Local Brews August 31, 2010

Tonight after getting home late, I am reaching for something carbonated and alcoholic in the fridge, but not desperate enough for the MGD left over from the last party (am I getting geeky?)  So I am left with the selection of the week from my beer geek husband, a Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot – a barley-wine style ale. My beer geek (I’m calling him BG from here on) even made me put it in a proper glass, although I read that a wine glass or snifter might be even more appropriate. I will embarrassingly admit that I usually (always) put my beers in a hot pink plastic mug that we keep in the freezer so my beer is super cold. Sort of related note to self – BG needs more fancy beer glasses – idea for his birthday!

I am actually enjoying this brew. I gave it a sniff and slowly tasted it like a beer geek might, and sarcastically called it woody because I was afraid I was wrong to think it a little fruity. Imagine my surprise when I saw the description a fruity aroma posted on the Weyerbacher website. Spot on!

I popped open a second bottle after I read that it is brewed in Easton, PA, which is fairly local to where we live. I try to be a bit of a locavore in some of my food choices, getting our fresh organic veggies every summer from Pennypack Farm. So I am thrilled to start supporting these local breweries, getting my buzz from a beer made less than 2 hours away. The local brewery list below is right off the top of my BG’s head, and I do not commit to it’s validity at this late hour. So I’m excited and thirsty to start trying any and all of their beers.

Local Breweries to the Philadelphia, PA area

• Weyerbacher – Easton, PA
• Troegs – Harrisburg, PA
• Yards – Philly, PA
• DogFish Head – Rehoboth, DE
• Flying Fish – Cherry Hill, NJ
• Victory – Downingtown, PA
• Sly Fox – Chester County, PA
• Dock Street – Philly, PA
• River Horse Brewing, Lambertville, PA

The Top 10 Signs that You’re the Wife of a Beer Geek August 29, 2010

I am the wife of a beer geek. Although I need no validation, a top 10 list can always seal the deal. It may also answer your curiosity if you share my burden. So I share this list as posted on the thankheavenforbeer blog (my hubby’s favorite is no. 2).

The Top Ten Signs that You’re the Wife of a Beer Geek:

10. You aren’t a “beer drinker,” and yet you recognize and affirm that drinking beer involves a culture and experience. You’ve been a consistent observer of that world and even had occasions to participate in it.

9. You are not a beer drinker, yet you’ve tasted dozens, even hundreds of different beers…

8. …and not only so, but you actually know how to taste (sight, smell, taste—you would never offend your beer geek spouse by just picking up the glass and taking a swig) and how to describe a beer. Hazy. Roasty. Warm. Bitter. Grapefruit. Dry.

7. …and even though you don’t necessarily LIKE the taste of the beer, you can differentiate whether it is of good or poor quality. For instance, “That one has good balance and complexity, but I still don’t like the flavor any more than I enjoy chewing on black licorice” (come on, nobody REALLY likes black licorice!). “That one tastes like someone put it in a glass with ice cubes, left it sitting out in the sun all day, and then tried to pass it off as beer.”

6. You’re not much of a beer drinker, and yet you’ve caught yourself making disparaging remarks about those popular “domestic” brands. Triple hopped? Really?! (That just sounds made up!)

5. You’ve taken numerous vacations (a honeymoon, etc.) involving beer shopping, beer tasting, breweries, pubs, local beers, etc. If you’ve been the wife of a beer geek long term, you’ve also likely enjoyed the experience. (Sub-category: your spouse thinks visits to the in-laws are a special treat because he has the opportunity to try different regional beers that he can’t get at home.)

4. Bottles. Bottles everywhere. Bottles coming out of your ears.

3. You’ve “helped” brew even though you had a million things you’d much rather have been doing.

2. Ten dollars does NOT seem like an unreasonable amount to spend on a single bottle of beer. After all, you would never expect to get a superb wine for $2.00. (Sub-category: Beer is an official part of your household budget.)

1. You’re surprised by the fact that YOU have actually come to enjoy (even to love!) beer.

Smooth and Witty August 26, 2010

A craft brew menu for my hubby is like if I allowed myself to a triple scoop ice cream cone, and had to choose from the 32 flavors behind the frosty glass. There, I am in my comfort zone. But with such a great beer list I usually get lost in the vast descriptions of coriander, curaçao, burnt toast, barley, and smoky wood.

I ended up sticking with a wit, but made it a double… and got the Great Divide, Double Wit -Belgium white CO 8.1% abv. It was delicious. With my sophisticated pallete, I thoroughly described it as smooth… smooth and witty.

My hubby started with a Flying Fish, Exit 4 – Abby tripel 9.5 % abv, which he enjoyed with a goofy grin. We continued through the night with the hops, malt, and barley (and a touch of coriander). All in all, a good night for a beer geek and his wife.

And in what other hobby can you get a good buzz while having a detailed conversation about yeast strains and woody aromas?

Keeping up with the Draughts August 20, 2010

As I write my first blog post, I am drinking a glass of wine. And it’s not my first of the night either. But I like beer, I really do. I know what a hop is (sort of), I have a hankering for Belgium styles, and I know that BMC (Bud, Miller, Coors) is not welcome in the house, unless we’re having a party and it’s really necessary.

I have had many a beer in multiple countries, and don’t get me started on the 88 pints of Guinness in the London pub years ago. Not that I need to defend my golden honor, but when you are married to a beer geek it’s like trying to keep up with an elite malt-ite. But I can hold my own, and I get a kick out of my hubby’s habit… er, I mean hobby.

So I will document my beer adventures and hopefully some humor into the dynamics between a wife and her beer drinkin man.