WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 28 Dec 2012 Southern Tier 2XMAS

Holidays are a special time on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  For 2012 we not only logged FOUR live Friday morning shows, we also launched a 4-segment 1-Hour Overextended Holiday spectacular, bringing our total for the number of beers sampled in the month of December to 10!  Because of that, we wanted to go out with a bang and feature a new and exciting holiday beer today with an exciting and unique style.

Southern Tier Brewing company has an extensive history on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  Back in the spring of 2011 we featured one of my favorites, 2XIPA, and followed that up on Oct 2011 by chatting with founder Phin Demink as we featured his fantastic Blackwater Series Mokah.  Both great beers and of course Phin was a great guest.

When I heard Southern Tier was launching a new brew as part of their 2X series of beers, AND that this beer would be a holiday ale, I knew we had to feature it.  Southern Tier 2XMAS was launched back in November and it’s a completely different style of holiday ale.

2XMAS is brewed in a style similar to a Swedish Glogg, and if you’re unfamiliar with that as a beer style, it’s because it pretty much doesn’t exist in many (if any) existing beers.  A Glogg is a traditional Swedish holiday beverage that uses mulled spices and it’s typically served warm.  Southern Tier took that tradition and created a holiday spiced ale that has a complex mix of ingredients.  Starting with 4 malt varieties and 2 hop varieties, Southern Tier added in figs, orange peel, cinnamon, ginger root, cloves and even cardamom to make their beer-glogg and it came out great.  2XMAS is 8% ABV and loaded with spicy flavors as you would expect, but it’s a lot more drinkable than the stats or style would convey.  Try this one for yourself and see if you don’t agree.

Stay tuned for more excitement coming from Southern Tier as they continue to work on heir expansion.  With six HUGE 660bbl fermentation tanks installed and a new 110bbl brewhouse in place, Southern Tier is hitting production levels of 70,000 barrels as the year closes with the ultimate goal of 150,000bbl in the future.  Of course all this means more great beer for you and me.

T

hank you to Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together. As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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Friday BeerBuzz 28 Dec 2012 - The Teaser

It’s been a crazy holiday season on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  Last week we not only held our Last Annual End Of The World show with UniBroue La Fin du Monde, but we also aired our 1-Hour Overextended Holiday Spectacular featuring Chef Kate Gabriel, Joe Snedeker, and Jaime Jurado & Fred Maier from Susquehanna Brewing Co.  We had a fantastic time and I thank all of our guests as well as everyone at WILK for all of the fun!

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint: This week we’re sampling a holiday beer that is brand spanking new and twice the fun. 

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together.(103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz Overextended Holiday Spectacular NEW Intro!

WILK Friday BeerBuzz Overextended Holiday Spectacular NEW Intro!

WILK Friday BeerBuzz Overextended Holiday Spectacular - BEER CAM!

WILK Friday BeerBuzz Overextended Holiday Spectacular - Part 1 (Video)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz Overextended Holiday Spectacular - Part 2 (Video)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz Overextended Holiday Spectacular - Part 3 (Video)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz Overextended Holiday Spectacular - Part 4 (Video)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz Overextended Holiday Spectacular 1- Hour

Each year during the holiday season, the WILK Friday BeerBuzz team creates a very special holiday gift.  Since nothing says Christmas like over-extending yourself, each year we dive in to a 1-hour 4-segment holiday spectacular and each year we present this special program on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve.

Since this is our third annual holiday spectacular we decided to go big with multiple beers, multiple guests, food, video and even the triumphant return of our patented beer-cam.  For this years show we invited Chef Kate Gabriel from the Rustic Kitchen at the Mohegan Sun casino, we invited Jaime Jurado & Fred Maier from Susquehanna Brewing to premier a new beer and to round that all out we added in admitted beer-pragmatist WNEP weatherman Joe Snedeker.  Of course we insist everyone stays for all four segments and helps us sample each beer so be sure to tune in to the video and see how this all works out.

For segment # 1 we chose to feature Corsendonk Christmas Ale.  This classic Belgian brew was the perfect way to not only sample a great holiday ale, but also pair it with food prepared in the studio by Chef Kate Gabriel.  Kate created an amazing Porcini Mushroom Risotto and what's even more amazing is that she did it in the WILK break room.  Needless to say the combination of mushrooms, parmesan, spices and herbs was the perfect compliment to the Corsendonk Christmas Ale and Kate was even nice enough to tell us the recipe.  It was a lot of fun talking beer & food pairing with Kate and we’ll certainly invite her back again to talk beer and food.  Be sure to check out Chef Kate’s website where she offers cooking lessons…she shops, she teaches you how to prepare the menu in your own home and cooks it with you, she cleans up and you eat.  Not a bad deal and a wonderful gift too! 
Kate is also working on the military cookbook project…a great project where she is collecting the stories and recipes that our military members miss most from home.  Check out the website and submit your stories & recipes to this great project.

Segment # 2 featured a perennial favorite Christmas Ale called Delirium Noel.  Coming to us from  Brewery Huyghe in Melle Belgium, this classic brew celebrates the season with a robust Belgian dark ale.  Delirium features the pink elephant which according to them is one of their “states of mind” of Delirium and after seeing the alligator, dragon, and Hitchcock birds…I’ll take the Elephant.  Delirium Noel is 10% ABV and is a holiday beer you must try for yourself.  Dating back to 1650 and recently celebrating their 350th Anniversary, Brewery Huyghe makes some amazing beers, and if you’re ever in Brussels, be sure to check out the HUGE selection of beers at the Delirium Café.

For segment # 3 I selfishly chose to feature one of my all-time favorite holiday beers…Brasserie Dupont Avec les bons Voueux.  This specialty seasonal Saison starts with a classic Saison style and bumps it up to make a very special 9.5% ABV holiday Saison.  Dupont is know for making one of the best Saisons in the world, so it is no surprise that their holiday beer is extra special.  Avec les bons Voueux translates to “With best wishes” as this beer was originally a specialty brew given to clients, customers and family members at the brewery.  With increasing demand, Dupont decided to make it available to the world and we’re thankful they did.  Known for having an amazing and secretive yeast strain, Dupont is believed to use several strains of yeast for primary & secondary fermentation as well as a 3rd strain for their bottle-conditioning.  Try this beer and see for yourself why Dupont makes some of the best beers in the world.

For segment 4, Jaime Jurado and Fred Maier from Susquehanna Brewing Co joined us to sample three different SBC beers.  We all enjoyed their Pils Noir, regarded as the world’s only jet black pilsner-style beer.  This beer is infinitely drinkable and the play of beer color and beer style will leave you wanting to try more and more.  Next up Jaime was nice enough to bring us some of SBC’s fresh-hop beer called Centennial Helles.  This beer uses Centennial Hops in the brewery’s hopjack to impart a wonderful hoppy flavor into this traditional Helles-style beer.  I really liked this harvest beer and I look forward to trying it again.  As a special surprise, Jaime and Fred were nice enough to share with us a new beer with the premier of Susquehanna Brewing Co Hopfive IPA.  Keep in mind this program was recorded in early December, and while Hopfive is available now, we were lucky enough to try a pre-release sample on the show.  Coming in at 6% ABV and using 5 hop varieties, this is a tasty IPA and one I think will become an SBC best-seller.

To add to the fun, we invited in our pal and WNEP weather-dude Joe Snedeker.  Joe will admit that beer is just beer to him and a means to an end more than anything, so we had our hands full trying to convince him beer can be something more.  Joe was a really good sport as he sampled all of our beers, kept an open mind and gave us his honest opinions as we sampled each.  In the end I’m not sure we won him over as a craft beer convert, but rest assured we’ll certainly keep trying.

Thank you to Mrs. BeerBuzz, Karel Zubris, Jaime Jurado, Fred Maier, Chef Kate Gabriel, Joe Snedeker, Jacob, Nancy, & John for an amazing holiday show experience

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The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.

As a bonus, here’s a peek t the studio at the end of our hour-long show.  You do the math…9 people, 6 beers, food and glassware….whew!

Friday BeerBuzz Holiday Spectacular Teaser

Not only are we bringing you 4 regularly schedule live Friday BeerBuzz shows in December, but as an added gift, we’ve decided to double that and being you a special 4-segment hour-long show for the holidays. This special show will air on Dec 22nd @ 3pm & Dec 24th @ 11AM and trust me you do NOT want to miss this one!! Multiple beers, multiple guests, food and even beer-cam and yes we filmed the whole thing. Watch for additional details on possible airings during the New Years timeframe as well.

So what will we be doing on the holiday show? Hint: We’re covering territory from Belgium to Northeastern PA with our beers, we have a chef that I know you will love, some local brewers with a surprising new beer, AND a special celebrity guests that will surprise the crap out of you!! 

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together.(103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 21 Dec 2012 UniBroue La Fin du Monde

It’s been months and months since the WILK Friday BeerBuzz didn’t feature a guest.  We love welcoming brew masters from all over the world and we love talking beer with local brewers as well…but today seemed different….and today seemed like a day when it should just be Friday BeerBuzz family.

For those following along with the Mayan Calendar and carefully counting your B’ak’tuns, you’ll know what today means.  It’s not just Friday or any old day in December; today is the one and only 12/21/12 or what the Mayans called the “end of days.”  While some may say that the date is wrong, some may say they were only signifying the beginning of the next B’ak’tun 13.0.0.0.0, and some may even say they simply ran out of time, ambition or rock to carve….we thought it would be best to be prepared just in case the Mayans were on to something.  Personally I think they probably discovered beer somewhere toward the end of the previous B'ak'tun and simply decided to have a beer instead of carving the next calendar.  In any case we decided the Friday BeerBuzz team should be together just in case the world ends today.

So how do you celebrate the end of the world?  Simple!  You drink “The end of the world.”  Yes our beer today literally translates into “the end of the world” so why not celebrate the day with UniBroue La Fin du Monde!? 

UniBroue traces it’s beginnings back to the early 1990s but it’s beginnings go further back than that.  UniBroue was the first brewery in North America to use the ancient brewing techniques of Trappist Monks in Europe, so their methods and yeasts are historic.  UniBroue was purchased in 2006 by Japan’s Sapporo brewery, but their Belgian traditions march on.  With over 25 beers on their roster ranging from fruit-based brews to sessionable lagers, UniBroue has a wide variety of beers, but their Classic Belgian-style beers are my favorites….and of course that means La Fin du Monde.

La Fin do Monde is a classic Belgian Tripel golden ale and at 9% ABV it will certainly get your attention.  Named after the explorers who left France in search of spices who thought they had reached “the end of the world” when they hit North America.  In honor of that search for spices, UniBroue has created a slightly spicy and wonderfully champagne-like ale to celebrate their journey.  La Fin du Monde has floral notes, a spicy dry finish and an effervescent mouthfeel that makes it easy to drink…but we warned that like the Mayans…the 9% ABV is sneaky.  La Fin du Monde is regarded as one of North America’s first Trappist style Tripel ales so it is not only a historical beer, but also a beer that will age really well…in fact UniBroue recommends cellaring it for 3 years before it is at it’s best….that is of course assuming we have 3 years left.

Buy some La Fin du Monde now and drink some now just in case…but put some in your cellar and should the sun rise tomorrow morning, cellar your beer until 2015 and enjoy it again in the next B’ak’tun!

T

hank you to Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday….and maybe our last!? 

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together. As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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FridayBeerBuzz - 21 Dec 2012 The Teaser

Last week we welcomed back out pal Mark Carpenter from Anchor Brewing to feature our favorite Anchor Brewing beer…Our Special Ale.  Last year Mark joined us to feature the 2011 version and we were excited to have him back for the 2012 version.  The beer was wonderful and Mark is a great guest, especially considering he’s waking up at 5:30AM in San Francisco to join us.  Thanks again Mark!

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint: This week we celebrate something that I don’t think anyone is ever really ready for…..THE END.

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together.(103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)
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Friday BeerBuzz - 14 Dec 2012 Anchor Our Special Ale w/Mark Carpenter (Video)

Thank you to brewmaster Mark Carpenter from Anchor Brewing for joining us today to sample Anchor Our Special Ale 2012.
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WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 14 Dec 2012 - Anchor Christmas Ale w/Mark Carpenter

As the holiday season approaches each year we all reach out to our traditions and holiday customs to celebrate the season.  We’re no different on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz as we welcome the holiday season by reaching out to the friends we’ve met along the way.

After last year’s appearance on our show, I knew we had a new holiday tradition on the Friday BeerBuzz with Anchor Christmas Ale and our pal brewmaster Mark Carpenter.  What better way to celebrate the season than by welcoming Mark back with this year’s version of Anchor Christmas Ale or Our Special Ale as many know it.  Mark kindly agreed to wake up early again to talk to us and we were honored to have him back.

Anchor Christmas Ale began in 1975 and in it’s 38th year, the recipe has never been the same as any previous year.  Each year the beer uses a top-secret set of ingredients to achieve it’s rich and unique flavors.  Each year the beer also features a classic label featuring a specific tree hand drawn by 83-year old label artist Jim Stitt.  Of course this year is no different, and the label features a Norfolk Island Pine drawn from a real tree in Golden Gate Park.  Trees symbolize the winter solstice and the change of seasons and as you’ll see when you taste it, this is the perfect beer to celebrate the winter season.  Anchor Christmas Ale is a 5.5% ABV, slightly spicy, slightly malty and infinitely drinkable winter brew.  You’ll find notes of dark fruit, caramel and winter spices, and the beer itself is simply pretty to look at with it’s reddish brown color.


It was fun quizzing Mark about the direction Anchor Christmas Ale will move toward in the future.  Mark mentioned in a previous interview that they had possibly exhausted the traditional style of this beer so we’ll be excited to see what changes he may make in 2013.  It was of course also fun talking to Mark about the Anchor brewery itself.  If you get a chance to visit this brewery, DO SO….it is a beautiful facility and it has some of the most amazing copper kettles you’ll ever see.

Try Anchor Christmas for yourself, and if you’re lucky enough to find some samples from previous years, try them all together.  This beer ages well and gets even more complex and interesting as it ages.

T

hank you to Mark Carpenter from Anchor Brewing, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.  As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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Friday BeerBuzz 14 Dec 2012 - The Teaser

Last week we welcomed back out pal Brian O’Reilly from Sly Fox Brewing.  This time Brian joined is from their new facility in Pottstown, PA and this time we featured Sly Fox Christmas Ale.  We really loved our visit to Sly Fox Pottstown back in Oct so it was great timing to get Brian back on the air.  We were also excited to feature Sly Fox new can packaging for Christmas Ale with the “To:” and “From:” labeling.  This is a great holiday beer, and now thanks to the write-on can, it makes the perfect gift too.

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint: This week we’re reaching about as far west as we can and still staying on the mainland to welcome back a brewmaster we loved talking to last time.

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together.(103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 7 Dec 2012 Sly Fox Christmas Ale w/Brian O’Reilly

Back in October we took 50 of our closest friends and headed down to Sly Fox Brewery in Pottstown PA.  This was our first trip to the new brewery and it really looked great.  We took a peek at the new Braukon brewhouse and got a great behind-the-scenes look at the brewery & packaging line….and of course some great food & beer.

As we worked to empty the entire brewery supply of Black Raspberry Reserve, we decided it was time to feature another Sly Fox beer on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  We’ve featured their Pikeland Pils in the past, but with the holidays approaching I knew we had a perfect beer to welcome back brewmaster Brian O’Reilly.

Sly Fox Christmas Ale is a classic holiday brew, but when they added the packaging that allows you to write “TO” and “FROM” names on your 12oz can or 750ml bottle, I knew we had our perfect Sly Fox show beer.

Sly Fox Christmas Ale actually begins life as a Red Ale and from there, Brian adds in Nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon, Allspice & even cloves to make this wintery holiday brew.  Don’t let the spices fool you, this beer comes loaded with flavor, body and a very drinkable 5.5% ABV.  Available on draft, in 750ml bottles and my favorite 12oz cans, this beer is a great beer to take to a holiday party…and with the To/From on the label you just HAVE to give this as a gift.

It was fun to wish Brian O’Reilly a happy 17th anniversary and even more fun trying to pry some details about his surprise Special Anniversary Ale out of Brian.  This new beer will be released on 12/14 at their special day-long Anniversary Party at the brewery so stay tuned.  This party will feature Sly Fox beers, bands and some really great sounding food too.

Be sure to try out Sly Fox Christmas Ale 2012 and be sure to give some as a gift so you can write on the label.  T

hank you to Brian O’Reilly from Sly Fox, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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Friday BeerBuzz - 7 Dec 2012 - The Teaser

Last we we welcomed back our pal Leo Orlandini from Lion Brewery.  I can’t believe we’ve done over 130 shows and have not featured our perennial classic local brew Stegmaier Porter.  Of course Leo shared not only some Steg Porter but also some Winter Warmer as well.  Leo is back at the helm of the brewhouse and I’m excited to see what comes next. Things are really looking up for Lion Brewery so stay tuned.

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint: This week we welcoming back a brewmaster who has visited us before and we’ve visited him before as well. 

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together.(103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

Friday BeerBuzz - 30 Nov 2012 Stegmaier Porter w/Leo Orlandini (Video)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 30 Nov 2012 Stegmaier Porter w/Leo Orlandini

We’ve had some really great local and national guests on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz…from Hawaii to Wilkes-Barre we’ve welcomed some really fun brewers and sampled some great beers.  Every so often a guest on our show becomes more than just a great guest…but also a friend….and I’m happy to say I consider our guest today a real friend.

It’s been way too long since we welcomed our pal Leo Orlandini into the studio to feature a great Lion Brewery / Stegmaier Beer but today I think we made up for that absence in he beer we choose.  No one knows the history of Lion Brewery and the Stegmaier line of beers like Leo and this beer certainly has a history.

Today we chose to sample what I consider to be the classic Stegmaier beer….Stegmaier Porter.  This beer has real history at the brewery, and while it has changed a bit and even gone on hiatus for periods of time, it always seems to return and it always seems to be a beer people just love.

Stegmaier Porter has a classic American Porter flavor with notes of coffee, chocolate and a real malty backbone.  Steg Porter has clean and pleasing roasted finish and an ABV that makes it easy to enjoy more than one.  It was a real blast talking about the history of Steg Porter with Leo, but even more exciting to hear that Porter does have a future in the Stegmaier line-up.  This is great news and I’m happy we get to report it. 

Of course with the winter season upon us, we had to sample the 2012 version of Stegmaier Winter Warmer.  Dressed in it’s new packaging this beer not only looks great but tastes great as well.  Lots of caramel and toffee flavors, some flavors of dark fruits and a big malty finish…but at 7.8% ABV, keep your eye on this one.

Thank you to Leo Orlandini from Lion Brewery ,Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.

Friday BeerBuzz - 30 Nov 2012 - The Teaser

With Black Friday last week, it’s actually been two whole weeks since we did a Friday BeerBuzz.  Of course we’re still enjoying the Hop City Barking Squirrel Lager from Hop City and of course we had a great time talking to Deanna Kaminskyj while we sampled both bottles and the new cans.  Thanks Deanna!

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint: This week we’re staying local and I can’t believe we have not featured this CLASSIC local beer on the show before!

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

Friday BeerBuzz 16 Nov 2012 Hop City Barking Squirrel Lager with Deanna Kaminskyj

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 16 Nov 2012 Hop City Barking Squirrel Lager w/Deanna Kaminskyj

I’m all over the map when I feature beers on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  Whether it’s a strong stout or a light Helles, we have no boundaries on the show…and today we not only went all over the map but also across the border.  Our neighbors to the north have always brewed some great beers, so it’s about time I feature a beer from a Canadian brewery…and so we did.

Today we crossed dover into Brampton Ontario to feature a brewery that started in 2009, and is just getting it’s beers into PA.  Hop City Brewery features a Lawnchair Classic Weisse, a Happy Hour Premium Ale, a Mr. Huff Persuasion Pilsner and their flagship beer whish is of course what we featured today.

Barking Squirrel Lager is a traditional Amber Lager that is not only easy drinking, but also has a satisfying medium body & mouth-feel.  This beer has a clean almost dry finish and a wonderful hop aroma from the Saaz and Hallertau noble hops on board.  As the website says, it’s like a angel (or squirrel) dancing on your tongue, but that’s a good thing.  This beer is infinitely drinkable and at 5% ABV and about 25 IBU you’ll be able to do so.

It was fun to talk to Deanna Kaminskyj from Hop City Brewing Co. today and it was exciting to hear everything going on at Hop City.  I was not surprised to hear that Barking Squirrel Lager took home the People’s Choice award as well as Gold and Silver at the 2010 Ontario Brewing Awards…I was however surprised to hear that Barking Squirrel Lager may be heading to 473ml cans in the future.  I think this is good news and Barking Squirrel is a perfect beer for cans so stay tuned for future details.

So where did the name Barking Squirrel come from?  Well this from Hop City, ”At Hop City, we brew beer because we love it. And in doing so we have created a really really really good recipe we dare you to try. Made with the only the best ingredients, THIS BEER WILL MAKE SQUIRRELS BARK AND GROWN MEN CRY.”

Thank you to Deanna Kaminskyj from Hop City Brewing Co, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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Friday BeerBuzz - 16 Nov 2012 The Teaser

Last week we woke up Matt Brynildson at 5:30AM in Paso Robles, CA to talk about his latest release.  Needless to say Firestone Walker XVI Anniversary Ale was an amazing blend of 8 different beers from 226 barrels and a lot of fun to sip with Matt.  We were lucky enough to sample one of the first bottles to make it’s way to the east coast, and we hope to see more of it heading our way in the future.

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint: You may think I’m nuts to go this far for a beer, but you’ll love our beer and our guest too.

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

Friday BeerBuzz - 9 Nov 2012 Firestone Walker XVI w/Matt Brynildson (Video)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 9 Nov 2012 Firestone Walker XVI w/Matt Brynildson

We’ve been setting our sight high and reaching further and further to welcome great brew masters on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  We think Northeastern PA deserves to hear from the best in the brewing world and we’ll stop at nothing to bring you great beer-guests on our show.

Of course today was no exception as we reached out to Paso Robles, CA to welcome our guest.  Firestone Walker Brewing has recently entered the PA markets and we’ve recently begun to see their beers available locally, but don’t let that fool you….Firestone Walker is 16-years old!

Firestone Walker opened their doors back in 1996 and have been brewing some really amazing beers.  It’s of course no accident that they not only won the GABF Gold in 2011 for their flagship DBA but they repeated that win again in 2012 with DBA again taking Gold at GABF.  This is no small feat given how hard it can be to win a single medal let alone back to back gold's.

Today I was excited to welcome the man responsible for much of this medal winning brewing and we happily woke up Firestone Walker brewmaster Matt Brynildson to talk beer.  It was a lot of fun catching up on the progress (aka completion) of their new 60bbl Hupman Brewhouse.  If you haven’t seen the pictures yet be sure to get online and check them out.  The new brewery is gorgeous and I’m talking about the amazing building as well as the equipment itself.

Of course we sampled a beer today with Matt, but not just any beer.  Today we sampled Firestone Walker XVI Sixteenth Anniversary Ale.  Don’t let the 13% ABV of this beer fool you.  This is a really wonderful, flavorful and complex beer…and when I say “complex” I really mean it.  Matt outlined how each year a team of brewers and winemakers converge on Firestone Walker to create their anniversary ale blend.  XVI consists of 226 barrels and 8 different beers (Velvet Merkin, Stickee Monkey, Double DBA, Parabola, PNC, Helldorado, Bravo & Wookey Jack)…and let me tell you it is amazing.  Each sip offers a new and interesting flavor and as the temperature of the beer changes, the flavors became even more complex.  Try this beer if you can and you’ll be as amazed as I was.

Thank you to Matt Brynildson from Firestone Walker Brewing, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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Friday BeerBuzz - 9 Nov 2012 - The Teaser

We always have a great time when the Wyoming Valley Home Brewers join us in the studio, so it was a blast to have Chuck Yarmey & Dan Schreffler join us to sample some great homebrews.  Hopefully we dispelled a few myths and hopefully you made it out to the Learn to Homebrew Day last Saturday.

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint: This week we’re waking up a west-coast brewmaster to help him celebrate an Anniversary.

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

Friday BeerBuzz - Learn To Homebrew Day w/Chuck Yarmey & Dan Schreffler (Video)

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 2 Nov 2012 Wyoming Valley Homebrewers w/Chuck Yarmey & Dan Schreffler

Sometimes its not easy trying to sum up weeks of preparation and a 15-minute radio show in a few paragraphs.  So much happens in a week and so many details go into 15-minutes of airtime, it just seems impossible to put it to words…well not this week….because this week we’re talking home-brewing!

Today we welcomed Chuck Yarmey and Dan Schreffler into the studio to help promote Learn To Homebrew Day.  We’ve had Chuck on the show before and in fact I believe with today’s appearance, Chuck has risen to first place for most appearances on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz….and while Dan may be new to the show he’s not new to beer.  Chuck & Dan are not only active homebrewers, but they are very good at it…and even better at teaching it to others….and that’s what brought them on the show today.

Every year the Wyoming Valley Homebrewers and the Scranton Brewers Guild co-host a Learn To Hombrew Day.  The guys (and girls) get together and demonstrate homebrewing.  This year the event will be held tomorrow (Nov 3rd) at the Waldorf Park Tiki Club in Scranton from 10AM - 4PM and whether you’re contemplating homebrewing yourself, you’re just interested in learning about it or if you simply want to hang out with a bung of people that love craft beer, this is your day.  From 10AM to 4PM there will be a variety of demonstrations and informational sessions, as well as club display and even equipment for sale so DO stop by and check it out.

So of course we sampled some great homebrews today….I mean what Friday BeerBuzz would be complete without beer? With Chuck & Dan in house we decide to sample a Belgian-style Strong ale from Dan and an Imperial Pumpkin from club [president Ed Elliot. Before you think homebrews are not as good as commercial let me say you are wrong. As you gain experience hombrewing, you can brew VERY good beer and these guys have proven it again today. Dan’s Belgian strong uses white grapes and it’s aged on oak. The complexity of flavors imparted by the yeast he chose made this a wonderful beer. Ed’s Imperial Pumpkin was a perfect fall-beer and with notes of pumpkin & spices…this beer was both complex and boozy…in a very good way….perfect for an 8:30AM show!

Stop by on Saturday and you can meet both Chuck & Dan as well as the other homebrewers and ask them how they do it….and I’ll bet they’ll be happy to show you.

Thank you to Chuck Yarmey & Dan Schreffler from the Wyoming Valley Homebrewers, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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Friday BeerBuzz - 2 Nov 2012 The Teaser

Last week another Friday BeerBuzz dream cam true for me.  It may sound silly, but Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale has always been one of my absoluter favorite beers, and it’s a beer we take to the beach every year; so the memories are very fond.  Since the early days of the Friday BeerBuzz, I’ve wanted to feature Dale’s Pale Ale with Dale himself--Dale Katechis from Oskar Blues.  I’m happy to report we had a great time talking to Dale last week on the show and an even better time tasting Dale’s Pale Ale with him.  Cheers Dale and thank you!

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint:  This week we’re keeping our guests closer to home…in fact both guests are local brewers and not only can you hear them on Friday, you can meet them on Saturday.

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

Friday BeerBuzz - 26 Oct 2012 Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale w/Date Katechis

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 26 Oct 2012 Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale w/Dale Katechis

As you may or may not have noticed, we tend to have a lot of fun on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  Each week we sample some great beers, we talk “craft beer” and best of all, we make new friends.

Today on the show we welcomed a guest that I’ve been excited to meet since the beginning of the show.  It’s no secret that Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale is one of my favorite beers, and it’s one beer that always has a full-time space in my refrigerator.  So you may be asking why it has taken over two years for us to feature it on the show…and the answer is simple.  I decided long ago there was only one way to feature Dale’s Pale Ale; with Dale himself!  So today we finally did it.

Dale Katechis co-founded Oskar Blues Brewery in 2002 & right from the start he faced an uphill battle.  You see Oskar Blues was launched on the premise that all of their beers would be canned instead of bottles…and in 2002 this was a revolutionary idea.  Dale had to not only sell the beer itself, but sell people on he idea that cans were a better package.  It was a lot of fun talking to Dale about the “can packaging,” why it is a better package and how far it has come in just 10-years.  Case in point are the Oskar Blues / Sun King co-Brewed re-sealable bottle-cans and better yet the new Royal Pint 19.2oz Dale’s Pale Ale Can.

We had a great time tasting Dale’s Pale Ale with Dale himself.  This beer is a classic hop-forward Pale Ale with a big grapefruity-hoppy nose and a wonderful clean easy-drinking finish.  They call it a “Rocky Mountain Pale Ale” but I like to call it “one of my favorite “hoppy-gateway” beers.  If I had a beer for every time I’ve converted someone who thought they didn’t like hoppy beers to a hop-head using Dale’s Pale, I’d have a cellar full of beers.  People simply always just love this beer.

It was also very cool getting an update on the upcoming Brevard NC Oskar Blues facility from Dale.  This new brewery should mean even more Oskar Blues beers into our market and better yet…even FRESHER Oskar Blues beers into our bellies.

If you haven’t already tried Dale’s Pale Ale or any of the great Oskar Blues beers, do so now.  Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

Thank you to Dale Katechis from Oskar Blues, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.
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Friday BeerBuzz - 26 Oct 2012 The Teaser

Last week was another banner week on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  We welcomed Bill Covaleski from Victory Brewing onto our show, we sampled his wonderful Festbier and then we took 50 of our closest friends down to visit Victory.  The show was a ton of fun, the Festbier was tasty but our trip was the best part.  Thanks to everyone who enjoyed pints with us at Victory & Sly Fox and to everyone who tunes in every week for our craft beer fun.

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint:  This week’s beer is one of my favorites, and our guest is a brewmaster I’ve literally been trying two years to get on our show…and yes the beer was named for him too! 

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

WILK Tour de Buzz 2: The Movie

Check out the WILK Friday BeerBuzz Tour de Buzz 2…traveling to Victory Brewing & Sly Fox.

Friday BeerBuzz - 19 Oct 2012 Victory Festbier w/Bill Covaleski

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 19 Oct 2012 - Victory Festbier w/Bill Covaleski

When I first started the Friday BeerBuzz back in April 2010, I wanted to focus our efforts on local breweries and feature some of our best local brewmasters.  We’ve had some amazing guests, but there were always a few brewmasters I’ve been unable to get on the show.  While I’m sad to report it has taken me over 2-years to get today’s guest to join us, I’m really excited to welcome him on the show….AND it was worth the wait.

The WILK Friday BeerBuzz premiered both Victory Headwater’s Pale Ale and Victory Summer Love in the Northeastern PA market so we were honored to be joined by Victory co-founder and brewmaster Bill Covaleski on the show today.

It was a lot of fun talking to Bill and it is clear that Victory Brewing not only makes some great beers, but that they are committed to sustainability of their local resources…especially their water.  It was cool to hear how Victory sponsors the Headwaters Grant each year and how they go out of their way to brew all of their beer in an environmentally-friendly manner.

Bill also was nice enough to give us an update on the NEW Parkesburg, PA facility as it gets closer to coming on-line.  I was amazed at the impressive stats for this new facility and I’ll be very excited to see what it means for Victory’s distribution, both in NEPA and elsewhere.

In case you thought we forgot, of course we sampled a beer today.  Because it’s still the perfect season for it, we chose Victory’s classic Festbier.  This beer is a typical German Marzen-style brew that uses German malts & hops, but it has a great sweetness and malty finish that makes you want more.  Festbier won GABF gold in 2007 so it’s no surprise that this is one of Victory’s best sellers, especially when it is paired with their wonderful brewpub food.  Try this one for yourself.

Finally it was a lot of fun talking about some of Victory’s new and exciting barrel-aged beer coming soon.  Bill gave us an update on Red Thunder, White Monkey and Oak Horizontal and I can’t wait to try them.  Of course it was also very fun to talk to Bill on the eve of our WILK Friday BeerBuzz Tour de Buzz trip to Victory brewing tomorrow.  Victory Festbier is a great beer and you’ll get to try one tomorrow if you’re joining us on the trip.

Thank you to Bill Covaleski from Victory Brewing, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.

Friday BeerBuzz - The Teaser 19 Oct 2012

Last week we had a great time sampling not one but two different beers with our pal John Merklin from East Coast Beer.  We enjoyed their flagship Beach Haus Pilsner and followed it with John’s fan-favorite Winter Rental Black Lager too.  Both beers were tasty and both beers are available locally @ Krugel’s so be sure to check them out.

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint:  Why not take the Friday BeerBuzz on the road? This week we will and of course our VERY special Brewmaster guest will be featuring a great local beer perfect for the season. 

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

Friday BeerBuzz - 12 Oct 2012 East Coast Beer Beach Haus Pilsner w/John Merklin

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 12 Oct 2012 East Coast Beer Beach Haus Pilsner w/John Merklin

I’m constantly excited to see new and upcoming breweries in our craft beer market.  With each new brewery, there’s a level of excitement, innovation and yes…new craft beer hitting the market!
Last Friday I was lucky enough to sit down with brewmaster & Co-Founder of East Coast Beer John Merklin and sample some of his beer.  East Coast is relatively new to the craft beer world, but you’d never know it based on their beer and their great packaging.  John shared all three of their current beers and we had a great time sampling and talking about East Coast.  To make it even better, John agreed to come on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz and share his story with all of you.

John co-founded East Coast Beer with high school buddy Brian Ciriaco.  Driven by their discovery of craft beer in other countries, the two decided to make the leap and in 2009 they left their jobs to create East Coast Beer Co.  East Coast released their first beer in the Summer of 2010 and they’ve been expanding ever since.  East Coast Beer distributes to 5 states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York & South Carolina with more “east coast” states to come.

Today we decided to sample Brian & John’s very first beer, Beach Haus Pilsner.  Beach Haus is a classic American Pre-prohibition pilsner with just the right amount of hops and a clean easy drinking finish.  The body is light but it has a really satisfying mouth-feel that I know will appeal to a wide audience.

We also sampled East Coast’s fall seasonal Winter Rental.  This is a dark lager Schwarzbier-style brew that came out in 2011 and it too has a really easy-drinking clean finish and a slightly heavier body, perfect for this time of year.  Winter Rental is a surprisingly drinkable beer for a dark lager and John tells me this is their “people’s choice” winner at every festival they do.

East Coast Beers are distributed through Northeast Eagle in Northeastern PA so they are available at Krugel’s Georgetown Deli.  Be sure to check out these beers as well as East Coast’s new Kick Back Amber Ale….AND John tells me they are working on a possible new IPA to be added to the East Coast line-up so stay tuned. 

Thank you to John Merklin from East Coast Beer, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday. 

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.

Friday BeerBuzz - 12 Oct 2012 The Teaser

Last Friday we had a great time on the WILK Friday BeerBuzz.  Of course it helped that we sampled three different beers, including a Barelywine aged for 15-months…but that wasn’t the best part.  Sampling beer is fun, but sampling it with the guys that make it is even better.  Jim Hahn & Don Abraczinskas were a lot of fun, and the Turkey Hill brewing Cask Pale Ale was fantastic….and did I mention three beers?  Yep, we also tasted the Turkey Hill Pumpkin Ale as well.  Get your butt down to Turkey Hill and try out their beer….trust me….do it!  You’ll thank me later.

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint:  This week we’ll welcome a new east coast brewmaster and we’ll sample two of his beers.

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)

Friday BeerBuzz 5 Oct 2012 - Turkey Hill Cask Pale Ale, Pumpkin & Barleywine w/Jim Hahn & Don Abraczinskas

WILK Friday BeerBuzz - 5 Oct 2012 Turkey Hill Cask Pale Ale w/Don Abraczinskas

Back in January we welcomed the manager and brewer for a great new local brewery into the WILK studios.  We sampled some beer and we talked about the brewpub, and really had a great time.  Jim Hahn & Oran Tansey were great guests and we really loved the beers.  A few weeks later, Mrs. BeerBuzz and I traveled to Bloomsburg, PA and spent the evening at Turkey Hill Brewing Co and everything changed.

When you visit Turkey Hill Brewing Co in person, you’ll realize what I mean when I say Turkey Hill is an amazing place to enjoy a beer.  If you ever want an example of “how to do it right” visit Turkey Hill.  Whether you have dinner in the restaurant, sit on the patio with a Summer Hefeweizen or sit in the pub to enjoy a hand drawn pint, you’ll find Turkey Hill is amazing.  From the converted barn structure to the hand-made tap handles and stone walls, Turkey Hill will draw you in and the beer and food will make you want to come back again and again.

Today we welcomed back Jim Hahn and Turkey Hill brewmaster Don Abraczinskas into the studio to sample some beer with us.  Don has been brewing for over 25-years and when you taste his beer you’ll see how his experience and attention to detail pays off in some wonderful brews.  When we visited Turkey Hill last January, Don had a new Belgian Dubbel in the tanks that was simply amazing.  His Journeyman IPA is wonderfully hoppy and his Saisons are first class.

Today we sampled a variety of beer from Turkey Hill.  I was really excited to sample Turkey Hill’s new Cask Pale Ale.  This is a classic easy drinking pale ale and a very sessionable brew as well.  To compliment that we sampled Urban Abbey Pumpkin Ale.  Don trademarked all his beers under the trade name Urban Abbey Brewing Co, so it’s great to see that original name survive in the beers @ Turkey Hill.  Urban Abbey Pumpkin is loaded with spice and gourd-flavor and it’s a wonderful beer especially for a crisp fall evening. 

As if that wasn't enough, we also sampled Don’s BIG Rolling Fog Barley Wine.  This is a big malty barley wine style brew.  Loaded with dark fruit flavors and a touch of boozy in the back bone, this is a great sipper of a beer and with the big ABV, you’ll want to sip this beer slowly.

Be sure to get down to Turkey Hill Brewing Co and try it for yourself.  It is literally just off the Rt 80 exit for Bloomsburg on Rt 487 so it’s easy to find….and once you try some of Don’s beers, you’ll want to come back for more.

Thank you to Jim Hahn & Don Abraczinskas from Turkey Hill Brewing, Nancy, John & Joe for yet another

fun Friday. 

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.

Friday BeerBuzz - The Teaser (5 Oct 2012)

Last week we stayed traditional and featured an Oktoberfest-style beer during Oktoberfest season.   I decided to go with a classic Okto beer and chose Spaten Oktoberfest.  Brewers of the original Oktoberfest Style beer, Spaten was a perfect choice and a great way to introduce our listeners to the Oktoberfest tradition.

So what will we be sampling this week? Hint:  This week we’ll welcome a local brewmaster into the studio to sample some really unique beers.

Tune in at 8:30AM and see what beer we sample on the Friday BeerBuzz on WILK…bringing good beers and good people together. (103.1FM or wilknewsradio.com)