May GOOD BEER News:keg ride, Keg Ride, KEG RIDE!, More GOOD PNC news, 3 new Session Ales, and a bunch of GOOD BEER Events in the calendar!
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Scott at East End Brewing
May 1, 2009, 11:36:37 AM5/1/09
to "GOOD BEER News" from East End Brewing
Hey there all you Keg Riding GOOD BEER Fans,
It's officially May, so let's see if you can guess what that means to
us here... Um, yes. I suppose you're right. May does mean the
arrival of the oh-so-action-packed "Be Nice to Nettles Week" from the
13th to the 24th (no joke: www.nettles.org.uk), but I was going for
something a bit more local. And yes, it's American Craft Beer Week
from May 11-17th, but that's still not it, though I have to say,
you're getting a whole lot closer.
Give up?...Okay, I'll spill: It's almost time for the KEG RIDE! All
the details are in place, the destination has been confirmed (and
warned), the route has been carefully mapped out, parking spaces for
over 200 bicycles have been reserved, and of course the beer is
quietly conditioning in the tank waiting for the big day. All we need
now is you and your bike - and you've got exactly two weeks to get it
together.
I'll get into the Keg Ride details shortly, but first we've got some
other stuff to cover - More GOOD BEER News from PNC Park, no less than
THREE new Session Ales coming out this month, as well as a totally
packed GOOD BEER Event Calendar for the Summer, so let's get to it.
MORE PNC PARK GOOD BEER NEWS:
Hey so, Monkey Boy Hefeweizen has been doing pretty well in the Club
section at PNC this season -thanks to YOU!, and that's great news. If
it continues like this, I'm told we will also see some Big Hop IPA
running along side it - when you consider they also have two Church
Brew Works beers on tap, it's getting more and more about the local
stuff at our local ball park, and that's only fitting. Well done
guys! It's good for us, good for you, and best of all, good for PNC
Park. Hopefully it will be good for the Pirates this season too. So
keep up the GOOD work!
STILL MORE PNC PARK NEWS: "Beer Passport" Nights are back!
To help spread the word that Club 3000 is serving fresh local beer
this season, some fresh local brewers (some "fresher" than others)
will be there in person, chatting you up, and personally pouring your
pre-game beers. On Beer Passport Nights, for $35 - that's 20 buck
LESS than the regular price of a Club section seat, you'll get 1.5
hours of unlimited pre-game sampling of beers from East End Brewing
and The Church Brew Works (and possibly beer from a 3rd not-so-local
brewery, but don't quote me on that). And of course, a winning
baseball game... fingers crossed.
These are is definitely the best GOOD BEER deals at the ball park this
season, so pick up a few dates, pick up some tickets, and we'll pour
you a beer at the ball game:
* May 16: Beer starts at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
* June 27: Beer starts at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
* Aug 7: Beer starts at 5:30, game at 7:05pm (maybe you're seeing
a pattern here...)
* Sept 25: Beer starts at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
Call Doug Stocker at 412-325-4902 and be sure to tell him you want
"Beer Passport" tickets... and tell 'em where you heard about it too!
MORE BARS IN MORE PLACES... SERVING EAST END BEER:
In Murraysville: Three Rivers Six Packs now has a rotating East End
tap.
In Indiana, PA: H.B. Culpepper's have become BIG Fat Gary supporters,
already on their seventh barrel.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO STAY HYDRATED...
As we saw earlier this week, hotter weather is upon us - or at least
it was. And around here, that doesn't just mean that we've got new
seasonal releases in the works, because we've already talked about
those. It means that we're cranking up the Session Ale machine to
pump out a string of no less than THREE brand new, low gravity, easy
drinkers to keep your electrolytes balanced when the days get hot. Or
even if it starts to snow once more. Here's the list:
1. Session Ale #23 - Monkey Girl: Due to overwhelming and imaginary
pressure to be less of a sexist with the beer names, there's a new
Monkey in town, and she looks like she's gotten some sun. Monkey Girl
is a Dunkelweizen, literally a "Dark Wheat" beer brewed with the same
yeast strain as your ballpark-famous Monkey Boy Hefeweizen, but with a
little more color. It's also got a bit more roast and dark malt
character to it, but still carries that signature banana/clove flavor
that you've come to expect from all the Monkeys around here. ABV on
this one is a modest 4.2%, and it will likely go on tap this weekend
as the last of the Snow Melt runs out...but that's really up to you.
2. Session Ale #24 - "LOAF" Dark Rye Kvass: This year's version of
our "world famous" Russian Bread Beer, Kvass, is a little different
this time. It's still fermented with bread yeast, and is still a
modest 3.8% abv, but it's more of a dark rye/pumpernickel version this
time. We used a bit more brown malt, and some molasses in the kettle
along with 2 extra pounds of caraway seeds, aside from what was in the
bread. Oh yeah, and let's not forget about those 60 loaves of rye
bread that we soaked overnight in hot water and put into this beer.
Um, yes. I said bread, straight from Bill over at the Wood St.
Bakery.
If you're new to Kvass, you're in for a truly unique treat. May 2007
was the last time anyone commercially brewed Bread-Beer on American
soil... and that happened here too. Sure, in the last two years, the
Wiki reference to East End Brewing as a American's sole Kvass producer
have been pulled, but that was just to prevent the nation-wide panic
when the last batch ran out. Yes, the "Kvass Kraze" has not quite
reached it's full height yet, but now is not the time to wait around
for that to happen. Now it's time to LOAF. (*groan*)
Though we haven't nailed down the date yet, we're doing some special
thing for the debut of LOAF. In addition to having the beer on tap
(with a brand new LOAF of bread tap handle of course), we'll also have
a bunch of that Wood Street Rye Bread for sale at the brewery, the
same kind we used to make the beer! Plus, as a special treat, for a
very limited time, we're also dusting off a keg of SOURDOUGH KVASS
that we've been secretly aging for the last 2 years. We'll have
tasters and Growlers of this super-sour version of Kvass available
while it lasts, but I'll warn you: there's only about 25 Growlers to
go around. Look for a Late-Breaking GOOD BEER News message or a Tweet
with the date for the debut in a little bit.
3. Session Ale #25 - A Dark Mild (to be named): Brendan's been dialing
in another nice low gravity sessioner, and I'm really excited about
this one - Marris Otter Malt, wonderful rich dark color, and a great
roast character. It went into the tank earlier this week, so I'm sure
what the final %ABV will be, but plan on something nice and low. Like
the other Session Ales in this list, we need to clear a spot in the
lineup before we can get it on tap, so get busy on that Trippel, okay?
SO YOU DID NOTHING FOR EARTH DAY...
Earth Day came and went last month, and if you're like me, you're
wondering what you should have been doing to mark the day. Well, I
can say that once again, East End Brewing is there for you in your
time of need, even if it's after the fact. Might I suggest that
taking a bike ride would be a nice idea. What else... let's see, how
about drinking a pint of local draft beer, from a brewery that just so
happens to be a "near zero solid waste" facility...yes, that might be
a nice idea too. Too bad you can't do both in one day... or can you?
Of course you can, thanks to this year's Pedal Pale Ale Keg Ride.
(Did I mention we're doing a keg ride?) And get this - Friday May
15th just so happens to be National Bike To Work Day and part of
American Craft Beer Week! I swear, sometimes it's almost like I plan
these things.
KEG RIDE DETAILS:
So, maybe you read about the keg ride in the Post Gazette? (See "Pump
Up Your Tires" http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09106/963037-34.stm)
But what the Post Gazette DIDN'T tell you is that for the first time
this year, we'll be crossing a river. Don't worry, you won't need a
paddle or a life preserver because everybody knows that full kegs
don't float. Instead, we'll use a bridge, which in this town, doesn't
narrow the possibilities very much.
Let's review the particulars: Show up at the brewery at 6pm on Friday
May 15th, get signed in, and collect your token. Be prepared to head
out at 7pm for a low-speed scenic ride of 6-7 miles, mostly on paved
roads, but with some parts on smooth trails. (There will be no "off
road" riding - the keg trailer doesn't like that.) So any bike will
do. Just follow the keg, or the person in front of you, until we
stop. Lock up your bike in the space we've set up for it, and go have
a beer on me!
The goal this year is to get as many people as possible on this ride,
and shatter last year's record of 225 riders. This is definitely a
case of the more the merrier - and the more beer we have to pull! So
be sure to forward this to anyone you know who you think would enjoy a
gentle bike ride on a warm summer evening, ending with a crisp, hoppy
pint of Pedal Pale Ale!
Or if this giant newsletter is too big, just send along this link,
which pretty much covers everything Keg Ride related:
http://www.eastendbrewing.com/node/706
NOW, ALL THOSE GOOD BEER EVENTS I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT....
May 5: Meet the Brewer (that's me) at the Jean Bonnet Tavern in
Bedford, PA http://www.jeanbonnettavern.com
May 9: Venture Outdoors Microbrewery Hike www.VentureOutdoors.org for
details.
May 15: KEG RIDE KEG RIDE KEG RIDE KEG RIDE KEG RIDE KEG RIDE... I
almost forgot to mention the KEG RIDE!
May 16: Beer Passport at PNC Park - beer at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
May 24: 12:30-4pm, Rachel Carson's Sustainable Feast http://www.rachelcarsonhomestead.org
May 30: Pints for Pets Brewfest, more info at http://pintsforpets.com
June 20: Beer and Gear Fest in Ohiopyle http://www.wilderness-voyageurs.com/beerandgear.html
June 27: Beer Passport at PNC Park - beer at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
Aug 7: Beer Passport at PNC Park - beer at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
Aug 15: Millvale Beer Festival http://www.millvalepa.com/BrewFest08.aspx
(yes, I know it say '08, but it's right)
Sept 13: Steel City Big Pour http://www.constructionjunction.org
Sept 25: Beer Passport at PNC Park - beer at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
Whew, that's enough for this month! Maybe I'll see you at one of
these GOOD BEER Events, but definitely on the Keg Ride, right?
Cheers,
Scott
www.EastEndBrewing.com
BUY A GOOD FRIEND A GOOD BEER (TM)
It's officially May, so let's see if you can guess what that means to
us here... Um, yes. I suppose you're right. May does mean the
arrival of the oh-so-action-packed "Be Nice to Nettles Week" from the
13th to the 24th (no joke: www.nettles.org.uk), but I was going for
something a bit more local. And yes, it's American Craft Beer Week
from May 11-17th, but that's still not it, though I have to say,
you're getting a whole lot closer.
Give up?...Okay, I'll spill: It's almost time for the KEG RIDE! All
the details are in place, the destination has been confirmed (and
warned), the route has been carefully mapped out, parking spaces for
over 200 bicycles have been reserved, and of course the beer is
quietly conditioning in the tank waiting for the big day. All we need
now is you and your bike - and you've got exactly two weeks to get it
together.
I'll get into the Keg Ride details shortly, but first we've got some
other stuff to cover - More GOOD BEER News from PNC Park, no less than
THREE new Session Ales coming out this month, as well as a totally
packed GOOD BEER Event Calendar for the Summer, so let's get to it.
MORE PNC PARK GOOD BEER NEWS:
Hey so, Monkey Boy Hefeweizen has been doing pretty well in the Club
section at PNC this season -thanks to YOU!, and that's great news. If
it continues like this, I'm told we will also see some Big Hop IPA
running along side it - when you consider they also have two Church
Brew Works beers on tap, it's getting more and more about the local
stuff at our local ball park, and that's only fitting. Well done
guys! It's good for us, good for you, and best of all, good for PNC
Park. Hopefully it will be good for the Pirates this season too. So
keep up the GOOD work!
STILL MORE PNC PARK NEWS: "Beer Passport" Nights are back!
To help spread the word that Club 3000 is serving fresh local beer
this season, some fresh local brewers (some "fresher" than others)
will be there in person, chatting you up, and personally pouring your
pre-game beers. On Beer Passport Nights, for $35 - that's 20 buck
LESS than the regular price of a Club section seat, you'll get 1.5
hours of unlimited pre-game sampling of beers from East End Brewing
and The Church Brew Works (and possibly beer from a 3rd not-so-local
brewery, but don't quote me on that). And of course, a winning
baseball game... fingers crossed.
These are is definitely the best GOOD BEER deals at the ball park this
season, so pick up a few dates, pick up some tickets, and we'll pour
you a beer at the ball game:
* May 16: Beer starts at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
* June 27: Beer starts at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
* Aug 7: Beer starts at 5:30, game at 7:05pm (maybe you're seeing
a pattern here...)
* Sept 25: Beer starts at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
Call Doug Stocker at 412-325-4902 and be sure to tell him you want
"Beer Passport" tickets... and tell 'em where you heard about it too!
MORE BARS IN MORE PLACES... SERVING EAST END BEER:
In Murraysville: Three Rivers Six Packs now has a rotating East End
tap.
In Indiana, PA: H.B. Culpepper's have become BIG Fat Gary supporters,
already on their seventh barrel.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO STAY HYDRATED...
As we saw earlier this week, hotter weather is upon us - or at least
it was. And around here, that doesn't just mean that we've got new
seasonal releases in the works, because we've already talked about
those. It means that we're cranking up the Session Ale machine to
pump out a string of no less than THREE brand new, low gravity, easy
drinkers to keep your electrolytes balanced when the days get hot. Or
even if it starts to snow once more. Here's the list:
1. Session Ale #23 - Monkey Girl: Due to overwhelming and imaginary
pressure to be less of a sexist with the beer names, there's a new
Monkey in town, and she looks like she's gotten some sun. Monkey Girl
is a Dunkelweizen, literally a "Dark Wheat" beer brewed with the same
yeast strain as your ballpark-famous Monkey Boy Hefeweizen, but with a
little more color. It's also got a bit more roast and dark malt
character to it, but still carries that signature banana/clove flavor
that you've come to expect from all the Monkeys around here. ABV on
this one is a modest 4.2%, and it will likely go on tap this weekend
as the last of the Snow Melt runs out...but that's really up to you.
2. Session Ale #24 - "LOAF" Dark Rye Kvass: This year's version of
our "world famous" Russian Bread Beer, Kvass, is a little different
this time. It's still fermented with bread yeast, and is still a
modest 3.8% abv, but it's more of a dark rye/pumpernickel version this
time. We used a bit more brown malt, and some molasses in the kettle
along with 2 extra pounds of caraway seeds, aside from what was in the
bread. Oh yeah, and let's not forget about those 60 loaves of rye
bread that we soaked overnight in hot water and put into this beer.
Um, yes. I said bread, straight from Bill over at the Wood St.
Bakery.
If you're new to Kvass, you're in for a truly unique treat. May 2007
was the last time anyone commercially brewed Bread-Beer on American
soil... and that happened here too. Sure, in the last two years, the
Wiki reference to East End Brewing as a American's sole Kvass producer
have been pulled, but that was just to prevent the nation-wide panic
when the last batch ran out. Yes, the "Kvass Kraze" has not quite
reached it's full height yet, but now is not the time to wait around
for that to happen. Now it's time to LOAF. (*groan*)
Though we haven't nailed down the date yet, we're doing some special
thing for the debut of LOAF. In addition to having the beer on tap
(with a brand new LOAF of bread tap handle of course), we'll also have
a bunch of that Wood Street Rye Bread for sale at the brewery, the
same kind we used to make the beer! Plus, as a special treat, for a
very limited time, we're also dusting off a keg of SOURDOUGH KVASS
that we've been secretly aging for the last 2 years. We'll have
tasters and Growlers of this super-sour version of Kvass available
while it lasts, but I'll warn you: there's only about 25 Growlers to
go around. Look for a Late-Breaking GOOD BEER News message or a Tweet
with the date for the debut in a little bit.
3. Session Ale #25 - A Dark Mild (to be named): Brendan's been dialing
in another nice low gravity sessioner, and I'm really excited about
this one - Marris Otter Malt, wonderful rich dark color, and a great
roast character. It went into the tank earlier this week, so I'm sure
what the final %ABV will be, but plan on something nice and low. Like
the other Session Ales in this list, we need to clear a spot in the
lineup before we can get it on tap, so get busy on that Trippel, okay?
SO YOU DID NOTHING FOR EARTH DAY...
Earth Day came and went last month, and if you're like me, you're
wondering what you should have been doing to mark the day. Well, I
can say that once again, East End Brewing is there for you in your
time of need, even if it's after the fact. Might I suggest that
taking a bike ride would be a nice idea. What else... let's see, how
about drinking a pint of local draft beer, from a brewery that just so
happens to be a "near zero solid waste" facility...yes, that might be
a nice idea too. Too bad you can't do both in one day... or can you?
Of course you can, thanks to this year's Pedal Pale Ale Keg Ride.
(Did I mention we're doing a keg ride?) And get this - Friday May
15th just so happens to be National Bike To Work Day and part of
American Craft Beer Week! I swear, sometimes it's almost like I plan
these things.
KEG RIDE DETAILS:
So, maybe you read about the keg ride in the Post Gazette? (See "Pump
Up Your Tires" http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09106/963037-34.stm)
But what the Post Gazette DIDN'T tell you is that for the first time
this year, we'll be crossing a river. Don't worry, you won't need a
paddle or a life preserver because everybody knows that full kegs
don't float. Instead, we'll use a bridge, which in this town, doesn't
narrow the possibilities very much.
Let's review the particulars: Show up at the brewery at 6pm on Friday
May 15th, get signed in, and collect your token. Be prepared to head
out at 7pm for a low-speed scenic ride of 6-7 miles, mostly on paved
roads, but with some parts on smooth trails. (There will be no "off
road" riding - the keg trailer doesn't like that.) So any bike will
do. Just follow the keg, or the person in front of you, until we
stop. Lock up your bike in the space we've set up for it, and go have
a beer on me!
The goal this year is to get as many people as possible on this ride,
and shatter last year's record of 225 riders. This is definitely a
case of the more the merrier - and the more beer we have to pull! So
be sure to forward this to anyone you know who you think would enjoy a
gentle bike ride on a warm summer evening, ending with a crisp, hoppy
pint of Pedal Pale Ale!
Or if this giant newsletter is too big, just send along this link,
which pretty much covers everything Keg Ride related:
http://www.eastendbrewing.com/node/706
NOW, ALL THOSE GOOD BEER EVENTS I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT....
May 5: Meet the Brewer (that's me) at the Jean Bonnet Tavern in
Bedford, PA http://www.jeanbonnettavern.com
May 9: Venture Outdoors Microbrewery Hike www.VentureOutdoors.org for
details.
May 15: KEG RIDE KEG RIDE KEG RIDE KEG RIDE KEG RIDE KEG RIDE... I
almost forgot to mention the KEG RIDE!
May 16: Beer Passport at PNC Park - beer at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
May 24: 12:30-4pm, Rachel Carson's Sustainable Feast http://www.rachelcarsonhomestead.org
May 30: Pints for Pets Brewfest, more info at http://pintsforpets.com
June 20: Beer and Gear Fest in Ohiopyle http://www.wilderness-voyageurs.com/beerandgear.html
June 27: Beer Passport at PNC Park - beer at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
Aug 7: Beer Passport at PNC Park - beer at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
Aug 15: Millvale Beer Festival http://www.millvalepa.com/BrewFest08.aspx
(yes, I know it say '08, but it's right)
Sept 13: Steel City Big Pour http://www.constructionjunction.org
Sept 25: Beer Passport at PNC Park - beer at 5:30, game at 7:05pm
Whew, that's enough for this month! Maybe I'll see you at one of
these GOOD BEER Events, but definitely on the Keg Ride, right?
Cheers,
Scott
www.EastEndBrewing.com
BUY A GOOD FRIEND A GOOD BEER (TM)
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