part of my plan, partly because I had no dinner plans. It was a wonderful evening out, but I missed out on seeing an old friend, a partner in Mission in the world. If you get a chance, check out EPES (http://www.epes.cl/htm/about.html). – 5795/11253

"There once was a Florida born dream, whose figure was perfect and lean, she served a fine beer, to all she brought cheer and she graces our pub like a queen." – Limerick from the Tilted Kilt in Orlando

BJs, HOBs and WOBs

2011-08-14T14:02:00.026-05:00

A week of vacation, and what better way to spend it then representing my synod at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in sunny, hot, and humid Orlando. I love the opportunity (Roberts rules and all), and I was looking forward to checking out some of the local watering holes that I had become fond of from my previous trips. So with an itinerary in hand, I got my rental car and headed over to the Cricketer Arms.

Now I had tried 3 times to visit before, so I was excited to finally make it, only to find out that the place had closed, looking for a new facility. Needless to say I was disappointed; my plans had included getting a proper English Breakfast and watching some English Premier league. It was blistering hot, so I recalibrated Garmin and headed to the Big River Grille at Disney’s Boardwalk. The folks at Disney allow visitors, but they make us park as far away as possible. No worries, I made to my destination, bringing back the memories of staying over the pub (that was a pretty good day) with my family, and got a chicken quesadilla and their Summer Wheat. Good food and the beer certainly was refreshing, but they only offered the one seasonal to go along with their flagship beers. Not exactly my type of hangout, so I went over and checked in at the Assembly and then went to BJ’s brewpub to see what else was available.

BJ’s is a chain, but a brewpub chain that I had never been to. They had several of their own, and I was able to enjoy a flight with a wedge salad (is lettuce still healthy when you smother it in bleu cheese?). I liked their PM Porter the best, but was also impressed with their listing of guest taps. I got a ½ pint of the Swamphead Big Nose IPA, and the hoppiness of their beer did not disappoint. The place was great, but a little too cookie cutter for me. Don’t get me wrong, I really did appreciate the selection, but I decided to go explore another nearby spot, the House of Beer (HOB).

HOB is a chain in FL, but the Kissimmee location apparently isn’t affiliated with the others. The place has both a great bottle and draft selection, and the staff was really laid back. Kim did a great job finding their latest bottles and talking up the local drafts. They had two specialty beers from Cigar City that were truly outstanding, a Table Saison and their Xeno Cream Ale. The bottles were also special, and I got a selection to sample while in FL knowing that I’ll probably be bringing some home (everyone needs a souvenir from Disney). I again got some beer from Cigar City (foreshadowing for the rest of the trip). I picked up the Big Sound Scottish Ale, their 110K+OT Imperial Red, a Papaya IPA (great selection of fruit in beer), and their 2011 Marshal Zhukov’s Russian Imperial Stout. Great beers, but big bottles, I hope I can check them in for my return home at the end of the week.

I checked into my hotel, up by Universal Studios, and was ready for some dinner. I found the Dr. Phillips World of Beer (WOB), right around the corner, but was disappointed that they had no food service. The bartender let me know that I could bring in my own, so I got some Chipotle’s and checked out their draft selection. I got a Swamphead Stump Knocker (a fine example of an American pale ale) and a Weyerbacher Papa (a rich and malty Scottish ale, had to come to FL to find this PA beer). A relaxing way to close out my day before heading back to the hotel.

With all the choices close by, I was really looking forward to my week. Now it was time to get some rest before the Assembly started. – 5795/11230

"Don’t undertake to drink a whole pitcher of beer. Because if you then talk, from your mouth comes nonsense." – Papyrus Anastasi IV

No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn

2011-08-10T10:18:00.024-05:00

Another road trip, and this time to Long Island. The toughest part about these trips is the traffic, so we typically provide a little extra time to get on and off the island. So I had a plan to make a visit to a place that I’ve never been before; the Brooklyn Brewery.

It was pouring rain, I mean REALLY pouring, on the way in, so I survived the traffic and found a parking garage near my destination. I got in a bit early, so I went over to the spot where I first started beer bloggin’, Mugs Ale House. This place is a great neighborhood bar, with a solid tap selection and offering good food (although the kitchen doesn’t open until 5PM, sorry steak burrito). I tried several New England beers, as I worked a crossword puzzle and watched wet people walk by. I had the Crossroads Brady’s Bay Cream ale and the Kelso IPA. Both were excellent, but after a while I needed to brave the weather myself so that I could make it to the Brooklyn Brewery.

The Brooklyn Brewery has become more famous in recent years with the marketing of Garrett Oliver, their brewmaster. Brooklyn has been better known for their big beers (i.e., Monster and Black Chocolate Stout) rather than their other beers (i.e., Pennant and Lager). Our favorites are now Black Ops, Local 1, and Sorachi Ace, and then they offer their Reserve series. The tour was more tasting than tour, although I did find out that they were looking to expand and they started out by contract brewing with FX Matt (and they still do). I tried “The Concoction”, a peaty beer made with lemon juice and ginger (kind of like a beer cocktail). It was really good.

Since I was in Brooklyn, and there was no way I was going to get back into that traffic willingly, I decided to walk to The Diamond, one of Beer Advocate’s top 100 beer bars for 2011. It’s described as a hole in the wall, but it wasn’t that bad. But honestly, I’m not sure why it was on the list. The beer selection was limited (~10 drafts and some bottles), I had the Barrier Spelunker and the Defiant Little Thumper Ale. Both were good, but after that and an overpriced (and too small) ploughman’s, I was ready to go to my hotel. I hit Black Forest brewpub in Farmingdale for a snack, a German pretzel (and a summer ale).

The next day we had our meeting, and I was able to get off the island at a decent time. My brother Dave recommended I stop at a bottle shop in Brewster, and I sure am glad I did. DeCicco’s had a great bottle selection (I picked up a Captain Lawrence Birra Decicco Limone Luppolo, The Brewery’s Marron Acidifie, and Ommegang’s Aphrodite), a whole lot of specialties for groceries, but what set them apart was their own bar in the corner. It was great, and I arrived on a special day when they were performing a tasting for Founder’s brewing, a top notch brewery from Michigan. I had tried several of their beers in the bottle, but here they were on draft for the tasting. I had their Old Curmudgeon (I’ve been called that several times myself), their Imperial Stout, Kentucky Bourbon Stout (aged in bourbon barrels), and their Canadian Bourbon Stout (aged in maple syrup barrels, and one of the most delicious beers in the world). A great experience, and a must stop for any beer enthusiast that is driving by.

A great trip, planned appropriately, and if it wasn’t for the traffic around the city it would have been perfect. I can’t wait to go back and explore some more. – 5795/11193

"Where brewing is an art and partaking is a passion." – Ommegang Slogan

Brunching in Wooster

2011-08-07T20:13:00.010-05:00

Jenn and I had a nice weekend away, and now it was time to go pick up the kids. We planned to meet with our folks at my brother’s house in CT so we were on a schedule, but still needed to stop for lunch. So Jenn agreed that we should enjoy one last lunch together (the spicy curry mussels, nachos, and beer the day before at the Portsmouth Brewery was special too), so we decided to explore a new place in Worcester.

Armsby Abbey (http://armsbyabbey.com/) has been getting rave reviews in beer periodicals, and their website indicated that they were hosting a Farmhouse Brunch. They’re right off I-290, near the First Unitarian Church, and we were able to get a parking spot right out front (good thing since it was raining). The street was disserted, so we were questioning our decision until we stepped inside – the place was packed. We found two seats at the bar, and I dived into both the beer and food menus.

What a selection! The draft menu was outstanding, including at least 10 beers I hadn’t tried before, and fortunately for me they offered flights (although quite expensive at $4 apiece). I tried two from Wandering Star, a new Pittsfield brewery, their Mild at Heart and their Disqualified Imperial Stout. Both were great, so I’m looking forward for any other offerings from this new brewer. They had Avery 18, a rye saison that was fantastic. They also had a collaborative brew between Sly Fox and De Proef called Brotherly Love, a saison brewed with wild yeast. I had a ball picking my choices.

The food menu offered a similar number of great choices. Here’s what I didn’t choose: A bacon, egg, lettuce, and tomato sandwich, sugar plum waffles, homemade deluxe PB&J, a breakfast pizza, or any of their many brunch cocktails. Jenn did order the stuffed French toast; thick slices of homemade honey oatmeal bread stuffed with a brown sugar-roasted peach mascarpone filling and served with their homemade bacon-bourbon infused maple syrup. Unbelievably good. For myself, I got the pigs & grits; chili cumin braised pork, with roasted red & poblano peppers, sweet onion, creamy cheddar grits, bacon braised greens, covered in an ancho hollandaise and a poached egg. Best brunch I ever had, and that is not just the beer talking.

We had a great time and got the kids and made it home without any incidents (except for one baby turtle and a pissed off biker). I now have a new must stop on the way to NH. Now I just need to make sure we take the highway more often. – 5795/11166

"A drink a day keeps the shrink away." – Edward Abbey

Hitting the Peaks of Maine

2011-08-05T09:17:00.015-05:00

A night away without kids is what I had promised Jenn, and we were headed to OC, MD before we got some more medical news on Jenn’s mom. So we changed our plans and headed out to lobstah country. And for a get-away, we decided to head up to Portland to check out their outer islands.

Our first stop was for lunch, and we went to my favorite spot for local beer, the Great Lost Bear. GLB has a great food selection and more than 30+ taps, including 4 beers on cask. I love that they’re really flexible with the samplers, pick as many as you want. Unfortunately, their “beer guy” was on vacation and a lot of the taps were down. Nevertheless, I got to try Marshall Wharf’s Big Twitch IPA on cask, as well as a Shipyard Smashed Blueberry on draft. The IPA was just average, while the blueberry was quite a surprise, more of a porter or scotch ale with a splash of blueberry. Jenn got nachos (very cheesy) while I got the grilled tuna steak sandwich. I also got to taste the Honeymaker Blueberry Mead, a flavorful alterative to the beer or wine. It was a good stop, but we had a ferry to catch.

The ferry runs ~hourly, and we parked, got our tickets, and got on board just in time. We headed to Peaks Island, a short 15 minute ferry ride, to stay at the Inn at Peaks Island which is partnered with Shipyard Brewing. We walked to the hotel, and then around the island. The place is beautiful, quaint, and quiet. The restaurant at the hotel was excellent, but I couldn’t figure out if they brewed their own (I doubt it). I had their Nitro Red Ale, while Jen went with the Tiki Rum Punch (watch out for that one). I had the clam chowder and tuna low mein (it was a tuna type day), while Jenn had the lobster bisque (chunks of lobster) with the baked stuffed haddock. Delicious, but very filling. We watched the sunset, and then hit the island hot spot for ice cream. It was a great day (although the Red Sox lost).

The next morning we grabbed breakfast and headed back over to the mainland. Right across from the ferry terminal was Downeast Beverage, so I popped in to see if there were any new bottles. They had a great selection, and I got an armful of bottles to go. I got a couple from Rising Tide (Ishmael and Daymark), a new Portland Brewery. I found a Manly Men Pete Fen’s Finest Ale, a smoked porter flavored with cranberries. I was also excited to find a Thornbridge Coalition Old Ale from the UK, the same brewery that I got to visit in Sheffield, UK.

We did some window shopping (after I got to put the bottles in the car), and then went to lunch at Gritty McDuff’s. I love this bar, but I wish they would come up with new brews more often. As it was, I got to try their Vacation Land Summer Ale (probably a Kolsch) on cask that was dry hopped. Jenn tried their chowdah with a lobstah role (loved both, by the way), while I went with a grilled cheese. It was nice to sit out back and enjoy the beautiful day. I would have loved to stay for Roguapalooza at Novare Res, but we needed to get back. I stopped by Allagash brewing on the way (and a few more limited bottles), and we made it back home.

I loved getting away with Jenn to take a break. Worrying about the kids and family health issues takes its toll on the body. And for Jenn and I, being near the water always seems to help us recharge our batteries. Exploring someplace new and sharing the experience with Jenn is one of my favorite things to do. – 5795/11148

"I fear the man who drinks water and so remembers this morning what the rest of us said last night." – Greek Proverb

Saying Yes to Unions

2011-07-19T18:32:00.005-05:00

Another business trip, and this time it was to Amish country. It’s quite a hike, and I had volunteered to make the trip myself. Good thing I plotted the route, and found some cool places to stop on the way there and back.

My first stop was Stoudts brewing, a nice pub in Adamstown. Stoudts serves a wide variety of beer, and has a great menu. I had their peach American pale ale to wet my whistle, and then chose to keep on moving rather than staying for dinner. Jenn and I had visited before, and I was in search of somewhere new. So I went on to Mount Joy to check out Bubes (I never found out if it was pronounced boobs or boobies, but does it really matter?) a gourmet restaurant with a pub area that served high quality pub food. I chose the fish tacos (spicy!) with a sampler. My favorite beer was their Deep C Wheat. I got a call from my coworkers from Pittsburgh who were also attending the meeting, and we agreed to meet at Iron Hill brewpub. I’ve been to several other locations, but never in Lancaster. I snacked on their Manhattan fish chowder (with a shot of Tabasco) to go along with the brews. I first tried their Raisin Hell on cask, a Belgian ale brewed with raisons. Next was their Maholo, Apollo – a double wit that had quite a kick. It was a good evening, relaxing after our journeys, and preparing for the next day.

We had our meeting, and I got on the road a little north to the Union Barrel Works brewery in Reamstown. The place looked deserted (and a bit scary), but inside it was very inviting and had quite a crowd. I was interested in a snack to go with my sampler, so I had their Texas caviar – a mixture of corn, salsa, black beans and avocado (absolutely awesome, but I needed to keep the windows down for the ride home). I liked their Kolsch and their Blueberry wheat, both fine examples of summer beers. And now that I was fed, I headed off to another of Draft magazine’s top 100 beer bars, the Union Jack Inn on the Manatawny. I pulled in (it’s at a gorgeous location) and was a bit concerned that I was their only customer. I was told I was two hours early, but when they found out that I didn’t need anything from the kitchen they invited me to sit down at the bar. I tried the Abbey of Christ in the Desert Monk’s Ale, made by Benedictine monks from NM. It was delicious. I also tried a Port Lost Abbey Devotion on draft, a fine example of a Belgian Pale Ale. I was able to get some bottles to go, including an Alesmith Speedway Stout. I was excited about that since it was the only beer on Zymurgy magazine’s top 50 American beers that I hadn’t tried before. Finally, I stopped by Shaggy’s in Emmaus to see if it was worth the hype. This beer store offered a great selection of cases, but wouldn’t let me in the rumored back room where vintage beers could be purchased individually. That’s okay, it probably best for my bank account.

Travelling is tough, but with an audio book, a plan, and some well placed stops it is not so bad. – 5795/11120

"We’re wanted men; we’ll strike again, but first let’s have a beer." – Jimmy Buffett

Climbing the Green Mountain

2011-07-16T21:25:00.012-05:00

Gilligan was out for a 3 hour tour, but I figured I needed to be back in 10. Carlos is a great dog, but his bladder can only last so long. So when I got a day to myself, and I couldn’t get a ticket to the Vermont Brewers Festival, I decided to make a run through VT to see what is new in the world of beer.

My first stop was the Harpoon Brewery, in Windsor, VT. They’ve expanded since the last time I was there with a bigger restaurant, and they’ve started to experiment with cask ales on the weekends. I tried their oak-aged extra IPA on cask, as well as their Leviathan Imperial Rye. Both were great. I got some bottles to go, as well as a replacement for my Phillies flip-flops. A band was setting up and they were having a bar-b-que that night, but I couldn’t stay (deadline, remember).

So I headed up the road to the quaint Norwich Inn and the Jasper Murdock Alehouse. Draft magazine recommended the spot as one of the beer-related inns in the country. The kitchen wasn’t quite open, but the bar was. I tried their version of a Black IPA called Dark Humor. I think I liked the place more than the beer, but it could be a place that I could take Jenn for a nice, romantic get-a-way.

I next had a decision to make about how far I wanted to drive, and since it was such a beautiful day and I was enjoying my audio book, I decided to head due north (I think they were speaking Canadian) to Hill Farmstead brewery. Only a year old, their beers have been receiving rave reviews online. They have a tasting room in a barn, and offered a few of their favorites. I especially liked their Mikkeller, an Imperial Stout brewed with the famous Danish brewer to celebrate their one year anniversary. I also got a bottle of Anna to go, a honey saison that I can’t wait to share with my cousin Brian.

And now that I was as far away from home as I could be, it was time to head home. But on the way was the Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier, a top 100 beer bar according to Draft magazine, and by now I was starvin’. So I got a salami sandwich (delish) to go with a Trapp Family Helles Lager. Yes, that is the Sound of Music Trapp family, and apparently they have started to serve damn good beer.

What a day! I made it home to support Carlos (great bladder control) and was ready to relax. It was my mother-in-law’s birthday, and my family was out in NH to celebrate that minor miracle. I was celebrating too, just in a different way. – 5795/11088

"A woman drove me to drink and I didn't even have the decency to thank her." - W.C. Fields

A Couple of Rebs in Yankee Country

2011-07-09T19:20:00.020-05:00

My kids really love their cousins, and were disappointed when we had to tell them that they wouldn’t see each other until Christmas. We’re busy, and it is a long drive for my sister to come up to NY, so we decided to see if the kids would be interested in getting together in NYC. They had never been to the Big Apple, so we decided to meet in Time Square and spend the day exploring.

So we walked down Broadway to our first stop in Time Square, and since we are talking about a kid centric tour, it was the Toys R’ Us store with the Ferris wheel in the center. We went to our favorite areas (Legos, Nerf, and hot wheels), and then head up 6^th Ave. to Rockefeller center. I guess I knew there wouldn’t be any ice skating (it was a beautifully warm day in the neighborhood), but I didn’t know they put tables in the center. We went to the Legos store (where else), and looked at the different sets available. It was time for lunch, so we went by Radio City music hall to the Heartland Brewpub.

I’ve been to Heartland before, in fact Jacob and I tried to get in February, and after a bit of a delay we got in for lunch. We got a choice table in the back where the kids could talk together. That was the important part for me for today. I got the Cobb salad (right sized, not too large and enough to eat) with their Kolsch (nice German light beer that goes down WAY too easy) and their Summertime Apricot Ale (much sweeter than Magic Hat’s #9). The sit-down lunch was needed for my niece and nephew, both for being hungry (don’t you feed them Grammy) and for being tired (welcome to the Salmon marches).

Next was up to Central Park, which I had never appreciated before, for a short stroll around the pond. The kids liked the turtles sunning themselves the best, and I enjoyed seeing the people doing the same. Jenn and I both agreed that a tour around Central Park would be a must-see for us in the future. We went up to FAO Schwarz. Jessica got to play on the “Big” piano (chopsticks, anyone), and Greggie got to learn a new magic trick.

Next we went to check out the arboretum in Trump Tower. I got to see the elevators where folks leave the Apprentice after being fired by Donald, as well as checking out the Trump Bar. I really did want to see what they had on draft, and discovered a limited, by high quality, offering of local microbrews. I had the Kelso Recessionator, a fine dopplebock. It was nice taking a momentary break, but we were back on schedule. We made it to St. Patrick Cathedral, the American Girl store, and the Nintendo store. We were getting tired, so we made our way to our final destination, the Top of the Rock at the GE building.

The Top of the Rock is on the 67^th floor, and offers three levels for viewers. I liked it a lot since you could see both the Empire State Building and Central Park. It was a beautiful day, and we got great views of the city, all the way from the George Washington bridge to the Statue of Liberty. The kids liked the heights, and Jacob especially liked the elevator. It was a great end to a wonderful day.

We wrapped up at TGIF (America’s largest) so we could grab some dinner before heading home on our separate ways. I found out that Jeter got his 3K hit today, a home run, while going 5-5 in a close win. The kids could always say that they were in NYC when that happened. The restaurant was a great way to spend some last moments together, but I wish I could have gotten the kids to walk another 2 blocks to Rosie O’Grady’s. Better food, better prices, and something unique to NYC. Live and learn, I’m sure we’ll be back. – 5789/11046

"I decided to stop drinking with creeps. I decided to drink only with friends. I’ve lost 30 pounds." – Ernest Hemingway

Carolina Dreamin'

2011-07-01T11:01:00.023-05:00

Beach Week. We’ve looked forward to this week every year for the past decade. My mom gets a beach house (First Wave) in Nag’s Head, NC and my siblings and their families come to spend some “quality” family time together. Since I had just come in on the red eye from Seattle, Jenn drove this year. It’s funny; the journey isn’t nearly as long when you’re sleeping. And since we left later than usual (around 3 hours), we had to change our initial stop to the Weeping Radish brewpub (http://www.weepingradish.com/). Weeping Radish used to be a family favorite German restaurant when it was located in Manteo, but now it takes care of business on the road to OBX. The meats and vegetables are all local, and the beer has gotten more mainstream. I had a BLT (gotta love bacon) with their IPA 25, a specialty beer brewed to celebrate their 25^th anniversary. It was a good stop, and we made it to the beach before the rest of the family (3 hours later and we’re still #1!).

I have my favorite “beer related” activities for the week. My first is Chip’s Market, the local beer store that endorses fighting beer snobbery. It is right next to the pottery place that Jessica made a beautiful psycho fish, so I went in and got my beer for the week. There are a lot of cans (more environmentally friendly) that I’ve never tried (SKA Mexican Logger, Carolina Sky Blue, Mother Earth Sunny Haze, etc.), so I picked them up for the week. They also had some unique bottles, including Mother Earth Tripel Over Head (a Belgian Tripel aged in bourbon barrels), Uinta Crooked Line Series (Cockeyed Cooper barrel aged barleywine and Labyrinth black ale), and several new “Hatter” IPAs from New Holland (Black Hatter, Rye Hatter and Oak Aged Hatter). The place is my favorite on the strip, and allows me to drink quality ales amidst the Miller Lite.

Next is Outer Banks Brewing Station (http://obbrewing.com/), our normal first stop that we managed to make for lunch on Wednesday. This was a real treat this year, with the four “big” kids sitting by themselves and ordering (although they were a little stingy with paying). They have grown up so fast. Mom and Dad had gone off for a much deserved quite lunch, so the rest of us were here at OBBS. I got the Cuban sandwich with their Sledgehammer and Tongs Strong Ale (pretty potent). They also make their own sodas, and I got to try their Ginger Beer (very sharp, just like they make in the Caribbean).

Finally, there’s beer day. The goal is to drink a beer an hour while the sun is up. That would be 5:51AM until 8:20PM, or 16 beers. Sounds like a lot but over the course of a day it is no more than one an hour, and if you stay with light beer it really is more of an endurance test of staying hydrated with water than fighting drunkenness. This years’ event was postponed due to mini-golf in the morning (drinking, driving, and kids in the car is NOT cool), but we worked on keeping the spirit alive during the day. We switched to bud light in the afternoon to help my sister Dana from having to take her beer home (no need to thank us). Our lesson learned was to not wait until the last day of beach week, and perhaps increase the challenge a bit (if 16 beers is no problem, would 24 be out of the question?).

Again, it was a great week. I’ve been away from the office 5 of the past 7 weeks, so I’m looking forward to getting back to a routine at work. I’m also looking forward to spending more time with the kids over the summer. This past week reinforced for me that I need to stay involved as both of them get closer and closer to being teenagers. - 5785/11035

"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence?" - Stephen Wright

My Personal 11K Run

2011-06-24T21:23:00.017-05:00

Homeward bound. One more day of class, grab some dinner, catch the red eye, drive to OBX, unload 5 cars, etc. Simple. And better yet, when we discovered that we were going to be treated to some computer software that they wanted to sell (we don’t buy software for our company), we decided to break early and go to lunch. So we headed back down to Pike Place Market and specifically to the Pike Place brewpub (http://www.pikebrewing.com/).

Located in the center of the market place, Pike Place offers a good food selection to go along with their beers. The food was pricey (location, location, location), but we tried a ploughman’s that had a mixture of meats and cheeses (although small portions of each) to go with their Red Relief on cask. Next it was time to move on to the market itself, and while we chose not to get fresh fish from the fishmongers (the logistics of getting it back to OBX were too overwhelming), I did get to stop at Pike Place Chowder for a Nova Smoked Salmon (with capers and cream cheese) chowder in a sourdough bread bowl.

We got tickets for the Underground Tour, showing off one of the architectural quirks of the city. The tour was historical and funny (ask me about the G rated version filled with seamstresses), but to be truthful there wasn’t that much to see. I didn’t know that there history was tied to poor sewage planning, prostitution, an incompetent volunteer fire department, uh seamstresses, and corrupt politicians (but to be fair, don’t many American cities have a similar history?). We wrapped up at the Collins pub, a beer bar right next to our parking space (convenient). I had the New Belgium Metric 10/10/10 (a Belgian strong pale ale) on draft, and then the Odin Pearl (a wit). It was a great day, but we still had some time to kill, so we headed over to another Draft magazine recommendation, the Beveridge Place Pub (http://www.beveridgeplacepub.com/) in West Seattle.

It was raining (really the first time for us this week in Seattle), or else we would have drank in the beer garden. Instead Kevin schooled me real bad in foosball. We got some beer (no food at the Beveridge, but you can order in), and I enjoyed a glass of Deschutes Dissident Sour Ale. It was delicious, tart and sweet at the same time. I followed it up with a Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Bourbon Stout, aged in bourbon barrels, and totally quaffable. Checking my records confirmed that this beer was my 11,000 beer, a milestone that has sort of snuck up on me. The bartender was impressed with my beer book and the story of my travels, and gave me a bottle of Full Sail Imperial Bourbon Porter ’08 for good measure. I can’t wait to split it with friends. Since we were foodless, we headed back to Elliott Bay brewing, where Kevin got fish tacos (what else?), and I got a California burger with their IPA on cask. It was a great dinner, and a great way to wrap up the week.

We caught the red eye, and I made it into Philly airport to start my vacation. My family was there, right on schedule, and we were off for another adventure. Seattle was great. Good beer, beautiful views, great food, and even better company. But as good as it was it doesn’t compare with spending time with your wife and kids. - 5785/11003

"A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it is better to be thoroughly sure." – Czech Proverb

Saying Goodbye to the Salmon

2011-06-23T18:00:00.012-05:00

I’m not ALL about beer, since I also enjoy travelling and food. It is just that when I’m traveling I immediately think of the places with the best beer selection first. But as the trip winds down, I realize that I should take advantage of the food offerings that the region is known for and I have to adjust my plans. That is where I am tonight, my last night in Seattle, and I’ve realized that I haven’t had any salmon yet. So Kevin and I headed off to a restaurant that was highly recommended by friends, Chinook’s.

Chinook’s is located on a harbor where part of the salmon fleet is moored, so I can’t imagine getting any fresher seafood than this. The view is great and the people are real nice. And then there is the menu, offering large portions of their seafood specialties. Kevin got the fish tacos (he’s really a fan) while I started off with a cup of New Jersey clam chowder. Intrigued, I was a little disappointed when I found out that it was simply a mixture between New England and Manhattan, but it tasted good (especially with dashes of Tabasco). I then got the wild Copper River sockeye salmon (the Chinook was $12 more). Salmon from the Copper River are arguably some of the most flavorful in the world, and this dish was cooked on alder planks for a delicious smokiness with red pepper butter. It was delicious, especially with Anthony’s Pale Ale from Scuttlebutt brewing. And although I typically don’t get dessert, they had a rhubarb tart ala mode that was to die for.

We were stuffed, so we went for a walk on the piers and at a local park. Good views for remembering this beautiful town. We went back to one of my favorite bars from the week for a nightcap. I found out that Brouwer’s Café had the same owner as the Bottleworks, which is why they had a limited edition bottle of Bottleworks XII brewed by The Bruery. This beer was brewed specially for Bottleworks XII anniversary. It was classified as an imperial wit, using Berliner Weisse yeast, with red raspberries added and aged in red wine barrels. It was fantastic, a great ending to our last evening in Seattle.

I loved my week in Seattle, but it is time to get home to start our vacation. My daughter Jessica celebrated her last day of elementary school today, and I wasn’t able to make it to her moving up ceremony. I’m so proud of her and Jacob, I can’t wait to get home and give them both a hug. - 5785/10987

"Filled with mingled cream and amber, such hilarious visions clamber, through the chambers of my brain, quaintest thoughts, queerest fancies come to life and fade away; What care I how time advances; I’m drinking ale today." – Edgar Allen Poe

Naked City Cigar Smoke

2011-06-22T08:49:00.021-05:00

Hump day, half way through the class and my current beer adventure. So tonight was low key, with Kevin and I hitting 2% of the top bars in the country according to Draft magazine. So for dinner we headed over to the Naked City brewpub (http://nakedcitybrewing.com/).

Naked City brews their own, concentrating on big Belgian beers, while offering a great local microbrew selection. I ordered the Jersey DevAle, a Belgian Tripel, to go along with the German pretzel. The pretzel was the perfect snack, and the beer was delicious. They didn’t do samplers, but I didn’t mind. They gave me a taste of any of the taps for free, so between ordering and sampling, I got to try quite a few. I got the veggie chili with a Painted Hills pastrami reuben, and then ordered the Black Maria, a dunkel made with Cascade hops. Everything was delicious, and the vibe in the restaurant was excellent, but we needed to go to hit the next Draft magazine recommendation, Uber Tavern.

The Uber Taven (http://www.uberbier.com/) is located right next to Green Lake, and didn’t offer much seating. The logo was cool (enough for Kevin to by a T-Shirt), and I got to try a Ninkasi Glen’s Best Bitter. Ninkasi is a real popular brewery from Oregon, and their bitter was top notch. The bartender was again very knowledgeable, but we wanted to try another location so we walked down the street to the Duck Island Alehouse. Both bars had a little step out section that you could stand on the street and watch the cars go by, so I picked up a New Belgium Ooh La La! (a raspberry ale that was part of their Lips of Faith series) and we got to talk. Kevin had just left my group for a new opportunity, and we talked about our successes and struggles from the past two years. I have it found that it is best to reflect over a beer, but apparently Kevin didn’t think so.

We headed back to the hotel and went for a walk down to the river. Kevin is a part time smoker, so I tried my first cigar in 20 years (an Acid Blonde, apparently a beginner’s choice), didn’t get sick (although I had forgotten how atrocious the aftertaste was), and we had our chat. Different strokes for different folks. This travelling thing is starting to get old, so I’ll be happy to get home. - 5785/10983

"People who drink light ‘beer’ don’t like the taste of beer; they just like to pee a lot." – Capital Brewery

Top of the Western World

2011-06-21T00:11:00.013-05:00

Two days of class are done. Kevin appeared to need some down time, so I headed off exploring by myself tonight. The weather was good, and I was anxious to head down to the Space Needle to see what I could see. But first, I was ready for dinner so I headed over to McMenamins Queen Anne to check out this location.

McMenamins has a reputation for buying old properties and turning them into brewpubs. We had stayed at their Edgefield facility outside Portland, OR when we went there a few years back, so I wanted to stop by for nostalgic reasons. The special of the night was perfect, fish tacos made with red snapper. This is a northwest standard that is truly delicious. I got the Persephone’s Pomegranate Molasses Porter (what a name) on draft. The porter was good, although I didn’t taste the pomegranate or the molasses. Next I walked down to the Space Needle to check out the scenery. What a view! It was fantastic to see this beautiful city from such a high vantage point (60 stories I think). Mount Rainier was stunning, and I got to see the monorail that runs downtown. I was even able to get a beer at the top, a Scuttlebutt Homeport Blond. How perfect was that?

The evening was young, so I headed to a couple of pubs on Capital Hill. The first stop was the Elysian Brewpub, the third pub in the area. I started off with the Idiot Saison, and then the bartender saw my book and wanted me to be able to taste some of their other specialties. Elysian had collaborated with New Belgium to create the Trip III, a blended beer of 70% Elysian Dark Lager and 30% New Belgium Foudre. The result was a delicious sour ale. The bartender then popped open two New Belgium La Folie beers to share. The first was their Sahti, a Scandinavian style rye brewed with juniper berries. I love rye beer, and the fruit offered the right offset. The next was the Vrienden, a collaboration beer with Allagash (what a great brewery) that was a wild ale flavored with hibiscus. I appreciated the sharing and headed off to the Hopvine Pub. A sister pub to Latona, it had a good vibe and a different selection, so I tried the Sound Poundage Porter. Really sweet, a solid selection. It was a beautiful night, and I enjoyed the drive along the mountain ridges of the city for the fantastic views.

It was nice to have a “down day.” I can’t wait to see what tomorrow has to offer. - 5785/10971

"Fermentation may have been a greater discovery than fire." – David Rains Wallace

Who's that Walking over my Bridge?

2011-06-20T08:31:00.021-05:00

All right, the first day of class. I have to say that I’m impressed with the subject matter, and I’m glad I’m here to learn. We made it through the day, and Kevin wanted some time to work out, and since that is not my thing right now, I headed over to the Brouwer’s Café (http://brouwerscafe.blogspot.com/) to check it out.

First of all, what a great bar! The beer selection was fantastic (how can you go wrong with 64 taps), the wait staff was knowledgeable, and they even had a Mannekin Pis statue in the entrance way. I showed them my beer book and told them of my quest, and they immediately gave me a large class of water to stay hydrated (I said they were knowledgeable). I started with the Silver City Fat Bastard scotch ale, followed by their 6^th anniversary commemorative beer, an imperial stout brewed by HUB. To wrap up my selections, I tried the Sierra Nevada Black Vapor Steam beer. All were fantastic. They did do samplers, but they did provide samples. Their bottle selection was equally as impressive (looks like they had some ties to the Bottleworks), and since they were relatively close to the hotel, there is a strong possibility that I’ll come back.

I picked up Kevin for dinner, and we headed over to Maritime Pacific (http://maritimebrewery.ypguides.net/). This bar doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it specializes in IPAs and great food. I got the braised beef with a cherry mole over black beans to go along with my sampler that had two cask ales. I also chose to spice it up with their own habenero sauce (made my eyebrows sweat). Their beers were offered in three varieties; regular, dry hopped (DH), and double dry hopped (DDH). It was great to compare the versions, with the DDH quickly going over the top in bitterness. Since it was a beautiful day (it doesn’t always rain out here), we went down to the Ballard Locks salmon ladder. We got to see boats head in and out (the salmon fleet is harbored up river), and see the salmon swim upstream. We also got to see an elusive otter, although he was too smart to let us catch a picture. We wrapped up this excursion by heading over to Hale’s brewing (http://halesbrewery.com/), where I got to enjoy their Rudyard’s Rare Barleywine. This place is the epitome of a brewpub with a taproom positioned in full view of their brew kettles.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at the Troll bridge. This little (or not so little) statue is a favorite of mine since we’ve played a game called troll bridge with the kids for years. I’d love to bring my kids here someday to show them that I didn’t completely make up the game. - 5785/10959

"Praise day at even, a wife when dead, a weapon when tried, a maid when married, ice when 'tis crossed, and ale when 'tis drunk." - Old Norse Proverb

Emerald City Baseball

2011-06-19T08:28:00.016-05:00

Take me out to the ballgame. One of the first things I did when the dates were set for this class was to check the Mariners schedule, and I was ecstatic when I found out the Phillies would be here for Father’s Day. I love symmetry, and since we had gone to see the Red Sox on Mother’s Day, going to see a game on Father’s Day just seemed right. And even though Jenn couldn’t make the trip, Kevin was game to go to the game.

We got downtown early, and walked up to Pike Place Market to see the fishmongers. Be world famous is their motto, doing your best wherever God has planted you, and I enjoyed the opportunity to witness with my friend. The market is beautiful, offering treats for all tastes. I picked up some salt & pepper pistachios, Kevin found a humidor for some cigars, and then we headed for lunch at Pyramid brewing. The place is huge, located right across from Safeco Field (sort of a bigger version of the Boston Beer Works at Fenway), and has long served up great food and beer. I got the nachos, with extra guacamole, and the Alehouse Amber Ale. Nachos have typically been my gameday meal, and these were outstanding. So now that I was well fed, it was off to the game.

Safeco Field has a retractable roof, but the weather was good so it wasn’t needed today. Seattle fans were very cordial and friendly, no cussing or swearing with me in my full (or should it be fool?) Phillies garb. I guess it helped that there was a large Phillies contingent at the game. Our seats were great, right beyond 1^st base 9 rows back. I thought the game was in the bag, Hamels was pitching against Vargas. And although Hamels was good, Vargas was great on his way to a 3 hit, complete game, and a shutout. It looked like Charlie Manual had decided to rest a few stars with Polanco and Brown out of the lineup. They could have used the extra firepower. The food and beer selection at the ballpark was great. I got chocolate covered strawberries (Jenn would have loved them) and the Grounder’s world famous garlic fries (Jenn may have loved these more). The fries were so potent that I don’t think I’ll need to worry about vampire for a week. I got a Snoqualmie Grand Slam Amber to drink, but at ~$10 a beer, I only got one. I guess it is all part of the “experience” of going to the game.

We weren’t in a hurry to leave afterwards, so we stopped by Elysian Fields for a drink and a snack. I got the soup (a spicy chicken and corn concoction) with their Whole Woods Wit. We both agreed that this served as dinner since we were stuffed from the game and our clocks still being messed up from jet lag. We headed back to the hotel, and walked around the UW campus (gorgeous place). We took in a bit of history at Big Time brewing, the first Seattle brewpub. The bartender pointed out that many of the local head brewers got their start at Big Time, possibly making them the birthplace of the Seattle beer scene.

It was great day, even if the Phillies lost. Now it is time to concentrate on the task at hand, learning what I can from my class. - 5785/10946

"You are much more likely to make your man a sound drunkard by pressing drink on him as an anodyne when he is dull and weary than by encouraging him to use it as a means of merriment among his friends when he is happy and expansive." - Screwtape

Western Bound

2011-06-18T20:35:00.010-05:00

Sometimes fortune smiles upon you, and you get an opportunity that is too good to be true. I was offered the chance to take some necessary training in one of the best beer towns in the world, when my beloved Phillies were in town. And although the timing stunk (end of school year), I have been looking forward to this journey for a while. So I caught the early flight from Philly (thanks for the ride Dad), and made it into town by lunchtime, stopping in the Green Lake section of Seattle at the Latona Pub.

Latona was what I expect from Seattle pubs; great beer selection, a gastropub’s attention to detail to food, and a laid back staff and clientele. I had the Odin Ruby Amber and the Everybody Daily Bread on draft, to accompany my ploughman’s. Their version contained a loaf of bread, 3 cheeses (gorgonzola, white cheddar and brie), chutney, apples, honey (that’s a new one), and almonds. It was great, stretching my legs from the flight, eating, sampling, and talking beer. A great start, but I was then off to Tangletown, an Elysian brewpub in the area. I got a sampler (what else?), which had their Immortal IPA and Wise ESB both on cask. Again, a great neighborhood location (there is a theme here, reminded me a lot of the UK). But since I was going to checkout other Elysian locations, I moved on to Murphy’s Pub. This pub had Guinness (of course), but it also had a great selection of local beers. I compared the Skagit River Sculler’s IPA to American Breakaway IPA, both on cask. Both were excellent, but I gave the nod to Sculler’s. Down the street was the Bottleworks, a bottle shop with an impressive selection of beer. I got to try the Mikkeller Green Gold on draft while I perused, and make my selection. Limiting myself to twelve, some to take back and some to drink here, I found some Maui brewing cans and some unique beers from Japan. Of particular note was the Mikkeller Two Gypsies Our Side Saison, done with Stillwater, and the Lost Abbey Deliverance, a mix of their brandy Angel’s Share and bourbon barrel Serpent’s stout, and the Stone Belgo Anise Russian Imperial Stout.

It was a great start of the day, so I checked into the hotel and took a nap (much needed from the jet lag). I had to go back to the airport to pick up my compatriot Kevin, so I needed the rest. And when the ballpark traffic was too much, I changed my plans (yes, I can do that once in a while) and stopped by at the Stumbling Monk. Listed at #124 on Beer Advocate’s favorite bars, I wanted to check it out. Again, a great neighborhood bar with a modest draft selection. I tried the New Belgium La Folie on draft, and got to taste the Avery Samael (at 15% ABV, my 1 oz taste was enough). Next it was time for dinner, so I made it down to West Seattle to Prost!, a German restaurant. The food selection was excellent, I had a German Ploughman’s with spicy mustard, pickle, cheese and two kinds of sausage. I was able to try an Aktien Zwick’l Kellerbier, a kind of unfiltered lager. And since their beer selection was limited, I headed down the road to Elliott Bay brewpub for their Demolition Ale and some soy/ginger steak skewers while watching the Phillies avenge their loss to the Mariners the night before. The food certainly did hit the spot, but I was tired and had enough.

I picked up Kevin, and we called it a day. No matter how excited I sound, it isn’t all perfect. I will be away from my family on Father’s Day. I will miss Jessica’s moving up ceremony (I can’t believe that she’s off to middle school), and I’ve left the responsibility to wrap up the school year and pack for vacation to Jenn (I really do appreciate all that she does to support me). But I’m here, and will work hard to get the most out of this opportunity. - 5785/10931

"I never met a pub I didn’t like." – Pete Slosberg, Founder of Pete’s Brewing

On the Road Again

2011-06-09T10:07:00.019-05:00

Back to the road, and this time for business. I got the company to agree to let me drive to Pittsburgh (I like driving, hate backtracking, and I was in Rochester already) and planned my route appropriately. So I was sent from Synod and shuffled off to Buffalo.

The Anchor Bar boasts of being the birthplace of Buffalo wings, and it was #116 on Beer Advocate’s must list. And although it isn’t in the best part of town, I felt comfortable parking in front of the ELCA church. The staff was nice, and I ordered the wings (what else?). Their medium was the original recipe, so I got half medium and half hot (no suicidal). They were delicious, spicy and meaty, and not even close to being too hot (I guess I will try the suicidal next time). The beer selection was disappointing (how about some Anchor beer in the Anchor bar?), but I was able to find a McSorley’s Irish Pale Ale on draft. Next on the list was a quick stop in Erie at the Brewerie at Union Station. The beer was average, but the facility was beautiful and they sold local bottle. So I got a sample (I particularly liked their Steam beer) and I was able to get a Lavery Liopard Oir, a nice saison from a local brewery.

Made it to Pittsburgh, but wasn’t in the mood for a big dinner, so I stopped by D’s. Their Chicago dog really hit the spot, but next time I’ll have to try a Scorpion (more of a cheddar jalapeno sausage) Chihuahua (more jalapenos and hot sauce). They had Unibroue Terrible on draft, as well as a Duck-Rabbit Schwarzbier. The bottle selection is top notch, and since I was driving I didn’t have to worry about airline weight limits. I got a few bottles from Full Pint and Mission breweries. We had our meeting the next day, and even though we didn’t go directly to my choice, we eventually made it to the Rivertowne Pourhouse for dinner. I got a steak Stromboli (just like old times on the farm) and a sampler. And even though I enjoyed most of the beers (I particularly liked the Dark Helmet Schwarzbier, presumably a tribute to Spaceballs) my favorite by far was the Mango Weizen. For those of you who don’t like fruit in their beers, you got to try this one.

We finished early the next day, so it was time to head home. So I headed off to State College to check out some famous beer stops that my travels have never brought me near before. The first was Otto’s Pub and Brewery, a nice brewpub on the edge of town. They had a great variety of beer, but I chose Mom’s Elderberry Stout (great Grail reference, by the way) to go with my Reuben. The homemade sauerkraut and corned beef certainly added to the experience. I next headed over to Zeno’s Pub, right across from the Penn State campus. This bar was a hole-in-the-wall (and I mean that as the most sincere compliment) and had an impressive local and microbrew selection. I got the Elk Creek Poe Paddy Porter on cask and Port brewing Mongo. The bartender was polite, but was busy with the locals, so I moved on to Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series to the Bullfrog brewpub. The city is on the river (must be nice in summer) and tried their smoked porter. The smoke wood was different, but the bartender didn’t have much to offer in details so I again got back on the road. This time it was to the Vestal Ale House in Vestal, NY for dinner. I got the ham and cheese sandwich with their homemade spicy mustard (watch out for the mustard, it truly is a killer) with a Great Lakes Dopplerock, a tribute to Cleveland being the home to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.

I made it home in 9-1/2 hours, and beat my co-workers home by almost 3 hours. If you like to drive, plan the trip and enjoy the ride. – 5785/10888

"There is more to life than beer alone, but beer makes those other things even better." – Stephen Morris

Empowered to Serve

2011-06-07T22:47:00.001-05:00

It is tough to balance work, family, and church. So when I accepted my congregation’s nomination to represent them at the 2011 Synod Assembly last January, I didn’t know at the time that I would be sandwiched between business trips. And I couldn’t step down since I will be participating in a sending service for the 2011 Churchwide Assembly. So I drove out (by myself since I had to drive to Pittsburgh afterwards for business), determined to find out what God had in store for me.

Rochester is a great beer town, and over the years I developed my own personal routine. I don’t participate in the meal plan. I like the flexibility of going out where the food is better and cheaper (but not paid for by the church), but I do miss out in some of the socializing. So on the way in I stopped by MacGregor’s to see what they had on tap. I got the Bear Republic Old Scooter, an aged barleywine that was a little on the sweet side. The people were nice, but I needed to head over to my next stop, Beers of the World. This beer store is essential because it has been my experience that the fellowship events have limited beverage choices. So I picked up some Full Sail beers (Imperial Porter and Bump in the Night), as well as a Pretty Things Field Mouse Farewell. These proved to be beneficial later on. I checked in (what a hassle: still need the tax exempt form and POP needed to juggle to provide a requested single room (believe me, it’s best for everyone)), and then headed out to dinner (no meal plan remember). I went to the Tap & Mallet (http://www.tapandmallet.com/) , a great beer bar close to downtown. I had the steamed mussels, steamed in pale ale with pulled pork and kimchi. The combination was bizarre, but delicious. I tried the Custom Brewcrafters Unfiltered Rye on cask, and loved it. And now that I was well fed, it was off to the assembly.

This year’s theme was “Empowered to Serve.” This has special meaning for me, since I always saw Christ as a Servant Leader, the perfect example for his followers. I feel that I’ve been lacking in this area recently, but we were able to hear about the ELCA supporting the fight against world hunger and disaster relief. We finished the first plenary session on Sunday and then hung out late into the next morning. Monday was more of the same, and we were able to hear about both advocacy and social ministries in the morning. I skipped over (yes, I literally skipped) over to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que for lunch and had a Pork Sket sandwich (beef brisket with cheese and pickled jalapenos) and a Rohrbach Irish Cream Ale. The afternoon was reserved for workshops. I learned how we can better protect our children from sexual predators and about the statement on Genetics that will be presented at the National Assembly. Both sessions were well presented and informative. Off to dinner, and headed to my favorite English Pub, the Old Toad (http://www.theoldtoad.com/) . The bar is owned by the same owner as the Fat Cat in Sheffield, UK, and the wait staff was all from there also. The beer was great; I had the Custom Brewcrafters Canandaigua Ale on cask and a Mikkeller I Hardcore U on draft. I started with their Drunken Cheddar soup (made with Fuller’s ESB) and then had the fish and chips (with mushy peas, of course). The food and the atmosphere made dinner special, and I loved sharing experiences with the staff about their hometown.

That night came the favorite part of assembly, worship service. The energy in the room was contagious, singing some of my favorite contemporary and traditional songs. My church is wrestling with this type of “blended service”, but it was so natural at the assembly. It should have been clear to everyone there that you need to mix it up to inspire the youth. The next we wrapped up with some voting (got to love parliamentary procedures) and the sending ceremony. I got to go up on stage and Bishop Marie presented us with prayer shawls, so we can wrap ourselves in the prayers while we are away. It was great to visit old friends (Biegnor, PC, and the former Jim, Dean) and spend time with others (VB, Pastor Jeff, Deacon Guz, and the former Jen Cuila). I’m glad I went. – 5785/10821

"It is better to think of church in the alehouse then to think of the alehouse in church." – Martin Luther

London Calling

2011-05-28T20:09:00.007-05:00

A full day in London to go off and do what I want (seems too good to be true). I was going to go on a Circle Line pub crawl, but I didn’t have the desire to Mind the Gap all day, so I decided to go on a walking tour using the Good Beer Guide for inspiration.

My first stop was to head over to Westminster, taking the obligatory pictures of Big Ben and Westminster Abbey before popping into St. Stephens. This Badger pub is right on Bridge street, and was a great centralized location for the area. I had their Firkin’ Fox, a smooth ale that I hadn’t seen in the states. The bartender was impressed with my beer book and let me have one of their bar towels as a gift. But the day was young and I had Salmon fever, so I needed to get walking.

I headed up road towards Trafalgar square, and was entertained with the Barcelona fans sitting and chanting on the back of the English Lion. And although it was a good photo opportunity, the local law enforcement was not very amused. I strolled over to Craven Passage (what a name) and stopped at the Ship & Shovell. Another Badger pub, I decided to try their Tanglefoot. This pub was notable in that it had too locations across the street from each other. It turns out if you want a beer from the other half, they’ll call across and have it delivered to you. And being on the edge of a shopping center, it would be a great place to hang out if Jenn went to do some window shopping.

Still anxious to get moving, I headed up to Covent Gardens (past Jenn’s favorite eggs and chips joint) and stopped by The Harp. This traditional Irish pub continually receives high praise from the website Beer in the Evening and from CAMRA. I am always intrigued by British small brewers trying other countries styles, so I had to get the Dark Star Saison. It was fantastic. I got to search for souvenirs at Covent Gardens, but didn’t stay long enough to wait for either the Porterhouse brewpub or the Freemason Arms (reportedly the birthplace of the English Football league) to open. I was on a mission, so I headed east on High Holburn until I found the Cittie of York, a Samuel Smith pub. Sam Smith is a bit of an oddity, not having too many of its beers on cask. And since I was tired (and thirsty), I hung out and tried their Yorkshire ale and their Taddy Lager. It was strange for me not to have cask on this trip, but the change of pace was welcome and both aren’t available in any form in the US.

Off to the Blackfriars, down by the new tube station, where I got a chance to admire the wood carved interior while enjoying St. Austell Tribute. I like the place since they advertise take a sip before ordering, and since I had previously decided that sips count (deep sips so you can properly ascertain the mouthfeel of the beer) on my list, I was also able to try the Butcombe Old Vic Porter. I was getting tired now, but I pressed on across the Thames across Blackfriars bridge, past Doggett’s Pie Shop (where Jenn had her first dinner in England), downstream past Tate Modern Art Gallery, scenic views of St. Paul’s cathedral, and past the Globe theatre. All wonderful places where I could have spent the day at, but I was on a mission, so I headed further on to the Borough Market.

The market was alive with people and shops, so I popped into the Rake, a bar known for their selection of local beer. I tried the Redemption Pale Ale, a new local brewer, which was top notch. Their bottle selection was impressive, but I was holding out (as I found out in York, there are only so many beers that you can carry) for the Rake’s bottle shop in the market, Utobeer. So I got directions and went on my way, passing by the Market Porter (seen in Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban as a shop) and diving directly into the crowd. Utobeer was awesome, a must stop for beer enthusiasts (it is also notable for being on the Three Sheets London pub tour). The owner watched me closely, examining each of the shelves with my backpack and beer book opened, but once he discovered that I was truly a geek he was very helpful. Since I was limiting myself to 3 bottles (which forced me to pass on the Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout, bottle was too big for me to pack in the suitcase), he had fun helping me to make the following selections: Sharp’s Monsieur Rock - brewed in conjunction with Orval, Hardknott Aether Blaec ‘10 – a whiskey aged stout from a Cumbrian extreme brewer, and Brew Dog Abstrakt AB:06 – the latest in a series of extreme beers with limited availability.

I was getting really tired now, and although I could see the Tower Bridge, I choose to walk across London Bridge to see the Monument of the Great London Fire and hop on the tube to St. James Park station. I found the Buckingham Arms, a Young’s pub, and was able to try their sweetish Waggledance Honey brew. Maybe that was it, a tube ride and a bit of sugar for my tired legs, but I seemed to get a second wind, so I was off again and headed to the Cask & Glass where I was able to sit back and enjoy a Shepherd Neame Master brew. Now I was one the march, and went through London’s embassy row to find the Michael Jackson recommended Star Tavern. It was located on a private street, but I went in anyways, and enjoyed a Fuller’s Organic Honey-Dew.

My day was wrapping up, so I headed down to my farthest tube station, Sloane Square, and decided to have an early dinner at the Antelope. The pickled egg was excellent, and the chili nachos (yes, I did order nachos on my last night in England) were satisfactory. I had the Fuller’s Chiswick Bitter and the Ascot (celebrating 300 years of brewing) ale to wash it down. The people were nice and loved the listing of my day but I was off to the Orange for my final beer before getting back on the tube. I chose the Meantime Famous Belgian on draft, a local brewery that made a 7.4% ABV beer that was easily the strongest beer of the day. At this point I was done, and then started my journey back to the hotel. I ran into lots of folks from the Chelsea flower show (sweetest smelling tube ride of my fortnight). Got stuck on a train and had to change due to line congestion. I got off early and tried the Brew Dog 5AM Saint on draft at the Albany. Then I walked back to the hotel to check in with the family via Skype.

All in all I estimated that it was an eight mile walk, even though it seemed longer (and tougher). That night I tried to get something to eat, but the places were too packed with folks watching the Champions League game between Barcelona and Man U (Barcelona was clearly the dominant team and won 3-1). It was a great day, but I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to share it with Jenn. If I’m fortunate enough to go back, I’ll look forward to playing tour guide rather than pub finder. Then again, if I’m lucky, we’ll be able to do both. – 5782/10790

"A quart of ale is a dish for a king." - William Shakespeare

In Search of the Bishop's Hat

2011-05-27T15:23:00.023-05:00

Finished. My work here in the UK is done. We finished our meetings around noon and then I caught the train down to London. I wanted to hit London during the week specifically so that I could visit some pubs in the Financial District, which are closed on the weekends. To be exact, my entire itinerary for this UK trip was based upon knocking off a certain pub off of one of my many lists. Specifically, I wanted to see the Ye Olde Mitre Tavern, which was #30 on Beer Advocate’s list of 125 places to have a beer before you die.

The Olde Mitre is a bit hard to find, you need to look for the blue Bishops bonnet on a passageway between Ely Place and Hatton Garden. The place was quaint, with old timers behind the bar. Although recently purchased by Fuller’s (it must have been really impressive as a freehouse), they still offered some guest beers. I had the Gale Seafarer ale and their Festive Mild on cask, to go with my ham and cheese toastie. We had some Spanish visitors there waiting for Barcelona to play the next night. For a snack, I had a pickled egg and a gherkin (how sweet). A nice spot, but it was time to head over to the Jerusalem Tavern.

The Jerusalem Tavern is a St. Peter’s pub (you know, the English bottled beer that looks like it is in medicine bottles), and since they don’t ship their casks to the US, I was excited to see what I could try here. I was able to try their IPA, Best Bitter, Mild, and Old-Style Porter (busy night) on cask. It was a great pub, with people inviting you to sit down at their table when it got crowded, and young professionals hanging out on the sidewalk socializing before their holiday weekend. I next headed over to the Fox and Anchor, trying their asparagus soup (it’s in season) and a pickled egg, along with a Nethergate Fox and Anchor on cask. I bumped into a young couple from the Jerusalem Tavern who were heading to a show (sounded a bit off-Broadway), and they were interested in my plans for the next day.

I took the tube back to my hotel, conveniently located near St. Pancreas train station and Mabel’s Tavern, a Shepherd Neame pub. This is another brewery that I’d never found in the US, so I closed out my evening with an Early Bird and reviewed my plans for the next day. It has been a long trip and I was anxious to get home, but since I planned to stay the extra day I wanted to be sure that I made the most of it. – 5782/10772

"No soldier can fight unless he is properly fed on beef and beer." - John Churchill, First Duke of Marlborough

The Vengeful Vindaloo

2011-05-26T09:14:00.009-05:00

We are approaching the end of the week, and I realized that we had only one more dinner left in Derby. England isn’t particularly noted for its food (beyond Shepherd’s Pie and Fish & Chips), but they excel in the quality of their Indian restaurants. And if you think the English like their food bland, that doesn’t apply to here. So after stopping by the Flower Pot for a Titanic Nautical Mild and the Alexandra for a Burton Bridge Moorish Mild (both on cask), we headed over to the Shalimar restaurant for a “last meal.”

Shalimar is where I had taken Jenn a couple of years back, and it is right down the street from a fancier spot. I liked Shalimar better in that they weren’t militant about putting my napkin out on my lap and I wasn’t being asked every 2 minutes how everything was at the table. After I started with my standard favorite, Mulligatawny Soup (delicious by the way) I decided to be brave (not necessarily smart) and order their spiciest menu item, their Lamb Vindaloo. It was really tasty, but boy did it burn. It didn’t help that I wasn’t use to the Indian spices. It made my ears sweat. We left and went to our favorite pub in Derby, the Brunswick Inn. I tried the Burton Bridge Dear Boy Bitter, but I really couldn’t enjoy it. My mouth was on fire, my body was still sweating, and my stomach hurt. So for my last night in Derby, I had to make an early evening of it, got some milk and headed back to the hotel room.

Not what I planned for my last night in Derby, but it is what it is. I was still sweating the next morning. And although I don’t want to turn this into a rhyme, my only advice to you is to stay away from the Vindaloo! – 5782/10760

"Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer." - Dave Barry

Derbyshire's Best Pub

2011-05-25T11:23:00.017-05:00

A proper English meal is what I wanted to share with my friends. And to me, I love the local carvery (not the White Horse across the street from the hotel), Cooper’s Arms (http://www.thecoopers-arms.co.uk/index.htm).

A carvery provides fresh cut meats with other vegetables. I got the Cooper’s special, a mixture of roast beef (with a fine horseradish sauce) and pork. I chose to get some pork crackling to go along with the meal, much better than the pork scratching, but probably just as healthy. The meal came with Yorkshire pudding, a traditional English staple, which is kind of like a type of roll that you put your gravy on, and is very tasty. Potatoes were provided, similar to our salted potatoes, and went good with the gravy. There were other vegetables, but I longed for a side of asparagus which was in season and ordered it as a side. And then there is the beer. I had the Leatherbritches Cooper’s Ale on cask, made especially for this restaurant. The whole meal was delicious, and the location by a stocked lake is perfect for a relaxing evening. But I had promised to meet a friend at his local pub, so we headed off to the Harrington Arms in Thulston.

Jenn and I fell in love with a pub called the Bell in Aldworth, an oasis in a small community where everyone met on Sunday afternoons with good beer and vittles. The Harrington Arms was like this, a beautiful pub with a large garden area in the back that was crowded on a Wednesday night. We met my friends Steve and Rob, and we settled in for a while. The beer was outstanding (best pint of Bass in England according to the locals, and the food looked delicious). Besides the Bass I got to try a couple of beers on cask from Tollgate nearby in Woodville. I had the house special, the Earl’s ale and then tried their TSB (Tollgate Special Bitter?). It was a great evening.

After more than 4 weeks in Derby, I finally found my favorite “pub.” This is the place I’ll come back to in the future when I want to simply relax after a day of work. I can’t wait to go back. – 5782/10746

"A good local pub has much in common with a church, except that a pub is warmer, and there’s more conversation." – William Blake

A Special Relationship

2011-05-24T09:50:00.004-05:00

Winston Churchill once said that the US and the UK had a “Special Relationship,” and that phrase has carried on until this day. In fact, the entire reason why I was in the UK was because of this phrase. So when Obama visited and attended the State dinner at Buckingham Palace, he once again affirmed the state of affairs. Today I participated in my own form of this type of democracy, taking my two coworkers to nearby Nottingham and meeting up with our host to toss back a few ales and listen to some music.

So we headed to the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (http://www.triptojerusalem.com/) for dinner, a pub built into the side of Nottingham castle that as reportedly been serving ales since 1189. It’s a must stop for US visitors, and we always manage to make a trip over for a visit. We stopped for dinner, and got to sample some ales in Snog ( a quiet section of the pub good for talking and apparently other activities). I got the sampler (surprise, surprise), 3 half pints from there draft list, and I tried the Olde Trip, Nottingham’s Legend, and Milton’s Pegasus. I didn’t feel like fish and chips (and the inevitable mushy peas), so I got the Ham Hock Pie (with the mushy peas). The pie (heated ones, not the ones they hand out cold) is also traditional pub food, with different ingredients, and they are typically delicious. Our tour guide met us there, Robin from Nottingham (and yes we’ve teased him about that many times before).

Robin had a couple of favorite stops in mind, so we followed his lead down to the Canalhouse, a Castle Rock pub. The Canalhouse is right on the water, with music and plenty of outdoor seating (must be real popular in the summer). It also boasts of a waterborne canal boat in the center bar, a unique fixture if I’ve ever seen one. Castle Rock is locally brewed, and is famous for their Harvest Pale ale. I had the Harvest Pale before, so I tried their Preservation Fine Ale and their Black Gold. Both are excellent session beers. I could see having this be a “must stop” for future trips. Next we headed over to the Malt Cross, a beautiful venue in the center of town (at least I thought it was the center of town) that had a great stage for bands. The ceiling was high and curved, and there was 2nd floor seating on both sides, but the musicians played on a platform half way in between, presumably so that the bar area and dinner seating could see them. I could easily see Jenn singing up there. We saw two bands, both very good and not too loud. The beer was also excellent (of course), and I was able to enjoy a Blue Monkey Blue Moon and a Glastonbury Spring Load and FMB (Robin, what did FMB stand for again?).

It was a great evening. We were able to make good decisions at work, and believe or not we were able to make good decisions at play (Mike drove to and from Nottingham for practice, thanks for the assist Mike!). I was happy to do my part as a patriot to contribute to the Special Relationship between our two countries. – 5782/10746

"May the roof above our tavern never fall in, and we friends beneath it never fall out." – Celtic Proverb

Heading to the Steel City

2011-05-22T07:29:00.002-05:00

Sunday, finally a day of rest. I couldn’t sleep in, so I attended the church service at the Derby Cathedral (it was nice to worship in such a traditional setting, even if it wasn’t my tradition). I was looking forward to having a day that was low key. I had offered my companions a day of rest, an opportunity to explore on their own. But they were satisfied to hang out and follow me, the man with a plan. And my plan was to take the train to a different part of the UK. Sheffield was the birthplace of English steel, and the pubs were recommended by the late Michael Jackson, so I decided to check the place out.

So we took the train north, and a taxi to Kelham Island. They have a nice industrial museum there, but I came for the beer. So we stopped in at the Fat Cat pub (actually we camped out outside until it opened). The Fat Cat (http://www.thefatcat.co.uk/) is a free house that specialized in vegetarian cuisine, and serving Kelham Island beers. I got a ploughman’s and was treated to five different cheeses with bread and chutney. To wash it down, I was able to order several half pints. I had the Kelham Island Best Bitter, their Army Surplus Special (complete with the Wacky Races picture), and tried a couple of Saxon ciders. We hung out for a while, but right around the corner was the Kelham Island Tavern (which ironically doesn’t serve Kelham Island beers).

The Kelham Island Tavern (http://www.kelhamislandtavern.co.uk/) has been a long desired destination of mine ever since I started attending Synod Assembly in Rochester, NY. The Old Toad is the sister pub of the Kelham Island Tavern, and when I visit they have always bragged about their ties to Sheffield. And in 2010, this pub was named UK National Pub of the year by CAMRA. The beer selection was good, and I tried Thwaites Black Nutty. The people were fantastic. There was a club in the back practicing music, and some locals sitting nearby gave us some local tales. The food was limited, premade sandwiches and pork pies. But they had a crowd they were obviously there for the afternoon so they didn’t mind. It was a good experience, but we decided to head on back to the train station. Our new friends recommended us stopping at the Sheffield Tap, adjacent to the train station, so we headed there next.

The Sheffield Tap was a Thornbridge pub (http://www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk/) , with a great selection of bottled beers. There line up was impressive, and we had plenty of time until our next train so I was ready to enjoy their selection. I tried the Wild Swan (described as a White Gold Pale Ale) and the Seaforth (English IPA), then the Lord Maples (Bitter) and the Saint Petersburg (Imperial Stout weighing in at 7.7% ABV). The beers were great, and my companions were able to kick back and relax (not too much Matt, we still do need to catch that train). When I reviewed their bottle, I was pleased to find Brewdog’s Bashah Reserve, a collaboration with Stone Brewery. The labels were hand drawn, and only 750 bottles were produced. I got their Imperial and Tayberry (a cross between a loganberry and a black raspberry) Reserve version, an American Strong Ale that has been aged in whiskey casks. It cost 24 GBP (about $36), so I’m going to set it down for a special occasion.

We headed back to Derby, and I was able to take a walk around a different part of the city, stopping in at Mr. Grundy’s tavern (conveniently located next to a Laundromat) and topped of the day with a Trenchfoot pale ale. It was a good day, relaxing. I couldn’t help but reflect that the trip was halfway over. I’m having fun, but I miss my family. Time to get back to the hotel to Skype. Now they just need to figure out how to Skype hugs. - 5782/10728

"24 Pounds!? This better be the best damn beer ever. [drinks beer] You got lucky." - Simpsons (modified for my experience)

Micklegate to Petergate

2011-05-21T10:18:00.040-05:00

Everyone is working for the weekend, including Americans on foreign travel. Last night was fun (perhaps too much fun), and we had plans to head up north to York. I had been there before, but I wanted to go back and show it to my friends. I loved the city, and as always there were plenty of new places that I was anxious to visit. So after a late start, and a lot of traffic due to York Horse Racing (reminded me Saratoga in August), we made it to town.

Our first stop was the Brigantes Bar and Brasserie, right near Micklegate, and recommended by the Good Beer Guide. The place was packed with men in suits and women with fancy hats (no I didn’t see Princess Eugenie or Princess Beatrice), but we were thirsty and found some seats. May was mild month in the UK so I started off with a Timothy Taylor Dark Mild, a great beer on a spring day. I shocked my compatriots with a Marston Oyster Stout, dark and rich, a delicious beer. We tried to get some food service without any luck, so we moved into town (and almost into a speeding car) and headed to the Ye Olde Starr Inne.

The Starr Inne was where Len and I had visited two years earlier, and since I hadn’t have my required serving of fish n’ chips, we decided to have lunch. My fish was enormous, hanging over both sides of the plate, and was perfect with the malt vinegar and my Captain Cook Endeavor, a strong tasting bitter that was originally brewed to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the brewery. We sat on their deck and just relaxed, enjoying the day. And then there is the location, close to the York Minster and two quality bottle shops. So while the Matts went climbing, I went shopping.

My first bottle shop was the Evil Eye Lodge, right next to the Starr Inne. Their bottle selection was impressive, and I was looking for a few souvenirs. So I got the York Minster with a lovely picture on the label and a Daleside Pride of England boasting the St. George cross. For taste, I was excited to find a bottle of Thornbridge Bracia, a rich dark ale with an absurd amount of malt. I was happy with my selections until I stepped next door to the Bottle Shop (great basic name) and saw their selection of Brew Dog beers. They had Sink the Bismarck and Tactical Nuclear Penguin (at the right price of course), but some others I had never seen. How about Nanny State, a non-alcoholic IPA that was loaded with flavor? And then there was a collaborative brew with Avery called Bitch Please, a whiskey barrel aged barleywine. I just couldn’t resist.

With more souvenirs to carry, I headed over to the Three Legged Mare to wait for teammates. This York Pub is off of Petergate, and was in sight of the Minster. I loved the Wonkey Donkey (maybe for the name alone), an English bitter. I also found the Pride of York on cask, and sat back and relaxed. We made it back to the car, and decided to check out a few of the local museums. The York Castle Museum was not what I had expected (more vacuum cleaners than castle), but the National Railroad Museum was excellent (although we missed the Flying Scotsman by two weeks). It was a great day and we made it back to Derby safely.

It was nice to take a break from work, and even nicer to see some of the historical sights of England. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip has to offer. – 5782/10705

"Make sure that the beer – four pints a week – goes to the troops under fire before any of the parties in the rear get a drop." – Winston Churchill to his Secretary of War, 1944

Getting Down in Derby

2011-05-20T22:00:00.023-05:00

Back in the UK, looking for something to say. It was one hell of a trip (planes, trains and automobiles) but we made it in to town tired but unscathed. And after several trips to Derby, I do have my favorite places to hit. So the first week was dedicated to my favorite places in Derby, starting with the Babington Arms.

The Babington Arms is one of the best Wetherspoon pubs in the country, a free house with about 16 cask ales and food service. Food service is key on Sunday, since it is hard to find it at other pubs. I love the selection, and I love the Sunday roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. I had the JD Lees Dragon Fire to wash it down. The jet lag is a killer, but it is nice to know you have a place to go where you know what you are going to get: Decent food and a great selection of beer, followed by a good night’s sleep.

The next night was a walk back over to the train station for two great pubs, the Brunswick Inn and the Alexandra Hotel. The Brunswick brews their own beer, and I ordered their Emerald Express and a Dark Star Over the Moon. Ordering in ½ pints may seem less than manly, but it does allow me to try more beer. Next door is the Alexandra Hotel, and I was getting hungry by now. I got to try a Bateman’s Salem Porter and a Castle Rock Gatekeeper (it is a Castle Rock pub, and swears never to sell its beer in a Wetherspoons) along with a pickled egg and a pork pie. The pork pie was a bit of an adventure for me, served cold and partly filled with gelatin (not pork fat, that’s later on in the week). I would have to say it was less than delightful, so we went Walk-a-bout where I was able to get a BLT (mmm, bacon).

Tuesday was a bit of an adventure, watching a bit UK football and then exploring a different part of town. The Falstaff Brewery is stuffed in a rougher neighborhood, and we received the evil eye when we went in. Scary crowd, so we went immediately to the back. I got their Fistful of Dollars and their Norman Bates (their Rocky Horror themed beers were a previous series, I love the names of their beers), both well balanced English bitters. I also got a bottle of their Super Nova, a malt liquor that weighed in at 13% ABV (wow!). We escaped back to the hotel, and went to the Brewery Tap right across the street. They brew Derby beer, and I enjoyed the Bees Knees and Fancy That. Good beers, but no real food. I did get some homemade pork scratching; hard pork rinds with a ½ inch layer of pork fat (turned my stomach something fierce).

So we had no real meal for the previous two nights, so I decided to correct that trend and go to the Olde Dolphin Inne. I got something basic, corned beef hash and eggs. Hash and eggs went great with a Spire Amarillo bitter on cask, and I was happy. For a better beers selection, we went across the street to the Flower Pot. The Flower Pot is a free house, and has a great beer selection. I got the Blue Monkey Evolution and a Ringwood Old Thumper. Old Thumper was a treat since Shipyard brewing in Maine brews their recipe and uses their label (the UK version on cask was much better).

For Thursday we wanted an even better meal, so we went to the local carvery, the Cooper’s Arms. I started with an asparagus appetizer, a Blackhole No Escape! on cask, the roast beef with all the trimmings (including horseradish sauce). It was delicious! It was a nice break from the constant pursuit of different beers, but I know it will only be a short break.

Friday, TGIF, and we were ready to relax. Matt and I went on a pubcrawl, hitting some local fun spots that we had missed earlier in the week. We first stopped at the Smithfield, where we got to try an Oakham Inferno and Scarlett Macaw. Next it was off to the Exeter Arms for a Dancing Duck 22. Our next stop was the Silk Mill for a Beowulf Finn’s Hall Porter. And finally (for me at least), we stopped at the Standing Order for dinner and to meet our RR friends. I got nachos, and a Freeminer Deep Shaft Stout. It was a little too heavy for my last beer of the evening, so I headed back to the hotel to get a good night sleep (even if no one else did).

It was a good week, visiting all of the places that I knew of in Derby. Now it was time to branch out, and explore some new places. - 5782/10690

"A meal of bread, cheese and beer constitutes the perfect food." - Queen Elizabeth I

Friday the 13th

2011-05-14T21:58:00.003-05:00

Friday the 13th is a special day in the beer world, ever since the Grey Lodge Pub started hosting their Friday the Firkinteenth party. Guest cask ales are brought in, and a random 7 casks are provided at any one time to the customers. There was only one event this year (there are 3 next year), so I had put this date on my calendar early in the year and had told Jenn of my intentions. My drinking buddies (Chris and Christopher) couldn’t make it (it’s tough having Christian friends that have a desire to support their families) but I had planned to go anyways. So after taking Jacob to school, I got on the road.

I made it there right after they tapped the first cask, so I headed upstairs and got a seat at the bar and ordered a Lodge steak (it’s a Philly cheesesteak with slices of salami added in for good measure). I met a nice couple from Boston, and we talked about our beer experiences. They had actually participated in several 3 Sheets events so I was impressed. I started off with the Wells Banana Bread beer, a dessert in a glass. I also had the Sixpoint Modern Rye. Delicious. I had several of the other casks, so I instead ordered a couple of Port beers on draft (Hot Rocks Lager and Shark Attack Double Red). Food was good, company was great, and the beer was excellent. But I didn’t have my pals with me and I didn’t really desire to stay all day, so I headed off to the Memphis Taproom.

The Memphis Taproom has great food and a potent beer selection, and I chose the William Brothers Seven Giraffes (a delicious Scottish ESB) on cask. I sat and decided that I wanted to make it a short day, so instead of more imbibing, I moved on to the Foodery to see what bottles that they had to offer. I wasn’t disappointed. I picked up the Dogfish Head Hellhound, a lemon ale coming in at 10% ABV, as well as the Evil Twin beers Yin and Yang. It was too early to sample at either the Standard Tap or the 700 Club (I’ll need to try these two on a separate trip). It was a good day, but I wanted to get to my folks, so I headed out the city and ended my adventure for the day.

The next day I was traveling to the UK, and I had discovered long ago that my parents would give me a ride to the airport if I treated them to dinner (they’d probably give me a ride if I didn’t, but it always fun to go out and eat and drink). So since they liked mussels, I took them to Monk’s sister bar, the Belgian Café. I scored a parking spot right in front of the bar, so we went into eat. We each got a ½ pot of mussels (the Van Eyck, the Jerge, and Monk’s mussels), and I split a Gouden Carolus Easter ale. The beer was potent, and very sweet, and complemented the mussels extremely well. The mussels were so tender that my folks each needed to order some more. It was a great evening.

Sated, we went to the airport so that I could catch my flight. It was the beginning of a new adventure, and I was truly thankful that my trip had started so well. - 5782/10641

"The mouth of a perfectly happy man is filled with beer." – Egyptian Proverb

A Mother's Day Special

2011-05-08T21:36:00.005-05:00

What is the best present for your wife for Mother’s Day? How about visiting your Mother-In-Law? This year it was important to head out to NH and spend time with Martha, after all she’s been going through these past couple of months. So we went out with the kids for the weekend, and found our new favorite restaurant on the road, the Piccadilly pub in Sturbridge, MA. I had the Wormtown Seven Hills Pale Ale on draft to go along with my shepherd’s pie. It was excellent. Jenn and the kids (even Jacob) loved it too. Next door was Yankee Spirits, one of my favorite bottle shops. I was able to pick up some specialty beers for the weekend, including the Goose Island Big John and the Nogne O Winter Ale Islay edition.

The next day Martha was up for a drive, so we went down to the Nubble to catch the sea air. It was spectacular! Jessica and I went on the rocks, and then headed up to Browns for an ice cream. The Indian Pudding, a special molasses ice cream, was delicious. We then headed over to the Olive Garden for dinner. It was the first time that Martha had been out since Christmas. It was extra special having us all together, sharing our meal. It really gave us an opportunity to appreciate what we have, and thankful for what God has given us. Being there was the best present I could have given either Jenn or Martha. We ended the evening at the Big Dipper in Somersworth, and I treated myself to a Grapenut ice cream.

And if that wasn’t the best, on Mother’s Day we went to see the Red Sox play the Twins at Fenway Park. It was Jessica’s and Jacob’s first time at a MLB game, and they loved it (although I think Jacob enjoyed the train ride in the best). We tried stopping by the Boston Beer Works (Jenn and my tradition for the past few years) for lunch, but it was packed. So Jenn took the kids and sent me to the express beer line (I really do love her) and tried the Blind Faith Abbey Ale on draft. The game was great, with the kids enjoying the spectacle and the ballpark food. Dice K started out shaky, needing 34 pitches to get out of the 1st inning, but he settled down and the Red Sox were able to pull out a victory. It was a great day, we conquered a first with the kids that both Jenn and I were stressing about. We are looking forward to sharing our passion with our kids in the future.

It was the best Mother’s Day weekend that I can remember. To see the smile on Jenn’s face and the joy in her eyes all weekend long was the best thing that I could ever hope for. - 5782/10614

"There is only one game at the heart of America and that is baseball, and only one beverage to be found sloshing at the depths of our national soul, and that is beer." – Peter Richmond

Good Earth Friday!

2011-04-22T15:27:00.007-05:00

We had planned to spend a day together as a family since we had gone our separate paths this past week, but Jess got an invite to go to the aquarium with her cousins and she was looking forward to the trip. So Jenn and I took Jacob into the city to explore (taking a note from Man vs. Food), and we made our first stop at the Reading Terminal.

Reading Terminal reminds me a lot of Faneuil Hall in Boston, with lots of specialty foods and shops for your tasting pleasure. Jenn is a sucker for crepes, so she got one from a shop with Nutella, strawberries and bananas (although the Frenchmen forgot the bananas). It was delicious. I went to DiNic’s for a roast pork sandwich with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe. We loved the sandwich (although I wouldn’t go as far as thinking it could ever replace the cheesesteak as the official Philly sandwich), and I don’t think I’ve ever had sharp provolone before (not to be missed). Jacob went to Miller’s and had a Philly pretzel freshly made by the Amish. He was a trouper, posing nicely for the camera, and was rewarded with one of the best whoopie pies I’ve ever had. Whoopie pies were invented by the Amish, no matter what those charlatans up in Maine may say.

Next we went to the Franklin Mint, part of the US Treasury system, to see how money is made. It was cool, they make over 8 billion pennies a year, and Jacob was impressed with all the money. I liked that the tour was free. We then walked farther down Chestnut St. to the Franklin Fountain, an old time ice cream shoppe that was also featured on Man vs. Food. There were too many choices, so we went with a local classic, the Franklin Mint. Mint chip and vanilla ice creams covered with chocolate syrup, fluffy marshmallow glaze and crème menthe finished with homemade whipped cream and a mint green maraschino cherry. Jenn was in heaven, and Jacob appeared to like it too. The highlight for Jacob was to take SEPTA three stops back to our car (Jenn was glad she didn’t have to walk back too). We stopped by Yards Brewing (http://www.yardsbrewing.com/) on the way out (something for Daddy), and I was glad to see that they had their Love Stout on Cask.

We had a great day, and I was able to share some quality beers with my cousin Brian that night and the next. He brought the Goose Island Bourbon County Vanilla Stout and the Surly Darkness, and I was able to return the favor with the Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale and the Mikkeller Rauch Geek Breakfast, both of which I was able to pick up from Capone’s in Norristown (http://caponesdraftlist.blogspot.com/). I had run over while the family was exploring IKEA, and the bottle shop was as loaded as ever (I also got to sample the Hill Farmstead Ephraim double IPA while there). It is great to compare notes with a fellow beer enthusiast, and we even shared with our other family members (no, not with Keira).

We had an Easter egg hunt on Sunday, and then I headed on home (I really didn’t need the calories my mom can pile on at Easter dinner). It was a busy week, and I needed a break. Thank goodness I had the opportunity to get back to work. – 5771/10570

"Work is the curse of the drinking class." – Oscar Wilde

Salvaging the Day

2011-04-20T09:14:00.005-05:00

It is funny how your opinion of a day can change on a moment. Jenn had given me the opportunity to spend the day exploring and I decided to head north to check out some places I’d never been before. So I got on the road and took the trip up Route 16 to North Conway.

North Conway is an outlet shopper’s Mecca, and I usually avoid it like the plague. Today it wasn’t too crowded, and we had the delightful mix of rain, sleet, and lightning. It is a pretty good base camp for skiing, and has plenty of inns, a Marriott Resident Inn on the main drag, mini-golf, as well as their own brewpub, Moat Mountain (http://moatmountain.com/). I’ve recommended the pub to many friends, and they’ve all thanked me in the end. I got there as they opened, and ordered a taster of all their drafts. And although I typically prefer ales, their Czech Pilsner was excellent. I ordered Barbeque Reuben, their own smoked brisket coated with cole slaw, which came with Cajun fries. It was all delicious.

So I pulled out my Garmin and headed towards Lovell, ME, the home of one of the 100 best beer bars in the country (according to DRAFT magazine), Ebenezer’s Pub (http://www.ebenezerspub.net/). I knew I was in trouble when Garmin tried to take me down a closed road. So I found an alternate, and made it to Ebenezer’s right on schedule at 12:45. Unfortunately they didn’t open until 3PM. I was disappointed, standing in the doorway about how bad I screwed this up. My day was ruined. And then I did something out of character and knocked on the door. Chris the owner answered and listened to my sob story about my inability to read an e-mail or ask a question properly. Chris opened the door and offered me a beer, and while they cleaned the place up (they had a Belgian beer festival planned for that day) I wandered around and had the place to myself.

I first tried the Alvinne Caper Fumatis, a slightly smoked Belgian ale that was delicious. Chris has owned the place for about 8 years, and had turned the place into a Belgian beer house. Chris has been well acclaimed and had established relationships with both American and Belgian brewers. All his tap handles were specialty glass from Stone Brewery. De Struisse Brothers Black Albert, a Russian Imperial Stout, was originally brewed exclusively for Ebenezer’s. Each week he receives beer from around the world to sample. And Chris had just returned from Westmalle Trappist Abbey, and highly recommended a Belgian beer tour (a slight hint for my 50th birthday Jenn). I followed my first beer with Nogne O Tiger Tripel from Norway, a sweet Tripel, and then was treated to a tour of his beer cellar. Remarkable! I was amazed at the rows upon rows of beer, catching glimpses of beers that I’d only ever heard of. His zoning prevents folks from buying bottled beers to go, which was probably for the best since I was seriously tempted by several of his bottled offerings (i.e., Jolly Pumpkin La Porcela, Moorhouse’s Blonde Bitch, and Mikkellar Highland Park Cask). Chris thanked me for the interest as I thanked him for his time, and gave me a bottle Cuvee Delphine (Black Albert aged in Four Roses bourbon barrels). I can’t wait to share, and I can’t wait to get back.

My journey home was uneventful. As Jacob says, we’re checkers, so I stopped by Bray’s brewpub (http://www.braysbrewpub.com/index1.html) in Naples and got a sampler. Their IRA (Irish Red Ale) was their best offering. I got a cup of their chowdah, made with clams, scallops, bacon and corn, some nourishment for the road. I made it home by 5PM (as promised), and that let Jenn go out to dinner with her sisters. A day that could have been ruined turned out to be memorable. – 5767/10549

"May your beer be laid under an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years!" - Gandalf

Feeling Patriotic

2011-04-18T10:00:00.004-05:00

Today was Patriot’s Day, a day to celebrate Paul Revere’s ride, as well as the battles of Lexington and Concord. It’s a holiday in MA, and it is usually celebrated with the Red Sox playing and the running of the Boston Marathon. My folks had the kids (were Jenn and I celebrating our freedom?), and so we headed into Boston to grab some lunch down at the waterfront at the Barking Crab (http://www.barkingcrab.com/).

The Barking Crab was highlighted on Man vs. Food for offering 10lb lobsters (for the low, low price of $289), but we were more interested of just getting down to the waterfront. We drove past Fenway and the marathoners, and found a free spot up front (good eye Jenn). The place is like a fancy Newicks, except it was in Boston Harbor instead of Little Bay. I got the Prince Edward Island (PEI) mussels, with a Barking Crab White Ale (from MA Bay, and tasted a bit like UFO White). The mussels were cooked in wine, with onions and garlic, and were delicious. Jenn got the chowdah, and followed it up with a naked lobsta roll with 8 juicy oz. of meat. The waitresses were cool, the reggae was wonderful, and the prices were a bit steep (you pay for location, location, location). As Jacob and I always say, we’re checkers, and we were very happy to check out this place on a beautiful Patriots Day.

We had some time, so we headed up to Hooksett to check out the White Birch beer store (http://www.whitebirchbrewing.com/). I had fallen in love with their beer last year (I especially liked their Aloha ale at the ACBF), and they just set up regular hours at the store. The place was hard to find (soon to be rectified with a new sign) but I managed. They had a great selection, highlighted with their Black IPA called Nyx and their Tavern Ale, a smoked imperial brown ale. This week they’ll start their Saturday hours, and will start providing growler fills. And since this place is so close to my sister-in-laws, I think this could be a regular stop. Next we went to Milly’s Tavern (http://www.millystavern.com/) down by the river. I loved their lambics, a cranberry and a blueberry, as well as an Imperial IPA on cask called Manch-Vegas Double-or-Nuthin’ (what a name). The view was delightful, and the beer was excellent, but it was time to make it to my mother-in-laws. We got there in time for dinner (filet of sole, courtesy of Alicia) and were able to chat about their beloved Red Sox (my second favorite team).

Jenn and I really enjoyed our time away from the kids (I love grandparents). Beautiful weather, the Red Sox won 9-1 with Dice-K only giving up one hit (a minor miracle), Geoffrey Mutai from Kenya ran the fastest marathon ever at 2:03:02 (although not a world record since the officials concluded that the time was wind aided), 14 new beers for my list, and both the Flyers and the Bruins won their game 4-2. To quote Bill Murray, “That was a pretty good day!” – 5767/10529

"It’s a fair wind that blew men to ale." – Washington Irving

Celebrating a Life - Captain Jon Scott

2011-04-09T19:35:00.004-05:00

This past weekend we celebrated the life of Jon Scott, a friend of my family. Captain Scott went to Nuclear Power and Submariner school with my father, and our families have always been close. Mrs. Scott has always been like an aunt to me, and when I heard the Captain Scott passed away I felt that I should go to the service. The memorial service was a fitting tribute, with eulogies being provided by Tulsa (their oldest son) and my dad. Tulsa served on submarines also, and I made a career designing electronics and supporting the Navy. Our families are very similar, and it made me reflect that someday I would be saying some of the same things about my dad. Honor, integrity, commitment to country and to family, these characteristics describe our fathers. I’m proud when people tell me that those characteristics have rubbed off on me. I think my favorite part of the service, the part that was the most meaningful to me, was the attendees singing the Navy Hymn (i.e., Eternal Father, Strong to Save) with the Submariner’s verse. It goes:

“Bless those who serve beneath the deep, through lonely hours their vigil keep.
May peace their mission ever be! Protect each one, we ask of Thee.
Bless those at home who wait and pray, for their return by night and day.”

The service was memorable, and we’ll be keeping Peggy, Tulsa, Michael, Janice, TJ and Sierra in our prayers.

I got back to spend some more time with my mother-in-law, who’s fighting cancer. She’s a sweet, but tough lady, and could use some prayers also. And although beer was obviously not a priority this weekend, I was able to run some errands and stop in and try the Portsmouth Brewery Grand Cru on cask, brewed with green peppercorns. It was delicious. The bartender was a friendly fellow who was impressed with my beer book, and gave me the beer on the house. I then stopped at Red Hook, and was glad to see their Brewhouse off and experimenting with different flavors. I tried their Molinillo Brown Ale on cask, brewed with Mexican chocolate and had a spicy/chili finish. It is really impressive when you can get something out of the ordinary at such a big brewer.

Quick trip for a quick weekend, filled with prayer and reflection. It tough watching family and friends getting older, then I look in the mirror and realize it’s happening to me too. – 5760/10500

"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin

Heading West (Western Mass that Is)

2011-03-19T20:25:00.008-05:00

I found an old blog entry that I never posted, so I chose to share it even though it was out of date. Western MA has a great beer scene, and I decided to take a short tour to shore up some of my supplies. Between the bottle shops, brewpubs, and beer bars, a quiet day on the road was very attractive. So I got on the road early and looked forward to seeing what was available.

My first stop was the Table and Vine (http://www.tableandvine.com/), a specialty store right off the Mass Pike that I’ve always been able to find something new. There is a new local brewery from Canton called Blue Hills, I picked up their Wampatuck Winter Wheat and their Red Baron Ale. I also found some miscellaneous beers to add to my collection, including the Lost Abbey Inferno Ale and the Maine Beer Company Zoe. There were also some kicked up specialty beers, such as the Shipyard Double Thumper Ale and the Atlantic Brewing Manly Men Sea Smoke (a smoked barley wine, yum). I also found a bottle of Cisco Bay Winter Woods, an American wild ale aged in oak barrels that once contained French wine. Sounds too complicated but it was delicious.

Next it was time for brunch, so I headed up to the Dirty Truth (http://www.dirtytruthbeerhall.com/) in Northampton. I love to show up somewhere new with my beer book, it can make the staff fairly nervous (and it really does get me great service). The Dirty Truth has a great beer selection, and there menu was top notch. I had homemade corned beef hash and eggs, which was truly succulent (I don’t think I’ve ever used that word before). The hash was homemade, with huge chunks of corned beef. I kicked it up a notch with some Thai hot sauce (unorthodox, but delicious). I also appreciated being able to get half pints (essential for travel), and was able to sample the Lost Abbey Red Baron Ale and Ridgeway’s Bad King John (both on draft). Nice people, nice bar (although I could have done without the jazz music); the place is a must stop if you are passing through.

I then headed up to Greenfield, and stopped at the People’s Pint (http://www.thepeoplespint.com/) brewpub. I’d describe it as a “spit and sawdust” pub (thanks for term Leon), brewing their own beer. They offer samplers, and had three different casks. I really liked the Slippery Slope, and English braggot (beer brewed with spices, honey and/or cider). I got the classic ploughman’s, a baguette with Vermont cheddar cheese, a dill pickle, and a pickled egg (in honor of my buddy Len). It was excellent. There were kids hanging out (nephews of the barmaid), and had a true English pub atmosphere.

Headed home, and tried to find another location along the way. McNeill’s wasn’t open and the Man of Kent was standing room only. So I went home and stowed my stash. It was a very relaxing day. – 5746/10479

"I’m off for a quiet pint – followed by 15 noisy ones." – Gareth Chilcott

Road to Emmaus

2011-03-13T19:30:00.002-05:00

I took the opportunity this past weekend to give my mom a hug. My Nana just moved out of the house that she has been living in for 50+ years, so I got to see her new apartment (really nice with her friends nearby) and then go to the mall with my folks (Cheeseburger in Paradise has a great menu). Afterwards with my kids in good hands, I went out to dinner with my cousin Brian. Brian is able to find unique beers (we got to share the New England Barrel Aged Imperial Stout Trooper and the Voodoo Black Magic Bourbon Stout the night before) and shares my beer trekking enthusiasm. So we headed out to Pinocchio’s to see what they had in stock. I was happy to be introduced to the concept of being served a pint (The Brewery’s Saison De Lente) while I perused their selection. I was able to find some specialties, including Traquair’s 2020 and Flying Fish’s Hop Scarlet Ale (the Exit 9 in their turnpike series). We were near the city, and we were hungry so we got an address and used Garmin to get to Earth, Bread and Brewery (EBB) in Mt. Airy. The place was packed, but we found two seats at the bar and checked out their menu. EBB specialize in hearth-baked flatbreads, and Brian and I chose to split the Hunter (tomato sauce, spicy turkey sausage, blackened chicken, pepperoni asiago and mozzarella) to go along with the brews. They had several of their own brews (I especially enjoyed their Big G, a pale oat ale made with cheerios) and some guest drafts (such as the Dark Horse Tres Blueberry stout). The food and beer were great, and so was the company. It is great to share the experience with a fellow beer enthusiast. When we finished we headed up the street to McMenamin’s Tavern. This neighborhood bar had an awesome beer selection, highlighted by the Russian River Sanctification, a blonde sour ale. It is strange to leave a brewpub to get an after dinner drink, but I guess that is what we did. It was a great evening, especially since I didn’t have to worry about the kids since they were in good hands. The next day I headed home with the kids. I have always wanted to stop by the Farmhouse in Emmaus, list in Draft magazine as one of the 100 best bars in the US and Bon Appetite magazine. Getting there was a challenge, with Garmin taking us by a torturous route back and forth through the mountains (I’m sure there is some sort of analogy to the Bible’s Road to Emmaus story). The Farmhouse was beautiful and rustic, and did have a decent draft menu (I had the Southern Tier Gemini) to go with their raspberry & apple French toast (delicious). Jessica got the farmhouse eggs and bacon. Jacob got a shamrock shake and mcnuggets down the street later. The bottles selection was impressive, with a lot of vintage beers in stock. I got a Wynkoop Roundhouse barleywine (which was also delicious). It was fun to check the place out and I was glad it wasn’t too far off my beaten path. It was a good weekend, but was good to get home to give my lovely wife a much needed hug. - 5746/10430 "A night of good drinking is worth a year’s thinking." – Charles Cotton

Drink Locally, Think Globally!

2011-03-09T20:49:00.002-05:00

The Capital region has so many great beer spots for a beer geek to hang out at. I had a busy weekend and still was able to stop and smell the roses (or in my case sip the beer). When I run errands I’m always looking for that opportunity. It started with taking Jess up to Saratoga for a SibShops session. I pop in, meet the counselors, and then they tell me to split. So I head over to the Local Pub, and cozy up to a piece of wall and enjoy the experience. This is an English pub, with families and young people out to eat (try the Welsh rarebit), drink, and socialize. I had the Smuttynose Winter Ale, a classic from one of my favorite breweries.

The next day it was down to Mahar’s to meet some friends. I enjoyed the Full Sail Amber, and recommending different beers for the team. Sunday is time out with the family, and we passed on the Albany Pump House (forgot the food coupon) to go over to Brown’s brewing. We sat in the loft, looking down on the bar patrons. I got the Shepherd’s Pie, an English classic, and their Mardi Gras special Hoodoo Voodoo Ale (tasted a lot like their Irish Amber). It was a nice evening, and allowed us to bond as a family.

Finally, I had the pleasure seeing Jessica sing down at the Empire Plaza with her school choir. She did a fantastic job, and I was so proud of her. However, I couldn’t have lunch with the school, so I headed down to Castleton with Mahar’s 2. This place is perfect for lunch, no crowds, good food and even better beer. I had the Wychwood Bitter and a Ploughman’s lunch (guess I’m really getting in the mood for a trip back to the UK). Jim and I talked family, beer, work and then more beer. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

So if you are coming to Albany, give me a call and I can show you great spots to try quality beer. – 5746/10402

"I drink beer whenever I can get my hands on any." – Thomas Merton

A city full of Elevators

2011-02-25T14:16:00.004-05:00

I made a promise. I promised to take Jacob to NYC if he had a good few weeks at school, and even though the logistics were complicated (long round trip drives, beating the snow storm, etc.), we made it to the Southeast train station for the 8:12 to Grand Central Station. Jacob loves trains, and he loves subways, so we got into town and immediately took the #6 downtown to 33rd street to check out Rattle N Hum, a beer bar that I’ve been wanting to checkout. But even though the website said that they opened at 10AM, they weren’t. We were wet (did I mention it was raining) and I was disappointed (it worked out for the best as I’ll explain later), but we got back on the #6 uptown to 59th street to see some of Jacob’s favorite sites.

We stopped by FAO Schwartz (saw Tom Hanks’ piano), the Apple store, and Heartland Brewery (they weren’t open on time either). We headed next to Rockefeller Center and checked out both the Nintendo store (Pokemon black is coming) and the Lego store (check out the Lego Atlas). Yes there were elevators, lots of elevators. We went to Sony Wonderlabs, learning about the history of computers, and they had some interesting exhibits that were worth checking out. Jacob preferred Sony Place, learning about internet on TV and trying the 3-D Playstation (although I didn’t figure out Little Big Planet 2).

Jacob was tired and hungry, and we got a pretzel from a vendor (not as good as Philly’s by the way) on our way back to Rattle N Hum (http://rattlenhumbarnyc.com/) . This time they were open, and they were setting up for their cask festival. I ordered the Irish Style curry (I’m not sure what Irish style is), with chicken, vegetables and rice. It was good, but not very spicy (maybe that’s Irish style) and I was able to try a couple of local beers (Greenport Harbor Triton, Sixpoint Otis, and the Barrier Green Room) to wash it down. Both the tap selection and the bottle selection were excellent, and I was able to get a Stone Juxtaposition and Cigar City Guava Grove to go. On March 1st they were paying homage to Cigar City, having 24 of their beers on tap. And Rattle N Hum were just getting ready to kick-off their weekend cask festival, and I was able to order their first beer, Cigar City Jai A’lai. Being close to the Empire State Building and a subway stop, I’m sure I’ll be able to make it back soon.

Next we walked a few blocks to the Ginger Man (http://www.gingerman-ny.com/) , and even though the selection wasn’t as extensive as Rattle N Hum, the specialities were worth the trip. They had 2 beers on cask, and I was able to sample them both. The first was from the Swiss brewery BFM, and it was their Cuvee du 7eme, a limited edition beer brewed to celebrate the brewery’s 7th anniversary. The second was from England, RCH Steam Carnival, a beautiful English bitter. The waitress was more beer savvy, the chairs were plush, and the beer prices were notably less than Rattle N Hum ($12 less for the Cigar City bottle). I got the Cigar City Sea Bass to go (my back pack was getting full), and we headed over to the NY Public Library. A great place to hang out, although Jacob and I could never find the Children’s section. It was a long day, and time to head home.

Grand Central to Southeast station, head up the Taconic fighting the snow storm, dinner at Johnny Rockets (got to love the song and dance), and finally home. All I wanted to do was to get out of my wet clothes, but instead there was a 3 foot barrier from the plows at the end of my driveway. Jacob and I had a blast exploring, and he can’t wait to plan our next trip. - 5740/10385

"Blessed is the mother who gives birth to a brewer." – Czech Proverb

Bombs Away!

2011-02-23T19:50:00.003-05:00

Road trip. My brother Dave lives close to one of our vendors, and I was headed down to attend a two day meeting. It gave me an opportunity to stop by and spend the night and use turbo tax to help him with his taxes. I like visiting, I always get some Warcraft tips, and Dave had promised me a special treat. So I got out of my meeting earlier then he got out of work, so I made good use of my time stopping by some favorite spots.

I first headed to My Place (http://www.myplacepizza.com/home.htm) in Newton, a nice pizza place that offered a decent beer selection in Mark's Red Sox friendly taproom. I tried a local beer, Cavalry Hatch Plug, an English bitter that truly hit the spot after a long day in a hot conference room. It went down so easily, I needed another beer to savor. My second was a Harpoon Leviathan Quad, a deliciously strong Belgian ale. This beer needs to sipped, not slammed. Next I headed over to the Cork and Keg to check out their bottle selection. They used to have a great selection, and had recently added a walk in beer cooler. However, I was disappointed to find that the available selection had gone downhill. Still, I did fine several bottled versions from Cavalry, as well as a bottle of New England Wet Willy Scotch ale.

I got to Dave’s and dove into his taxes. To be honest, I did take a bit of sadistic pleasure in watching their reactions to Turbo Tax. Big refund with his info, need to pay after his wife’s info, smaller refund with the tax deductions. They ended up getting money back, so to celebrate we headed over to Eli Cannon’s Tap Room (http://www.elicannons.com/). The place has great food and a great beer selection. We split an order of nachos (I know, not on my diet) and I got the Cargo Philly cheesesteak, soaked in Jamaican Jerk spice, pepper jack cheese, and covered in jalapenos. Ouch! I needed some liquid quenching and tried two of their own beers from Magic Hat: their Sweet Sixteen Ale (I assume to celebrate their 16th anniversary) and their Snowshoe Lager. It’s a great bar, but it is 45 minutes from Dave’s and we needed to get back.

Dave had a special gift to split with me, and he knew what I liked. He found a bottle of Brewdog’s Sink the Bismarck (http://www.brewdog.com/sink_the_bismark) , an extreme IPA that weighs in at 41% ABV. Wow! We got out our sipping glasses and gave it a try. Was it good? Not quite. The alcohol was overpowering and burned my already burned palate. However, it is the strongest beer in the world that I will ever try (Brewdog only made 8 bottles of their End of the World beer that was >50% ABV). And I was certainly glad to be able to share the experience with my brother. – 5740/10370

"There can’t be good living where there is not good drinking." - Benjamin Franklin

Steeling some fun in the Steel City

2011-02-17T20:19:00.004-05:00

I’m back on the road again, and this time back to the Steel City. Our meeting was at a different location, so I had a chance to check out a few different beer joints to complement my standard favorites. So we got our rental car and headed off to my favorite place (don’t need Garmin for this destination) in Pittsburgh, Fathead’s (https://www.fatheads.com/).

Great sandwiches and beer, a winning combination. I got the Southside slopes, voted the #5 best sandwich in the USA by Maxim (that culinary giant) magazine. The slopes has kielbasa, fried pierogies, American cheese and grilled onions, and then topped with a horsey sauce. The taste was fantastic, but a little dry (I chose not to douse the combination in Heinz ketchup). Maybe they planned it that way to get you to try the beer. I had the Pillage Porter and the Hop Stalker IPA, both decent examples of their styles. My comrades were impressed (or embarrassed) when I requested the waitress to bring me a sample of the Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA so that I could do a comparison. The Hop Stalker was good, but not as good, as the Dark Horse. We were staying in Monroeville (literally next to the turnpike toll booths), and 2 blocks from D’s Six Packs and Dogs (http://www.ds6pax.com/) second location. It was definitely convenient, but not nearly as well stocked as their original site in Swissvale. I got a pint of Fuller’s Organic Honey-dew, and a bottle of Rustbelt McPoyle’s Milk Stout to chill with while playing WoW in the room (I do love my laptop).

The next day had us tied up in meetings all day long, and afterwards we all headed over to the Hofbrauhaus (http://www.hofbrauhauspittsburgh.com/) for dinner. I got the pretzels with bier cheese, and the schnitzel cordon bleu which contained even more bier cheese (I like bier cheese). I chose to wash it all down with a litre of the Dunkel (not to light, not to heavy), and we chatted there for ~4 hours. It is really cool to get out of the office to talk families, food, and (of course) beer!

The next day we wrapped up in the early afternoon, and fought the tunnel traffic to get over to the airport. Bocktown (http://www.bocktown.com/) has become our favorite watering hole while we are waiting for an airplane, and we all agreed that it would be a great place for lunch. We split an order of loaded fries, smothered with portabella mushrooms and bier cheese (did I say I like bier cheese?). I got the B.E.L.T.CH (peppered bacon, fried egg, lettuce, tomato, and American cheese) which came on sourdough bread, and I got a sampler. My favorite beer was their infusion (the mixing of of some flavors with a standard beer), and today’s offering was Dogfish Head Midas Touch with ginger peach tea. It was awesome! I also tried a few of the local offerings; East End Monkey Boy (a tasty bit of wit), Full Pint Rye Imperial Stout (interesting combination, but I couldn’t taste the rye), and Penn Chocolate Meltdown (very similar to Ommegang’s Chocolate Indulgence). This place made my day!

I made it home safe and sound. It is always good to get together and talk face to face. And if we have some fun in the process, that’s all the better. – 5737/10355

"Because, without beer, things don’t seem to go as well." – Brother Epp, 1902

Welcome 2011!

2011-01-01T18:43:00.003-05:00

Happy Belated New Year! The past six weeks have been tremendously busy, with Jenn making several trips to NH to support her mom and me figuring out what it would mean to be a single father (please Jenn, stay with me for a long, long time). So on New Year’s day we were visiting mom in the hospital in Boston and needed to stop for dinner on the way back to NY. I put Garmin to work to find an escape route from the city, and it turns out that one of my favorite multi-tap establishments was right on the way. The Sunset Grill and taproom (http://www.allstonsfinest.com/) offers a tremendous menu to accompany their 112-taps.

We were seated immediately, and I got a chance to peruse the menu (both the food and beer versions). I chose the west-coast fish tacos, while Jenn got the lemon and garlic grilled fajitas. There is also pizza and burgers, fish and steaks, Mexican and wings. The draft selection was awesome. I got a sampler (what else), which included the following treats:

• Nebraska Brunette Nut Brown: Had tried a few of their bottles at Capones last year. This brown ale was malty, low on hops and was similar to an English mild. A session beer that went great with my food, and invited you to have more than one.
• Goose Island Dominique: Their version of an American sour, using wild yeast and aging the beer in bourbon barrels. It had a great balance.
• Cisco Bay Santa’s Beered: A great Christmas beer, with distinct hints of cinnamon.
• Stone Lukcy Basartd Ale: An American strong ale, brewed to celebrate the 13th anniversary of the brewery. A bit too hoppy for the style, but what else would you expect from Stone.

It was a great dinner after a stressful week. We made it home safe and sound, ready to get back to school and to work. I can’t wait to see what this year has to offer (England, Seattle, Philly, Boston, NYC, Orlando, and the Outer Banks are all on the agenda). – 5717/10290

"A night of good drinking is worth a year’s thinking." – Charles Cotton

My Own Beer Bests for 2010

2010-12-31T20:01:00.000-05:00

Roeg’s Picks from 2010: I've reviewed so many lists, I thought I would take a shot of some of my own. Need to work on the categories, but this is a start for me in 2011.

1. Best Brewery: Brew Dog, Scotland – Congrats to Brew Dog for brewing the strongest beer in the world, End of History, which weighed in at 55% ABV. I love the brewery and the beers (especially the stouts aged in different whiskey casks). I was able to find their Tactical Nuclear Penguin, which was a modest 32% at Max’s in Baltimore. Looking to share after letting it age for 5 years.
2. Best Brewpub: Portsmouth Brewery, Portsmouth, NH – I know I’m biased, but this brewpub continues to shine. I love the nachos and their Old Brown Dog, and think their Thaizenheimer is fantastic. Smuttynose bottles their big beers, and there is always a cask available downstairs (but you have to remember to ask for it since it is not on their beer list). Their specialty beer is Kate the Great a RIS that is only released once a year (3/7/11).
3. Best Regional Bar: Great Lost Bear, Portland, ME – With their multiple taps and devotion to Maine microbreweries, this place is hard to beat. Their Allagash Alley features many of their specialty beers, and typically offer 4 Maine casks. GLB is also kid friendly, and offers solid comfort food for every taste in the family.
4. Best English Pub: Mahar’s 2, Castleton, NY – Opened this summer by the water (and the train tracks), a modest selection of quality drafts and a cask offering. Open for lunch with pub grub (pasties, curries, and the ploughman’s), it is a great place to go and sit. Quiet, spacious, and kid friendly (Laurie plays a mean game of dominos), it’s a beer geek haven without the college crowd. Nice!
5. Gastropub: Deep Ellum, Allston, MA – Pretty Things’ home bar had a wonderful menu to match its draft selection. I had a burrito made with Kentucky sausage, homemade hot sauce, pepper jack cheese, and green onions. It was perfect. The wait staff knew all about the beers on tap, a bit of history of the breweries, and what beers were coming next from the brewer. I can’t wait to return.
6. Sports Bar: Max’s on Broadway, Baltimore, MD – Max’s had almost as many TVs as taps, and I couldn’t think of a better place to be on an NFL Sunday. The beer selection was fabulous, both bottled and draft. And this place was made for sampling (I had 12), bringing out 4oz glasses as they were requested. They also set up events (Belgian Beer weekend is coming) and had a beer hunter find unique beers for the bar (I want that job), including Sink the Bismarck.
7. Multitaps: Fathead’s, Pittsburgh, PA – Business travel to Pittsburgh is the best, since I can go eat and drink at Fathead’s on South Side. From Headwiches to wings (I personally recommend the jalapeño cheddar), there will be plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. There are over 50 taps, and Fatheads offers their own beers, including the Headhunter IPA.
8. Bottle Selection: Mahar’s, Albany, NY – Mahar’s finds the beers that I can’t find, and offers their unique computer system to keep track for me the beers that I’ve already tried. With six casks, there is always an opportunity to have any of the Middle Ages award winners. I finally made #5 on the list, so you can see that there is no end to the selections offered.
9. Bottle Shop: Capone’s, Norristown, PA – A close race, but the selection was slightly better than at Pinnochio’s even if it was a tad more expensive. They had a great selection from Mikkeller and Brew Dog, plus many from California. Drop your wife off at the local IKEA and enjoy your own shopping experience.
10. Best Beer Event: Friday the Firkenteenth, Grey Lodge Pub, Philadelphia, PA – Based on the calendar, this past year had one event, and so will 2011. Best to share with your friends, we were drinking by 8:46 AM and made it through the first set of tappings by 10:30. Getting a seat at the bar is key, so get in line early. This year’s event is on 5/13/11, and my goal is to try EVERY keg. Who’s going to drive me home? How much is a cab ride from Philly?

"The mouth of a perfectly happy man is filled with beer." – Egyptian Proverb

2010 Wrap Up

2010-12-31T19:57:00.002-05:00

Out of time. No excuses but I need to finish to start on my next edition of my beer book. We had a good month, but it has been tough with some family emergencies. Here are the highlights:

12/13: Business trip to Baltimore. I love Max’s on Broadway for the beer selection and TVs. I also found Frisco’s Grill and the Pub Dog brewpub in Columbia, and the Judge’s Bench in Ellicott City. Can’t wait to taste the Tactical Nuclear Penguin.
12/23: Wrapped up the Advent Shebeen at Mahar’s. Solid selections, but not spectacular (very few big bottles and no rare finds). The highlights included Fegley’s Rude Elf’s Reserve and Stegmaier Winter Warmer. This could be the last year for the Advent.
12/25: Christmas with the family in Jersey allowed for some beer swapping and sharing. Dave brought the New England Ghandi Bot and Brian had the Victory Dark Intrigue. We headed over to Pinnochio’s and found Nogne O’s Sweet and Red Horizon.
12/28: Road trip to Boston. Stopped at My Place in Newton, CT and was able to try a New England Imperial Stout Trooper and then have dinner at the Boston Beer Works (welcome to Fenway kids).
12/29: Back to NH, hitting Kappy’s along the way for some Pretty Things and some Clown Shoes. We stopped and lounged at Red Hook for a Winterhook.
12/30: My favorite brewpub, the Portsmouth Brewery, offered their Milk Stout on cask as well as an aged version of their Wheat Wine.
12/31: A Prodigal Ebb Lager at Barley’s Pub in Dover and a magnum of Anchor’s OSA. Nice!

Here’s to everyone’s health, especially my own family’s. Take care and God Bless. – 5717/10290

"Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish. Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more." – Proverbs 31:6,7

A Dynamite Dinosaur

2010-12-11T14:43:00.001-05:00

I had lived in Troy when I first started work, and there was a brunch place in town on the river that I always used to take anyone who would visit me. It was called Castaways, and I was disappointed to find out that it was replaced by Fresnos when we moved back into the area. Fresnos was a Tex-Mex joint, but the food was bland, the service was slow, and the beer selection was limited to Bud and Bud Light. So you can imagine my excitement when it was replaced with a Dinosaur Bar-B-Que last month, offering the best smoked meat in NY. Jenn and I had both loved the locations in Syracuse and Rochester, and we were excited to check out our region’s new addition.

At 4PM on Saturday, the place was already packed. No problem, we moseyed the kids toward the bar and I got Jenn a jar of Sangria while I enjoyed a Goose Island Mild Winter on draft while watching the Army/Navy game (Navy won for the 10th time in a row 34-17). The beer selection was excellent, especially for a restaurant. The mild winter has a hint of spice but is not over-powering. We got a table in ½ the time advertised, and had a great view of the river (can’t wait for the spring visits). Jenn and I split a swag sampler, with deviled eggs, fried green tomatoes, shrimp, and chicken wings with their Dueling Devil sauce (watch out, the heat really builds up). Jenn got a pulled pork sandwich with a side of BBQ Dirty rice (note to self, ALWAYS choose this side) while I sampled their brisket with blue cheese with a Southern Tier Old Man Winter. Excellent food, great drinks, nice view; when do we get to go back?

I guess the only down side for us was that there wasn’t a children’s menu. Jessica was excited to get a ¼ rack of ribs so she was fine. Jacob had plain chicken with fries, but concentrated on the fries. All in all, we have a new family favorite right here in town. Guess we’ll be bringing the new visitors back to the old location. – 5683/10177

"God has a brown voice, as soft and full as beer." – Anne Sexton

What I'm Thankful For

2010-11-28T14:37:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving is a time to be thinking about what you are thankful for and spending time with your family. And as you may have guessed, I had the weekend planned for heading out to NH. But that changed with the need to reset some of our family’s priorities and take care of what was most important first. And for me, that meant a plan B that did not include traveling long distances to check out what’s new on the beer scene.

Thanksgiving was great (my sister-in-law Terry does a great job), and I got my fill of both ham and turkey once I got done being told where to sit. My brother –in-law Steve had a special bottle to split with me, Allagash Curieux Oak which is a lovely Belgian ale aged in casks (wine casks, I think). It was delicious, and so was all of the food. We had a good time together, and I was even able to check the football scores every once in awhile.

Friday, Jenn went with Mom and Dad down to Boston, so I had time to spend with the kids (my Black Friday shopping wrapped up ~3:45 AM). Jessica hung out with her Aunt Tina and Cousin Taylor (she is adorable!), while Jacob and I spent time at some of my favorite stops. The nachos at the Portsmouth Brewery were as tasty as ever and I was able to try an IPA brewed with Columbus hops on cask. I was even able to pick up a bottle of their Dunkel Gose (salt beer?) for sampling later (it was delicious). After a quick stop at Best Buy, we stopped by Redhook to see what they had to offer. They had their own Wee Heavy, and it went well with the brownie sundae that Jacob and I split. We had a good day, not the day we had originally planned, but still a good day.

Saturday we slept in (didn’t I say I was out shopping at 3:45 AM?), and made plans to drive over to the coast to Kennebunkport. We all love the coast; Jenn loves the water, dad loves the boats, Mom loves her lobsta, and I love my beer. So we headed over to Federal Jacks, home of Shipyard brewing, for lunch and I had a pastrami sandwich with their Taint Town Pale Ale on cask. The view was great and the company was even better. We headed over to the Bush’s place (no, George and Barbara did not invite us in) and drove along the rocky Maine coastline. It was a great way of spending time together (Jacob even took a break from his PSP).

I started this entry off talking about Thanksgiving, and this past weekend helped reinforce for me what is important. Family first, listening to each other and doing things that we all enjoy together. I’m thankful for my loving and caring wife, and my adventurous children. I appreciate that my kids can tell me just how they feel, even if it is not what I want to hear. I’m glad to spend quiet moments with my Nana, especially around the holidays. I’m glad that my parents and in-laws love and support my family in so many different ways. The kids love you guys. And I glad that I may be FINALLY getting the ability to go with the flow, even if outsiders don’t always see it that way. – 5670/10158

"A woman drove me to drink and I didn't even have the decency to thank her." - W.C. Fields

Come on Over to My Place

2010-11-07T22:13:00.002-05:00

Out of sight, out of mind. At least that is what I had hoped. Jessica was having some friends over to celebrate her 10th birthday, and we wanted her to enjoy her celebration without her older brother bothering her. So Jacob and I headed down to Uncle Dave’s for some pizza, dragon training, Simpsons and video games. We had a great evening (is it really past midnight?) even if we were drinking a stout that tasted like weasel poop, and Marty allowed us to sleep in a bit in the morning.

We went out to lunch, and I wanted to try a place that Dave new about but had not visited yet. It’s called My Place pizza (http://www.myplacepizza.com/), I checked it out on line and it looked like it offered a good selection of specialty beers. What a great bar, obviously the passion of a Red Sox fan with signs saying, “The Curse Reversed” and a picture of Varitek smashing the face of A-Rod (God, do I love that picture!). Notre Dame was playing against Navy in football (Notre Dame lost 35-17 by the way, didn’t I say I was having a great day) and they had Gulden Draak on draft, a great Belgian Tripel that I had never tried before. I had the Pastrami Reuben on Rye with a side of sweet potato fries. Jacob had the brownie sundae, and I had a Cavalry (local brewery) Dog Soldier ESB. I think I have found my favorite local restaurant.

Jacob and I got on the road and instead of heading straight home, we used Garmin to stop in at Captain Lawrence’s microbrewery (http://www.captainlawrencebrewing.com/). They were open to the public on Saturdays, and I was searching for a bottle of the Golden Delicious (a Belgian Tripel aged in apple brandy barrels) that I had on draft the weekend before. The brewery is located in a warehouse, and they definitely have their own local following. I found my bottle, and also found their Bierra De Cocco, a Mexican beer made with cacao. They also had their own Pumpkin Ale on draft, and that was excellent. But we were on a schedule, and Jacob’s DSI batteries were dying, so we headed on home.

It was a great guys weekend (we’ll include Christine since she was super cool to hang out with). – 5644/10101

"Well you see, Norm, it’s like this… A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it’s the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole because the general speed and health of the whole herd keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally it takes the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way the regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers." – Cliff Claven of Cheers

How Many Ounces in a Try

2010-10-15T14:54:00.004-05:00

I’ve often been asked how much of a beer do I need to have to take credit for trying it. Is it a 20oz Imperial pint, a 16oz American pint, a half pint? My answer is now a single oz, enough to cover a full sip of a friend’s beer (like I did many times in England). My list is a list of beers I tried, not how many I’ve gulped, chugged or swilled. That was most evident for me on my trip to Long Island this past week.

My first stop was in White Plains at the Lazy Boy Saloon (http://lazyboysaloon.com/). I had seen on their website that you could buy a bottle of Sam Adams Utopia for $200. One of the most expensive beers I’ve ever had and listed at 27% ABV, I had swore I’d never buy another bottle. However, I would spend $10 for a 1oz sample. It was delicious, warming up my insides with every sip. I followed it up with a pint of Captain Lawrence’s Golden Delicious, a Belgian Tripel aged in apple brandy barrels. I’d have to say this was one of the best Tripels I’ve had in a long time, and I’m looking forward to seeing if I can pick up the bottle or two if I ever make it to their brewery. I then took the road less traveled to central Long Island, going along the Northern Parkway to stop in to Canterbury Ales, an English-style pub in Huntington. The ride was gorgeous (crystal clear fall day along the northern inlets) and the pub was nice. I got to try a local beer, Greenport Harbor Disorient IPA. Best yet I got to avoid I-495 to get to my hotel to meet my coworkers.

We then needed to head out for dinner, and chose to head down to Patchogue for a twofer. We went to dinner at Bobbique (http://www.bobbique.com/), a Bar-B-Q place with a great selection of beer. I had the brisket and smoked sausage with a Blue Point Toxic Sludge IPA. The meal was excellent (and modestly priced) and the Toxic Sludge was a Black IPA (the newest fad in the microbrew industry) with proceeds being donated to save the oil-soaked birds in the Gulf of Mexico. Across the street was the Brick House Brewpub, a bar with bands and TVs. I highly recommend ordering the sampler if you go, $7 for 9 6oz samples (Definitely better than paying $5 a pint). I particularly enjoyed their Hop Waffle, a fine example of a Belgian IPA. It was worth the trip.

We had our meeting on Thursday, and I headed up to my brother’s for the night. We enjoyed not drinking Coors Light, I was titled “Loremaster”, and received a Bronze Drake due to the skill and negotiating of my brother. The next day we headed down to New Haven to check out Prime 16 (http://www.prime16.com/). This place had an exotic burger selection to accompany their draft selection. I had the Badlands burger (a bison burger topped with cheddar jack cheese, a black bean and corn salsa, and their special hot sauce) that came with blue cheese mashed potatoes (a great combination by the way). For the beer, I had the Peak Organic IPA on cask and the Captain Lawrence Kolsch (sort of my way of saying goodbye to summer). We met our friend Steve at the bar (apparently he’s a regular), and chatted for a while. On the way home we stopped at New England Brewing to chat with the brewers (they have an open door policy). This place is a two man operation that obviously enjoys what they do. We tried the Ghandi-Bot (approximately 3ozs worth), a double IPA that they had recently canned. Dave got a growler (Brian, you can have some if you travel up to Dave’s), and promised me he would check in on their beer made with tequila when it is released in a few weeks.

It was a good trip. I’m glad I was able to take advantage of being in the area to touch base with both family and friends. – 5630/10082

"I would kill everyone in this room for a drop of sweet, tasty beer." - Homer Simpson

PS - Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVKJFWDdVk0.