Growlie

This past weekend in Philadelphia we endured a paralyzing snowpocalypse/blizzarmageddon that tested the fortitude of all. Blizzarmageddons are one of the times that living in a City can really have his benefits. Semi-pedestrain friendly ammenities are nearby and, for me, a fun walk away. I live in a neighborhood that is traditionally known for its Italian population-- their restaurants and grocery stores have endured. The Italian presence is now balanced with a whole mix of others: at least 8 Pho spots, 10+ tacquerias, Viatnamese groceries, Middle Eastern dry goods and more, all within a five minute walk. I can buy a pound of my favorite coffees: Portland's Stumptown Roasters Hairbender, or New Orleans Cafe du Monde while out for a walk. I bring this up because during a blizzard, if you haven't counted your neighborhoods amenities, you do.

One of the things that I am the most greatful for, by far, is the availablity of fine fine microbrews in my area. The best beer distributor in the City is nearby, and I can count two places where I can get my glass growlers filled with premium brews at a reasonable price.

What is a growler you might ask? It is basically a special refillable dark glass flask for holding draft beers. In Pennsylvania, the totally ridiculous Liquor Control Board doesn't want us to have any fun ever, so there are all kinds of rules in place about how and where you can transport draft beer out of a bar or brewery. Many good beer bars fill growlers as a way of helping to move their kegs and keep them rotated. In any case, on Thursday night I went to a local pub with some people (pre-blizzard) for free growlers night. Pictured, you will see my growler of Sixpoint Sweet Action sitting in my refrigerator. This is a low ABV Blonde Ale that offers crisp flavors making it pairable with a variety of dishes. It doesn't carry a sweetness-- otherwise I wouldn't have touched it. I drank a pint beside a bowl of spicy tomato soup and had wished that I had used some of the hoppy-citrusy ale in the broth that I had made. It worked really nicely with the tomato.
You will also notice two bottles of fine Pennsylvania brews: the Lancaster Milk Stout and PBC Kenzinger. The Milk Stout is a good introductory stout for those who normally don't care for dark brews. It has pretty muted stout tastes- chocolate, coffee, caramel, malts-- that beginners won't find them to be off-putting. No big flavors and a pedestrian friendly low ABV. Its lighter mouth feel makes it a good session stout (is that even a term?) for me. The other bottle, the Kenzinger is our local default brew of choice.
Thanks to the many easily accessible fine beers in Philadelphia we made it through the blizzard in reasonably decent spirits. We're anticipating more snow on Tuesday night and you can bet I'll be seeking out some warming libations before hand.