Booze...in 50 Words or Less: Wolaver's India Pale Ale

Wolaver's India Pale Ale
Otter Creek Brewing Company got me. Never buy two sixpacks by same company at one time. Didn't realize they made Wolaver's beers until I got to car and looked at beer caps. The beer? Hops understated. Accompanying flavors lacking. Scent vague. Musty and indistinct. Not good enough.
--

The Pizza Project
Just a nibble: http://twitter.com/ThePizzaProject
Single slice: http://www.facebook.com/ThePizzaProject
The full pie: http://thepizzaproject.blogspot.com/

Booze...in 50 Words or Less: Otter Creek Brewing Company Summer

Otter Creek Summer
Starting with the good stuff: Has very pleasing golden color!!! But...not much of a scent. Thin head. Can pick up on some wheat; otherwise it's low on flavor. Little bit of citrus maybe, but it's really slight. Very simple beer. Passable in a pinch. Not memorable.
--

The Pizza Project
Just a nibble: http://twitter.com/ThePizzaProject
Single slice: http://www.facebook.com/ThePizzaProject
The full pie: http://thepizzaproject.blogspot.com/

Bad Service, Slimey Pork Sandwich Puts Fork in Brother Paul's as Viable Dining Option

“Why did we stop going to Brother Paul’s?”

This is the question I asked my wife when we were thinking of going to the Eagleville, Pennsylvania establishment a couple weeks ago. The reasons were somewhat vague in my head. I sort of remember friends of ours saying they got hassled about coming into play darts too late? I think there was something where another friend wanted a certain sort of glass for his beer and it was seen as a major affront by the staff. There may have even been something in there about a waitress being generally rude. But we couldn’t really remember so I figured we should make a return trip.

Anyway, now that we have returned, the reason for our lack of patronization over the last few years has been crystallized anew: The service blows. And the food isn’t much better.

Tale of the Pie: Colosseo Pizza

The truth is there was no burning desire within me to try Colosseo Pizza. My Mom and myself had just taken Saucy Jr. to the Philadelphia Zoo when she mentioned stopping someplace for pizza. She didn’t have a place in mind. She simply knew there was a place around the Community College of Philadelphia. Even after we had found the place and tried their pizza, I didn’t know the name of the place. I had to look it up later.

Colosseo Pizza.

King of the Case: Troegs Brewing Company

Wherein I will buy a variety case and decide what the best beer in it is.

HopBack Amber Ale
When it comes to beer, I am a hops man first. Often times, when beers put a major stress on malt, they risk losing me. But this seemed to me to be a pretty ideal balance of the two ingredients.

DreamWeaver Wheat
This was really great! The banana taste jumped out. Big-time lemony punch. So crisp and easy-drinking, yet oddly flavorful and complex. A truly superior beer.

Pale Ale
I definitely enjoyed drinking this, but I remember thinking that there wasn't a terrific complementary aspect to bolster the hops.

Sunshine Pils
This is pretty good. A very nice beer to drink six of on a hot summer day. However, if it is beer adventurousness you seek, it would probably be best to look to a different choice.

The Labels
Will be honest: Have never really liked Troegs labels. They seem very old-fashioned to me. So let's start with the clear loser: the Pale Ale does not grab the eye at all. Just a reddish "Pale Ale" stamp on a green label. Not good. HopBack Amber doesn't grab me visually either. That leaves Sunshine Pils' smiling sun character against the magical tree image of DreamWeaver Wheat. I'm going with DreamWeaver because it took a long time for me to realize that the branches were spelling out "Troegs." Pretty clever.

The Winner
First of all, I apologize for this edition of King of the Case. I drank this case nearly a month ago and took absolutely ZERO notes. You see, I thought about giving it up after I lost to Lew Bryson in the Beer Scene writer competition. Suddenly I was drinking the case not to review it but simply to drown my sorrows. At that point, it seemed a little odd to take notes on stuff like "mouthfeel" and "texture." This being said, we like the good people at Troegs and we don't think it is right for them to lose their case review simply because the readers of Beer Scene made an incredibly horrible decision, like so many myopic boxing judges! Luckily for us, it doesn't take notes to tell you that there is a clear winner in this case: DreamWeaver Wheat. This is a classic of the hefeweizen genre. If you see it at your local bar - especially on tap - make sure to purchase it. It should also be said that this was the Beer Scene selection for the area's best wheat beer. Damn them. Sometimes, they really do get it right!
--

The Pizza Project
Just a nibble: http://twitter.com/ThePizzaProject
Single slice: http://www.facebook.com/ThePizzaProject
The full pie: http://thepizzaproject.blogspot.com/

Beer Week 50 Word Special: Via Marconi Sports Bar & Restaurant

The following beers were consumed at Via Marconi Sports Bar & Restaurant during a Beer Week visit.

Dogfish Head Robert Johnson's Hellhound on My Ale
Beer was named after the legendary blues musician who alledgedly sold his soul to the Devil for the ability to play a mean guitar. Awesome. Perfect balance of hops and malt. Love the glass it was served in! A heavy, freaking goblet! Type of simple, effective beer Dogfish frequently avoids.

Dogfish Head Pearl Jam Twenty Faithfull Ale
Wasn't a Pearl Jam man. Or, I should say, I didn't think they won the Pearl Jam vs. Nirvana battle that divided America in the early 90s until Cobain exited stage left. They were OK. Like this weak, slightly winish beer. Maybe if it had been named after Kurt's band.

Port Brewing Mongo Double IPA
As I was drinking, wondered if it was a double IPA. Hops seemed too understated if it was (it was). Pours color between golden and amber. While it's somewhat light for my linking, it has an interesting makeup: California citrus kick emerges in finish rather than on surface.

Best of the Bunch: Dogfish Head Robert Johnson's Hellhound on My Ale
--

The Pizza Project
Just a nibble: http://twitter.com/ThePizzaProject
Single slice: http://www.facebook.com/ThePizzaProject
The full pie: http://thepizzaproject.blogspot.com/

Beer Week 50 Word Special: Capone's Restaurant

The following beers were consumed at Norristown's Capone's Restaurant during a Philly Beer Week visit.

Weyerbacher Last Chance IPA
A beer befitting the winner of Beer Scene Magazine's brewer of the year (even if I don't like them because they picked Lew Bryson over me for Writer of the Year). Citrusy. Subtly hopped. Pleasingly crisp. Dry, piney notes. Thick, persistent head. Simulates the West Coast style well.

Avery Brewing Company Maharaja Double IPA
An amber, almost brown color. Features a powerful hop scent and taste. There's a bit of caramel in there, a nice helping of grapefruit. There's a bit of an aftertaste, but not a bad one, one you don't mind sticking around. Smoothly textured, it's another winner from the Colorado masters.

The Lost Abbey Carnevale
Had once sampled this Saison on not one, but two consecutive trips to Fairmount's St. Stephen's Green. Was that good. Make it a third time. Despite alarmingly quick head dissipation, Belgian-style spicing pops. Has an easy-drinking summer feel and a bit of minty flavor in the finish.

Nebraska Brewing Company Hop God
Was listed as a combination Belgian Tripel and West Coast IPA, a description that grabbed my attention immediately. Ended up being a bit of a letdown to me. Pickled up more Tripel than IPA. Spicing registers, but it wasn't potent enough to live up to the hype.

Best of the Bunch: Avery Maharaja
--

The Pizza Project
Just a nibble: http://twitter.com/ThePizzaProject
Single slice: http://www.facebook.com/ThePizzaProject
The full pie: http://thepizzaproject.blogspot.com/