Philly Beer Week Dubbel

The long weekend was blurry, er… went by in a blur.  By sheer cowinkydink, the Grey Lodge Firkenteenth coincided with PBW.  The early bird catches the worm(wood).  Well, not really, but even with us AM Imbibers, we still couldn’t get anything to kick!  We gave up still in the first “round” but I did enjoy the Dock Street Hop Garden and Sierra Nevada Stout. 

The Yards Smoke ‘Em if you Got ‘Em event was fire hot.  I’m a big fan of John at Ortino’s Northside BBQ (especially his all you can cram into your stomach events during the summer) and the assortment of Rauchbiers was paired nicely with the pink smoke-ringed grub, although the Trackside Brewing Smoke .45 malt liquor made me want to put a Colt .45 to my head.  It was promptly poured into the toilet, completely bypassing my digestive system.  The Aecht Schlenkerla Urbock (bottle) was uber smokey and delicious and I also liked the Fastenbier on draft.  Yards wins the prize for best ever tasting mugs at a beer drinking event, somehow entrusting us with genuine glassware in an event that may have been safer with sippy cups.  This was a kick ass event.  The crowd was mellow passing between the brewhouse and the “smokehouse” (outdoors), the band was jamming, and no wait at the stalls!

Stopped by Nodding Head but Da Phunk was defunct.  Had the Berliner Weisse with and without the green Jolly Rancher Woodruff syrup (prefer the sourness without the syrup) and the Chocolate Stout, a “more groggy-like” session beer.  Off to Tria to Meet the Importer, Don Feinberg of Vanberg and DeWulf and try the Boon Lambic Mariage Parfait and a rare draft Geuze saved for Tria.  We had to wait for the Geuze to defrost due to a minor refrigeration incident earlier in the day, but it was well worth it.  I also quieted my empty stomach with some cheeses, including a goat cheese (Consider Bardwell Manchester) that was out of this world.  A quick couple of gallons of expresso and then we swung by Monk’s to try the Monk’s Kriek (too young) and the Monks Flemish Red before catching the train.