Jun 11

Written by: xhost
6/11/2010 12:27 AM 

Looking back over this PBC blog, I realize that I may not have said much, but I’ve enjoyed saying it.  Is it really a beer club?  Maybe, when enough of us feel like it.  Otherwise, it’s just a few people getting together to raise a few glasses, or to brew a new beer, or to go on a brewery tour, or… well, anything.  So, with a trip out of the country beginning Sunday, I felt trapped by Beer Week.  Of all the weeks…  So, limiting myself to just a few nights of the 10, and just a few beers each of those nights, I’ve enjoyed Beer Week in moderation.

The Beer Expo on Saturday led to a light Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  Wednesday found me and Becky at Elephant and Castle meeting the Lord Chesterfield and a real member of the Yuengling empire.  While it felt weird that we weren’t at E&C for karaoke, Wendy Yuengling was nice enough to talk about what made Yuengling great—when you find yourself at a sports bar with $2 domestics (and nothing but), you can be sure that one of them is coming from just a few miles down the road.  They’re not really fighting for craft-brew dollars, even though they do consider their methods to be craft-inspired (a marketing mashup if I ever heard one).  While I may have moved away from them in recent years, it’s nice to know there’s a beer that people across the country associate with Pennsylvania (and go nuts over).  I mentioned to her that I consider Yuengling to be a gateway beer, making people stop and realize that there are more beers out there than just BudMillerCoors.  If a bunch of bikers can make the switch to light lager (while this lady drinks it heavy), anything’s possible.  Although, when you describe beers as “crafty-style,” I have to wonder…  Sounds devious.

Speaking of what’s possible, Yuengling isn’t letting their brewers slowly go crazy making the same beer over and over again.  True, they aren’t as nimble as a smaller brewery, able to throw nugmet, rosemary, and juniper berries into their beers, but still—every brewer needs to stretch his or her legs now and then.  I didn’t get to meet the head brewer, Mike, but Wendy told me that these past two years they put out a spring Bock (which I’ve heard good tidings of) and this year might be releasing a ‘Fest beer.  If it’s cheaper than Sly Fox, I’d grab a rack the next time I need cans.

And, nothing against E&C, but if someone orders a Black & Tan on friggin’ YUENGLING night, you make it with Yuengling Porter.  Let the Guiness handle go for a minute.  Part of me hates that this needs saying, but the rest of me now wants a real one even more.  Time to raid my dad’s fridge (I can honestly say that, from years of observation, Yuengling Black & Tan’s at the top of his list).

Afterwards, we treated ourselves to a burger and flatbread at Good Dog, with a Sly Fox Abbey Xtra and a Lagunitas IPA to wash them down.

Thursday night started and ended at the Kite & Key, where Victory, Stone, and Dogfish Head brewers sent a keg of their Saison du Buff for our enjoyment.  Supposedly, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme was used to impart the Saison a certain bite, taking it “where Saison has never been” before.  The bite is hard to explain, but it’s awfully close to orange juice.  I’d have to make PSR&T tea and drink it side-by-side with this beer to really see the flavors in action.  Not to knock the beer—Becky, Joe, and I thought it was delicious.  Joe and I both estimated 6%, and were floored when we finally found a menu showing it as exactly 6.0%.  Becky enjoyed, at 9:30pm, the FIRST pint of Dog Fish Head Festina Peche poured that evening (possibly the top in thirst-quenching summer session beers).  From there, we tried almost every beer on the menu.  Stone took over the taps with all sorts of one-offs.  Dry hopped, double-oaked, vanilla-infused porter—all supremely sippable (although it’s good they don’t get served as full pints).  A Victory Uncle Teddy’s Bitter from the cask reminded me of a homebrew of ours that didn’t fully carbonate—theirs was a perfectly balanced malt-hop tea with just a hint of effervescence.  If every beer left that beautifully floral hoppy aftertaste in my mouth, I’d quickly forget how to drink water.

At one point, I glanced up just in time to see a biker trying to hop the curb miss, instead flipping over his handlebars and pulling his bike down over him.  Before anyone had a chance to react, he sat up, surveyed his limbs, and gave a thumbs up.  Some guys really know how to make an entrance.

Tomorrow night, we’ll split open some smoked beers to pay homage to the intrepid brewers who, hundreds of years ago while sitting around a bonfire thought, “I love the smell of smoke almost as much as I love drinking beer.  How can I enjoy them… together?”  Can’t think of a better way to wrap up my abridged Beer Week.