Have a few jars...

After a (okay I'm gonna keep in line with the title here) brilliant beer brunch at Teresa's Next Door yesterday - which saw friends, family, and a long standing Pennsylvania Restuarant Dude licking his plate clean - there's some serious beer to be had a TND right now. From New Holland the following are currently on tap:

2008 Black Tulip Tripel
2008 Night Tripper Imperial Stout
Poet Oatmeal Stout (On Cask)
Mad Hatter IPA
Charkoota Rye Smoked Doppelbock

Go in for a few jars mate. I've got to run to the Iron City for a couple days here so I'll have to see what's standing upon my return.

Also, gear up for more beer and chocolate action - come to Friendfest! Read more!

Of Ganache & Grain

Beer & Chocolate have been a major theme for me in February: a point of press, pairing, study, & enjoyment I've borrowed my Dad's sweet tooth for this whitewashed second month of ours. I've tasted through a grand amount of really great truffles, chocolates, caramels, & fruit pastes and had great beer to sip along with them every step of the way. At this point halfway through the month the result of some of these tastings have come to light, others have been training grounds or practice runs for the beer & chocolate that await later in the month. Here's the rundown:

Tasting Beer & Chocolate at Aux Petits Delices:
A morning of pairing hosted by Chef Patrick Gauthron and led by Matt Guyer for the always up for beer time local website AroundMainLine.com - check out the story HERE.

Friendfest's Elite Pairing Study:
Preparation (i.e. tasting, making notes, tasting again, making more notes) with the chocolates of Gail Ambrosius which will be paired with beer from New Holland Brewery at a special presentation during Friendfest at the Kutztown Fairgrounds in Kutztown, PA on 2/27. I'll be guiding the tasting session and speaking on both the chocolate and the beer. (Tickets available but moving quickly. Tickets for the Festival as well as tickets for the pairing available HERE.) To learn more about Friend Inc's community service efforts check out their website.

Savor 2009 Beer & Chocolate Salon:
So finally in preperation for Friendfest I've been listening to the Ambrosius Chocolate & New Holland Brewery beer and chocolate Salon from Savor 2009 courtesy of our friend Jeff Bearer at Craft Beer Radio. You can listen to the Salon HERE, and while you're on the site check out a few episodes of Craft Beer Radio. The Savor Salon was hosted by Gail Ambrosius & The Beervangelist, Fred Beultmann. Read more!

In betweener

A Valentine's related post is on it's way (well, as close as we get to Valentine's Day around here anyway), but til then read up on some winter beers since we are most certainly still in winter mode. Read more!

Linksalot

I am spending these snowy days trying to decide whether or not to unleash my always-curious-now-confirmed-nourished-and-ready-to-blow-in-a-fireball-of-hippie-protester-do gooder-i'm mad as hell and just can't take it anymore-look-craft-beer-drinker, "Your discerning palate can't stop at the beer fridge if you're going to talk trash on trash beer, because trash bread and trash beef and trash produce is the same trash" explosion-of-what-i've-been-planning-to-post kinda way. So for now I'm just gonna put up a whole bunch of links for you folks sitting at work or at home or on a bus and want to be entertained by the kinds of things I like or find entertaining or humorous. So enjoy.

Your pal,

Dr. Joel Linksalot

Food:
Scrapple was born where I live. And Phoodie is one of my all time favorite websites.

I'm knee deep (well considering it's February I guess I'm only ankle deep) into a project for the year. So I'm plugging my other blog. It's HERE.

Crif Dogs NYC - Haven't been, but fills a recurring theme in my life.

The Institute - They've got a new menu, ya know. Heather & Charlie are the Karl Malone / John Stockton of the Philly bar game.

Two Guys That I Absolutely Love .
Seriously, if you're squemish about seeing animals in that in between stage of alive and on your plate don't click the link in the period.

Entertainment:

One Man Dancing

My man Michael Pollan on Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me

Some of my favorite episodes of This American Life

The sketch that started it all.

Mr. Show

Ok, Let's Get Serious for a Few:

Talyor Mali

Saul Williams

"Hot As A Pistol"

Music (The MPC Edition):

Jel

Exile

Rootdown

Araab

The Thriller Routine

And Then Because . Read more!