Don't Miss This Baby...

Basil T's Toms River is firing up another of its highly acclaimed Oktoberfest Beer Dinners. The date is set for Friday, September 28, 2007 at the upscale Hooper Ave. location.

The last time this event was held it was an overwhelming success, and this year's should be no different. No less a beer dinner authority than the ubiquitous and knowledgeable Mark Haynie claimed in his review of the event that he had been to many beer dinners, but this one was without a doubt the best he had ever attended.

There's good reason for that, too. BTTR goes all out, as a quick look at the menu in the post below will attest. Steve Farley is a wizard in the kitchen. The Firehouse Polka Band, the stunning, efficient and friendly "Dirndl Beauties" who serve, the top-notch food and the beers of Dave Hoffman (Climax Brewing) combine to produce what should be a memorable night.

I'll be on hand for my usual schtick and comic relief, maybe even with a few new jokes. So gussy yourselves up, bring your most photogenic smiles (your smiling face could easily be featured here) and be prepared for a great time.

Bring a big appetite, and don't forget your singing voice, because "Ein Prosit der Gemutlichkeit" is the featured song of the night. But remember that seating is limited, so you want to make your reservations early.

See you down at Basil T's Toms River!

Basil T’s Toms River Oktoberfest 07

BASIL T'S ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST DINNER

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2007

6:30PM SHARP

HOSTED BY BREWMASTER DAVE HOFFMAN AND THE PUBSCOUT--KURT EPPS

CUISINE AND PARTY BY EXECUTIVE CHEF STEVEN M FARLEY

MUSIC BY FIREHOUSE POLKA BAND

SERVICE BY THE BASIL T'S DIRNDL BEAUTIES

$65.00 INCLUSIVE OF TAX AND GRATUITY

ENJOY AN AUTHENTIC OKTOBERFEST FIVE COURSE DINNER AND ALL OF BASIL T'S HAND CRAFTED BREWS

 
 

RECEPTION:

HUMMER REMOULADENSOSSE

BAVARIAN SHRIMP COCKTAIL

BARNEGAT LIGHT

 
 

APPETIZER:

SCHWAIBISCHE MAULTASHEN

GERMAN RAVIOLI WITH VEAL AND VEGETABLES, DEMI GLACE, CRISP ONIONS

NUT BROWN ALE

 
 

WURST SAMPLER:

WEISSWURST, BRATWURST AND BOCKWURST

WHITE, BRAT AND BOCK WITH FINE GERMAN MUSTARDS, RADISHES, GHERKINS

INDIA PALE ALE

 
 

MAIN COURSE:

KASSLER RIPPCHEM, BIER SOSSO, SPATZLE, APFELMUS ODER APFELBRI, PIKANTER KOHL, KARTOFFELPUFFER ODER REIBERDATSCHI

SMOKED PORK LOIN WITH BEER SAUCE, SPAETZLE, HOMEMADE APPLE SAUCE, SWEET AND SOUR RED CABBAGE, POTATO PANCAKES

OKTOBERFEST

 
 

DESSERT:

BLACK FOREST CAKE

SPATEN OPTIMATOR

 
 

"Gut Essen, Gut Trinken"

 
 

 
 

An interesting addition to your Lawnmower collection

Just finished washing and waxing the Santa Fe. Hit the fridge and saw a Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat. It wasn't yet sunset, but I figured, "What the hey?"

Poured it slowly into a clean pint glass and sniffed. Hmmm...interesting methinks.
Sipped. Hmmm...what is that taste? Clove? Nah. Bubblegum? Nah. I couldn't nail it, even though the glass was now drained. What to do?

Easy.

Pour another. (Hey. car washing is hard work, pal. I earned it.)

And then I found the flavor....
Pepper.
Yep. Pepper.
Or at least that's what it tasted like to me. No problem, though. It was different and real good.
Does Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat make my Lawnmower Beer list?
Yep.
And it should make yours, too.
Now get out there. There are lawns to be mowed and cars to be washed.

Lawnmower Beers

 

First, I need to define what a "Lawnmower" beer is. Simply put, it's a beer you sit down to after you've done physical labor, like mowing the lawn, yard work, a workout at the gym or on your bike--anything which requires the the expending of physical energy, which , in turn, creates a sweat.

For those sessions, I reach for a beer that is, first of all, refreshing and thirst-quenching. A hefeweizen, flavored or otherwise, is usually a sound choice. But a good Kolsch or quality pilsner can also serve.

I'm particularly fond of SA's Cherry Wheat, Hefeweizen or Summer Ale, but Sea Dog's Blueberry Wheat is also a great choice.

Of late, I have discovered Harpoon's Summer Beers, and there are a few that can qualify as good choices.

Most of us recognize the term UFO, and you might qualify as one if you have too many Lawnmower Beers in succession, but Harpoon's definition is for UnFiltered Offering. Both of these are worth your time. The first, with a blue label, is just UFO. It's a standard hefeweizen, true to style though perhaps a bit lighter in color than some hefes. Crisp and refreshing, it will slake that yardwork thirst pretty effectively while delivering nice wheat notes in both nose and palate. A nice bitter finish rounds out the experience.

The second is Raspberry Hefeweizen, distinguished by its red label emblazoned with a ringed framboise. Like its sister, this beer is crisp and refreshing, and the raspberry nose is definitely present, though it doesn't overpower on the palate. The raspberry notes are not sweet, but tantalizingly tart, and it, too, will quench that workout thirst. Raspberries will linger on the tongue in the finish.

The third suggestion is named simply Summer Beer, and it's served up in the classic Kolsch style. With its smooth mouthfeel, this golden light-bodied beer should please both beer nut and newbies alike. It makes a nice transition beer for those who are tentatively venturing into the world of craft beers.

So get out the mower, clippers and weedwhackers, spruce up your property, put the gear away and relax with one of these as you contemplate your handiwork.

That's what summer is for.

 

A Day in NYC