Couch Tomato Cafe and Manayunk Brewery (Manayunk) - Margherita Pizza...then beer

Appears a large, nearing 20" round pie with a spread of crimson toned red with scattered dollops of homemade Buffalo Mozzarella and basil leaves. - 4 

The crust is on the thicker side of a pan pizza.  The underside yields a dark, golden brown that has a crispy, crackly texture that is baked a good 1/8" into the bottom before turning into an artisan bread like texture.  The description probably doesn't do the crust justice.  It was really my favorite part of the pie. - 4.5

The sauce is ok but a bit hard to find.  It's as-if they've made a regular cheese pizza, then they "upgraded" it to be a Margherita by simply cutting tomato slices, and adding some fresh mozzarella, and basil near the end of the bake.  I really felt the sauce took a back seat and finds itself lost in this pie.  Once you find it, the flavor is decent but I need more for a proper gauge and a good balance. - 2.5

The cheese...again, I'm not really sure what to do here.  There is the layer of the shredded mozzarella underneath the tomato slices that really just plays second fiddle to the point of interest of this Margherita pie, which is the homemade Buffalo Mozzarella.  The problem - there's just so little of it on there.  The pieces that you do find are nice.  They're mildly sweet and melt in your mouth. - 2.5

Overall, this was a good pie.  I wasn't blown away due to the bits of the pizza that were lacking but the crust was a clear winner among the attributes of this particular pie and in comparison to other pizzas.  I won't go running back based on this trip but if you're in the area, give them a try and let me know what you think. - 3

Total Score: 3.3/5

The Couch Tomato's website



A walk a few blocks down Main Street and on to the beer...

Manayunk Brewery's California Dreamin' IPA -
4.3

look: 4.5
smell: 4
taste: 4.5
feel: 4
drink: 4

Appears a glowing orange amber with a thick 1 finger white head that stays for several minute. Tons of sticky ring lacing.
Smell is of citrusy grapefruit, oranges, and biscuits with some sweet malt.
Taste is of the same aromas that is nice and balanced.
Mouthfeel is sweet, bitter, and different for an East coast IPA.
Drinkability is very nice. They claim they would put this up against any west coast IPA and I believe it!

Hill Farmstead Beer comes to Philly!

Shown above are Hill Farmstead Brewery's sixtel rings of fresh Edward that will be sent into the Philadelphia market.  Extremely limited quantities in this initial debut, amounting to under 40 sixtels of beer, or less than 200 gallons.

Yours truly went calling on many of the finer beer establishments in the area to carry this limited first run into the market.  Some unfortunate establishments missed out by either 1.) Not being able to connect with me before the product was spoken for.  Or 2.) I simply missed the opportunity due to limited kegs.  Feel free to contact me to reserve any kegs in future shipments, or to set up an event.  prometheusconcepts@gmail.com

So, where will you be able to find these "round 1" draft only creations from Shaun Hill's brewery?

• Al's of Hampden -- thanks to fellow beer enthusiast Deuane Hoffman for the connection!
• The Beer Yard
• Beneluxx
• Brass Rail Deli
• Capone's
• Craft Ale House
• Devil's Den
• Earth Bread + Brewery
• Eulogy
• Frank Smith Beverage
• Grey Lodge Pub
• Local 44
• Memphis Taproom
• Monk's Cafe
• Pinnocchio's - big ups to Gateway Beers for this connection.
• Resurrection Ale House
• Ron's Original Bar and Grille
• Sidecar Bar
• Station Taproom
• Teresa's Next Door
• The Farmhouse
• TJ's Restaurant and Drinkery
• Union Jack's in Glenside
• Union Jack's on the Manatawny

Possibly receiving the last few kegs(better ask them before you count on it...if not, demand it!): P.O.P.E., Tria, & South Philly Tap Room.  Thanks to all for your support!!!

Shaun briefly talks about the Philly shipment here.
Hill Farmstead Brewery products are available through Bella Vista Beer Distributors
Stay tuned for details on future shipments, and the highly anticipated release of bottles.

Look for HFB events in the near future at Capone's and The Farmhouse.

Dairy Cottage (Springfield) - Cheesesteak

Appears a packed, 12" with chopped steak on a nice looking roll.  Bits of fried onion are scattered within the helping of beef. - 4

The roll is a Liscio roll, which I covered in my previous review of Steve's on South Street.  Same wonderful experience of a great roll being made for this type of application.  I could see it doing well with a roast pork sandwich too, holding in all that juicy goodness while retaining the firm outer crust. - 4.5

The meat is finely chopped but juicy.  Mildly seasoned and a decent amount piled in there. - 4

The cheese is ok.  Most of it is stuck underneath the meat and on the interior of the roll.  There is a little bit that is in the the middle but the execution of good cheese blend for balance with the steak could be better. - 3.5

Overall, this is a nice cheesesteak.  It's a good one to seek out if you're in Delaware County, or heading to the Springfield Mall.  It all starts with the choice of a great roll.  The cheese could be laid in there better but this is a fair deal for the cost. - 3.5

Total Score: 3.9/5

FYI - Cash only establishment...and I wasn't given any receipt for my records.

Dairy Cottage Website

Philly Beer Week Wrap-Up

With Philly Beer Week officially being complete, let's look back on some of the highlights from my week...

It started off with the Hill Farmstead tasting at the Kennett Flash.  Shaun Hill amazed the crowd with his beer and an impromptu speech, which reflected his brewing journey.

As most already know, I was in Chicago for a portion of Philly Beer Week.  I'll touch on what I did out there in a bit...

So, what else did I do?  I was growing green with envy for the most part but I was able to hit Capone's for an absolutely amazing night with beers(and representation) from Ayinger, Sint Canarus, Stillwater Artisinal Ales, Dochter van de Korenaar, and 12 Percent Imports.  Plenty of excellent beers to be had that night.  The standout for me was Cigar City's - Hunahpu's Imperial Stout.  I'm fortunate to actually own a bottle of this but I'm extremely delighted that I didn't have to open my rare bottle to get to try it. 

4.15

look: 4.5

smell: 4.5
taste: 4
feel: 4

drink: 3.5

Appears a pitch black with a small tan head that quickly fades out into a mild cap. Scattered bits of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of molasses, herbal tea, chalk, black grapes, spicy black and dried red pepper.

Taste is of the aromas with vanilla yogurt, cinnamon, pasilla peppers, and red grapes.

Mouthfeel is full bodied, spiced, a bit of chile heat lingering with cinnamon and cumin. A bit of warming abv noticed in this.

I was also thankful that I was able to make it out to one of the many Meet the Brewer events at The Belgian Cafe.  The draw for me was meeting with the Head Brewer from one of my all-time favorite Belgian breweries, Marco Passarella of St. Bernardus.  We chatted about one of the many enigmas that has surrounded the St. Bernardus beer - The difference (if any) to the highly sought after Westvleteren beer(The 8 & 12), which was brewed by St. Bernardus from 1946 through 1992.  The difference?  The yeast.  Fermentation, grain, and sugar are the same.  In fact, St. Bernardus uses the original yeast strain in their beers today.  Westvleteren now gets their yeast from Westmalle.  In addition to having a great conversation with one of the "brewing minds" of our time, I had the chance to check out some culinary delights from The Belgian Cafe, along with another brew. 

Look at this Belgian Toast.  It's French Toast but it's got caramelized banana lambic mixed with Belgian candi sugar.  Divine.

 

I checked out Django mussels with frites.  Really excellent stuff with a lightly potent broth that is great for dipping bread.  I paired up a beer from Danish brewery, Nøgne Ø.  This beer was the Sunternbrew...4.15

look: 4

smell: 4

taste: 4.5
feel: 4

drink: 3.5

Appears a murky brown with mahogany edges and a light beige head that quickly fades out into a mild collar.

Smell is of caramel, smoked wood, chocolate, brown sugar, and espresso beans.

Taste...wow, I should've gotten the smoked trout with this one because it's really smokey in the flavors. Some residual sweetness lingers after the smokiness subsides but it's on the sweet, and aggressively strong end of the spectrum. Smoked meats, roast chestnuts, earthy mineral flavors pull through for a dangerously complex potion.

Mouthfeel is sticky, effervescent up front, sugary, gummy with tar and a chewy, lip smacking sting.

I was told by my buddy, Steve (aka hopdog) that I missed a killer time at Capone's for the highly anticipated Odell event, as shown here by our fellow beer hound, Brian, who runs I Am Beer Wise.


A quick peek back at what I experienced on the Chicago trip during Philly Beer Week...

Beerhoptacular! event, which touted many local breweries, along with some of the better beers available in the Chicago market...

A cool place called Piece, recommended to me by my buddy, Tom L, who frequents Chicago yearly.  They made some terrific beer, including this Hefeweizen shown to the left.  The make pizza in the New Haven style.  I thought about going full tilt for the clam pie but opted for the plain, which was delicious.

I managed to hit Goose Island for some terrific treats, as well.  Some of these beers were only available at the brewery, so I was glad to have checked it out while I had the opportunity.

The wonderful Hopleaf Bar in Chicago has great selections of craft beer.

Finally, the 2 pizza places that I have wanted to check out for a few years now...

Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. for their Pizza Pot Pie.

Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Pizza.

2010 Philly Beer Week Cometh!!!

Brew LB

Philly Beer Week officially starts tomorrow, June 4th.  Many people will be attending a ticketed event for The Opening Tap at The Independence Visitor Center, which kicks off at 7:30 PM.
Yours Truly will be working at the Meet The Brewer Event in Kennett Square(come and say hello) that will be featuring my longtime friend, Shaun E. Hill of Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT.  At the risk of pimping too much, I'll go ahead and do so without restraint being that I'm uncensored on my own website.
As the Sales Rep for this fine product in the Philly area, I'm proud to be on site for the initial offerings of the brewery.  We'll have an IPA(Edward), a Double IPA(Abner), and perhaps a few other surprises.  Local food destination, Talula's Table will be on site with food for us to pair up with the deliciously fermented creations.
Shaun formally brewed for The Shed in Stowe, VT, where I first tried his beers at a Vermont beer fest and he let me try his first saison that he had brewed for them.  We kept in touch and conducted many trades since that initial meeting, which led to my sharing amongst my fellow local beer fanatics, who have been meeting for years for beer tastings...(Rate Beer's egajdzis, hopdog, TomDecapolis, and others from Rate Beer, and Beer Advocate).
Over 20 different Shed beers later, and a following from over 440 miles away, I continued trading with Shaun during his tenure at Trout River Brewing in Lyndonville, VT.  At this point, pilot brews were being developed for his true brainchild and passion - Hill Farmstead. 
It wasn't long until Shaun ventured to the Scandinavian land of Denmark to brew for Nørrebro Bryghus.  Shaun was responsible for the 3 winning medals that Nørrebro recently took at The World Beer Cup. 
Hill Farmstead beer will be available in the near future through Bella Vista Distribution in Philadelphia.  Contact me in the meantime.

Other than my long winded choice of words mentioned above, there are countless things to attend during Philly Beer Week.  You can check out the actual website for the different events, or the iphone app(you need the software version 3.1 to download it...I haven't plugged mine into a computer in quite some time, so I'm still running on 3.0) or you can check out what our friend, Bryan at The Brew Lounge did...for you spreadsheet fans (as I am), this spreadsheet of events offers a comprehensible listing that you can sort and figure out your personalized agenda.  Furthermore, he's created a listing of the Capone's events that are running during PBW...most would be happy to spend most of their time in East Norriton for the entire week with the ridiculous amount of events that Matt has planned.  I had placed most of those events on Beer Advocate before having to do "actual" work.  The ones I missed were kindly uploaded by local beer lover from BA & Rate Beer, corby112.

Sadly, I'll be missing a few days of events because I'm traveling for the first few days of PBW.  I expect each and every one of you to throw back a craft beer for me during my absence and send out good karma due to my heartfelt love of the Philly beer community.  I hope to see you all out and about when I am back in the saddle on Tuesday!

Caruso Brick Oven Trattoria (Souderton) - Margherita Neapolitan Pizza

Appears a 10" round pie with a soft looking outer crust.  A layer of bright red sauce covers the top of the pie with scattered bits of house made mozzarella cheese melted into small pools.  A lone leaf of basil is left near the center. - 3.5

The crust is thin but the outer rim stays soft with a small pocket of CO2 that has expanded the dough at this point.  I believe this pie was heated by an electric method.  No charring on the bottom but it is a golden brown.  For the most part, the pie is on the softer side except for the bottome shell, which has a thin layer of crunch.  The bread itself is flavorful with a mildly fruity, yeasty flavor - 3.5

The sauce is decent.  It's of freshly crushed and blended ripe tomatoes.  It has a tangy sweetness to it.  It's hard to tell what kind but if I had to guess, I'd say it was made from a domestic plum tomatoe with some paste added. - 3.5

The cheese is great.  It's got a terrific flavor retains it's freshly made characteristics during the heating process.  The only complaint...I wanted more on the pie!! - 4.5

Overall, this is a good pie, especially for being out in Souderton.  The cheese and flavorful dough make this pizza worth while. - 3.5

Total Score: 3.7/5

Caruso's has outstanding Italian food.  I tried the Caprese, which was great.  The Creamy Porcini Soup was outstanding.  The shrimp and pasta was amazing.  This food was seriously as good as any place that I've been to in the city.  Check them out when you get a chance, you won't regret it.  By the way, they are a byob too!

Caruso's Website

Dock Street Brewery (West Philadelphia) - Margherita Pizza with Beer

I've finally gotten a chance to check out Dock Street Brewing after a recent venture to Cobbs Creek Golf Club, which is about 15 minutes away.  We finally found the establishment located in a historic firehouse, easily parked, and anxiously entered the establishment.

They had 6 beer on draft, including the Bohemian Pilsner, which has/had been available in bottles, which were contract brewed in Utica, NY.  Also available:  Bubbly Wit(an Imperial Witbier), Summer Session, Rye IPA, West of Center Pale Ale, and Man Full of Trouble Porter.

Appears a 12" round pie with a golden brown, bubbly crust.  Crushed plum tomatoes are flanked with spots of fresh mozzarella, basil, and a few streams of olive oil.  The underside shows light charring from the wood fired oven. - 4.5

The crust is thin, except around the outer edges, which has expanded with CO2 explosions during the heating process.  Again, light charring underneath shows that this is a quality, wood-fired pie in the style of a Neapolitan pizza.  This oven gets to a raging 700+ degrees making for a nice exterior, crispy texture. - 4.5

The sauce is of crushed Roma tomatoes that have more of an acidic, ripe flavor that would appear to be done in-house.  Flavor is pretty good...not blown away but certainly enough to keep me coming back for more with a flavor profile that melds nicely with the herbs, cheese, and bread.  3.5

The cheese is of a very good quality.  Nice texture, skim milk based cheese that holds up to the high heat and has a gentle, sweet, creamy flavor. - 4

Overall, I was impressed with this pizza.  Not really knowing what to expect, they showed me that they are making pizza correctly over here.  High heat, fresh ingredients, and rustic...paired with the beer - fantastic. - 4

Total Score: 4.1/5

Now...on to the beer:

Bubbly Wit
3.95


look: 4
smell: 4
taste: 4
feel: 3.5
drink: 4

Appears a hazy light gold with a small white cap. Scattered bits of lacing are left around the glass Small streams of CO2 quickly rise to the top.

Smell is of tart wheat, heavy citrus, coriander, basil, lemongrass, herbs, and flowers. Touch of sulfur dioxide that isn't overly noticeable but comes across as being fresh from the secondary.

Taste is of the aromas, with sweet citrus flavor dominating. I'm glad they didn't serve with an orange peel.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, mildly tart, and dry in the finish. The 7.5% is hardly noticeable.
 
Man Full of Trouble Porter
4.05

look: 4

smell: 4.5

taste: 4

feel: 4

drink: 3.5

Appears a opaque black with a tan cap that quickly fades into a tiny head. Tons of scattered lacing is left around the glass.

Smell is of cocoa, herbs, cut wood, toffee, and roasted malts.

Taste is of the aromas with a flavorful punch of ripe fruit and vanilla smoothness.

Mouthfeel is chewy, full roastines that screams brown sugar in espresso from a mile away.


Dock Street's Website

Ardmore Pizza (Ardmore) - Cheesesteak

Appears a 12" long roll that's been toasted.  The beef is finely chopped and interlaced with onions. - 2.5

The roll is an Amoroso brand roll.  The soft interior is just ok.  Too many other good options out there.  To make matters worse, they throw this through the oven like a grinder.  Not sure what all that's about. - 2.5

The meat is finely chopped.  There is a light oil presence that isn't too bad.  The steak stays moist and flavorful with just a touch of spicing. - 3

The cheese is stuck to the interior of the roll.  Appears to be mostly unmelted, unfortunately.  Enough cheese but the unmelted portions fall short of the ideal steak and cheese sandwich. - 2

Overall, this was ok.  I know it's on a bunch of people's short list of favorite cheesesteak places.  On the plus side, the service is extremely fast and the staff is friendly.  The product just needs some major tweaking to become a player among the big league boys in the Philly area. - 2.5

Total Score: 2.5/5

Ardmore Pizza's Website

Frank A. Smith Beverages (Pottstown, PA) - Beer Selection

I took a recent trip to Frank A. Smith Beverages in Pottstown.  This establishment has quickly become a beer lover's destination in the deep burbs.  I first learned of this place a few years back when a woman I work with recommended it to me.  I took my initial trip back then and I was impressed with the selection but I wouldn't say that I was roaring to get back based on the available beers that I was still able to find a little closer to home at that time.  To put it mildly - Things have morphed into full out beer ecstasy as you walk through the doors!

Upon entry, I can't help but notice the large stack of some the best domestic craft beers available in our area.  Stacked varietals produced by Founders, Moylans, Hoppin Frog, Stone, Ommegang, Lost Abbey/Port, Voodoo, Jolly Pumpkin, and Southern Tier.  Right off the bat, you just get amazingly overwhelmed with the selection.  A distributer having a few of these...ok.  One having all of these?  Simply awesome.

Smith Beverages also has a nice, beautiful section dedicated to beers imported from The Netherlands, and Scandinavia. Such brands include De Molen, Amager, Norrebro, Olfabrikken, Haand, Mikkeller, and Nogne.

If you feel like perusing a selection of Belgian brews, Smith boasts over 30 feet of specialty Belgian beers.  Such favorites include the best offerings by Chouffe, Duvel, Alvinne, Grimbergen, de Rocs, Val-Dieu, Dupont, Cantillon, Lindemans, Corsendonk, Delirium, Affligem, Fantome, Caracole, St. Bernardus, DeKoninck, De Dolle, and of course the Trappist selections of Chimay, Rochefort, Orval, Westmalle, and Achel.

Lastly, don't forget to check out the walk in cooler with a tremendous selection of sixtels consisting of choices from Allagash, Bruery, Cigar City, Dark Horse, Lancaster, Saint Somewhere, Voodoo, and many more!

Frank Smith makes local service runs to pubs and restaurants in Pottstown, Limerick, and beyond.  They also have a variety of cigars that you can pick up and enjoy while sipping on your favorite Old Ale, Barleywine, or Imperial Stout.

Frank Smith's Website & telephone: (610) 323-1320

Join their Facebook page!

Marchiano's Bakery (Manayunk) - Tomato Pie

See my previous post on tomato pie as a reference point.

Appears small, rectangular cuts with a layer of vibrant red sauce on top with a scattering of parmesan cheese on top. - 4

The crust is thick, bready, a bit crunchy underneath like the outer shell of a freshly baked Italian loaf. - 4

The sauce is tangy, savory, and chunky with a fresh, acidic bite resonating with olive oil and light herbs. - 3.5

The cheese is really just an accent piece to this delicious, artful bread.  Nothing done wrong here.  - 3.5

Overall, this is one of the go-to tomato pie's in the area.  In my opinion, doesn't top Corropolese but few really do.  You really have to expect a thicker, crunchier crust than the soft bread and sweet topping that makes the Corropolese pie so addictive.  It's a nice change of pace though, and a delicious pie to grab if you're in the area of Umbria Street in Manayunk. - 3.5

Total Score: 3.7/5

Marchiano's website