chazwicke
08-19-2005, 01:04 PM
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Craft beer hopping in the tri-state area
Ten small breweries in the region make a list of the world's top 100.
By Harold Brubaker
Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted on Thu, Aug. 18, 2005
Craft beers are blooming in the Philadelphia region, giving hops-heads
craving big flavors plenty to get excited about.
Ten small breweries in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware earned
spots on a recent list of the 100 best in the world. Pennsylvania had
five in the ranking by RateBeer.com, third behind California, with 10,
and Michigan, with seven.
"I think eastern Pennsylvania is the best place in the United States to
be a beer drinker right now," said Brian O'Reilly, brewmaster at Sly Fox
Brewhouse, which came in 54th and has locations in Phoenixville and
Royersford.
"There's nowhere in the U.S. that can parallel our variety of styles,"
including standout lagers and incredible Belgian-style ales, O'Reilly
said.
The highest local ranking went to Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Del.,
in ninth place. Owner Sam Calagione specializes in "extreme" beers that
venture way beyond the classic ingredients of malt, hops, yeast and
water. Various Dogfish Head beers are brewed with juniper berries,
vanilla, chicory root and green raisins, to name a few of the unusual
ingredients.
In line with the trend toward so-called "big beers" made with more hops,
more malt - and, consequently, higher alcohol contents - a list of the
world's top 100 beers, also released by RateBeer.com, is dominated by
imperial stouts, Belgian strong ales, and barley wines.
"I just think people are looking for bold flavors," said Carol Stoudt,
who pioneered microbrewing in Pennsylvania in 1987 when she opened
Stoudt's Brewing Co. in Adamstown. Stoudt's was ranked 24th on the best
breweries list.
Other local winners were Victory Brewing Co. in Downingtown at 14;
Troegs Brewing Co. in Harrisburg at 26; McKenzie Brew House in Glen
Mills at 35; Triumph Brewing Co. in Princeton and New Hope at 41;
Heavyweight Brewing Co. in Ocean Township, Monmouth County, N.J., at 56;
High Point Wheat Beer Co. in northern New Jersey at 67; and Iron Hill in
Newark, Del., at 82.
RateBeer.com based the ranking on reviews by thousands of mostly
25-to-35-year-old beer enthusiasts from 65 countries.
Scott Morrison, brewmaster at McKenzie and a specialist in Belgian-style
beers, said the rankings are for sophisticated beer drinkers. "People
are starting to appreciate them like wine," he said.
Morrison makes beers such as "dark saison" for a relatively small group
of beer geeks, as well as beers of wider appeal "that are going to make
money for the brewery," he said.
For beer retailers, the lively local scene is good for sales, said Greg
Ramirez, general manager of Exton Beverage Center: "We're blessed to
have them in our backyard."
Craft beer hopping in the tri-state area
Ten small breweries in the region make a list of the world's top 100.
By Harold Brubaker
Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted on Thu, Aug. 18, 2005
Craft beers are blooming in the Philadelphia region, giving hops-heads
craving big flavors plenty to get excited about.
Ten small breweries in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware earned
spots on a recent list of the 100 best in the world. Pennsylvania had
five in the ranking by RateBeer.com, third behind California, with 10,
and Michigan, with seven.
"I think eastern Pennsylvania is the best place in the United States to
be a beer drinker right now," said Brian O'Reilly, brewmaster at Sly Fox
Brewhouse, which came in 54th and has locations in Phoenixville and
Royersford.
"There's nowhere in the U.S. that can parallel our variety of styles,"
including standout lagers and incredible Belgian-style ales, O'Reilly
said.
The highest local ranking went to Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Del.,
in ninth place. Owner Sam Calagione specializes in "extreme" beers that
venture way beyond the classic ingredients of malt, hops, yeast and
water. Various Dogfish Head beers are brewed with juniper berries,
vanilla, chicory root and green raisins, to name a few of the unusual
ingredients.
In line with the trend toward so-called "big beers" made with more hops,
more malt - and, consequently, higher alcohol contents - a list of the
world's top 100 beers, also released by RateBeer.com, is dominated by
imperial stouts, Belgian strong ales, and barley wines.
"I just think people are looking for bold flavors," said Carol Stoudt,
who pioneered microbrewing in Pennsylvania in 1987 when she opened
Stoudt's Brewing Co. in Adamstown. Stoudt's was ranked 24th on the best
breweries list.
Other local winners were Victory Brewing Co. in Downingtown at 14;
Troegs Brewing Co. in Harrisburg at 26; McKenzie Brew House in Glen
Mills at 35; Triumph Brewing Co. in Princeton and New Hope at 41;
Heavyweight Brewing Co. in Ocean Township, Monmouth County, N.J., at 56;
High Point Wheat Beer Co. in northern New Jersey at 67; and Iron Hill in
Newark, Del., at 82.
RateBeer.com based the ranking on reviews by thousands of mostly
25-to-35-year-old beer enthusiasts from 65 countries.
Scott Morrison, brewmaster at McKenzie and a specialist in Belgian-style
beers, said the rankings are for sophisticated beer drinkers. "People
are starting to appreciate them like wine," he said.
Morrison makes beers such as "dark saison" for a relatively small group
of beer geeks, as well as beers of wider appeal "that are going to make
money for the brewery," he said.
For beer retailers, the lively local scene is good for sales, said Greg
Ramirez, general manager of Exton Beverage Center: "We're blessed to
have them in our backyard."