March 7 marks the start of Philly Beer Week in Philadelphia, a ten day celebration of beer so ambitious and extraordinary in its breadth and scope that it would seem foolish to devote anything less than this month's full events page to its coverage. Here are just a few examples of the events on offer, one even featuring yours truly. For the remaining 200 or so dinners, tasting and other assorted activities, visit www.phillybeerweeek.com.
Drink Your Wheaties! Wheat Beer Brunch - March 8, 2008
Grey Lodge Pub
6235 Frankford Ave.
215-825-5357
www.greylodge.com
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. price a la carte
Start your Saturday right with Lew Bryson's Wheat Beer Brunch at the Grey Lodge Pub in Northeast Philly. Enjoy the Breakfast of Champions, wheat beer, in all its glorious styles with a beer breakfast honed by years of Groundhog Day experience. We will have all sorts of wheat beers, including Victory Moonglow, Yards Pynk and Troegs Dreamweaver on tap plus varieties of bottles, and various types of pancakes. Our chefs will be making syrup from a Victory Moonglow reduction. Beer authors Lew Bryson, Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell and Duane Swierczynski will be selling and signing copies of their books.
World's Most Expensive Beers - March 12, 2008
With Stephen Beaumont
Monk's Café
264 South 16th St.
215-545-7005
www.monkscafe.com
7 p.m. $95
Monk's Café presents... The World's Most Expensive Beers Dinner! (Well, Not Really, But Highlighting Some of the Most Expensive - and Controversial - Beers in the World) Featuring Your Host, Stephen Beaumont. We've held many amazing beer dinners with this world-traveling writer, but this may be the most outrageous idea that he has come up with thus far. Expect to be impressed with the sheer hedonism of this event. A keg of Cantillion St. Lamvinus and a few bottles of the rare Samuel Adams Utopias are two of the beers that will be featured.
University of Pennsylvania Museum
Harrison Auditorium, Chinese Rotunda, Upper Egyptian Gallery.
Benefiting the National Parkinson Foundation and the Parkinson Council of Philadelphia
6:30 p.m. Annenberg Box Office - 215-898-3900
Tickets from $95 per guest; $85 for Museum members. Business attire.
Tributes, dinner buffet and craft beers inspired by the late British beer writer, Michael Jackson. For nearly two decades until his untimely death in September 2007, Michael Jackson fueled the craft beer movement regionally through his annual tutored tastings at the Penn Museum. This gala evening will celebrate his legacy through reminiscences, a dinner buffet featuring many of his favorite foods, and of course, lots of great beer. In what promises to be a special measure of his preeminence, we have invited brewers and distributors to either brew a beer inspired by Michael's writing and encouragement, or to bring an existing product that bears the signs of his direct influence, either way, a special measure of the man and his work.
T.U.D.* - The Last Huzzah of Philly Beer Week - March 16, 2008
Fergie's Pub
1214 Sansom St.
215-928-8118
www.fergies.com
7:05 p.m. Free admission
Karaoke party with local and transient brewers and the ladies of In Pursuit of Ale. Plus special guest bartenders from the brewing profession serving $3 imperial pints of craft brews on tap. Say Goodbye to all the beer madness with that T.U.D. (*Totally Unnecessary Drink.)
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