The Best of Finds, the Worst of Finds...........

Serendipity is finding a bar named after your favourite steam locomotive and passenger train just a block from Kings Cross Station in London, a couple years after the place in Washington D.C. of the same name closed.

Chagrin is finding out that not only does the joint in question not serve real ale, but........  well, you can read it for yourself, if you please.  Or here.

The sex industry may be a £30 billion a year business, but this demoralising dive shows how the chink of coins fuels the bottom of the barrel realities. As one girl writhes on the tiny, raised stage, the next turn is circulating with the collecting pint pot. It's simple. The more that goes in, the more that comes off - and the more gynaecological the presentation. And that's the routine all day long. The range of drinks? God knows, or cares. But clearly methods are in place to transfer substantial quantities of alcohol into the bloodstream of transfixed punters - be they nervy looking little clerks, local pimps or lost souls from Hades. The floor, we are told, was one of the last in London to be sawdusted. Now a carpet of fag ends cope with any spilled fluids. The Gents', it is said, was the inspiration for the surreal nightmare of the worst toilet in the world from the book and film of "Trainspotting". We didn't check. If you're into watching someone's daughter, someone's sister bump and grind for handfuls of cash to feed either her child or her habit, then you must live with that. But be ashamed. Be very ashamed.

I now understand why, when a bunch of fellow rail enthusiasts were online discussing meeting up at this place during the layover of a rail excursion from Preston, they were met with both a very enthusiastic and decidedly unenthusiastic response.

For the approvers, there's this:  The Flying Scotsman Pub Appreciation Society on Facebook.

And directly next door?  The Beano Cafe.  No, seriously.  Is that what they serve, or is that what you take before you eat there (with good reason)?

Pa Raids Philly Beer Bars for "Unregistered" Beers

Jack Curtin's Liquid Diet blog reports on news that agents of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board raided three Philadelphia beer bars--Memphis Taproom, Resurrection Ale House, and Local 44--looking for beers for sale that were not registered with the PLCB.

It appears they found at least one (I know of one that may have been involved, but I'm not talking), but a great deal of the alleged "unapproved" beers are alleged to be "listed plain as day on the PLCB list of registered beers".  Apparently it's a nasty mess at the moment.  Read Jack's post.

So the next time you wonder why your favorite beer bar can't or won't just grab a case of whatever beer you don't see here in Maryland and sell it.............  now you have an idea, even if we're not Pennsylvania.

UPDATE: Additional commentary from Lew Bryson's other blog.  And there's a Baltimore angle to it all as well.

New Stegmaier Craft Beers Coming

From information posted at Lew Bryson's blog comes word that The Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. is putting the historic local brand Stegmaier (purchased by The Lion in 1974) on a line of craft beers to be released by the brewery.  And, ironically, it will most likely, at this point, show up in Maryland first,. according to Lion brewing supervisor Darel Matthews:

Steg IPA (internal code name: The Reaper) is resting comfortably in Tank 25. 400 lbs of hops finished out at 17 Plato [I'm assuming that this is an OG reading] and 105.9 IBUs (this will drop during fermentation, should wind up around 75-85 IBUs in finished beer). The basic recipe is light crystal, Munich and wheat malt, with bittering from Galena and Centennial, and a MASSIVE late-hop addition courtesy of Cascade and Nugget. This was by far the largest hop bill we've ever had for one recipe - and it was for a small batch of "only" 200 barrels. It was awesome...leaving work today, the entire Valley smelled like hops!

There has been some debate about releasing the IPA and the new Steg Pale Ale at the same time. Our intention was to formulate both beers to complement one another - IPA is a big beer for dedicated hopheads, and if your feeble palate can't handle the IPA, we crafted the new Pale Ale as a true session beer, between 4-5% ABV, but with a very clean, hop-centric character that allows you to enjoy 5 or 6 crisp, hoppy beers and still make it to work the next day.

Guys, one thing is CRITICAL with these beers - we are meeting a LOT of resistance from middle-tier distributors (Lew, one more reason to loathe the 3-tier). I'm not afraid to say that most of this beer will go out of [Pennsylvania] unless you specifically request them from you local distributor. So...do it! As it stands now we're hitting a brick wall locally (not from bars or retail outlets mind you) so we're going to have to work our way from the outside-in, starting in Virginia, Maryland, etc.

This isn't their first foray into "craft beer;" they've done an Oktoberfest beer in the fall and hosted an Oktoberfest celebration at the brewery.

First, Yuengling Bock, and now this.  Pennsylvania's craft beer scene is getting quite interesting......

Headline of the Day

"AB InBev Sees Flat Beer Sales"  --Yahoo.com

Maybe they're just confusing cask ale with "flat" beer?

Friday Firkins

Okay, folks, we have to re-think this a bit.  A whole bunch of places that normally don't/haven't done cask/real ale have been lining up to serve them.  Unfortunately, a whole bunch of them all picked the first Friday of the month as their date.

While I truly appreciate the evangelism to the unconverted or "unwashed heathens," and the vast majority of any such pub's patrons are going to be regulars who see that firkin and say "oh, what's that?", do they all have to do the First Friday shtick?

Anyhow, a round-up of the reports so far:

Alonso's/Loco Hombre, Roland Park: Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale.
Kooper's Tavern, Fells Point:  A free buffet 4-7 PM accompanies a Flying Dog firkin TBA
Muggsy's Mug Hiouse, Federal Hill: Oliver's Blackfriars Stout something--see comments...
Pratt Street Ale House: besides usual stuff the new Three Spires Biere de Garde is now on cask

Add to your Real Ale calendar:  a Real Ale Festival at Yards in Philadelphia March 21st, the Mini-Fest at the Pratt Street Ale House March 20th (close to sold out, I assume), and Pratt St. Ale House is marking Britain's National Cask Ale Week, according to brewer Steve Jones: 

Being a Brit and an advocate of cask ale, I could not let this event pass without some celebration at The Pratt Street Ale House, so for the duration of cask ale week (March 29th – April 5th) all of our 3 cask ales will be offered at the special price of $3/pint between 5pm and close. Also on Friday 2nd April we will have the famous glass-head firkin on the bar serving $2 pints, oh yeah!

And more for BBQ lovers Apr. 9-10

And following into my inbox moments after Heavy Seas' release:  The Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Fest at Timonium April 9-10.  Admission $35-55, $20 designated driver; craft beers and breweries to include Brewery Ommegang, Dogfish Head, Dos Equis, DuClaw, Evolution, Flying Dog, Fordham , Gordon Biersch, Guinness , Heavy Seas, Heineken, Lake Placid, Lancaster, Longhammer, Magic Hat, McSorleys, Old Dominion, Saranac, Sierra Nevada, Smithwicks, Stone, Strongbow, Widmer, Woodchuck and many more.  Website: www.beerandbourbon.com .

New Heavy Seas website finally up

See it here. or enter http://www.hsbeer.com

Events here (includes tonight's Pint Night at Razorback's in Towson, Md.).

Also an excuse to mention/hype the Heavy Seas Real Ale and BBQ Fest at the brewery on Saturday, March 27, noon-4 pm.  $49, limited to 350 tickets, info here.

And if you're a homebrewer, start brewing now for this year's Letter of Marque competition: 

Remember that we are looking for exciting and unique beers so there is no restriction on style. Keep in mind that the bigger and more assertive you are  - the better to sail the Heavy Seas! 

Submissions must arrive at the brewery June 8 - June 19.  Please no wild yeasts or bacterial fermentations (Brettanomyces etc).  We want to keep a clean ship! More details to come. For answers to immediate questions, send an email to eugeni@hsbeer.com

Metro Chili Postponed a Week (but firkin tonight...)

Updated with NEW date:

Once again, the 8th Annual Federal Hill Chili Cookoff will be held at Metropolitan on Sunday, March 14 at 5:30 pm on the Second Floor.

If you are interested in entering a chili, please contact Keith Losoya at keith.losoya@gmail.com and provide your name and the name of your chili.  Keith says he already has 10 entrants and would like to have 15.  If you are interested in entering, please contact Keith as soon as possible.  If you have any questions regarding entering a chili email or call Keith at 443-838-1826.

Cheese, onions and sour cream will be provided.  Any other complements to an entered chili should be provided by the entrant.  You must bring your chili in a crockpot.  Chili entrants should plan on coming at 5:00 pm to set up your crockpot.

For everyone else, the process is the same as last year.  

There will be a modest $5.00 donation at the door to benefit the Women's Shelter.

Metropolitan will also be offering beer and wine specials to help wash down the chili.

Let the best chili win!

Firkin tonight: Weyerbacher Hops Infusion from Weyerbacher Brewing in Easton, Pennsylvania, a 6.2% India Pale Ale made with seven different hop varieties (Cascade, Pilgrim, Centennial, Liberty, Saaz, Fuggle and East Kent Golding).  Weyerbacher rep should be there, too.

Keepin' Up with the Joneses--or the Church

The latest e-mail from Max's Taphouse indicates that Max's has now put in two more cask beer engines, for a total of five handpumps available.  This evens them up for bragging rights with their D.C. competition, Church Key.

On tonight for the weekly Cask Night:

Burton Bridge Bramble Stout 5.0%  [this is, in this blogger's opinion, a nice one, if a bit light for winter]

North Coast Red Seal  5.5%

Weyerbacher Hops Infusion 6.2%

Acardia Nut Brown 5.6%

Wintercoat Mols  6.4%

Sources at the bar indicate that equipment and hardware is on site for the installation of an additional 20-some draft lines, and it's hoped to have them installed and flowing by the end of March.

Red Star, Greensburg, Pa., to Close

First reported by Pennsylvania writer Lew Bryson and now reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

The Red Star Agave Grille at the Greensburg Train Station is closing at the end of the month -- hurt by what one of the owners said Wednesday is a loss of parking because of construction of Seton Hill University's Performing Arts Center.
"The decision (to close) was not entirely ours to make," said Ernie Vallozzi, one of two general partners in a group of about a dozen investors that have owned Red Star. Vallozzi, who shares controlling interest in the business with former Latrobe Brewing Co. executive Albert Spinelli, declined further comment about the decision.
The closing of the restaurant, which features a menu of Southwestern food, will result in the loss of 15 to 20 full-time and part-time jobs, said Vallozzi, who also operates a popular Italian restaurant in Hempfield.
Vallozzi said he doesn't know if a successor has been lined up to fill the space, adding that the owners likely would dismantle and remove the brewery equipment.
The Red Star's closing comes at the end of its lease, said Michael Langer, chief executive of The Westmoreland Trust, a nonprofit cultural organization that owns the Train Station and the Palace Theatre in downtown Greensburg. The trust is seeking a replacement for Red Star, but Langer declined further comment.
The restaurant and brew pub opened in the newly renovated Train Station amid much fanfare in October 1998. Vallozzi said the business made a profit every year until it lost access to parking spaces close to the Red Star.
Parking has become limited by the demolition of the former state office building along Harrison Avenue that began in December 2006, followed by construction on Seton Hill's $21 million arts center, which opened last September.
"We really did try to work with him (Vallozzi) for a long time. We felt like we satisfied a number of parking concerns," Greensburg City Administrator Susan Trout said yesterday.

Gee.  Sounds a lot like what really did in Baltimore Brewing Company a few years ago.  (Well, that and some beer quality problems.)
Sadly, I only managed to get to stop there twice when they were open.  A heck of a nice building, but what they were doing converting to a Southwest theme is beyond me.  The building would have been more suited to a fine-dining atmosphere, had the market existed for it in Greensburg.

UPDATE:  Rumors are suggesting a substantial raise in rent was forthcoming with a pending lease renewal.  Gee, sounds like Capitol City Brewing in Baltimore all over again. And BTW, if you do a Google search for "Capitol City Baltimore", the location still comes up on Google, though not on the Cap City website.