Tap Takeover at The Office

Bartender Casey

Scott Van Guilder just keeps raising the bar. The Beer Bar, that is.

Hard on the heels of a successful Blind Tasting and a full blown Beer Dinner, the manager of the Office in Bridgewater arranged for a Tap Takeover on the night of the Winter Solstice.

Having friendly, beer-savvy bartenders like Casey (above), who cut her beer teeth in Bermuda's HogPenny Pub at age 12, might have had something to do with the fact that the place was pretty crowded with both its normal Friday night clientele and an influx of Craft Beer lovers. Some folks, like homebrewer Rich who was seated next to me at the bar, fell into both categories. Rich and his buddies were pressing Van Guilder to turn up the volume on the Christmas music, and Van Guilder obliged. Others, like beer nut Gregg Zizza, were there to sample the beers, as beer nuts are wont to do.

Gregg Zizza

But the music and Casey weren't the only things bringing good cheer. A lineup of excellent beers, mostly from Sam Adams, helped in that area. SA offered its flagship Lager, Rebel Stout, Merry Maker, Just IPA, Winter Lager and Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider. The affable and knowledgeable SA rep Brandon also came bearing gifts in the form of those special Sam's glasses, hats, shirts and churchkeys.

If you knew the rep (as I confess I did, having met Brandon at other beer events), you might also have had the chance to sample some as yet unavailable Rebel IPA. And though IPA's are not my usual winter go-to fare, this Rebel was actually quite tasty and very smooth. An excellent nose, not-crazily-hopped taste and an exceptional finish will likely make this one an SA winner when it does come out. It is decidedly different than the SA Just IPA which was being offered, too.

But for my money, the Merry Maker (or Merry Mischief) at 9% fully lived up to both of its names.

Of course, Sam wasn't the only one at the party. Yard's sent its wonderful George Washington's Tavern Porter, and Great Lakes put forth its Christmas Ale for the event, which necessitated removing the Edmund Fitzgerald that occupied the tap previously.

The Christmas Ale, a copper/golden spiced ale, carried distinctive spice flavors of ginger and cinnamon (some might suggest even cardamom) and had a nice spicy, almost peppery finish. None of the flavors in this 7.5%-er were overpowering, but they worked together in an great balance.

And as though those beers weren't enough, the delightful Kim was walking around with samples of a tequila called Cabo Wabo. I'm not a big tequila drinker, either con (with) or sin (without) gusano (worm), but this coffee flavored concoction would make a superb after dinner drink.

Kim puts Gregg in a trance...

The point of this event was to allow Van Guilder to show his current beer-loving clients and those to come that he not only knows his beer, but that he is embarked upon a mission to let beer lovers know that The Office is a real beer destination.

Considering the increasing frequency of my own visits, he's clearly sold me.

Cheers!
Merry Christmas!
The PubScout

Got Cockles?

Just what are cockles anyway?
No, not the ones from that old song about Sweet Molly Malone.

They were bivalves, as in clams, etc.

I mean the ones that are supposedly connected with--or to-- your heart. As in "'Twill warm the cockles of your heart." Turns out that the origin of the phrase is as murky as the mud in which clams live.

Go here if you want to learn that story (as you should around this festive time.)

But go here if you actually want to warm your cockles once you find them.

Because This Friday is the Sam Adams Tap Takeover, also featuring the Cabo Wabo Tequila Girls, as well as tapping this years Great Lakes Winters Ale, Yards General Washington Tavern Porter and Sam Adams Merry Maker.
(Nee Merry Mischief...)

If you're into beer, as you should be if you're reading this, the three beers should be enticing enough.

But the Cabo Wabo Tequila Girls might also pique your curiosity.

Or warm your cockles, like they seem to be doing to Sammy Hagar in the picture at left.

Whatever.

It's all happening this Friday, December 20 at The Office in Bridgewater, NJ.

See you there!
Bring your cockles.

Cheers!
The PubScout

When Father Time Taps you on the Shoulder...

It's only natural, I suppose.

As 2013 winds to a close and 2014 approaches, those of us lucky enough to have been around for many moons begin to wonder just how many more "moons" we have left. More importantly, how will we spend whatever time we have left?

Here's a suggestion: Enjoy it.

And you can do that by checking out what Mike Proske has arranged for New Year's Eve 2013 at his fabulous restaurant--Tapastre.

Start your New Year's Eve Celebrations off right! Our popular 5-Course Beer Pairing Dinner is scheduled for  Tuesday, December 31st at 6:30 pm. 5 Courses of Tapas and 5 Craft Beer samplers (6 oz).  $55 per person, plus tax and gratuity. We start at 6:30 pm and will finish with plenty of time to get to your New Year's Eve parties!   Reservations required and seating is limited.   Please specify table or bar seating.  Reservations can be made  by phone at 908 526-0505,   via email to maitred@tapastre.com   First Course  Bacon-wrapped-Scallop-wrapped Bacon! Arugula, Frisee, Hop Vinaigrette Second Course  White Cheddar IPA Soup Housemade Barley Cracker  Third Course  Pan-roasted Black Sea Bass  Shrimp "Noodles", Ginger Broth, Winter Spinach   Intermezzo Kaffir Lime Leaf & Lemon Drop Granita Fourth Course  Grilled Herb Marinated Hanger Steak  Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Stout Demi-Glace   Dessert Belgian Chocolate Creme Brulee Featuring beers from Boulder, Great Lakes, Victory and more...

Mike Proske and Mom

I know this kid can really pair food and beer, so prepare for an excellent experience.

But one comment in his message bothered me:
"We start at 6:30 pm and will finish with plenty of time to get to your New Year's Eve parties!"

Huh? You mean go out to party till the wee hours after a beer dinner like this? Though I can recall the times when I would "go out" at 10 PM, now, with Father Time's nudging, I'm actually "out" at 10 PM.

Especially after a beer event like this promises to be. I'd just go home, plop down in my Barcalounger, likely nod off immediately and get up only to repair to my comfy bed. With a stop at the john, of course.

If you know what I'm talking about, we are kindred. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you will.

Trust me on this.

Cheers!
The PubScout

Quick Hit from Trap Rock: The Secret is Out!

I received a very interesting piece of information recently regarding activity at one of my favorite brewpubs--Trap Rock. Especially given our current spate of "global warming" weather, I share it gladly with you:

New Beer on the Secret Tap

Word is that Charlie [Schroeder] has just put a new beer on the secret tap called Nefarious. It is also nicknamed "the little brother to Aegir's Pride." It's a dark Belgian with wonderful deep flavor, perfect for sipping while sitting in front of a fireplace. And it comes in at a healthy 9%.

Also, in a fit of holiday largesse, Charlie is allowing this wonderful brew to be sold in growlers, although at $20 a pop instead of the usual rate. Come in and get your growlers filled before he changes his mind.

Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.

Just trying to keep the "warming" in "global."

Cheers!

The PubScout

"Can We Do This Once A Month?"

Nancy, Larry and Ron enjoy a beer moment

The title of today's column is an actual quote from a Beer Nut who drove up from Old Bridge, made midway through the appetizer course at last night's first-ever Beer Dinner at The Office on Rt. 22 in Bridgewater.


And the quick answer is, "No. We cannot."

Because while being sated with fine food and good beer after enjoying great company and good cheer is most pleasurable, waddling to my car and anticipating trying to work off the calories I just put on shouldn't be a monthly event. Tri-monthly maybe, but not monthly.

This dinner was intended to serve a few purposes for Scott Van Guilder and his Office crew. First, it was kind of a "Shakedown Cruise" where you take a new ship out on the ocean to see what--if any--problems pop up. Second, it was designed to make beer and food lovers in The Office's immediate "catchment" area aware of the might array of craft beer here and the quality of The Office's food.

Natalie and Rob raise a toast

And lastly, it was designed as a stepping stone to future beer dinners and beer events run by a guy--Van Guilder--with a passion for beer.

When it comes to beer dinners,"Firsties," (a term coined by The PubScout) are always interesting and in many ways, enlightening. They usually start off with a small, intimate group of beer and food lovers, and when the post-dinner word goes out about the menu, the beers, the service, the camaraderie and the good times, the number of attendees grows for future events. Another local chain that tried this formula had just seven guests for its firstie, but after doing three dinners in a year, that number blossomed to forty regulars. The lesson? If you host them regularly, they will come.

Different generations enjoy Beer Dinners

That's nothing to sneeze at on a Monday or Tuesday night in the bar business. While the profit margin on beer dinners is decidedly not gargantuan, it's about more than that. It's about encouraging a beer and food culture that keeps people coming back to your place, even without a beer dinner going on.

What's left of dessert...

Having a special menu comes also into play. Why would Joe Beer come to a beer dinner when he could get the same menu items and beer he knows he enjoys more cheaply than what a beer dinner would cost him? Van Guilder mixed his menu last night, having some of the items regularly available and some specially made. He allowed that in future, he could and would make the whole menu special. His background as a chef gives him that flexibility. And Van Guilder's beer passion allows him to offer Joe Beer special brews he may have never had, but might wind up liking.

Special, however, is one thing. Portions are another. There was a goodly amount of food carried out in "doggie bags" (though they look nothing like 'bags' to me) by sated attendees last night. The rib that appeared on my plate was seemingly from a Triceratops.

And I heard "This is the best pairing of the night!" spoken about at least three of the five courses. The Ale and Cheese Soup (which worked, interestingly, with the first two beers), the Ahi Tuna and Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA and the chocolate dessert paired with Sam Adams Merry Maker received glowing assessments. Personally, I enjoyed the Dark Depths Baltic Porter and the ribs the most.

The Merry Maker--non-beer version...

I also very much liked the Merry Maker, never having had it before, but I had the sense that Old Fezziwig (Sam's Superb Seasonal) may have danced a light hornpipe in this beer somewhere along the production line.

Good food, good beer and good company usually make for a great night, and the camaraderie generated around the table was positive
--especially during Trivia Time, where in a twist, everyone got to read some questions to stump the long table. Larry continued his personal study of dry-hopping, Nancy was fixated on what a beer's head meant and Natalie lined up her glasses OCD style.

I'd say the Shakedown Cruise went pretty well, considering that $60 covered the dinner, the beers, the tax and the tip. And Scott threw in a delightful "palate cleanser" that wasn't on the menu free of charge. Its identity, however, has to remain a closely-guarded secret.
The laughs and the lip-smacking were free, too.

So when's the next one?
Stay tuned!

Cheers!
The PubScout

Black Wednesday, Golden Tuesday

With all the advertising about Black Friday, there's a day that, in certain circles, does not get the attention it deserves. All the Tom Turkeys consider today Black Wednesday, and with good reason. Most of you will be enjoying the warmth of family food, football and friends by tomorrow this time, and one of the (few) good things about "Black Friday" is that it's the best day of the year for leftover turkey sandwiches and stuffing.

The PubScout guesses that after Saturday, though, you will all likely be "Turkeyed Out," and here's where some great news comes in.

Office Manager Scott Van Guilder

The Office in Bridgewater, NJ on Rt. 22 is holding its first-ever Holiday Beer Dinner on Golden Tuesday, December 3 at 7 PM. Manager Scott Van Guilder, hoping to put his Office on the map as a bona fide beer destination, has pulled out all the stops as you'll note by checking the menu below. That he has done so for just $60 pp--INCLUDING TAX AND TIP--is equally impressive.

Check out this menu and its associated beers:


BEER DINNER 
EACH COURSE SERVED WITH A 12 OZ. GLASS OF SELECTED SPECIALTY BREWS

SOUP COURSE:

OUR VERY OWN OFFICE ONION SOUP, MADE WITH ONIONS CARAMELIZED IN ALE & TOPPED WITH IMPORTED SWISS & PROVOLONE CHEESES, BAKED UNTIL GOLDEN AND BUBBLY, PAIRED WITH ALE, OUR PROPRIETARY OFFICE ESB, BREWED FOR US BY OUR FRIENDS AT FLYING FISH BREWERY, 5.5% ABV

(ALTERNATIVE SELECTION) OUR SCRATCH MADE ALE AND CHEDDAR SOUP, TOPPED WITH FRESH MADE CROUTONS AND SHREDDED JACK CHEESE 
PAIRED WITH ALE, OUR PROPRIETARY OFFICE ESB, BREWED FOR US BY OUR FRIENDS AT FLYING FISH BREWERY, 5.5% ABV

SALAD COURSE:

SPINACH SALAD: FRESH BABY LEAF SPINACH, TOPPED WITH A GERMAN STYLE WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE, PAIRED WITH AYINGER BRAU WEISS, A GERMAN HEFE WEISSE, WITH FLAVORS OF CLOVE AND BANANA WITH AN ABV OF 5.1%

APPETIZER COURSE:

AHI TUNA TACO: WARMED FLOUR TORTILLA FILLED WITH DICED SUSHI GRADE AHI TUNA, TOPPED WITH FRESH ARUGULA GREENS, CUCUMBER AND SHAVED RED ONIONS, FINISHED WITH OUR WASABI VINAIGRETTE,  PAIRED WITH DOGFISH HEAD 60 MINUTE APA, HIGHLY HOPPED WITH A PERFECT BALANCE OF BOTH BITTER AND FLORAL NOTES, 6% ABV

ENTRÉE COURSE:

BBQ SPARE RIB & CHICKEN: ½ RACK OF SPECIALTY SLOW COOKED SMOKEY SPARE RIBS, SERVED WITH A FLAME GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST, BOTH OF WHICH ARE BASTED IN OUR OWN SLOW SIMMERED ARROGANT BASTARD STRONG ALE BBQ SAUCE, AND SERVED WITH CRISPY FRIES, HOME MADE CREAMY COLE SLAW AND A WEDGE OF JALEPENO CORN BREAD, PAIRED WITH SAM ADAMS SMALL BATCH “DARK DEPTHS” BALTIC IPA PORTER 7.6% ABV

DESSERT COURSE:

OUR SIGNATURE GUINNESS STOUT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE, DRIZZLED WITH WARM STRAWBERRY SAUCE AND DARK CHOCOLATE CURLS, PAIRED WITH SAM ADAMS MERRY MAKER, A WINTER SWEET STOUT, WITH FRAGRANT HINTS OF GINGERBREAD, CINNAMON AND NUTMEG, WITH A HEARTY ABV OF 9%

It appears that as stuffed as you will be on Thanksgiving, there's a good chance for an encore at this dinner. But nary a turkey will be harmed in the making of this event, and neither Scott nor I will make any wild claims about the low caloric content of the dishes and the beers.

Clearly, this is one you need to put on your calendar! Give them a call at 732-469-0066 and let them know you want in! With more dinners in the offing at The Office, you will be on hand to make history.

See you there!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, and God Bless America from The PubScout!

Hill Street Brews

Kent "Flounder" Dorfman

Quite frankly, I don't see the resemblance between Kent Dorfman and Jeremy Lees--but apparently somebody did. The name stuck on Jeremy. And Jeremy stuck it on his start up brewery.

Not that it matters, because the beer that Flounder and his Animal House-Mates consumed at fabled Faber College bears no resemblance to what Lees is making at his Nano-University of Hillsborough, NJ.

Lees and company are living the dream of making their own  beer--and making it pretty darned well, if today's first public tasting was any indication. After signing up to be part of the very first public tour and tasting of Flounder Brewing, I made my way to Somerset County to investigate the operation and taste the product.

Flounder's Flagship beer is called Hill St. Honey Ale (named after the residence in Morristown where he concocted his recipe), made with lots of Orange Blossom Honey and lots more TLC by Lees in a 31 gallon system. That's "nano" by anyone's standards, and there are positives and negatives to that volume of production--or lack of it. The biggest positive, according to Lees, is that he and his mates can do what they love and make beer in small batches, keeping a careful eye on every step of the process. The biggest negative is that there is no way he can keep up with the demand his very drinkable session ale has generated.

Lees adds his signature ingredient (Photo courtesy of NJ.com)

Since introducing his ale at the Fox and Hound pub in the Lebanon Hotel --and going through eight kegs in one night--some weeks back, he has been swamped by requests from bars and franchises for his beer. But until the brewery expands, that's not an option.

"Right now, we're just making enough beer to pay the rent," said Lees. "Down the road, our five year plan is to get big enough to meet all of the demand."

The brewery itself is far from overcrowded at this stage. In fact, Lees shares space with Al Buck of the East Coast Yeast Co. If you've never heard of Al and his company, don't fret. Most beer nuts haven't. But many brewers have, and they know what kind of product he puts out.

"We're very fortunate Al has 'moved in' with us," Lees allowed. "He lives just a stone's throw from here, and having him in such close proximity is great for us." In nature, such a relationship is called "symbiosis;" in brewing, it's called "stepping in it" if the comments of two brewers on hand are any indication.

The product of two teachers, Lees and wife Melissa are also the parents of 16 month-old twins.

But brewing is not even his day gig. He makes tree stands for hunting on his day gig, and is part owner of the company. Such an arrangement gives him the time to follow his passion (beer) and pay the bills for his growing family.

L-R, William, Jeremy, Melissa, Richard and Maria

And speaking of family, his cousins William and Maria are lending useful hands at the brewery, with Maria confessing that until she signed on at the brewery, she never really drank beer. But she's looking forward to Lees' coming concoctions which include a beer made with blueberry honey. The Gingerbread Beer that's fermenting now might also get her attention.

Actually, Lees had three different samples to share on this day--an experimental saison ( tart, great nose and refreshing), a pumpkin ale (smooth and only very subtly spiced) and his Honey beer. "I don't feel that every beer I make needs to 'push the envelope' in terms of style or alcohol content. I want a beer I can sit back with and enjoy more than one."

He apparently thinks that other beer drinkers do as well. His Honey Ale will not produce fireworks on the first taste, but this unfiltered brew is definitely one that grows on you, not overly cloying with sweetness, but one that tastes better and better with each sip. In other words, the ideal session beer. Come to think of it, that's the way good love relationships work, too. And Lees loves his beer. Currently, Lees gets his honey from Fruitwood Orchards in South Jersey, but he's investigating other apiary sources as his experiments continue. "Still, I like the flavors that the Orange Blossoms impart, " he admits.

Until Flounder Brewing goes "big," the only way you can get the brew so far is to visit the brewery or hope that Lees' friends at the Fox and Hound have some on tap. Fortunately, Lees does plan to do "Meet the Brewer" nights at local pubs, which will allow his beer to receive wider exposure.

Finding this little brewery in that big complex of businesses is not easy, tucked away as it is way in the back of Building 8. But the reward is worth the trouble.

Though there are plans to do a lager somewhere down the road,
there are no plans at this time to include beer bottle holders on hunting tree stands.

The PubScout will keep you posted. More pics here.