March 13th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
That’s Nate Gefvert, winner of last night’s raucous Philly Beer Geek contest at the Manayunk Brewery. Sponsored by the Spinnerstown Hotel, Nate is a walking beer encyclopedia. He aced his exam and correctly identified the names of all three beers he sampled during a blind tasting - very impressive.
As a member of the judging panel, I gotta say I was blown away by the beer knowledge of all 5 finalists. It’s kinda scary knowing that this town is crawling with so many beer geeks (no wonder I get all those emails correcting my mistakes).
While Gefvert took home the title (and about $1000 worth of beer schwag), the most impressive performance may have belonged to runner-up Steve “The Human Growler” Hawk of the Grey Lodge Pub, who somehow convinced his girlfriend to dress up like a beer bottle so that he could propose to her on bended knee.
Yet another great, fun event during Philly Beer Week. More details here.
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March 10th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
Tom Peters of Monks Cafe & I hog much of the ink during Philly Beer Week, but there’s a third guy behind the organization of the event: Bruce Nichols of Museum Catering. He’s the one who brought Philly the Michael Jackson tutored tasting for so many years, he was the key player who developed PBW’s relationship with SEPTA, and it was his bright idea to hold Opening Tap at the Comcast Center.
This morning, we finally dragged Bruce onto TV. Catch his rundown of new beers released just for beer week. (Sauerkraut?). Link here.
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March 9th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
I’m leading an R5 Beer Tour on Wednesday to some of the Main Line’s best beer bars. Wanna join me? Grab your SEPTA Beer Week pass and meet us along the way.
Here’s the schedule:
- 3:00 p.m. Meet at Bridgewater’s, 30th St. Station.
- 3:19 p.m. Depart 30th St.
- 4:04 p.m. Arrive Malvern (Flying Pig)
- 4:57 p.m. Depart Malvern
- 5:01 p.m. Arrive Paoli (TJ’s Everyday)
- 6:00 p.m. Depart Paoli
- 6:11 p.m. Arrive Wayne (Teresa’s Everyday)
- 6:44 p.m. Depart Wayne
- 6:52 p.m. Arrive Rosemont (Gullifty’s)
This is an informal tour - come and go as you like. But if you think you’d like to join, shoot me an email: don@joesixpack.net
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March 7th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
People always ask me: How did you come up with the idea for a beer column? From now on, I’m going to show them this photo, from last night’s Opening Tap. (I’d like to say they’re all watching me on the stage, but I’m guessing this was just about the time Mayor Nutter was bashing Yards brewer Tom Kehoe’s thumb with the Hammer of Glory.)
Every journalist in America wants to cover the beer beat.
Photo by George Widman
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March 6th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
Word is the H.O.G. has arrived at the Grey Lodge Pub to begin its formal relay to tonight’s Opening Tap. Here’s the schedule:
- 03:00pm Grey Lodge - bike. Rider is Pete LaVerghetta
- 03:45pm Philly Brewing Co - Fishtown Beer Runners!
- 04:15pm Johnny Brendas - Big Wheel Brigade
- 04:45pm Yards - Philly RollerGirls
- 05.00pm Standard Tap - Trophy Bike to provide transport to next stop
- 05:30pm Institute - Carried by wheel barrel
- 06:15pm Jose Pistolas - Baby Joe Gunn will be carrying the torch to Nodding Head
- 06:30pm Nodding Head - Tandem bicycle, navigated by Nodding Head assistant brewer Mike Fava and the Greatest Beer Drinker in the Entire History of Philadelphia, Ben Franklin.
- 07:00pm Comcast
 You can follow its precise progress here.
Of course, when you’ve got a tool this big, you need to deliver it with a certain panache. Here’s the hand-off toast:
Noble carrier, we entrust you with The Hammer of Glory, the all mighty symbol of our beloved Philadelphia Beer Week. May your journey be safe. Work ye up a thirst, for there shall be a beer waiting for you at your destination. Godspeed!
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March 6th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
The brewer at Gen. Lafayette made an appearance on Good Day Philadelphia this morning, and he brought along the fabled Hammer of Glory. Here’s the link.
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March 5th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
6-ABC did a nice report on Philly Beer Week this morning. You can watch it here. Make sure read news anchor Matt O’Donnell’s Top 10 List, too. Not too shabby:
- Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
- Rogue Shakespeare Stout
- Victory Golden Monkey
- Unibroue La Terrible
- Pilsner Urquell
- Chimay Red
- Tongerlo Double Blonde (!)
- Guinness Draft/Harp Lager half-and-half
- Duvel
- Yuengling LagerÂ
I wouldn’t kick any of ‘em out of my fridge.
And, while I’m thinking of it, here’s another nice interview, conducted by KYW’s Paul Kurtz (a certified beer geek) with Tom Peters of Monk’s Cafe.
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March 4th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
The truly wonderful thing about the Philly Beer Week Hammer of Glory - beyond the stunning aura of its presence - is the way it will be brought to the Opening Tap.
The hammer was the brainchild of local bar owners Scoats (of the Grey Lodge) and William Reed (of Standard Tap). And I think I should give a nod to writer Jack Curtin who egged them on, I think. In any case, it’s certain that alcohol was involved.
From the beginning, the talk was about how this hammer would be transported to the Comcast Center. (Actually, if truth be told, I think they came up with the hammer before we even settled on the location of the event.) It quickly evolved into a relay, in which bar owners would be responsible for coming up with an imaginative way to transport the hammer from one joint to the next.
And so it begins tonight, wit a “test” run, from from Standard Tap, via Time Cycle courier, to Good Dog.
We’re still working on details on where it’s headed next, but we now know the last leg. Friday night, it will be brought to the Opening Tap, via tandem bicycle, navigated by Nodding Head assistant brewer Mike Fava and the Greatest Beer Drinker in the Entire History of Philadelphia, Ben Franklin.
This will become one of those great moments of local beer lore that they will talk about for ages. Or at least till next Beer Week.
Update: Opening Tap is closing in on a sellout. As of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, there were about 100 tix remaining. You can order them online here.
Posted in Events, Philly Beer Week | 1 Comment »
March 4th, 2009 Joe Sixpack
Just confirmed: Mayor Nutter will crack open the first official keg of Philly Beer Week at the Opening Tap on Friday.
If I recall correctly, the mayor managed to tap last year’s first keg with one swing. But wait till he gets a look at the size of the hammer he’ll be swinging this year. I’ve advised him to do a few extra biceps curls at the gym this week.
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March 3rd, 2009 Joe Sixpack
This just in: The mythic Philly Beer Week Hammer of Glory (seen being fondled held by Standard Tap’s William Reed) begins its convoy through the city tomorrow, en route to Opening Tap on Friday.
It’ll be used to crack open a firkin at Standard Tap about 6 p.m., then transported via bike by Time Cycle Courier Carl to Good Dog in Center City for another bung bashing. Good luck toting that baby, Carl.
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