Another Reason to Only Drink Craft Beer

August 6th, 2010

Last thing I knew, a flavorful IPA didn’t make your town smell like disease. Crappy beer in Pennsylvania, though…

City Brewing Co. has temporarily halted production at its plant in Latrobe after residents complained of a foul odor coming from the municipal sewage plant. Officials suspect sugary drinks now being produced at the brewery are causing wastewater treatment problems.

Municipal authority manager Tom Gray says the stench started about two weeks ago. The Department of Environmental Protection received complaints, prompting it to send an inspector out before the brewery shut down Tuesday.

Apparently Rolling Rock used to be made there, but no longer. Let that be a lesson to everyone: sugary beer drinks are evil.

Associated Press — Pa. brewery shuts down over stinky odor complaints

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Philly Bar Fiasco Update

March 12th, 2010

Finally, its Friday! The day where for many of us, we leave work behind for a few days and get a break from the constant frustration of working with inept coworkers, scorn from the public, and everything we loath about work. I’ll be no one is happier than those at the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, who have had a hell of a week since their beer raid on a few bars in Philadelphia.

Craft beer lover across the country have shown their outrage with the PLCB and the archaic laws they try to enforce. Although the laws were written for a time when there were fewer beers available, much of the fault lies with the PLCB, who is apparently trying to do their job, but just not trying very hard. After the raids, they come under fire by citizens, bar owners, and even state legislators. The biggest problem seems to be it is very difficult to actually determine which beers have been registered with the state. Read the rest of this entry »

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Screw You, Philly Coppers

March 10th, 2010

We’ve seen some stupid beer regulations here in the past but this is unbelievable.

More than a dozen armed State Police officers conducted simultaneous raids last week on three popular Philadelphia bars known for their wide beer selections. The cops confiscated hundreds of bottles of expensive ales and lagers, now in State Police custody at an undisclosed location.

The alleged offense: Although the bar owners had bought the beer legally from licensed Pennsylvania distributors and had paid all the necessary taxes, the police claimed that nobody had registered the precise names of the beers with the state Liquor Control Board – a process that requires the brewers or their importers to pay a $75 registration fee for each product they want to sell in Pennsylvania.

Based on a complaint from someone the State Police refuse to identify, three teams of officers converged last Thursday on the three bars, run by Leigh Maida and her husband, Brendan Hartranft. Checking their inventories against the state’s official list of more than 2,800 brands, the cops seized four kegs and 317 bottles, totaling 60.9 gallons of beer, according to police calculations.

So, go ahead. You know that word you think is off-limits in terms of yelling at a person of authority or a police officer? Well, throw it at the Philadelphia police force and the person who ratted-out our beer friends in Philly. They deserve it. If you’re in the area, please show your support for Leigh Maida and Brendan Hartranft’s bars.

The Philadelphia Daily News — Troopers raid popular bars for unlicensed beers

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Beer Review: Hop Wallop

March 3rd, 2010

Victory Brewing Company in Downington, PA

A while back (OK, a long time back now), Miles reviewed Victory Brewing Company’s Hop Devil IPA. I was the one who picked the beer up from the local store. I had fresh memories in my mind of an intense and flavorful IPA that was one of the better that I had ever tasted out of a pint glass, and naturally, I wanted everyone else to try it. When I came across a wonderful 22oz-er of it at the local market in Montana, I was as equally as pumped to try it as ever. But it was certainly not what I remembered. It was indeed a very nice IPA with a robust flavor profile, but it wasn’t the HOLY SHIT LET’S GET A SWIMMING POOL OF THIS AND DRINK IT FOREVVVVVVERRRR type beer I’d remembered it being. But yesterday, I sat down at a local bookstore/bar for a happy hour and some reading and the bar’s special selection was a pint of Victory’s Hop Wallop IPA. Based on my 50-50 views of Hop Devil, I was hoping that a beer called freakin’ Hop Wallop would floor me like I was expecting. Well, it certainly floored me but not in the best way possible. Read the rest of this entry »

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Montana Brings Home Medals

September 27th, 2009

GABF+2009+LogoIts been a big week for beer. Yesterday was the conclusion of the 2009 Great American Beer Festival. There were 49,000 attendees, 495 breweries, and 2,100 beers on tap. Colorado took the most medals with 45, but was followed closely by California with 39. Other top placing states included Oregon (22), Washington (13), and Pennsylvania (12).

Montana Brewers took home two medals. Kettlehouse Brewing Company out of Missoula, Montana received a bronze medal in the Scottish style category for their Cold Smoke Scotch Ale. The Stillwater Rye from the brewers at Montana Brewing Company in Billings, Montana was awarded a gold medal in the Herb and Spice or Chocolate Beer category.

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Hop Devil IPA

September 24th, 2009

hopdevilVictory Brewing Company in Downington, Pennsylvania

With a name like Hop Devil IPA, one would expect this beer to pack a hoppy punch that puts other IPAs to shame. Victory Brewing is hopefully next to a church so they can confess their collusion with the devil to make this standout IPA. Weighing in at 6.7ABV and with a broad, rich flavor profile, the Hop Devil IPA is not from our mortal world.

I tried it from a 22 0z bottle that perhaps had been on the shelves a bit to long, which has been the case with many of the beers purchased from Topper’s Cellar. The Hop Devil was a very crisp, in your face beer with little to hide and lots to offer. It poured a light caramel hue with an off white head that disappeared within a few minutes of pouring. Emitting a delightful aroma of floral hops with citrus esters, perhaps grapefruit. Medium bodied and leaving a light coat, the Hop Devil started with a sweet(for an IPA) booze taste that transitioned into a heavenly hop finish with hints of grass. The dry, crisp finish hung for a moment at the back of the palette.

viclog2The Hop Devil IPA is a must for hop heads around the nation, and perhaps would be appropriate to run through a hop randall(keep your eyes peeled for instructions on how to make your own). I would love to get some of this stuff fresh from the tap, or at least before it has sat on the shelves for a few months as I’m sure the one we tried was slightly old, not to be confused with aged. That being said, hit the stores and get yourself some of this devilishly delicious IPA.

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