Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Last Weekend's Beers, Part One

So, I had some beers last weekend. I had three very good ones, and one that wasn't to my taste (but empirically very good) at Eulogy Friday, and then picked up some more beer for the house at the Frontier on Saturday.


Let's go chronologically, shall we?

Friday's first was a delightful Belgian IPA, Valeir Extra. Coming in at 6.5% abv, it's not the high-octane American IPA that I prefer, nor was it as hoppy as most of its brethren from this side of the pond. Still, the light body, sour/tart aroma, and almost champagne-like carbonation made it a great choice for a hot day. It's definitely a little on the aqueous side (if it was bad, I'd call it watery) and if you shaved a percent or two off the abv would be a great session beer. Of course, I could call a 6.5% a session beer, but I probably shouldn't. I'd love to know what hops they used, because they complimented (complemented?) the malt very nicely. They were straightforwad bitter, with a touch of tart that went hand in hand with the nice round malty notes. All in all, I give it a B-, but I'm a pretty tough grader.
Next up was a wee taste of St. Louis Geuze. Didn't get a picture, because Dave, the Soft-Nippled Beer Bitch, just gave me a li'l sample. I'm glad he did. I have somehow gotten this far into my beer drinking career without trying a Geuze. I could have gone longer. It is tart. How tart? Very tart. Is now a good time to educate people on what a Geuze is? OK, in a nutshell, it's an unfruited Lambic, in other words, a spontaneously fermented beer (i.e. no added yeast like ales or lagers). It's usually a blend of different batches, old and new, in order to acheive balance and good flavor. I, for one, wasn't a big fan. As I said above, I think it was a well-made brew, but unless you serve it with some real stinky cheese (cave aged bleu, or humboldt fog, maybe) it's just too in your face with the tartness. I will probably continue to try Geuze because I don't want a whole style that doesn't make me smile, but I doubt it would replace IPA or Imperial Stout as my style of choice. Not going to grade it, because I don't think I could be fair.
OK, I'll do the rest later.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Eulogy

If I'm going to offer my opinion on beer bars, I have to start with Eulogy. Eulogy is in my top five bars of all time (along with the Salty Dawg in Homer, AK; the Black Hose London Deli, formerly of San Francisco; The Tustemena in Kasilof, AK; and, well, I can't decide on another right now).

Lots of people will claim Monk's is the Beer Mecca of our fair city. They make a fair point. If you're going out to drink some good beers I'd say it's a toss up between Monk's and Eulogy. However, if you're going out for a good experience, Eulogy takes the cake.

As expected, Eulogy has the standard tome of a beer menu. It's frankly not as well organized as Monk's is, but that's fine by me. I'm hardly a novice who needs a glossary in my menu. What seperates the Eulogy from the rest of the fine bars in our city is a) they have almost everything listed on the menu on hand (a shortcoming of Monk's), plus some extras; and b) Dave.

Dave, who, on the offchance he sees this, will be totally freaked out by it, is a fine and upstanding bartender. Like many beer aficianados, I like to try new things as often as possible and when I look at the options a place like Eulogy offers, I get a little overwhelmed. So, rather than comb through what is basically a list of brands, types, abv, and prices (not too helpful) I simply tell Dave, "I'm in the mood for something x." That x can be "high abv," or "extra-hoppy," or more esoteric ("something that tastes like corn-on-the-cob" or "porcine") and Dave plops a brew in front of me and 8 times out of 10, it's exactly what I wanted. The other times, it's better than I wanted.

Now, you may have noticed I used the word "porcine" up there. I know what it means. Ask Dave for a "Pig Beer" and you will understand too. I'm going to leave it at that, because the experience is best when it's a surprise.

Eulogy is also great because of the clientele. Instead of the usual Olde City douchebaggery, you tend to get real people... mostly regulars when I swing by on Friday afternoon/evenings. It takes no time at all to become one of those regulars. Unless you're a dick. If you're a dick, go elsewhere. Becoming a regular means that Dave will be able to fine tune your beer selections for you. That's nice.

Food's good, too. Usual gastropub (more pub than gastro) kind of fare. Sandwiches, mussels, etc. Great fries. Thick slabs of potatoes, fried to crispy perfection, with the best dipping sauce ever.

Atmosphere is, well, who cares. It's a bar. It's dark and crowded, but it's pretty clean. Upstairs is cool, but I almost always stay downstairs. I wouldn't take my grandmother there (not my paternal grandmother at least... she's a total snob, but Grandma Smith would be all up on's... the old bitty loves a good bar), but, especially after the fascist nanny state banned smoking (!) I don't feel the need to shower after I leave.

OK, to sum up... there's lots of great beer bars in Philadelphia. That's why we're the best Beer City in the U. S. of A. (and World Phuckin' Champions, too). Of all of them, Eulogy is the best. Great selection. Knowledgable staff. Good food. Nice clientele. Not a biohazard. One of the few bars that I recommend without any hesitation whatsoever...

Philly Area Beer Bars

OK. I'm blogging now. Um. Am I cool yet?
Let's keep it simple to start. Here's a list of Philadelphia Area beer bars. I make no claims to the quality of the bars, but I invite input on all of them. If you know the place, let me know what you think about it. I'll add my thoughts too. Unless I lose interest in this whole "blog" thing.


Abbaye
Artful Dodger
http://www.artfuldodgerphilly.com/
Atlantis: The Lost Bar
Barbary
Bard's
http://www.bardsirishbar.com/
Belgian Café
http://www.thebelgiancafe.com/
Beneluxx Tasting Room
http://www.beneluxx.com/
Bishop's Collar
Blue Dog Family Tavern
http://www.bluedog.cc/
Blue Ox Bistro
http://www.blueoxbistro.com/
Bob & Barbara's
Brauhaus Schmitz
http://www.brauhausschmitz.com/
Bridgewater's Pub
http://thepubin30thstreetstation.com/
Brigid's
http://www.bridgids.com/
Broad Axe Tavern
http://broadaxetavern.com/
Capone's
http://capones.wp.net/
Caribou Café
http://www.cariboucafe.com/
Charlie's Pub
Chaucer's Tabard Inn
Crabby Larry's Brewpub Steak & Crab House
http://www.crabbylarrys.com/
Craft Ale House
http://www.craftalehouse.com/
Dark Horse Pub
http://www.darkhorsepub.com/
Dawson Street Pub
http://www.dawsonstreetpub.com/
Devil's Den
http://www.devilsdenphilly.com/
Dive
Dock Street
http://www.dockstreetbeer.com/
Drafting Room
http://www.draftingroom.com/
Drinker's Tavern
http://www.drinkers215.com/
Druid's Keep
http://www.phillytown.com/druidskeep.htm
Earth Bread + Brewery
http://earthbreadbrewery.com/
Eulogy
http://eulogybar.server101.com/
Fergie's Pub
http://www.fergies.com/
Fiume
Flat Rock Saloon
Flying Pig Saloon
Foodery
http://www.fooderybeer.com/
For Pete's Sake
http://www.forpetessakepub.com/
FridaySaturdaySunday
http://www.frisatsun.com/
General Lafayette Inn
GG Brewers Brewing Company
http://ggbrewers.com/
Good Dog Bar & Restaurant
http://www.gooddogbar.com/
Grace Tavern
http://www.gracetavern.com/
Greeks
http://www.narberthpa.com/TheGreeks/index_01.html
Grey Lodge Pub
http://www.greylodge.com/
Half Moon Restaurant and Saloon
http://www.halfmoonrestaurant.com/
Happy Rooster
Institute
http://www.institutebar.com/
Iron Abbey
http://www.ironabbey.com/
Iron Hill Brewery
Isaac Newton's
http://isaacnewtons.com/
Jack's Firehouse
http://www.jacksfirehouse.com/
Johnny Brenda's
http://www.johnnybrendas.com/
Jose Pistola's
http://www.josepistolas.com/
Khyber
http://www.thekhyber.com/
Kite & Key
http://www.thekiteandkey.com/
Local 44
http://www.local44beerbar.com/
Locust Bar
Loie
http://www.loie215.com/
London Grill
http://londongrill.com/
Lucky 13 Pub
http://www.lucky13pubphilly.com/
Mad Mex
http://www.madmex.com/
Manayunk Brewery
http://www.manayunkbrewery.com/homepage.php
McGillin's Olde Ale House
http://www.mcgillins.com/
McGlinchey's
McKenzie Brewhouse
http://www.mckenziebrewhouse.com/
McMenamin's Tavern
McShea's
http://www.mcsheas.com/
Memphis Taproom
http://www.memphistaproom.com/
Mesquito Grille
Misconduct Tavern
http://www.misconduct-tavern.com/
Monk's Belgian Café
http://www.monkscafe.com/
Moriarty's
http://www.moriartyspub.com/
National Mechanics
http://www.nationalmechanics.com/
New Deck Tavern
http://www.newdecktavern.com/
Nodding Head Brewery & Restaurant
http://www.ripsneakers.com/nodding/
North Star Bar
http://www.northstarbar.com/
North Third
http://www.norththird.com/
Oakmont National Pub
http://www.oakmontnationalpub.com/
Old Eagle Tavern
http://www.oldeagletavern.com/
O'Neal's Pub
http://www.onealspub.com/
Oscar's Tavern
Otto's Brauhaus
http://www.ottosbrauhauspa.com/
Peabody's Irish Pub
http://www.peabodysirishpub.com/
Pineville Tavern
http://www.pinevilletavern.com/
Pour House Tavern
http://www.thepourhousetavern.com/
Prohibition Taproom
http://www.theprohibitiontaproom.com/
Pub on Passyunk East
Public House
http://www.publichousephilly.com/
Quotations
Race Street Café
http://www.racestreetcafe.net/
Raven Lounge
http://www.ravenlounge.com/
Rembrandt's
http://www.rembrandts.com/
Resurrection Ale House
http://www.resurrectionalehouse.com/
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
http://www.rockbottom.com/
Ron's Original Bar & Grille
http://ronsoriginal.com/
Royal Tavern
http://www.royaltavern.com/
Saint Stephen's Green
http://www.saintstephensgreen.com/
Sidecar Bar
http://www.thesidecarbar.com/
Silk City
http://www.silkcityphilly.com/
Skinner's Dry Goods Tavern
Slainte
http://www.slaintephilly.com/
Sly Fox
http://www.slyfoxbeer.com/
South Philly Taproom
http://www.southphiladelphiataproom.com/
Southwark
http://www.southwarkrestaurant.com/
Standard Tap
http://www.standardtap.com/
Stephanie's Sports Bar & Lounge
http://www.stephaniesrl.com/
Stewart's Brewing Company
http://www.stewartsbrewingcompany.com/
Taproom on 19th
http://www.taproomon19th.com/
Tattooed Mom
Ten Stone
http://www.tenstone.com/
Teresa's Café
http://www.teresas-cafe.com/
Three Monkeys
http://www.3monkeyscafe.com/
TJ's Everyday
http://www.tjseveryday.com/
Tony's Place
http://www.tonystomatopies.com/home.htm
Tria Café
http://www.triacafe.com/
Tritone
http://www.tritonebar.com/
Triumph Brewing Company
http://www.triumphbrewing.com/
Ugly American
http://uglyamericanphilly.com/
Ugly Moose
http://www.theuglymoose.com/
Union Jack's Inn on the Manatawny
http://www.unionjacksmanatawny.com/
Urban Saloon
http://www.theurbansaloon.com/
Victory Brewing Company
http://www.victorybeer.com/
Vintage
http://www.vintage-philadelphia.com/
Westgate Pub
http://www.westgatepub.com/
White Dog Café
http://www.whitedog.com/
World Café Live
http://www.worldcafelive.com/
Xochitl
http://www.xochitlphilly.com/