Beer Week 09 is Over. Long live Beer Week.

Had to take a few days to decompress and assess after the whirlwind that was BW 09. In between hauling large pieces of furniture to Fishtown (thanks Jim and Tim) and giving myself a blister putting together Ikea furniture I managed to get to a few events and sample some amazing beers.

Sunday after moving a couple carloads to our new place on Memphis St., Amanda (along with Julie and Christy), Tim & I just made it to Memphis Taproom in time for the Vintage Beer Brunch, to which we had reservations. My physical exhaustion gave way to elation as each course trumped the previous (salmon terrine! shirred egg with short rib!). And the beer...Oh! the beer! ('04 flying dog imperial porter! rochefort old and new!). I think Tim is trying to cobble together a more coherent post on this event so I'll just leave it at that for now.

Also, made it to Caribou Cafe for a happy hour sampling of some Bieres de Garde as well as some tartines. We tried the Ambree from Brasserie La Choulette, which the menu described as being a classic representation of the style. It was malty sweet with hints of caramel and nuts; delicious, but I think I preferred Olivia's Gavroche.

They also had a couple beers from Brasserie du Mont Blanc. Neither the blanche nor the blonde from Mont Blanc were Bieres de Garde but I decided to try one anyway. I am glad I did. The blonde was delicious. Light in body and in color, it had the crispness of a helles or a pilsner. It was the surprise of the afternoon and a beer that I will definitely be seeking out this summer.

Let's see...what else? Oh, yea there were the random nights, after rearranging furniture for hours, that Amanda and I decided to hit our new local for dinner and their 'No Repeat Beer Week'. Really enjoyed the Fuller's they were pulling from the cask, as well as the Great Divide Wee Heavy. And Amanda had a chance to savor an Obamagang just before the last keg kicked.

See also: Tim's eloquent account of our harrowing journey into the belly of the Great Northbeast.

In short, it was a crazy 10 days. Im glad the moving is done. Sad that I have to wait 12 months til PBW 2010. But that sadness is tempered. For, in this Greene Countrie Towne of ours, every week is beer week.

I'm moving to within spitting distance of Memphis Taproom!

In Mid-March (or "Middle March" or "The Ides" or however you call it) Amanda and I will be moving to a 2 bedroom rowhome in that section of the Kensington District of Philadelphia known by some as Port Fishington.


In short time I'll be able to walk a half block to the Taproom and order a half-pint, or maybe even a whole pint if I feel like it. We hope to be moved in sometime during Philly Beer Week. Woot!

Speaking of Memphis Taproom: we were there last week for a late dinner and I noticed a change on the menu. The Kielbasy Hoagie has morphed into a Kielbasy Grinder. It now comes with gruyere, sauerkraut and russian dressing on a long roll. It was no less delicious and I was no more able to finish it than before. Sampled the Twisted Thistle IPA from Belhaven. Thistle was not used in the brewing of this cloudy, golden beer. They did use hops and malt though. The hops gallop out at first sip but then the malt catches up. A well balanced beer.

I'm thinking I should look into direct-depositing some of my paycheck each week straight into Memphis Taproom's bank account. That would save the processing fees...and some paper.