The fall season brings out the best and worst of craft beer, with many brewers trying to put pumpkin pie in a bottle. Sometimes too sweet, sometimes too trendy, but one fall craft beer continues to reign at the top, the Southern Tier Pumpking. Southern Tier Brewing in New York is one of the most recognized and awarded craft brewing companies in the country. The seasonal Southern Tier Pumpking is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from whichthey return forever changed! Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let its deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape. This beer is brewed with pagan spirit yet should be enjoyed responsibly.
8.6% abv • 12.7ºL • Imperial Pumpkin Ale • 22 oz / 1/2 keg / 1/6 keg
Philadelphia’s iconic indie radio station WXPN, located at the far left of the dial at 88.5 FM, has been a musical haven for emerging and local musicians as well as heritage artists for decades. A member-supported station based out of the University of Pennsylvania, WXPN has been a pioneer in the non-commercial radio station world, bringing an eclectic mix of the best music to the airways without pressure to conform to commercial radio conventions from corporate underwriters.
This freedom from corporate rule is showcased beautifully in WXPN’s nationally syndicated program Live at the World Café. Started with seed money from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 1991 and distributed by NPR since 2005, the two-hour daily show has featured over 4,000 performances and interviews over the last twenty years. There aren’t many shows you can tune in to and find in-depth interviews and performances by the likes of Leonard Cohen, Joan Armatrading, Tom Waits, and Joe Strummer — actually, there are no other places, we checked – and twenty years of this thoughtful programming is what the folks at the Philadelphia Brewing Company thought worthy of honoring this month with a special limited edition brew.
The Broadcaster Brown Ale, PBC’s tribute to the 20th anniversary of Live at the World Café, and its host David Dye, is a malty, hoppy, crisp brown ale with excellent balance. Very flavorful with a bitter crispness, made with German malts, this is a solid brown ale.
Alcohol Content: 5.0 abv
IBU’s: 35
Color: Deep Ruby-Brown
Hops: Bravo, Centenial, Cascase
Dry Hops: Amarillo, Cascade
Malts: Two-row Pilsner, Dark Munich, CaraMunich, Carafa , Oats
The Manayunk Berwery has been a staple of the Philadelphia Schuylkill River night life scene since 1996. Formerly a converted textile mill known as Krook’s Mill, the historic Philadelphia landmark is now bustling restaurant and brew pub. The first thing I noticed immediately when I walked in was the sushi bar. Curious I thought. It seemed wildly out of place with the different sporting events shown on a number of flat screens behind the bar, the 80′s cover band that was about to take the stage, and the college aged crowd that had taken over at 10 o’ clock that Friday evening.
Nonetheless, it was all about the beer I reminded myself. I thought it was appropriate to start off with the Dreamin’ Double IPA. Inspired by the highly hopped beers from the west coast, the Dreamin double IPA is truly a hophead’s delight. Five varieties of American hops added throughout the boil create a wide range of flavors including pine and citrus, while generous dry-hopping in the fermentor provides the distinct aroma of fresh hops. The Manayunk Brew pubs guarantee that this is one of the freshest double IPA’s available. 8.5% ABV, 85 IBU’s. I thought the hop varieties were out of place. It seemed out of balance, too peppery, and over-spiced.
MANAYUNK LAGER (Oktoberfest) Marzen Style Lager
In strict accordance with the German purity law of 1516, they present this annually brewed festbier. Traditionally brewed in March and stored deep in the caves of Germany, this beer was brought to the masses to celebrate in October. It is a Vienna-style lager with a bit more malt and hops making a malty but balanced beverage. Copper-orange in color, it sports a toasty malt backbone that wonderfully compliments itself with many of our menu items.
6.2% ABV, 25 IBUs
I thought that the malt notes were way too heavy with coffee. Had a metallic finish and missed the mark for me. I was starting to get disappointed. But as the 80′s music got louder and more obscure, the night started to get better.
KROOK’S MILL American Pale Ale
This is a well-balanced hoppy American style pale ale with a generous usage of fine 2 row pale and a touch of crystal malt. This beer is copper in color and is finished with “C” hops from the Pacific Northwest, which provide a wonderful floral aroma. This ale is a perennial favorite for the owners of the Manayunk Brewing Co.
5.3% ABV, 40 IBUs
This one is also a favorite of mine. The balance was spot on. Pale Ale is my favorite style of beer so I may be biased, but certainly hits the mark. Homerun.
MUNICH DUNKEL Dark Lager
Brewed with high quality German ingredients, this dark lager is a great reminder that beer literally is liquid bread. The rich toasty flavor of Munich malt combines with a hint of roast from the dehusked carafa malt to create a wonderful aroma reminiscent of a freshly baked loaf of pumpernickel. 5.6% ABV, 20 IBUs. The Dunkel went down a lot lighter than advertised here but yet still robust and flavorful. The Manayunk Brew Pub hits the mark with the Dunkel. Well done.
Overall, the Manayunk Brewery batted a .500 average which in today’s terms of restaurants and beers gets you in the hall of fame. I did notice that they should probably clean their tap system too as well. I think what’s indicative of many Brew Pubs these days is this notion that they try TOO hard to get novice beer drinkers on board by “OVER-DOING” each style of beer. Whether it’s too hoppy for the IPA, or too robust in some of the malty styles, they “OVER-SELL” the style rather than just making GOOD BEER. I mean dude, lose the Sushi Bar, the 80′s music, and make good beer.
Khyber Pass Pub will host Tröegs Brewing Company next Wednesday, October 19th at 6 pm for a very special Tröegs Tap Takeover night! Join us for an evening with the Harrisburg, PA brewers as we feature a Tröegs lineup worthy of even the most discerning beer palates. Our Tröegs Tap Takeover will highlight the highly elusive “Scratch Series,” typically found only at the brewery, alongside the likes of seasonal favorites Mad Elf and more!
Scratch 45 – IPA
Scratch 46 – Naked Elf
Scratch 47 – Belgian Wit
Scratch 48 – Fest Bier
Scratch 49 – Wet Hop IPA
Scratch 50 – Belgian Dubel
Pale Ale
Mad Elf
Javahead Stout
Flying Mouflan Barleywine
Dead Reckoning Porter
Hopback Amber Ale
Sunshine Pils
Dreamweaver Wheat
Troegenator Doublebock
Hopback Amber Cask
Javahead Stout Cask
and a FIRKIN of Dry Hopped Pale Ale!
To round out a truly Tröegs-centric evening, our chefs at Khyber Pass Pub will be adding Tröegs-inspired items to our menu, including Dead Reckoning Porter Chili, Sunshine Pils Boiled Peanuts, Tröegenator Doublebock Brined/Smoked Pork Chop, Tröegs HopBack Amber BBQ sauce, and Javahead Cask Ale Coffee Ice Cream Beer Float!
Don’t miss out on an exclusive night of Tröegs’ finest selections, brought to you by Khyber Pass Pub!
Khyber Pass Pub is a historic Old City tavern that features a beautiful bar handcrafted in 1876. One of Philadelphia’s oldest bars and a ‘Philadelphia Magazine’ Best of Philly 2011 winner, the menu features an extensive selection of craft beers, authentic New Orleans specialties, hickory-smoked barbecue, and tasty vegan and vegetarian options. Open 11 am to 2 am daily.
Celtics Preferred Beer Over Wine, as Opposed to the Greeks & Romans
By Matt Goldstein
In what has been described as one of the oldest beer making operations in Europe, a 2500 year old brewery was discovered in an archeological dig in the Provence region of Southeastern France. An area settled by Celtics at the time, sprouted carbonized barley was discovered in what is most likely a residential house. “Based on the barley remains, its location and the equipment, the researchers believe the home’s inhabitants soaked the grain in vessels, spread it out during germination on a flat area of the paved floor, dried the grain in the oven to stop germination, and used grindstones to pulverize the malted barley. Hearths and containers were then probably used for fermentation and storage.” Although residential, the size of the operation suggests that this was a communal beer making facility. Historically, the Celtics always had an appreciation for beer, as opposed to the Romans and Greeks who preferred wine. The Celtics produced beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages. Through Whiskey Goldmine’s own investigation into the subject matter, we’ve concluded that Celtic Pride is awesome, and beer, even more awesome.
The Khyber Pass Pub is the official Whiskey Goldmine Beer Week headquarters with some of the best craft beer events in the city. From Leffe Blonde to Abita, Anderson Valley, Ithaca, Left Hand, Voodoo and more, we’ll be hanging there all week. If you see us in the Khyber on Saturday and find us wearing a Whiskey Goldmine hat or T-shirt, the Whiskey Goldmine is buying you a beer. Cheers! See below for all of the event details.
6/7Keep The Glass Night with Leffe Blonde
TUES4PM-10PMBuy a glass of Leffe Blonde, keep the glass! Event approved by your kitchen cabinet.
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The Big Easy with Abita
8PM-2AM (Upstairs)Abita’s Nick Smith and John Guhring bring special brews and traditional beats from the Big Easy. Nick Smith on the turntables, droppin’ serious N’awlins funk all night. Featuring S.O.S., Andygator, and more.
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6/8Get Boont in Broad Daylight with Anderson Valley
WED1PM-4PMJoin Anderson Valley Brewing’s head brewer Fal Allen and owner Trey White for an afternoon of tasty treats. They bust out the big guns and we look forward to pouring ABC standards you love, some you’ve never tried, and at least one brand new brew. Featuring Imperial IPA, Boontlinger Weiss, Gatlin Damnosis.
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Ithaca Beer Odyssey
8PM-2AMEnjoy Ithaca’s new collaboration brew Dark Humor, a Brett Porter, along with several other rare and delicious ales. The oracle foresees something cask-y in your future. Featuring 13, Flower Power, and more.
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So Nice We Pour ‘Em Twice
8PM-2AM (Upstairs) Khyber brings back some of our favorite rare and exclusive brews of Philly Beer Week. DJ Kyle Miller spins Funk and Northern Soul.
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6/9Behold a Dark Horse
THURS7PM-2AMJoin us as we host Marshall, Michigan’s Dark Horse Brewing Company, with rare and tasty treats. Featuring Plead the 5th, Double Crooked Tree, Rocker, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Scotty Karate, and more.
Get Funky with New Holland’s Dr. Joel
8PM-2AM (Upstairs) New Holland Ambasador Dr. Joel spins funk, soul and rock tunes while we drink his beer. Six New Holland drafts! Featuring Dragons Milk, Full Circle, Poet, and more.
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6/10The Leftorium with Left Hand
FRI7PM-11PMCalling all Southpaws: Khyber has Left Hand’s exclusive Philly Beer Week brew – Week Sauce! We’ll be pouring this unique cappuccino porter (as well as other Left Hand brews) with the Phillies game on the big screens. Drink specials for left-handed homers! Featuring Stranger Pale Ale, Polestar Pilsner, and more.
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So Nice We Pour ‘Em Twice, Redux
8PM-2AM (Upstairs) Khyber brings back some of our favorite rare and exclusive brews of Philly Beer Week. DJ Jem rocks out all night.
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6/11Clean Out Khyber’s Keg Room
SATALL DAYHelp us empty our keg room! We’ve got tons of tasty and rare brews that need drinking. Enjoy $1 off all these special beers all day.
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6/12Clean Out Khyber’s Keg Room, Part DEUX
SUNALL DAYHelp us empty our keg room (again)! We’ve got tons of tasty and rare brews that need drinking. Enjoy $1 off all these special beers all day.
56 South 2nd Street l Philadelphia, PA l 215.238.5888
The Iron Abbey Gastro Pub has the best food and craft beer combination in the Philadelphia area. The Iron Abbey beer week line up kicks off with a free beer and complimentary firkin and an official invite below. Printout the invite and you’re in. Also featured, are brown bag taste test with the cusotmers as the judges. Filled with the Breworks to Boulder Beer, Duvel night and Flying Dog meet the brewers, the Iron Abbey Gastro Pub is filled with some of the best beer in all of beer week. Check out the schedule below.
A PBR Review: Hipsters Rolling their Eyes Everywhere
By Matt Goldstein
When I had a PBR last summer, there was something wrong with the tap and the beer was spoiled. It was basically undrinkable. Now, considering I can drink even the worst of beers without a flinch, I decided that Pabst Blue Ribbon deserved another try. Pabst Blue Ribbon is the first beer to sell 10 million cases of beer in the United States. It’s an American staple and deserves recognition for that alone. Let’s give Pabst Blue Ribbon the chance it deserves: A Whiskey Goldmine Review.
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Pabst Blue Ribbon Tasting Notes:
PBR is sweet, dry, crisp with a grain aftertaste. Very refreshing! There you have it. That’s our review. It’s an easy drinking session lager and pretty good flavor. We love it. If you got a problem with that, nobody cares.
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Pabst Blue Ribbon and the Hipster issue:
Now, it wouldn’t be a Pabst Blue Ribbon article if we didn’t address the hipster issue. Yes, Hipsters drink PBR at staggering amounts and the Hipsters are multiplying exponentially like a badass zombie movie. The Hipsters where PBR t-shirts, and drink PBR like it’s their uber sudo liberal (but not the democratic party) political identity. Yup, their socially advanced, and your craft beer is just too cool to be cool. Drinking real beer is uncool. It’s scary, frightening and Hipsters could simply revolt and kill us all. However, now that everyone knows the Hipsters drink PBR to be cool, or un-cool, they are moving on to a new beer. And they probably will officially move on after this review. It’s too cool to be called un-cool. Hipsters are moving on to National Bohemian. Yup, they be drinkin the “Nati bo.” Review coming soon. We’re gonna single handedly do our best to destroy the Hipster Nati Bo revolution. Someone might get smacked in their face for this one.
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Here are some facts to enjoy about Pabst Blue Ribbon:
Pabst Blue Ribbon American Style Premium Lager
Pabst Blue Ribbon is a premium lager brew crafted with a hefty infusion of 6-row barley in its ingredient package, a carefully balanced carbohydrate profile from corn syrup, and a unique combination of Pacific domestic hops blended with an imported Yugoslavian variety. Fermented with a pure culture of yeast and aged at high gravity, PBR is cellared and finished to the smooth, robust likeness of a fine Pilsner.
144 calories
12.8 grams of carbohydrates
Pabst Blue Ribbon Light American Style Light Lager
Pabst Blue Ribbon Light is brewed with the traditional grains and malts of a fine lager, and is tailored to the brewing specifications of a low calorie beer. Hopped with the same intensity as PBR, the light version is a satisfyingly superior way to bend an arm.
The Washington’s Crossing Brewfest was held this past Saturday in Washington’s Crossing Park in Soleburry PA just outside of New Hope. With over 50 breweries the competition was steep and beer flowing big. Firestone & Samuel Smith stole the show with some craft beer standard classics.
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1. Firestone Walker Reserve Porter:
The Firestone Walker Reserve Porter flat out crushed the competition at the Washington’s Crossing Brewfest. The reserve porter is a robust style porter and made with premium 2-row malts, maris otter, crystal 77, crystal 120 with bitter, cascade and whirlpool hops. The Reserve Porter is dark, sweet, malty, slightly bitter with notes of caramel and toffee. It’s a banger! Good luck finding a better porter.
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2. Samuel Smith Organic Ale
The Samuel Smith Organic Ale is Certified organic by the USDA-accredited UK Soils Association. A golden ale with beautiful malts and just enough kick from the hops. A classic ale.
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3. Cigar City Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale
The Maduro is an American brown ale and also got an A- on Beer Advocate. Enough said.
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4. Climax ESB
We thought Fuller’s had the best ESB out there. We were wrong. The Climax Extra Special Bitter Ale has notes of honey, toffee and caramel, and a hop bitter kick.
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5. Elysian Men’s Room Red Ale
The Men’s Room Red is made with Crisp 77 Crystal, Munich, Cara-hell, Cara-Red and Cara-vienne malts and hopped with Chinook and Cascade. A portion of the proceeds from this ale go to support military veterans. Get one today…
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The worst beer of the brewfest? Beach Haus! We don’t care where it’s from and you won’t care how it tastes. Also, the lady at the tent handing out the beers was a total bitch.
The name CascaZilla is a play on both the name of a gorge in Ithaca called Cascadilla and the monster amounts of Cascade Hops we use to make the beer. The predominant flavor and aroma of this beer comes from fresh American hops. Made with 2-Row, Crystal, and Black malts, Cascade, Chinook and Crystal hops, then dry hopped with Cascade, Amarillo hops, the Ithaca Caskazilla has 50 IBU’s and 7.0% ABV.
Ithaca Caskazilla Tasting Notes: WOW! Deep thick Brown in color, thick and cloudy with sediment, a scent of fruit, scent of yeast, and sour taste. The Caskazilla flavor is heavy in hops, sour, dry and slightly bitter. With notes of fruit with a sweet taste, the dry crisp yeast and hops with slight malt give it a great balance. This is a great ale!
The Ithaca Ground Break American Style Saison
An Americanized hoppy Saison, the Ground Break is brewed with generous amounts of Amarillo, Crystal and Glacier hops and flaked rye. It’s fermented with a blend of Belgian and American yeasts.
Ithaca Ground Break Tasting Notes: The color is a brownish gold, slightly cloudy, with flavor full of the classic Belgian style yeast. Sweet with a thick mouth feel and slightly crisp, and a nice sour taste for a saison, the scent of fruit and Yeasty light malt finish is just a touch dry. An excellent and unique styled saison.
Pumpking Imperial Pumpkin Ale
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