Past Newsletters
Vol. 6 No. 1
| Brewery | Beers Featured |
| Pennsylvania Brewing Company | Penn Gold |
| Rock Creek Brewing Company | Devil’s Elbow IPA |
| Potomac River Brewing Company | Rappahannock Red Ale |
| Potomac River Brewing Company | Patowmack Pale Ale |
Pennsylvania Brewing Company
The Pennsylvania Brewing Company, founded in 1986 by Tom Pastorius to brew authentic German beers, was the first microbrewery in Pennsylvania and a pioneer in the microbrewery movement. The brewery and its restaurant are located in Pittsburg, in the same building that once housed the historic Eberhardt Brewery. The brewery is an authentic German brewery in every detail; from its solid copper brewhouse imported from the motherland, to it’s German fermentation and aging tanks, filtration equipment, kegging and bottling equipment. The brewery also imports all of its ingredients, uses German recipes, brewing methods and even has a German brewmaster! All beers are made in accordance with the German beer purity law called the "Reinheitsgebot" which means that only the four classic ingredients are used in our beer: malted barley (and/or wheat), hops, water and yeast. Adjuncts such as corn and rice are never used. You won’t find the words "preservatives" or "stabilizers" in the vocabulary of Penn’s brewmaster.
In addition to Penn Gold, the Münchener Helles style beer that you’ll have the chance to try this month, the brewery produces an number of unusual lagers and ales including a classic German Pilsener, Bavarian Hefeweizen, Oktoberfest, and a European-Style Dark Münchener Dunkel.
Penn Gold boasts of the smooth and mellow taste of fresh German beers. Called "your daily bread in Bavaria", this highly drinkable beer is of medium bitterness. Bavarians enjoy these beers even with breakfast.
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (412) 237-9402 or check out their web site at www.pennbrew.com.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Original Gravity: 11.8° Plato
Final Gravity: N/A
Int'l Bittering Units: 18.0
Alcohol by Volume: 4.5%
Penn Gold is a three-time gold medal winner (1990, 1993 & 1998), at the Great American Beer Festival. A Munich Helles style of beer, Penn Gold is brewed with a combination of two-row Pale and Caramel malts and hopped twice during the boil with imported Hallertau hops. It’s then aged four weeks at 0 degrees Celsius under pressure to capture its natural carbonation. Look for a relatively malt dominated nose as well as body in this medium-bodied golden colored lager. Note a hint of hop spiciness evident. Overall, a classic representation of a difficult style to brew. It’s refreshing, crisp and traditional. A great beer to accompany any barbecue!
Rock Creek Brewing Company
The Rock Creek Brewing Co. is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, yet brews all of its beers in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Rock Creek’s brewery is a traditional English brew house, employing traditional brewing processes. The brewery will be moving its Pennsylvania brewing facility to Raleigh, North Carolina later this year. The Raleigh brewery will be double the size of the previous one, and will feature a small tasting room and beer garden. Customers are invited to tour the new facility and sample Rock Creek’s 20 plus beers once the facility opens. Rock Creek will also have food and drink available at the brewery when completed. The grand opening is slated for September of this year.
This fall, Rock Creek will offer two new products in bottle and on draft. All American Ale, a hoppy, American Pale Ale, and Black Magic Oatmeal Stout, a big, bold stout hinting of chocolate and roasted barley flavors. Both beers will be on the shelves by the time the Raleigh facility opens.
Currently, the brewery produces five year-round beers including: River City ESB, a full-bodied traditional "Extra Special Bitter", Black Raven Porter, named for Edgar Allen Poe's famous Raven - Richmond being the home of Poe - a deep, dark London style porter, Nuttrageous Brown Ale, an English-style nut brown ale brewed in the tradition of Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale, Rock Creek Red Ale which took the Gold at the 1997 World Beer Championships, Devil’s Elbow IPA which our panel favored the most, and Rock Creek Gold, a lighter-bodied Golden Ale. Rock Creek also brews an number of Seasonals including Wild Summer Passion Wheat Ale, a Raspberry American Wheat beer, Pumpkinhead Ale, a spiced pumkin Ale, and Winter Passion Spiced Ale, a high gravity holiday Ale. Lastly, if you get a chance to swing by the brewpub yourself, you’ll be able to try one of two Cask Conditioned Ales, a Roasted Stout and/or an Extra Special Bitter.
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (804) 649-9235 or check out their web site at www.rcbrew.com.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Original Gravity: 15.8° Plato
Final Gravity: N/A
Int'l Bittering Units: 48.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.8%
For 18th Century Richmonders to get their paws on an English IPA, British ships had to carry it up the James River and navigate a treacherous stretch known as the Devil's Elbow. Today, The Rock Creek Brewing Company, located just up river from the Devil's Elbow, makes it much easier for locals. This IPA is brewed with a combination of two row pale and caramel malts and is hopped aggressively with Fuggles and Kent Goldings hops. Immediately note a very hoppy spicy and fruity nose in this pale, medium-bodied beer. Great head retention. Its flavor profile begins with a malty sweetness, balanced nicely with a full hop bitterness. Overall, a very flavorful, hoppy IPA.
Potomac River Brewing Company
The Potomac River Brewing Company was founded in Chantilly, Virginia in 1993. Located just outside the Washington, D.C. area, Potomac River brews four different beers, making use of only American grown malts and hops. The brewery purchases hops primarily from the Pacific Northwest. In addition to Rappahannock Red and Patowmack (Indian for "Potomac") Pale Ale, the brewery also offers Doublenut Brown Ale, and Mount Vernon Porter.
Potomac’s beers feature distinctive paintings by wildlife artist Bill Bolen. Each is a different native Virginia wildlife scene, commissioned in oil on canvas and then adapted for their labels.
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (703) 631-5430.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Original Gravity: 12.8° Plato
Final Gravity: N/A
Int'l Bittering Units: 5.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%
Rappahannock Red Ale is brewed with a blend of five specialty malts, two types of American hops, and a select strain of top-fermenting yeast. We found this Red Ale to deliver a complex flavor and a thick, creamy head. Note a floral malty nose with a definite hop spiciness evident in the nose of this full-bodied amber colored beer. It starts with a sweet maltiness and finishes bitter, clean and dry. Overall, a well-balanced, full-flavored Red Ale. We really liked it and think you will too!
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Original Gravity: 12.5° Plato
Final Gravity: N/A
Int'l Bittering Units: 40.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.5%
Here the brewery uses a combination of 2-row pale and Caramel malts. Patowmack is well hopped with Washington grown Chinook hops in two additions during the boil. Cascade hops are added later, towards the end of the boil. Immediately note a strong floral, spicy and hoppy nose. This medium-bodied beer is very flavorful all around. Look for a pale maltiness up front with a medium-to-high hop bitterness profile which seems to be predominately cascade. Overall, a well-balanced, extremely enjoyable beer.
Ask Murl
Dear Murl,
I’m a new member of your beer club and wanted to commend you on the selections that I’ve received so far. All were superior brews, my compliments to your panel for their diligence in finding these gems. Got many fine compliments from friends who were wondering where I had stumbled across the rare selections. The first shipment comes with an amusing story as well.
My wife, who up until recently refused to get me beer while at the store, much the same as I refuse to buy feminine hygiene products, agreed to pick me up a sixer one Saturday as I was working hard in the yard. When she returned, I was freshly showered and extremely ready for a frosty one. She told that while at the grocery, on the way to the beer section, she ran across a big athletic gent, who put a finger to his mouth as he swiftly walked passed, trying not to draw attention. She figured this must have been an AZ Cardinal, but of course did not recognize him. Well, I thought, not a bad little story as a prelude to a cold one, until I learned that this incident had caused a memory lapse and my reward had not been secured. "You forgot the beer," I exclaimed. "Yes," was the stern reply.
As I mentally fumbled through possible alternatives to quench a post yard-work thirst, there came a knock at the door. I opened it. A UPS man was already climbing back into his brown box. I looked down, and retrieved the parcel left at the stoop. Noting its heft, I immediately thought of the grandparents and the latest toy(s) to spoil our two young daughters. To my surprise, the package was addressed to me, and from within sprang the essence of a warm spring afternoon, the smell of freshly mowed grass, and the joy that goes with a job well done. Twelve expertly packaged brews! The Weiss quickly caught my eye and was the first to be chilled and cracked. The toil of the day gently faded and made way for a calm and reserve to match a golden sunset. A beer in time...
Thanks Again,
Noah Lockwood
Chandler, AZ
Damn Noah!
If I didn’t know better, I’d guess that you were a personal friend of the owner or something! You suck up real well, my boy. You’re gonna go far. And I’ve got to tell ya that you are by far the most advanced wordsmith that’s ever written to me. Generally, I get a lot questions and comments like, "Yo Murl, What up with those #%@ Bud Frogs, man?! They suck!"
You’ve gotta get that situation with the wife correct there, Ace. Might be worth pickin’ up a hygiene product or two to ensure that your beer supply never drops that low again. A man with your obvious great appreciation for fine brew should never pine for the nectar. In any case, Great Story. Had to print it. Hope you don’t mind. Thanks for the kind words. I’ll be sure and relay your letter to our panel.
Woof!
Murl.
Food For Thought...
Rappahannock Red Ale Steak Rub
Here’s a recipe that calls for just a touch of your Rappahannock Red Ale. You’ll obviously need to keep a few on ice while you’re actually cooking the meat as well! A steak rub is a combination of herbs, spices, and other flavorful ingredients that is rubbed into the surface of meat 30 to 60 minutes prior to grilling or broiling. Equally delicious on beef, pork, or poultry, this zesty amalgam of fruit, beer, herbs and spices is undoubtedly a worthy cause for donating one cup of this month’s shipment.
- 1 ½ cups canned plums, no pits
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup Red Ale
- 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 6 large cloves garlic, mashed
- 2 teaspoons crushed hot red peppers
- scant teaspoon crushed coriander seed
- scant teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until very smooth. Drink some beer. Allow to stand 2 hours at room temperature while drinking some beer before preparing the meat. Rub the stuff on your meat. Not excessively, however, as prolonged rubbing may result in blindness. Refrigerate remainder of the rub. Have a beer. Get the grill fired and cook the muther up. Eat and have a beer.
Source: Great American Beer Cookbook, Candy Schermerhorn, Brewers Publications, Boulder, CO.
Norm's Corner...
As spoken by Cheers' Norm
Coach: Normie, Normie, could this be Vera?
Norm: With a lot of expensive surgery, maybe.
True Brew Facts
THE CELEBRATOR BEER NEWS - It wasn’t until 1982 that the Premier of Ontario announced that the sale of beer at Blue Jay baseball games at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium would be permitted. However, Larry Grossman, the government’s consumer minister at the time,was against the idea, saying he didn’t want some drunk sitting behind him in the stands "puking" on his kids. Despite is objections, chugging suds at the ballpark became part of the game in Toronto. In 1987, Gretchen Drummie of the Toronto Sun wrote a story about ballpark beer. The article began, "It’s been five years and nobody’s puked on Larry Grossman’s kids during a Blue Jays game." Go Gretch-Baby Go!
THE REAL BEER PAGE - To avoid potential dehydration, runner Jim McDonough once reportedly drank 36 bottles of beer the night before the qualifying race in the Pan-American Games. He qualified while many others dropped out, thus creating a legend and a standard that may not be equaled. And Jaba the Hut chugged 51 cases of Guinness before watching the Pod Race in The Phantom Menace!
365 BEER TIME STORIES - In front of Crazy Art’s Beer Emporium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, "Bullet" Bob Oldham used to give demonstrations of what he did best. Mr. Oldham was adept at opening beer bottles with his eyebrows. Although Bullet Bob often squirted himself in the eye while doing so.
THE ALE STREET NEWS - When Glenn Balmer and Murray McCreadie approached a burning car on Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway they quickly stopped their beer truck to help put out the fire- even though they didn’t have a fire extinguisher. Noticing flames leaping from the hood of the car, Murray jumped onto the back of his beer truck, grabbed a case of beer and both men ran back to the small car stopped by the side of the busy expressway. After assuring the owner, Gary Merkler, that the low-alcohol content of the beer would not spread flames or ignite a bigger fire, the two beer truck drivers poured 12 bottles of beer on the car’s motor to douse the flames. After their heroic deed, Glenn commented, "We don’t carry bottle openers with us. Murray had the presence of mind to pick a case of beer with twist-off caps." Move over McGuyver, Murry McCreadie’s in town and he’s got a case of brew with him!
BEER NEWS - Churchgoers were kept warm in the Lancashire village of Warrington, England, thanks to a brewery. During one particularly cold December the heating system in St. Anne’s church broke down and would have cost more than 1,000 pounds to repair. In a heart-warming (or soul-warming) gesture, the owners of the brewery next door offered to pipe waste steam from their plant through the church. However, the constant smell of sweet wort during the sermon drove many weak souls to the local brewpub immediately after the service.
For Members Only
Give Your Friends FREE Beer, Wine, Cheese, Chocolate,
Cigars & Flowers!
Through our Customer Appreciation Program
Your name has real value to your friends, co-workers, and family members! Every time a friend, family member, or anyone else you know joins any one of our clubs, [or gives a gift] for 3 months or longer, we'll give them 50% off of their first month, but only when they mention your name. And we'll also give you 50% off your next month too which can either be applied towards your current membership or you can try one of our other Clubs out! (We can add one more month to your order at 50% off for prepaid memberships!)
The Fine Print: Members giving gift memberships do not qualify for referral credits and you can't give yourself a gift to qualify! This Program is mutually exclusive of any other promotions.
Membership Q & A
Q: What can I do if I'm having difficulty receiving my shipment
at home?
A: You should consider having our discrete box delivered to
your work location or to a neighbor 21 yrs. of age that can receive
it for you. As your shipment requires and adult signature to receive,
it's always best to ship it to a location where someone will be there
to receive it for you. The box is brown corrugated cardboard and doesn't
say "Beer" on it anywhere.
Q: What should I do if I'm moving or want to extend my membership?
A: Please call us prior to the 5th of the month to make all
account related information changes such as address changes, membership
extensions & terminations, or gift accounts desiring to continue
their memberships. Address changes made after that time may require
a repackaging and re-shipping charge of $12.00. Additionally, if your
box is re-routed by UPS from an address different than what was originally
specified, you may incur a $5.00 re-routing charge.
Q: What happens if my shipment is damaged?
A: If your shipment arrives damaged, please call us immediately
toll free at 1-800-625-8238 and report the incident for a prompt resolution.
Q: What happens if my credit card is declined?
A: We will send you a courtesy notice asking you for an alternative
payment method and your order will be temporarily suspended until
we hear from you.
Q: What happens if I join under a special incentive program
and don't stay a member for the entire term committed?
A: Not a problem. Although we want to do everything we can
to keep you as a member, we will allow you to cancel your subscription
early; however, you will be responsible to pay for the item that was
given to you as part of the promotion. If you received a discount
based on a specific term, the amount discounted will be charged to
your card.
