Archive for October, 2008
Oktoberfest beers are some my favorites…the crisp malt body, chewiness, smoothness, etc… That being said, here is quick summary of some of the beers you might find traveling around Philly and burbs’ bars and restaurants:
A+, Brooklyn’s Oktoberfest - Just great beer, nice balance of hops and malt body, great mouthfeel…Brooklyn does it again.
A+, Victory FestBeer - Tied with Brooklyn as my favorite Oktoberfests, if you have not tried it - get over to Downingtown ASAP!
A, Harpoon Oktoberfest - Really like this one, a touch lighter than the previous two….highly drinkable.
A-, Samuel Adams - A steady eddie; you can’t miss with a Sam.
B, Leinenkugel’s (SAB MILLER) Oktoberfest - Light and drinkable, some malt, not too heavy, nice for lunch.
B, Spatan - What can be said… one of the originals, tasty and malty.
F, Beck’s Oktoberfest - Watery, icky flavor, not good at all.
October 10th, 2008
US beer sales are rising, conversely so are commodity costs….not to mention a mounting shortage in hops. In the article linked below, the Wall Street Journal describes this “perfect storm” for breweries and its impact on some of our favorite beers’ recipes.
Some facts:
- Since the summer of 2007, the cost of hops went from around $4 a pound to $30. Consequently, smaller brewers (like Troegs) who do not have contracts with hop farms, have had to pay the higher costs, as a result higher retail prices or switch production volume to pilsners, stouts, and wheat beers.
- As hop prices have risen, so has demand for hoppy beers. In fact, IPA sales have risen over 12% roughly from last year.
The ol’ saying goes, when life hands you lemons you make lemonade. As commodity prices and demand increase, let’s hope that breweries use this opportunity to branch out their recipes and find some creative (and tasty) ways to please our palates. Moreover, it just seems like a great opportunity to reinvigorate the brewing of lagers and porters and halt the hop-madness (can you say Quad Imperial Hoppin’ Mad American IPA) that has smothered a number of small breweries and brewpubs.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122332274798008703.html#
Cheers, Frank
October 9th, 2008
Lew Bryson, for those who don’t know, is prolific beer scribe whose work can be found quoted or printed in many if not all of the beer publications and articles posted in the East Coast. Lew touched this week on a point that many here at Consortium have spoke about for sometime….beer snobbery. When you sit a bar, especially beer geek hangouts like Monk’s, the Foodery, or TJ’s, you sometimes come across the guy who says “I had X and you can’t get it cause I know the guy who gets me a case on the third Thursday of every other month when there Mercury and Venus align.” Lew’s article denounces this absolute snootiness, read it here.
October 8th, 2008
Since moving to West Chester, about four years ago, I have not traveled much in the Brandywine Valley portion of PA and DE. Our friends Jackie and Mary-Ellis suggested we meet them at one of their haunts, Buckley’s. Buckley’s looks like the Cedar Hollow Inn or Four Dogs, basically a old farm house converted to a restaurant. The staff and decor were welcoming and the crowd eclectic - Sunday Harley riders, old Chester County folks, 30-somethings, etc… The beer list was great - Brooklyner Weisse, Chimay, Dogfish Pumpkin Ale, Smutty Pale Ale, etc…And the food was surprising. The wings are some of the best I have ever tasted in Chester County - their Buffalo Sauce is GOOD! The ribs, gaucho steak, and sweet potato fries are tasty as well.
Highly recommended - straight down 52 from West Chester.
http://www.buckleystavern.org/
October 6th, 2008
