August/September 2010
August/September 2010 Letter From the Founder
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What a crazy couple of months it has been. I don’t know how you felt about it, but Philly Beer Week was pretty intense and really wiped me out. But, with Philly Beer Week over, it’s time to get back to normal beer life. Well, it’s probably also time to start planning for PBW ‘11, but I’ll hold off on that for a few more weeks. We are however, getting to work on our next two big adventures: our first trip to the Great American Beer Festival and Brews For Boobies 3, taking place on October 2nd. Last year’s breast cancer awareness pub crawl brought out over 200 people who split into two unique crawls through Old City and Center City. This year, we’re expecting to double in size and are adding two additional crawls to choose from: Northern Liberties/Fishtown and South Philly. Hopefully, we’ll see you out supporting this year!
Meet The Scene: It’s Always Sunny’s Mac & Dee
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Meet Rob McElhenney & Kaitlin Olson, partner owners of Mac’s Tavern on Market Street in Old City.
This duo may sound familiar for their starring roles on FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, of which Rob is also the creator. Although the show returns with a new season in September, we’re here to talk about their new bar.
Philly Beer Scene: When you were a resident of Philadelphia, what bars were you hanging out in?
ROB MCELHENNEY: Well, I moved to New York when I was 18, so I’m sure the bars I was hanging out at wouldn’t appreciate the publicity.
KAITLIN OLSON: I’m from Oregon, but I love how many local bars there are. It’s not like that in L.A. where we’re from. Ladder 15 is one of my favorites though.
5 Reasons to Cross the Bridge
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There is more to Jersey than just the shore.
With the nationwide popularity of shows like “Jersey Shore,” “Real Housewives of New Jersey,” and “Cake Boss,” it seems that these days, good old Jerz is the place to be. But Snookie, Teresa, and Buddy aren’t the only things going on in the Garden State. Craft beer mania is channel surfing eastward across the Delaware River and landing a regular spot in the lineup of bars and stores that boast selections to rival those in Philly. With this issue, we launch our dedicated coverage of the most densely populated state in the union and hereby present to you…
AlternaBeer: Sin in a Bottle
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Maybe Adam & Eve were on to something.
With summer winding down and fall just around the corner,your palate may be yearning for something different than the seasonal light-bodied wheat ales, but perhaps it isn’t quite ready for the German-styled Oktoberfest brews just yet. Lucky for you, something sinfully delicious has come our way via the Big Apple. Inspired by the New York City experience, this premium cider is as lively as its origins.
Ask Two Guys on Beer: Aug/Sep 2010
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What does lacing on a glass signify?
- Jon C., Philadelphia, PA
First and foremost, your beer has to have head. No bubbles means no cling, so many light lagers simply won’t produce much lacing. Even with a decent head, there is chemistry involved. The basic element in lacing is protein. When you take a sip and foam is left on the side of the glass, the bitter tasting alpha acids in hops can interact with proteins in the beer, linking them together. They trap air when the head dries out, which is why lacing, if left to sit, will harden.
Traversing (and Tweeting) Part II
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The beer scene of Michigan and beyond, continued.
DAY FOUR
We headed north to the Traverse City Beer Fest. This would be only the second festival in seven years in which I had been a guest without singing the song behind the booth for five hours. Traverse City is covered with breweries (and cherries). Right Brain, Shorts, another Blue Tractor, and now another Jolly Pumpkin Brewery and Distillery are there. It rained all day. It was quite cold. Usually, I am anti-flip flop. It was the first time all year I wore them. I was freezing and I was still feeling the wrath of the Hop Cat. They had a great rock-a-billy band with a lead singer that kept all the gents away from the beer booths for a while.
Man’s New Best Friend
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…And how he can get his name on a Sly Fox beer.
Spring brings one of the areas most cherished festivals. Year after year, people come by the busload to drink mugs of bocks, eat brats, listen to traditional umpa bands, and race goats. Yes, race goats. The Sly Fox Bock Fest & Goat Race is an annual tradition that has surely reached the not to be missed status. Each year, Sly Fox puts out an array of their different bock style beers and people bring their prized goats out to be raced. The races are for more than just fun, as there is quite the acclaimed prize on the line. Sly Fox brews a special, unique Maibock each year for this event and when the races come to an end, they tap the initial firkin and name the beer after the winning goat. Having a delicious Sly Fox named after your goat seems to be a pretty awesome honor to us, and because of this we have decided to bring you a guide to raising your own goat, so that you too may have a chance to win this honor. I’m no pro on raising a goat, but I have had a pet goat (the one pictured wearing diapers and suspenders) and consider it one of my favorite pets to have owned. Hopefully, this guide will help you raise your own winning goat.
He Who Has Risen Belgian Strong Ale
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Sacrilegious? Nah, it’s Sacrilicious! In bad taste? Are you kidding? It tastes awesome!
With both this idea (and the water) Blessed by a Catholic priest, it’s hard to be offended if you ask me. Monasteries have been brewing beer (and sometimes liquors) for hundreds of years. Benedictine Monks drank beer brewed on premise in place of eating food while they were fasting. I had originally intended to brew this beer on Easter 2009. But, a UPS delay of the communion wafers pushed it back a week.
General Tso’s Brisket
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Try this award winning smoked & marinated brisket with your favorite hoppy ale.
When I was in college, I would order cheap General Tso’s Chicken from the local spot at least once a week. One day, I decided that I had to learn how to make my own. I found a couple of recipes online and began to experiment. The idea then came to me that I should try to use the sauce as a marinade on some beef tips. It came out AMAZING! Several years later, I decided to enter my first amateur BBQ contest at Yards’ “Smoke ‘Em if Yous Got ‘Em.” I knew I did not have the experience of any of the other competitors, so I decided to give the old General Tso’s marinade a shot. It turned out so well that I actually took home 4th place on the first brisket I ever smoked.
