What's your end of the world beer?

I’m back…remind me to tell you why I will not eat at a Bennigans any time soon. No it has noting to do with food poisoning.

As another potential last day of the world approaches it made me think. If you knew the world was going to end what would you want to be drinking when we all shuffle off this mortal coil?

It’s not a trick question and I’m sure that there are other ways people want to go out but think about it.

For me it would be a bottle of my first homebrew. The first beer I made with my own hands. It’s a happy memory of crafting it and worrying whether it would turn out or not. I want to go out drinking something that I put a lot of love into.

So what would you have in your glass? Here is some of the answers I got in my informal poll:

La Fin Du Monde

Fat Tire

Alaskan Amber

Sam Adam’s Light

Mad Elf

Warsteiner

Meantime IPA

Shock Top End of the World Wheat

Stella

lambic

Pliny the elder

Allagash Black

Dogfish Head 120 min IPA

Guinness

Samuel Adams 13th Hour

Detour Double India Pale Ale

End of the world? I’m drinking it all….

Alaskan Brewing Company

Now that I'm back from Hurricane Sandy (more on that later) I can finish my series on Alaska. The Alaskan Brewing Company doesn't have a restaurant attached to it, it doesn't have fancy tour or a massive parking lot. It does have a great vibe and some very friendly people making magic at the brewery and tasting room. 

You will have to escape from the tourist area of downtown Juneau and head towards the Mendenhall Glacier. The brewery is off the highway about five miles from downtown. 

When you get to the tasting room be sure to check out the cool wooden signs featuring beer labels painted onto the wooden slats.

The tasting room has everything you need to get your Alaskan Brewing Company fix on. Be sure to get glasses, hats and t-shirts to show off your love of their brews.

While you're there be sure to enjoy your six free tasters. Just because their free doesn't mean you shouldn't pay for them. There is a tip jar on the bar, use it and be generous. All of the tips are donated to charity at the end of the year. 

Also don't be a jerk, this is a laid back place that can easily get overcrowded by the cruise ship passenger crowd but it is also a place locals stop by at the end of the day for a quick taste and a chance to grab some beer for home. 

As for their beer, I'm a huge fan of their smoked porter and winter white. 

And to Damien and the entire brew crew at Alaskan Brewing...Thank You! You welcomed in two weary travelers and gave us the perfect end to a great trip. It was great talking to all of you.

Drink your way around the World Showcase

I did this piece as a guest post for the Disney Gals.

About myself:

I'm the one on the right

First I'm Disney Gal Judy's son. I'm 32 and a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. I am a homebrewer and write a blog about my travels and brewing. I've been going to Disney since before I was born (no, really mom went when she was pregnant with me). I've lost track of how many times I've been to the parks on both coasts. I'm usually the one taking the photos at Disney so I'm not usually in them (thanks mom).

Drink your way around the world or One reason EPCOT is my favorite park:

I love EPCOT. As a homebrewer, food and beer lover it's a great place to experience new flavors and, especially during the Food and Wine Festival, different beers from around the world.

When it comes to the parks I get a little disappointed in the beer selection. Yes, I will admit I've been accused of being a beer snob. I prefer the moniker of beer geek personally but I think you get the idea. My problem is that in the parks that serve alcohol the beer is usually an AB InBev product. I won't go into an entire diatribe here but suffice it to say...not my first choice.

Enter EPCOT, home to beverages from other places. In general when you're walking through the park you will be able to get a beer from each country.

It has become the "in" thing to do an EPCOT pub crawl and groups now have t-shirts, hats and lanyards devoted to their particular way of accomplishing this feat. If you think about it this is not a task for the feint of heart...or liver. You are going to be consuming 11 alcoholic beverages on a hot day as you walk at least 1.2 miles or more. If you try this during the Food and Wine Festival there are even more places to add to your list.

Before we start some rules. These are my personal rules and are for the benefit of yourself and other park goers.

1. Don't be a jerk. Nothing can ruin a person's trip to Disney quicker than a group of drunks in their favorite park. I've seen it more and more on every visit. Don't be "that guy".

2. Spread it out. Get there early and stay late. This will spread you drinks out over time and reduce the chance that you will violate rule #1.

3. Do it as a group. Think about it, you can share.

4. Drink water and eat. This is not a rule to be ignored.

5. Have a designated driver/jerk referee. This person will make sure you make it safely to your goal and home again. This person is also given the power to end the quest for group members who have had too much "fun".

It doesn't matter where you start and end. The choice is yours. One tip though, stick to the alcohol you started with...switching is a good way to sick and end your quest early. So NO SHOTS! I'm not going to go crazy and list every beverage and restaurant in the park. What I will do is tell you some of my favorites.

The Pavilions:

Canada - Try a Unibroue brew at the Canada beer cart and walk the paths to enjoy the scenery. The Unibroue brewery in Quebec brews some great beer and each honors a story or tradition in Canada.

China - Grab a TsingTao as you get your photo in front of the Forbidden City.

France - Grab a crossant and enjoy a Kronenbourg 1664.

I was holding Mom's drink too, no really I was

Germany - For a quick bite grab a pretzel and a Radeberger or better yet stop at the Biergarten for a German buffet, more beer choices and some good music.

Italy - Tutto Italia and the Tutto Gusto are a great place for dinner and an Italian beer. Try something you haven't had before.

Japan - Sneak into the back of the Mitsukoshi Department Store and try out a frozen Kirin

Mexico - Grab a Bohemia and some tapas at the tequila bar inside the pavilion. Go back another day and try a tasting of tequilas.

Morocco - Act out the final scene in Casablanca as you sip a Casa Beer.

Norway - You are not the first to pass this way...nor are you the first to try a Carlsburg. Get some Viking horns and a troll to help you on your quest.

United Kingdom - You can get a half and half inside the Rose and Crown but not at the kiosks.

United States - Enjoy a Sam Adams at the Fife and Drum before heading into the American Adventure theater.

Refreshment Outpost - While not one of the countries around EPCOT this pavilion is supposed to represent Africa...too bad there is no African beers here. Grab a Safari Amber and check out the drums.

While there are many ways to do this quest this is how I did it. I recommend if you're going to try this during the Food and Wine Festival you spread it out over two days...trust me on this one.

New York breweries face damage after Sandy

Here is a good list of how New York area breweries fared after Superstorm Sandy.

brewyork:

Barrier Brewing in Oceanside was in shambles after the storm, as shown in this photo theyposted to Facebook

[Updated Thursday, 3:00pm]

Reports are starting to come in about the damage from Hurricane Sandy to our area’s breweries. Unfortunately, they were not immune to damage from this storm, especially since many are in low-lying industrial areas. We’re still trying to gather more information from the most vulnerable breweries in the region, but in the meantime, here’s what we know.

Read More

My Halloween beer list

I'm Paul Roszkowski and I approve this message...Happy Halloween everybody. I'm trying to post this early in case you wan to run out and find some of these.

This year I've chosen a mix of classic Halloween horrors. Any of these brews will treat you right whether you're hunting ghosts, brewing up something in your cauldron or taking the little ones door to door (recommend enjoying the beer after you return home with the kids - check out this article for recommended alcohol and candy combinations)

Witches' Brew - This live ale only comes in 750ml bottles. I haven't tried it yet but I will when I get home from work. It comes from Belgium.

Yeti - Great Divide's Imperial Stout is always pretty good to me. If you can find one of their aged versions of this brew even better. It is black as night, perfect for watching scary movies as little ghosts and goblins come to your door.

Four Witches - Double bubble, toil and trouble this black saison pours with great flavors. By the click of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.

Scarecrow - This English pale ale reminds me of Autumn with flavors of apple and an amber color...now if he only had a brain.

Zombie Dust - Just the thing for a Walking Dead marathon this beer could reanimate any corpse. Board up the windows and doors and make sure you have plenty of this brew in your supply stash.

Another reason I avoid InBev products when I can

A friend of mine shared a great article with me today. The Plot to Destroy America's Beer focuses on how InBev acquires and cost cuts their brands and why once good brews like Becks, Hoegaarden and Goose Island are no longer produced in their respective cities (though Hoegaarden did bring their brewery back).

InBev argues that even though Bass and other brews are no longer brewed in their original locations they are still using the same recipe. Any homebrewer knows that even with the same recipe you are going to change the flavor of the beer when you brew it somewhere different. Now you can make the local water closely match the original location but it will still be different.

Another argument made in the article is that now the beer is arriving to stores fresher and that is why the brews taste different. While this may be true it should make it taste better...not worse as most people have claimed.

While InBev cut 6% of the American workforce at the Anheuser-Busch after taking over the St. Louis brewery other craft brewers are growing. This is an opportunity for craft beer drinkers. Make sound choices in your beverages, support job growth and the growth of local breweries...tell your friends.

My hurricane beer list

As Sandy blows around outside my door I thought I'd post a little piece some of the beers I'll be enjoying through the storm.

I like to do theme drinking every once in a while. In this case I've gone for some beers that make me think about the weather.

Red Sky at Night - Red sky at night, sailor's delight, red sky in the morning, sailor take warning. This beer goes out to the Coast Guardsmen working during the storm. Bring 'em home safe guys.

Whirlwind - You could do a whole weather themed night with Victory Brewing. They have Whirlwind, Storm King, Helios and Baltic Thunder. This beer is for all of the weathermen and women out there keeping us informed.

Long Trail Imperial Porter - It's always darkest before the dawn. This beer goes out to those who are dealing with blackouts from the storm.

Apollo - Bring back the sun. This one goes out to the clean up crews out there to help after the storm is over.

Wilco Tango Foxtrot - just shack your head and have a pint. This beer goes out to the reporters and others standing out in the worst of the wind and rain...what the hell is wrong with you?

Besides these I've been having some stouts and other dark beers...it's cloudy and gloomy here in Elizabeth City and I wanted something to match the mood. Now if I only had one of these...Haier 26 Bottle Wine Cellar - Black - Wine & Beer Coolers in the living room.

Everyone stay safe and dry.

Midnight Sun Brewing Company

While I was in Anchorage I had a chance to visit the Midnight Sun Brewing Company for some food and beer.

It was a very windy but beautiful day in Anchorage and my travel companion and I decided we needed to go for a hike and some beer. A recent spout of heavy rain had caused flooding around the area and we had doubts about going to Eagle River so we set off to find some alternatives. After a brief stop for some coffee I popped into the visitor center for some advice.
After some discussion we decided to try hiking Flat Top.

Located in the Chugach State Park, Flat Top has some great views of Cook Inlet and Anchorage and is criss crossed with miles of trails.

After nearly getting blown off the top of the mountain several times, several hours of hiking and some windburn we decided to go get some lunch.

Oh, if we knew then what we know now...
The Midnight Sun Brewing Company wasn't giving tours that day and we had no idea they served food. The place is off Diamond Blvd near the Diamond Center Mall.

We bellied up to the counter and ordered some custom tasters. Midnight Sun makes some great, award winning beers and we had 12 of them as samples that day. Their beers are as wild and wonderful as the land they're made in.

The menu is seasonal and local with sandwiches and a daily hot special. I was a little hungry so I ordered the brewer's plate with meat to go with the beers. This had to be the best cheese and meat plate I've ever had. The food other patrons were eating looked just as good. Both of us wished we had waited to eat lunch.


I highly recommend visiting if you're in Anchorage and if you're not at least try and get some of their beer. You can't go wrong with an Oosik and a Panty Peeler.

If you don't know what an oosik is check this out...I've seen the oosik collection at Chicago's Field Museum. It's not on public display.

North to Alaska

Headed up North to Alaska to give training which means I get to check out some great breweries in the Last Frontier. I purposely avoided drinking Alaskan Brewing products in Anchorage and instead focused on the local brewing scene.

If you've never been to Alaska you're missing out on amazing scenery and experiences and each area of the state brings a different adventure to the table.

Anchorage has a number of great breweries for the beer adventurer.

Glacier BrewHouse is located in downtown Anchorage on 5th ave and H St. This warm and inviting restaurant brewery was packed when I showed up at 9:30 pm on a Wednesday. I found the last seat at the bar and ordered a sampler and some food. The menu had some great looking and tempting choices including pizzas and seafood. The guy sitting next to me had some amazing looking seared tuna. I ordered a very tasty thai chicken sandwich.

The beer was tasty and the food was great. I recommend stopping here for a nice dinner if you're in town.

The Snow Goose Restaurant and Sleeping Lady Brewery is located two blocks down from the Hilton on 3rd street. The views from the restaurant and bar of Cook Inlet are nice and on a clear day you can see the 20,000 foot tall Denali (Mt. McKinley) 160 miles away. Their food is okay, the halibut tacos I had were watery and my companion's food was okay too. Nothing really to write home about. Their beer sampler wasn't bad but they were out of their stout.

Humpy's Ale House is a local and tourist place at the same time. Their Kodiak Arrest Challenge has been featured on Man vs Food and consists of 6 pounds of Alaskan King Crab legs, reindeer sausage and salmon cakes. When we were there one person was finishing the challenge. It was to say the least, disturbing. That said their food was good and they have a great beer list featuring local brews and breweries on tap and in the bottle. Don't forget to get your "Beer Geek" or "Beer Snob" t-shirt.

Ketchikan - Go for the hiking. This cruise ship port is home to a lot of jewelry and craft stores. There is some great hiking at Settler's Cove. Visit Creek Street to see the old red light district. While there are no distinctive beer places here the food was good at Annabelle's. Just remember that this is a tourist town.

Back to San Juan...again

Had to go back to San Juan one more time. The land of beaches and sun called me back and I went. Since this meant I was working again it also meant that I didn't have much time to explore. I did get to check out a couple of new spots on top of visiting some of my favorites from the last two trips. In case you missed those posts check out here and here.

One of the first places I ran into was next door to where I had dinner in Condado. The Small Bar is just as its name implies, small. It's a dive wedged between a tattoo parlor and a Chinese restaurant. The bar is tiny so don't expect to find seating or even a place to walk but they have a good selection of bottles from all over. grab one and stand out front and enjoy watching the people.

Bar Gitano was amazing, a gastro pub that had good beer and was getting new stuff all the time. This is a tapas bar and is well worth the visit for some great food. I had a taste of several of the appetizers and had a small pizza all were worth writing home about. Their beer selection was small but decent.

The Place had just opened between my last visit. This burger and beer shop in large and airy and has the game on if you need to watch it. The burgers are ok coming on artisan buns and they have sweet potato fries. The saving grace for this place is their beer selection but even his had issues of the three beers I ordered they were out of the first two or they hadn't come in yet. Don't put it on the menu if you don't have it. 

Brew Camp closed - temporarily

It’s one of those clarifying moments where we step back and realize that, though it’s been legal since Carter was President, homebrewing is still a grey area for legislators in some states. Case in point - Brew Camp, a Chicago homebrew store recently posted this to their facebook page:

Hi, everybody. Thanks for your concern and the amazing support the past few days. I’d like to clarify a few things:

First of all, we simply need the correct license. We did our best to understand the city’s requirements when we started up. Over the past year, representatives at both the city and state levels have expressed that they don’t have a clear picture of “how to deal with homebrew shops” because we “aren’t a typical business.” There are hundreds of bars, restaurants and grocery stores throughout the city–all of which have clearly established licensing protocol–and only a handfull homebrew shops.

We are, essentially, your grocery store. And you should be protected when you buy stuff that’s going through your body. This is a good thing.

Secondly, we aren’t complaining. We’ve been treated fairly. In fact, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (the business license folks), the Department of Public Health, the Department of Buildings … they’ve all been very friendly, efficient, and helpful the past few days. I believe they recognize we made a mistake and that we’re working diligently to fix it.

Thirdly, we’re fixing this. We spent Friday and today at City Hall working to make this right. Meantime, we’ve stopped selling online and in the shop. The homebrew community is scrutinized enough already, and we only want to contribute to a positive reputation of the hobby. 

This is going to take some time. Don’t storm the castle just yet - let’s give this a chance to work out. The city is just making sure we’re all safe. We’re all anxious to get back to work, but we’re more interested in making sure we do it right.

I can only hope that this most excellent resource returns to help the spread the gospel of homebrew soon. This leads to a great question and a potential good discussion. Why did this happen? Granted, as Brew Camp points out partially this is their fault and kudos to them for pointing the finger at themselves first, but why, when homebrewing has been legal for more than 30 years do cities still not know how to license and regulate them?

Thoughts?

Chicago

Kuma's Corner

There are so many great beer places in my hometown and each visit limits me in time as to where I can go visit. We hit up a few old favorites and one or two new places while I was in town for a break recently. 

My first stop is always Binny’s Beverage Depot…while it’s a mega booze store they have a wide selection of both my two favorite things…beer and port. After filling my larter for the week and emptying my checkbook by a hundred dollars I was off to explore the city.

I always have a few stops I always need to make the first is Central Gyros. While this is not a beer nirvana it is an awesome greek restaurant near my house that my family has been going to for many years. A greek beer, some egg lemon soup, some flaming cheese and a gyro are a great way to start a visit home. 

Paterno’s is the place for a tasty treat called an In-cred-a-ble. This sandwich can be italian beef, italian sausage or both on garlic bread with melted cheese…my mouth is watering just thinking about it. It’s a bar so while you’re there grab a 312 by Goose Island or a Leinenkugel’s both wash this sandwich down nicely.

If you’ve never done the Half Acer Beer Company tour you should. People line up down the block for the opportunity to get inside and tour this small craft brewery near Lincoln Square. They have been canning for a couple of years now and they make some great beer. 

We stopped at Atlas Brewing, a new neighborhood brewpub, to give it a try. Problem was it was so new that they didn’t have their liquor permit yet so no beer for us…bummer. Which lead us to Goose Island. 

The Goose is loose used to be a reality. I remember when you could get some great chips, food and beer at Goose Island before heading next door to play mini golf. Times and the neighborhood have significantly changed. The beer at this landmark brewpub has changed over the years. Some great brews have come and some have gone. Since they have recently been bought by a big beer company we have noticed a change in quality. It hasn’t gone downhill per-say but it is starting down a slope…let’s hope this is not a trend.

Finally, I had an opportunity to visit a triple-d location. For fans of Diners, Drive-in’s and Dives you may recognize Kuma’s Corner. Their massive burgers, great food and beer selection make this a very popular place for lunch or dinner. They have several rules which need to be obeyed:

1) We do not take reservations.
2) We will not “put on the game, bro”
3) No music requests.
4) No Minors after 10pm.
5) Our kitchen is only 16×6. Please be patient.

Just order a cold one, something hot to go with it and enjoy. This town is a must visit.

In San Juan Again

I had to go back to San Juan...not in the sense that, "gee I had such a great time I need to go back" but in the, "There I was sitting on a beach drinking a fruity rum drink and I got a call telling me to get back to San Juan pronto." No I'm not kidding and it was just like that when I found myself back in San Juan unexpectedly. Even better, I couldn't get a hotel room for the first night so I had to sleep at the Coast Guard Base...at least it was a clean bed...I think.

Coming back to San Juan allowed me to check out some other great beer places. I was back at the Caribe Hilton enjoying ocean views and great views of people playing in the pools and ocean. While this time I had a lot of work to do, with long hours I still managed to find a couple of good places and revisit some old favorites from two days before.

I'm just going to cover some of the new places on this trip.

The Pina Colada Club is located in the Caribe Hilton. Though it's a little pricey, it is reasonable for a hotel restaurant. They have good ceviche, massive hot dogs and Brooklyn Brewery and Magic Hat beers. This ended up as my go to place when I was tired and didn't want to go out. The bartender called me a beer snob after I turned down a Magic Hat Number 9 because I wanted to try something new...she also couldn't pronounce Leinenkugels.

Buns is a good burger and beer joint in Condado across from the Marriott. They have good food, good fries and a good beer selection ranging from Belgians to local brews and a few things in between.

I was here for ten days but with the long hours I just didn't get to explore like I usually do. Anyway, safe travels and keep reading there's always more to come.

Opening the third beer

So how did it turn out?

First of all it is a lively beer and by lively I mean explosive. No, none of my bottles have blown but the beer is definitely carbonated. It pours a robust, lingering head. The beer itself is actually light and refreshing with a small hint of honey. This is the first brew I’ve done that had sediment in the bottle. It didn’t detract from the flavor, it was just interesting. 

One friend who tasted it said, “it’s like summer.” 

Another review:

“Drank your brew last night under a Carolina Moon. The taste was smooth and clean. I poured the beer and a nice 2-inch head of frothy foam materialized but soon it settled down into a innocent-looking, reddish-brown brew. Your brew matched its rich color with a heavy mouthfeel. I wouldn’t call this a “session” beer, to be downed in multiples but one to be savored. A little stout for my taste but pretty darn good for a yankee-beer. ”

If you’ve had it, leave a comment and let me know what you thought.

What’s next?

It will be a take on Brooklyn Brew Shop’s Coffee and Doughnut Stout.

The Island Life

I had to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands in June to give training for work. I had a chance to explore both places briefly and found a couple of good beer spots.

SAN JUAN

If you've ever ridden the Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney you have seen something similar to Old San Juan. Surrounded by forts and city walls this citadel of old is a great place to wander. While you're wandering head into El Jibarito for some local food and a Medalla Light or a Magna.

If you want to spend some money and are looking for local craft brews you can check out the Old Harbor Brewery. This is the only microbrewery on the island. They have a small selection of ok beers and a pricey food menu. Oh, and sitting at the bar, the lighting keeps changing color which ended up being really annoying.

I stayed at the Caribe Hilton, a great hotel and resort. While staying here check out the Oasis Bar happy hour for $5 Medalla Light or Don Q rum drinks.

ST. THOMAS

They drive on the wrong side of the street! I don't mean like in England, I mean they use American style cars and drive on the England side of the street. Put's a whole new meaning on look BOTH ways before crossing. 

St. Thomas is a paradise for many people. Myself, well it was nice but, I'm not much of a hot, sunny beach type person and I really am not into shopping till I drop for jewelry, booze or clothes...so, yeah not so much.

One part of paradise I did like was The Pie Whole...only I could find a Belgian beer bar and pizza place. With an excellent selection of brews on tap and in bottles this is a must stop on anyone's list. The food was amazing. I had sausage stuffed mushroom caps and a pizza. The brick oven pizza was done perfectly. The place is small and I had to move around so the could accommodate people into the restaurant but the serving staff and bar tender were really nice about it and very apologetic. 

This is a great local hangout. I had a few other places to check out on my list but I got the call to deploy for an emergency while I was sitting on the beach with a fruity rum drink.

update

I know it's been a long while since I posted but I've been very busy with work. Sorry about that. More updates are coming so stay tuned. until then check out:

White House Beer: A brewer weighs in

Brew Travel: Dogfish Head Brewing

I had the opportunity to stop by Dogfish Head Brewing in Delaware a few weeks ago on my way home from New Jersey. I didn’t get to go on the tour because it was sold out but I did enjoy the brewpub and and a quick look around.

The brewery itself is in a neighborhood, which caused me to think I was lost at first. The brewery is expanding right now and they were adding new tanks to the outside. If you every watched the Discovery series “Brew Masters” you know about theSteampunk Treehouse outside the brewery. If you haven’t, the treehouse is an all metal, steampunk inspired, interactive art piece that debuted at the Burning Man festival. I would love to get to play in it for five minutes…let alone have it in my front yard.

As you walk into the building there is a glass enclosed conference room. Sam, the owner, was inside filming a podcast for their newest beer. The store has a tasting bar and all the clothes, logo gear, glasses and most importantly beer that you could want.

After finishing film Sam came into the store and spoke with some of the people waiting for the tour. I love a brewery that welcomes you like this. You got the sense that everyone was happy to be there and on the team. 

After the brewery and a few purchases I headed off to the brew pub for lunch. The place just opened for the day and was already packed. They have a small lot s you are most likely going to end up parking on the street. Just as a heads up the meters take quarters only.

Find a seat at the bar and order up a make your own taster and a bite to eat. I had:

Czechsum Function

Chicory Stout

Raison D’ Etre

90 Minute IPA

Indian Brown Ale

Shelter Pale Ale

URKontinent

The food and beer were great. If you’re ever in Delaware and have the opportunity stop by and say hi.

Bottling

It’s been about two weeks and my latest brew is ready to journey from the carboy to the bottles. This particular brew is supposed to be an IPA but…seeing as I’m not much of an IPA person, I might have sweetened it out with a little too much honey. This is my first beer I wasn’t sure about.

One issue I ran into was during the initial fermentation. The first burst of activity blew what hops I couldn’t filter out up into the throat of the carboy and into my blow off tube. This created a small issue when I changed out my blow off tube for the airlock. There was a crust that formed in the carboy throat and it was blocking everything. I ended up having to clear the block before I could put the airlock on.

Very carefully I used a sterilized spoon to clear it, while trying very hard to keep it from falling into the beer. I did pretty well, thankfully. After that it was all a waiting game.

After two weeks it was time to bottle. This is the first time I had a cloudy beer, I mean really cloudy. There was a lot of sediment at the bottom of the carboy and the beer itself was not as clear as I had hoped. Not a big deal but, like I said, I wasn’t too sure about this brew.

Bottling went well with my usual setup. I used honey as my charging sugar for bottling. This time I used smaller grolsch bottles than I normally do. I did this with the intention to give some of this brew away and not loose my cobalt blue 16oz bottles.

There were no issues during bottling besides the fact that my auto siphon broke last time I bottled and I need to get a replacement. It still works but the curved neck broke off and the interior tube gets easily stuck in the outer tube…oh well, that’s a good excuse to go to the homebrew supply store.

I ended up with six 12oz and two 16oz bottles of beer. Keeping my fingers crossed on this one turning out.

Back to Ft. Dix

I had to do a quick trip back to Fort Dix, N.J. a few weeks ago. This gave me a chance to revisit some of my favorite places around the Philadelphia and Fort Dix area.

My first stop was Iron Hill Brewery, I had been here back in April and fell in love with their beers. This second visit was no disappointment.

I started the night with their Anvil Ale, a version of an English Bitter. The chicken pot pie was good and mixed well with the Special Belge from Brasserie Dupont. Rounding out the night was the Hefeweizen and Hopfenweizen both good for the end of a good meal.

After I finished training I was able to run into Philadelphia and visit the Eastern State Penitentiary. This old prison turned museum is a must see. It’s architecture and abandoned feel give it an air of being haunted. I didn’t see anything on this visit but I can see where people get the idea. This location has been featured several times on Ghost Hunters and other paranormal shows and until you actually visit you can’t get a true sense of what the place is like.

My next stop was the City Tavern, a location where you can imagine yourself drinking with the likes of Jefferson and Adams. I had a taster of four beers named for some of the founding fathers and based on recipes from the period.

A brief visit to the Irish-Pol followed. They have a good tap list with the feel of a real local bar where you’re welcome but eyed unless you’re accepted. My favorite type of watering hole.

The last stop for the night was back at the Triumph Brewery. This is a great place for food and good beer. The highlight of the evening was the Hopapolooza. This homebrew based beer won a competition at the brewery and was being featured at the time of my visit.

Brewing again

Made my first IPA last weekend. Tried some new stuff out and learned a few things.


I decided it was time to brew again. I wanted to try out brewing a modified Everyday IPA from Brooklyn Brew Shop.
The mash in and out went well but I changed a few things out when it came to sparging. I used a new, shallower top strainer lined with cheese cloth. This seemed to prevent the overflow problem I was having with my strainer. I still would like to build a new mash/sparge setup but I haven’t had the time lately.

During the boil I added my pelleted hops as directed by the recipe in 15 minute increments. The one change-up I made was I added honey at the start of the boil on a whim. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen with that.

I still need to make a chiller too; for the time being I still use an ice bath to cool my hot wort.

I found my funnel and screen became clogged with hops when I poured the wort into the carboy. I had to stop and clear it twice to get the wort flowing again.

The other thing I noticed is that when I changed out my initial blow-off tube I had a hard crust of hops in the tube and around the neck of the carboy. The crust was blocking everything up. Usually I would leave it alone until I went to bottle but in this case it was so bad, about the thickness of a fist, that I had to clear it.

It’s a very cloudy, thick looking monstrosity at this point.

I’ll be bottling this Sunday…here’s hoping it turns out.

A trip to Seattle

I love Seattle! It’s such a great city with a great vibe of life and culture. There is always something happening there no matter what the weather. I just got back from a great trip there where I got to hang out with old friends and drink some great new beer.

My first stop was The Pine Box. This craft beer and spirit bar is located in what used to be a funeral home chapel. This was where Bruce Lee’s funeral was held in 1973. The bar is beautiful and the staff was very friendly. Their beer selection is constantly rotating with about 25-30 taps of various craft brews. I ate at the Baguette Box before the Pine Box opened so I did not try their food.

Our next stop was my must visit spot every time I go to Seattle. Brouwer’s Cafe is an awesome Belgian Bar in Fremont. Their 64 beer draft list and 300+ bottle list paired with their great food makes this my favorite spot. I LOVE their cheese plate. A nice Avec Les Bons Voeux paired with the cheese plate made for a great snack.

One the way to Port Angeles we stopped for lunch in Port Gamble, WA. This quaint little town has a great general store and cafe that features a nice list of local craft brews to pair with their fresh, local organic menu. This is a must stop at place for a good lunch.

 I went to Port Townsend to visit a brewery that I found out was no longer there. Instead we went to the Owl Sprit Cafe. This tiny cafe in Port Townsend, WA, was recommended to us by the local wine shop. The place is small but the food was big and tasty. Small beer list that featured Hale’s Kolsche and a red, white or blush wine by the glass menu. The staff was very nice and the food was well worth the wait.

The final pub spot was another of my old stomping ground places. When I left Seattle in 2010 I held my going away party at the Collins Pub. Another place for great food and great beers in downtown Seattle. This bar is located next to the Smith Tower on 2nd street. I used to go here a lot before catching the bus home from work. Their beer list is ever changing and they have some outdoor seating for the summer months.

Two other highlights from this trip:

Churchkey beer: This pilsner comes in a old flat-top steel can. Each six pack comes with an opener and instructions for anyone who needs help figuring out how to get to their beverage. Nice golden beer with a great, refreshing flavor. Right now this beer is only available in the Washington and Oregon area.

Strip, Strip Hooray: I lucked into traveling to Seattle at the same time that Dita Von Teese was holding her new burlesque review. This was my first burlesque show and I have to say  it was an amazing experience. We stood right at the stage and had a great view of the entire show. The MC, Murray Hill was hilarious. The performers were beautiful, and energy was vibrant. If you have the opportunity to see this show, do not pass it up.

Back to Long Beach

I’m back in Long Beach again…the good news is there was no glass in my glass at the Yard House and the Congregation Ale House is as good as ever.

I checked out the Observation Bar on the Queen Mary. Very cool art deco but the beer list is unimpressive.

Also had a chance to check out the Beachwood BBQ and Brewery. Great bbq with your choice of sauces. The prices are good considering the portion sizes. I had their Foam Top Cream Ale, the Tart Simpson and Knucklehead Red. Good brews that went with their food.

Not much else to report.

Philadelphia Beer Scene or how I found some cool beer places

Oh Philadelphia how I love your beer scene…you have now become my one of my favorite beer places.

I had to head up to Philly for training and an exercise with one of my co-workers. As I do for any trip I planned ahead and scoped out what others have recommended.

As with any trip where I’ll be somewhere for more than a few days I had to stock up. Our first stop was the Craft Beer Outlet. I love places I can get single bottles from and the Craft Beer Outlet did not disappoint. Add to that the fact that you can consume on premises and you have a recipe for success. After having a a Fegley’s Always Sunny Pale Ale and a Great Lakes Brewing Dopplerock we headed to the hotel.

Dinner for the evening was at Coaches Sports Bar. The food was ok but the bartender and the hockey game made up for it. A few Yard’s Brewing Philadelphia Pale Ales didn’t hurt either.

The next day I hit the Market Street area in Philly and the Triumph Brewery. Let me say I had no plans to stop in but I was cold and decided I needed to warm up. The food here was amazing, so good that I came back a second night with friends. I recommend starting with the pretzels.

The beer was great too. Any place that puts a nine beer sampler in front of me is starting off on the right foot. The lineup:

Feral Wheat
Amber Ale
Cream Ale - really tastes like a cream soda
Biz Journ Ale - I was disappointed that they had just changed out their kegs to this from a Rauch Bier but it was still good.
Bengal Gold IPA
Schwarzbier
Kellerbier
Belgian Something Else
Jewish Rye (cask) - tastes great if you like rye bread…I mean it really tastes like rye bread.

One stop at the Eulogy Belgian Tavern for dinner and a Eulogy Busty Blonde Ale and I headed home for the evening. Eulogy was good, loved the sausage plate I got and the Busty Blonde was a good Belgian.

Day three saw us checking out one of the Dinners, Drive-Ins and Dives recommended restaurants The Memphis Taproom. With a great food menu and a beer menu to match this place is a must stop if you are ever in Philly. You have my heart if you make good pierogies and polish sausage…thank you. And I’m sorry that the people I was with were a little rowdy.

We also made a brief stop at Kraftwork for one beer and I had a nice Duchess de Bourgogne to round out the evening.

Two last places to mention. We had one at the National Mechanics Bar and Restaurant. Great looking bar and cool environment make this place a staple. My only regret is that I didn’t go to the Irish Pol Bar. This Irish/Polish Bar had a great draft list and looked really cool.

Catching up & more travel: Silver Springs, Md., Beer Scene

It’s been a while but I’ve been on the road. I know, no excuse but I’m sorry. Coming soon will be a read on some great bars and places in Philadelphia, a revisit to Long Beach, Calif., and the Seattle/Port Angeles, Wash., area. But first I need to catch up.

I drove up to Silver Springs for a week-long class on April 8. Being Easter and the fact that it was Maryland where you can’t get a beer in a grocery store I was at a loss. I needed to stock the fridge in the hotel room for the week and didn’t have any options. I decided to wander and see if I could find a store that was open.

Thank the gods for Adega Wine Cellars & Cafe. Not only were they open on Easter Sunday but they had some great beer. After grabbing an Oliver Breweries 19 Anniversary Stout (which was awesome by the way) to sip on and buying some Port City Brewing Essential Pale Ale, a Leffe Blonde and few others that I have not yet consumed, I headed off to get dinner.

My choice for the evening was the Fire Station 1 Restaurant and Brewing Co. The food here is ok, typical bar food and the beer was the same as I remember from the first time I was there. I had:

Daily Crisis IPA
Avenue Golden Ale
Something Red
Stoney’s Stout

I was not a huge fan of their beers…sorry.

A brief stop at McGinty’s Public House for a Port City Porter and I was back to my hotel.
The week didn’t go well since my class was canceled as I walked in the door so I headed home.

A quick shout-out and honorable mention goes out to Whole Foods in Alexandria, Va., for having a great beer selection and a growler filling station…very cool.