Features

From Zymurgy to Celebrity

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By Scott Willey

February/March 2010

Rock Star Brewers Are Putting On A Concert… In Your Face.

Collaboration brews, which I affectionately call collabrews, are currently all the rage in the beer scene — having the craft beer lover screaming like a school girl in anticipation as our favorite rock star brewers get together to meld their artistic brewing styles into our favorite new craft beers. Getting a hold of these “love-child” brews is like collecting rare live performances of our favorite musicians. Some of these beers, so rare, can be a tough find; seeing that very few end up in the hands of the craft beer drinkers who yearn for them. Is the collaboration brew the sold out concert of the craft beer scene, or is the ticket too overpriced and too limited for the true fan to enjoy? Read more…

Everyone’s Irish On St. Paddy’s Day

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By John Galster

February/March 2010

Since St. Paddy’s Day is engrossed with beer culture, it’s only natural that we explore this holiday tradition. With more knowledge and a little luck, you’ll be ready to down those dry Irish stouts. Read more…

150 Years…On the Biggest Little Street

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By Alicia Eichelman

December/January 2009-10

It’s a Sunday night in Center City, Philadelphia. McGillin’s Olde Ale House, one of the oldest operating taverns in the country, is lined wall to wall with people. Two-top tables have now become eight-top tables, and standing room no longer exists. It’s approaching nine o’clock and its game four of the 2009 World Series; McGillin’s is bound to become increasingly crowded as the night progresses. The dimly lit bar casts shadows that bounce off of the walls that are adorned with a mix of signs both old and new; from Gimbels, the iconic American department store, to 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies memorabilia.Bar manager, Chris Mullins, Jr. looks around, eyes adjusting to the lack of light, and gazes at the patrons surrounding him. Not missing a beat, he weaves through the crowd, stopping only when greeting the regulars or to briefly chat with one of his servers. Mullins, Jr. knows that he has a special establishment on his hands, one rich in history that has grown with Philadelphia and through his family. He lives for the nights like these and takes nothing for granted.

A Brewtiful Thing

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By Scott Willey

December/January 2009-10

Craft beer lovers are just as passionate about their coffee as they are about their beer. More and more we are seeing breweries offering up coffee-flavored beers, and many anticipate beers brewed with coffee from their favorite breweries. It’s obvious that craft beer lovers, brewers included, have a passion for intense and unique flavors, adding the things we love about coffee to porters and stouts to create more complex flavors, and ultimately combining two of our favorite things. Just be sure you don’t confuse the two, as most would agree that a coffee stout probably wouldn’t be a good alternative for your daily commute.

Macro vs. Micro

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By Mat Falco & John Galster

October/November 2009

How many times have you argued with a friend who drinks Budweiser about whose beer is superior? Well we’re not out to answer that question, but we are going to attempt to help you out and explain the difference of what goes into brewing a macro beer such as Budweiser and a craft beer such as Dock Street. Some people may not realize how drastically different the art and science between the different breweries is, so in order to explain it, John and Mat set out to experience things first hand. Mat spent the day brewing beer at Dock Street brewery, while John traveled out to Jersey to get a personal, behind the scenes tour of a Budweiser factory. The following is what each experienced, so grab a bottle of 90 Minute and have your buddy grab his Rolling Rock and sit back and read together in attempt to solve this long-lived argument!

Baby, It’s Cold Outside…

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By Scott Willey

October/November 2009

With the passing of the smoking ban for Pennsylvania on September 11th, 2008, smokers by the masses have been forced to head outside to grab a drag. This seems to be a sensitive subject on both sides of the fence. Non-smokers are thrilled that they can leave the bar without smelling like smoke, and smokers just have to leave the bar — to smoke. There are also tons of people out there that only smoke when they drink. With the chilly temperatures quickly approaching, this article is for you — the smoker and the casual smoker that also enjoy a good craft beer… at the bar… inside. Read more…

A Homebrewer’s Corner Feature: Solar Brewing

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By David Martorana

Homebrewer's Corner | October/November 2009

“Do you have sunglasses?”

“Umm… somewhere…”

“Oh, you’re gonna need sunglasses.”

The Art of the Tap Handle

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By John Galster

August/September 2009

What is the first thing you look at when you step into a bar? Is it the craftsmanship of the wood or copper bar top? How about selecting which stools have the best, cleanest looking cushions? No, chances are that you, like many of us, head straight to check out the selection of beer in the establishment. Sure, many good bars will have a (sometimes slowly updated) board listing the choices but where is the fun in that when we can check out all the cool-looking tap handles?

A Big Axe to Grind

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By Scott Willey

August/September 2009

Mike Hiller of Bavarian Barbarian isn’t new to brewing—he’s been in the business for over 10 years now. However, he’s pretty new to the brewery-owning business. Bavarian Barbarian is one of the newest breweries to hit the Philadelphia beer scene. Mike fights on a daily basis to bring us what he calls, “the people’s beer,” while sharpening his axe to bring some normality back to thecraft beer market with a product that he wants to see “paired with life.”

The Park and the Parking Lot

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By Neil Harner

August/September 2009

It’s 9 AM in the morning on a Saturday. As I am lying in bed I can’t help to think to myself, “why the fuck am I awake?” Being the nine to five, Monday through Friday laborer that I am, I tend to like sleeping in on the weekend. But then I realize, just above my head there is a small wet spot at the top of my pillow and a noticeable small drip of water falling from the ledge of the windows over my bed. I immediately jump up to see a downpour which at this point in time wasn’t that uncommon since it had been raining for what seemed like a month.