GOOD BEER News From East End Brewing
Pedal Pale Ale Keg Ride Recap, Gratitude 2008 update, Session Ale Updates, Sticker Contest, and GOOD BEER Events galore!
Hello GOOD BEER Fans,
Coming to you live from the heart of Pittsburgh’s East End….it’s the GOOD BEER News! Well now…that was easily the cheesiest opening I’ve ever written for this newsletter. But it can only get better, so stay with me. Due to a myriad of slight miscalculations on my part, this newsletter is way late, so it’ll have to cover June AND July. Looking at it another way, you’re getting nearly TWO months of GOOD BEER News (and senseless babble like this) when you only paid for one! And of course, you’ll certainly get exactly what you pay for around here. There’s lots to cover, so let’s cut right to the more sensible babble…
CITY OF CHAMPIONS…TIMES THREE?
What US City can boast championship titles in not only two major sports this year, but also happens to be the home of the single largest Keg-Delivery-By-Bicycle program in the entire world? Yep, it’s ours. Pittsburgh. Take that… any other city that delivers beer by bicycle!?
And while I can’t take any personal credit for contributing to success of the epic conquests that the Pens and the Steelers have pulled off this year (wearing my lucky hat and watching 3 games per season doesn’t count), at least I can claim .2% of the credit for that last one… and so can each and every one of the other 499 of you who helped deliver those kegs.
AND THEY TOLD TWO FRIENDS, AND SO ON, AND SO ON…
Much to my complete and total shock, the remarkable doubling effect of the Keg Ride continued for yet another year. Looking at the trend, the first year we released Pedal Pale Ale, about 15 people rode TO the brewery for the very first taste straight from the tank. Next year, the count jumped up to 45 with a ride to Kelly’s and a sixtel in tow. Then in 2007, we led about 120 people to Harris Grill with a half barrel on a flimsy kiddie trailer rigged with everything from bungee cords to shoelaces by the time we arrived. Last year, it was 220 riders to the Map Room with a half and a quarter on proper bike trailers. And this year…
You’ve managed to more than double it again. You got the word out to the world via word of mouth, email forwarding, radio (thanks Lindsay at Iheartpgh.com!), event postings, and all sorts of social networking channels that are all the rage with the kids these days… And out of the thousands who knew about the Keg Ride, a remarkable 500 actually managed to find a way to conquer the logistical challenge of “a ride to an undisclosed location”, and came out to help deliver the beer.
The way I see it, if the doubling continues, we’re just 2 years away from breaking the record for the largest bicycle parade on record… but then again, they didn’t pull kegs, did they?
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/travel_and_transport/bikes_and_motorbikes/largest_parade_of_bicycles.aspx
MANY THANKS…
I had a blast this year – only possible with the great help from the folks at www.Bike-Pgh.org who helped plan the route, provided sign-in volunteers, a trailer, and bike racks at our destination. So if you like bike-stuff, you really should join Bike Pittsburgh, and if you do it now, your contribution will be matched, dollar for dollar. Learn more here, because there’s lots more bikey fun coming up with them this summer…the Bike Film Fest in July, and their big celebration, BIKEFEST in August to name a couple. See www.Bike-Pgh.org for more info.
Our destination was the oh-so-likely Over The Bar Bicycle Cafe on the S. Side, also to be commended for doing an amazing job of handling a massive crush of thirsty riders, serving 500 pints of Pedal Pale in…what, half an hour? 45 minutes tops? These guys were stoked about being the keg ride destination before they even got their place open, so stop in and see Marty or Mike at OTB and thank them for supporting local beer and local biking – have a pint, grab a bite. The menu is vegetarian friendly (if you swing that way) and there’s guaranteed to be lots of Pedal Pale Ale on tap all summer long.
Lastly, my personal thanks to all of you who made this “clearly our best event of the year” and such an amazing evening of bicycling, beer, and fun. I’m not sure what this ride will turn into next year – maybe a charity event (probably a charity event), maybe multiple destinations, multiple routes, but I’ve got another 11 months to worry about that. In the meantime, check out all the great pictures, videos, and articles about the ride listed here, Hope to see you ALL on the ride next year!
SESSION ALE UPDATES….Or is that “SESSION ALES UPDATE”?
1. MONKEY GIRL HAS LEFT THE BUILDING.
She didn’t last long around here, did she? These one-off Session Ales are becoming all the rage- especially, it seems, when we take time to give them a name to call their own. Unlike some Session Ales I know…
2. SESSION ALE #24: “DARK MILD” NOW ON TAP:
What the heck is a “Dark Mild”? It’s a rare thing in beer styles, not only because it’s a neglected style of beer, but because the name actually describes the beer pretty accurately. Unlike terms like “Bitter” and “Pale Ale” that are only marginally accurate in a modern context, a Dark Mild is actually Dark and Mild! Essentially, if you like Porter, and you like a low-gravity beer, you will appreciate this one, because that’s just what it is – a milder form of Porter. See how that makes sense?
3. GET YOUR LOAF ON!
A couple Saturdays ago, we had the official release of Session Ale #25: LOAF – Dark Rye Kvass. This is the beer we brewed from 60 loaves of Wood St. Deli Rye and fermented with bread yeast from the grocery store. If you are wondering why you didn’t hear about this release, it’s because we only announced it on Twitter (so get with the program), but act quickly, there are just a couple more kegs left, so get in here and carb up while you can.
4. LAGERING AN ALE….KOLSCH
Session Ale #26 is already in the tank, and is patiently aging until a place opens up at the taps. This one is another of Brendan’s creations that he put together while I was out. It’s light, simple, flavorful, an ale for the lager-lover in your household, and perfect for the summer heat. No kegs of this beer will make it to area tap spots – brewery only, just Growler fills and the occasional keg.
IT’S FINALLY 2008: GRATITUDE RELEASE THIS SATURDAY:
Also a couple Saturdays ago, about 22 or so of “The World’s Best Brewery Volunteers” labeled up our re-brew of the increasingly inaccurately named Gratitude 2008 for your cellaring/ogling/drinking pleasure. So, “WHEN IS THE RELEASE?” you ask. Really, there’s no need to shout. And maybe you should read those paragraph titles more carefully. I’ve spent the last few days in a fury of waxing, signing, and numbering as many of the 700 bottles as I can for our big release day this Saturday, June 27th. Starting at noon, we’ll finally have 2008 Gratitude for sale, complete with tasters, a limited number of Stacked Vertical Packs, and all sorts of other goodies, details of which are all posted here, See you then!
UPCOMING GOOD BEER EVENTS:
June 27 – Beer Passport Night @ PNC Park: Now ticketing through the Pirate Box Office 1-800-BUY-BUCS. (Might be sold out this time.)
July 4 – Independence Day: YES, of course we will be open for Growler Hours!
July 30 – Beer Dinner at Rock Bottom: EEBC does one beer/course pairing, rest by RB Brewer Steve Panos. Call 412-462-2739 for tix.
Aug 7 – Beer Passport Night @ PNC Park: Now ticketing through the Pirate Box Office 1-800-BUY-BUCS.
Aug 15 – Millvale Brewfest: http://www.millvalepa.com/BrewFest08.aspx
Sept 12 – Steel City Big Pour (got the date right this time): http://www.constructionjunction.org/pages/bigpour
Sept 25 – Beer Passport Night @ PNC Park: Now ticketing through the Pirate Box Office 1-800-BUY-BUCS.
Sept 30 – Local Foods Beer Dinner at Harris Grill: Call now and ask why they don’t have the tickets ready yet 412-362-5273. Or maybe they do?
STICKER DESIGN CONTEST – PUT YOUR CREATIVITY TO WORK, GET SOME BEER OUT OF IT!
I’ve been meaning to get some EEBC stickers printed up for a long, long time here, but it never seems to get to the top of my list. Sure I have some ideas on brewery stickers I’d like to see, but I figure there’s lots more graphical creativity out there than I can muster, so why not provide a forum for your art, wit, and creativity? We’re talking 2 color images here (most likely black and white), any image size is fine (though we may need to adjust come printing time), and there’s no limit to the number of entries you can make. Your image must also be at least rated PG. Finalists will be picked by me, and if there’s enough entries, we’ll have YOU, the newsletter-reading public vote on your favorite from that group in an upcoming newsletter. All winners (there will be a few) not only get some free stickers, but some beer too…of course. Submit your entries here – I think you’ll need to create a login too: http://www.eastendbrewing.com/node/715
Well, that should be enough GOOD News to keep you busy for the next month or so. I hope to see you at the big day release on Saturday, or at one of the other GOOD BEER Events listed here. And a reminder: We are an INDEPENDENT BREWERY, so of course we’re open on Independence Day!
Cheers,
Scott
www.EastEndBrewing.com
BUY A GOOD FRIEND A GOOD BEER (TM)
