Category Archives: PA

Joe Sixpack’s brews of the year

Joe Sixpack from the Philadelphia Daily News sums up his 6 favorite beers of the year.

1. Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon (Norway): An imperial stout with 16 percent alcohol (at $25 a bottle), this baby set the pace for a new wave of Scandinavian beers.

2. Goose Island Matilda (Illinois): A surprisingly authentic Orval Trappist ale knockoff.

3. Stoudt’s Smooth Hoperator (Downingtown): Maybe the best new Pennsylvania beer since Yards reformulated its Philadelphia Pale Ale: a hybrid, hoppy double bock.

4. Avery/Russian River Collaboration Not Litigation (Colorado/California): Two small brewers with the same brand name (Salvation) mixed their suds and produced a singularly outstanding Belgian-style strong ale.

5. Dogfish Head Red & White (Milton, Del.): Huge, fruity layers of flavor in a Belgian-style white beer that’s been doused with pinot noir juice and aged in wine barrels.

6. Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse (Germany/New York): Another collaboration, this one matching yeasty Bavarian wheat goodness with assertive American hops. *

Winter Beer

If you like strong winter beers then The Washington post has some suggestions for you. The Author had a chance to sample the following large selection of beers,  Anchor Brewing’s Co Our Special Ale, Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale, Clipper City Brewing Co’s Winter Storm, Old Dominion Brewing Co’s Dominion Winter Brew, Wild Goose Brewery’s Snow Goose, Fordham’s Scotch Ale, Brooklyn’s Winter Ale, Michelob’s Celebrate Chocolate and Michelob Celebrate’s Cherry and finally Mad Elf Ale from Troegs Brewing Co. I wonder how long it took the author to sample all those beers.

Expensive Beer

The Philadelphia Daily News’ article this week is on expensive beer.

The most expensive sixpack in America

Samuel Adams Utopias (Massachusetts), $140 for 24 oz. ($5.83 per ounce).
Lost Abbey Cable Car (California), $30 for 750 ml ($1.18 per ounce).
Russian River Supplication (California), $14 for 375 ml ($1.10 per ounce).
Avery Mephistopheles (Colorado), $12 for 12 oz. ($1 per ounce).
Church Brew Works Quadzilla (Pittsburgh), $20 for 22 oz. (91 cents per ounce).
Allagash Interlude (Maine), $19 for 750 ml (75 cents per ounce).

6 great high-end bargains

Sly Fox Rt. 113 IPA (Royersford), $5 for 22 oz. (23 cents per ounce.
Southampton Imperial Porter (Long Island), $5 for 22 oz. (23 cents per ounce).
Rogue Chocolate Stout (Oregon), $5.50 for 22 oz. (25 cents per ounce).
Ommegang Abbey Ale (New York), $8 for 750 ml (31 cents per ounce).
Weyerbacher Heresy (Easton), $7 for 22 oz. (32 cents per ounce).
Stone Vertical Epic (California), $8 for 22 oz. (36 cents per ounce).

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SPBW 4th Annual Real Ale Festival

This years Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood Real Ale Festival was a great success. Over 400 tickets were sold, with additional tickets being sold at the door at The Wharf Rat. With over 30 Cask beers and unlimited sampling, everybody left happy. I was one of the volunteers inside pouring beer so I didn’t get a chance to sample everything but here is my list

Du Claw Bad Moon Porter
Victory Hop Devil (This was one of the most popular inside) +++
Dogfish Head Chicory Stout
Oliver Mad Monk (One of my favorites had a new sweet taste) ++
Oliver Dark Mild
Victory Donneybrook Stout (Another favorite at the table)
Gales Prize Old Ale (This was just an amazing barley wine beer) ++++
Troegs Hop Back Amber +++
Brooklyn Bright Golding (7.5% another fruity tasting beer) ++
Gordon Biersch Schwarbier (4.3%)
Rock Bottom Oatmeal Dry Stout with Vanilla (Arlington)
Brewers Alley I.P.A (I left with a growler of this, 5-5.4%) +++
Clipper City Loosse Cannon (very hoppy)
Brewers Art Le Cannard
Franklin’s I.P.A.
Brewers Art Beacon Ale (mmmmmm) ++++
Yards Extra Special Ale (6%)