Finally a Philly Beer Week Recap: Day 1 at Alla Spina

Yeah so Philly Beer Week was like two weeks ago at this point and I haven't written a word. Part of that was I didn't go to that many events but really I just haven't quite had the time. I wonder how long I can milk having a child as the reason I don't write. I'm thinking, like, a few months. Sounds reasonable, right? What do you all think?

But, yeah, whatever, I'm finally writing something today at least. The first night we were all going to go to Alla Spina and sit outside and it would have been super fun. Unfortunately, it was nearly 95 degrees and we decided having a two week old out in that heat probably wasn't a good idea. Don't bring your kid to the bar on a super hot day is probably parenting 101. So, instead I went by myself and bothered the bartender and Steve Wildy, the manager of Alla Spina and beverage guy (he probably has a far fancier title but this describes it just fine) for the Vetri group. Steve's the super skinny guy that's at Alla Spina a lot so say hi if you see him. Here's a picture of the taps and also Steve's back.

He's the one not in Alla Spina blue in the middle.

Weyerbacher Sierra at the Kite & Key

After the Craft Beer Express this past Saturday (which I'll write about soon), the Kite & Key turned over a few of their taps and put on Weyerbacher Sierra, a milk stout in the Select series. I've been wanting to try this since it was announced so I knew I had to order it.

Clean roasty nose, very smooth. Quite a thick body. First sip was very tasty with a nice creamy roastiness. Some slight hints of the lactose but it affected the body and cut the roast bitterness more than anything. I'm a big fan of most milk stouts and so it was almost inevitable that I'd enjoy this one.

Williamsburg AleWerks Coffeehouse Stout

I finally finished up the last bottle my friend Chris brought me a month or so ago, the Williamsburg AleWerks Coffeehouse Stout.

Big coffee aroma without any acrid coffee bitterness.  Inviting for a coffee stout.  I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting a ton from this but it was actually pretty good.  Flavor was reminiscent of mocha, a nice mix of coffee and chocolate.  There was a little hint of sour from the coffee but it faded quickly.  Really quite enjoyable and at like $25 a case, really worth it dollar for dollar.

Beer Schooled at the Hulmeville

This past Tuesday I drove up to the Hulmeville Inn for a home brewing class offered by Beer Schooled.  When I first found out about the class, I figured it would be an interesting way to solidify my random knowledge of home brewing and I was pretty much correct.  It also turned out to be a good way to hang out with Kevin and Greg and have a couple good beers.

I started with a small glass of Stone Double Bastard, an American Strong ale aka a strong, hoppy beer.

Day of Three Floyds

Three Floyds is a brewery located in Indiana.  Their distribution area is very small, mainly only available in three or so states around Indiana.  Apparently they used to be available in Philadelphia but it stretched them too thin so they pulled out of the state a few years ago.  Right now you're probably asking yourself why the heck is Rich talking about a random brewery whose beer I can't even buy?  Well, shut up, that's why.  I'll get to the point when I'm good and ready.

Recently I visited DeCicco's in Ardsley, NY to buy myself a Captain Lawrence gift pack (see cellar sidebar for beers in it) and decided since it seemed to be popular that I'd find someone interested in trading some Three Floyds stuff for one.  After getting my wife's permission (stop looking at me like that), I posted on BeerAdvocate about it and ten minutes later I had everything set up.  I was primarily interested in Dark Lord, a Russian Imperial Stout only available one day a year from the brewery, and so I left it up to my contact, Adam, to provide me with that plus a few other bottles from Three Floyds that he'd pick out.  I ended up with Dark Lord, Moloko, an oatmeal milk stout, Black Sun, an Irish Dry Stout, Dreadnaught, a double IPA, and a bottle of the guy's homebrew Smoked Porter.  So this past Saturday I got together with two friends of mine, Greg and Kevin, to try them all and finally see why everyone loves Three Floyds so much.

Two on Tuesday

I tried two new beers last night at the Urban Saloon.  Even though it gets kind of frat partyish on the weekends, this place is actually pretty nice at other times.  Their draft list is always decent and their food is good so Jo and I go there when we are looking for somewhere calm to go.

I started with Terrapin Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout something I've been wanting to try for a while.

The smell was all chocolate and very inviting.  First sip was chocolate up front followed by an almost milk shake flavor.  Super thick mouth feel.  Drinking more, the chocolate is a consistent presence and it continues to remind me of a milk shake.  The sweetness in it is great.  The only negative I could find is there was a weird, slightly chalky aftertaste which may be a result of the cocoa they used in the brewing.  It doesn't ruin the beer or anything, it was just odd.

After that I had a glass of Southern Tier Old Man Winter, an Old Ale.

I was surprised by how hoppy this one smelled.  I expected it to be a winter ale, sort of sweet and caramel, but with the hop smell I knew I'd be wrong.  Taste followed with some mild hops although no real bitterness.  Maybe I would have liked this more if I knew what I was getting, but as it is I just wasn't particularly impressed.  It wasn't bad or anything, just wasn't that good.  Felt like a dull IPA with a little bit more body.

I expect to have another post tomorrow morning and maybe something after Thanksgiving on Friday, but we'll see.  Otherwise, have a good Thanksgiving everyone!

Duck Rabbit Milk Stout

Tried to go to The Bottle Shop on Passayunk on Saturday for their Grand Opening only to discover that they postponed the opening.  Sucks since it is pretty far into South Philly.  Ah well.  Since I was already near Hawthorne's, I decided to grab a quick bite and a beer there.  Hawthorne's is really a bottle shop but because of stupid Pennsylvania liquor laws they also serve food.  Turns out that their food is quite good though so it makes a great place for lunch.  Since they have like 7 fridges full of bottles there is also always something to drink.  The hardest part is just deciding what to grab.

This time I went with the Duck Rabbit Milk Stout.

Poured a dark brown with lots of bubbly brown head.  Nice looking stout.  Drinking it out of a mason jar was a little odd, but that's the glasses Hawthorne's has available.  It smelled of delicious roasted malt with just a hint of sweetness from the lactose.  Nice thick mouthfeel, very enjoyable to drink.  The sweet and roasty flavors fight for supremacy as you drink it and then slowly balance each other.  Makes for a great combination.  I like milk stouts as I feel like they have great flavors along with great mouth feel, but without the ridiculous ABV of an Imperial Stout.

Hawthorne's actually had bottles of Older Viscosity but at $21 for a 375ml bottle, it was too rich for my blood.  I'd really love to try it again but I'll just have to wait until I can either find it in California for cheaper or somehow see it on draft again.