CraftBeerMonger.com has arrived!

It's time to say goodbye to Beer Monger and say hello to Craft Beer Monger!

This blog is going inactive.  Please follow my new blog at: CraftBeerMonger.com!  And be sure to 'Like' my new 'Craft Beer Monger' page on Facebook (Unfortunately, Facebook wouldn't simply let me change the name of my existing 'Beer Monger' page, so I had to make a new page.) 

Thank you so much for reading.  Cheers! 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

Pumpkin Fest 2012 Tickets Go On Sale Tomorrow

It may still be August and it should reach over 90 degrees out there today, but don't forget that October and this year's Great Pumpkin Beer Festival are only 2 months away.  This is the second year the festival will be held at Elysian Brewing's new commercial brewing facility in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood. 

This year's fest will feature over 60 different pumpkin beers; 13 of which are from Elysian Brewing Company, including: Mr. Yuck Sour Pumpkin Ale, Night Owl, Great Pumpkin, Dark o' the Moon Pumpkin Stout, Hansel and Gretel Ginger Pumpkin Pils, Coche de Medianoche (new!), Kürbitinus, PK-47 Pumpkin Malt Liquor, Headless Horsey (new!), Ursa Orange (new!) Mens Room Original Pumpkin Ale (new!) and Orange Manalishi (new!).  Wow! 

Upcoming Events At Beveridge Place Pub

One of my favorite craft beer stops in Seattle, Beveridge Place Pub (BPP), has lots of great events on tap for August.  If you've never been there, this month is a great time to head down and check them out.  They were recently rated #1 in the Top 10 Beer Spots list by Seattle Beer News.  They also just increased the number of taps they have to 36, offering an even wider selection of great craft beers and ciders. 

Walking into BPP, it has a comfortable feel like a big family room.  In addition to the bar and tables, there are also a couple of couches, some easy chairs and to top it off, they're even dog friendly (well behaved, non-barking dogs please).  They also have pool (free on Tuesdays) and shuffleboard.  They do not, however, have any food beyond nuts and popcorn, so they allow any outside food you want to bring.  If you didn't bring anything, they have menus from local establishments that will deliver food to you right in the bar. 

CraftBeerMonger.com Is On The Way!

After a year and a half of beer blogging, the time has come for Beer Monger to evolve.  Based on feedback from my readers and limitations with some of my earlier selections, beermonger.blogspot.com will soon be moving to the URL: CraftBeerMonger.com. 

This change will allow me to provide a richer content experience for my readers, as well as helping me with finding some sponsors for my blog.  Attending so many events/festivals/launches/etc. can, at times, be a bit of a financial strain and a few organizations have already expressed an interest in sponsoring my blog. 

I'm hoping my readers will also take this as a sign that Beer Monger is here to stay.  I'm very passionate about the craft beer community and want to continue to provide you with coverage of the craft beer happenings in and around the Seattle area. 

I'd like to thank all of my readers for their support.  I am working on constructing the new site and hope to be up and running by the end of this month.  Stay tuned for an update on when to expect the switchover. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

Questionable Practices From Urban Family Public House

Last night I attended the Firestone Walker tap takeover event at Urban Family Public House in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood.  It was the first time I'd been to UFPH and, at least intially, I liked the look and feel of the place.  Unfortunately, that's not the same opinion I had when I left. 

Their doors opened just after 4:00PM but, unfortunately, K&L Distributing wasn't on the ball and the Firestone Walker kegs had not yet been delivered.  After a few frantic phone calls from Firestone Walker's local rep, we were assured the kegs were on the way and would arrive in 10-15 minutes, which they did.  I don't blame UFPH for this at all.  They have no control over K&L. 

Once I got settled at the bar, however, I started looking over the taplist and prices.  If you'll recall from a post I made earlier this week, the tap list included:

-Pivo Pils
-Double Barrel Ale
-Pale 31
-Union Jack
-Wookey Jack
-Double Jack
-Nectar IPA
-Hemp Ale
-Walker's Reserve
-Unfiltered DBA
-Double DBA
-§ucaba
-Parabola
-Reginald Brett
-Lil' Opal (on French Oak)

It's A Great Week In Seattle For Firestone Walker Fans

Are you a fan of Firestone Walker Brewing Company?  If you are, it's a great week to be in Seattle.  There are three different places/events this week where you can go to get your FW fix. 

Things started last night at The Pine Box on Capitol Hill, where they were clearing out their cellar a bit and put on a stellar lineup of Firestone Walker beers including:

-Double Barrel Ale
-Luponic Distortion
-Parabola
-Sticky Monkey (Very rare!)
-Union Jack
-Velvet Merlin
-Velvet Merlin though a randall of rum-soaked currants
-Wookey Jack

According to the online tap list at The Pine Box (which they do a great job of always keeping up to date), they will still have all of these beers available when their doors open today at 3:00PM.  Firestone Walker rep Mike Clark was also on hand to answer any questions and enjoy a few with some local FW fans. 

Mrs. Beer Monger With Firestone Rep Mike Clark at The Pine Box

Next up is a Firestone Walker tap takeover at Urban Family Public House in Ballard this Thursday, 7/19, whith over 23 Firestone Walker (and Nectar Ales) taps, including:

-Pivo Pils
-Double Barrel Ale
-Pale 31
-Union Jack
-Wookey Jack
-Double Jack
-Red Nectar
-Nectar IPA
-Hemp Ale
-Walker's Reserve
-Unfiltered DBA
-Double DBA
-§ucaba
-Parabola
-Reginald Brett
-Lil' Opal (on French Oak)

I could be mistaken, but I believe this event may be the first time Reginald Brett has made an appearance in Washigton.  I'm looking forward to trying it.  Lil' Opal is also fairly rare, so be sure to give it a try if you make it down to Urban Family.  Firestone Walker rep Mike Clark will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. 

Last but not least is a special Firestone Walker beer dinner at Deluxe Bar and Grill on Capitol Hill.  This is a BBQ-themed dinner, and it takes place this Thursday, July 19th from 6:30-9PM.  Reservations are required.  You can call 206-324-9697 to make a reservation.  Below is the full menu for the dinner:

So there you have it, three different Firestone Walker events to statisfy your craving.  I'll be back down at The Pine Box on my way home today for a few more, and then at Urban Famiy Public House on Thursday.  C'mon down, say hi and have a few great beers. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

My Experience At The Seattle International Beer Festival 2012

Last weekend, I attended the Seattle International Beer Festival at Seattle Center.  This annual event gives beer enthusiasts the opportunity to taste some unique and rare beers from around the World.  This year's fest had over 200 different beers from 16 different countries. 

I attended two days of this year's festival.  First, on Saturday, I attended as a volunteer.  From 6:30PM until the beer stopped flowing at 9:45PM, I was manning a tap handle for Mad Viking Brewing out of Denmark.  I was pouring their Belgian Golden Strong and their, very popular at this year's fest, Stingray Double IPA.