11:58 Time for a Brew

I woke up Saturday excited to get a haircut. I've said it before and I'll say it again, one of the best feelings for a guy is getting a haircut. After my haircut, dropping off the dry cleaners, and taking Lauren's car to Pep Boys it was noon and I wanted to get lunch. My suggestions are generally based on the what beer will be offered so I suggested PJ Whelihan's in Maple Shade. We got seated before the lunch crowd arrived and I was unsure what beer to order. Looking at the bar area I could see what was on tap, however I decided to ask the server. To my surprise she said she can provide me their current beer selection which I prefer as most places will provide a brief description for each beer. Scanning the list I noticed the Brooklyn Brewing Company '55 pilsner. Curiosity set in and I asked if I could try a sample before ordering a draft. For those trying new beers, I highly recommend asking your server for a sample to see if you like it. There's nothing worse than ordering a beer you won't enjoy and from my experience most places will have no issue with meeting this request. I've tried Brooklyn brewing company before and consider it a fine microbrewery so I was interested in trying this beer. The description stated this beer was named after the '55 Dodgers which I found cool as my second love is baseball. The server brought over a generous sample and noticed the beer was dark in color. I took my first sip and realized how smooth and light this beer was, but didn't care for it until my third sip. I would order this beer, but didn't find this beer to be a choice to pair with my lunch. When participating in afternoon drinking I prefer to go with lighter brews and one of PJs Saturday beer specials is Blue Moon Drafts for $2.75. As you can't beat the price I drank two. Both drafts quenched my thirst and the size of the sliced orange included is worth mentioning. When drinking blue moon an orange is required and there is nothing better than having a nice sized orange floating in your beer.

http://pjspub.com/

This guy killed it

Rest Before the Weekend

The best part of my weekend is the moment I'm done and leaving work on a Friday evening/night. At that my point my weekend has officialy started and I have at least two days in front of me that I don't even have to worry about work. As usual I worked late tonight and when I got home I decided to stay in and relax. I managed to drink a beer out of my beer of the month club which took the tension off the day. I picked out the seasonal Flying Dog beer Garde Dog and actually plan  to to bed in a few. I got a long weekend ahead of me that involves a haircut, drinking, and a birthday celebration in Philly at Ladder15. Depending on how my morning goes, I was considering making a pit stop at the Flying Fish brewery for a tour.

I got home tonight and noticed there was a card left for me that advertised the Fair Food Philly show. After doing some I found that on Sunday March 13th there is a food and beer festival that proceeds the nonprofit Fair Food. I planned on going until I saw the cost of the tickets. Although the list of local brewers that will be there is impressive at $75 for general admission tickets I might have to pass. If you plan to go I would advise getting tickets before they run out.

http://www.fairfoodphilly.org/

H's Guide To Selecting Beer

As a beer drinker one of the toughest things I face is deciding what beer to drink. We've all been there, and although the scenario varies the experience remains the same. Your standing in front of the beer cooler examining each beer like there's some kind of hidden treasure map on the label. If you love beer as much as me you can agree that at that moment this is the biggest decisions of your live. Making a good beer choice can turn a mediocre night into a great one; making a horrible decision can absolutely ruin night. Although there is no exact science or mathematical formula when picking beer, I brainstormed some thoughts that could help assist you when making this important decision.

Taste - Taste HAS to be the biggest factor in selecting a beer. Whether your drinking one beer or pounding multiple brewskis you have to enjoy it. Although taste can vary from person to person I would suggest going with a type you know you would enjoy. If you don't normally drink IPAs I wouldn't suggest picking up a case of Lancaster Brewing Company Hop Hog.

Plans - Your plans should influence your choice of what you pick. If your plan is to tailgate a Phillies game, my suggestion would be to go with something light and refreshing. You can never go wrong with Miller light during tailgate party, but if your looking for something with a little more taste I suggest Blue Moon or Sam Adam's Summer Ale. Drinking a stout or porter beer would not be wise in this situation.

Season - As the seasons change, so do the beers. Over the past few years many breweries have taken it upon themselves to brew beers specific for that season. One of my favorite seasons for beer has to be the Fall season as breweries are producing batches of Octoberfest and Pumpkin ale brews. Do keep in mind that because these breweries produce small amounts they quickly sell out, and won't be restocked until the following year.

Sampler Pack - This is a great way to try the different beers from your favorite brewery. The beers will vary depending on the season and brewery, but most will include at least one or two of their flagship beers. The best part about sampler packs is that if you don't like the beer, you can move onto the next type.

Local Craft Beers - Last weekend I visited my GF's family in CT. Instead of selecting a beer I had tried before, I decided to go with a local selection which I enjoyed. Several years ago I went to the Flying Fish brewery tour and still remembering the tour guide telling us, "Craft beer company's make beer for people not money."

Price - With the state of the economy I understand that people are saving and can't spend all their money on beer. If your looking to go on the cheaper side go with a beer company that produces massive amount of beer such as Bud, Miller, and Coors products. Because craft beers can be expensive you should consider purchasing smaller amounts such as a 6 pack. Buying a case of your favorite craft beer can be costly as one time I bought a case of Troeg's Mad Elf which ran me about $60.

Favorite - When all else fails just go with a beer that you love

A Taste of Summer

With Lauren calling out yesterday I decided I would leave work at a reasonable time. One of the benefits of leaving at a normal time was that I got the opportunity to catch dinner. After a stressful day at work I met up with my parents and Lauren at the Cheesecake factory in Cherry Hill. In the past when I've gone to this restaurant I usually don't order beer. However tonight was different, and after working all day I was in the mood to grab one. From past visits, I knew they didn't have a extensive beer menu. Although their beer menu (if you can even call it that) is limited their choice selections are solid. The three draft beers they offer are Sam Adam's seasonal, Yeungling Lager, and Blue Moon. They do offer bottled beer, but I prefer draft. I decided to go with the Blue Moon which is one of my favorite beers as I find it so satisfying and refreshing. Who would have ever thought that adding an orange to a beer would be such a hit! As much as I love Blue Moon beer I don't think I've had this beer since I started this blog. For my meal, I ordered one of their new cheeseburgers that paired well with my beer. Drinking a blue moon and enjoying a burger really made me think of warm sunny days. It was so good I ordered a second one.

They Finally Arrived

I recently realized that I needed to get business cards to help market myself. Because I take this blog very seriously, I took my time these past two weeks to determine what printing company I would use. It took me even longer to decide on the design and even longer than that to decide on the wordings/fonts. On Sunday night I finally placed my order and my cards arrived today. I would love to hear some feedback on these, and if you want one just ask.

One Night Stand with Beer

I woke up Sunday with some of the worse back pain I've ever had. I have no clue what I did, but my back was sore most of the day to the point where I had a hard time moving. When it came time head home, I decided to let Lauren do the driving especially since she offered. While our drive home, I became hungry and suggested stopping somewhere. We were traveling a dark highway through the state of New York when out of nowhere we spotted an Applebees. We were looking to get something quick and the fact that we had a gift card was all the motivation we needed to stop.

Because it was late Sunday night I wasn't in the mood to drink; I even mentioned to Lauren that I planned to order ice tea. Most of the restaurant was closed off so we were seated in the bar section where they had the Heat/Knicks game on. Whenever I go to a restaurant, I always scan the bar area to see what they have on tap even if I don't plan to drink. Looking at the line of beers on tap, I knew each beer expect one. In the middle of the row was a tap that had a barrel on the top which immediately spiked my interest. Intrigued about this beer I questioned the server about this beer and she explained that it was a local beer called Captain Lawrence Pale Ale. It was then that I threw the towel in for ice tea.

I found the beer smooth in taste and refreshing after such a long day. As most of the beers I drank over the weekend were light in color, this was definitely a darker beer. If I were out and saw this beer on tap, I would order this beer again, but because I've never even heard of this before I doubt I'll have another chance to try it. I guess you can say my experience with Captain Lawrence Pale Ale was like a one night stand. It was just nice seeing that an Applebees which advertises being a neighborhood bar and grill actually had some local beer.

If your wondering, No, I didn't order a brewtus.