Manayunk Brew Fest 2009

Jesus, it was freakin 90 degress yesterday. What a day for a beer festival outside on the banks of a river. This was the Manayunk Brewfest.

The Manayunk Brewery is a large restaurant/brewery in a super college-y neighborhood. The place is huge, and the fact that they sell Corona alongside their own brews simultaneously brings up a big issue I have with some brewpubs while also illuminating the underlying philosophy of this place, and others like it. Not to sell them short, their beer is pretty good, and they are obviously successful, but the focus is not so much on the beer rather than creating a social scene and getting heads through the door on a nightly basis. It's the only Brewpub I have ever known to charge a cover each night; I guess they have to finance that dance-floor type area upstairs somehow.

All this didn't stop me from enjoying it though. Amongst the douchery there were some chill people, and also some hilariously good-natured drunks. One in particular, after entertaining us with some GREAT conversation, casually climbed in the open manway of an old brew kettle that Manayunk had on display behind our table. The dude pretty much knew that he was going to get kicked out for doing it, but damn if he just didn't see an opportunity for humour and was willing to sacracfice himself in the name of it. Kicked-out he was, but what I was most impressed with was how this somewhat large guy squeezed in & out of the manway; I was sure he was going to get stuck just like Winny the Po.

My highlights were the Stoudt's Pils, Victory's Abbey Single, and Triumph's Simcoe IPA. Triumph is a real classy brewpub in downtown Philly and the brewer there, Patrick, is a solid guy who really knows his stuff. It's also one of the most modern, hip and shiny pubs I've ever seen. Check it out if you are ever in town.

It's going to be in the 90's for the next few days and frankly, I just don't know how to handle it, it still being April and all. I suppose I'll venture out but we'll see how long I last out there.

Wrence

"I am a Craft Brewer" the MOVIE

Camera Obscura

This is a band I've heard about here and there over the last few years. Anyway, they have a new album out and I'm blown away by it. You can hear the whole thing here, for the time being. Check it out!

-Wrence

My First Cheese Steak

I got it at Pat's, which seems to the legit choice. Geno's is a relative newcomer, and has gaudy neon lights, therefor: I am a Pat's guy. Also there's a place called Mike's on South Street that's supposed to be better than both of these guys.

Some people take pictures of their kids. Me, this is what I have to offer you, O readers. Salivate carefully so as not to ruin your keyboard!

-Wrence

Philly

Yo I moved to Philly.

Land of cheese steaks, world series rings, cracked bells, cracked people, and delicious soft pretzels.

No, seriously, the people here are great. Very real, not-exactly laid back, but very un-pretentious, good people. They make amazing hoagies, like EVERYWHERE. Work at the brewery is good, crazy hectic. The place could easily have one or two full-time cellar people on staff, but the brewers handle all the cleaning, filtering, racking, etc WHILE we brew three batches a day. It's in tents like the circus but it's great for a bro like me trying to compile work experience.
______________

Since I've been here I've found a few people from college who live in town, and I'm looking forward to hooking up with some of these strange recollections from my past, and seeing how much weight they've gained.
______________

Tonight I'm relaxing after my first week of work, sipping on the last homebrew made at 46 Tremont, listening to my man M. Ward, who is awesome.
______________

It seems like there is always some sort of beer event going on in Philly. Tomorrow is "Split Thy Skull" -historically a barleywine festival, but which now includes strong Belgians and big IPAs too. It starts at 1pm, but I'm told that the line goes around the block by then, so I am showing up around noon, I hope. I don't know much more about it than you are served flights of fucking strong beers, and some brewery people I know will be around. I'll post something abouts it at some point.

Other than that, just slowly unpacking & sleeping an incredible amount -the last month in Cambridge was desperately wakeful for me. Ahhh - feel the bed calling me right now!! Bonsoir~

-Wrence

Moving

So now I am packing my life away into various liquor boxes. It's kind of sad, but I keep coming across weird stuff that makes me laugh: a printout of an email from Ray with the lyrics to "Angie" along with ridiculous conversation from the old days at Safety Insurance, random stuff like that.

Yesterday I was taking down all the various magnets that have accumulated on my fridge over the last 4 years. Among them was a set of "word poem" magnets, one using French words and another set from the American Homebrewers Association. There were some great mashups of the two going on so I had to take a picture to preserve it.

(click to make it BIG)

-Wrence