Philly Beer Week

Philly Beer Week (www.phillybeerweek.org) has been going on in and around the city since last Friday. It runs until tomorrow. For all you beer enthusiasts out there in and around the city, check out the website, as there are some pretty cool events.

Krista and I went out to a restaurant last night were they had tapped a Firkin of Troeg's Golden Nugget (a hoppy beer with an IBU of 93ish, that's pretty damn hoppy.) It was really exciting to get out and try a new place and some new beer outside of our old local microbrewery that we usually go to. We are thinking tomorrow of taking the train in and going event hopping as Philly Beer Week comes to a close.

We have been into good well crafted beers for a long time now. The local microbrewery that we go to has a mug club. Basically it is a membership card that you earn rewards for eating and drinking at the restaurant and you also get a ceramic 24oz mug to drink from for the price of a 16oz pint glass. Between the two of us, we have 10 mugs now. It's becoming quite the collection in our dining room.

Speaking of well crafted brews, as Spring approaches it will be time to bust out the brewing equipment once again. We have been brewing for almost two years now, the first being the favors for our wedding. Those were a Sam Adam's Boston Lager Clone and a Bass Ale Clone. We still have some and they seem to taste better every year. The following winter we made an Oatmeal Stout, which once again as its aging seems to taste better then when we first bottled it. This Christmas we made a Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Clone for friends and family as part of a Christmas gift. Krista actually brewed that one on her own, I think I was out of town in Florida at the time. Finallly about a month ago we brewed a Cream Stout. I have yet to try this but I'm really looking forward to it. For Spring we are thinking we are going to do a Magic Hat #9, a not so quite pale ale. Krista really gets into the brewing as she likes cooking, and she likes beer, I'm more of an assist guy myself, for fear I would mess something up.

So if you are in or around Philly today or tomorrow check out the Beer Week. There a ton of restaurants and breweries participating, and it should be a really good way to start the weekend as Philly Beer Week draws to a close. Maybe we'll see you around.