Enjoyable dining and Great American Beer Fest winning beer.

As it turned out, I decided to have a quick dinner at the McKenzie Brew House in Malvern on Karaoke Night. I could have known if I had just checked their website before I left - there is a calendar of nightly events or music posted there. There are actually two McKenzie locations with the other being in Chadds Ford, Delaware County. As I ordered my Charlie’s Bitter, a sweet tasting ale from their seasonal and limited brew selections menu, my girlfriend made a comment to the waitress about the music from the bar sounding a little strange. It was then that we learned it was because of the “interesting” singing.

Why a GPS is a good investment.

Normally, I don’t make it a top priority to venture over the other side of the Ben Franklin Bridge. My trip to Cork, in Westmont, NJ, was one of the exceptions. I realized about fifteen minutes after I was supposed to meet Mat there why I don’t; New Jersey roads are confusing! So, after receiving some updated directions via phone, I safely made it to Cork with everything but my sanity intact. The moral of the story here is not to trust Google Maps. Or maybe that if you need your sanity restored, Cork is the place to go. By the way, Mat made it there in 10 minutes with no wrong turns. Go figure.

It’s a Sunday night in Center City, Philadelphia. McGillin’s Olde Ale House, one of the oldest operating taverns in the country is lined wall to wall with people. Two-top tables have now become eight-top tables, and standing room no longer exists. It’s approaching nine o’clock and its game four of the 2009 World Series; McGillin’s is bound to become increasingly crowded as the night progresses. The dimly lit bar casts shadows that bounce off of the walls that are adorned with a mix of signs both old and new; from Gimbels, the iconic American department store, to 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies memorabilia.Bar manager, Chris Mullins, Jr. looks around, eyes adjusting to the lack of light, and gazes at the patrons surrounding him. Not missing a beat, he weaves through the crowd, stopping only when greeting the regulars or to briefly chat with one of his servers. Mullins, Jr. knows that he has a special establishment on his hands, one rich in history that has grown with Philadelphia and through his family. He lives for the nights like these and takes nothing for granted.

Craft beer lovers are just as passionate about their coffee as they are about their beer. More and more we are seeing breweries offering up coffee-flavored beers, and many anticipate beers brewed with coffee from their favorite breweries. It’s obvious that craft beer lovers, brewers included, have a passion for intense and unique flavors, adding the things we love about coffee to porters and stouts to create more complex flavors, and ultimately combining two of our favorite things. Just be sure you don’t confuse the two, as most would agree that a coffee stout probably wouldn’t be a good alternative for your daily commute.

Some people say that when you choose a job that you love, you will never work a day in your life. If this is true, Flying Fish Brewing Company’s Head Brewer, Casey Hughes, has not worked a day since he was 18.