Friday, October 8, 2010

Authentic Oktoberfest Beer at Firkin


Like any respectable bartender, the folks at Firkin serve up their drinks with a story. To compliment their amazing line up of Oktoberfest brews, Firkin wants to fill your mug with some knowledge about the world’s most famous beer drinking event.

Attended annually by over 6 million people who drink over 6 million liters of beer, Oktoberfest celebrated its 200th anniversary this year.

The festival itself dates back to the Royal Wedding of King Ludwig I to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen in October of 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate on the fields in front of the city gates. Evolving to include all of Bavaria, the original choices of amusements included horse races and an agricultural show with the first carousel and two swings were added to the line-up in 1818.

Visitors were able to quench their thirst at small beer stands. In 1896, enterprising landlords with the backing of the breweries set up the first beer tents and hall, replacing the stands. Today, by German law, only the six Munich breweries are allowed to serve beer at the Oktoberfest tents.

While Munich’s 2010 Oktoberfest officially ended October 4th, the Firkin will continue to rotate in some of the fest beers this fall including Paulaner, which was imported to the United States for the first time in 2010, and Spaten, the world’s first Oktoberfest beer created in 1872.

Now that you’ve learned the legacy, come to the Firkin to have a stein of Paulaner, Spaten or another choice from our huge selection of brews. The Firkin has a beer to match every story.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Nitro Fetish

I have no idea where it came from but the the Nitro bug has bitten me. First we will feature Moylan's Irish Red and then Left Hand Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Milk Stout, and Old Rasputin!

Also I will be heading to Belgium just in time for the 12th Annual Beer Weekend in Brussels with Jen in September. We'll be meeting up with some of the brewers that have visited Firkin in the past and we will be visiting some of their Breweries, Blenderies, and Monasteries. So in short keep your eyes fixed here as I blog about our trip.

Cheers,

Dave

2 Years!!!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

New Happy Fun Time

Hello everyone,

I’m sorry to say tickets are not in yet… We do have a couple of new beers though to talk about!

New on Draught

We were able to score four different versions of New Holland’s Mad Hatter I.P.A. including Black Hatter which uses roasted malts, Rye Hatter, Oaked Hatter which was aged in Bourbon oak barrels and last but not least we have Imperial Hatter. All of these are available individually OR we are offering a “Flight of the Hatters” which is a sampling of all four Hatters for $12.00! That starts tonight!

Lagunitas Lucky 13, which is a favorite of mine, is their hopped to all goodness red ale. Originally released as a one off beer to celebrate their 13th anniversary, it quickly grew into a brewery favorite and is resurrected every year. Amarillo hops! Available 7-9-10.

Dark Horse’s Sapient Trip-Ale is back. This Belgian style tripel has notes of lemon pepper, rock candi sugar, and a comfortable slight wheat note.

New In Bottles

J.K.’s Scrumpy Hard Cider (Gluten Free, 100% Organic, Michigan Orchard)

Lindeman’s Faro (First time imported into the U.S.A.)

Anderson Valley Summer Solstice (12oz cans)

Unibroue Trois Pistole

Crispin Hard Cider

Old Rasputin

Pranqster

As you can see we’ve ramped up our bottle selection and there’s more to come!

COMING SOON

Pizza Port 10th Anniversary

Rogue Brutal Bitter

Southern Tier Hoppe

Goose Island Sofie

The Bruery’s Hottenroth Berliner-weiss

Lucky 13

Sierra Nevada Harvest

Sierra Nevada Charlie, Fred, and Ken’s Bock

And many many more!!

On Wednesday July 21st we will be celebrating Belgian Independence Day by offering $1 off of all Belgian beers. The Duvel and Maredsous Girls will also be joining us around 7pm to sample out Duvel Green and Maredsous. This is just a test run, next year we might make it huge!

Cheers,

Dave

Thursday, May 13, 2010

NEW ON DRAUGHT:

Troubadour Magma

Dogfish Head Burton Baton

Tyranena’s Brewer’s Gone Wild Scurvy I.P.A.

Oaked Hoppy Public Domaine (Not really hoppy at all but a rare and fantastic summer biere de garde made with 30% brett)

Konig Ludwig Hefeweissen

Hofbrau Hefeweissen

La Folie

Nude Beach

Surly Mild

NEW IN BOTTLES:

St. Bernardus 12

Okocim Porter (it’s back!!)

Emmett’s Victory Pale Ale

El Mole Ocho

Cheers!!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Beer News

On Tap:

Double Crooked Tree from Dark Horse Brewing Company is now on tap. This hopfilled chewy double i.p.a. is a very limited run and will be gone very soon.

We just tapped up Ken & Fritz from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. This is their 1st in their 30th Anniversary series and is a collaboration between Ken from Sierra Nevada and Fritz from Anchor Brewing Co. It’s a fantastically strong and complex strong dark/stout that packs all the punch in the beginning and releases with a very smooth finish. This is a one time release that we will not see again.

Eric’s Ale from New Belgium is a delightful 3 year old blond sour ale infused with peaches. The peach is mostly on the nose and rounds the tart off, but this is one of the best beers for any sunny afternoon you will come across.

On the Way:

Bell’s Expedition Stout (cask)

Abbott Ale (cask)

Burton Baton

Moylan’s Hopsickle IIPA

Cantillon Kriek 2007

Brewery De Molen’s Hel & Verdoemenis Bottles

And many more…

Many of you have been asking about the bus trip to the Great Taste of the Midwest that we do every year. As far as I know, Yes we will be doing it again this year. We never get our tickets before July, usually a week before the festival so every years it’s a fingers crossed. I can not currently put my right hand on any book of spiritual nature on this subject, but as soon as I can with no post mortem worries I will let you know.

Cheers and good day!

Dave

Saturday, April 17, 2010

New Beers

Hey everyone,

There is a new cask beer to enjoy and we are ramping up our bottle selection!

New on Cask:

Two Brothers Northwind Imperial Stout is back on cask. A fantastic full bodied stout, little chocolate, touch of coffee, a real treat!

New in Bottles:

Bashah - Brew Dog/Stone Brewing Co’s collaboration

El Ocho Mole – New Holland is kicking ass!

Oerbier - (It’s Back!)

Fantome Brise-BonBon’s – Their limited hopped up Belgian Saison.

Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard – “This bastard has wood”

Cheers!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Magma!

Today from 1pm to 4pm we welcome the owner of The Musketeers Brewery in Belgium as we tap up their brand new Gold Medal Winning Belgian I.P.A. named Magma! We will be the first bar in the U.S. To sell this beer! Oh and they just won a Gold Medal in the World Beer Cup for Troubadour Blond which we will be featuring as well as their Troubadour Obscura Stout. Don't miss this chance!

Friday, April 2, 2010

It's starting...

On cask we just tapped Butty Bach from Wye Valley, finally an English Bitter from England! This little gem is a sessionable 4% a.b.v. with a nice earthy nose, lemon grass bitterness and a hint of pepper at the finish.

We just tapped Stone I.P.A., Stone Levitation, and Arrogant Bastard and will be tapping Stone Pale Ale and Stone Ruination I.P.A. sometime today to start the party rolling for the big event on Saturday!! I'd like to take a moment to thank our Windy City rep Travis for helping make this all happen and all his 18 hour work days this week putting Stone Brewing Co. beers into your hands. If you see the brother out, buy him a beer, he deserves it!

Cheers,

Dave

Saturday, March 27, 2010

New at Firkin

A couple of new beers on tap to talk about but first; What's got two thumbs, is listening to The Specials "Stereo-Typical" and is drinking a bottle of Stone Smoked Porter right now while being geeked that Greg Koch posted on their blog??? THIS GUYYYY!

New on Tap:

Pepe Nero! This limited run Belgian style black saison brewed with rye from Goose Island Brewing Company is not only fantastic, but great for an hours worth of playing "I taste this!" at the bar.

Founder Red's Rye (are the rye beers a theme this week?) is back and ready for you to get your hop fix on with.

Dark Horse Brewing Company's Plead the 5th is baaaaaaaaccckkk!!! This Russian Imperial Stout which is the 5th in their series of 5 beers for winter pulls no punches and leads to no doubt in your mind that this will be one of the best beers you will have all year long!


I want to thank Josh from Great Lakes Brewing Company for letting us have the honors of pouring one of the two barrels of Lake Erie Monster to be pre-released this past Wednesday, and breaking a Firkin record for the fastest floated keg in the history of the Firkin. I apologize for all the poor souls who came in just a couple of hours after it was tapped just to be told, "Sorry, it's gone.."


Don't forget:

This coming Monday at 7pm, we have Michael Brackett from Magic Hat Brewing Company stopping by with his Amazing Craparatus to release their new beer Vinyl.

Stone Brewing Company is just days away from selling their tasty tasty beverages at Firkin, including on Saturday, April 3rd where we will have 11 different Stone Brew's on tap at once including a mini Barleywine festival with their vintage Stone Old Guardian Barleywines and much much more!!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Lake Erie Monster!

Holy &%$*!! Lake Erie Monster has landed!! A fantastic and uber fresh Double I.P.A. from Great Lakes Brewing Company and available for ONE DAY ONLY! Do NOT miss this beer.
Also the Duvel girls will be stopping by to say hi and sample some tasty Duvel Green tonight and tonight only.
Cheers!