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Direct from the Best Beer Drinking City in America Reporting and drinking beer in Philly and beyond
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Sixpack Sez
March 14, 2008 | It doesn't take beer goggles to see how hot Beer Week is
I'M NOT SURE who was having the better time last Friday night at the opening of the first annual Philly Beer Week: Mayor Nutter, who kicked off the event at the Marketplace at East Falls with a resounding tapping of the official first keg, or the several hundred beer-drinkers who cheered at the sight of a Philadelphia mayor sharing a pint of their favorite brew.
The mayor was running late for the official keg-tapping and, faced with an impatient crew of thirsty beer fans, I had told the crowd, "This is Philly, we don't have to wait for no stinkin' mayor to drink beer!" Twenty minutes later, Nutter arrived and admonished me and the crowd: "It's not official until the mayor shows up. You're going to have start drinking all over again!" That raised a huge roar, and for the rest of the night the most common refrain heard around the market was, "I can't believe Philly has such a cool mayor." Just to make it official, Nutter read a proclamation formally declaring Philly Beer Week. Within 90 seconds someone was using the document as a coaster, leaving behind a handsome beer ring. Only in Philly. Then, with one good whack, the mayor drove a tap into a cask of Yards ESA, and Philly Beer Week was off and running: more than 200 separate beer-drinking events over 10 days that will come to a close on Sunday. As one of the organizers of Philly Beer Week, I'm surely biased. But from everything I've heard, the week has been a resounding success. Aspen, the Fairmount restaurant, had a line out the door for its pouring of Canada's Unibroue labels; South Philly bars were jammed for an evening pub crawl; St. Stephen's Green was elbow-to-elbow for a Duvel dinner; the Brewers Plate festival at the Independence Visitors Center attracted a record crowd of 1,000 beer-and-food fans. Same goes for the suburbs. Alison's in Blue Bell reported a packed dining room, where patrons enjoyed molasses-cured pork with date and foie gras stuffing paired with Yards General Washington Tavern Porter. Instead of just gabbing with their tablemates, diners leaned from table to table to chat about the restaurant's beer cuisine. "Tuesday night was like a Friday for us," said Chris Mullins Jr., the manager at McGillin's Old Ale House in Center City. "We're getting a bit of a boost from two big conventions in town, but the average visitor doesn't realize what Philadelphia has to offer in the way of beer, so this has been wonderful. "It's really good exposure for all of our breweries, and the city itself." The fun continues through Sunday. Here's a rundown of the weekend's events.
TODAY
The Belgian Cafe 21st & Green 215-235-3500 www.thebelgiancafe.com 1 p.m. Cash bar Have lunch with Rob Tod of Allagash Brewing Company, New Englands original Belgian-style brewery. Rob has been brewing traditional and experimental Belgian beers for more than a decade. His beers are delicious!
Happy Hour The Blue Ox 7980 Oxford Ave. 215-728-9440 www.blueoxbistro.com 9 p.m.-1 a.m., pay as you go Special Irish Menu & Catch 22, half-price appetizers and live entertainment.
Make the Cut to Cure Cancer Cherry Street Tavern 129 N. 22nd St. 215-561-5683 4 p.m. The Cherry Street Tavern is hosting the 6th annual St. Baldricks "Make the Cut to Cure Cancer" event for the sixth year in a row. Stop by to support this excellent cause, and try one of our local micro-brews on draft: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Flying Fish ESB, Philly Brewing Company Kenzinger, Sly Fox Seamus Red, and Stoudt's Robust Porter. Irish menu available all weekend featuring our famous "Joe Watson's Stout Irish Stew!"
Brewers Happy Hour Nodding Head Brewery 1516 Sansom St., 2nd Floor 215-569-9525 www.noddinghead.com 4:30-6:30 p.m. Free. Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head), Adam Avery (Avery Brewing), Bill Covaleski (Victory), Tom Kehoe (Yards), and our own Gordon Grubb offer up some special brews for a Friday Happy Hour extravaganza. Stop by and chat with these phenomenal brewers, as well as some other special guests, as they swap stories about who is crazier, Sam or Adam.
Heavy Seas Pint Night The Sidecar Bar & Grille 2201 Christian St. 215-732-3429 www.thesidecarbar.com 6 p.m., pay as you go Specials on Heavy Seas pints
A Tribute to Michael Jackson University of Pennsylvania Museum Harrison Auditorium, Chinese Rotunda, Upper Egyptian Gallery. Tickets available at Annenberg box office, 215-898-3900. $95 per guest ($85 for Museum members.) 6:30 p.m. Tributes, dinner buffet and craft beers inspired by the late British beer writer Michael Jackson. This gala evening will celebrate Jackson's legacy through reminiscences, a dinner buffet featuring many of his favorite foods, and, of course, lots of great beer. The event benefits the National Parkinson Foundation and the Parkinson Foundation of Philadelphia.
Meet the Weasel St. Stephen's Green 1701 Green St. 215-769-5000 www.saintstephensgreen.com 6-9 p.m. Join Ron Lindenbusch "The Beer Weasel" from The Lagunitas Brewing Co. for tastings of the best the West has to offer.
Fussball Championship. ZoT 122 Lombard St. 267-639-3260 info@zotrestaurant.com 7 p.m. Sign up for bragging rights. Pairs and singles knockout competition. Play darts or backgammon while waiting for the table.
The Bishop Gets Smutty Bishop's Collar 2349 Fairmount Ave. 215-765-1616 7 p.m. Join Kevin Love of The Smuttynose Brewing Co. for tastings of the entire Smutty family.
Cask 'n' Cans Night with Sly Fox and Southampton Good Dog 224 S. 15th St. 215-985-9600 www.gooddogbar.com 6 p.m. Dynamic brotherly duo Spencer and Ryan Neibur will be on the scene pushing a firkin (about nine gallons) of Sullivan's red ale, named for the Southampton (Long Island) Publick House's owner. Sly Fox will join them with a firkin of their own red, Seamus. Other specialties, including Sly Fox Oatmeal Stout and Southampton Double White, will be poured.
Meet the Brewer: Rob Tod of Allagash Brewing Tria Cafe 1137 Spruce St. 215-629-9200 www.triacafe.com 5-7 p.m. Cash bar Enjoy conversation and hard-to-come-by Belgian-style brews with Rob Tod of Allagash, one of the nation's most creative and accomplished breweries.
Meet the Brewer: Luc "Bobo" Van Mechelen of Chimay The Beer Yard 218 E. Lancaster Ave., Wayne 610-688-3431 www.beeryard.com 4-6 p.m. Come meet Luc "Bobo" Van Mechelen, regional sales manager for Chimay, at the Beer Yard. Sample Chimay and talk to Bobo about the Trappist monks and their work.
Meet the Brewer: Blue Point Brewing South Philadelphia Tap Room 1509 Mifflin St. 215-271-7787 www.myspace.com/sptr 7 p.m. Speak with Blue Point brewmaster Mark Burford of Long Island, N.Y., and drink his beers. We will be pouring No Apologies IPA and Oatmeal Stout on draft as well as the Rasta Rye Pale Ale off the firkin (a nine-gallon container). Festivities last till the kegs are kicked!
Meet the Brewer: Tom Kehoe of Yards Brewing The Belgian Cafe 21st & Green 215-235-3500 www.thebelgiancafe.com 7 p.m. Join Tom Kehoe, Tim Roberts, Frank Winslow and the rest of the Yards staff for a meet-and-greet. Yards will be pouring a cask-conditioned Extra Special Ale. This real ale was recreated in the spirit of the original ESA. This will be a taste of what Yards will be pouring at the Real Ale festival. Join Yards as we celebrate our original flagship.
The Belgian Expert Tria's Fermentation School 1601 Walnut St. 215-972-9076 www.triacafe.com 6:30 p.m. $50 Don't miss a rare chance to taste amazing Belgian brews with Belgian beer legend Don Feinberg, co-founder of both Vanberg & DeWulf importers (Saison Dupont and many others) and Brewery Ommegang.
Firkin Friday The Khyber 56 S. 2nd St. 215-238-5888 www.thekhyber.com 5-7 p.m. Fresh cask ale for happy hour.
Beer and Cheese Pairing with Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant DiBruno Brothers. 1730 Chestnut St., 2nd floor 215-665-1659 www.ironhillbrewery.com 6-8 p.m. $45 Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, the East Coast's fastest-growing brewery/restaurant group with seven locations in Pennsylvania and Delaware, will host a beer-and-cheese pairing at DiBruno's. Chris LaPierre, head brewer of Iron Hill's West Chester location will select six hand-crafted beers, including his Cannibal, Saison and Quadruppel, to perfectly match with DiBruno's cheeses. LaPierre and a DiBruno cheese specialist will lead the informative tasting.
Meet the Brewer: Stoudt's The Standard Tap 901 N. 2nd St. 215-238-0630 www.standardtap.com 5-7 p.m. The Standard Tap is hosting a meet-the-brewer night featuring brewmaster John Matson from Stoudt's.
Franziskaner Friday Finn McCool's 12th & Sansom streets 215-923-3090 www.franziskaner.com 7-9 p.m.
Lancaster Brewing Happy Hour Bridgewater's 30th Street Station 5-7 p.m. Sponsored by Stockertown Beverage.
Sly Fox and Southampton Brewery Face-Off. Good Dog 224 S. 15th St. 215-985-9600 www.gooddogbar.com 6 p.m. Four drafts, 3 styles of canned beer and a few large bottles thrown in for good measure.
Meet the Brewer: "Bobo" of Chimay Teresa's Next Door 126 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne 610-293-0119 6:30-9 p.m. Enjoy some fine bottles and Chimay drafts with the man who brought the famous Trappist ale to Philly.
TOMORROW
ZoT 122 Lombard St. 267-639-3260 info@zotrestaurant.com 5-7 p.m. $2 off all bottles of Lambic. Bring the ladies to compare multiple flavours and multiple styles of lambic fruit beers. Beers from Oud Beersel, Floris, St. Louis, Boon, Cherish, Unibroue, Cantillon, Chapeau De Troch, La Choulette.
The Red Ball The National Constitution Center 525 Arch St. 7-11 p.m. ZoT will be providing Pots au Chocolat desserts for the Red Cross' flagship fundraising ball.
Beer pairings with Special Irish Menu The Blue Ox 7980 Oxford Ave. 215-728-9440 www.blueoxbistro.com 5 p.m. pay as you go
Michael Jackson: The Man and His Legacy 19th Annual Tutored Tasting at the Penn Museum Tickets at Annenberg Box Office, 215-898-3900 $45, $40 for Museum members Sessions at 1, 3:30 and 6 p.m. A panel of experts, led by Philadelphia's own Don Russell (Joe Sixpack) taste a selection of beers brewed especially for this tribute weekend, reminisce about Michael Jackson's life and times, and reflect on his influence in the Philadelphia craft beer world. Proceeds benefit the Penn Museum's research programs.
Keggs and Eggs South Philadelphia Taproom 1509 Mifflin St. 215-271-7787 www.southphiladelphiataproom.com 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Drink $3 craft beers from all over the country and feast on a hearty brunch menu.
The Khyber Beer Chili Cook-off The Khyber 56 S. 2nd St. 215-238-5888 www.thekhyber.com 2 p.m. Free There is only one rule: Your chili must contain beer. Drop by the Kyber to enter, no later than Thursday. Prizes supplied by Sly Fox, Philadelphia Brewing Co. and Cantina Los Caballitos. Special guest judges and specials all day!
Dogfish Head Tasting Watson Kunda and Sons Inc. 349 S. Henderson Road King of Prussia 610-265-3113 www.kundabev.com Noon-2 p.m.
Taste and Tour Flying Fish Flying Fish Brewery 1940 Olney Ave., Cherry Hill 856-489-0061 www.flyingfish.com 1-4 p.m. (final tour starts at 3:30 p.m.) Come on over to the Jersey side for a free tour/tasting at Flying Fish. We'll be tapping some limited-edition beers in addition to our regular lineup.
Beer Gone Wild! Tria's Fermentation School 1601 Walnut St. 215-972-7076 www.triacafe.com 6:30 p.m. $55 For Lambic lovers only! Join Armand Debelder, head of Belgium's Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, and Dan Shelton, outspoken importer of mind-boggling brews, for a rare chance to lean about these funky fermented treasures.
Meet the Brewer: Mark Hummel of Legacy Brewing The Standard Tap 901 N. 2nd St. 215-238-0630 www.standardtap.com 5-7 p.m. The Standard Tap is hosting a meet-the-brewer night featuring brewmaster Mark Hummel from Legacy.
Flying Dog meets Good Dog Good Dog 224 S. 15th St. 215-985-9600 www.gooddogbar.com 8 p.m. Flying Dog Brewing gets a leg up at Good Dog. Two sixtels (each a one-sixth keg) of Flying Dog's finest.
Beware the Ides of March Grey Lodge Pub 6235 Frankford Ave. 215-825-5357 www.greylodge.com 9 p.m. Pay as you go. If you have been to your share of local beer hotspots, you have probably run into a loud (but nice) pack of local brewery folks. The usual suspects being Casey from Flying Fish, Red Steve from Yards, Black Steve from Bell Beverage, Suzy from Sly Fox, Chris from Iron Hill, and Michael from Dock Street. Southampton Publick House brewer Spencer Niebur will be in town for Philly Beer Week and he wants to hang out with that crew and you here at the G-Lodge. SUNDAY
Triumph Brewing 117 Chestnut St. 215-625-0855 www.triumphbrewing.com 1-4 p.m. $50 Co-hosted by Yards Brewing and Triumph, this fest will feature traditional cask-conditioned ales and participation by over 20 local breweries. Participants include Yards, Flying Fish, Dock Street, Tröeg's, Sly Fox, Iron Hill, Stewart's, Nodding Head, Manayunk, General Lafayette, Rock Bottom, Victory, Stoudt's, Clipper City, Legacy, Southampton, Lancaster, Cricket Hill and more. Tix and info at 215-625-0855 or sales@triumphbrew.com.
Sunday Morning Brunch South Philadelphia Tap Room 1509 Mifflin St. 215-271-7787 www.southphiladelphiataproom.com 11-3 p.m. Wake up Sunday morning with discounted Bell's Java Stout and brunch.
Winter Adventure Tour of Eastern State Penitentiary and Early Beer Dinner with Stoudt's Brewery London Grill 215-978-4545 www.londongrill.com 1:30 p.m. $45 plus tax and gratuity Meet at London Grill and owner Terry McNally and Stoudts Brewery owner Carol Stoudt will take you to Eastern State Penitentiary for a winter adventure tour of the historic prison, once home to Willie Sutton - the notorious bank robber that Stoudt's and London's Willie Sutton Beer was named for. Back at London enjoy a three-course dinner with Stoudt's beers.
Lew Bryson's Pennsylvania Brunch Fork 306 Market St. 215-625-9425 www.lewbryson.com Noon-2 p.m. $35 (excluding tax and gratuity; beers extra) Join Fork in welcoming nationally noted beer writer Lew Bryson ("Pennsylvania Breweries") for a special brunch featuring a breakfast variety of local beers. Pair the beers with Forks interpretation of dim sum, the Asian small plates traditionally served with tea! Consider it a delicious preparation for the Real Ale Festival at Triumph, just two blocks away.
Belgian Beer Sunday Brunch Drafting Room Taproom & Grille 900 Bethlehem Pike, Spring House 215-646-6116 635 North Pottstown Pike, Exton 610-363-0521 www.draftingroom.com Join us for a Belgian Beer Sunday Brunch Buffet while we pour Belgian beer from De Proef (Flemish Primitive), Blaugies (La Moneuse), Duysters (Loterbol Bruin), De Graal (Hector Tripel). While drinking fine beer our buffet will be enhanced with Belgium menu items like: Mussels in a lager beer broth, waffles served with a cherry lambic syrup, Belgian cheese fondue, roasted garlic steak frites with garlic chive aioli, carved maple porter glazed pork loin, and stout-spiked chocolate cake.
Brunch at the P.O.P.E. The P.O.P.E. 1501 E. Passyunk Ave. 215-755-5125 www.myspace.com/pubonpassyunkeast Noon-3 p.m. Featuring Flying Fish Apple Jack Grand Cru Beer on draft until last call.
Stone Brunch Teresa's Next Door 124-126 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne 610-293-0119 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Featuring local rep Scott Sheridan and many rare Stone kegs such as Double Bastard '06, Imperial Stout '06, 11th Anniversary Black IPA and more to come from the cellars of Stone Brewing!
Meet the brewer: Chris the Enabler of Philadelphia Brewing Good Dog 224 S. 15th St. 215-985-9600 www.gooddogbar.com 6 p.m. Chris "The Enabler" Morris of Philadelphia Brewing will join us to impart his wisdom on why Kolsch is the beer of the future, and other smart things.
Drie Fonteinen Tasting with Armand Debelder Monk's Cafe 264 S. 16th St. 215-545-7005 www.monkscafe.com 2 p.m. $35 Armand makes some of Belgium's most interesting lambics. 3 Fonteinen brewery & restaurant is located in the village of Beersel, just outside Brussels. Their food is excellent and their beers are even better. We'll be serving Armand's Gueuze, Kriek, Schaersbeek Kriek, Homage (frambozen), and a straight lambic. Armand is a traditional lambic blender who now brews his own lambics for blending. Don't miss this opportunity to meet this man. Snacks served.
Ladies Beer Tea The Belgian Café 21st & Green streets 215-235-3500 www.thebelgiancafe.com 3 p.m. $25 There will unique beers paired with a twist on high tea with savories, tea sandwiches and dessert complementing the beers. The location is the sunny dining room of The Belgian Cafe, conveniently located near the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Hats optional! Tickets: Home Sweet Homebrew, 215-569-9469 or The Belgian Café, 215-235-3500.
Authentic German Menu The Blue Ox 7980 Oxford Ave. 215-728-9440 www.blueoxbistro.com 5 p.m., pay as you go
1st Annual ZoT MusselFlex - Mussel Eating Competition ZoT 122 Lombard St. 267-639-3260 info@zotrestaurant.com 5 p.m. $20 entrance fee, $100 gift certificate to ZoT for the winner. Half the profits donated to the Red Cross.
Highlights from 10 years of Dinners with Michael Jackson Monk's Café 264 S. 16th St. 215-545-7005 www.monkscafe.com 6 p.m. $85 Our dinner will feature six of our favorite pairings from the past 10 years of dinners with Michael Jackson. We are donating $15 from each ticket sale to the National Parkinson's Foundation to honor Michael's lifetime of contributions to the world of beer. Come toast the life and lines of Michael Jackson.
Who loves it in a can? Festival Aspen 25th & Aspen streets 215-23-ASPEN 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Wrap up Philly Beer Week with a good old-fashioned canned beer. We'll be featuring canned offerings with something for everyone, from Sly Fox Phoenix Dunkle to Dale's Pale Ale to good old PBR.
T.U.D. - The Last Huzzah of Philly Beer Week Fergie's Pub 1214 Sansom St. 215-928-8118 www.fergies.com 7:05 p.m. Free admission Karaoke party with local and transient brewers and the ladies of In Pursuit of Ale. Plus special guest bartenders from the brewing profession serving $3 imperial pints of craft brews on tap. Say goodbye to all the beer madness with that T.U.D. (Totally Unnecessary Drink.)
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