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Good pubs, Good Beer, Good People
Friday, November 26, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Don't let your nibs turn blue
I stopped in Costco yesterday (albeit a bit early to hit the "Senior Buffet") and picked up some supplies. In the beer aisle, as I passed the very good and previously reviewed Kirkland offerings along with the inane "Turn your Mountains Blue" Coors Light, I found Sam Adams Winter Beers Collection, and since Old Fezziwig, Holiday Porter and Winter Lager have long been cold weather favorites, I picked up a case. $26 for 24 SA beers is a darned good deal if you ask this pensioner.
But what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a Chocolate Bock as one of the beers! I had always wanted to try this brew, and when I got home late last night I pulled one from the fridge. I read the label to discover there were "nibs" (whatever they are) from Ecuador used in the process, and that process included aging the beer on a bed of cocoa. Sounds a bit messy, but I poured the dark brew into a chalice-style glass to more fully savor what became an impressive nose, and Willy Wonka dutifully called out to my olfactory lobes.
The first sip made me think that this may be the silkiest, smoothest beer I have had in many moons, and the flavor was most rewarding. I remember treasuring chocolate egg creams at my childhood soda fountain, and this beer brought me back there. Not overly sweet, but definitely chocolatey, toasty and unbelievably smooth--and it improved as it warmed. It was liquid velvet on the tongue and palate with a finish that hung around like cigar smoke over a 1940's pool table.
I still chuckle at those Coors Light Silver Bullet commercials which attempt to convince beer folks that colder beer is better beer. What nonsense. And all you need to prove it is to pick up some of this stuff. I am disappointed that only four bottles come with this SA Winter pack, too. I'd have evicted the SA Lager (a good beer in its own right) in this collection and made room for four more of these babies. In fact, I'm probably going to see if Dan Ratti can get it in cases.
It's going to be long winter. Most days, Old Man Winter will do his best to turn my nibs blue. But he can't if they're in my Sam Adams Chocolate Bock.
But what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a Chocolate Bock as one of the beers! I had always wanted to try this brew, and when I got home late last night I pulled one from the fridge. I read the label to discover there were "nibs" (whatever they are) from Ecuador used in the process, and that process included aging the beer on a bed of cocoa. Sounds a bit messy, but I poured the dark brew into a chalice-style glass to more fully savor what became an impressive nose, and Willy Wonka dutifully called out to my olfactory lobes.
The first sip made me think that this may be the silkiest, smoothest beer I have had in many moons, and the flavor was most rewarding. I remember treasuring chocolate egg creams at my childhood soda fountain, and this beer brought me back there. Not overly sweet, but definitely chocolatey, toasty and unbelievably smooth--and it improved as it warmed. It was liquid velvet on the tongue and palate with a finish that hung around like cigar smoke over a 1940's pool table.
I still chuckle at those Coors Light Silver Bullet commercials which attempt to convince beer folks that colder beer is better beer. What nonsense. And all you need to prove it is to pick up some of this stuff. I am disappointed that only four bottles come with this SA Winter pack, too. I'd have evicted the SA Lager (a good beer in its own right) in this collection and made room for four more of these babies. In fact, I'm probably going to see if Dan Ratti can get it in cases.
It's going to be long winter. Most days, Old Man Winter will do his best to turn my nibs blue. But he can't if they're in my Sam Adams Chocolate Bock.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Luna-Tic Here
By Kurt Epps—The PubScout
I love good pizza. And I love good beer.
But—confession time—I don't love them together. Don't know why, since beer and pizza seems to go as well in the minds of the general populace as beer und brats. But I never warmed to the combo, perhaps because of the breadiness factor. Pizza, no matter what you put on it, is bread, and beer is liquid bread. So I prefer a good root beer, birch beer or sarsaparilla with my pizza.
A guy, who used to take his dates out for pizza before bringing them to his place to see his, um, etchings, once told me, "Pizza is a lot like sex. Even when it's bad, it's pretty good."
Maybe. But what about when the pizza is simply out-of-this-world, like at Luna Pizzeria in Three Bridges, NJ? Following a motorcycle charity meetup for the American Heart Association at Duke Island Park, one of the organizers had us motoring (on a positively scintillating autumn day) on the back twisties of Somerset County en route to Frank Catena's place.
The place isn't big. Three Bridges itself is so small that if you don't get stopped by a train changing cars in the town center, you might not realize you even went through the town center. But, as the saying goes, "It's not the size of the pie in the dog…" or something like that. Frank's pies, written up extensively in the Star-Ledger, are special because they're made that way. Using a special dough and ingredients obtainable only in Italy, and following a pizza code that is every bit as stringent as the Reinheitsgebot is for beer, Catena puts out some absolutely delicious and varied gourmet pies. All the ingredients in every pie are incredibly—nay, religiously—fresh, right down to the basil leaves Frank or his wife Jeannette pluck from the basil plant growing by the door.
Frank, a motorcycle buff himself who owns a number of vintage Harleys (including a 1914 model), is amiable, knowledgeable and most of all, committed to his craft, which he's been plying for only three years. He was instructed in the trade by a Master Pizzauioli (Pizza Master) who spoke only in Italian, so a translator was needed. "This guy is one of the two best in the world," says Frank, "and I follow his direction completely. My customers tell me it shows."
Indeed it does. I had slices of the Margherita, the highly acclaimed sausage and Frank's personal favorite—the White Clam Pie. Hoboken's Ol' Blue Eyes himself used to order pizza shipped to him on the Left Coast from a guy in Jersey. Frank, with some difficulty, got the guy to share the recipe, and now Frank (who tweaked the ingredients) unabashedly claims, "Mine's better."
I ate so much Luna Pizza, accompanied by root beer, that I barely had room for the special Nutella Dessert Frank made for his fellow bikers. For that delicacy, there are, simply, no words.
Sated, I paid my part of the very reasonable tab, threw my leg over the Blue Eagle and departed via the Somerset County backroads, brilliant with reds, oranges, yellows and browns all splashed by a bright sun.
I left the little town of Three Bridges and its little award-winning pizzeria in the rearview mirror
But like The Terminator, I'll be back.
Luna Restaurant...429 Main St....Three Bridges, NJ 08887
908-284-2321
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Overflow Crowd at Uno's O-fest
With October rapidly winding down, the folks at Uno's Grill and Brewery held their Octoberfest dinner, under the steady-yet-nuanced chef's hand of Moshe the Barman and Brewer Mike Sella. Lenny and Jill served the overflow crowd which spilled out onto the patio on a warmer than usual late october night.
You could tell this one had Moshe's touch, too. Most cheese, veggie and dip courses don't have ten-year old Gouda cheese in abundance, and that the course was accompanied by Mike Sella's Scottish (NOT Scotch) ale also indicated an avant-garde approach. Moshe's Kohlsuppe, paired with Avery's Ellie's Brown Ale, was a huge crowd (and belly) pleaser, as was his Tomaten Salad. The Brat course, served with Mike's ale-based Oktoberfest was melt-in-your-mouth good, but Moshe's Rouladen entree was just killer. Accompanied by Moshe's favorite German Oktoberfest beer--Paulaner--nearly every one of the 45 person group mmmm'ed and wowed while putting it away. The Sweet Noodle Pudding came with a dollop of Vanilla Ice Cream prepared with Hailey's Ale from Hailey's Harp and Pub in Metuchen, becoming known for its beer dinners as well. Proprietor Chris Flynn was in attendance. The dish was joined by Left Hand Brewing's Milk Stout and the pairing got great praise.
Lots of new faces were at this event, but the old standbys were also well represented--Dave, Gri, Uncle Frank, Deb (and that guy she's next to, Gary), Jim and others.
There was of course, the usual Oktoberfest Music and Mayhem, but at night's end--after 10:30--everyone went home sated and happy. Uno's next beer dinner will probably take place after the hoildays, so stay tuned for notices here.
Check out the pictures top right, and for some video, head to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R39VPDI8PZw or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95QXOZPtVG8 or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6efE-zLcmo
You could tell this one had Moshe's touch, too. Most cheese, veggie and dip courses don't have ten-year old Gouda cheese in abundance, and that the course was accompanied by Mike Sella's Scottish (NOT Scotch) ale also indicated an avant-garde approach. Moshe's Kohlsuppe, paired with Avery's Ellie's Brown Ale, was a huge crowd (and belly) pleaser, as was his Tomaten Salad. The Brat course, served with Mike's ale-based Oktoberfest was melt-in-your-mouth good, but Moshe's Rouladen entree was just killer. Accompanied by Moshe's favorite German Oktoberfest beer--Paulaner--nearly every one of the 45 person group mmmm'ed and wowed while putting it away. The Sweet Noodle Pudding came with a dollop of Vanilla Ice Cream prepared with Hailey's Ale from Hailey's Harp and Pub in Metuchen, becoming known for its beer dinners as well. Proprietor Chris Flynn was in attendance. The dish was joined by Left Hand Brewing's Milk Stout and the pairing got great praise.
Lots of new faces were at this event, but the old standbys were also well represented--Dave, Gri, Uncle Frank, Deb (and that guy she's next to, Gary), Jim and others.
There was of course, the usual Oktoberfest Music and Mayhem, but at night's end--after 10:30--everyone went home sated and happy. Uno's next beer dinner will probably take place after the hoildays, so stay tuned for notices here.
Check out the pictures top right, and for some video, head to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R39VPDI8PZw or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95QXOZPtVG8 or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6efE-zLcmo
Want to go to Belgium and (drink) brew beer?
PHILLY BEER WEEK
TO SEND ONE REGIONAL BREWER AND ONE LOCAL BEER DRINKER
TO BELGIUM FOR COLLABORATION BREW
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- One regional brewer and one local beer drinker and will get a chance to win an all expenses paid trip to Belgium to help brew a Philly Beer Week (PBW) collaborative beer with world-renown brewer Dirk Naudts of De Proef Brouwerij. The two lucky winners will be selected during a fun party on Wednesday, November 17 starting at 7 p.m. at McGillin’s Olde Ale House (1310 Drury St., 215-735-5562) in Center City.
Beers lovers can enter a raffle ($5 per ticket or 5 tickets for $20 to benefit PBW) to select the brewer that they would like to send to Belgium. At 8:30 pm, one raffle ticket will be picked and the person who entered, along with the brewer named on their entry, will win the free trip.
A partial list of participating breweries will include: Dock Street Brewing Co., Dogfish Head, Flying Fish Brewing Company, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Lancaster Brewing Company, Manayunk Brewpub, Nodding Head, Sly Fox Brewery, Stoudt’s Brewing Company, Twin Lakes Brewing Company, Troegs Brewing Co, Victory Brewing Company, Weyerbacher Brewing Company and Yards Brewing Company, whose brewers will be on hand for the drawing.
“This is a project that perfectly embodies the spirit of America’s Best Beer-Drinking City,” said Don Russell, a.k.a. Joe Sixpack, the executive director of Philly Beer Week. “Thanks to so many Belgian-style bars and locally brewed Belgian-style beers, Philadelphia has a worldwide reputation as ‘Brussels on the Schuylkill.”
In February 2011, Naudts will work with the winning duo to produce a special porter that will be unveiled during the annual celebration to be held June 3 through 12, 2011. The porter will be part of DeProef’s ongoing Brewmaster’s Collection series and will be poured alongside hundreds of other great craft beers, including another Philly Beer Week collaborative beer created by a group of the region’s brewers.
“Porter is a classic Philly style,” said Russell, who noted that, for Philly Beer Week ’10, area restaurateurs brewed the collaborative ExPorter with Sierra Nevada. “It has been brewed here since before the Revolution. It’s an extremely flexible style that allows all kinds of interpretation by inventive brewers.”
Philly Beer Week, which will be held June 3 to 12, 2011, is a 10-day celebration of the Best Beer-Drinking City in America, highlighting the region’s diverse beer scene – its world-class breweries, neighborhood taverns, trend-setting restaurants and rich beer culture and history. Established in 2008, it’s the largest beer celebration of its kind in the United States, featuring hundreds of festivals, dinners, tours, pub crawls, tastings and meet-the-brewer nights at area bars, restaurants and other locations throughout Greater Philadelphia. The event is organized and operated by Philly Beer Week Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization overseen by a board comprised of brewery owners, distributors, restaurant owners and others, to promote Philadelphia’s beer and hospitality industries.
Each year since 2007, brewmaster Dirk Naudts of De Proef Brouwerij in the village of Lochristi has collaborated with a highly regarded American brewer to create a series of one-of-a-kind ales. The beers, distributed nationally by SBS-Imports of Seattle, Washington, have met with critical acclaim and have been chosen as a monthly selection by the prestigious Michael Jackson Rare Beer Club.
“I am very excited to add Philly Beer Week to the outstanding list of partners in the De Proef Collaboration Series,” says Alan Shapiro of SBS-Imports. “PBW is the benchmark beer week throughout the U.S. and I have no doubt this beer will be highly sought after by specialty beer enthusiasts across the country.”
2007 - Signature Ale with Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing.
2008 - Les Deux Brasseurs with Jason Perkins of Allagash Brewing.
2009 - Van Twee with John Malle of Bell’s Brewing.
2010 - Monstre Rouge with Spike Bukowski of Terrapin Brewing.
2011 – Yet-to-be-named Philly Beer Week brew with yet-to-be-named brewer.
TO SEND ONE REGIONAL BREWER AND ONE LOCAL BEER DRINKER
TO BELGIUM FOR COLLABORATION BREW
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- One regional brewer and one local beer drinker and will get a chance to win an all expenses paid trip to Belgium to help brew a Philly Beer Week (PBW) collaborative beer with world-renown brewer Dirk Naudts of De Proef Brouwerij. The two lucky winners will be selected during a fun party on Wednesday, November 17 starting at 7 p.m. at McGillin’s Olde Ale House (1310 Drury St., 215-735-5562) in Center City.
Beers lovers can enter a raffle ($5 per ticket or 5 tickets for $20 to benefit PBW) to select the brewer that they would like to send to Belgium. At 8:30 pm, one raffle ticket will be picked and the person who entered, along with the brewer named on their entry, will win the free trip.
A partial list of participating breweries will include: Dock Street Brewing Co., Dogfish Head, Flying Fish Brewing Company, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Lancaster Brewing Company, Manayunk Brewpub, Nodding Head, Sly Fox Brewery, Stoudt’s Brewing Company, Twin Lakes Brewing Company, Troegs Brewing Co, Victory Brewing Company, Weyerbacher Brewing Company and Yards Brewing Company, whose brewers will be on hand for the drawing.
“This is a project that perfectly embodies the spirit of America’s Best Beer-Drinking City,” said Don Russell, a.k.a. Joe Sixpack, the executive director of Philly Beer Week. “Thanks to so many Belgian-style bars and locally brewed Belgian-style beers, Philadelphia has a worldwide reputation as ‘Brussels on the Schuylkill.”
In February 2011, Naudts will work with the winning duo to produce a special porter that will be unveiled during the annual celebration to be held June 3 through 12, 2011. The porter will be part of DeProef’s ongoing Brewmaster’s Collection series and will be poured alongside hundreds of other great craft beers, including another Philly Beer Week collaborative beer created by a group of the region’s brewers.
“Porter is a classic Philly style,” said Russell, who noted that, for Philly Beer Week ’10, area restaurateurs brewed the collaborative ExPorter with Sierra Nevada. “It has been brewed here since before the Revolution. It’s an extremely flexible style that allows all kinds of interpretation by inventive brewers.”
Philly Beer Week, which will be held June 3 to 12, 2011, is a 10-day celebration of the Best Beer-Drinking City in America, highlighting the region’s diverse beer scene – its world-class breweries, neighborhood taverns, trend-setting restaurants and rich beer culture and history. Established in 2008, it’s the largest beer celebration of its kind in the United States, featuring hundreds of festivals, dinners, tours, pub crawls, tastings and meet-the-brewer nights at area bars, restaurants and other locations throughout Greater Philadelphia. The event is organized and operated by Philly Beer Week Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization overseen by a board comprised of brewery owners, distributors, restaurant owners and others, to promote Philadelphia’s beer and hospitality industries.
Each year since 2007, brewmaster Dirk Naudts of De Proef Brouwerij in the village of Lochristi has collaborated with a highly regarded American brewer to create a series of one-of-a-kind ales. The beers, distributed nationally by SBS-Imports of Seattle, Washington, have met with critical acclaim and have been chosen as a monthly selection by the prestigious Michael Jackson Rare Beer Club.
“I am very excited to add Philly Beer Week to the outstanding list of partners in the De Proef Collaboration Series,” says Alan Shapiro of SBS-Imports. “PBW is the benchmark beer week throughout the U.S. and I have no doubt this beer will be highly sought after by specialty beer enthusiasts across the country.”
2007 - Signature Ale with Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing.
2008 - Les Deux Brasseurs with Jason Perkins of Allagash Brewing.
2009 - Van Twee with John Malle of Bell’s Brewing.
2010 - Monstre Rouge with Spike Bukowski of Terrapin Brewing.
2011 – Yet-to-be-named Philly Beer Week brew with yet-to-be-named brewer.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Is ticking off the witches a good idea around Halloween?
Interesting, informative article about beer, women and Montclair State University--my alma mater. Click below...
Witch’s Wit Ale to Change Label After Complaints - NYTimes.com
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Beers that made the blacklist...
Sorry if your regular brew is on here, but if it is...there's a very good reason!
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