Tasty Tuesday, a pre-Beer Week drink for us all.

Philly Beer Week, holy smokes. This year for me is a million ways different than last year, but somehow the sight of Beer Week adverts on the back of Septa buses all over the city today got me really excited and ready to roll.

I've got seats left for my two dinners. Jose Pistola's just did a New Holland Beer & Cheese pairing over the weekend that i missed while at my Union Jacks event (several of those beers still on tap) and i will be in the house at Teresa's Next Door all night long this coming Tuesday, March 3rd with Night Tripper on tap. I might even let a few details slip about which vintages of which beers will be served. If you don't have plans for Sunday on opening weekend, come out and i'll tell you all about it. If you do have plans, come on out anyway, there's not a lot of Night Tripper in Philly. Read more!

Hit it with the Hammer, Hit 'Em with the Hatter

See you at Union Jacks Manatawny. We're cracking into the firkin at 4pm. We've got other delights on tap. Pennsylvania debut of 2009 Night Tripper & Existential.







Did i mention that John Michaelson is coming? I am getting him a gift. Read more!

A trip to UJ's and then...PHILLY BEER WEEK

Alas, all info is in and all tallies have been tallied. I am here with news so fresh that 0's and 1's are dribbling down my computer screen (surely they'll have dried by the time you read this).

What's being billed as New Holland Fest at Union Jacks on the Manatawny on Saturday 2/21...PAYG featuring the following beers:

A firkin of Dragon's Milk. Yeah, i said it. A firkin of Dragon's Milk.
Mad Hatter IPA
Sundog Amber Ale
Night Tripper Imperial Stout
Existential Hopwine (Double IPA hops meet a Barleywine backbone)
Pilgrim's Dole Barrel Aged Wheatwine

If ever there was a prelude to the indulgent madness of Philly Beer Week, a night with Tom and his crew is just that.

Philly Beer Week 2009 - New Holland Brewing Co Schedule of Events:

Thursday March 5th - Philly Beer Geek Semi-Finals @ Manayunk Brewery
I'm on the judges panel for the semi-finals. I missed rooting for my man Dell last year, but from all of the stories i hear the Beer Geek events are a blast. I can see a late night trip to Dawson Street on this night as well.

Friday March 6th- Beer & Cheese Smackdown @ The Sidecar Bar & Grille
New Holland's Beervangelist Fred Bueltmann goes head to head with Arcadia President & Founder Tim Suprise in a beer and cheese pairing battle royale. Host/guest referee tba.

Saturday March 7th- Philly Craft Beer Fest @ The Naval Yard
Two sessions of rip roarin', beer pourin' excitement.

Saturday March 7th (Late Night)- New Holland Burlesque & Revue @ The P.O.P.E.
New Holland & Revival Burlesque pair up for the big Beer Fest after party. Show starts around 11pm. PAYG with 7 New Holland Beers on Tap. Join the Beervangelist & yours truly for the Philly debut of the post-prohibition penned, "Bad Girls Love Good Beer".

Sunday March 8th – Meet The Beervangelist @ The Beer Yard
Come hang for some samples and hear about New Holland’s new spring and summer seasonal before dinner at TND. 3pm – 5pm.

Sunday March 8th - Library Dinner @ Teresa's Next Door
We've dug into the New Holland vaults and collaborated with Teresa's on an evening of rare finds from New Holland's 12 year brewing history. If you're a fan of cellared beer and great food, this is the event to be at. Tickets on sale now.

Thursday March 12th - New Holland Dinner @ Jose Pistoles
Senors Parker & Gunn are having New Holland in for one of their two Beer Week dinners. A very special sixtel is making its way for the event, one you're not likely to see in Philly ever again. New Holland preview @ Jose's Saturday Feb 21st. Tickets on sale now.

Friday March 13th - Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em @ Yards
Come out for smoked beer and BBQ. The East Coast debut of a New Holland pub beer: Smoking Jacket Stout. Brewed by pub brewer Jeff Sheehan, this will be another rare New Holland beer in town just for beer week. Come sip from the only 5 gallons of this beer to see our side of I-76. Read more!

'Too Smooth For Safety' - Planning For Philly Beer Week

I've got a meeting to do tomorrow before i officially unleash the New Holland schedule for PBW 2009. I mean, i'm pretty sure it's nothing you can't find on the information interstates or anything, but as far as them all lined up in one spot without Beer Week webpage stroke this'd be another place to check in on it.

I'll tell you a bit about one event right now though, One From The Vault - The New Holland Library Dinner with Teresa's Next Door. Set for March 8th (tickets on sale at TND right now), we'll be going through highlights from 12 years of brewing in Holland, MI. Between the beer and the menu this gonna be a great alternative for the also food centric Brewer's Plate which i was lucky enough to enjoy last year.



Almost one week ago exactly i sat down with the tasting and planning division of Teresa's. The palettes and minds behind the great food at Wayne's premier beer bar huddled up on a snowy afternoon to work through beers big, bold, and old. I won't go into beers or vintages to keep things under wraps for the month, but this is an event you're not likely to see around these parts for a long time.

It is cool to plan an event like this that is very flavor specific, because we talked a good bit about what we're trying to provide for the people who come. What an interesting presentation will be, what different orders of beers will be most exciting or impactful. These are minds that taste through hundreds of beers and wines and cook food over and over and over again. I'd give up the day's pay simply for the osmosis.



Hand labeled bottles and several versions of the New Holland logo and label art were passed around the table with present versions matched against their cellared counterparts. The discussion took us from aging methods and recipe changes to flavor evolutions and before i knew it we had a table full of empty bottles and a bunch of notes jotted down.

Like a lot of the other madness during Philly Beer Week, the goal is to provide something unique and exciting that you can't do everyday. Keep an eye out for my full schedule posted tomorrow or Weds. I haven't had too much time to scope out the entire PBW schedule, but i am already plotting adventures for my few nights off. We're less than a month away from Round Two of Philly Beer Week and everyone i talk to is hard at work and busy as they can be getting ready. It's gonna be a blast.

Mike Ellis (Teresa's Co-Owner), Eladio (Chef), & Mario (Sous Chef)
. Read more!