Archives for September 2017

September 2, 2017 by Tupper Leave a Comment

Image from http://www.corfubeer.com/index.html; used for educational purposes.

Corfu Beer Royal Ionian Pilsner. Abv 5%

We landed at Munich’s airport which is a long half hour’s S Bahn Ride from downtown and booked a room in the closer town of Freising, which we knew well as the home of Weihenstephener beers. For two days we drank stunningly clean and delicious Bavarian gems and then flew to Athens to begin our “tourist beer” research.

We expected to be disappointed, but were greeted on our first night by a pilsner that could have held its own on a table in Freising. Founded in 2006, Corfu brews a range of five beers designed to match the quality of imports—with the advantage of freshness and local support.

We sampled ours at Athens Beer – a gastropub located a short walk from Athens’s top sights.

Tasting notes: Classis Pils aroma, Creamy texture, a hint of melon in the mix of clean pils malt and slightly fruity and spicy German-ish hops. A bit of copper metal at the end, but it’s a well-above average German style pils and a surprisingly good introduction to Greek brewing in the 21^st century.

Food Pairings: It was great with Athens Beer’s shrimp saganaki (stewed with tomato, ouzo, capers and more), but like any good Pilsner, it’s flexible. [Review 0112, 20170902]

NEXT WE’LL FEATURE SEPTEM’S 8^TH DAY IMPERIAL IPA

September 2, 2017 by Tupper Leave a Comment

Wowzirr!! Craft Beer Taking Europe By Storm

We spent a good deal of the summer researching places where ordinary tourists can find good beer. We knew we’d find great beer in Munich without much effort, but were far less sure what we’d find in Greece and Italy. We discovered a vibrant international beer community and a growing enthusiasm for distinctive beers that has left few towns of any size untouched.

From the back streets of Pompei to the hip areas of Barcelona craft beer bars are showing off a dazzling range of Europe’s 7,500 breweries. Europe still has a lifetime of rewards for beer tourists in traditional brewing countries, but increasingly those focusing on the monuments, museums and great sights of Europe can end their day with great beer no matter where they are.

In the months ahead, we’ll share some of these treasures. We’ll also feature some great drinking spots in beer-centered cities that didn’t make the cut into our first book. Join us as we travel from the rolling hills of Freising, Germany to the sunbaked plazas of Pisa, Italy. Below is a brief preview of blogs to come. [Post 0034 20170902]

No crap on tap at Pub 27 in Pisa - One of our favorite beer dives ever.

There’s no crap on tap at Pub 27 in Pompei- One of our favorite beer dives ever.

There’s no shortage of really good beer in Athens.

Mediceo is Pisa’s outlet for the nearby La Gilda dei Nani Birrai Craft Brewery. (Guild of Dwarf Brewers). The sandwiches are to die for.

Maisel and Friends is a craft brewery within a large traditional regional brewery in Bayreuth.

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Gold Metal Winning Tuppers’ Hop Pocket Ale Returns!

Join us at Dynasty Brewing on July 17 between 3PM and 8PM to savor the first batch of Tuppers’ Hop Pocket Ale in almost five years. We’ll be there signing books at a huge discount and the brewery will be pouring the beer that was created to be “Hoppy enough for Bob and balanced enough for Ellie.”

It hasn’t been easy to resurrect Tuppers’ Hop Pocket Ale, winner of a gold metal at the GBBF in the ’90s when well hopped beers were rare and almost non-existent in the east. We’ve collaborated with Dynasty’s head brewer Favio Garcia, the brewer who produced the last batch of Tuppers’ Hop Pocket at Old Dominion to reproduce an authentic version of the original. Dynasty is in Ashburn, Virginia– almost within walking distance of the Old Dominion brewery that brewed the first batch just over 25 years ago.

NOW PLAYING: on Beer of the Day— Some great beers in the San Francisco Bay area. Scroll down below this entry to find the featured beer of the day. >>>>>

Later — in July we resume some great weekend destinations for beer travelers that we’ve found researching our guide to breweries and inns of the Mid Atlantic. Whether you’re looking for a turn of the (20th) century 100 year old quaint and slightly rickety hotel, an engaging B&B or a magnificent survivor of the great era of railroad hotels, we’ve found hem– within walking distance of a brewery. We’ll present more previews of the book’s best here rolling up to Pennsylvania before we’re through.