Wed, 01 Sep 2010

Draft Beer Update
Yards Saison kicked. Right now we have on a rare sixtel of Dogfish Head Bitches Brew. This 10%'er lives up to expectations and is going fast.

8:30pm update. I just stacked the kegs and the Bitches Brew sixtel is light! If you want some tonight is the night. On our handpump, cask conditioned Dock Street Man Full of Trouble Porter replaced Yards ESA.

Mon, 30 Sept 2010

Draft Beer Update
Since Saturday evening, Boulder Sweaty Betty, Unibroue Ephemere (1/4 barrel), Southampton Keller Pils, Victory Scarlet Fire, and Great Divide 16th Anniversary all kicked.

Tapped were:
Rock Art Imperial Pumpkin Spruce - this is a new one for us and it sounds very interesting. It's a pumpkin stout, but without the pumpkin pie spices. As well as pumpkin, this ale also uses maple syrup as yeast food for fermentation. So it's a historical sort of colonial type beer back when they used what they had to make beer. I can't wait to try it.

Boaks Double BW - a Belgian Wheat beer (one of the BW's) "with an Asian flair". If I recall correctly, that flair comes from lemongrass. (and here I thought flair came from the quantity and size of buttons). This should be a nice transitional beer as we go from summer to autumn.

Harpoon Leviathan Baltic Porter (sixtel) - it you like your beers big, black, and malty, this one is for you. Big beer in a small glass.

Petrus Aged Pale - something we don't see to often at the Grey Lodge two imports on tap at once (the other is Belhaven Twisted Thistle). Petrus Aged Pale is from Belgium and it's a bit on the wild side, but not too much. Sort of a walk in the wildside but not a waltz on the wildside.

Troegs Sunshine Pils - Didn't we already tap and kick one of these during the weekend? Well yes, yes we did. Here's another 15.5 gallons of this liquid gold to keep us all happy.


Bitches Brew A-Boppin' Here on Wednesday
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the original release of Bitches Brew, Miles Davis' 1970 paradigm-shifting landmark fusion breakthrough, Dogfish Head created their own Bitches Brew - a bold, dark beer that's a fusion of three threads imperial stout and one thread honey beer with gesho root, a gustatory analog to Miles' masterpiece.

We got one of the few sixtels that made it into town and we’ll be tapping at it 6pm. There are only about 40 8oz pours, so starting at 5pm, we’ll be giving out tickets to the first 40 people.

Sam says it is best enjoyed while listening to Bitches Brew the album, so for optimum tasting enjoyment, we'll have Bitches Brew playing on the jukebox.

Sat, 28 Aug 2010

Draft Beer Update:

Prism Tea Party Pale Ale replaced Sixpoint Bengali Tiger. The Tea Party has returned! They use alot of whole leaf tea and Sorachi Ace hop to produce a unique lemon flavor to compliment the tea.

Fri, 27 Aug 2010

Draft Beer Update:

Southampton Keller Pils replaced Troegs Sunshine Pils. Visit an Old World lager brewery and the brew master will insist that you enjoy a "keller" beer direct from the aging tank. To a brewer this is beer at its purest: unfiltered, nuanced and gently carbonated. Southampton Keller Pils is just such a brew. Enjoy it while it lasts.

6pm Update:

Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' didn't last long. Replacing it is Pretty Things Jack D'or, the first of two barrels from Pretty Things, a husband/wife brewery in Cambridge Mass. They have a great rep; I can't to try this one.

And Unibroue Ephemere (1/4 barrel) replaced Dogfish Head Festina Peche. Ephemere is an apple beer from Quebec.

10pm Update:

Bellhaven Twisted Thistle replaced Cricket Hill Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale. Twisted Thistle is an English IPA from Scotland.

Boulder Sweaty Betty replaced Philadelphia Walt Wit. Sweaty Betty is always a fast mover here, so it might not make it through the weekend.

Authors A'Plenty
Tonight is Authors A'Plenty from 6pm-9pm. We will have two local authors at the Grey Lodge selling and signing their books. They will be:

1) Dennis Tafoya, author of The Wolves of Fairmount Park and Dope Thief. www.dennistafoya.com

2) Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of Patient Zero and Dragon Factory. http://jonathanmaberry.com/

This will be a great opportunity to pick up some locally written books and to meet the authors.

Wed, 25 Aug 2010

Draft Beer Update:

Philadelphia Walt Wit replaced Sly Fox Royal Weisse. The American poet Walt Whitman once portrayed a sunset over Philadelphia as,"...a broad tumble of clouds, with much golden haze and profusion of beaming shaft and dazzle." Stop in and have yourself a pint or two of Walt Wit Belgian Style White Ale and see what he was talking about.

8:30pm Update: Tony Scanga will be happy to see that Sixpoint Bengali Tiger is on tap. It replaced Manayunk Rye IPA. Glad I got to have one last night before it kicked.

Tue, 23 Aug 2010

Draft Beer Update:

Yards Saison replaced Arcadia Whitsun. An old fave returns here, Yards Saison. This is their Farmhouse inspired ale crafted using Belgian pilsen malt and candi sugar. It is a refreshing change from your usual beer lineup.

Events this Week:

First up is Simpsons Quizzo with Quizmistress E-Unit on Wed, August 25, 8pm – 10pm. Quizmistress E-Unit returns for another special Quizzo featuring TV's longest running comedy, The Simpsons.

Then on Friday, August 27, 6pm-9pm, we will have another Authors A'Plenty night. We will have two local authors selling and signing their books. They will be:
1) Dennis Tafoya, author of The Wolves of Fairmount Park and Dope Thief. www.dennistafoya.com
2) Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of Patient Zero and Dragon Factory. http://jonathanmaberry.com/
This will be a great opportunity to pick up some locally written books

Sat, 21 Aug 2010

Draft Beer Update:

Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' replaced Victory Whirlwind Wit. Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' is a wheat beer that they first introduced last summer.

Victory Scarlet Fire replaced Great Divide Samurai. Scarlet Fire is a smoked beer if you are into that style.

Fri, 20 Aug 2010

Draft Beer Update
Great Divide 16th Anniversary replaced
replaced Port Serpent Stout. This is one I've been anxious to try. "Based on our most award-winning beer, Denver Pale Ale, this copper-hued treat is a celebration of everything Great Divide does best. Plenty of malty sweetness provides a backdrop for earthy English and American hops, while French and American oak round off the edges and provide a touch of vanilla.” All of that in one glass! It's 10%, so small pours only on this one. It's a sipper.

Manayunk Rye of the Tiger replaced Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. This is a new rye IPA from Manayunk. I just know its going to rock.

8:20 update: Troegs Sunshine Pils replaced Sierra Nevada Exporter (good bye old friend). Sunshine always flies out here. I bet you it will be kicked by Sunday.

10:24 update: Furthermore Oscura
replaced Stoudts Gemutlichkeit.


Parking Update
No news is good news. Parking a'plenty on both sides of Frankford Ave.


Friday the Fifthkinteenth
After running short previous Firkinteenths, we sort of over did it and bought more firkins than we could tap for last week's Firkinteenth. What do with the remaining 4 untapped firkins? Might as well make use of Friday the 15th, which is in October.

We'll be tapping all four on Fri, 15 Oct 2010, at 6pm. We will have Cricket Hill Colonel Blide, Iron Hill Iron Bound Porter, Lancaster Amish Four Grain, Troegs Hopback.

Thu, 19 Aug 2010

Draft Beer Update
Dogfish Head Festina Peche replaced Magic Hat Wacko. We got in a keg of Wacko mostly as a favor to our Magic Hat salesperson. Wacko is a great beer and I quite enjoyed it, but I thought a beet red beet juice beer would be a keg that sat around a little, but it moved very well. Shows what I know. Replacing it is our last keg of Festina Peche. This sour berliner weisse is balanced by the sweetness of peaches. Berliner wiesse is a bit of a nitch style of beer. It's fans are pretty hardcore (like Philly Beer Geek Steveo Hawk). Festina Peche is a bit of a cross-over Berliner, sour enough for the die hards (yeah I'm one too), with a bit of peach for everyone else. We ordered loads of it when it came out this year. Now we are on our last one for 2010. Well Dogfish Head Punkin Ale ain't too far off, and we'll stock up like crazy on that one too.

Sly Fox Royal Weisse replaced the ever-popular Bells Oberon. Royal Weisse is especially good in cans this year (they are pretty much all gone), so I'm greatly looking forward to trying this year's version on draft.

Cricket Hill Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale replaced the ever-popular Breckenridge SummerBright. I was misnamign this Jersey Shore Breakfast, it's Jersey Summer. We had it on for our Philly Beer Week Wheat Beer Brunch, it's very interesting. It's a golden ale, which might come as surprise for those us who think "stout" when we hear "breakfast beer".


Parking Update
Still no change. Parking a plenty on both sides of the street.


We're Number One (or at least some of us are)
The local soccer team we sponsor, Grey Lodge Public SC, won the title. Congrats guys! We'll be sponsoring them again this year. You can see the banner declaring the Grey Lodge as league champions at the league's website, http://www.phillysoccer.org

Tue, 17 Aug 2010

Quizzo News:

This Wednesday, August 18, from 8pm – 10pm, Quizmistress E-Unit returns with a very special Quizzo featuring 40 questions about TV's greatest comedy, Arrested Development. There will bw a 50-50 question and creative team names may get you an extra point or two. So leave your Bluth Company built home, hop on your segway and welcome back E-Unit and play some quizzo!

Draft Beer Update:

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA replaced Prism Tea Party Pale Ale. Hopefully the tea party goes as fast as the beer went. In its place is Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, their flagship beer. A session India Pale Ale brewed with Warrior, Amarillo & ’Mystery Hop X.’ A powerful East Coast I.P.A. with a lot of citrusy hop character. THE session beer for all beer geeks.

Victory Whirlwind Wit replaced Sierra Nevada Tumbler. From a Brown Ale to a Belgian Witbier. Stop on in a give Victory Whirlwind Wit a spin.

Sun, 15, Aug 2010

Draft Beer Update:

Bells Oberon replaced Allagash White. Allagash lasted, not surprisingly, less than 24 hours. Oberon is another great wheat beer that sells rather well when we have it.

Breckenridge SummerBright replaced Brooklyn Buzz Bomb. Buzz Bomb exploded out of here and in its place is Breckenridge SummerBright, yet another wheat beer because we sell a bundle of them during these hot summer months.

The firkin of Flying Fish Farmhouse is also done, but we still have Arcadia Hopmouth IPA, Lancaster Milk Stout and Flying Dog Raging Bitch Belgian IPA casks to go.

Sat, 14 Aug 2010

Firkinteenth Recap
We tapped 26 firkins, kicked 22 of them. The remaining 4, including Flying Dog Raging Bitch, will be on the tap tonight.

A huge thanks to everyone who came out for Friday the Firkinteenth. You are all great individuals and a great crowd as well. Thanks again.


Draft Beer Update
Newly tapped beers. A couple of these got tapped yesterday and we updated the beer page, but forgot to update the blog here.

Stoudts Gemutlichkeit - Mike Pearlman's poetic description, "If Urthel Belgian IPA made love with Spaten and made an American style beer with all German ingredients the bastard child would drink like this beer. Smooth, dry, crisp, and bitter. But all very balanced". I like it too.

Allagash White - if you like Hoegarten, you'll love this.

cask-conditioned Yards ESA, an old favorite is back on the beer engine.

Magic Hat Wacko, this beer is made with beets. Sounds yukko I know, but it ain't. Pretty damn good actually.

Arcadia Whitsun, a summer seasonal from Michigan.

left over casks from last night:



Parking Update
Parking remains a non-crisis.

Fri, 13 Aug 2010

Today's the big day, Friday the Firkinteenth.

Things are looking good. We have parking on both sides of the street and the weather should mostly cooperate. The high is only going up to 82 and though it might rain once or twice, the rain, if it happens, looks like it will be mild as well as very brief.

Our AC will be cranking as hard as it can, but I'd still recommend shorts and a t-shirt for maximum comfort.

We got a nice mention in today's Courier Post.

We'll be updating the cask status throughout here the day.

Cask Status (9:49pm Update)

Tapped:
Victory Hop Devil
Arcadia IPA Ale
Dogfish Head 75 Minute India Pale Ale
Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer Ale (Citra hopped)
Lancaster Milk Stout
Weyerbacher Autumnfest

On Deck:

Cricket Hill Colonel Blide (English bitter)
Flying Dog Raging Bitch
Iron Hill Pig Iron Porter
Lancaster Amish 4 Grain
Troegs Hopback Amber (dry hopped with bravo)



Kicked:
Dock Street Summer Session
Manayunk Specialty Ale (black IPA)
Stoudts Scarlet Lady ESB (oaked)
Nodding Head Seasonal Ale (hoppy golden ale brewed with Belgian yeast)
Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale
Victory Limited Ale (English bitter)
Riverhorse Hipp-o-Lantern
Six Point Righteous Ale (rye)
Stillwater Stateside Saison
Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale (dry hopped with citra)
Philadelphia Select Ale (farmhouse ale)
General Lafayette IPA
Troegs Dead Reckoning Porter (dry hopped with bravo)
Stoudts Abbey Triple ( blended with Double IPA)
Prism Bitto Honey IPA (naturally carbonated with fresh local honey)
Manayunk Specialty Ale (gold ale)
Sly Fox Chester County Bitter
Arcadia Whitsun Ale
Sly Fox Standard Porter

Thu, 12 Aug 2010

Draft Beer Update:

Prism Tea Party Pale Ale replaced Stone Arrogant Bastard. There are two things you don't talk about in bars, they are politics and religion. That being said, Prism Tea Party Pale Ale is an American Pale Ale that uses whole leaf tea and Sorachi Ace hop to produce a unique lemon flavor to compliment the tea.

Brooklyn Buzz Bomb replaced Flying Fish Exit 6. Buzz Bomb Ale, the latest in Brooklyn's draft-only Brewmaster’s Reserve Series, uses wildflower honey, making up a full 25% of the fermentable sugar, and a lilt of orange peel. Brooklyn Buzz Bomb has a bright gold color and a spicy floral aroma showing distinctive honey notes. The palate is light, crisp, and very dry, showing a zing of acidity and a quick burst of fruit.

Signage for Tomorrow's Firkinteenth