Monthly Top Five - November

Hey, remember the What's Weekly Top 5 feature? So do we. The only problem is that it rarely came on a weekly basis, so we're switching gears. In  High Fidelity, the characters compare their top fives in a variety of categories. Being big fans of both the film and novel, we here at the What bring you our Weekly Monthly Top Five, a feature focused on five fantastic things that you should become familiar with.

Fall Beer

Though we are less than a week away from the biggest holiday shopping day of the year, it is still fall, and there is still plenty of time to enjoy some fall beer. Seasonal beers are always interesting, but there is something special about the fall varieties that stand out. Last year's Fall Beer Tasting was a blast, and while 2011 boasts no official tasting, we here at the What have still done our civic duty by going out and enjoying beer.

5. Saint Benjamin Evening Wheat Dunkelweiss - So maybe a dunkelweiss is not technically a Fall beer, but this brew's overwhelming popularity at the Elfreth's Alley Museum's Brew Fest was undeniable. This up and coming Philadelphia brewery has been making a name for itself by providing exceptional, full-flavored beers like this one at a number of events around the City of Brotherly Love. Saint Benjamin will return to Elfreth's Alley for Deck the Alley with a colonial-style porter, so be sure to check them out!

4. Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Märzen - Sometimes it is easy to get confused by brewery names that are similar like Flying Dog, Flying Fish, and Dogfish Head. Luckily, all three are known for their quality brews. Dogtoberfest is no exception. Nor is Flying Fish's Oktoberfish, for that matter. Admittedly, as you will see after the jump, I was focused on pumpkin beers this year and did not devote enough time to Oktoberfests, but you can rarely go wrong with Flying Dog.

Pickelodeon - Pennypack Wheat Beer

Welcome to Pickelodeon, a little feature where we review all that is reviewable in the world. Pickelodeon is your one stop shop for the inside scoop on the best restaurants, bars, movies, music, events, and anything else you want to hear someone else's opinion on before you try it. Drop us a line in the comment box for any suggestions on what we should review next!

Pennypack Wheat Beer

On October 15, 2011, the Elfreth's Alley Museum played host to Brew Fest. This new annual October event was highlighted by a local home brewer competition. This year's competition was a low-key, anything-goes battle of the home brewers. Four different brewers submitted four very different beers. Ed Coffey, in keeping with the autumn-themed event, submitted a delicious Pumpkin Ale. Bill Shouldis submitted his German-style Roggenbier as a nod to Oktoberfest traditions. Keith Gormley's cleverly-named Magnum PIPA was also submitted along with the eventual winner, Candy Graham's Pennypack Wheat Beer.

All four beers that were a part of this inaugural competition were very popular amongst the judges. Both Tim Patton, owner and founder of Saint Benjamin's Brewery, and John Boswell, owner and founder of the Port Richmond Pour House, agreed that they would gladly pay to drink any of the brews submitted. The judges of the competition liked the spice of the Pumpkin Ale, the full-flavored Roggenbier, and even the non-IPA fans in the group enjoyed the Magnum PIPA. All four beers were so popular at the tasting that the Elfreth's Alley Museum is looking forward to bringing all four brewers back for future First Friday events.

Song of the Day - Halloween

 

For some people, Halloween is putting on a costume and asking for candy. For others, it's turning off all of the lights and pretending you aren't home (jerks). Then for some, Halloween means letting loose, going to the theater and throwing toast at the screen. Happy Halloween!

Elfreth's Alley Museum Brew Fest 2011

 Originally posted on the Elfreth's Alley Museum Blog

The mercury has lowered and the leaves are changing, it's October and that means that something wicked this way comes. And by wicked, I mean wicked awesome. In less than a week, the Elfreth's Alley Museum will present Brew Fest 2011, a celebration of our city's sudsy past, present, and future.

During a tour of the museum at Elfreth's Alley, many are surprised to learn that beer was the beverage of choice for Philadelphians of all ages back in colonial times. This little tidbit is much less shocking than the reasons why! Philadelphia has always been a beer haven, from it's first European settlers in caves along the Delaware River right through Prohibition and into the modern trends of micro-brewing and home-brewing.

CHATS
Attendees of Brew Fest will get all the juicy details regarding Philadelphia's rise to prominence in the brewing world. America's best tour guide and noted historian Edward Mauger will discuss Philly's role as the beer capital of the colonies. Also on hand for a chat will be Mixed Pickles director/president of the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides, Bob Skiba, discussing the Prohibition Era of bathtub booze and speakeasies. With all of that history, we will also get into current events with a talk on pairing beer with delicious food from the experts at Triumph Brewing Company as well as a quick lesson on how to start home brewing from Saint Benjamin's Brewery.

BREWS
Once your thirst for knowledge is quenched, it will be time for the beer. Leading the charge of participating breweries is our proud sponsor Triumph Brewing Company. With several locations throughout the Delaware Valley, including right around the corner on the 100 block of Chestnut Street, Triumph is a great spot to try some of America's freshest micro-brews while enjoying some particularly delicious eats. Neighborhood restaurant Race Street Cafe will also kindly be donating a couple of kegs to our cause. Joining Triumph and Race Street will be the pirate-friendly brewers of Heavy Seas out of Baltimore and up-and-coming local favorite Saint Benjamin's Brewery. With such a wide selection of beer, you are sure to be satisfied!

GRUB
With the Autumnal Equinox behind us, it would be remiss not to pay homage to the great German tradition of Oktoberfest, albeit a few weeks late. Therefore, to accompany the stellar brews being served there will plenty of snacks to please your palate. Chef Walter Staib of City Tavern and A Taste of History fame is generously donating his delicious German sausages to be grilled on site. If tubular meets are not your thing, feel free to chow down on some soft pretzels, a Philly tradition brought over by early German settlers.

TUNES
Beer, food, and a little bit of learning would be enough for most people, but the Elfreth's Alley Museum wants to give you more. So in addition to all of the above, troubadour Joe Becton will be on hand to entertain you with tavern tunes both past and present as a group of Philadelphians compete to determine who has the best home brew. The winner will be determined by a panel of judges including Elfreth's Alley Association board member Danniel Gaidula, GEDO Project co-founder Adam Piazza, Elfreth's Alley Museum docent Karisa Blake, Saint Benjamin's Brewery founder Timothy Patton, Port Richmond Pour House owner John Boswell, former bartender/current teacher Alyssa McIntyre, and Brian Krisch, who has worked at too many Philadelphia cultural institutions to name.

SWAG
Finally, we have one more thing for you to look forward to for this year's Brew Fest. Each person who purchases a ticket to the event will automatically be given a raffle ticket. Prizes to be raffled off include cases of beer, books autographed by the authors, souvenirs from the Museum Shop at Elfreth's Alley, gift cards to local businesses, tickets to events, and more. There is also the soon-to-be-legendary Swag Wagon. The Swag Wagon is a wagon chock full of all of the aforementioned prizes. One lucky winner will walk home with that wagon. To increase your chances of winning, you can purchase more raffle tickets throughout the evening!

We here at the Elfreth's Alley Museum are eagerly anticipating this huge event and hope to see you there. We also encourage you to visit the links in this article as we would not be able to host this event without the help of all of these wonderful organizations.

SCHEDULE:
6:00 - Doors open
6:15 - Welcome/Food Pairings
6:45 - Home Brew How To
7:15 - Philadelphia: The Colonial Beer Capital
7:45 - Prohibition Preview/2012 Plans
8:00 - Raffle Prizes and Home Brew Competition Winner

Get your TICKETS here!

Song of the Day - 5.Oct.11

Today's song selection is "When I'm Small" by Phantogram, an ideal tune to rock out to while strolling through your city on a cool autumn day.

PRIMER - Fall Beer Review

Click the image above to be taken to the full article on Primer Magazine's website. Read on for a few notes and quotes that I cut from the final article.

Magic Hat Hex

• "What is fall about this?" Ashley
• "The burp tastes better." Adam
• "Tastes like water." Buddy
• "Bland, unremarkable." Candy

Magic Hat Oktoberfest

• "Tastes better when held in mouth longer." Mary
• Ashley and Patrick noted a fruity, apple aroma.

Abita Pecan Harvest

• "Tastes like disgusting." Debra
• "Not good." Buddy
• "Smells like poop. Pecan taste is failure. Tastes like dirty nuts." Mary

Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Marzen

• "Spunky beer but with a solid taste." Debra

PBC Joe Coffee Porter

• "Smells like Juan Valdez's dirty diaper. Tastes like bad coffee." Debra
• "DON'T LIKE IT!" Charlie

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale

• "Smells like hop and barley sex." Patrick
• "Smells terrific when first opened, taste reveals over-spicing." Debra
• "Smells great, doesn't follow through on taste - needs more spice." Mary
• "Great smell, good pumpkin flavor and after taste. One of the few beers to use pumpkin well." Charlie

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

• Alyssa noted hints of cinnamon while Debra and Charlie noted that it goes down nice and smooth.
• "This smells happy." Patrick
• Mary suggests that this beer is better when left to warm up a bit.

Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen

• "(It tastes) like someone butt-raped a hop." Andy
• "If you are a hipster vampire, you will love this taste of iron blood beer." Alyssa
• "I'd rather drink my own blood." Alyssa
• "Disgusting after taste." Charlie
• "Tastes like blood. I feel a growing aversion to garlic." Debra
• "Tastes like a blood-flavored corn tortilla." Ashley

Blue Moon Harvest Moon

• "I wish this beer was a snack so I could eat it." Patrick
• "Good, but not fall enough." Adam
• "It goes down easy and smooth but lacks motivation to continue with another bottle." Debra
• "Rich and hearty with a full-bodied taste." Charlie
• "(I) prefer Blue Moon, Harvest Moon is a fail." Alyssa

Magic Hat Odd Notion Fall 2010

• "Great bouquet, watered-down flavor." Charlie
• "Smells fruity but tastes watered-down. The smell is better than the taste." Patrick
• "Apple jolly rancher smell, apple jolly rancher and plastic taste." Adam