Category Archives: Beer Reviews

Kraftwork

December 19, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings@KraftworkBar, @MemphisTaproom1, @thebelgiancafe, Beer, Black Out Friday, Fishtown, Kraftwork, Memphis Taproom, Philadelphia, Stouts, The Belgium Cafegeekybeergal

When it came to choosing a place to celebrate Black Out Friday, my new favorite holiday, I chose Kraftwork as the go to place. Kraftwork rates up there as one of my top three beer bars in the city of Brotherly Beer a.k.a. Philadelphia. The other two being The Belgian Café and Memphis Taproom. Also, it finally provided me with the opportunity to officially review this amazing establishment.

Kraftwork is located on Gerard Avenue in Fishtown and most times this Gal finds off street parking pretty easily. On this particular visit I snagged a spot right out front – score! This was my third visit and with each visit I like the place more and more. I’ve always found the staff to be pleasant and very knowledgeable about the beer – just one of few things I enjoy about this place. Some other reasons it ranks up there: inviting rustic atmosphere (think wood and metal), top notch food – many tiers up from your basic bar food and most importantly the beer list is always excellent. Both the beer and food menu change on a regular basis and the beer menu also notes what beers are coming up.

I was meeting up with an old friend that knew nothing about Black Out Friday but was rather excited to tell me upon my arrival about all the stouts on tap and to show me the new Star Wars Movie trailer – this Gal is a geek about many things. Yes, Black Out Friday is a play on Black Friday and means most of if not all the beers at the establishment are dark beers. A dream come true for this Gal.

Beings there were so many wonderful beers to choose from a flight was in order. Flight of any four for $12 including such rarities as the allusive Black Albert!

The first round consisted of:

Beer Geek Breakfast – Mikkeller, Imperial Stout 7.5%
Smells sweet but has funk taste to it and I mean in a good way. There’s the roasted chocolate malts you would expect but counter balanced by herbs, dark fruit and finished with bitter notes of hops and black coffee.

Black Me Stout – Champion, Stout 6%
This was a middle of the road stout. Some malt flavors mixed with a tinge of pepper but not much else going on. Very drinkable but compared to the other black beauties on tap it paled in comparison.

Peche Mortel – Dieu du Ciel, Imperial Stout 10%
WOW! Smooth, creamy chocolate taste with a balance of sweet and bitter up front and strong coffee punch finish…simply divine.

Black Albert – De Struise Brouwers, Russian Imperial Stout 13%
That’s right folks – the allusive Black Albert ON TAP! There is a subtle power to this stout that consist of raisins and other dark fruits soaked in whiskey with hints of caramel coated coffee beans…lovely.

By the end of the flight is was time for some food. Since it was the day after Thanksgiving the food menu was based on Thanksgiving Leftovers; a fun way to mix things up. This Gal enjoyed the Green Bean Casserole Quiche – this had the potential of going either way on the scale of goodness but it landed on the right side. It was simply delish! My friend enjoyed the Thanksgiving theme entree of Egg In A Hole – tasty.

With so many black beauties on tap it was necessary to partake in a 2nd flight which consisted of:

The Dream – Dominion, Schwarzbier 8%
Holy Hops! A bit of hops overload for this Gal. Hiding behind the hops were some citrus and pine flavors but it was hard to get past the hops.

Muddy – Goose Island, Imperial Stout 8%
After The Dream it was a bit hard to note what was going there were hops, of course, as well as, some traces of licorice, anise, dark fruit and the ever present bitter chocolate.

Fade to Black – Lefthand, Baltic Porter 8.5%
A soft creamy body with fully body flavors of roasted chicory and cocao. This is a well balanced beer offering pine/hops with dark yeasty malts.

Midnight Monk – Terrapin, Belgian Black IPA 9.6%
Mild hops with a bit more malt then expected. This style is really growing on me. I found this beer to be very enjoyable without any one any one flavor knocking you over but instead melding together to compliment each other perfectly.

After Flight Two it was necessary for this Gal to head back to Jersery. However, I’m looking forward to visiting December 26th for their annual ‘The Brewery That Stole Christmas’ festivities. This year the featured Brewery is Russian River! Looks like I may be starting another new tradition.

Kraftwork 541 East Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125
http://kraftworkbar.com Twitter – @KraftworkBar
https://www.facebook.com/kraftworkbar

Tuckahoe Brewing Company

September 24, 2014Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings, Brewery Reviewsgeekybeergal

Tuckahoe Brewing Co.

Every September this Gal heads down to beautiful Cape May, New Jersey for a fun filled weekend with the family. In recent years this annual trip has come to include a stop at Cape May Brewing and this year was no exception. However, also included was a stop at Tuckahoe Brewing Company.

Tuchahoe is set back a ways in a rural warehouse area – very easy to miss but no worries it can be found. The outside is a non-descriptive warehouse and the inside is tiny. As soon as you walk in you’re front and center in the tasting room. There’s a small bar that seats maybe 6 people to the left, a high top table for 4 and picnic bench area to the right.

On this particular day the beer offerings were slim – only 3 beers on tap. I believe there are usually more offerings but think there may have been some sort of problem with the lines this particular day. Not real sure what was going on but went for the $5 taster round of the 3 beers on tap.

Marshallville Wit 4.8% – This Gal does enjoy Wits so I was looking forward to this offering. It had the yeasty cloudy appearance I associate with a wit along with the lemon/citrus flavors hints of cloves but there was also a strange soapy taste to it as well.

Holly Beach Pumpkin Ale 7.4%
Right away there was a good hit of spices but not much pumpkin flavor. I consider this beer more a fall ale rather than a pumpkin ale. Unfortunately, there was a strange after taste on this beer as well.

Steelmartown Porter 6.5%
The woman who handed us the taster of these said, “it’s smells good but that’s all”. This beer does have a good robust roasty nose but follows it up with a pleasant coffee, cocoa & vanilla taste. The flavor matched aroma. It was the most pleasing of the three beers.

The place was hopping and people were filling growlers yet I did hear a fair amount of grumblings too. In all fairness I feel something was off on the production end and will go back to try it again another day.

The Claremont Tavern

September 9, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Reviews, Beer TastingsEvil Genius, Great Lakes, Kona, Terrapin, The Claremont Taverngeekybeergal

The Claremont Tavern

A special someone surprised me with a afternoon drive and a pit stop at The Claremont Tavern in Bernardsville, NJ. It was pretty drive and the little town the Tavern is located in is down right cute. It’s plopped in the middle of a residential area and has the old tavern coziness to it with smaller rooms and lots of dark wood. To be able to walk across the street for a beer on snowy evening would make for a wonderful winter night.

The Claremont Tavern isn’t a beer destination but if you’re up that way it’s worth stopping in for a bite and a beer. It offers a nice tap list although a bit small with only seven craft beers on tap. I could see it expanding over time and there is talk about them hosting some beer dinners in the future.I decided to go for a 4 pour taster round. I was a little disappointed to find that out of the seven craft beers offered all but one was either an IPA or Pale Ale. A bit more diversity in styles would have been welcomed. (there are 5 other beers on tap as well but not crafts) That being said there were definitely going to be some hops in the taster round along with one of my favorite porters – Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. The waiter tried to discourage me from ordering the porter – stating it was a dessert beer since it had a coffee taste to it. I assured him I was fine with it accompanying my meal.

To go with the beer I ordered the Veggie and Hummus Club Sandwich which consisted of fresh summer veggies paired with roasted pepper hummus – delish and enjoyable. My companion went with the personal pizza. The menu is diverse, reasonably priced and the portions large enough that we got both had lunch and dinner out of our selections.

005 — L to R: Kona, Great Lakes, Evil, Terrapin

Taster Round:

Castaway IPA – Kona Brewing Company, HW 6%
Pretty hoppy so much so really couldn’t taste anything else going on with the beer except the hops. Not doing it for this Gal.

Edmund Fitzgerald Porter – Great Lakes Brewing, OH 5.8%
A rich black body with a tan head. Wonderful aromas rise up from this porter and the taste doesn’t disappoint. Roasted malt with a very slight burnt/smokiness to it that compliments the roasted coffee and nuttiness that leads to a bittersweet finish. Went back for seconds and ordered a full pint of this gem.

Evil Eye IPA – Evil Genius Beer Company, PA 6%
I found this IPA enjoyable and not overly hoppy with a mix of grapefruit, pine and undertones of malts that finished very smooth. I wouldn’t hesitate to order a pint of this IPA.

Terrapin Hopsecutioner – Terrapin Beer Company, Georgia 7.3%
Fruit, malt and hops contribute to this being a well done medium body, easy drinking beer. Terrapin is working it’s way of my list of favorite breweries – they really just do it right.

009 — Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

2 Nights, 40 Beers

September 3, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Events, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings@Bottlebareast, @YardsBrew, Bottle Bar East, Fishtown, Philadelphia, Philly Beer Scene Magazine, Weyerbacher, Yards Brewing, Yards Love Stoutgeekybeergal

Two Nights, 40 Beers sounds like a lot – it was – 40 beers of fun!

A writer for Philly Beer Scene recently posted for help in reviewing beer for an upcoming article. Of course, this gal had to try and be one of the lucky 15-20 folks to garner a spot on the panel and woohoo I was. Two nights, 40 beers!

Not only was it fun getting to try 40 different beers for FREE but being given the opportunity to hang out with some fellow craft beer lovers that I haven’t met before, hear about their beer likes/dislikes and their recommendations for different beer places to visit is always makes for a good time as well.

The tasting took place upstairs at Bottle Bar East – bonus I had never been so got to try out a different beer bar as well.

Night 1
First thing – parking. Street parking only folks but I managed to find a spot nearby fairly quickly. (2nd night it took some time but finally snagged a spot). Once I arrived at Bottle Bar East I made my way upstairs to where the tasting would be taking place.

When one first enters Bottle Bar East your eyes are immediately drawn to the cold case displays to the left of the entrance. It’s a beautiful display of individual craft beer bottles for sale. One can take them home or drink them on premise. To right of the entrance is the cashier, straight back are the stairs (that lead to a 2nd floor seating area) followed by a long bar on the right and about 4 to 5 high top tables to the left and the “kitchen” is in back.

I made my way upstairs for the tasting where each table was set up with water and tasting forms. The first night was a blind tasting of 20 beers approximately 15 of them either IPA’s or Pale Ales. For each beer we were told the style and alcohol content but that’s it. Each person had a sheet to jot down a few tasting notes/descriptions plus a score from 1-10 with 10 being the best. For a non hops lover it was a bit of hops overload but I managed. However, towards the end my tasting notes took a nose dive eventually leading to a one word description for one of the beers – No. By this point I was pretty sure hops were sprouting from my tongue. I couldn’t wait for some malty goodness to hit my taste buds. Yards Love Stout to the rescue.

A fellow taster and I made our way downstairs to one of the high top tables. I requested a taster of the Punk’n Harvest Pumpkin Ale – Uinta Brewing Company 4% – light body with good pumpkin flavor but my taste buds required something more full body so I treated them to a little slice of malt heaven – Yards Love Stout – Yards Brewing 5%
Oh my taste buds were so happy to be coated with malts, roasted chicory and chocolate. I enjoyed this malted beauty with the Roasted Vegetable Flatbread that was down right tasty. My taster buddy enjoyed the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Side note: sandwiches come with salads since fries are not served at Bottle Bar East. In fact, it would seem there is no deep fryer at all, which I find pretty cool, leading to some different bar menu options.

Night 2
By this point murmurs of speculation as to what the article was about were swirling around with the tasting panel. All we knew for sure was that we really didn’t have a clue. We were told we find out the names of the beers from the blind tasting and what the article is about in a few weeks. Looking forward to both.

For night two we were informed of the beer name and style and bottles were put out on display – no blind tasting this time. The styles varied a bit more on night two but still leaned towards hops. Food was available for purchase each night but the folks I shared a table with all agreed that we didn’t want food skewing our judgment of the beer. As we all know a beer on its own vs. paired with food could alter ones judgment of the beer.

Night 2 leaned towards “local” brews. I don’t want to say much more than that since the article hasn’t been published yet. I will say that I was happy when Weyerbacher Merry Monks made an appearance.

By around beer 14 it was obvious some of us were losing steam and short on words to describe the beers but we managed. At this point I was thankful for the wall behind me. Having a wall to lean on is so underrated. By the end of the panel tasting I found myself daydreaming about some malts; so my taster buddy and I headed downstairs to the bar.
BTW – hooks under the bar for hanging ones belongings – love it!

The experience at Bottle Bar East was a bit different on this night compared to the previous evening. Night 1 the service was excellent and very attentive, unfortunately, I can’t say the same for night 2. As a former bartender, I understand wanting to spend some time chit chatting with friends that stop in for a beer but PLEASE remember you have other customers as well. Wait on customers and then chit chat – that is the order. Grrr, pet peeve.

At Bottle Bar East there’s a good varied selection of beer on tap to choose from plus the wonderful selection in the cold case. However, I wanted something on tap, just tried 20 beers and still had a drive home ahead of me so something not real high in alcohol content was preferred so, once again, the Yards Love Stout won. This time I paired it with the homemade Mac & Cheese with asparagus mixed in. This was a wonderful crock of stick to your ribs comfort food!

The 2 night experience was a blast. I got to taste 40 beers, meet new people and try a place I didn’t even know existed – all in all pretty cool! Plus, after 40 beers in 2 nights I was temporarily beered out. Not something that happens often, if ever.

Interstate Drafthouse

August 21, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings, Pub Crawl@BullfrogBrewery, @interstatedraft, Anderson Valley Brewing, Arcadia Brewing, bullfrog brewing, Clown Shoes Brewing, Fishtown, Flying Dog Brewing, interstate drafthouse, Philadelphia, Yards Brewinggeekybeergal

Interstate Drafthouse Philadelphia, PA

This gal has been trying for some time to check out Interstate Drafthouse to no avail. I was beginning to think it wasn’t meant to be but indeed it was! I had added Interstate Drafthouse to my Philly Pub Crawl list (posted 12/13) fully trusting my Philly connection with the worthiness of the establishment to the list. Worthiness confirmed.

Located just a hop, skip and jump off Interstate 95 via the Gerard Avenue exit in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia, Interstate Drafthouse is a neighborhood bar that is also a destination spot. It really is smack in the middle of a neighborhood with easy off street parking. I would say from the looks of the building it was somebodies home in a prior life but fortunately for craft beer lovers it’s been converted into a great bar.

Upon entrance to the Drafthouse one is immediately standing in the bar area. The bar is to the right and few high top tables to the left. Walk back a little further and a step up to the dining area that consist of about 12 or so tables. Off the dining area is a cute little patio. Unfortunately, there was a summer rain storm taking place so a seat at the bar is where my companion and I found beer happiness.

Interstate offers a warm, cozy environment with a good bar vibe feeling with an old style tin ceiling, lots of dark wood, holiday twinkle lights and hooks under the bar for umbrellas, purses etc., always a nice touch. Overall the place is a little kitchy but in a fun way. It reminded me of some of the neighborhood bars I’ve visited in New Orleans. It’s also a wee bit dark inside which can make reading the menu a tad difficult at times. (flashlight app to the rescue). The owner is very welcoming and friendly as is the staff. They are also generous with beer tastings which is always a plus.

Not only does Interstate Drafthouse have a nice tap list, with a style for everyone, but they’re also very reasonably priced with great weekly deals! Happy Hour is offered Monday – Friday 4:30-6:30 with $4 Draft Beers. We happened to be there for Taco Tuesday $1 Tacos and $4 Beers ALL NIGHT – Sweet! Wednesday they offer a Beer and Meal for $10!

Veggie "Steak" Sandwich — Veggie “Steak” Sandwich

The food menu is pretty diverse with everything from gator to seitan on it. Another words both meat and vegetarian friendly with a fun Cajun/Creole influence to it. We started with the homemade guacamole which was spot on. My companion enjoyed a tasty brisket sandwich and this gal opted for a nicely done veggie “steak” sandwich. I hear the mac & cheese is lip smacking good.

As tasty as the food was the beer was even better…

As soon as I spotted an offering from Bullfrog Brewing I knew what my first beer of the night would be. Bullfrog Brewing holds a special place in this Gal’s heart. I use to visit it many moons ago on the way to and from vacationing in Western Pennsylvania. If you ever happen to be near Williamsport, PA (home of the Little League World Series) I strongly recommend, heck I insist you stop at Bullfrog Brewery for some beer and food. I’ve never had a bad experience there. Their beer put a smile on my face each and every visit.

Saison – Bullfrog Brewing
Blond Ale meets Farmhouse Ale. Classic Saison cloudy appearance with citrus, floral and enough tartness that it makes your mouthwater at the end but makes you want to go back for more

Next up…
Arcadia London Porter – Arcadia Brewing Company 7.2%
Well done English porter with a pleasant smokey nose. The flavor is a mix of roasted malts, bittersweet chocolate, coffee and just a touch of hops. A good true-to-style English Porter that ends with a slightly bitter finish. (favorite of the night)

Finished with the
Summer Solstice – Anderson Valley Brewing Company 5.% (cream ale)
Had I known it was a cream ale I probably wouldn’t have ordered it since I’m not a big fan of the style. However, the Summer Solstice has changed my opinion of cream ales. It’s as good blend of spices, malt and caramel that make it an enjoyable summer beer.

Sips of:
Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale – Flying Dog 5.6%
This ale is brewed with Old Bay Seasoning which intrigued me but sadly the taste did not appeal to me at all. It was just odd. I would be willing to try a small taster of it with some food. That combo may work but on it’s on just not for me.

Pynk – Yards Brewing 5.5%
I was super excited when I saw the tap handle go on for this beer. It’s a delightful berry beer. I wasn’t in the mood for a full pint on this visit but could envision myself enjoying this little tart beauty on my deck one warm evening. I also could see myself mixing it with a chocolate stout since it’s so lambic like. Don’t forget Yards donates $1 from each case sold to the Tyanna Foundation, which provides support for the care and treatment of breast cancer patients.

Galatica IPA – Clown Shoes 8%
This Imperial IPA smells and taste very floral so much so I felt I was sipping on perfume. It was a bit much for me to handle. A true love for hops is necessary to enjoy this beer. That being said my companion enjoyed it.

Sapient Triple -Dark Horse Brewing Company 9.5%
Crazy smooth, easy to drink without the high alcohol feeling. Delightful banana and coriander flavors. Would have loved a glass but no triples on this visit since I still had to get myself home.

This Gal was very happy to finally be able to try Interstate Drafthouse and looks forward to returning for $4 Beers!

Maine Part 1 – Great Lost Bear and Allagash Brewing Company

August 5, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Reviews, Brewery Reviews, Uncategorized@allagashbrewing, @GreatLostBear, Allagash Brewing Company, Atlantic Bar Harbor, Gearys, Gritty McDuff's, Maine Beer, ME, Portland, Smuttynose Brewing, The Great Lost Beargeekybeergal

The Great Lost Bear & Allagash Brewing Company

This Gal recently had the pleasure of spending some much needed down town in the beautiful state of Maine. Maine also happens to be home of this Gal’s favorite beer bar – The Great Lost Bear! (Please see last year’s post for a full review). Why is The Great Lost Bear my fav? Three simple reasons: 1. Great beer, 2. Great Veggie food (meat friendly too), 3. Great Music – the perfect trifecta. I’m talking kick back and relax bar atmosphere, sipping on the best of Maine beer offerings while listening to the Dead or some other great classic rock band. For this Gal it just doesn’t get any better.

On this particular visit I opted for the much loved taster round. Five 5 oz pours for $6.25. Wanted to enjoy as many beers as possible but kept in mind still had a good hour and half drive to the final destination. To help balance the intake of alcohol I enjoyed a delish house-made veggie burger that was out of this world in size and goodness!

It perfectly complimented the Taster Round which consisted of:

Summer Weizen – Smuttynose Brewing, NH 5.6%
Well done weizen style, very refreshing with a bit of tang. Good wheat presence with hints of floral and pepper. A beer perfect for kicking back and relaxing with.

Black Fly Stout – Gritty McDuff’s 4.1%
Yes, I repeated a beer from last year’s visit to the Bear. Just goes to show how much I enjoy this particular stout. (last year’s review This stout was ridiculously smooth, light in body but packed with big roasty goodness. It runs in the Irish Stout family but enjoyed it more than the typical Irish Stout because of the full malty flavors.)

Atlantic Bar Harbor Brown 5.2%
I love Brown Ales and will tend to order one whenever I see the style represented on a beer menu which in my opinion is not often enough. This particular brown has a good roasty quality of nuts and malts while maintaining a light body. Not the best brown this Gal has had but enjoyable just the same.

Hampshire Special Ale – Geary’s 7%
Maine in a glass! Wonderfully toasted malts, caramel and toffee balanced perfectly by the hops with hints of ginger and coriander make this ale a real pleasure to sip on. The perfect ambassador for Maine beers.

Confluence – Allagash 7.5%
Wasn’t sure what to expect when I ordered this little delight but I was pleasantly surprised by how incredibly smooth this ale is. All sorts of wonderfulness going on that results in a sweet and spicy harmony. One can detect hints of pepper and apricot along with the hops and malt. However, there’s no mistaking that one is drinking a Belgian style strong ale.

That was the end of my wonderful New England Sampling but I couldn’t leave without a quick taste of a little treasure I spotted on tap for the Goose Island Tap Takeover happening later that night….

Bourbon County Stout – Goose Island 14.2% (ON TAP)
Liquid Gold – Strong Liquid Gold. This style isn’t for everyone but for those of us that like the style Goose Island nailed it. Once you get past the bourbon taste you can pick out hints of vanilla, chocolate and smoke.

Sadly it was time to wrap up what is happily becoming my yearly pilgrimage to my personal Mecca, The Great Lost Bear.

Now as much as this Gal wanted to linger at the Bear there was another quick stop that just had to be made and was only a mere 8 minutes down the road from The Great Lost Bear.

Allagash Brewing Company

One of this Gal’s favorite Brewery’s, so much so I once had an amazing pet I named after the brewery – Allagash.

I had the pleasure of visiting this brewery many moons ago when Allagash was in its infancy stage. It was just a small brewery with no real tasting area and I don’t think they even offered tours then. They seemed pretty surprised when my companion and I showed up to buy some beer that day.

Boy, how things have changed. My jaw hit the floor when I saw the brewery, it’s huge; as is the tasting room. It’s also, very welcoming. There is a lovely outside patio area to hang out and enjoy your beers with a rustic Maine feel to it. Inside has a much more contemporary industrial look and feel with a long tasting bar and several tables for relaxing at. There is Allagash swag for sale all around the tasting room without it having an obnoxious in your face buy me feel to it. It was just there if you wanted to check it out. There was also a cold case with beer for sale. Even the bathrooms are cool! The tasting room is really set up for relaxing and hanging out.

The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable and greeted us upon entering and couldn’t believe I had been there so long ago. The other surprise besides the growth of the brewery was that the tasting round was completely FREE!

026 — L to R White, Saison, Dubbel, Fluxus

On this particular day the tasting round consisted of the:

White – Allagash 5%
The white has been a go to beer for me for some time. It’s just so refreshing and such a pleasure to drink. It’s a beautiful representation of a Belgian wheat beer with a good unity of wheat, coriander and orange.

Saison – Allagash 6.1%
This Gal loves a Saison! Great balance of rye, pepper and citrus with a lovely yeasty cloudy presence to it. (Four packs of the Saison and Black where purchased for later enjoyment.)

Dubbel – Allagash 7%
A classic – Hints of chocolate and nuts mixed with malty goodness that add up to a slice of Belgian heaven.

Fluxus – Allagash 8.8%
I don’t remember trying the Fluxus before and it continually changes. This year’s Fluxus is an interesting combination of malts with hints of honey and finishes with a slight earthy pine taste without any one flavor being overpowering but rather complimenting each other.

Now it really was time to continue on thy way – great start to a great vacation. This Gal highly recommends a stop at Allagash Brewing Company next time you find yourself in Portland, Maine followed by some lunch at The Great Lost Bear.

NJ 350th Birthday Party

June 30, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Events, Beer Reviews, Beer Tastings, Uncategorized#BlendNJ350, Blend Bar & Bistro, Kane Brewing, New Jersey Beer Company, New Jersey Beers, Pinelands Brewing, Rinn Duingeekybeergal

NJ 350 Birthday Party at Blend Bar & Bistro

Blend Bar & Bistro recently hosted a party to celebrate New Jersey’s 350^th Birthday. It was quite the celebration showcasing New Jersey Brews and some classic Jersey food, think pork roll. Around 12 to 14 New Jersey Brewers participated and several of the breweries had reps at the event as well. With both indoor and out door seating there was plenty of space for the large crowd which the staff did a great job handling. There were door prizes too but in the 3 1/2 hours this Gal was at the event I never heard ticket numbers being called out so not sure how that worked but the prizes were pretty cool looking. Mostly swag from the Brewers.

The evening started off with a beer from a company I hadn’t had the pleasure of trying before – NJ Beer Company.

LBIPA - Was enjoying it so much forgot to take a pic of it until it was almost gone! — LBIPA

LBIPA – NJ Beer Company 7%
By now most know this Gal is not much for IPAs, although, they are growing on me. I do believe it’s always good to try new things so went for a full pint and was glad to have a pint worth’s of this beer. This beer is perfect for kicking back and enjoying the summer with. It’s has nice crisp citrus tones with hints of floral and just the right amount of hops. It’s a very refreshing and a pleasing drinking beer that would be a great addition to any picnic menu. I look forward to trying more selections from this brewery in the near future especially their stout. (Was enjoying the LBIPA so much forgot to take a pic of it until it was almost gone, whoops.)

Next up was a taster round…

Trinity Smoked Scottish – Rinn Duin Brewing Company 4.%
I was really looking forward to trying this beer. It’s been a while since I’ve had a smoked brew. Unfortunately, this one really didn’t hit the mark for me. I don’t want the smokiness to overwhelm the beer or knock my taste buds over but I do want to at least enjoy some smokiness and there really wasn’t much to this beer. This beer is on the light end of medium body with some malty sweetness and just a faint hint of smoke.

Boaks Abbey Brown Ale – Boak Beverage 7%
This Gal was really excited about this ale. I love me a Belgian Strong Dark Ale and this didn’t disappoint. Nice rich brown color with nice roasted malts, dark cherries and just a hint of chocolate that finishes nicely. Well done!

Happy Buck’n Anniversary – Bolero Snort Brewery 7.7%
Between this being a porter and the brewery having a fun name I had to get this beer. I loved how dark this beer pours such a deep rich black color with a nice cocoa taste accompanied by roasted coffee. This is a good medium body porter that can be enjoyed year round.

Morning Bell – Kane Brewing Company 9.2%
Oh mother love this beer is tasty. It’s got the wake me up in the morning coffee punch that I love in porters and stouts. One can smell, as well as taste, the coffee in this little black beauty. Along with the chicory it has a nice amount of dark chocolate bitterness, roasted malts and slight hints of vanilla. Finishes solid and is a very well balanced porter that I look forward to having again and again.

I finished the night with a firkin offering from Pinelands Brewing Company.

Pinelands Farmhouse Ale – Pinelands Brewing Company 6%
What’s better than a Saison? Well, a firkin of Saison. This beer has the true hazy golden color associated with the Saison style. One can immediately smell the yeast, lemons and wheat and this beer offers a good balance of both citrus and spice.

This was only this Gal’s 2^nd visit to Blend Bar & Bistro but each time I’ve been impressed. #blendnj350

Kasteel Winter and Bitches Brew

April 14, 2014Beer Reviews, Beer TastingsBelgian Ale, Bitches Brew, Dogfish Head, Imperial Stout, Kasteel Winter, Miles Davis, Strong Alegeekybeergal

Kasteel Winter, Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck, Belgian Strong Dark Ale 11%

A while back it was Ladies Night at Geeky Beer Gal’s house and one of my besties brought this gal a bottle of Kasteel Winter. What a great friend! I’ve always been happy with Kasteel Ales and was looking forward to trying their Winter selection. I was so excited I decided to open it right away and Oh, boy it lived up to my expectations.

Appearance: Dark brown with hews of ruby and a nice tan head.
Aroma: Roasted coffee and spices with a hint of cocoa
Body: Medium body with medium carbonation
Flavor: The taste stands true to the aromas with the added flavor of toffee, soft hops & tobacco and a slightly sour/woody finish.
Overall a very nice winter ale and one I look forward to having again next season.

After enjoying the Kasteel I decided to open a bottle of Bitches Brew.

Miles Daves’ Bitches Brew, Dogfish Head Brewery, Imperial Stout 9%

I had this when it first came out several years ago but had been saving this bottle for a while decided to finally pop it open. Ahhh, it was as good as I remember it being.

Appearance: black liquid gold with a nice dark tan head
Aroma: whiskey, floral, vanilla and bitter burnt chocolate
Body: Thick, rich and creamy
Flavor: Rich chicory, hints of dark chocolate and plum with honey accents that slowly immerge throughout the course of drinking this beer; it has a nice bourbon/whiskey finish – A true indulgence!

Devil’s Den

March 14, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Reviews, Beer TastingsDevil's Den, Italian Market, South Phillygeekybeergal

Devil’s Den – Philadelphia 3/8/14

I recently had an afternoon planned of walking around the Italian Market in Philadelphia and stopping at one of my favorite beer spots, Memphis Taproom for a beer and a bite to eat. However, prior to leaving for the city I realized Devil’s Den was only 2 blocks from the Market and since it had been a few years since I last was at the Den I altered my plans and went there instead of Memphis.

One of the things that I remember from my last visit to the Den that was so appealing was the great beer list and the relaxing atmosphere. Things this time were a bit different. When I originally planned the day I was aware that is was the same day as the Philly Craft Beer Express but made sure Memphis Taproom was not one of the stops. However, when I changed my plans last minute I didn’t think to check if Devil’s Den was one of stops on the Express and it was. When my companion and I arrived the place was packed and noisy. We made our way through the bar area crowd and requested a table in the small dining room. Fortunately, there were two tables open and we got one of them. I wasn’t sure how the service would be with such a crowd but no worries the staff did an outstanding job of taking care of everyone.

Now that we were seated I looked forward to picking out my beer of choice. I asked our fabulous server, Dan P., if one could make a taster round but was informed they don’t offer that. Although, they do have 3 prefabbed tasting rounds on the menu. It disheartens me to have to admit I was a bit disappointed by the beer list on this particular visit. The list leaned very heavily towards IPA’s. I know folks like their hops but not everybody is a hop head and even hop heads like something else once in a while. I stand by them being on Geeky Beer Gal’s Philly Bar Crawl list because it was still a list of great beers I just would have preferred a bit more variety. Their bottle list is amazing and offers a wide variety. However, I was in the mood for a beer on tap and was having a hard time finding a beer I wanted a full pint of so I decided to go with one of the prefab flights. Each flight consisted of 4 beers and they offered a Sour Flight, Hops Flight (of course) and a Combo Flight. I enjoy a nice sour ale every now and then but didn’t feel in the mood for a full flight of sours and I knew I wasn’t going for a Hop flight so I settled for the Combo flight. It was made up of a cherry stout, a wheat and 2 IPA’s. I think for a Combo it would have been nice to replace one of the IPA’s with a sour and make it a true combo of styles.
Once the beer was ordered we perused the food menu. We happened to be there on Saturday during brunch service so no ordering from the regular menu. FYI – Brunch is a big thing on the weekend at Philly beer establishments. Both my companion and I felt this menu leaned heavily towards the breakfast side with lots of egg dishes and was a bit light on the lunch side of things but was both meat and vegetarian friendly.

I ordered the house made Black Bean Burger – I love when an establishment offers a house made veggie burger rather serving up a dried out hockey pock patty that I could buy in the frozen section of any market. My companion ordered the Biscuits and Gravy. Both beer and the food arrived promptly which was incredible considering the crowd they were dealing with. (I cannot stress enough how stellar the service was) Both meals were a nice size and delish and the burger came with the choice of a side salad or fries. Another nice touch 2 different hot sauces were brought to the table. Options are always nice and one was my favorite hot sauce, Cholula.

L to R: Stout, Black IPA, Wheat, Imperial IPA

Of course, I was more excited about the BEER!
On the Wings of Armageddon – DC Brau Brewing Co., Imperial IPA 9.20%
Holy Hops this beer was packed with a hop punch. So much so that I had a bit of trouble tasting much else. There were undertones of citrus and pine along with all the hops. It pours a nice rich copper color with head of creamy green but left a cotton mouth feeling after drinking.

He’Brew Death of a Contract Brewer – Shmaltz Brewing Company, Black IPA 7%
This beer offers a nice combination of hops, roasted caramel and chocolate with a deep brown body and medium white head with just hints of green in it. The hops were subtle compared to the Armageddon but after drinking it for a bit the hops came more to the forefront. This is a nicely done Black IPA. More and more I’m learning to appreciate this style; a nice combination of hops and malts.

White Gold – Ithaca Beer Company, American Pale Wheat Ale 8%
This wheat ale was such an enjoyable beer, not just because it was something besides an IPA, but because it has that tart earthiness I’ve come to expect from a good wheat beer. It has a true wheat body, as well, that’s cloudy gold with a frothy head and complemented the vinaigrette on my side salad wonderfully with its combination of citrus, apricot and apples and the ever wonderful wheat ale grassiness. I enjoyed this one the most from my visit to the Den.

Last up was the Sour Cherry Imperial Stout – Blue Point Brewing, Russian Imperial Stout 9.2%
By now I think most know that Geeky Beer Gal loves her STOUTS! I was hesitant to order a full pint of this one not knowing how strong the cherry flavor with be. I wasn’t in the mood for an overpowering fruit flavor with my meal. Turns out the cherry flavor is subtle and a full pint would have been just fine. Then again I wouldn’t have gotten to try the other 3 so it all worked out. It has a good roasted chicory taste to it with just slight undertones of the cherry. As far as stouts go it’s good but not great still an enjoyable Imperial Stout.

I’m glad I finally got to return to Devil’s Den and would do so again but next time I would plan better and make sure I’m there when there’s not an event happening and the full menu is offered.

Local 44

February 25, 2014Beer Bar, Beer Reviews, Beer TastingsBelhaven Twisted Thistle IPA, Duck-Rabbit Hoppy Bunny American Black Ale, Great Lakes Conway Red, Kraftworks, Lavery Rauch Lager, Local 44, Memphis Taproom, Monchshof Schwarzbier, Ommegang, Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout, Philadelphia, Resurrection Ale House, State Side Saison, Stranglove'sgeekybeergal

Local 44 – Philadelphia, PA
http://www.local44beerbar.com

I recently had the pleasure of meeting up with a friend in Philadelphia for a nice lunch and beer outing. We were trying to pick something different for both of us and we quickly found that several of the beer places we had in mind don’t open until 4pm on weekdays. We narrowed the list to Local 44 and Kraftworks. Since both of us had only been to Local 44 once upon its opening a few years ago that became our go to place. I thoroughly enjoyed it on my first visit and quickly was reminded why upon entering this great beer establishment the 2^nd time around.

This is a neighborhood craft beer bar (lucky neighbors) not far from Drexel and U of Penn. The décor is rustic (wood & brick) and the atmosphere relaxed and laid back. There is nothing pretentious about Local 44, right away you feel welcomed and know you are at a place you can kick back and enjoy yourself.

The bartender, darn I forgot to write down her name, was incredible. She was very knowledge about the beers, making recommendations to anyone that asked without being overbearing and knew the food menu too. She was attentive, friendly and kept the bar clean. Always a plus in my book. She quickly informed us of any beer substitutions from what was written on the chalkboard beer menu.

The beer list at Local 44 is so nice and inviting I felt it best to drink half pours so I could try more beers. Of course, deciding which was going to be the first pour was the hard part. There were so many wonderful beers to choose from that I struggled at first with my decision but then I remembered the bartender stating there was a Saison on tap and I do love a Saison. I find it’s highly under represented on most tap lists. So when I heard there was one on tap, let alone one I hadn’t tried yet, I knew this was my first selection of the day.

State Side Saison – Stillwater Artisanal Ales, Maryland 6.8% Farmhouse Style Ale
This ale is a nicely done U.S. Saison that put me in the mood for the Spring Beer Season. It’s not as complex as some Belgian Saisons but it still has the fun yeasty, skunky and slight sourness to it that I associate with a good Farmhouse Ale. It pours a nice golden hue with just a tinge of cloudiness and just a wee bit of bubbles. It’s a nice light body ale with hints of grapefruit, lemon & complimentary floral herbs & spices and ends with a slight peppery taste. This Saison was a winner and would pair lovely with so many foods.

Great Lakes Conway Red – Great Lakes Brewing Co. 6.5% Irish Red Ale
I do enjoy a fine Red Ale and have found anything Great Lakes brews is a winner. This beer pours a nice crisp amber/copper color with beautiful full head. It’s an easy drinking medium bodied beer with slight hop taste that adds to the experience but doesn’t overpower the toasted malts and fruits that finished with just a hint of bitterness. Over all a very well done Irish Red Ale.

Monchshof Schwarzbier – Kulmbacher Brauerei AG 4.9% Schwarzbier
Nice mocha color with chestnut highlights and a dense creamy head that leaves a velvety feel in the mouth. The nuttiness hits your nose prior to tasting it. This beer is a delightful mouth full with light roasted flavors of bitter coffee, malts, nuts and fresh out of the oven crusty bread. Even though this is a more full body beer it’s crisp and easy to drink.

Rounding out the afternoon at Local 44 was the Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout. I noticed this beer right away when I was pondering my beer choices upon arrival and knew I would be finishing the day with this savory delight.

Chocolate Indulgence Stout – Brewery Ommegang 7.0% Belgian Dark Ale
This stout sits so pretty in the glass with rich dark chocolate coloring and a frothy cream colored head. With roasted barley, sweet malt, toffee and bitter chocolate undertones it is a very palate pleasing stout. The chocolate really is very subtle and had essences of banana in the flavor as well. It’s not a very bold stout but true to its Belgian Dark Ale style.

I was able to try sips of the following beers courtesy of my beer companion:

Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA (on engine) – Belhaven Brewery Company 5.3% English India Pale Ale – Smooth not overly hoppy, nice British IPA

Duck-Rabbit Hoppy Bunny American Black Ale – The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery 7.3% American Black Ale
Nice deep rich black ale with hints of coffee, cocoa and hops

Lavery Rauch Lager – Lavery Brewing 7%
Nice smokey flavor without being overpowering

The food menu at Local 44 is a nice size with offerings for vegans, vegetarians and meatarians. Plenty to choose from without being overwhelming. I enjoyed the vegetarian Reuben which was delish and an ample portion that I was able to take home the other half for dinner that night. My companion had the Beef on Weck which I was told was “very, very, tasty”. Sandwiches come with either a side salad or fries, always nice to have options. Oh and they have Kale on the menu, I LOVE a menu that includes Kale! Between the variety of food and beer selections it’s easy to pair your food selection with a complimentary beer. Something I like to take into consideration when ordering.

A nice ending touch was the “Good People Drink Good Beer” postcard attached to our check. It truly is the little things that makes one smile. Some lucky beer friend will be receiving this fun little surprise in the mail shortly.

There is a bottle shop next store which, unfortunately, I forgot to check out prior to my departure. This alone will require me to visit Local 44 again. Local 44 is the sister bar of one of my top favorite places in Philly, Memphis Taproom, which I plan on visiting in another week or two. Super excited about that. I still need to check out the other two sister locations Strangelove’s and Resurrection Ale House. All four locations made my Geeky Beer Gal’s Philly Pub Crawl List. Hopefully you’ll get to try all 4 Bars!