Gals, scratch Malaysia off your O-Fest list

It appears that the "Religion of Peace" doesn't exactly embrace Ben Franklin's famous quote about beer being "proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

 

Beer-Drinking Muslim Model's Caning Delayed - Asia | Travel | Map - FOXNews.com

Festa di Ottobre at Basil T's Toms River

In what has to be a first in NJ, Basil T's (Toms River) two Greek brothers, both named Pete, have advertised their spectacular German Oktoberfest Event on their Facebook Page--in Italian.

Why are two brothers both named Pete? Something to do with their mother and a shipment of ouzo....

No matter. it's an Oktoberfest like no other, and the smart money reserves a seat or ten.

Check out Steve Farley's menu, Dave Hoffman's beers--and the Italian words--here.

Ein Prosit!

The Punisher does Oktoberfest?

MCGILLIN'S OLDE ALE OCTOBERFEST BEGINS IN AUGUST

Month-long celebration: August 25 - October 3

From German beer & comic books to Beer Garden at Midtown Village Fall Festival

PHILADELPHIA (August 19, 2009) -- Local breweries start producing Octoberfest beers in late August. Instead of storing it for a month - McGillin's Olde Ale House will start pouring the coveted seasonal brews on Tuesday, August 25. Adding to the festivities on August 25, American Crime Novelist Duane Swierczynski will be on-hand to discuss the newly-released trade paperback about Frank Castle's escapades in Philadelphia for Marvel Comic's "The Punisher." Besides modeling the décor of the pub in his comic book after McGillin's, Swierczynski is also well-versed in its beer, having written The Big Book o' Beer: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Greatest Beverage on Earth. In fact, he plans to buy a pint of McGillin's 1860 IPA for anyone who buys his book that night.

The event on August 25 featuring Swierczynski and German beers begins at 6 p.m. No cover. Pints of the newly-released McGillin's 1860 IPA by Stoudt's Brewing reduced to $2. Plus, McGillin's newly installed beer tower will be stocked with Stoudt's Festbier, Flying Fish's Octoberphish, Victory's Fest, Jack's Pumpkin Spice, plus a variety of rotating Octoberfest and other seasonal beers.

The Octoberfest beers and German cuisine will be served at McGillin's Olde Ale House, Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern, from August 25 through October 3. The lunch and dinner menus will feature German cuisine including Mussels steamed in Octoberfest Lager and served over Hay and Straw Noodles with German-style Toasted Cheese Bread; Grilled Pork Loin served with Sweet and Sour Cherry Sauce, Braised Cabbage, Apples and Potato Dumpling; and German Style Grilled Sausage Platter with Bratwurst and Knockwurst with Red Cabbage and Warm German Potato Salad served with German-style Cheese Toast and Dark Mustard; and Kasebrotchen Chicken, Chicken Breast topped with German style Spread (Ale, Brown Mustard, Sharp Cheddar Cheese) baked to a bubbly finish and served with Heaven and Earth (Himmel Und Erde), Potatoes sautéed with Apples and Bacon, served also with Red cabbage and German-style Cheese Toast.

Gott im Himmel!

2 for 2 in O-fest beers

No sooner do I finish singing the well-deserved praises of Dave Hoffman's Oktoberfest beer, than I come across another that's a knockout as well. It's a Flying Dog (as opposed to Flying Fish) product called DogToberFest Marzen. Read all about its mystical lore on the FD site. A tad darker than Dave's, this excellent example of the style is smooth as silk with a caramel finish you'll savor for a while. Beautiful to look at with a wonderful nose, this one will complement any wurst platter you can concoct, and should dance very nicely with Sauerbraten, Spaetzle, Jagerschnitzel, Rouladen or Farmer's Feast. It's only 5.3% ABV, so it's a perfect session beer for those late Summer/early Fall afternoons and evenings. And mornings, truth be told.

So men, break out the lederhosen! Ladies, tighten up your disselstoppemfumfloppen! (That's the German word for brassiere...) Strike up the Oompah Band! And get ready to dance The Schuhplattler! Remember Chevy Chase in National Lampoon's European Vacation?

DogToberFest won a Gold Medal at the 2008 GABF, and it's not hard to see why.

This one's a clear wiener (ouch!) in the PubScout's BBOO (Best Beers of Oktoberfest) category.

Oktoberfest in August

One of the greatest misunderstandings among those who aren't tuned into the beer world is when Oktoberfest happens. You can be forgiven if you think Oktoberfest is in Oktober, but only if you're not a beer geek.

Oktoberfest starts now, and will last through the first few weeks of Oktober--er, October. And, to get me on my way to one of my favorite beer seasons (the others being Winter, Summer and Spring and Autumn), I sit here typing next to a pint of Dave Hoffman's Oktoberfest. Dave's brewery, Climax Brewing Co. in tiny Roselle Park, NJ has been putting out quality beers for more than a decade, and his beers have been featured in some of the best beer books in the world--including Michael Jackson's Ultimate Beer Book.

But while I enjoy many of Dave's regular brews (you won't find a better Nut Brown or Helles), I have to confess that my favorite Hoffman brew is the one I'm enjoying right now--and that's his Oktoberfest beer. From its orange-amber color to its incredibly bready/fruity nose to its nonpareil mouthfeel and finish, this is an O-fest lover's Oktoberfest.

I'm not here to blow smoke up Dave's butt, as he has heard me wax poetic about this beer in person in his shop. And I'm sure not looking to score a free growler at the upcoming Basil T's (Toms River) set for Oktober-er, October 2nd, though if he has an extra, I won't turn it down.

I've had and enjoyed many Oktoberfest beers. But none better than the one I'm currently drinking. There is, quite frankly, no better way to usher in this best of beer seasons than with Dave Hoffman's Oktoberfest. Dan Ratti's Oak Tree Buy-Rite Discount Liquors has it.

To the brewer: Ein Prosit! Und Gemutlichkeit!

Irish pub coming to Metuchen

Looks as though Metuchen's Main Street will be the home of a brand new Irish Pub as Hailey's Harp & Pub will debut on September 12 at 400 Main St. Click on the link below for more information.

The PubScout will visit and report back as soon as the place is up and running. You might recall I reviewed The Shannon Rose on the first day it opened, and within 30 minutes of the doors swinging wide. (And just for the record, I think The Shannon Rose is within ten miles of Hailey's, but who's counting?)

Slainte! to the new owners of Hailey's Harp & Pub.

One of my favorite Irish prayers:

May those that love us, love us, and those that don't love us, may God turn their hearts.

And if he canna turn their hearts, let Him turn their ankles, so we might recognize them by their limping...

Irish pub, other establishments set to move to downtown Metuchen mycentraljersey.com MyCentralJersey.com

Killmeyer’s Old Bavaria Inn

The More things Change…

By Kurt Epps—The PubScout

…the more they stay the same. Thank heavens that maxim applies to Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn on Staten Island. I last visited the place in its infancy, twelve years ago, so being a lover of German food and beer, I felt a revisit was in order.

My buddy Tom Froehlich (now there's a Deutsch-handle if ever there was one) and I made the quick trip across the Outerbridge Crossing from my hometown of Perth Amboy to see if sole owner Ken Tirado, a co-owner twelve years ago, had effected any changes to the place.

Thankfully, in the main hall he has not, apart from increasing the availability of some exceptional brews from the Fatherland and other countries as well. Time was when Killmeyer's would only serve beers that came from countries contiguous with Germany, and it also had the distinction of being the largest purveyor of Spaten beers in NYC. Ken doesn't know if that distinction is still extant, but it's of little consequence, as Spaten lovers can still get their favorites at the Inn. Now, fifteen countries have their beers on Ken's menu.

Ken has also expanded the outdoor Biergarten, covering it in the event of inclement weather and adding seating to accommodate the crowds that show up, not only during the six-week Oktoberfest Season, but all year long. A wide variety of bands are booked to satisfy the listening needs of what Tirado describes as a "family" place that has everything from escargots to hot dogs.

Indeed, on our visit, many families were enjoying the indoor ambience and that exceptional Killmeyer's food, overseen by Franz the Moose, who has remained faithfully on the wall where he attends to his round-the-clock vigil. Franz watched Tom and me carefully as we ordered our beers from the extensive beer menu. Tom ordered a Reissdorf Kolsch to start, and yours truly had an Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen. We ordered up the Forest Wives' Mushroom appetizer that captured me back in the day. It was excellent then and remains a must-try now. Tom, an expert on food, confided that he could make a meal of this tasty appetizer alone.

Tom was enamored of his Sauerbraten main course and a Radeberger Pilsner, and I enjoyed my Weinerschnitzel, especially after Laura ladled some of the Forest Wives' Mushroom Sauce on it. It matched up nicely with my Eggenberg Urbock.

Dinner done and bellies full, we ordered up a few more beers—a Weihanstephaner Original for Tom and an Ommegang Three Philosophers for me--and retired to the outside Biergarten to enjoy some chat and a couple of Romeo y Julietas Tom had somehow managed to score.

Our stay was made even more pleasant by the attentive staff at Killmeyer's, from Delores the hostess (definitely a grandma with the Mostest) and dirndl-wearing Laura, our server. Laura, an ethnic mixture of Spanish and Italian was as helpful, friendly and attentive as anyone could want, with a winning smile and an attitude that showed she really enjoyed working here. That sentiment was prominent twelve years ago when former servers Melissa and Suzanne allowed that Killmeyer's was a great place to work.

We'll buy that. And it's still also a great place to eat and drink, especially if you're a Deutsch-o-phile.