Everyone knows us as the fun loving, beer drinking, ball-busting group but truth be told – we really care about each other a lot. We care about our community too and we always do what we can to help.

When our Systems Administrator told us about his 13-year-old cousin Elizabeth A. Henry, we knew we had to do something. We’re feeling pretty helpless but we’re going to try to do what we can and we’re asking for your help.

This is Elizabeth, a beautiful young girl from New Orleans, Louisiana. She was born with a congenital heart defect called Tetrology of Fallot. She had her first open heart surgery at 6 months old and then a pulmonary valve replacement in 2009. Earlier this year she was diagnosed with large pulmonary artery aneurysms (large clots in the pulmonary arteries that makes breathing difficult.

Elizabeth’s case is rare and doctors all over the world have been consulted, to no avail. Elizabeth is currently living at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA where physicians are considering possible treatment and surgeries including a heart/lung transplant.

A fund has been set up to help her family cover the mounting medical and travel expenses related to Elizabeth’s condition and a fundraiser is in the works.

Please take a moment to check out the website, elizabethhenryfund.webs.com and get involved if you’re able.

Elizabeth is a good kid from a good family who is looking forward to starting high school and beating this condition. We know that we’ve got some of the best blog readers and customers in the world and if anyone can help this little girl and her family get through this, it’s us. Thanks so much!

TAGS [ FAMILY | ELIZABETH HENRY | CHARITY ]

A few days ago Hannah informed me of an awesome sale that was going on at one of Buffalo’s craft beer outlets, The Village Beer Merchant. I thought that was awesome until she told me the reason for the sale. They need to make room for fall beers! Geez Louise, I feel like summer just started! I never even got around to working on my beach body like I intended. I thought I’d have more time!

Then there’s the fact that the entire Twitterverse (should that even be capitalized?) is buzzing with brewers talking about the production of their pumpkin ales. To top it all off, I’m currently working on getting our new tailgating products up on the site before football season starts.

Once I got over my initial shock, realized that summer is indeed on its way out and realized that the best thing to do is embrace the change, I actually got really excited. Some of my favorite seasonal beers come out in the fall! Great Divide’s Fresh Hop Pale Ale is inspired by the annual September hop harvest and it’s a once a year specialty brewed with freshly picked hop flowers instead of the standard dried or pelletized stuff. I suggest everyone try to find some.

Then there’s Oktoberfest beers (mmm… Spaten) and awesome pumpkin ales. I haven’t tried the Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale my colleagues have raved about yet, but I’ll definitely get my hands on some this season! If this fall is anything like last fall, Southern Tier’s Pumpking Ale will become a staple in my diet. If you’re looking for more great pumpkin ales to check out, just read this
blast from the past blog post and take notes.

Bring on the apple pies, crunchy leaves and that warm, cozy feeling that comes with wearing your favorite sweatshirt on a regular basis. The beers are almost ready and I’m with them!

TAGS [ FALL BEER | AUTUMN BEER | PUMPKIN BEER | OKTOBERFEST | MARZEN ]

This past weekend was the 8th annual Belgium Comes To Cooperstown Beer Festival held at Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY, not only one of the best beer events in the Northeast, but in the entire country. A gathering of beer aficionados pretty much unlike any other, this year the powers that be that organize the event, the importers and distributors that make the beer available to us, and most importantly the brewers that create these delicious specimens, seemed to yet again raise the measuring stick for how it’s really supposed to be done when it comes to appreciating craft beer.

This was the third year for our "contingent" for going, which included 2 fellow KegWorkers, and an unbelievable time was had by all. I think for me, what made it extra special is according to veterans that have been coming since 2003, this was the first time it didn’t actually rain for a period of time from noon Friday to everyone’s departure on Sunday. Lots of beer festivals are outdoor events in the summer months, but what makes this one unique is that participants have the opportunity to camp on the beautiful, serene grounds of the brewery which used to be a former hop farm. The result is one huge party, a tent city, a community of fellowship and camaraderie among beer geeks unlike anything else I experience all year. Obviously people attend this event for the tasting of hundreds of beers that drip creativity, with multiple one-off brews created specifically for the event as well as classic examples that are the benchmarks for what Belgian beers are all about. But I, as well as many others, look forward to seeing people from around the region that I have made friends with over the past three years, and that is what makes this gathering so very unique.

Clearly it’s easy to lose track of all the beers one has at this event, but I wanted to share a few of my personal highlights that really struck a chord, four of which were sampled at the tasting, and 2 which were brought by friends:

Stillwater Stateside Saison – Overall, the biggest surprise of the festival for me were the grocery list of beers that this undiscovered gem of a brewer from Baltimore offered. One of the girls pouring their beers was nice enough to serve me the entire flight of 8-10 beers they had, in her order of preference. Everything I had was very well done, and I hope to see their beers make it to the Upstate New York Region soon; they currently have distribution in New York City. Read more about them at the Stillwater Ales Blog.

Keegan Ales Four Philosophers – Tripel is one of my favorite styles; I don’t care if one is released by Trailer Park Brewing Company, if it exists, I have to try it. The fine folks at Keegan Ales, whom already are an A+ in my book, provided this dynamite barrel-aged Tripel, with a name created obviously as a nod to Ommegang’s own Three Philosophers.

White Birch Brewing Barrel Aged Tripel - Looky here, another Tripel! Until this weekend, I only knew White Birch by name, and while their entire line they offered was great, this was something special. Thanks to Jim for the full pour of this nectar.

Ommegang Cup O Kyndness Belgian Style Scotch Ale - Not yet available commercially until September, but on tap at the festival, this beer is as good as you will expect it to be. Scotch ale is one of my favorite styles outside of all things Belgian and English, and I love it when breweries focusing on Belgian styles take on a Scotch ale. Rich, balanced, and malty, it will easily find a place in my fridge as well as my cellar once it hits the shelves.

Alesmith Decadence 10th Anniversary Ale - Out of all the treats Murph brought back from a recent trip to San Diego, this was the second bottle of Decadence that we had (the other being the 2009 Weizenbock) and it was a grand slam. It redefined for me how an Old Ale is done properly. Retired by the brewery and no longer made, it will obviously be tough to find, but if you see any bottles in any stores, grab it and run.

Williamantic Brewing Company Flower Infusion – Jim brought many a beer that made me sit down and take notice, but this one almost stopped time for me. A Cuvee De Fleurs style farmhouse ale, it is brewed with European malts, wildflower honey, hopped with Marynka, and infused with Lavender, Calendula, Chamomile, Rose Buds, and Hibiscus. Couldn’t they have come up with something a bit more original?

So, in a sea of an overdose of everything that’s good, these beers were special, and surprising. I always say to people, like the Great American Beer Festival, TAPNY, and the Beer Advocate Festivals in Boston, this is one event that every fan of craft beer MUST attend at least once, to see what it’s all about. In the past, tickets have gone on sale for the event April 1st, and they’re gone in the blink of an eye. Do yourself a favor and pencil this one in for next year – I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Cheers!

Photo credit: Sarah Ryder

TAGS [ BELGIUM COMES TO COOPERSTOWN | OMMEGANG | BEER FEST | BEER EVENTS ]

Look at me, I’m riding a horse, now look at your kegerator, it’s stainless steel, just like all the other ones. Now look at this one, it’s diamond plated!

Everyone has seen the Old Spice Guy commercials with the gentleman who is obviously manlier than you and everyone loves it! Get into Mad Men and the old fashioned "men were men" attitude appears as well. Is this a resurgence of men being allowed to be men? To actually be ok with asserting themselves as having testosterone and in turn the general populace being ok with this?

Well gentlemen, embrace it while you can! Be the manliest SOB you can be! Drink dark beer and flout that Journey tattoo that you’ve been hiding since the early 80’s, (well maybe you should keep that one hidden). Stake claim of your man cave! Put up your favorite sports team sign! Get that diamond plated badass kegerator you’ve always thought would look great in your garage! Be less civilized by drinking a glass of beer right out of a bottle (sounds weird, but check it out). If history shows us nothing else it shows that climates are fleeting. Enjoy being a man before you miss out!

TAGS [ MEN | OLD SPICE GUY | KEGERATOR ]

Image credit: Demitri’s on Facebook

Congratulations are in order to Demitri’s, makers of award-winning Bloody Mary mixes that will knock your socks off!

Did I really just say "knock your socks off"? Sorry about that one.

Anyway, Demitri’s won gold medals for their Classic Bloody Mary mix, and silver medals for both their Extra Horseradish Bloody Mary mix and Chilies and Peppers Bloody Mary mix at the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. In my opinion, the awards couldn’t have gone to a better tasting Bloody Mary seasoning - Demitri’s is second to none.

Cheers to Demitri’s and great Bloody Marys! Thanks to J2 for sending me the link, too.

TAGS [ DEMITRI'S | BLOODY MARY MIX | BLOODY MARY RECIPES | COCKTAIL RECIPES ]

We’ve discovered an incredible drink publication, aptly named CLASS Magazine. While "CLASS" is actually an acronym for "Cocktail, Liquor and Specialty Spirits" it’s an incredibly fitting title for a book filled with stunning photography that emanates refined style and sophisticated taste. If you’re at all into cocktails and mixology, it’s a must-read. You feel more cultured and distinguished just flipping through the pages and the content is outstanding.

The editor of that magazine is Simon Difford and he has an awesome drink website called DiffordsGuide. You can search for specific cocktails by name or explore your options by choosing the ingredients you have available. Select "vodka" as your base spirit and you’ll have more than 480 illustrated cocktail recipes at your fingertips.

I entered vodka as my base spirit and ginger beer as my mixer and came up with a recipe for Berry Nice, an intriguing cocktail made with muddled blackberries, Ketel One, Chambord, ginger beer and freshly squeezed lemon. I drooled on my keyboard a little bit just looking at the photo.

I thought I’d pass along the link, just in case you’re looking for some fresh inspiration or awesome drink ideas. Hope you like it!

Note: We’re not in any way affiliated with CLASS Magazine (although we’d like to explore that possibility soon, seeing as they’re so awesome) and they had nothing to do with me promoting them in this post. We just appreciate good stuff when we see it and we wanted to share. Cheers!

TAGS [ CLASS MAGAZINE | COCKTAIL RECIPES | DRINK RECIPES ]

Yesterday, several KegWorkers (myself included) journeyed to Mooney’s, the new(ish) bar/restaurant across the street from our office. We frequent the place, so we tend to notice when they’ve got something new and yesterday this awesome sign caught our eyes before we even made it to the door.

Not only did we all read it and laugh, we all stood around talking about it for a few minutes before we went in. It’s become obvious to me that we like places that make us laugh almost as much as we like clever people.

We’ve got a bunch of attention-grabbing signs but I thought I’d choose my top three as suggestions. Check ‘em out:

1. $5 Charge for Whining - Whether or not you enforce it is your decision but the sign alone will give your customers, friends or family a clear picture of your personality. Who knows, it might even cut down on the complaints.

2. Bar Phone Fee Sign - With the modern marvels we call cell phones, this sign is slightly irrelevant but funny all the same. Heck, we might even be able to call it nostalgic at this point.

3. If You Tap It They Will Come - Sometimes the truth is entertaining - and this is one of those times. There’s no real obvious humor behind the message but it’s so spot-on, it’s kind of funny.

Even better, they’re all under $20 and they’ll provide years of quality conversation starting. Have an awesome bar sign that really gets your guests going? Tell us about it!

TAGS [ BAR SIGNS | FUNNY BAR SIGNS | PUB SIGNS ]