Drinking with Khaleesi (of the Dothraki)

Sometimes the statewide/nationwide search for good beer bars and pubs causes you to overlook some of the ones closest to home. Such a place is The Old Bay in New Brunswick. I started patronizing the joint back in 1987—when it first opened. It was a celebratory visit to recognize the birth of my first-born son Brett in nearby RWJ hospital. The kid had his mom in labor for more than 20 hours, and after he finally emerged, we both needed a beer. She, of course, was confined to hospital fare. But I was not.

So two of my buddies who waited it out with me walked down to the Old Bay to celebrate, and I’ve been going back to this cool New Orleans-themed bar ever since. My visits became more regular after 1996, when I broke into the beer writing business, because the Old Bay had lots of outstanding selections on tap and in bottles, thanks to the efforts of Chris Demetrios.

Happily that is still the case as the Old Bay has a magnificent beer tower and Pat Pipi, the current GM who’s responsible, has a great eye, nose and palate for great beer.

Finding the perfect spot in the parking garage nearby to park my motorcycle (God is often too good to me), I stopped in today to help the Old Bay celebrate 25 years in business, and they had pulled out all the stops for the event. Great food, all that good beer, giveaways of shirts and pint glasses, a super-sounding Nawlins band (called, appropriately, the New Orleans Sound) crawfish (both alive on the bar and ready to die for the cause in a big pot outside) and a lively, committed crew and crowd made it an afternoon to remember. That every patron's $10 donation went directly to Elijah's Promise Soup Kitchen made it even more appealing.

As is customary in good beer bars, there are often too many good choices (Old Bay even has a Canned Craft Beer section) which command one’s attention, but a relative newcomer from Bear Republic brewing in California got mine. Dubbed Hop Rod Rye, it was both hoppy and complex, and the rye notes danced all the way through to the finish. It paired up superbly with the free buffet Shrimp Etouffe, but my guess is that it would have gone well with anything on the menu except for the Bourbon-soaked Bread Pudding.

For that, a special beer was required, so I scoured the beer tower and found the face of Khaleesi of the Dothraki, aka the Mother of Dragons in Game of Thrones. And her Dragon’s Milk answered the call perfectly. Not that it was new taste for me, as I celebrated my conquest of the legendary Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee and North Carolina with that beer—a full bottle’s worth. At 10% abv, that’s not an amount suggested for any ride until it’s over, and I dutifully drank it in my hotel room. But the Old Bay responsibly pours you less than that, and while it’s sufficient to make you wax eloquent in praise of Khaleesi, it won’t prevent you from riding home. One won’t anyway.

My visit to the Old Bay reminded me that good beer and good beer bars don’t always require lots of mileage from home. I’ll definitely be back for more.

I just hope Khaleesi is still there.

Beer Here!

When we were kids, field trips out of school were a special treat, even if we had to go to a [gasp!] MUSEUM. How boring. But at least we got out of school for a day, and if our chaperones were lucky, they brought back the same number of kids they left with. Maybe if there were trips like this, more of us would like MUSEUMS. This exhibit might warrant a train trip to the Apple. You in?

At The PubScout's Phavorite Philly Pub...

PHILADELPHIA (May 23, 2012) - McGillin's Olde Ale House, Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern, will serve a special "Eat Beer" menu featuring foods made with beer and host Meet the Brewer events with Yuengling, Saranac and Sly Fox during Philly Beer Week, which runs June 1-10, 2012.  

    McGillin's has created a special "Eat Beer" menu featuring a rotating list of foods made with beer. The beer-based specials will be available for the entire event, which runs June 1 through 10. Highlights of the menu include Ma's Beer Mussels Steamed in McGillin's Lager, garlic and leeks; General Washington's Marinated NY Strip with McGillin's 1860 IPA; and McGillin's Beer-y Summer Cobb Salad with Ithaca Apricot Wheat Raspberry Vinaigrette.

    On Tuesday, June 5, McGillin's will host a Meet the Brewer event with Sly Fox Brewery and serve O'Reilly's Stout Ice Cream Floats. The event will be held at McGillin's from 5 - 7 p.m. No cover. Pay as you go.

     On Wednesday, June 6, meet Fred Matt, owner Matt Brewing, and Rich Michaels, brewer of  Saranac Beers from 7-9 p.m. No cover. Pay as you go.  

     On Friday, June 8, Philly's oldest bar welcomes America's oldest brewery - Yuengling. Meet the Yuengling family, hear their stories and taste their beer. Enjoy a pint of the same beer your great-great-great grandfather likely drank at the bar where he likely drank it. At McGillin's from 6 to 8 p.m. No cover. Pay as you go. 

       McGillin's, 1310 Drury Street, between Chestnut & Sansom, 13th & Juniper 215/735-5562.

www.mcgillins.com.


The PubScout will be stopping by...will you?

Philly Beer Week, Here We Come!

Will you be lucky enough to meet 
Paula Abdul at Philly Beer Week? 

Lord knows I wasn't. But she''s close.

       

OPENING TAP 2012,

NEW VIP SESSION, ONE OF THE SIGNATURE EVENTS OF PHILLY BEER WEEK

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Tickets are now available online for the fifth-annual Opening Tap, the official kick-off event of Philly Beer Week (PBW) 2012, to be held on Friday, June 1 at the Independence Visitor Center.  As in the past, tickets are expected to sell out quickly for this signature event, which includes tastes of beer from over 30 regional brewers and the ceremonial “first tapping” of PBW 2012.  New in 2012, is a one-hour VIP Session which will be held from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. and will include a selection of special beers paired with complimentary beer-friendly food, as well as a souvenir drinking glass and a gift bag.  General admission will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will cost $40 per person.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.phillybeerweek.org; tickets will not be available for purchase at the door.

“Opening Tap is one of our most popular and enduring events,” says Executive Director Don Russell. “We’re thrilled to announce that tickets are available now online, and we look forward to a best-ever crowd at this year’s sure-to-be-sold-out event.”

Opening Tap will be open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m. with the ceremonial ‘first tap’ by Mayor Michael Nutter.  The tapping will be held outside, on Independence Mall, adjacent to the Independence Visitor Center.  Those waiting to enter the main affair will be in prime position to see Mayor Nutter slinging the official PBW keg mallet (affectionately known as the Hammer of Glory, or HOG) to release PBW’s first drops of Brotherly Suds 3, the official local collaborative beer of PBW 2012.   

"Now in its fifth year, Philly Beer Week has developed a well-deserved national buzz.  Philadelphia has one of the most respected celebrations anywhere, spotlighting our brewers, great bars and restaurants throughout the region," said Mayor Nutter.

Live music will be provided by trumpeter Josh Lawrence and the New Quartet. Once tapped, the festival doors will open for a strolling beer tasting on two levels of the Visitors Center.  Confirmed Opening Tap breweries include:

·         Appalachian

·         Boston Beer

·         Box Car Brewing

·         Dock Street

·         Dogfish Head

·         Evil Genius

·         Fegley’s Brew Works

·         Flying Fish

·         Free Will

·         Full Pint

·         Home Sweet Homebrew

·         Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

·         Keystone Homebrew

·         Lancaster

·         Manayunk Brewing Company

·         Neshaminy Creek Brewing

·         Nodding Head

·         Penn Brewing

·         Philadelphia Brewing Company

·         Prism

·         River Horse

·         Round Guys

·         Shawnee Craft Brewing

·         Sly Fox

·         Stoudts

·         Triumph 

·         Troegs

·         Twin Lakes

·         Victory

·         Weyerbacher

·         Yards

·         Yuengling

Beer drinkers will also have the first taste of Dupont Speciale Belge, a Belgian ale brewed at Brasserie Dupont in Tourpes, Belgium by master brewer Olivier Dedeycker and Iron Hill Maple Shade head brewer Chris LaPierre in a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between the two “cities of frotherly love” exclusively for PBW 2012.  The collaborative beer is a first for 167-year-old Brasserie Dupont and was organized by its American importer, Vanberg & DeWulf. 

Beer friendly food will be available for purchase on site from Max & Me Catering.  There will also be live music by the Flathead Gang.  Attendees must be at least 21 years of age, and no children will be admitted. 

For those who are already making plans to attend other PBW signature events, the $100 per person VIP with Forum of the Gods Package includes Opening Tap admission, the VIP Session and guaranteed seating at the highly praised Forum of the Gods round-table talk and tasting with top beer world luminaries which will held on Wednesday, June 6 at 2 p.m. at Philadelphia Bar and Restaurant.  Those who will be acting as designated drivers can attend the Opening Tap for $25 per person, including complimentary soft drinks and a PBW t-shirt.

Philly Beer Week 2012 will be held from Friday, June 1 until Sunday, June 10.  PBW is a 10-day celebration of “America’s Best Beer-Drinking City,” kicks off on the first Friday in June annually.  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 throughout Greater Philadelphia.  PBW highlights the region’s diverse beer scene – its world-class breweries, neighborhood taverns, trend-setting restaurants and rich beer culture and history. 

For more information about Philly Beer Week, including the ever-expanding schedule of events both during PBW and throughout the year, a list of participants and other details, please visit www.phillybeerweek.org, follow them on Twitter (@PhillyBeerWeek; PBW tweets should include the hashtag #PBW) and like them on Facebook (Philly Beer Week).

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Pay attention, Beer Nuts!

Chris DePeppe is planning another beerfest blast, and this time it's in Six Flags Great Adventure. Chris's company, beerheads.com recently sponsored the very successful Beers on the Boards at Martell's in Point Pleasant, NJ.

If this bash, set for June 30 is anything like his last, you're in for a great time, because Chris's fests include food. The food at the Martell's fest was nothing short of fabulous, and if the food here is anywhere in that ballpark, you can't go wrong. I was told the food will include sliders (hamburger, chicken and pulled pork), wings (buffalo, garlic, teriyaki and BBQ, beer dogs, chili nacho bar, garden salad, cole slaw, potato sald and baked pretzels.

The beer fest will feature more than 30 craft breweries with many of NJ's finest being represented. The beer portion of the festivities will run from 3:30 PM until 6:30 PM, and fans will even have a chance to vote for the best beers at the event.

There's also a free comedy show at 7:00 PM starring Uncle Floyd and Carl Labove. Not bad for $50.

You can't get tickets just yet, but keep hitting the site to see when they go on sale.

Cheers!
The PubScout

Still STANDING after all these years...

The classic Who song Pinball Wizard relates the story of a "deaf, dumb and blind kid" who "sure plays a mean pin-ball." And at song's end, the narrator admits, "I just handed my pinball crown to him."

I think I know how the narrator feels.

Check out these guys.

Paul Mulshine sends props this way

Paul Mulshine ( that's him on the left ) and I have shared a beer or twain on many occasions. If you've read his columns you might be able to deduce that we share a conservative political bent as well. But this column eschews politics for something far more important--how to enjoy your beer. And, as you can readily see, how such a skill attracts beautiful women.

While yours truly humbly thanks Paul for conferring upon me the title of Beer Expert  (Dave Hoffman goes beyond beer expert to Master Brewer), I must reiterate that Everyman and Everywoman is a beer expert.

A beer drinker drinks beer. The difference between a beer drinker and a beer expert is that a beer expert knows why he drinks a certain beer, and there are many reasons that can apply. As long as the reason is not that it's $9.99 a case, you're pretty much an expert.

The video Beer Sense that Paul (the cerevisaphile, not the conservative) included in his column has been here in the top right hand corner of the blog since our PubScout Tasting in October. But now that it's hit the pages of NJ.com, we can say we've gone "big time." We are now waiting for the guest appearance and job offers to start pouring in.

Might as well have a few beers while we wait.

I owe Paul a few beers for his kind gesture, so I may have to travel down to Point Pleasant soon to pay up. Of course, we'll have to be finished by midnight in that lovely shore town, or else we turn into a Pumpkin Ale or something.