December/January 2010-11

Ask Two Guys On Beer: Dec/Jan 10-11

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Ask Two Guys on Beer

What makes a beer a Heather Ale?
- Patrick K., Mount Holly, NJ
Heather Ales are primarily a Gruit beer made popular in Scotland due to its use of local Common Heather flowers to replace the hops for bittering and preservation. This style of brewing with Gruit is one of the most ancient ways to brew and releases some very interesting flavors when done correctly. Because the shrub that produces the flower grows best in more acidic soil, you get a floral but slightly spicy profile on the nose and flavor. Fraoch is probably the most commercially accessible Heather Ale, and is brewed by the Williams Bros. Brewery in Scotland.

Dec/Jan 10-11 Letter From the Art Director

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Letter from the Founder

We decided that with the impending New Year should come a change of pace, and that now would be a great time to add a new face to the “Letter From” section
of the magazine. I had heard that Neil and Mat get a lot of questions asking who I am since I started participating in the “Tasting Room,” so I figured this would be a
great chance to introduce myself. Read more…

4th Time’s A Charm

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By By Neil Harner

The Variety Pack

Lew Bryson releases the 4th Edition of his popular book, “Pennsylvania Breweries.”

Every past edition of Lew Bryson’s “Pennsylvania Breweries” has been a valuable tome for the PA-based craft beer enthusiast, and his 4th Edition is no exception. In this guide, Bryson takes readers on a tour of all of the breweries and brewpubs throughout PA, from the oldest – Yuengling, to newer breweries, some of which I haven’t even heard of. Read more…

Meet the Scene: Adam Ritter

(2 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)

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By By Mat Falco

Meet the Scene

Meet Adam, owner of Sidecar Bar & Grille and Kraftwork, who sold his soul to the devil and pissed of a dead rock star’s wife.

Philly Beer Scene: Before the beer industry, what were your aspirations in life?
Adam Ritter: I decided to sell my soul to the devil and I figured that the quickest way to do that was to buy a bar and run a bar and I think that I can check that off now. I didn’t know what I wanted to do growing up. I originally went to school to be a geologist. I wanted to study plate tectonics and rocks and stuff, but couldn’t find many interesting rocks in North Philadelphia. Eventually, I got a sales job selling forklifts and warehouse designs and went to culinary school at night.
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Y NJ?

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By By Tara Nurin

The Variety Pack

How South Jersey Is Becoming a Craft Beer Destination.

This May, Jay Rose, beer manager at Joe Canal’s in West Deptford, NJ, observed a drastic difference in some of his customers. The man who’d come in every afternoon to buy two 40’s of Colt 45, was now filling up growlers with the heftiest of imperial stouts. And, the woman with a heavy Miller Lite habit had taken to informing him that he’d better start stocking more West Coast IPAs, or else. Read more…

Rheingold Beer

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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By By Carolyn Smagalski

The Variety Pack

The Return of an Icon.

Do you remember jazz greats Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald? How about comedian Groucho Marx, Dodgers All-Star Jackie Robinson, golf-pro Ben Hogan, and Robert Ripley of “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” These celebrities, and hundreds like them, endorsed Rheingold Beer. Read more…

Holiday Traveling With Sam Calagione

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By Scott Willey

The Variety Pack

Discovery Channel’s Brew Masters follows Sam and the Dogfish Head Brewery as he scours the Earth in search of the world’s most unique ingredients.

While the most traveling some of us do all year is a return home for the holidays, Sam Calagione travels year-round in search of some interesting ingredients to bring us the most exciting and unique flavors that the craft beer breweries have to offer. Through research of ancient recipes, oftentimes with archaeologist Dr. Patrick McGovern of the University of Pennsylvania, Sam and Dogfish Head recreate brews that may have been consumed as far back as nine thousand years ago, giving us a brief glimpse as to what happy hours may have consisted of in early Mayan civilizations. Read more…

A Year of Beer!

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Woman on the Scene

With 2010 coming to a close, Suzanne Woods takes us through the scene’s most memorable events.

January
The year was off to a good start. You could finally get your groceries and a growler to go. Whole Foods in Plymouth Meeting, opened for business and houses the Cold Point Pub, serving beer as well as wine. A young man rescued 12 days after the Haiti earthquake that shook and crushed the poorest city in the Western Hemisphere, shares that he survived on beer and biscuits until his rescue. Read more…

Australian Lamb Rack

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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By Chef Lawrence Fullbright

Cooking with Beer

Try something new this winter that is sure to warm you up; Australian Lamb Rack with Stone Smoked Porter.

Executive Chef Lawrence Fullbright from Tony’s Place in Ivyland, PA, provided us with this hearty meal, perfect for a cold, winter day. Made with Stone Brewing Co.’s Smoked Porter, the rich and robust flavors of the brew combine perfectly with the tender lamb chops. Impress your holiday guests with this easy to make recipe.

Beer Bottle Tree

(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)

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By Jeff Lavin

Fun with Beer

Try storing this one for 11 months out of the year.
Ah! The Christmas tree; a focal point for the holiday, where you and your family gather to decorate, exchange gifts and share in the joy of the season. But, what about when that tree dies, dropping thousands of tiny needles everywhere because “someone” forgot to water it? Then that tree is not so great, is it? Well, we have the solution and all it requires is you drinking some beer! The beer bottle tree is the perfect holiday addition for the beer lover. No more vacuuming every 5 minutes, hanging ugly ornaments or forgetting to water it. Just make sure Aunt Helen doesn’t fall into after downing one too many cups of eggnog. Read more…

Philly Beer Scene